[Archived] Will We Ever Finnish In The Top 6 Again?

[scotchrover]

After looking at the recent Man City takeover and looking at all the clubs that have been taken over in the past year or so, we as a club are now starting to become dwarfed financially. I now come on to the question that heads the topic thats Will we ever finnish in the top 6 again?.

Now you look at the clubs that finnished above us last year - Man U, Chelsea, Arse, Liverpool, Everton and Aston Villa.

They all spend more money in the transfer market than us apart from Everton.

Then you look at the clubs that finished below us that have more money to spend in the transfer markey than us- Pompey, Man City, Spurs,Boro, Newcastle, sunderland and you can even look at QPR in the championship when they get promoted.

Now to me unless rovers get the checkbook out we're stuffed becuase unless the clubs above and below us are going to get the checkbook at the end of next season. We could end up way down in 13th eventually.

[DeadlyDirk]

Well I was actually thinking about this myself and I believe this season could be our best chance for a long time.

In short, if the Man City deal turns out to be as good as it seems then the big four has just become the big 5, they are all nailed on as much as anyone can be to then be the top 5 clubs in the forseeable future. Then you have Aston Villa who have their own billionaire owner who have spent a lot in the last season or so and seem to be slowly building a good team and squad. With the money they have available and the fact that the owner seems genuinely to have a love for the club and wants them to do well without worrying about making a quick buck for himself then they are surely going to be regularly in the top 6.

So then it leaves 7th place, which sadly isn't even guaranteed to get you into the UEFA cup these days. Money isn't everthing in football but with Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villla and now Man City you have teams that are already more or less as good as us or already better and then a lot of money to go with it.

We just have to put this into perspective though, there is no shame in finishing behind the likes of these teams, The rich will continue to get richer, the squad will get bigger and stronger while we will carry on doing our bit and trying to fight it out for 7th place.

Sure there may be now and again in the next 5-10 seasons that perhaps Villa only finish 7th and Portsmouth or Newcastle perhaps sneak into 6th place but I'd expect more often than not in the forseeable future we will see the top 6 line up as below in no particular order.

1. Manchester United

2. Chelsea

3. Arsenal

4. Liverpool

5. Man City

6. Aston Villa

Like I said there is no shame in it, it is just the way of the times, if other clubs get big investors then others may well move past us as well, all we can do is carry on going about our work trying to play football and just enjoy it.

[Raymond Rover]

Better ask the Finns.

[Paul Mellelieu]

No. Not for a while at least.

[Ronin]

Those clubs may have a shed load of cash to spend, but lots of spondoolies does not always equate to success on the pitch. Otherwise Liverpool, Spurs and Newcastle would've won the title for a few years now

Granted I think it'll be hard to keep competing and staying in the mix for the UEFA Cup places, but we've done very well so far, and whose to say that won't continue. Top 4 I think will be out of the question though, the Sky 4 teams will be bricking themselves about dropping out of the top 4 with Citeh and Villa waiting in the wings, and will be spending thier cash to stay ahead, even moreso that usual!

The rest of us will always be playing catch up, more than we are already!

[RovertheHill]

Anything top 10 has to be considered a good season from now on in I feel

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Anything top 10 has to be considered a good season from now on in I feel

Totally agree - City will take Liverpools place in the top 4 - and everyone will shuffle down one.

Abromovich was bad enough - but if the Arabs invest to the extent that is being reported - the Premiership will become even more boring and predictable.

I wonder if all those City fans that called Rovers for "so-called" buying the title - will apologise when they eventually win it ? I think not.

For me the best scenario would be for them not to win it, no matter how much money they invested - but unlikely to happen in a league where money definitely talks

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Totally agree - City will take Liverpools place in the top 4 - and everyone will shuffle down one.

Abromovich was bad enough - but if the Arabs invest to the extent that is being reported - the Premiership will become even more boring and predictable.

I wonder if all those City fans that called Rovers for "so-called" buying the title - will apologise when they eventually win it ? I think not.

