Pre-season

[BathRam72]

3 hours ago, GenBr said:

We don't play non league teams or in Scotland or in the Netherlands either. None of those teams would be any better for preparing for a Championship season. Playing Sunday league or pub teams isn't going to do much for preparation at all.

An overseas tour can provide similar levels of opponents, but also presents opportunities for growing commercial revenue in the future, which can potentially help with our FFP issues. We haven't bothered really doing much trying to grow our fanbase in other countries, but for me it has to be a priority.

Who mentioned the championship? ??

[GenBr]

11 minutes ago, BathRam72 said:

Who mentioned the championship? ??

If we were in the Prem we definitely wouldnt want to be playing pub teams. We could make some real good money in pre season if we were in the Prem - every little helps even if the tv money dwarfs any other income.

[Millenniumram]

I’d definitely be looking to take advantage if I was Mel, can raise some pretty decent cash doing one of these pre season tours as a training camp. Given you’d pay to do a training camp anyway, it’s pretty much free money if you can get it.

[Spanish]

13 hours ago, GenBr said:

We don't play non league teams or in Scotland or in the Netherlands either. None of those teams would be any better for preparing for a Championship season. Playing Sunday league or pub teams isn't going to do much for preparation at all.

An overseas tour can provide similar levels of opponents, but also presents opportunities for growing commercial revenue in the future, which can potentially help with our FFP issues. We haven't bothered really doing much trying to grow our fanbase in other countries, but for me it has to be a priority.

There’s too much travelling time wasted plus body clock issues.  The US tour was a mistake and a long haul repeat would not be good at least this time around.  

[CornwallRam]

13 hours ago, GenBr said:

We don't play non league teams or in Scotland or in the Netherlands either. None of those teams would be any better for preparing for a Championship season. Playing Sunday league or pub teams isn't going to do much for preparation at all.

An overseas tour can provide similar levels of opponents, but also presents opportunities for growing commercial revenue in the future, which can potentially help with our FFP issues. We haven't bothered really doing much trying to grow our fanbase in other countries, but for me it has to be a priority.

Our overseas tours have all featured fixtures against low profile clubs played in front of hundreds. They haven't done anything to increase our future revenue and have cost the club huge amounts of cash.

Our recent pre seasons have meant that the players have barely trained or played in English conditions and any new ones start the season without having experienced a proper match day at PP. IMO, our poorly thought out pre season schedule is why we always start seasons so slowly.

I'm also not convinced that Championship clubs have any realistic chance of developing overseas fanbases. It's just a pipe dream until we get promoted and are challenging for European football. Man U aren't big in Asia because they tour there. They are big in Asia because they've been successful, so their Asian tours sell out.

[Angry Ram]

Little tour of Spain or Portugal.. Or Germany, Holland. Belgium would be okay. No need for a big home game, it's a waste anyway and bar Rangers, nobody turns up. 

[Spanish]

6 minutes ago, Angry Ram said:

Little tour of Spain or Portugal.. Or Germany, Holland. Belgium would be okay. No need for a big home game, it's a waste anyway and bar Rangers, nobody turns up. 

including a game against the Gib national side.  that would be great.  Plus Granada, Malaga, sevilla and Betis all within 2 hours

[RamNut]

A tour of all the brewing capitals of the world....Dublin, ingolstadt, Dortmund, Gent, Copenhagen, and then Izmir for a kebab, before finishing back at burton.

what could possibly go wrong?

[ThePrisoner]

Bloody hell, we're closer to the pre-season that just ended than the next one!

[Coneheadjohn]

15 hours ago, Stagtime said:

Suncorp Stadium Brisbane. Right in the middle of town, pubs all the way from CBD to the stadium and a " Gentlemens Club " around the corner. No need to drive anywhere.

And to make PC feel at home Brisbane Roar play in orange as they are a team out of the old Brisbane Lions/ Hollandia.

I can just imagine Rooney in Queensland.

Bitten and burnt to death?

[MackworthRamIsGod]

3 hours ago, ThePrisoner said:

Bloody hell, we're closer to the pre-season that just ended than the next one!

And with how much of a farce that one was is it not wise to plan a little further in advance?

[ThePrisoner]

11 minutes ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

And with how much of a farce that one was is it not wise to plan a little further in advance?

The plan was fine had Lampard stayed. Let's not make out we booked to go to Florida last minute on a whim without a manager. What if the manager leaves us on day one of preseason next year? Exactly the same issue.

[GenBr]

5 hours ago, CornwallRam said:

Our overseas tours have all featured fixtures against low profile clubs played in front of hundreds. They haven't done anything to increase our future revenue and have cost the club huge amounts of cash.

