If we go....Those who will leave & what it may mean

[Minhosa]

This is from left field but it's been on my mind for a while, so I'll share it and hope it comes across as a thought out post rather than a pro-ashley thing;

 

Should we head down to the land of fizzy pop it could have it's upside.

 

Yes, we'll be gutted, yes we'll not have top flight teams visiting St James' Park and yes we'll be on the road to the Ricoh Arena rather than Old Trafford for away trips.

 

However, what relegation may mean is that we'll pretty much lose all of the top earners overnight and therefore go some way to solving the issue of our high salary:turnover ratio.

 

This, coupled with the parachute payment, plus the chances of us keeping a hold of a few of our decent players (i.e: those too good for the Championship, see Martins, Bassong & Enrique) would mean we should head back up to the top flight with a relatively clean bill of health, if we can do so at the first time of asking.

 

This led me to thinking who, from the current squad, would almost certainly leave and I came to;

 

- Owen

- Viduka

- Geremi

- Duff

- Cacapa

- Jonas (I don't think he'll be on huge money but can't see him hanging around, when he could be playing for top 8 side)

- Barton

- Smith

 

 

Then I thought of who, out of the players left, would have to take a pay cut (given they're all likely to have relegation clauses built into their contracts - that's pretty standard isn't it?) if they wanted to stay and I came up with;

 

- Martins (could we persuade him to stay for one year?)

- Colo (Would anyone else pay big money for him + wages?)

- Beye

- Butt

 

And finally, I arrived at those left who would be good enough (and not on silly money) to take us back up;

 

- Harper

- Enrique

- Ryan Taylor

- Steven Taylor

- Bassong

- Nolan

- Guthrie

- Amoebi

- Carroll

- Lovenkrands

- Xisco

- Kadar

- Tozer

- Lua Lua

- Edgar

 

 

There would obviously be changes to this in reality but even the bottom list, as the core of a squad, would be good enough to get us promoted in my opinion.

 

Therefore, does relegation, actually expediate Mike & Dekka's plan to get us on a more financially sound platform and back, not just playing premiership football, but actually competing again within a quicker timeframe, perhaps to everyone's benefit?

 

Ta for reading.

 

NB: Conspiracy theory time, does this explain the JFK appointment? Did KK tell them straight that they're approach (i.e: running a very tight ship) wouldn't work in order for them to reach this decision?

 

 

[NG32]

Amoebi

Carroll

Edgar

Harper

 

Thats the begining of your promotion chasing team.

 

[Disco]

                          Harper

 

R.Taylor    Edgar          ?      ?

 

Lua Lua      Butt        Guthrie    ?

 

                Ameobi  Caroll

 

Wanktastic

[NG32]

                          Harper

 

R.Taylor     Edgar          ?      ?

 

Lua Lua      Butt        Guthrie     ?

 

                Ameobi   Caroll

 

Wanktastic

 

The Ashley fanboys will be happy with that tho, its low budget and the club is in profit.

 

They will be dubbed "Ashleys Angels"

[AyeDubbleYoo]

There are a lot of errors in that original list who would stay and go IMO. You would see an exodus of anyone who is any good. Even the likes of Stephen Taylor is highly rated in England and would probably be signed by someone around Villa level.

 

Bassong would definitely be sold, as would Martins and Enrique.

 

Players like Smith, Geremi and Cacapa on your list of players to leave would in fact be the players we would end up relying on.

 

 

[Yorkie]

We did this thread a while back. If we go down we'll have literally no squad left.

 

Beye, Bassong, Coloccini, Cacapa, Enrique, Jonas, Geremi, Barton, Martins, Owen, Viduka... will all be gone, one way or another.

[Decky]

I think if we go down, then Ashley WILL spend to get us back up and possibly to keep us in the league. After all, he wants to make money? Well surely getting to and staying in the Premier League is a sound investment? I think we will lose alot of players, but we would also get a new start. It could actually be really good thing for us in a few years when we look (im well aware it wont be when its happening).

 

One of the key things about a new start, is a proper manager btw, but I guess we cant win them all.

[Skirge]

It will mean I will cry every day when I think of the loss of ickle oba.

[Minhosa]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

 

True, but in Reading's case particularly it was the squad that had brought them up in the first place. So they were already prepared for championship football.

[Guest diddimz]

Going down would be disastrous, we would lose most of our 'quality' players,and be stuck with average players who wont leave cos they won't be paid better anywhereelse.Only our reserves, Butt, Duff, Ameobi, and maybe S. Taylor(if he was offered captaincy) at an outside bet would stick around.

