Having reached bottom (I think)...

[Babel]

We've been transformed into a factional club with a  fraction of the pull we've had for two decades. We have a  squad that is adequate for mid table and have scuttled enough points to stay up. While this is all negative, we're in a good spot for rebuilding. That requires for Lai to show leadership, Val, sadly, to leave, do all we can to get the deadwood out of the team, and work youth in as much as possible under a new manager. The rest of the season is a free hit to assess what the players are capable of, who need to go, who can be promoted from within, and what players we need to buy. The aim must be to be organized, united, and competitive for next season. Time to look on.

[Spandaubaggie]

This is a very wise post Babel and one I'm with as a way forward.

I really think considering we've played and accumulated the points of a team lower mid table for 3 months hoping to get to the play-offs under Val is fanciful. The trajectory shows this doesn't seem possible under him.

A new guy in should just see what he can do and stabilise us. I think the fans would get behind someone trying to be progressive.
Sadly though I think we are more likelly to panic and make another appointment as if someone is going to save us and we find ourselves in the summer starting from scratch again.

Whilst there is a glimmer of hope of going up the Chinese will more than likely make a stupid short-term decision.

[Peachy]

We've been transformed into a factional club with a  fraction of the pull we've had for two decades. We have a  squad that is adequate for mid table and have scuttled enough points to stay up. While this is all negative, we're in a good spot for rebuilding. That requires for Lai to show leadership, Val, sadly, to leave, do all we can to get the deadwood out of the team, and work youth in as much as possible under a new manager. The rest of the season is a free hit to assess what the players are capable of, who need to go, who can be promoted from within, and what players we need to buy. The aim must be to be organized, united, and competitive for next season. Time to look on.

Bang on. 

I'd be picking up the phone to Cov and see how much Robins would cost. They are mid table, not going up or down, and i doubt the compo would be anywhere near Val levels. 

Get him in, reunite him with Stevens at the academy, and get to work weeding out the stagnant dross with a view to a complete overhaul this summer.

[Sliced]

I don't disagree with you. One positive is definitely that the better players within our squad are younger than the players we first got relegated from the Prem with. At least with the likes of Dike, Diangana, Grant, O'Shea there is something to build upon and these few are undoubtedly top half Championship players that will be effective under another manager.

However, a) I don't expect Lai to be capable of that kind of rebuild, b) it's something that has to happen quickly because the finances will only get worse from here and c) I fear that any "overhaul" in the summer will result in us being even worse afterwards.

[ElbowGrease1973]

This is where someone in the Director of Football role comes into their own, but alas we have no one with any footballing knowledge to call upon.

I totally agree with you Babel, but I also have little faith in the Powers that Be who appointed Val on a four year deal in the first place, to then get this one right. I hope I'm proved wrong.

[Derek Hardballs]

We've been transformed into a factional club with a  fraction of the pull we've had for two decades. We have a  squad that is adequate for mid table and have scuttled enough points to stay up. While this is all negative, we're in a good spot for rebuilding. That requires for Lai to show leadership, Val, sadly, to leave, do all we can to get the deadwood out of the team, and work youth in as much as possible under a new manager. The rest of the season is a free hit to assess what the players are capable of, who need to go, who can be promoted from within, and what players we need to buy. The aim must be to be organized, united, and competitive for next season. Time to look on.

Why would we give up on this season? Your post is contradictory, either Val is doing a good job at steering us to 5-6th place and if so there is no need to replace him or he’s failing with a decent squad that should be at least capable of reaching the play-offs. 

Also…

How will another season in the Champ help us? 
We are a self efficient club, why are the owners suddenly going to invest? 
Just playing kids doesn’t mean they will be good enough, it may make us a glorified 1990’s Crewe though 
How many of those players are going to willingly move on for less money? 
How will letting those players leave at the end of their contracts for free help us rebuild our squad for promotion? 

Promotion this season should be the aim anything else is failure and a complete cop-out.

[Babel]

We've been transformed into a factional club with a  fraction of the pull we've had for two decades. We have a  squad that is adequate for mid table and have scuttled enough points to stay up. While this is all negative, we're in a good spot for rebuilding. That requires for Lai to show leadership, Val, sadly, to leave, do all we can to get the deadwood out of the team, and work youth in as much as possible under a new manager. The rest of the season is a free hit to assess what the players are capable of, who need to go, who can be promoted from within, and what players we need to buy. The aim must be to be organized, united, and competitive for next season. Time to look on.

