A spell in the Championship

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box_of_frogs
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by box_of_frogs » Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:01 am

jdrobbo wrote:It’s a bloody brilliant division, BUT I don’t want to be a part of it!
Agreed 100%.

Top Claret
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Top Claret » Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:19 am

I for one don't want to go back to watching Championship football.

No comparison between a packed out Turf every week in the Premier league. Far better than a wet Saturday mid table clash in the championship, home to Millwall, with 9000 on and zero atmosphere.

We now have a brand new training facility at Gawthorpe and two new stands. We would never have been able to achieve the progress on or off the pitch stuck in the championship

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Lancasterclaret » Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:42 am

The idea that it will be great back in the championship is fine as long as we are continue to challenge back in the championship.

There isn't a guarantee of that.

I know we will go back there someday, but I'm perfectly happy to put that off as long as possible.

BurnleyFC
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by BurnleyFC » Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:55 am

Competitively, the Championship is a brilliant division, but I’m not sure we’d bounce back quite as quickly as last time, if at all.

This season has been ******* boring, though, from August onwards.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by jrgbfc » Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:01 am

BurnleyFC wrote:Competitively, the Championship is a brilliant division, but I’m not sure we’d bounce back quite as quickly as last time, if at all.

This season has been ******* boring, though, from August onwards.
I agree with that, apart from the Europa League this season has been absolutely dismal.
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warksclaret
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by warksclaret » Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:26 am

WE have invested in BFC to stay up-going in to the Championship could be the start of the decline when you see the ownership money being ploughed into this Division. THe quality is far stronger-with predicting the winners virtually impossible. Villa , Middlesborough Derby are all in this camp of wanting promotion but may not even make the play offs

It would require some steller signings who can get us back up-not sure the current squad has the fight for it and in some cases too old.

Not for me-no substitute for being in the PL

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Danieljwaterhouse » Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:31 am

boatshed bill wrote:One thing which would benefit a season or two in the championship would be youth development, assuming we can get it right.
I seriously believe one of our major problems (one which is costing us shedloads) is the cost of our backup players, those who rarely contribute but who draw big wages.
Have you thought that the recruitment and retention of youth players might be more difficult down there?

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by boatshed bill » Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:51 am

Danieljwaterhouse wrote:Have you thought that the recruitment and retention of youth players might be more difficult down there?
I can't really see our current crop of U23s and U18s jumping ship if we get relegated.
And we signed some really good players, the nucleus of our promotion squads, whilst in the Championship. So I don't see that as a huge problem.
If anything our recruitment seems to have become more difficult as a PL club.

brexit
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by brexit » Sun Mar 17, 2019 10:30 am

Top Claret wrote:I for one don't want to go back to watching Championship football.

No comparison between a packed out Turf every week in the Premier league. Far better than a wet Saturday mid table clash in the championship, home to Millwall, with 9000 on and zero atmosphere.

We now have a brand new training facility at Gawthorpe and two new stands. We would never have been able to achieve the progress on or off the pitch stuck in the championship
The two new stands were built when we were in the lower leagues. Unless the you count the disabled stand as a new stand?

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Top Claret » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:02 pm

I mean the disabled ones

Spijed
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Spijed » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:04 pm

boatshed bill wrote:I can't really see our current crop of U23s and U18s jumping ship if we get relegated.
And we signed some really good players, the nucleus of our promotion squads, whilst in the Championship. So I don't see that as a huge problem.
If anything our recruitment seems to have become more difficult as a PL club.
Even players like Phil Foden are struggling to start regularly because teams such as Man City are able to buy the best 'ready made' players around.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by jrgbfc » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:18 pm

Would be some great away games in the Championship next year. Preston, Blackburn, Huddersfield to name but a few. Much more enjoyable than going to the Etihad knowing you're going to get thumped. Same with the London trips, way more enjoyable going to proper old school grounds like Brentford and QPR than soulless bowls like the Emirates and West Ham.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Bosscat » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:20 pm

Steve1956 wrote::lol: yes boss!
I never said a word :roll:

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Right_winger » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:27 pm

The championship isn’t the place to rebuild an ageing squad.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Swizzlestick » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:34 pm

The rose tinted spectacles some have for the Championship is something else. It isn't all 23 undefeated and winning at Ewood and Deepdale on the regular. It's a bloody slog, and if you get stuck in a rut it takes a hell of a lot to get out of it. Take a look at Stoke who were meant to be well set up for a promotion challenge. Never mind the financial implications. If we're going to rebuild, we need to do it here, in the Premier League.
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by jrgbfc » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:42 pm

Swizzlestick wrote:The rose tinted spectacles some have for the Championship is something else. It isn't all 23 undefeated and winning at Ewood and Deepdale on the regular. It's a bloody slog, and if you get stuck in a rut it takes a hell of a lot to get out of it. Take a look at Stoke who were meant to be well set up for a promotion challenge. Never mind the financial implications. If we're going to rebuild, we need to do it here, in the Premier League.
As long as we stay up though Dyche and the Board will think everything's hunky-dory. The likes of Ben Mee and Jack Cork will remain untouchable and nothing will change.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Jakubclaret » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:42 pm

A club our size will always have 1 eye on the championship, the nucleus of the team are championship standard anyway bar a couple you could argue, they'd be nothing to fear there, the likes of vydra & wood have plied there trade there before to good effect.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Billy Balfour » Sun Mar 17, 2019 1:25 pm

Steve1956 wrote:What does the Premier League actually give us.....
Pluses ....Money........can you think of anything else I can't
Is this a 'What has the PL money ever done for us' question?