[Decky]

It is scary to think how good Martins would be in the Championship. Id reckon he would get 30 goals

[Unlucky Luque]

Lets just keep wise and get a team full of £1,5m superstars ala Bassong

[Tooj]

Lets just keep wise and get a team full of £1,5m superstars ala Bassong

 

Even though it looks like he was a Keegan signing?

[Minhosa]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

 

True, but in Reading's case particularly it was the squad that had brought them up in the first place. So they were already prepared for championship football.

 

It'll come down to whether or not Ashley is prepared to take the gamble on us coming straight back up. If he is, which I suspect will be the case, he's bound to ensure those who are good and actually would be prepared to stay will be kept.

 

I would hope.

[nobby_solano]

chopra to come back to fire us back to the prem, if we went down  

and lee clark to get the managers job

[NG32]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

 

True, but in Reading's case particularly it was the squad that had brought them up in the first place. So they were already prepared for championship football.

 

It'll come down to whether or not Ashley is prepared to take the gamble on us coming straight back up. If he is, which I suspect will be the case, he's bound to ensure those who are good and actually would be prepared to stay will be kept.

 

I would hope.

 

 

What gives you that confidence?

 

[Minhosa]

chopra to come back to fire us back to the prem, if we went down  

and lee clark to get the managers job

 

Or Martinez?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

 

True, but in Reading's case particularly it was the squad that had brought them up in the first place. So they were already prepared for championship football.

 

It'll come down to whether or not Ashley is prepared to take the gamble on us coming straight back up. If he is, which I suspect will be the case, he's bound to ensure those who are good and actually would be prepared to stay will be kept.

 

I would hope.

 

I hope so too, probably will be a very small number of names on that 'prepared to stay' list though, and those might well be the ones who can't find a premiership club to move to.

[Minhosa]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

 

True, but in Reading's case particularly it was the squad that had brought them up in the first place. So they were already prepared for championship football.

 

It'll come down to whether or not Ashley is prepared to take the gamble on us coming straight back up. If he is, which I suspect will be the case, he's bound to ensure those who are good and actually would be prepared to stay will be kept.

 

I would hope.

 

 

What gives you that confidence?

 

 

The fact that he is a gambler, the club are worth far less in the Championship and he'll only ever get his money back if we're a Premiership club AND he'll be far more comfortable with a premiership status that doesn't require his financial support in the way of loans, cash injections etc.

[NG32]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

 

True, but in Reading's case particularly it was the squad that had brought them up in the first place. So they were already prepared for championship football.

 

It'll come down to whether or not Ashley is prepared to take the gamble on us coming straight back up. If he is, which I suspect will be the case, he's bound to ensure those who are good and actually would be prepared to stay will be kept.

 

I would hope.

 

 

What gives you that confidence?

 

 

The fact that he is a gambler, the club are worth far less in the Championship and he'll only ever get his money back if we're a Premiership club AND he'll be far more comfortable with a premiership status that doesn't require his financial support in the way of loans, cash injections etc.

 

We are already in the prem and he has put that status at risk with penny pinching,  what was needed was a 

bit of investment to stabalise a lumbering club (not talking about stupid champs league qual), then he could have put his plan into place.

 

I really fear if we go down, things wont change in a lower division.

[Decky]

chopra to come back to fire us back to the prem, if we went down  

and lee clark to get the managers job

 

Or Martinez?

 

Perfect time to get him in, if we are down there

[Minhosa]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

 

True, but in Reading's case particularly it was the squad that had brought them up in the first place. So they were already prepared for championship football.

 

It'll come down to whether or not Ashley is prepared to take the gamble on us coming straight back up. If he is, which I suspect will be the case, he's bound to ensure those who are good and actually would be prepared to stay will be kept.

 

I would hope.

 

 

What gives you that confidence?

 

 

The fact that he is a gambler, the club are worth far less in the Championship and he'll only ever get his money back if we're a Premiership club AND he'll be far more comfortable with a premiership status that doesn't require his financial support in the way of loans, cash injections etc.

 

We are already in the prem and he has put that status at risk with penny pinching,  what was needed was a 

bit of investment to stabalise a lumbering club (not talking about stupid champs league qual), then he could have put his plan into place.

 

I really fear if we go down, things wont change in a lower division.

