Life in the championship | Vital Football

Life in the championship

C

Chief_Brody

Vital 1st Team Regular
Obviously I hope we stay in the Premiership and I think we will as I don't see Wigan pulling off another great escape.

How do you think we'd adapt this time to the championship...Do we have a core of players that would galvanise us like we did last time. Colo and Enrique stayed last time, would any of our French speakers stay. How would the club react financially....buy it's way out or act frugally.

I don't think Ashley and Lambias dreamed we'd end up back there, what with their transfer policy and whole ethos for the club over the last few years.

Every plan they've tried has backfired on them...at what point will they say ..look we're shit at this.. and cut and run ?

Ashley's plan of premiership survival with minimal investment may be about to backfire and the lucrative TV money disappears (as will any chance he can repay himself his loans)......What would he do next, what would be the next plan ?

Even if we stay up he's got to rethink his policy drastically..surely ?
 
Wigan do it every year and have the experience to get out of it, if we don't get a result at QPR we are down.
 
The backbone of the team was English then too, I honestly think if we went down we wouldn't come straight back up. Especially when we had Hughton last time too, when you think a new manager would need time. Then of course all the Frenchies will jump ship, I have absolutely no doubt about that.
 
If we went down then I think keeping the likes of krul, colo, santon,cabaye, arfa and debuchy would be almost impossible.
 
I think if we go down the starting 11 that finishes this season will be 100% different to the one that starts in the championship
 
Ashley would cash in on our best players and use the loot to pay off some of his loans. The probably he would then face is it devalues the club for potential new owners and coupled with the loss of the PL loot his investment looks fucked. Happy days you fat cockney bastard. I would suffer the conference to see you lose a couple of hundred million.
 
I think Bruce is right - we have one opportunity left to dig ourselves out of this shit, as I am in no doubt whatsoever Wigan have the ability to get themselves out of it, despite their schedule.
In fact, I think they will, and hope Sjoke beat the SMB's tonight, so its them the leapfrog, and not us.
 
There are a few very big and important differences between this time and last.

Last time we had a succession of botch job fill in manager's on the way down, so when the new season started Hughton began with a clean slate. He gained respect from the players and helped create the tremendous team spirit that was a big reason for us going up.

This time round, the reason why the players have lost all heart and are no longer playing as a team will still as likely be here.

Last time we had characters and spirit. Although not without their issues, players like Smith, Nolan and Barton had the spirit and wherewithall to ensure the slackers were cut loose and the remaining players were together and improved (e.g. Colo and Enrique).

I don't think we have one character in the team to rival their levels of spirit. Saylor might do, but he's so over the top it's hard to take seriously. I don't think any of the current crop would want to play under Pardew.

The gap between the Premier and Championship finances next year will be significantly greater. We'd obviously have to cut wages, but how many of these players are on contracts that take into account relegation? I'm betting it wasn't even thought about.




 
Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Krul, Colo, Cisse, Santon and Jonas will go in the summer regardless of where we finish. That's in addition to clearing out the obvious shit like Gosling, Obertan, Williamson etc. If Pardew goes and Ashley rethinks his whole business model, I think they will stay but it will take a hell of a lot of convincing from the fat man to prove it. Which he won't do, just fill the squad with cheap unproven players, hoping to sell them on for a massive profit. Then in January, the likes of Debuchy, Sissoko and Mwiba will go, think they'll keep Haidara unless a ridiculous bid is made. Bottom line is Ashley will just carry on being a **** regardless
 
It was in the news this week I think, there's no clause that cuts players wages if We drop. But I reckon most of our first XI would leave. And we'll struggle to challenge even for the playoffs. Our line up the last game of the season (fitness depending) will probably be:
Elliot, Debuchy, Saylor, Colo, Mbiwa, Tiote Cabaye, Sissoko, Jonas, HBA, Cisse (or something similar). If we go down, odds are the starting XI in our first match will be something like:
Elliot, Perch, Saylor, Williamson, Haidara (optimistic), Obertan, Gosling, Amalfitano, Jonas, Shola, Campbell.

Would be a blessing in disguise no doubt for some of our younger players who've so far failed to break through (Vuckic, abeid etc) but we'd no doubt lose our frenchies. Although I think TNMW said the other day that our january signings wouldn't be able to leave until Next january due to the rule about the number of clubs you can play for in a calender year
 
He'll cover the shortfall by selling more pies in the Championship with the few extra games. Imagine being sponsored by Wonga in the Championship when you've just lost out on £60M!!
 
That's Ashleys whole ethos for the club though isn't it.....gamble..gamble and gamble again. One step forward five back.
 
Ashley is going to be more confused than usual if we go down. In his mind, Constantly changing managers sent us down, yet sticking with one might do the same, maybe he'll finally twig that he needs stability AND a competent manager. Won't hold me breath though. I'm just praying for the ideal scenario, avoid relegation and pardew still getting the boot.
 
As ever, there are many different sides to this.

One of the big points is that the club has ignored supporters, over a couple of issues who have contacted the club in their thousands. Over 2,000 warned that without sufficient investment we could easily be relegated in 2009. Through these pages and others, the club was warned about Pardew's record.

As has been pointed out, the club has increased the value of the squad and those sales can finance a short spell in the Championship. The club has also made profit in the last few years, more importantly for Ashley, cash flow has improved substantially.

Even in the Championship, NUFC will still be an attractive club to play for, maybe not among major nation international stars but at a different level.

He could have given stability to a manager who was growing into the role, having said that, the sale of Carroll with the accompanying profit was easier without Hughton.

It remains IF we go down but last time there were some big players sold and shifted off the wage bill by other means.

Even at conservative valuations of the squad, combined with the cash in the club, Ashley can pay off his loans to himself if he wants to if relegated. A wage bill of say £25m can attract the best players/free agents for a Championship team that even Pardew could get to the play offs. That leaves a more than adequate percentage profit based on his investment in owning the club.

He might not gain the same level of income as from the Premier League but when were Dunlop, Donnay and Lonsdale premium brands?
 
Simple, really, there is cash in the club and he sells the top players.

It would be interesting to see what other people's vauluations are of:
Krul
Coloccini
Debuchy
Jonas
Saylor
Ben Arfa
Cabaye
Sissoko
Tiote
Mbiwa
Cisse
Anita
Marveaux

I thought it was conservative putting a valuation of around £75-80m.

There will also be an injection of "prize" money in a few weeks time.
 
We owe him about 120 million don't we ?

Krul............8 million
Collo...........3
Debuchy......5
Jonas..........1
Saylor.........4
Ben Arfa.......6
Cabaye........8
Sissoko........6
Tiote...........4.5
Mbiwa..........6
Cisse...........9
Anita...........3.5
Marveaux......2
 
Not a prob if you can employ seasoned free agent professionals at £1m a year each and some youngsters getting a chance like Carroll did in the Championship.

The biggest thing that Ashley gets is 40,000 + Geordies turning up, sponsorship money, parachute payments and a shot at getting back to the big money Premier League.

It depends how you measure value, on assets or on profits.
 
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