Going backwards in every respect

[Steve Foster]

A Liverpool fan from Finland here, joined up on this forum because Hyypiä is the reason I became a Liverpool fan in the first place and him managing Brighton & Hove makes your club my favourite one in the Championship this season.

I'd like nothing better than Sami going on to have a successful managerial career. I was excited when the news broke that he's the next Brighton manager as Brighton have been one of the best, most consistent clubs in the Championship recently.

However, I'm a little worried. Even to an outsider like me it seems obvious the squad needs a few quality additions after the departures and some players perhaps starting to be past their peak?

Sami also needs to motivate the squad very well, imo, as being for, what, three years in a row now knocking on the Premier League's door can install some "I guess it's never going to happen" thinking into the guys who have so many times come close.

So, it looks to be a tougher challenge for Sami - and Brighton in general - than it might have initially looked on paper. I'll be keeping a close eye on this club's fortunes this season and will probably pop in here every once in a while, too. Good luck.

Welcome to the woes of BHA. The best supported team in the Championship, who have spent all but 4 years out of 113 in the top flight!

http://www.northstandchat.com/showt...Cheltenham-Town-League-Cup-Score-Predictor-**

 

[Billy the Fish]

Right. Glad I've got your attention. Obviously it's the first game of a long season. Obviously the transfer window closes at the end of August and we appear to have several irons in several fires. Obviously playing with 10 men against a team as adept at time wasting as Wednesday is never going to turn out well. Obviously we still have a club, The Amex is lovely, the seats are padded yada, yada, yada.

Nevertheless I am about to wet the bed. Regular readers on here and of last season's blog will know this is actually out of character. I understand FFP. I understand how much money TB has put in and, no, I don't have that much myself. I understand we have the best Academy in the country and this is going to give us a rosy long term future. So I have to say:

When you start with Shamir Fenelon and O'Grady in the Championship where once it was Barnes and Ulloa you are going backwards. When you have to play your reserve right back as a left wing back you are going backwards. When you play another ex-devteam squad player as one of two holding midfielders when his major weakness is tackling you are going backwards. When you no longer have Mathew Upson reading the game and controlling the spine you are going backwards. When your answer to this is to put on an overweight, out of favour player with the pace of a snail on mogadon and who cannot accurately pass a bottle of port you are going backwards.

This squad doesn't need three or four additions. It needs major surgery.

All fair comments.

As someone who usually calls out our resident bedwetters I think they should all take note of this post. This is how you write a piece of constructive criticism.

The tone is such that I believe it's been written by an adult, he's not demanding anything like a child would. The OP doesn't try to blame anyone or comment on things that he can't possibly know about. He doesn't take his criticism to the complete extreme. These are the things that get you called a bedwetter, not the actual criticism.

I don't think anybody believes this squad as it is, is going to do anything other than mid table at best. The only difference is the reaction and what we believe is a viable solution.

 

[Bra]

Fair enough GB. I would like to see, in order of priority:

ST (Ulloa replacement, will cost big money)
LB (Ward - just do it)
ACM (may have to move this one up the priority list based on yesterday!)
Left-sided forward (not sure I can say LW in the new Sami world).

Anyway, agree re quality. That's why I'm saying 4, not more (recognising FFP).

I've been saying this since before our first pre-season game. The club need to wake up or pay the price (lost revenue through dwindling attendances).

Agree with you re the priorities and the need to do the deals now rather than wait for four more games to go in which we may well struggle with the current squad. I am surprised that we allowed ourselves to get to opening day in a position whereby we have to play a right back on the left since we will not deal with Wolves. As I see it either agree the deal or move on to the next target but to start in a make-do situation, well that is not acceptable. And Ulloa, always going but why not have some one lined up ready before allowing him to leave. Whatever is happening with recruitment surely these are not signs that things are working well, whether that be TB, DB or PB.

 

[jimmygull]

Was that the worst performance since pre Gus days. I cant think of a worse one. It was as if the players havent learnt what Sami wants or are not capable of doing it.

We had 10 men for half the match....

 

[BrianWade4]

Agree OP

 

[crabbie]

Early days, give sammi some time to get his squad
Together, we all know the championhip is a tough league
But it will start to come together im certain

 

[the wanderbus]

As I've said before the men at the top have destroyed any early season feel good factor before a ball was kicked.All this constant bleating about FFP is merely an excuse to cover their penny pinching , we've taken over £10 million in transfer fees since January yet for the last 3 transfer windows have continually eroded the quality of the squad. There have been players available for reasonable sums, why havent we got them? The spine of the side is only half complete and is desperate for new additions,O'Grady is not the answer as a hold up striker by any means, he may be strong and hold the ball but his lay offs were all overhit, underhit or misshit. I'm not meaning to single him out but he is a perfect example of you get what you pay for. We are not little Brighton from the athletics track anymore. We CAN compete for signings with most clubs in the division but are appear to be choosing to go bargain basement even so far as not appointing an experienced No2 ! It's not good enough and with the amount of money spent on tickets, pies, merchandise etc is an insult to the fans.