For me the best scenario would be for them not to win it, no matter how much money they invested - but unlikely to happen in a league where money definitely talks

Money does not always talks..........ask Newcastle

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Money does not always talks..........ask Newcastle

I sincerely hope you are right - but Newcastle (for all the money they wasted) never had the sort of backing that it would appear City will have.

Robinho was a signal of intent - I am sure they will chuck money around in January.

I hope they do look abroad for really big names - or else we could see Hughes back in for Santa in the New Year with a transfer and wage offer so large that Rovers will have little choice.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

I sincerely hope you are right - but Newcastle (for all the money they wasted) never had the sort of backing that it would appear City will have.

Robinho was a signal of intent - I am sure they will chuck money around in January.

I hope they do look abroad for really big names - or else we could see Hughes back in for Santa in the New Year with a transfer and wage offer so large that Rovers will have little choice.

Money only talks if it is used wisely..........Who bought Robinho because i get the impression that the men in england certainly did not know much about it! I would not be surprised if hughes came back for santa Cruz if he is allowed but he may not be a big enough name for the new owner. Hughes may not have much of a say!

Real madrid have tried what City's new owner is proposing but Le Galaticos won very little when they signed big names rather than building a team

[almuncle]

I think you are being very optimistic if you think Hughes will still be there in January.It will be some big name flash manager to attract big flash players. I think Roque will be safe though.

[McClarky]

We won't this season. Apart from that it's impossible to say because league position is to a large extent governed by finance and if we were to be taken over by some dictatorial junta from some far flung place then maybe we could all put our consciences to one side and celebrate in the glory of a top 6 finish.

[LeChuck]

It really all depends on how we invest this £10-20 million or so that we have in reserve. If it goes on bright young talent who can develop over the next few years, then we have a chance (Sambas, Bentleys, Warnocks). If we fritter it away on average players in their late 20s who have no resale value then we could lose touch forever.

[bigoldbadger]

I wonder if we are now starting to see the beginning of a move towards a super league, probably a european one. The worlds richest will soon loose interest in playing less fashionable premier league sides and want only mega games week in, week out.

Our next top 6 finish may come when we see the Premier leagues big four breakaway to a euro super league and we compete in a different style of premiership.

[Daremz]

2012 we will. I've just put 10 Euro's on that. I know who's the owner at that time, and he's rather wealthy.

[herbergeehh]

Don't think Kuqi is the answer.

[BRFC4EVA]

It could be this season for all we know? The team might gel together really well, King Carlos could turn out to be europe's brightest prospects and win us 20 points this season. Some of the other teams who have spent money, fail to fire as they often seem to despite the fact they have loads of better players than we do.

Ok so it problably wont happen, but that's what makes us football fans-blind optimists!

[Plastic Head]

Will we ever finnish in the top 6 again?.

I don't know.

Also, there is only 1 s in finish.

[Al]

I don't know.

Also, there is only 1 s in finish.

only one n too.

[steven]

I reckon 6th is out of the question unless we change the set up at the club significantly. We are still counting the cost of not investing when we won the league in 1995 in my opinion...........

[DingleBaiter]

Totally agree - City will take Liverpools place in the top 4 - and everyone will shuffle down one.

Abromovich was bad enough - but if the Arabs invest to the extent that is being reported - the Premiership will become even more boring and predictable.

I wonder if all those City fans that called Rovers for "so-called" buying the title - will apologise when they eventually win it ? I think not.

For me the best scenario would be for them not to win it, no matter how much money they invested - but unlikely to happen in a league where money definitely talks

I just can't see City winning the Prem, and that's not being churlish. City's forte always seem to be to find a way to muck it up royally, then rise again, then self-destruct. It was only 12 months ago folks were falling over themselves fawning at Sven's genius, and look where it got him. One of the smoothest operators in Europe got ousted, and they only ended up with a new manager because Roman was a better poker player than MH was.

