The Sad Side of Promotion.

Promotion is now a very serious possibility. This would be an amazing achievement, but I find it quite sad that many of the players who will have worked so hard to get us to the Premiership won't be in the team if we get there.

Yes, I've often thought about this. And logically, all the players must realise this as well. I guess it's part and parcel of professional football these days, and the professional attitude has to be to relish the achievement and then move on to the next challenge, wherever that may be. It will be sad, but life has to move on for everyone.

Phil Blue/Red wrote:Promotion is now a very serious possibility. This would be an amazing achievement, but I find it quite sad that many of the players who will have worked so hard to get us to the Premiership won't be in the team if we get there.

Thank you captain downer

Frank Burrows said to me 14 years ago that you need a different team for a different division so change is to be expected. I expect Vincent to invest heavily if we go up but who do we think can make the transition? Not many I suspect.

Bellamy will stay with us until he retires, he's good enough for a top ten premiership side. Marshall and Hudson are also certs. I'd like to think the same of Whitts, assuming his form finds him again and someone like Giggs doesn't show up. The majority of the new signings will stay- Campbell is a good bottom half of the premiership striker and Kim has a bright future.

Everyone else? If we have the money to splash, I'd like to say no one is safe.

The Tonker wrote:Yes, I've often thought about this. And logically, all the players must realise this as well. I guess it's part and parcel of professional football these days, and the professional attitude has to be to relish the achievement and then move on to the next challenge, wherever that may be. It will be sad, but life has to move on for everyone.

Does this also apply to the management team? Look at what happened to Nigel Atkins at Southampton!

If Malky is as good as people think he is he will step up and using his pragmatic style grind out a respectable first year in the Prem. if not......he knows its a results game. I would like to think he is a bit special and wil build a dynasty at the City. That is until Man U come calling....

Caer y Glyn wrote:Frank Burrows said to me 14 years ago that you need a different team for a different division so change is to be expected. I expect Vincent to invest heavily if we go up but who do we think can make the transition? Not many I suspect.

See this thread:

http://www.redbluebirds.com/t3152-will-our-current-squad-hack-it-in-the-prem

Caer y Glyn wrote:If Malky is as good as people think he is he will step up and using his pragmatic style grind out a respectable first year in the Prem. if not......he knows its a results game. I would like to think he is a bit special and wil build a dynasty at the City. That is until Man U come calling....

I agree.

Its a fascinating debate and i would love to be a fly on the wall in Malky's office when with his backroom boys they cogitate over who they think will cut the mustard and those they will move on in the summer....and what targets they have to bring in if and when we get to the PL. i bet they are already sounding out prospects and agents are all over them selling their clients for next season. All being well this close season is going to be the best ever!

Caer y Glyn wrote:Its a fascinating debate and i would love to be a fly on the wall in Malky's office when with his backroom boys they cogitate over who they think will cut the mustard and those they will move on in the summer....and what targets they have to bring in if and when we get to the PL. i bet they are already sounding out prospects and agents are all over them selling their clients for next season. All being well this close season is going to be the best ever!

The development of players such as Nugent and John this season will also have an influence on who he cuts from the squad and who his targets will be. If think if all goes well in the next fews months I wouldn't be surprised to see Ben Nugent be given a run in the side at the end of the season.

Imo

Keep:
Goalkeepers:
Marshall
Parish
Lewis

Defenders
McNaughton
Hudson
Turner
Connolly
Nugent
Taylor

Midfielders:
Whittingham
Conway
Kimbo
Noone
Gunnarsson
Mutch
Harris

Strikers:
Smith
Maynard
Campbell
Bellamy

Move on:
Helguson
Earnshaw
Velikonja
Cowie
Gestede
Mason - because he will want first team football
Lappin
McPhail
Kiss

I cant think of anyone esle but thats 9 players that I think will be shipped out at the end of the season if we go up.

I reckon you can add MacNaughton and Smith to your list. MacNaugton standards are already slipping and, in my opinion, won't even be good enough as back up in the Premiership and Smith was brought in purely to help us get there.

All players must have the belief that they are good enough for the top flight and will welcome the chance to prove themselves.

Realistically though, I think Malky will need to do a similar job to what he did in his first summer and get in a bunch of players, maybe three or four, to firm up 'the spine' of the squad.

I think Smith will stay tbh but you are correct about McNaughton looking at it now.