 

[Brighton Mod]

As I've said before the men at the top have destroyed any early season feel good factor before a ball was kicked.All this constant bleating about FFP is merely an excuse to cover their penny pinching , we've taken over £10 million in transfer fees since January yet for the last 3 transfer windows have continually eroded the quality of the squad. There have been players available for reasonable sums, why havent we got any of them? The spine of the side is only half complete and is desperate for new additions,O'Grady is not the answer as a hold up striker by any means, he may be strong and hold the ball but his lay offs were all overhit, underhit or misshit. I'm not meaning to single him out but he is a perfect example of you get what you pay for. We are not little Brighton from the athletics track anymore. We CAN compete for signings with most clubs in the division but are appear to be choosing to go bargain basement even so far as not appointing an experienced No2 ! It's not good enough and with the amount of money spent on tickets, pies, merchandise etc is an insult to the fans.

You're so right and can include the selection of the manager in that, bargain basement and no experience in management of English football.

 

[ditchy]

Spot on - massively complacent attitude at the club at the moment - this squad is not good enough

That complacent attitude is for me throughout the club .. I have not been affected, but how many people. Have had season ticket cards delayed and in some cases not arrived in time for yesterday? How many people gave had car parking passes delayed etc , who hasn't got their Brum tickets yet ? Bennetts field parking ? Catering .. Love the idea of more outside catering etc , but why wait to announce it. 1 week before the season starts rather than getting on with it and making sure all systems etc are in place for the big KO .. Even new kit sales and lack of anything else in the club shop is a missed opportunity . It just seems as though the club are happy to bob along at this level rather than up its game , but spin us something different .

 

[warmleyseagull]

As I've said before the men at the top have destroyed any early season feel good factor before a ball was kicked.All this constant bleating about FFP is merely an excuse to cover their penny pinching , we've taken over £10 million in transfer fees since January yet for the last 3 transfer windows have continually eroded the quality of the squad. There have been players available for reasonable sums, why havent we got them? The spine of the side is only half complete and is desperate for new additions,O'Grady is not the answer as a hold up striker by any means, he may be strong and hold the ball but his lay offs were all overhit, underhit or misshit. I'm not meaning to single him out but he is a perfect example of you get what you pay for. We are not little Brighton from the athletics track anymore. We CAN compete for signings with most clubs in the division but are appear to be choosing to go bargain basement even so far as not appointing an experienced No2 ! It's not good enough and with the amount of money spent on tickets, pies, merchandise etc is an insult to the fans.

Whatever way you pick up the signings conundrum and examine it, you inevitably end up with the FFP problem. The club has laid out its intentions clearyl, as PB repeated the other night: we will stick to the rules.

It seems to me that whatever approach you take - the Forest, Middlesbrough one that seems to be saying ***k it, let's go for the Prem and hang the consequences, or the BHA we will follow the rules approach, - is a gamble. Posters such as yourself have to accept that it is a gamble to pay fees and wages that bust FFP (and remember we are now in 14/15 year when limit of deficit reduced to £5m); posters like me that support the Board's approach have to accept that the consequence may be lack of quality, and, to quote another current post, we are going backwards. There is a chance that the legal approach Leicester an QPR are apparently taking works, or that the League blinks in the headlights and does not enforce the transfer embargo in January and the BHA Board look silly.

There is no 'right' answer to this.

 

[Barnham Seagull]

Whatever way you pick up the signings conundrum and examine it, you inevitably end up with the FFP problem. The club has laid out its intentions clearyl, as PB repeated the other night: we will stick to the rules.

It seems to me that whatever approach you take - the Forest, Middlesbrough one that seems to be saying ***k it, let's go for the Prem and hang the consequences, or the BHA we will follow the rules approach, - is a gamble. Posters such as yourself have to accept that it is a gamble to pay fees and wages that bust FFP (and remember we are now in 14/15 year when limit of deficit reduced to £5m); posters like me that support the Board's approach have to accept that the consequence may be lack of quality, and, to quote another current post, we are going backwards. There is a chance that the legal approach Leicester an QPR are apparently taking works, or that the League blinks in the headlights and does not enforce the transfer embargo in January and the BHA Board look silly.

There is no 'right' answer to this.

Ryan Brobbel York City Loan
Matthew Dolan Bradford City Loan
Marvin Emnes Swansea City Loan
Lukas Jutkiewicz Burnley £1.5m
Jayson Leutwiler Shrewsbury Town Free
Curtis Main Doncaster Rovers Undisclosed
Cameron Park Crewe Alexandra Loan
Stuart Parnaby Hartlepool United Free
Frazer Richardson Rotherham United Free
Connor Ripley Osters Loan


Middlesborough have realised players and obtained a decent fee for Lukas so not the best example.

If signing players like O'Grady is us sticking very rigorously to FFP we will be a league 1 side very soon.