However, the Arabs have now turned the amps up to 11 with this new money, and all the pressure that comes with. Hughes seemed to be a stooge there with regard to player aquisition, and they arguably only got Robinho because Real Madrid wouldn't sell to Chelsea. He's not 'all that' anyway, he's struggled for form for a while - though still a very good player. One thing the Arabs won't stand for is 'no', and they simply won't compute it's not just a case of money. Don't forget they have a loon for an Executive Chairman still; I can't see Hughes enjoying being told which players they are signing and they may very well end up like Hearts. I really wouldn't be surprised if one of the Arab's mates was signed and Hughes was told to play him; we can never exclude any lunacy big money may bring. I still think the main Arab Dr fella is Peter Kay in a dish-dash.

Know it's a cliche, but it's not having the money, it's how it's spent - and getting players to play as a team.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

I just can't see City winning the Prem, and that's not being churlish. City's forte always seem to be to find a way to muck it up royally, then rise again, then self-destruct. It was only 12 months ago folks were falling over themselves fawning at Sven's genius, and look where it got him. One of the smoothest operators in Europe got ousted, and they only ended up with a new manager because Roman was a better poker player than MH was.

However, the Arabs have now turned the amps up to 11 with this new money, and all the pressure that comes with. Hughes seemed to be a stooge there with regard to player aquisition, and they arguably only got Robinho because Real Madrid wouldn't sell to Chelsea. He's not 'all that' anyway, he's struggled for form for a while - though still a very good player. One thing the Arabs won't stand for is 'no', and they simply won't compute it's not just a case of money. Don't forget they have a loon for an Executive Chairman still; I can't see Hughes enjoying being told which players they are signing and they may very well end up like Hearts. I really wouldn't be surprised if one of the Arab's mates was signed and Hughes was told to play him; we can never exclude any lunacy big money may bring. I still think the main Arab Dr fella is Peter Kay in a dish-dash.

Know it's a cliche, but it's not having the money, it's how it's spent - and getting players to play as a team.

Exactly - Next Step for them is to move Eastlands into the desert allowing the premiership to become that mega rich global brand!

[Paul]

I would not be surprised if hughes came back for santa Cruz if he is allowed but he may not be a big enough name for the new owner. Hughes may not have much of a say!

I wouldn't worry too much, Hughes may know he's a good player but that's what he is a good player. RSC is not one of these so called super stars and I'll be surprised to see him disappear to a top 4 club.

Know it's a cliche, but it's not having the money, it's how it's spent - and getting players to play as a team.

While I know where you're coming from the reality is 16-17 excellent players are almost certain to get you top 5, Champions is a different arguement and I'd agree with you but top five is sewn up for the foresesable future now.

[philipl]

The Rovers are as well set-up to achieve a top 6 finish as any.

We have/are missing an opportunity to do it this season through failure to either keep or replace Bentley but if Villanueva comes out at the top end of expectaons and RSC stays fit, who knows. Can anyone honestly say they have seen any football this season outside a flash of Chelsea and Arsenal's last game so far that Rovers could not live with or beat?

There is an awful lot of horrendously mismanaged clubs out there and even a better managed one like Spurs still manages to keep its joke status.

If Man City displace one of the current top 4, don't be surprised if the displaced club doesn't disintegrate. Under their current ownerships, Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal would have hellish problems outside the Champions League whilst would Abramovich stay interested enough to fight back with Chelsea?

[Martin]

If Man City displace one of the current top 4, don't be surprised if the displaced club doesn't disintegrate. Under their current ownerships, Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal would have hellish problems outside the Champions League whilst would Abramovich stay interested enough to fight back with Chelsea?

And that is the interesting part. I don't like City. But I like even less the predictability of the top 4 every year. If City push Arsenal or Liverpool into 5th in a years time, that's good stuff in my book.

Can Rovers finish sixth? Yes. Why? Because we have done it before with Kuqi upfront. Because we have done it before with Souness and Woy as manager. And because nobody expects it of us. The rest have expectations to fill.