toddy Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Yes, i know we are one win away from securing the playoffs, but are we ready for promotion? The club is certainly ready, but is the squad? Are we really good enough? With the exception of the loanees how many of the current squad are capable of holding their own in the prem? We all know its a difficult job for all promoted sides to stay up once in the prem. Look at Fulham they were a very good championship side last season arguably better than our current side and they had to spend £100 million to try and make an impact and still they are coming back down. Buying a new squad does have its downsides. So are we really good enough? Yes, we had our Utd, chelsea and Southampton games where we held are own...but then we have had our Millwall, Blackburn, Ipswich both the Villa and Leeds games. They have not been many great performances in the league with the exception of Nowich and West Brom away. Even the happy clappers have to be realistic here. Remember 10 years ago? That was maybe one of the worst seasons of my last 50 yrs as a supporter. Never do i want to relive those proformances again. Are we really ready for promotion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikh n Bake Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Who cares if we are ready? You can't pick and choose when you'd like to get promotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddy Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 1 minute ago, Nick_Ram said: Who cares if we are ready? You can't pick and choose when you'd like to get promotion. No you can't but you can prepare. Do you remember 2008? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 More ready than Sheff Utd IMO. I expect they'll be another Cardiff. I'd argue that we're more likely to be successful in the Prem with our style of play, as we've struggled against lower quality cloggers in this league. Given a bit more freedom to play, we could do OK. We've relied heavily on quality loans this season and they (or like them) would probably have to be purchases in the summer, unless top 4 clubs could be persuaded to loan to fellow Prem opposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuffLuff Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 It’s very hard to say whether you are ready to be promoted, I’d have said no up until very recently but it’s seemingly coming together right where it matters which is good management. Just enjoy the ride I think, even if we finished in the champ next season is shaping up nicely to be a good competitive league again. I’d fancy our chances in the Prem but we’d have to dip into loans again etc. the cup games showed what players like Lawrence can do in a less hustle and bustle type league. I’d have faith in Lampard and Morris too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van der MoodHoover Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 1 minute ago, toddy said: No you can't but you can prepare. Do you remember 2008? Summer 2007 was when the damage was done. I think the team can only adequately prepare if the club is a) stable and b) is itself prepared in terms of funding/infrastructure etc Without knowing any of the detail, the impression created is that with the Club in far better shape, then the preparations for the Team have a better chance of being successful this time around, with targets identified and scouting activities undertaken (and possibly feelers being out out), ready to move should promotion happen. My assumption is that perhaps half a new first XI would be needed, the loanees to be retained and Bogle to continue to progress for us to make a semi decent fist of the prem. nothing is guaranteed of course - maybe Mel is looking to use a 1 season brief excursion to the premier league as a vehicle for clawing back some of his money and wont want to saddle the club with another round of huge wages - who really knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkFruitsRam7 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 How can you possibly judge this without seeing our summer recruitment? We clearly wouldn't keep the same team if we went up. And, as Fulham have shown, there's a lot more that factors into Premier League survival than good players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BathRam72 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 I get your sentiment, but the alternative would be another season in this league with potentially a lower budget and in the hope that the current (Derby) Squad continue to develop and some of the youngsters come through. So what happens this time next year? Do we ask the same question. The only real answer is, we will never know until it happens. I for one love the championship for the ups and downs and the fact that at the moment we CAN compete. But I also relish what might be if we get promoted. Bring it on I say Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 No. We're miles off being ready. We're also miles better than the absolute mess that was Billy Davies' promotion winning team, so I think referencing that horror show is just scare mongering. Even if it wasn't, said horror show enabled us to clear our debts and the loan on our stadium. If another promotion simply resulted in a swift relegation, but enabled the club to buy the ground back from Mel, I wouldn't be complaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalsheep02 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 I see us playing Man City or Liverpool and it is a clear no (a nightmare scenario but we don't play them every week). See us against Southampton or Brighton and it is a possibly. Regardless of whether we go up or not the squad will be very different next season so if we accept that we aren't good enough as we stand it is pretty much a moot point as the team will change anyway. That could be a Fulhamesque change or a Wolvesesque change. Lets get there and worry about the rest of it when we do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddy Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 Would it not be better to have anither season in the championship, let FL off load who are not required for the future. Compete and win the majority of championship games and build a side capable of promotion, then add one or two quality additions in the summer of 2020 ready for the prem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheron85 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 30 minutes ago, toddy said: Are we really ready for promotion? No I think any side that goes up through the playoffs isn't ready - Top 2 suggests you are - Almost any other position suggests you're not 7 minutes ago, Anon said: We're also miles better than the absolute mess that was Billy Davies' promotion winning team, so I think referencing that horror show is just scare mongering. Agreed - Stylistically we're better than then just less consistent However I do understand the reference cos that season gives me nightmares still 11 minutes ago, BurtonRam7 said: How can you possibly judge this without seeing our