Is Relegation such a bad thing really?

[It Is What It Is]

We are competing in arguably the greatest talented football League on the planet.
We are never in the foreseeable future going to win the Premier League title, nor finish in the top four or seventh for euro comps anymore.
We would get shedloads of cash for dropping down, playing in a level playing field league with more exciting free flowing end to end stuff footy and no VAR.
Our aim would be to win the Championship and a few good cup runs and to foray back and forth to the EPL to see if we have progressed to the middle part of that league or not. The perfect Yo Yo club.
Up and down parachute payments etc would at least keep the club very stable financially and a hell of a lot more excitement for the fans....rather than an annual relegation battle and getting battered.
So.... here's to winning the Championship again next season.

[Ric_C]

I for one can't wait for next season

[daveisaclaret]

It is such a bad thing yep. Football is a spectator sport and we have won 3 times in 25 matches. We are proper crap. It's not that clear how much joy there will be in promotion next season if we feel like we have another full season of pathetic dross to look forward to afterwards.

[taio]

It all depends on whether we get promoted in a season or possibly two. Whilst it would be a failure if we didn’t, there's obviously no guarantee it would happen, and it's hard to see what resources we will have next season. If we don't swiftly get promoted it will be a very bad thing.

[Chester Perry]

We would get shedloads of cash for dropping down, playing in a level playing field league w

it most certainly not a level playing field as you yourself demonstrate very clearly

[BurnleyFC]

It wouldn’t be a bad thing for Luton, for example, but after we’ve spunked the best part of £100m away on players nowhere near the required level, yes it is a bad thing.

I suspect Alan Pace is far more worried than he’s going to let on.

[It Is What It Is]

It is such a bad thing yep. Football is a spectator sport and we have won 3 times in 25 matches. We are proper crap. It's not that clear how much joy there will be in promotion next season if we feel like we have another full season of pathetic dross to look forward to afterwards.

I get your point...but we have to see every so often if we are progressing as a team squad to at least the EPL 10 to 14 mid table level

[Dyched]

We are competing in arguably the greatest talented football League on the planet.
We are never in the foreseeable future going to win the Premier League title, nor finish in the top four or seventh for euro comps anymore.
We would get shedloads of cash for dropping down, playing in a level playing field league with more exciting free flowing end to end stuff footy and no VAR.
Our aim would be to win the Championship and a few good cup runs and to foray back and forth to the EPL to see if we have progressed to the middle part of that league or not. The perfect Yo Yo club.
Up and down parachute payments etc would at least keep the club very stable financially and a hell of a lot more excitement for the fans....rather than an annual relegation battle and getting battered.
So.... here's to winning the Championship again next season.

Level playing field? What us probably have the most money and most expensive squad?

[Burnley1989]

I’d happily be a top 6 championship club, hate the premier league and I’ve no interest in watching “the top teams” I support Burnley, I couldn’t give a toss about seeing world class players, I can watch them on tv if I want and never do.
Folk say “I want to see my team compete against the best”
Maybe so, I’m sure we all do, I just can’t see that ever happening again any time soon. We are nowhere near that level

[CoolClaret]

We are never in the foreseeable future going to win the Premier League title, nor finish in the top four or seventh for euro comps anymore.

Why can't we qualify for Europe again?

We would get shedloads of cash for dropping down, playing in a level playing field league with more exciting free flowing end to end stuff footy and no VAR.

Eh?

You don't get more cash for dropping down - far from it.

[Poulton-le-Claret]

I always find it so surprising when people think promotion next year is nailed on. The championship is a very tough league and the squad we will have is definitely not certain.

[StayingDown4Ever]

I always find it so surprising when people think promotion next year is nailed on. The championship is a very tough league and the squad we will have is definitely not certain.

Agreed - a squad of gutless cowards won’t be walking the Championship.

[warksclaret]

Before we went up VK used to say we may have been top of the Championship, but in England we were only the 21st best team . I wonder what he would say right now if we were to remind him. For me today, Leicester, Saints, Leeds are already arguably above us. Maybe Ipswich and several others too

[beddie]

It wouldn’t be a bad thing for Luton, for example, but after we’ve spunked the best part of £100m away on players nowhere near the required level, yes it is a bad thing.

I suspect Alan Pace is far more worried than he’s going to let on.

Well Pace should be worried because I can’t see us coming straight back up. Individually we have some very talented players, unfortunately as a collective unit I have no idea what system we’re trying to play. The first thing we need is a leader of men that’s not afraid to dish out a few bollockings.

[daveisaclaret]

I’d happily be a top 6 championship club, hate the premier league and I’ve no interest in watching “the top teams” I support Burnley, I couldn’t give a toss about seeing world class players, I can watch them on tv if I want and never do.
Folk say “I want to see my team compete against the best”
Maybe so, I’m sure we all do, I just can’t see that ever happening again any time soon. We are nowhere near that level

There isn't an option to consistently be a top 6 championship club. You either get promoted or you get worse.

