Interesting read. The summer exodus section fills me with partial dread. The club simply has to get better at replacing outgoing key players if that’s the case. Last summer showed our fragility in that situation. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that this summer is the most important since the takeover.
by MxCR5
8 Comments
It’s 2026. We need to all accept that ‘journalists’ like Mark Douglas and Luke Edwards are very much NOT in the know.
Headline is so dramatic. Losing to Sunderland is a pain but humiliation? They’ve been good this season. It’s not like we lost to Wolves at home.
With sensible recruitment we will be fine. Look at the players Brentford have lost and they’ve improved. Same with Brighton.
We don’t buy and sell well.
If we can get 200 million for Bruno, tonali and tino, that
Money alone should let us buy 6 players If we buy well. We should have a good 150million to spend on top of that we can use that to buy another 3 players.
This all feels like speculation with the veneer of authority to me, but in the end I can sort of believe that the club has made clear that they won’t be sacking him, seemingly in acknowledgement that this season going wrong is on them more than Howe.
I think it’s probably more or less right on all points even if it is just guesswork.
>”That accountability has been noted in the boardroom as the manager continues to shield under-performing players from the lion’s share of the criticism.”
That absolutely STINKS to high hell of “my tactics, motivational skills, coaching techniques, ability to manage 3 games a week, are NOT the REAL problem.”
That has been briefed to the media, and I reckon Eddie really IS that stubborn to suggest that his tactics, inability to motivate players, inability to adapt to manage 3-games a week, inability to turn us into a possession-based team, inability to select players who are in form, inability to build a gameplan to exploit the opposition’s weakness, and inability to recruit well are NOT the issue, it’s just all the players’ fault.
Anyone know the state of Eddie’s contract? Saying we aren’t going to sack him if he’s half way out the door (e.g. about a year off). I’m not a Happy Clapper, I think I’m more fair, but I don’t see too many managers we could bring in who would be an upgrade.
In all fairness, I think there was always going to be somewhat of a rebuild this summer. A lot of ageing players whose contracts are running out will likely be moved on and Ramsdale not being made permanent. But as far as I’m concerned, there’s not many I’d be arsed about leaving at this point either.
Hopefully the Isak saga has taught us a lesson last year and with proper figure heads at the club now, we’ll see better management of selling and buying including those who want away. No pussy footing around trying to keep a hold of sulkers. If they want out, shift them and find a replacement asap please. The rat cost us greatly last year and it’s a scenario that cannot be allows to be repeated.
He’s made mistakes but with the right recruitment I’d back Howe to deliver better next season. Without the right recruitment, I don’t think any new manager would succeed