Staring into the abyss, with some optimism…

[Hipper]

I always look for a positive in any conversation relating to BFC and right now, it’d be very easy to throw the towel in on the season.

So how do we go about trying to enjoy the rest of the season, when the outlook in the short term, doesn’t look too great?
UTC

We're still in the FA Cup. Perhaps we can win that?

[jdrobbo]

With the priority absolutely having to be on Luton, do we play ‘the squad’ at Spurs, or the first XI, in the hope that we maintain or form?

[Goliath]

With the priority absolutely having to be on Luton, do we play ‘the squad’ at Spurs, or the first XI, in the hope that we maintain or form?

We have to use the squad, if we lost to Luton we basically have 6 months of dead rubbers, it could also be a good test to see what level some of our backup players are at, id go with the below:

----------------Muric
JBG Al-Dakhil Delcroix Roberts
-----------------Cork
----------Cullen Massengo
Benson/Redmond Zaroury
----------------Obafemi

Obviously a risky line up but it gives us a lot of protection in midfield, and allows us to try out Zaroury and Obafemi at the top level.
Also, I think JBG could well be our best right back, hes basically a wing back these days anyway so id love to see us experiment with this. Hes better on the ball than the other full backs, better in the air and possibly better defensively in 1v1s.

[Westleigh]

I really can’t see a fire sale ,perhaps Odebert and Foster may go for big money ,but buyers may possibly be wary of Foster due to his health problems ,Koleosho would have to prove his fitness before someone signed him and I don’t think any of the others have been consistent enough to be bought by other Premier League clubs, obviously Zaroury and Benson haven’t played enough to warrant a decent fee ,Trafford may have a release clause so all in all I just expect Cork ,Taylor,Brownhill,and JBG to move on.

[summitclaret]

Think people are forgetting that players will probably have release clauses, especially if we go down. So we may struggle to keep Fossy, Luca and Wilson in particular. Don't forget there's the whole of Europe for them to go.

[Vegas Claret]

The thing Vegas doesn’t consider is will the players want championship football.

That’s a different kettle of fish

you are very wrong bud, we might lose a few but that is very different from having a fire sale. If Amdouni or whoever wants to go then their agent will need to find a club that will have to pay up - we wont be giving players away

[ksrclaret]

you are very wrong bud, we might lose a few but that is very different from having a fire sale. If Amdouni or whoever wants to go then their agent will need to find a club that will have to pay up - we wont be giving players away

I’m sure that’s what Leeds fans thought last season but it turned out that lots of players had it written into their contracts that they could go in the event of relegation, even just on loan.

We don’t know what sort of contractual obligations we have with the likes of Amdouni and Tresor.

[Vegas Claret]

I’m sure that’s what Leeds fans thought last season but it turned out that lots of players had it written into their contracts that they could go in the event of relegation, even just on loan.

We don’t know what sort of contractual obligations we have with the likes of Amdouni and Tresor.

which is again, clearly not a fire sale

[ksrclaret]

which is again, clearly not a fire sale

I never once said it was.

[jdrobbo]

Losing a few on loan might be an option.

[NewClaret]

The thing Vegas doesn’t consider is will the players want championship football.

That’s a different kettle of fish

Ultimately they’ll have no choice if there are no release clauses, so that remains to be seen. I’ll personally think we were daft if we signed players with release clauses.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Ultimately they’ll have no choice if there are no release clauses, so that remains to be seen. I’ll personally think we were daft if we signed players with release clauses.

I suspect there will be a fair few with similar deals to Weghorst

[NewClaret]

I suspect there will be a fair few with similar deals to Weghorst

Possibly, let’s see.

But I think signing less established, younger players may mean they are less likely to have such deals. And I’d also like to think Pace had learnt from the Weghorst saga.

[jdrobbo]

It’ll be interesting to see how things play out. VK in his own words said that on average, we’d need to sell 3-4 players for the ‘model’ to work.

[CrosspoolClarets]

I don’t think that “model” applies though when we have some first choice players so young and on lengthy contracts, then others as young like AAD who could easily be first choice if he hits form. The issue with the buy and sell model is a club should sell before age or contract catches up with them, that isn’t the case here.

So a couple of years without selling any of them would still advance the club, they can be sold and reinvested after that. They may ask to go of course, but that is another matter.

[Spijed]

My concern is that if the model is to work they why do owners like Tony Bloom still have to put significant amounts of money into clubs like Brighton.

Money in that sense is something we Don't have

[South West Claret.]

The thread title sums my feelings up exactly at the moment I think.

[boatshed bill]

My concern is that if the model is to work they why do owners like Tony Bloom still have to put significant amounts of money into clubs like Brighton.

Money in that sense is something we Don't have

Does Bloom still put his own money in? Genuine question, I don't know.

[South West Claret.]

I notice Burnley’s odds of staying up are only 3-1 so the bookmakers don’t necessarily think Burnley will get relegated.

I had a look because I thought we might have been certs to go down and better odds.

I was hoping the odds were going to be something like 20 of 30-1 making it quite an attractive bet as I don’t think they will go down now.

Of well I shall keep my eye on it.

[Big Vinny K]

I notice Burnley’s odds of staying up are only 3-1 so the bookmakers don’t necessarily think Burnley will get relegated.

I had a look because I thought we might have been certs to go down and better odds.

I was hoping the odds were going to be something like 20 of 30-1 making it quite an attractive bet as I don’t think they will go down now.

Of well I shall keep my eye on it.

We are 1/5 to be relegated so the bookies absolutely do think that we will.