Why would we give up on this season? Your post is contradictory, either Val is doing a good job at steering us to 5-6th place and if so there is no need to replace him or he’s failing with a decent squad that should be at least capable of reaching the play-offs. 

Also…

How will another season in the Champ help us? 
We are a self efficient club, why are the owners suddenly going to invest? 
Just playing kids doesn’t mean they will be good enough, it may make us a glorified 1990’s Crewe though 
How many of those players are going to willingly move on for less money? 
How will letting those players leave at the end of their contracts for free help us rebuild our squad for promotion? 

Promotion this season should be the aim anything else is failure and a complete cop-out.

---

Derek, you're walking off the cliff with Wil. E Coyote in that last sentence.

[Derek Hardballs]

We've been transformed into a factional club with a  fraction of the pull we've had for two decades. We have a  squad that is adequate for mid table and have scuttled enough points to stay up. While this is all negative, we're in a good spot for rebuilding. That requires for Lai to show leadership, Val, sadly, to leave, do all we can to get the deadwood out of the team, and work youth in as much as possible under a new manager. The rest of the season is a free hit to assess what the players are capable of, who need to go, who can be promoted from within, and what players we need to buy. The aim must be to be organized, united, and competitive for next season. Time to look on.

Why would we give up on this season? Your post is contradictory, either Val is doing a good job at steering us to 5-6th place and if so there is no need to replace him or he’s failing with a decent squad that should be at least capable of reaching the play-offs. 

Also…

How will another season in the Champ help us? 
We are a self efficient club, why are the owners suddenly going to invest? 
Just playing kids doesn’t mean they will be good enough, it may make us a glorified 1990’s Crewe though 
How many of those players are going to willingly move on for less money? 
How will letting those players leave at the end of their contracts for free help us rebuild our squad for promotion? 

Promotion this season should be the aim anything else is failure and a complete cop-out.

---

Derek, you're walking off the cliff with Wil. E Coyote in that last sentence.

With Val E Coyote in charge I don’t expect to ever catch Roadrunner but that’s not because I don’t think it’s possible if we had a better coyote chasing…meep meep!

[Babel]

We've been transformed into a factional club with a  fraction of the pull we've had for two decades. We have a  squad that is adequate for mid table and have scuttled enough points to stay up. While this is all negative, we're in a good spot for rebuilding. That requires for Lai to show leadership, Val, sadly, to leave, do all we can to get the deadwood out of the team, and work youth in as much as possible under a new manager. The rest of the season is a free hit to assess what the players are capable of, who need to go, who can be promoted from within, and what players we need to buy. The aim must be to be organized, united, and competitive for next season. Time to look on.

Why would we give up on this season? Your post is contradictory, either Val is doing a good job at steering us to 5-6th place and if so there is no need to replace him or he’s failing with a decent squad that should be at least capable of reaching the play-offs. 

Also…

How will another season in the Champ help us? 
We are a self efficient club, why are the owners suddenly going to invest? 
Just playing kids doesn’t mean they will be good enough, it may make us a glorified 1990’s Crewe though 
How many of those players are going to willingly move on for less money? 
How will letting those players leave at the end of their contracts for free help us rebuild our squad for promotion? 

Promotion this season should be the aim anything else is failure and a complete cop-out.

---

Derek, you're walking off the cliff with Wil. E Coyote in that last sentence.

With Val E Coyote in charge I don’t expect to ever catch Roadrunner but that’s not because I don’t think it’s possible if we had a better coyote chasing…meep meep!

arfs

[MassDebater]

I don't disagree with you. One positive is definitely that the better players within our squad are younger than the players we first got relegated from the Prem with. At least with the likes of Dike, Diangana, Grant, O'Shea there is something to build upon and these few are undoubtedly top half Championship players that will be effective under another manager.

However, a) I don't expect Lai to be capable of that kind of rebuild, b) it's something that has to happen quickly because the finances will only get worse from here and c) I fear that any "overhaul" in the summer will result in us being even worse afterwards.

Totally agree with your assessment.

If we appoint a BFS alike then we can kiss goodbye to anything but a sticking plaster. And there's no guarantee that they'd have enough time to get us back into a solid PO position either, especially with no window to switch things about either... Imagine a BFS type appointment on a 6 monther that doesn't get us up... well that doesn't even bear thinking about.