Our recent pre seasons have meant that the players have barely trained or played in English conditions and any new ones start the season without having experienced a proper match day at PP. IMO, our poorly thought out pre season schedule is why we always start seasons so slowly.

I'm also not convinced that Championship clubs have any realistic chance of developing overseas fanbases. It's just a pipe dream until we get promoted and are challenging for European football. Man U aren't big in Asia because they tour there. They are big in Asia because they've been successful, so their Asian tours sell out.

I'm glad we agree that playing low profile clubs is a waste of time. Certainly can't see any point in playing the likes of Alfreton in pre-season. This season we played most of the games virtually behind closed doors and did nothing to promote them. 

Playing in "English" conditions is for me irrelevant. If we are concerned about that they should be playing somewhere with much tougher conditions  - preferably much colder, so that when playing back here it feels a lot easier for them to play. Friendlies don't give anybody experience of a proper match day at Pride Park - not even close.

The clubs strategy for growing commercial revenue abroad is the same as its scouting policy abroad - non existent or abysmal. I do not agree that Championship clubs have no chance of developing overseas fanbases - we already have large numbers of overseas fans despite the club doing absolutely nothing to promote the club abroad. Manchester have a gigantic operation promoting themselves all throughout Asia, as well as several offices in various Asian countries. They also picked up large numbers of fans for the Asian players they once employed - it isn't just related to success. We'd have to be more targeted in our approach, but we wouldn't even need that much in the way of commercial revenue abroad for it to be worth it.

[Spanish]

30 minutes ago, ThePrisoner said:

The plan was fine had Lampard stayed. Let's not make out we booked to go to Florida last minute on a whim without a manager. What if the manager leaves us on day one of preseason next year? Exactly the same issue.

Long distance loses 2 days in travelling just to experience hot conditions with a risk of damaging storms.  IMO it was never a good idea

[RoyMac5]

5 minutes ago, Spanish said:

Long distance loses 2 days in travelling just to experience hot conditions with a risk of damaging storms.  IMO it was never a good idea

Maybe there'd be somewhere in Europe where we could meet 'Asian teams' halfway?

[Spanish]

20 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Maybe there'd be somewhere in Europe where we could meet 'Asian teams' halfway?

south of Spain is about equidistant

[Ghost of Clough]

2 minutes ago, Spanish said:

a few miles south of Derby is about equidistant

 

[CornwallRam]

1 hour ago, GenBr said:

I'm glad we agree that playing low profile clubs is a waste of time. Certainly can't see any point in playing the likes of Alfreton in pre-season. This season we played most of the games virtually behind closed doors and did nothing to promote them. 

Playing in "English" conditions is for me irrelevant. If we are concerned about that they should be playing somewhere with much tougher conditions  - preferably much colder, so that when playing back here it feels a lot easier for them to play. Friendlies don't give anybody experience of a proper match day at Pride Park - not even close.

The clubs strategy for growing commercial revenue abroad is the same as its scouting policy abroad - non existent or abysmal. I do not agree that Championship clubs have no chance of developing overseas fanbases - we already have large numbers of overseas fans despite the club doing absolutely nothing to promote the club abroad. Manchester have a gigantic operation promoting themselves all throughout Asia, as well as several offices in various Asian countries. They also picked up large numbers of fans for the Asian players they once employed - it isn't just related to success. We'd have to be more targeted in our approach, but we wouldn't even need that much in the way of commercial revenue abroad for it to be worth it.

Matches against lower standard teams aren't irrelevant. They are essential for gaining fitness. If we spend a long time travelling, we player fewer games, so aren't as fit. Playing in the conditions that the players will experience at the start of the season is key to a good start.

I suspect that you are quite young. We have played quite a few big friendlies at PP and they have certainly given a good feel for a proper match day.

We have a few overseas fans because we used to be good and that has echoes. I would say that by playing overseas friendlies we've gained about 3 fans at a cost of £12m each.

[Spanish]

3 minutes ago, CornwallRam said:

Matches against lower standard teams aren't irrelevant. They are essential for gaining fitness. If we spend a long time travelling, we player fewer games, so aren't as fit. Playing in the conditions that the players will experience at the start of the season is key to a good start.

I suspect that you are quite young. We have played quite a few big friendlies at PP and they have certainly given a good feel for a proper match day.

We have a few overseas fans because we used to be good and that has echoes. I would say that by playing overseas friendlies we've gained about 3 fans at a cost of £12m each.

that's @richinspainand me looking for £4m each thanks

[TommyPowell]

Some of you guys  live with your head in the clouds,Derby County is a small football team in the scheme of things,the only reason the likes of Barcelona  come to PP is because they are well paid to do so.Can you imagine any of the world giants paying us.Yes its right to play the like of Alfreton those are just the type of games our academy sides need to play.