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Post by bms on Nov 17, 2019 22:24:37 GMT
What's happened to Reading in the last few games has happened a million times in the past to the majority of teams that hire a new manager. The new manager bounce, it is always expected and is more likely than not to manifest itself. It rarely lasts otherwise hardly any managers would be sacked and nearly all clubs would win their division every year. I prefer to look at what characterises the few clubs that achieve lasting success, by which I mean a decade or so of going nowhere near a relegation zone plus the odd highlight. The common denominator seems to be stability in the management team and, sometimes, in the playing staff too, such as we have seen with Dally Duncan and David Pleat or with Sid Owen, Gordon Turner, Ricky Hill and Mal Donaghy on the playing side. I am thankful that 2020 are running our club as we have stability there. I believe that they understand the challenge facing us now. The Championship has changed since we last graced it. There may be 20 Teams in the Premiership but there are 30 Premiership clubs in the country and we are not one of them yet. That makes us bottom half at best. Parachute payments distort the competition in this division mitigating against clubs coming into it for the first time in years and should have been done away with by now. Perhaps the real intent behind it is to prepare the larger Championship clubs for a two-tier Premiership? But I digress. Back to the manager. I believe that 2020, understanding the challenge presented by the Championship in the modern era, have selected a manager who also knows the division and who takes great credit from me in choosing to step down from the clubs he's been associated with to ours because he has bought into the vision portrayed by 2020. Much has been said by him, by Gary and by other posters about the resource gap between Luton and the likes of Leeds, Forest, West Brom and Sunderland to name a few and GJ was well aware of that before he came. Gary has specifically stated that this will not change until If and when Power Court is up and running. In my view, since the days of Gurney and others, we have completed the necessary upgrades at Ownership and Board level, completed the necessary upgrades at training facility level, are in process at managerial and managerial support level but cannot seriously impact the playing level until Power a Court is done. In the meantime we have to hang on by our fingertips or even rise to the challenge again if the worst happens but the Board and the manager have my unwavering support until that playing field has been levelled. Agree entirely Bramingham -both the lowliest recent history and smallest gate by far in this League make GJ’s job nigh on impossible COYH Also good points by Wimbo and Greeno re betting, the ‘values’ of which are epitomised by a certain Midlands club |
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Post by CURLZ on Nov 27, 2019 14:27:22 GMT
It's pleased me to read positive comments on My post given our current situation. Some very honest views and opinions.
We are a fortunate club in that we have a group of people in 2020 that care passionately about LTFC. ( In it for the Long haul ) I believe a phrase used some time ago.
Us fans have played no small part in the LTFC revoluton (New word), following the Lads all over the knot end through thick and thin "The Wilderness Years" as it's now affectionately known.
I dont believe for one minute that 2020 will feel satisfied if we are a mid table Championship club in 5/10 years time. If the likes of Bournemouth and Brighton can sustain a possition in reputedly the greatest league in the World, then Why on Earth not Luton Town.
Plan "A" has long since been achieved. "Saving LTFC".
Investment and careful planning has got us to where we are today. I can't see 2020 standing Idly by and watching us drop back a division to rebuild and get us back where we are already.
And to that end I can see further investment in January to ensure we do not drop back to div one.
I'm not advocating breaking the bank, just protecting all the past investment.
One for up front ( replacement for Danny ) & at least one very solid central defender.
As we progress some of our favourites will inevitably fall by the wayside, the evidence is there for all to see. Changes need to be made. In & Out & January is there for a reason.
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Post by tassie on Nov 28, 2019 3:35:30 GMT
As I said elsewhere, if we can on sell Sluga ( well we paid good money perhaps somebody else will !?) and strengthen the midfield we should be okay COYH
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Luke Berry? Nooooo! My sincerest thanks to Luke for so many occasions that he got me jumping around like a big kid. Berry epitomises your average player who exceeds his level by sheer hard work and it seems that so many Hatters can relate to that.
