[Albion] No Euro - the effect on squad and recruitment.

[BNthree]

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Fortunately there has been so much media focus on yesterday's game, I can't see it happening again, this season

Pretty sure someone said this the other 2 times it’s happened this season!

 

[Hastings gull]

Now that we are generally considered serious contenders, with serious aspirational players on our books, I have started to consider the effect this weekends type of shenanigans ( and others previously of course), and the potential negative outcomes could/would have on our ability to recruit and/or retain key players and coaches in the short to medium term.

We are now standing here with one foot in the top tier of this league, will a failure to make a European spot of any description hinder our chances of keeping our top boys, including the management? Will it simply picture us as a plucky nearly club and thus still largely limit us to recruitment 'gambles' via Uncle Tony's stats brigade instead of supplementing our squad with the odd player who already operates at the top level.

Just a thought on this very damp morning here on the Somerset Levels.

Like all Albion fans, I have been dreaming of the club being in Europe for decades and would readily embrace the CL. Now that the only type of European participation open to us seems ever more real, I am not sure that I am as keen –I assumed that I was in a minority of one, but seeing other posts, I see that I am not alone.

Given that the CL now looks unlikely, one of the relatively minor competitions beckons. It is likely to be far less lucrative and certainly less prestigious, so the chances of our two (or more!) top stars staying in summer are reduced, plus our pulling power will not be as good, though, to be fair, we have attracted very good players of late without the immediate prospect of Europe. The financial incentives are not there nearly to the same extent, and so one might presume that the club would be less likely to enhance the squad numerically with costly proven European experience. If participation in earlier preliminary rounds is needed, then the players will presumably have less summer time to physically recover before pre-season training commences (The cup Final, if we make it, is in June!) and that this, combined with the volume of matches, could well mean that the chances of injuries are greater. Did not West Ham and Burnley in seasons past, then struggle in their first PL matches? Possible matches in far-flung areas involving travelling, in total, hundreds if not thousands of miles to play in front of relatively small crowds is not the most inviting prospect, and I am not certain that home matches against unknown entities from, say, Kazakstan will draw huge support. Supporters will be asked to pay for even more matches plus the fact there might not be the travel subsidy operating. Yes, real fans say they will cough up, and doubtless they will, but crowds of 30,000? Also, a minor point, granted, but more Sunday matches will be needed – changed kick-off times, and transport problems due to reduced Sunday service have been the subject of many threads over the years, and thus are a factor.
Yes, the idea of being in Europe is appealing, after having waited so long, but will it be the dream move?

 

[Perkino]

Our recruitment policy will probably remain the same. Purchase talented teenagers who could be integrated into the first team squad (Sanchez, Lamptey, Van Hecke, Caicedo, Moder, Karbownik, Kozlowski, Gilmour, Enciso, Moran, Sarmiento, Buonanotte, Ayari, Ferguson) and add a few experienced professionals to supplement the squad (Steele, Veltman, Gross, Lallana, Welbeck, Undav). If no suitable options then buy a ready made player (Cucurella, Webster, Estupinan, Maupay) although these cost a premium.

Our summer business last season was Sold: Cucurella, Bissouma, Maupay, Ostigard, Clarke, Baluta, Andone. Loans: Duffy, Sima, Kozlowski, Alzate, Cononlly, Karbownik, Zeqiri, Scherpen, Adingra, Roberts, Richards. We will likely see a similar scale of losing a few first team regulars plus several who have had loans but not part of our long term plans then loans for all who could make the jump in the future.

We won't suddenly spend big on new arrivals and blow our system nor will we stop a player from leaving if we get a suitable offer. However we have reportedly bid £25m+ for Nunez/Gonzalez in recent windows so we may explore a similar addition. I cannot see us spending £30m+ on an experienced player around 30 years old. Resale value is crucial to any potential signings

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

If we miss out on the Europa League, I think it’ll be the end of Mac Allister and Caicedo at least. If West Ham win the Conference League, qualification will drop as low as 8th and we still have the FA Cup route into Europa so there remains a very strong chance of some form of European football if we continue to play like we did at the weekend. I don’t see our recruitment policy changing very much whatever happens. We’ll retain a bigger squad rather than have so many out on loan. Other than the Champions League, there’s not the financial reward from Europe to start splashing big money around. Also, why change what got us here to become like everyone else. Without a huge stadium, global fan base and top 4 finish every year it always ends in tears.

West Ham winning the Conference League will not mean there is a European spot for 8th place, it will mean we have 8 clubs in Europe next season but that will be the top 6/7(depending on who wins the FA Cup) and West Ham.

I don't think anything will change with regard to our recruitment, European football or not, the model will stay the same. Tony isn't going to change things based on one season in the Europa League, it's what has got us to where we are and it's what he will continue to do to hopefully keep us in the mix.

 

[GT49er]

Talking of recruitment....

De Zerbi now fully bought in to the Brighton recruitment model? Sounds like a positive.................

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Make CL and we’d have kept everyone and made like 50M extra profit? Not to mention status. We keep going from strength to strength and could continue that and become regulars in Europe (though I doubt CL again for a very long time).

Other Euro footy and I think we loose one player we don’t want to and one more like Sanchez who we don’t mind as much, make an extra 5M (if we do really well, we might slip a place or two in the league due to congestion and thus the money from that balances out to my guessed figure).

Miss out completely (thanks to VAR) and I reckon we’ll loose 4 or 5 first team players all be it mainly on our terms. Reckon some will have been promised and we’ll go along with that obviously. We’ll still be OK but won’t be anywhere near 4th or 5th again for a long while.

 

[Weststander]

I think we would have competed as well, but there's a chance of drawing PSG/Madrid/Munich in the first knockout round and that's probably that. Whereas in the EL, we're probably on a level with most teams.