PL has enabled the club to invest in its future. What about the new facilities at Gawthorpe? Improvements and upgrades at Turf Moor. Highly professional staff right across the club - from coaching staff to physios and many more people behind the scenes. Our academy. Our youth and development setups. Our U23 setup. All these 'setups' being run in a highly professional manner and no longer on a 'pie and pea' shoestring budget. None of this would be possible without PL money. So yeah, apart from all of the above - what has the PL money ever done for us?
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Steve1956
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Steve1956 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 1:45 pm

Billy Balfour wrote:Is this a 'What has the PL money ever done for us' question?

PL has enabled the club to invest in its future. What about the new facilities at Gawthorpe? Improvements and upgrades at Turf Moor. Highly professional staff right across the club - from coaching staff to physios and many more people behind the scenes. Our academy. Our youth and development setups. Our U23 setup. All these 'setups' being run in a highly professional manner and no longer on a 'pie and pea' shoestring budget. None of this would be possible without PL money. So yeah, apart from all of the above - what has the PL money ever done for us?
And a team what doesn't do any of the above any justice,you have to invest in what goes on on the pitch...we haven't simple as that,with a full 11 yesterday Leicester would have destroyed us,all well and good having fancy facilities but total useless when your team and tactics are dross.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Billy Balfour » Sun Mar 17, 2019 2:32 pm

Your actual words were "can you think of anything else I can't" and I pointed out a few things off the top of my head.

BTW: I not saying that our last couple of transfer windows have been good. They have been poor, but to say that PL money has done nothing for our club is quite clearly untrue.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Steve1956 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 2:39 pm

Billy Balfour wrote:Your actual words were "can you think of anything else I can't" and I pointed out a few things off the top of my head.

BTW: I not saying that our last couple of transfer windows have been good. They have been poor, but to say that PL money has done nothing for our club is quite clearly untrue.
And I'm saying without a decent team on the pitch everything else is worthless.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Steve1956 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 2:45 pm

When we do spend money it's wasted,probably the bench yesterday cost more than what was on the pitch.

taio
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by taio » Sun Mar 17, 2019 2:56 pm

Steve1956 wrote:When we do spend money it's wasted,probably the bench yesterday cost more than what was on the pitch.
Read this a few times. People would moan even more if we didn't have quality on the bench. It's a nonsense argument. And the bench didn't cost more.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Siddo » Sun Mar 17, 2019 2:57 pm

You know what? I give up. We are now a team followed by plastics.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by taio » Sun Mar 17, 2019 2:59 pm

Siddo wrote:You know what? I give up. We are now a team followed by plastics.
Stick with it. I'm convinced most of the moaners don't step foot inside Turf Moor.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Steve1956 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:02 pm

taio wrote:Read this a few times. People would moan even more if we didn't have quality on the bench. It's a nonsense argument. And the bench didn't cost more.
Can you explain why we don't use these players that are bench warming?

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by taio » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:05 pm

Steve1956 wrote:Can you explain why we don't use these players that are bench warming?
One reason is we've be ok on the injury front. If key players got injured and there wasn't sufficient cover people would be moaning that we've no strength on the bench.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Steve1956 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:07 pm

taio wrote:One reason is we've be ok on the injury front. If key players got injured and there wasn't sufficient cover people would be moaning that we've no strength on the bench.
You still haven't explained why we don't use them.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by taio » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:09 pm

Steve1956 wrote:You still haven't explained why we don't use them.
I've given you one entirely legitimate explanation. Another one would be that Dyche is rigid which has brought him so much success.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Billy Balfour » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:12 pm

Steve1956 wrote:Can you explain why we don't use these players that are bench warming?
Because they won't allow us to play them all at once. The rotters.
Last edited by Billy Balfour on Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Vegas Claret » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:13 pm

Siddo wrote:You know what? I give up. We are now a team followed by plastics.
That's the Premier League

Steve1956
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Steve1956 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:13 pm

taio wrote:I've given you one entirely legitimate explanation. Another one would be that Dyche is rigid which has brought him so much success.
Right so you haven't a clue why our joint record signing can't oust a player from our leaky defence,not even been given a sniff,and Crouch playing before 9million pound Vydra,like I said when we spend money we waste it,how much did we spunk on Wells?