[Jamesy]

Well, relegation is certainly happening. Whether supporters think it’s a bad thing or not it doesn’t really matter.
I think there is a large sense of apathy amongst our support at present.
We have watched, or should I say endured week on week our team being outplayed and largely devoid of any tactics or ideas. Then our manager compounds the problem by continuing to select players who offer little or nothing to the team and we keep getting rolled over cheaply.
Gradually, this just knocks the stuffing out of you until you can’t be @rsed anymore.

[warksclaret]

I always find it so surprising when people think promotion next year is nailed on. The championship is a very tough league and the squad we will have is definitely not certain.

Agreed-went to see Middlesborough yesterday, lying 13th before the Leicester game. I have to be honest playing them and beating them right now was not a given for me yesterday. Plus do we not think Sheff Utd and Luton, if these two go down, will not be challenging too.Add to that there is often a relative dark horse that manages to get to the play offs/get promoted

[Swizzlestick]

Before we went up VK used to say we may have been top of the Championship, but in England we were only the 21st best team . I wonder what he would say right now if we were to remind him. For me today, Leicester, Saints, Leeds are already arguably above us. Maybe Ipswich and several others too

Yes, but by this same logic you could argue we were better than Southampton, Leicester etc last season. That was VK’s point - it means nothing playing better football and getting better results in the league below - you are where you are in the league pyramid.

[evensteadiereddie]

No, it won't be a bad thing at all.
We'll be fine and this year's experience, if the players and VK have anything about them, will serve them well.
There also the potential that the plastic, needy glory hunters infesting this board will finally have done one by then.

[Clive 1960]

i don't think it's a given certain that we could bounce back straight away it all depends on who stays and will the likes of Zaroury and Benson who signed long term contracts be up for it , i much doubt it the way they have been treated..

[It Is What It Is]

I always find it so surprising when people think promotion next year is nailed on. The championship is a very tough league and the squad we will have is definitely not certain.

I don't think promotion for the Championship is nailed on at all...I just said it should be our aim.

[forzagranata]

We have no idea what kind of team we will have next season. None at all.

We have significant debts and don't look likely to make much money on player trading - a fire sale might help limit the damage financially but what kind of team will that leave behind?

We might have enough resources for another summer of being able to bring in players good enough to win the Championship -we might not. Only time will tell whether its another glorious promotion season, a mid-table frustration or much worse.

[RVclaret]

No, it won't be a bad thing at all.
We'll be fine and this year's experience, if the players and VK have anything about them, will serve them well.
There also the potential that the plastic, needy glory hunters infesting this board will finally have done one by then.

Basically this. Massive learning curve this season for our young players and manager. Saints and even Leeds have shown you can still dominate that league while having to sell some players. Leeds looked like they were in a proper mess even in September, Summerville and Sinesterra refusing to play, Gnonto requesting a transfer, half their squad leaving on loan… but hey, fast forward a few months and here they are in 2nd.

On Summerville, a player who got just FOUR goal contributions last season in the PL, has 15 goals 8 assists already in the Champ. Rutter, a 30m flop PL signing last January who didn’t score a single Prem goal and couldn’t get in the team, has been one of the best attackers in the division (6 goals 11 assists). There was a clear plan last relegation and there will be one again for this one.

[Cleveleys_claret]

I am sure the question was if relegation was a bad thing...not how gutless or **** we are. The same 5 or 6 are infecting this site and seem to have carte blanche to do so because the owner of the site isn't invited to chat with Alan Pace on a weekly basis

[Ric_C]

I think last season there was a level of arrogance of both VK and the recruitment team where they presumed we would be fine, and would comfortably compete against the mid to lower teams, that is why they bought so many young prospects.

The idea being these rough diamonds would flourish in the top league, thus increasing their value, and then we could then sell on for a huge profit.

While this wasn't totally a bad plan per se, and I do believe this is the right plan in general, it is the execution of it that was lacking.

We went from A to Z instead of going from A - B - C

[Murger]

This set of chancers don’t know how to react at getting a punch on the nose. They’ll get plenty of punches next season. Anyone who thinks we’ll walk the league are delusional.

[NottsClaret]

There isn't an option to consistently be a top 6 championship club. You either get promoted or you get worse.

Unfortunately, that's true. You get maybe a couple of seasons at most, from then on you're fighting against League One while juggling debts if you're a club of our size. We got a bit lucky before in getting Dyche in as the last of the parachutes ran out.

I'm not even optimistic about the bouncing back scenario next season but I do get the sentiment behind the OP. The season we got into Europe was the only Premier League season that would get into my Top 5 of watching Burnley, the rest is all football league stuff.