 

Appreciated but my point (probably badly made.....) was that relegation may speed up the balancing act of salaries;turnover rather than trying to retain a premiership status by gradually losing your better, highly paid players as their contracts expire or you can flog them and picking up the Bassong's of this world.

 

We could potentially get promoted and have a mini buying spree if we've got a better control over costs.

 

All hyperthetical, and probably me talking a load of bollocks, but food for thought none the less.

[NG32]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

 

True, but in Reading's case particularly it was the squad that had brought them up in the first place. So they were already prepared for championship football.

 

It'll come down to whether or not Ashley is prepared to take the gamble on us coming straight back up. If he is, which I suspect will be the case, he's bound to ensure those who are good and actually would be prepared to stay will be kept.

 

I would hope.

 

 

What gives you that confidence?

 

 

The fact that he is a gambler, the club are worth far less in the Championship and he'll only ever get his money back if we're a Premiership club AND he'll be far more comfortable with a premiership status that doesn't require his financial support in the way of loans, cash injections etc.

 

We are already in the prem and he has put that status at risk with penny pinching,  what was needed was a 

bit of investment to stabalise a lumbering club (not talking about stupid champs league qual), then he could have put his plan into place.

 

I really fear if we go down, things wont change in a lower division.

 

Appreciated but my point (probably badly made.....) was that relegation may speed up the balancing act of salaries;turnover rather than trying to retain a premiership status by gradually losing your better, highly paid players as their contracts expire or you can flog them and picking up the Bassong's of this world.

 

We could potentially get promoted and have a mini buying spree if we've got a better control over costs.

 

All hyperthetical, and probably me talking a load of bollocks, but food for thought none the less.

 

We can do that in the prem, one of SBRs first jobs was to reduce the wage bill when he first arrived.

 

I can see your point in it may speed up the process of clearing the decks but would you want the added pressure of being a newly promoted team in the prem sniffing about players,getting the knock & having a relegation battle as soon as the season kicks off??

 

 

Worst thing that could happen to us is going down, I really cant take anything from it.

[Minhosa]

Birmingham and Reading both kept the core of their squads though, so it's not unthinkable that we'd keep a fair few decent players.

 

True, but in Reading's case particularly it was the squad that had brought them up in the first place. So they were already prepared for championship football.

 

It'll come down to whether or not Ashley is prepared to take the gamble on us coming straight back up. If he is, which I suspect will be the case, he's bound to ensure those who are good and actually would be prepared to stay will be kept.

 

I would hope.

 

 

What gives you that confidence?

 

 

The fact that he is a gambler, the club are worth far less in the Championship and he'll only ever get his money back if we're a Premiership club AND he'll be far more comfortable with a premiership status that doesn't require his financial support in the way of loans, cash injections etc.

 

We are already in the prem and he has put that status at risk with penny pinching,  what was needed was a 

bit of investment to stabalise a lumbering club (not talking about stupid champs league qual), then he could have put his plan into place.

 

I really fear if we go down, things wont change in a lower division.

 

Appreciated but my point (probably badly made.....) was that relegation may speed up the balancing act of salaries;turnover rather than trying to retain a premiership status by gradually losing your better, highly paid players as their contracts expire or you can flog them and picking up the Bassong's of this world.

 

We could potentially get promoted and have a mini buying spree if we've got a better control over costs.

 

All hyperthetical, and probably me talking a load of bollocks, but food for thought none the less.

 

We can do that in the prem, one of SBRs first jobs was to reduce the wage bill when he first arrived.

 

I can see your point in it may speed up the process of clearing the decks but would you want the added pressure of being a newly promoted team in the prem sniffing about players,getting the knock & having a relegation battle as soon as the season kicks off??

 

 

Worst thing that could happen to us is going down, I really cant take anything from it.

 

To answer your question - No - I wouldn't want the pressure at all. In fact, I'd like never to have to worry about the r word either.

 

The thing is though, we are going to be flirting with relegation every year for as long as we have to sell our better players to pay for the dross and leeches on the payroll such as Duff, Viduka etc.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not advocating relegation as the answer, merely trying to look for positives should it happen............which, incidentally, I think it will unless we can stop having to sell our most attractive assets.

 

This may be a vicious circle but if Ashley and Co can keep us free from a relegation and improve the financial situation without the support of any press organisation, with less and less support from the fans and with a shite managerial team they'll have done well in my opinion.

 

Runs and dives for cover after making a pro-Ashley statement!!