 

[El Turi]

I can't disagree with anything in the original post. There seemed to be a real lack of enthusiasm at the ground yesterday which was very strange for the first game of the season. It seemed pretty obvious this was due to the neglect of the playing side of things by the board. Every season the other play-off losers strengthen and are one of the favourites for promotion whereas we have continuously weakened our squad and will probably finish mid table at best.

 

[Stat Brother]

Have to agree that the starting line-up was not as good as it could have been, even given our depleted squad. But the subs that came on did little to backup that argument IMHO.

As I said before, people are judged by results (I certainly am). On this basis, the recruitment team is failing IMHO.

We were better after the substitutions.

But granted that seemed to be more to do with Greer looking at his armband and thinking:-

'hang on a minute, we're better than this and I'm the captain'.

 

[Barnham Seagull]

It was a weakened squad last season but somehow limped over the line, a season on and we are substantially weaker again.

Total apathy at the ground yesterday, the air has been slowly exiting our balloon since Gus departure and shows no signs of being pumped up.

 

[the wanderbus]

Whatever way you pick up the signings conundrum and examine it, you inevitably end up with the FFP problem. The club has laid out its intentions clearyl, as PB repeated the other night: we will stick to the rules.

It seems to me that whatever approach you take - the Forest, Middlesbrough one that seems to be saying ***k it, let's go for the Prem and hang the consequences, or the BHA we will follow the rules approach, - is a gamble. Posters such as yourself have to accept that it is a gamble to pay fees and wages that bust FFP (and remember we are now in 14/15 year when limit of deficit reduced to £5m); posters like me that support the Board's approach have to accept that the consequence may be lack of quality, and, to quote another current post, we are going backwards. There is a chance that the legal approach Leicester an QPR are apparently taking works, or that the League blinks in the headlights and does not enforce the transfer embargo in January and the BHA Board look silly.

There is no 'right' answer to this.

Have I ever suggested we break FFP? What I am saying is there is money there, after all we've been told there is a decent transfer budget BEFORE Ulloa was sold , so why hide behind FFP to cover for lack of investment in the squad?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We were better after the substitutions.

But granted that seemed to be more to do with Greer looking at his armband and thinking:-

'hang on a minute, we're better than this and I'm the captain'.

GG actually came plausibly close to scoring a couple of times in the second half

 

[warmleyseagull]

Have I ever suggested we break FFP? What I am saying is there is money there, after all we've been told there is a decent transfer budget BEFORE Ulloa was sold , so why hide behind FFP to cover for lack of investment in the squad?

No, you haven't but none of us are close enough to the finances to know how close we are. If we make no signings and have a profit next year, I am 100% with you - that is crap. But we do know the start point is losses of £14m for year to 2013, which has to be reduced to £5m by year ended 30.6.15, a £9m improvement. Yes, we have £11.5m from Ulloa and Bridcutt (lets assume we get £8m for Ulloa) and TB is committed to spending some of that. You may be right - it is all too little too late - but Ithink we need to give them to at least 31 August before judging. Personally I think the acid test will be next january, when embargoes potetnially hit with a consequence o lower fees and wages.

 

[Barnham Seagull]

No, you haven't but none of us are close enough to the finances to know how close we are. If we make no signings and have a profit next year, I am 100% with you - that is crap. But we do know the start point is losses of £14m for year to 2013, which has to be reduced to £5m by year ended 30.6.15, a £9m improvement. Yes, we have £11.5m from Ulloa and Bridcutt (lets assume we get £8m for Ulloa) and TB is committed to spending some of that. You may be right - it is all too little too late - but Ithink we need to give them to at least 31 August before judging. Personally I think the acid test will be next january, when embargoes potetnially hit with a consequence o lower fees and wages.

Embargoes on teams who already have the quality players?

 

[Lawro's Lip]

So, it looks to be a tougher challenge for Sami - and Brighton in general - than it might have initially looked on paper. I'll be keeping a close eye on this club's fortunes this season and will probably pop in here every once in a while, too. Good luck.

Sami is no doubt realising this himself. I think he has been sold something of a hospital pass taking up the job in the current circumstances. I remember in one of his early interviews he spoke about wanting to have an experienced number 2 to work alongside and learn from. So far this has not materialised. I have no problem with Nathan Jones but his managerial experience is similar to Sam's - more out of the coaching qualification manual than experience in the job. I hope that Sami's wish is not ignored or becomes another victim of compromise as it might be the difference between his success or failure at the club. I thought it was a particularly honest thing for him to say and quite telling.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

It was a weakened squad last season but somehow limped over the line, a season on and we are substantially weaker again.

Total apathy at the ground yesterday, the air has been slowly exiting our balloon since Gus departure and shows no signs of being pumped up.

That is a very worrying trend. The apathy is quite distinct.

We have not been good enough in the last two seasons and are now very much depleted. The club hides behind silence and very little substance at the forum.

The silence is deafening.

Frankly I was bored stiff last year and we only achieved the play-offs due to other clubs "blowing up".

I fully appreciate FFP and the need for the club to follow it etc etc but please can we have something to get us excited.