[Flixtonclaret1]

It is such a bad thing yep. Football is a spectator sport and we have won 3 times in 25 matches. We are proper crap. It's not that clear how much joy there will be in promotion next season if we feel like we have another full season of pathetic dross to look forward to afterwards.

As Vera Lynn sang….

“We’ll win again, don’t know where, don’t know when, but I know we’ll win again some sunny day”

[SirBob]

Last season was the most enjoyable and entertaining I’ve ever had as a Burnley fan, this season the complete opposite

Next season I think will probably be a two horse race between us and Leeds and I can’t wait to take the **** out of all the Leeds fans I know when we win the league.

[claretgimmer]

I don`t think Alan Pace will realise what the severity of this seasons performances and selections will have on players and fans till we see how we perform in a Championship environment with these same players, as people on here say I don`t see many saleable assets amongst our current squad and losing a hundred million in revenue combined with possibly having a much smaller take up of season tickets might be a big reality check for Mr Pace then we will see how good a business man he is and how good a manager VK in trying to recreate last seasons enjoyment.

[Jamesy]

Last season was the most enjoyable and entertaining I’ve ever had as a Burnley fan, this season the complete opposite

Next season I think will probably be a two horse race between us and Leeds and I can’t wait to take the **** out of all the Leeds fans I know when we win the league.

You could be waiting………..a while.

[Wokingclaret]

Basically this. Massive learning curve this season for our young players and manager. Saints and even Leeds have shown you can still dominate that league while having to sell some players. Leeds looked like they were in a proper mess even in September, Summerville and Sinesterra refusing to play, Gnonto requesting a transfer, half their squad leaving on loan… but hey, fast forward a few months and here they are in 2nd.

On Summerville, a player who got just FOUR goal contributions last season in the PL, has 15 goals 8 assists already in the Champ. Rutter, a 30m flop PL signing last January who didn’t score a single Prem goal and couldn’t get in the team, has been one of the best attackers in the division (6 goals 11 assists). There was a clear plan last relegation and there will be one again for this one.

Damaging learning curve RV, you do have claret tinted glasses.

[jrgbfc]

Not for me. Obviously we're in financial trouble if we don't go up but it's much more fun in the Championship. No VAR, more local derbies, much better away days, what's not to like. Get rid of all the plastics on the Turf as well who are only there to see City/Liverpool etc.

[forzagranata]

Not for me. Obviously we're in financial trouble if we don't go up but it's much more fun in the Championship. No VAR, more local derbies, much better away days, what's not to like. Get rid of all the plastics on the Turf as well who are only there to see City/Liverpool etc.

Its more fun in the Championship if you are winning.

Relegation battles in the Championship are just as grim, if not worse, than those in the PL.

[Bowclaret]

For me, it feels like promotion back to the Championship.

Love the derbies love the away games and we WIN !!!!

[Ric_C]

Not going to say the same thing will continue next season, but we have lost only 13 games in the last 3 full seasons in the championship (138 matches).

We've lost more games in this season in the last 4-5 months -14

[Jakubclaret]

I am sure the question was if relegation was a bad thing...not how gutless or **** we are. The same 5 or 6 are infecting this site and seem to have carte blanche to do so because the owner of the site isn't invited to chat with Alan Pace on a weekly basis

Or perhaps some people are very concerned about the direction the football club is going in & in fairness it's constructive criticism I prefer reading the posts which are grounded in reality instead of everything is fine & pure deluded denial. The clubs in a massive mess & some people are facing up to that & others aren't.

[123EasyasBFC]

We have no idea what kind of team we will have next season. None at all.

We have significant debts and don't look likely to make much money on player trading - a fire sale might help limit the damage financially but what kind of team will that leave behind?

We might have enough resources for another summer of being able to bring in players good enough to win the Championship -we might not. Only time will tell whether its another glorious promotion season, a mid-table frustration or much worse.

How do you know we won’t make a hell of a lot of money on player trading? Southampton sold Lavia for 58m and are getting 25m for alcaraz, that’s 2 players who didn’t exactly set the league a light last season.

All depends what clauses we have in contracts

[forzagranata]

How do you know we won’t make a hell of a lot of money on player trading? Southampton sold Lavia for 58m and are getting 25m for alcaraz, that’s 2 players who didn’t exactly set the league a light last season.

All depends what clauses we have in contracts

I guess we might make a hell of a lot of money on selling the current team but I'd be very surprised.

I'd be pleasantly surprised if we were able to get our money back on the players we bought last summer. Will someone pay 15-20 million for Trafford? Amdouni? Ramsey? Tresor? I doubt it. Berge we could probably recoup our investment.

Someone might take a punt on Odabert, someone in Germany would probably be interested in Beyer but for how much? Koleosho looked like he might command a decent fee but after a long injury that's a different matter now. Foster's value will obviously have been impacted by his injuries and other issues.