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by taio » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:17 pm

Steve1956 wrote:Right so you haven't a clue why our joint record signing can't oust a player from our leaky defence,not even been given a sniff,and Crouch playing before 9million pound Vydra,like I said when we spend money we waste it,how much did we spunk on Wells?
As I said injuries and Dyche's rigidity. What else could it be? Come on give us a clue.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Steve1956 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:18 pm

taio wrote:As I said injuries and Dyche's rigidity. What else could it be? Come on give us a clue.
Are you a politician ? :D

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by taio » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:19 pm

Steve1956 wrote:Are you a politician ? :D
So it's you who doesn't have a clue ;)

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by Steve1956 » Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:20 pm

taio wrote:So it's you who doesn't have a clue ;)
:lol:

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by JohnMac » Mon Mar 18, 2019 10:55 am

If we go down I don't expect us to play in the Premier League again in my lifetime.

We had a good squad last time we were relegated, were hard to beat and weren't battered at any stage by anyone. This time we are shipping goals for fun and haven't looked solid since 2017.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by JTClaret » Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:00 pm

Oh no! Are we at this point where fans start to think being relegated is a good thing?
We really are in trouble

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by houseboy » Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:34 pm

I don't want relegation because you always want to be with the best, obviously, but the Championship is not a bad place to be if the worst comes to the worst. The competition is far, far better than the PL. The atmosphere at many grounds is often better. The crowds are, for a second tier, unbelievable. The average attendance this season is just a midges under 20k but if you take off the bottom half dozen or so who are dragging it down a bit you are then looking at around 22k. Half the teams in it are averaging more than we are in the PL (okay we have a small ground and could average more but that would be more visitors boosting that I think if it were bigger - 19k has always been our home 'limit' really). Bristol City are averaging more than us even. Unlike the PL everyone can beat everyone else. Look at the PL table - the top six are now seperated from the rest by a 13 point gap.

So no - I don't want to go down but would I lose any sleep if we did? No, I'd be thinking about all the games we might win and how it would feel great to be (hopefully) at the top end of the league instead of scraping around for crumbs. I think for many (including me) the euphoria of the PL has ever so slightly worn off because we now realise that as long as we are there we can achieve nothing apart from survival. If we actually made an effort in cups or in Europe then it would be better but we don't so it is all getting just a tad boring. If we could survive AND make an effort in cups then that would be great but alas that is not the Dyche way is it?

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by SGr » Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:42 pm

We’ve reached peak UTC when you’ve got fans making a case for getting relegated over staying in the best league in world football.

Do I want to get a 4th result in a row at Old Trafford? Nah mate, I want to see us grind out a 2-1 at Rotherham away, that’s so much better isn’t it!!! Shocking mentality.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by boatshed bill » Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:47 pm

JohnMac wrote:If we go down I don't expect us to play in the Premier League again in my lifetime.

We had a good squad last time we were relegated, were hard to beat and weren't battered at any stage by anyone. This time we are shipping goals for fun and haven't looked solid since 2017.
I'm optimistic in that I feel that if we get relegated we will come back up stronger than before.
We must have learned some really important lessons in the last 3 years.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by SGr » Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:49 pm

boatshed bill wrote:I'm optimistic in that I feel that if we get relegated we will come back up stronger than before.
We must have learned some really important lessons in the last 3 years.
If it takes another relegation for us to “learn lessons” then the only lesson that needs to be taken away is don’t wait for it all to go wrong before doing anything about it.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by CrosspoolClarets » Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:59 pm

I never thought I would say this, but we are badly missing Boyd and Arfield.

Since they left our defence has gone downhill, and the two of them were regularly in the top sprint figures in the division. They provided so much cover to our defence, a defence whose style is to invite crosses by defending narrow and needing wingers to track back. Before anyone says it, Arfield started nearly half our games last season when we finished 7th but Brady also did well on the left hand side too.

I don’t see how a spell in the Championship would help solve that conundrum, nor do I see how it will help fund the ground improvement many of us have been demanding. For now, we need to stay where we are.

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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by boatshed bill » Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:59 pm

SGr wrote:If it takes another relegation for us to “learn lessons” then the only lesson that needs to be taken away is don’t wait for it all to go wrong before doing anything about it.
No, that's not what I said. I'm saying that the lessons must have been learned by now. But you are right. I wonder what the club's policy on signing aging journeymen will be? ;)
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Re: A spell in the Championship

Post by NottsClaret » Mon Mar 18, 2019 2:11 pm

Honestly wouldn't mind being in the Championship. It's been cool seeing some of the world's best players, and obviously the money's been handy for the ground etc. But as a match going fan, more 3pm Saturday fixtures and way more matches you've a realistic chance in would be decent.

I'm not kidding myself we'd bounce back straight away or anything. And I'll still want us to win in the relegation play-off against Cardiff. I just don't think it's the end of the world if we go down.

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