By the time of the knock out rounds in 2024, the club would’ve played plenty of CL ties. Assuming in group stages.

Earning multi £10m’s in prize money and new commercial income.

 

[heathgate]

Our recruitment policy will probably remain the same. Purchase talented teenagers who could be integrated into the first team squad (Sanchez, Lamptey, Van Hecke, Caicedo, Moder, Karbownik, Kozlowski, Gilmour, Enciso, Moran, Sarmiento, Buonanotte, Ayari, Ferguson) and add a few experienced professionals to supplement the squad (Steele, Veltman, Gross, Lallana, Welbeck, Undav). If no suitable options then buy a ready made player (Cucurella, Webster, Estupinan, Maupay) although these cost a premium.

Our summer business last season was Sold: Cucurella, Bissouma, Maupay, Ostigard, Clarke, Baluta, Andone. Loans: Duffy, Sima, Kozlowski, Alzate, Cononlly, Karbownik, Zeqiri, Scherpen, Adingra, Roberts, Richards. We will likely see a similar scale of losing a few first team regulars plus several who have had loans but not part of our long term plans then loans for all who could make the jump in the future.

We won't suddenly spend big on new arrivals and blow our system nor will we stop a player from leaving if we get a suitable offer. However we have reportedly bid £25m+ for Nunez/Gonzalez in recent windows so we may explore a similar addition. I cannot see us spending £30m+ on an experienced player around 30 years old. Resale value is crucial to any potential signings

But our system wasn't designed to cope with top 4 or Europe.. . this is a recently arrived possibility.

 

[banjo]

Super computer has us finishing in 6th

 

[zefarelly]

6th would be amazing. I'll take that. It will always irk to be below Spuds by a stolen 3 points though.

 

[Weststander]

6th would be amazing. I'll take that. It will always irk to be below Spuds by a stolen 3 points though.

Whilst they’d be in meltdown about no CL football.

 

[GT49er]

6th would be amazing. I'll take that. It will always irk to be below Spuds by a stolen 3 points though.

Yes, the Europa League would be fine for me too. It's a European competition, and would be our first. May not be the same pot of money as the CL, but it would be a good experience to cut our teeth on - and a good run there is, to my mind, more attractive than getting our backside handed to us on a plate by Real or Barca ay the first time of asking.
Finishing below Spurs though - that stinks!

 

[GT49er]

Whilst they’d be in meltdown about no CL football.

F**k 'em then.

 

[zefarelly]

Whilst they’d be in meltdown about no CL football.

Win/win.

 

[Weststander]

Win/win.

There’s always a football schadenfreude silver lining

 

[peterward]

Our recruitment policy will probably remain the same. Purchase talented teenagers who could be integrated into the first team squad (Sanchez, Lamptey, Van Hecke, Caicedo, Moder, Karbownik, Kozlowski, Gilmour, Enciso, Moran, Sarmiento, Buonanotte, Ayari, Ferguson) and add a few experienced professionals to supplement the squad (Steele, Veltman, Gross, Lallana, Welbeck, Undav). If no suitable options then buy a ready made player (Cucurella, Webster, Estupinan, Maupay) although these cost a premium.

Our summer business last season was Sold: Cucurella, Bissouma, Maupay, Ostigard, Clarke, Baluta, Andone. Loans: Duffy, Sima, Kozlowski, Alzate, Cononlly, Karbownik, Zeqiri, Scherpen, Adingra, Roberts, Richards. We will likely see a similar scale of losing a few first team regulars plus several who have had loans but not part of our long term plans then loans for all who could make the jump in the future.

We won't suddenly spend big on new arrivals and blow our system nor will we stop a player from leaving if we get a suitable offer. However we have reportedly bid £25m+ for Nunez/Gonzalez in recent windows so we may explore a similar addition. I cannot see us spending £30m+ on an experienced player around 30 years old. Resale value is crucial to any potential signings

I reckon Biss might come back given the opportunity.

 

[Springal]

I reckon Biss might come back given the opportunity.

No thanks !

 

[Crawley Dingo]

This is why I find it so puzzling so many prefer to win the FA cup than get in the CL. This could be are one best chance to make the step up before other clubs duplicate our scouting methods or find a way to pick us clean of talent in the window. Rather this than become an FA cup winner like Wigan, Wimbledon or Pompey then disappear into the lower tables. Ultimate short term thinking.

 

[heathgate]

This is why I find it so puzzling so many prefer to win the FA cup than get in the CL. This could be are one best chance to make the step up before other clubs duplicate our scouting methods or find a way to pick us clean of talent in the window. Rather this than become an FA cup winner like Wigan, Wimbledon or Pompey then disappear into the lower tables. Ultimate short term thinking.

It feels to me too, like this is an optimum time for the Albion to take their chance, as said above, others will soon be emulating our playing style, and perhaps more crucially will be exploiting our recruitment methods thus squeezing markets that we currently have a headstart in.

 

[Javeaseagull]

This is why I find it so puzzling so many prefer to win the FA cup than get in the CL. This could be are one best chance to make the step up before other clubs duplicate our scouting methods or find a way to pick us clean of talent in the window. Rather this than become an FA cup winner like Wigan, Wimbledon or Pompey then disappear into the lower tables. Ultimate short term thinking.

I don’t know that people are saying they prefer to win the FA Cup than qualify for Champions League are they? Personally I would like to win something for once and the FA Cup owes us! 40 years of hurt and all that.

Also I don’t see this as a flash in the pan season either. We have truly revolutionised the way recruitment can be carried out but only in this country. Benfica, Villarreal and Ajax among others have been doing this for years. The future is bright, the future is blue and white!