I just don't see how we get 100-150 million back for this squad.

We aren't in a strong position in any negotiations, other clubs will know we need to sell and we haven't got players who will generate a bidding war.

[RVclaret]

I guess we might make a hell of a lot of money on selling the current team but I'd be very surprised.

I'd be pleasantly surprised if we were able to get our money back on the players we bought last summer. Will someone pay 15-20 million for Trafford? Amdouni? Ramsey? Tresor? I doubt it. Berge we could probably recoup our investment.

Someone might take a punt on Odabert, someone in Germany would probably be interested in Beyer but for how much? Koleosho looked like he might command a decent fee but after a long injury that's a different matter now. Foster's value will obviously have been impacted by his injuries and other issues.

I just don't see how we get 100-150 million back for this squad.

We aren't in a strong position in any negotiations, other clubs will know we need to sell and we haven't got players who will generate a bidding war.

Why do we need to get 100-150 million back?

We’ve bought most of them them from / with PL revenues.

You do realise our wage bill this season will be considerably lower than what it was on the last relegation and revenue will be 130m+?

Who says we absolutely need to sell? What about the entire squad including fringe players like Twine, Egan-Riley, Muric,Benson and Churlinov?

[Claretforever]

I always find it fascinating how our fans think promotion is a given next season. Nothing is guaranteed, and the odds suggest at some point we’ll go down and stay down. Then we’re in trouble!

And if Everton come down with us I would imagine they’ll be one of the top two, so Everton plus maybe a Southampton or a Leeds, Sheffield United will be up there.

[Carlos the Great]

Pace has given VK about 130 million so relegation is a disaster .: didn’t like how VK on MOTD said it’s very hard compete in this league ! … well if I was Luton Town manager I can understand as they have spent virtually nothing but it’s a bit tough on Pace who has backed him so much

[taio]

We’ve bought most of them them from / with PL revenues.

I'd have thought we still owe a considerable proportion of those fees which will need paying after this season.

[Cleveleys_claret]

I always find it fascinating how our fans think promotion is a given next season. Nothing is guaranteed, and the odds suggest at some point we’ll go down and stay down. Then we’re in trouble!

And if Everton come down with us I would imagine they’ll be one of the top two, so Everton plus maybe a Southampton or a Leeds, Sheffield United will be up there.

So you find it fascinating our fans are hopeful promotion is a guarantee but then say Everton plus Southampton or Leeds will be and then throw in Sheff Utd. What did you say...nothing is guaranteed...but only when it seems to involve your club

[Wokingclaret]

Why do we need to get 100-150 million back?

We’ve bought most of them them from / with PL revenues.

You do realise our wage bill this season will be considerably lower than what it was on the last relegation and revenue will be 130m+?

Who says we absolutely need to sell? What about the entire squad including fringe players like Twine, Egan-Riley, Muric,Benson and Churlinov?

Wake up RV

[boyyanno]

I'd have thought we still owe a considerable proportion of those fees which will need paying after this season.

I think a lot of people overlook this. It's quickly mentioned that all fees are not paid upfront but soon forgotten that this means we will have payments for the following years.

It's likely we've got anything between 20-40m to pay out across the next couple of seasons based on what we've spent since Kompany joined. It's not necessarily next year that worries me, it's the one after and the future years if we don't get straight back to the PL.

[RVclaret]

Wake up RV

Are you ever going to contribute anything other than this?

At least I provide reason.

[RVclaret]

I'd have thought we still owe a considerable proportion of those fees which will need paying after this season.

I get that, but nowhere near 100-150m as the poster suggested.

[taio]

I get that, but nowhere near 100-150m as the poster suggested.

I was just clarifying because you said we'd bought most of the players with the revenue we've received for being in the PL this season. I don't think we have.

[forzagranata]

Why do we need to get 100-150 million back?

We’ve bought most of them them from / with PL revenues.

You do realise our wage bill this season will be considerably lower than what it was on the last relegation and revenue will be 130m+?

Who says we absolutely need to sell? What about the entire squad including fringe players like Twine, Egan-Riley, Muric,Benson and Churlinov?

I'm not saying we need to get back 100-150 million. I was replying to someone saying we could make a 'hell of a lot of money" in player sales. I'm saying we will do well to get our money back, let alone make a profit overall on player trading.

I am not sure at all that our wage bill will be considerably lower than it was last time we were relegated. Individual wages may be but the squad is much bigger than it was under Dyche and when the loan players return in June then we have to pay them over the summer as well.

As well as any operating loss we have some large loans to service and at some stage pay off.

Revenue will fall next season significantly - sponsorship, hospitality and gate receipts will all go down.

That's all before any calculation of what VK might want to spend on rebuilding his squad.