summer recruitment? We clearly wouldn't keep the same team if we went up. And, as Fulham have shown, there's a lot more that factors into Premier League survival than good players. Yeh, but whatever league we're in we probably need 10 new players - And Fulham have shown that adding 10 new players (however good) probably isn;t the solution to staying up 3 minutes ago, toddy said: Would it not be better to have another season in the championship, let FL off load who are not required for the future. I've been advocating this all season - Lampard is a promising manager who (I think) also isn't ready for life as a Premier League manager - He still makes mistakes with his selections and tactics (IMO) as any rookie would - And I think that will get even more picked apart in the Premier League I'd like to give him a bit more time to build at this level - Think if he can add more players like Waggers, Marriott, Holmes etc and a couple of quality loans there's no reason we can't compete a little higher up next season Plus I'd rather face ANY of the teams coming down this season than Villa or Leeds again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MackworthRamIsGod Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 I would be happy to get promoted and then be relegated with 10 points. As long as we werent relegated with the Robbie Savages and Andy Griffins of the world. We could get promoted, buy players we know could compete in the championship, get relegated (if we didn't stay up) and use the money to secure ourselves for the next 4 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintRam Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Firstly, I think it's incredibly unlikely that we achieve promotion, as I think every side above us is better than us. But I'll humour the idea for the purposes of this discussion. The team (as in the players) who finishes 6th in the Championship is not ready to play in the prem. In fact, they are as far from being ready as it is possible to be while still achieving promotion. But, our facilities are good enough. We're run pretty well (at least we appear to be). And I'm a fan of our coaching set-up. Ergo, the only factor that really needs to be addressed is the playing staff - and that is tackled through intelligent (and highly numerous) recruitment - wish we'd theoretically have the money for because FFP would no longer be a factor. We'd probably be looking at bringing in at least 11 players of first team quality. Sure, some of our current first team might be able to step up and play - but, if they do manage to hold a position in the first team, you don't want their backups to be Championship players. TLDR; it would be a huge job to make us ready for the prem but it's not impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BathRam72 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 18 minutes ago, toddy said: Would it not be better to have anither season in the championship, let FL off load who are not required for the future. Compete and win the majority of championship games and build a side capable of promotion, then add one or two quality additions in the summer of 2020 ready for the prem. I think you will find that FL will off load this summer anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Clough Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Go up and have a go at staying up without using the whole 'jackpot'. If it doesn't work out, then the club will be financially better off due to parachute payments and we should be able to have a better go of it next time round Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BathRam72 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 12 minutes ago, cheron85 said: No I think any side that goes up through the playoffs isn't ready - Top 2 suggests you are - Almost any other position suggests you're not Agreed - Stylistically we're better than then just less consistent However I do understand the reference cos that season gives me nightmares still Yeh, but whatever league we're in we probably need 10 new players - And Fulham have shown that adding 10 new players (however good) probably isn;t the solution to staying up I've been advocating this all season - Lampard is a promising manager who (I think) also isn't ready for life as a Premier League manager - He still makes mistakes with his selections and tactics (IMO) as any rookie would - And I think that will get even more picked apart in the Premier League I'd like to give him a bit more time to build at this level - Think if he can add more players like Waggers, Marriott, Holmes etc and a couple of quality loans there's no reason we can't compete a little higher up next season Plus I'd rather face ANY of the teams coming down this season than Villa or Leeds again For every good team going up their will be another to replace them next year. Leeds were nothing last year, they came from nowhere, so what is to say a Brentford or Bristol can't go on to be those teams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal is a Ram Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 You'll never know if you're ready, until you get there. Our infrastructure (Pride Park, Moor Farm) absolutely is. Of course, the recruitment would be the biggest concern, given that it already is a huge concern to some. Recent record would suggest not. Suspect Norwich will spend well, as will Sheffield United - but will Farke/Wilder be able to adjust their philosophy from Championship to Prem football accordingly? I think they'll do okay. If we were to navigate our way through to the promised land, I can't help but feel we'd need a (even though I hate it) Director of Football/Sporting Director/whatever the hell its called - a la Stuart Webber at Norwich. Someone who can take what Lampard wants and work with Mel/Pearce to achieve it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bald Eagle's Barmy Army Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 41 minutes ago, toddy said: No you can't but you can prepare. Do you remember 2008? You can't prepare at all - Norwich could have messed things up only 2 weeks ago. they can only start preparing now. We are in a good position where we can bring on a lot of new players because others are out of contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shorty389 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 3 minutes ago, CHCDerby said: You can't prepare at all - Norwich could have messed things up only 2 weeks ago. they can only start preparing now. We are in a good position where we can bring on a lot of new players because others are out of contract. I think our chances of keeping wilson/mount and possibly tomori would improve if we went up as they would then get experience of first team premier league which they wouldnt get at the moment with their home clubs... I'd hope that we would be able to get 2 of them, if not all 3 back on another season long loan if we didn't go up too because they wouldnt get those chances yet in their home clubs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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