[Archived] Next Season......help!

[Mike Graham]

It is time to start thinking about next season and some of the key questions for fellow MB'ers to ponder:

1. Will PL get some money and if not who will replace him?

2. Which players will we shift and which loan players do you think we should keep?

3. How many ST's will we sell next season (I have been told by an acquaintance in the Club that it has already been agreed prices are frozen for 2016/17)?

4. Where will we finish in the Championship?

5. Will we have an MD and a new media/Comms person.

6. Will Abbey post in CAPS?

Answers on a postcard to Poon.

[JHRover]

1. Lambert will probably get some money but well below what he expected and what is needed to bring in the quality and numbers needed. Probably £2 million maximum. Whether this is enough to push Lambert out the door or whether he decides to hang around and give it a go next season, nobody knows but can't blame him if he walks and I'd have a lot of respect for him if he did whilst slagging Venkys off in the media. If he does go then it depends on who they listen to next. Presumably they are now ignoring Pascha's recommendations by ignoring the manger he brought in. If so then expect the cheap/easy option - at best Alan Irvine & Rob Kelly, otherwise Damian Johnson.

2. Expect some interest in Hanley and possibly Duffy from Premier League teams, possibly in Marshall and Conway from Championship rivals. Otherwise very little interest in any of ours. I would try my best to keep Watt, Graham and Grimes on a season long loan.

3. Depends entirely on what transpires between now and the start of next season. Keep prices down and back Lambert and we should be looking at significantly more than this season - 12,000+ should be the aim. If Lambert walks and money isn't forthcoming I can see it dropping from the current 10,000 to about 8,000.

4. Back Lambert as he was backed in January and with a bit of money and with a full pre-season I would expect at least a top 10 position and hopefully a good push at the play-offs. Lose Lambert and don't spend, along with expected departures, and we'll do well to finish 21st next season.

5. Linked in to Lambert's position. Bring in a proper administrator of the ilk of Cortese and things are looking up. Bring in another no-mark and that's unlikely to satisfy Lambert's desire for a leader at the club. I expect we'll have at least 1 new board arrival soon as surely the existing workload is too much for Cheston and Silvestre to manage alone and regulations have to be met.

[bazza]

Will we still be in existence to start next season in the Championship?

[RevidgeBlue]

Will we still be in existence to start next season in the Championship?

That's my worry. I'll be slightly relieved if we're still here to start the season in the Championship by mid August before we start worrying about anything else.

[Paul]

The more I think about it the more convinced I become we will need to spend more than the speculated £10-15m. Like many I've been of the opinion promotion even if followed by immediate relegation, thus securing at least £100m, is the solution to our financial problems. It will go a long way but not as far as necessary.

Currently we are £100m in debt, losing +/- £20m per season. Come March 2017 we will be posting debts of approximately £120m

To mount a promotion campaign opinion varies but it seems generally agreed we need at least 7/8 quality players added to the squad. To be ultra conservative say this only costs £20m in fees and wages (personally I think double is more likely) and we end up with the following position.

Current debt £100m

Likely loss current season £15m

Likely loss next season £10m

New players £20m

For me it's conceivable we could enter the PL with debts around £140/150m. One season followed by relegation is going to improve things but won't solve them.

To answer PBs questions:

1, if he doesn't the decline continues. If he walks? Unthinkable.

2. Keep Duffy, Hanley, Marshall possibly Lenighan (sp) and Spurr. Ship out the rest. Hope to loan Watt, Grimes and Graham. Look to further strengthen by more loans and transfers.

3. Frozen prices my help convince people to continue but judging by the number around me who regularly miss games I wonder if they will renew. I think it depends on the break even point versus match day tickets. Probably 7-8000.

4. With signings top eight. Without anything above 21st will do

5. Presumably but it's the last thing on my mind. Putting the money on the pitch is the only solution that counts.