Just like the Mrs Merton show on here...

[Deleted]

A few heated debates going on...

For the moaners - if you ran a business and changed 70% of the (relatively long standing) staff overnight (remember footie's summer break is very much an 'overnight' period). Then would you expect your business to be;

A) as profitable as it had been with the previous employees?
B) be slightly down on profit in the short term, but have a LONG TERM strategy that left you comfortable that profitability would rise and grow beyond previous levels?
C) Expect an instant increase in profit because the new people are more skilled and you've paid them more money?

This is the best I can come up with at this time of night, but please remember, we are not Man U/chelsea/Arsenal etc. We are a 3rd div team trying to keep heads above water.

What this club has done for the fans over the summer would NEVER happen at one of the 3 above-mentioned clubs.

Can you please get a grip and be thankful for Christs sake...

[rage_of_ed]

Great post blimey, you make some really good points there.

The problem IMHO is that simply because we've come into some decent backing on a financial level and that it is our centenary season that we are somehow entitled to instant success.

You can't blame us Town fans for being ambitious and wanting to get back to where we 'belong' (Championship-level?) but it's not our divine right, or written in the stars, just because we were formed 100 years ago and our season tickets are significantly cheaper.

No harm in wanting the best for our club, but let's be realistic too, eh?

[Captainslapper]

I agree that being 100 years old and having cheap season tickets won't make any difference at all to how we do. But doubling the wage bill and spending £600k on transfer fees should. Don't think thats being unrealistic.

[TomTheTerrier]

Oct 21, 2008 11:44:05 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

I agree that being 100 years old and having cheap season tickets won't make any difference at all to how we do. But doubling the wage bill and spending £600k on transfer fees should. Don't think thats being unrealistic.

But surely we have to give the changes a chance to take effect?

No club (barring Chelsea under Mourinho, but I don't really think that counts) have had instant success following a wholesale change and money spent. But what they have had is a progression following that change, given the time.

Obviously this isn't applicable in every case, some will see investment and even a downturn (Spurs?) but I just think everyone, including the board even, have expected a little too much too soon.

That said, I think we will be in the playoffs come May.

[CaptainHart]

No one in business would change 70% of their staff overnight without having done extensive groundwork and having delivered a plan of what they expected to achieve together with milestones to measure that achievement.

The off-season is not overnight because it's an extended period when you have a chance to work with your staff when they're not required to produce anything. Nearly every other business doesn't have that opportunity.

[Captainslapper]

Oct 21, 2008 11:47:23 GMT 1 TomTheTerrier said:

Oct 21, 2008 11:44:05 GMT 1 Captainslapper said:

I agree that being 100 years old and having cheap season tickets won't make any difference at all to how we do. But doubling the wage bill and spending £600k on transfer fees should. Don't think thats being unrealistic.

But surely we have to give the changes a chance to take effect?

Of course. I suppose the debate is how long that should be.
I think Hoyle gave it 6 more games ( 3rd one of which is tonight ) and i think thats a reasonable amount of time ( 7 months, 18 competitive games this season) to judge whether any progress has been made from what he inherited.
Some will say anything up to 2 years. I suppose it depends on how patient you are coupled with how much faith you have in STs ability.

[marshian]

They aren't allowed to change 70% of their staff overnight without having to pay out heavily unless they want to be clobbered by an Employment Tribunal!

[jonnyhtfc90]

I agree completely, blimeyocrisis. Would be good to see some fans realise that it won't just fall seamlessly into place. Have patience and get behind the gaffer and his team.

UTT