Championship - 22-23

[Hasta]

1 minute ago, longsiders1882 said:

Is that right? I’d assumed games didn’t resume until after the final. 

Quarter finals on 9th and 10th and we return against Preston on the 10th.

Anyone who was in a squad who got to the semi finals would miss the following weekend too.

[rigger]

1 hour ago, Mr. E said:

On another topic, I find it completely bizarre that there will be Championship matches going on during the World Cup - including on the day of the World Cup final (though we play the day before).

Just very strange feeling it will be.

The Championship resumes after the league stage of the world cup.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, longsiders1882 said:

Literally not one fan I know thinks that or has said that. We are though enjoying the season.

We’ve already lost 2 big signings (Twine and Churlinov). Both should be back after the World Cup break. Of course we don’t know what other injuries we will pick up in the next few weeks.

Is that right? I’d assumed games didn’t resume until after the final. 

Some of our players seem to be having goes and turns at the treatment table. As soon as we get one or two back we get a couple more crying off. Maybe we’re working too hard at catching up on the training given JDT late appointment, maybe the games are just coming too thick and fast ?

Edited October 26, 2022 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[rigger]

13 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Some of our players seem to be having goes and turns at the treatment table. As soon as we get one or two back we get a couple more crying off. Maybe we’re working too hard at catching up on the training given JDT late appointment, maybe the games are just coming too thick and fast ?

Maybe it's a way of rotating the squad ?

[booth]

19 hours ago, longsiders1882 said:

Literally not one fan I know thinks that or has said that. We are though enjoying the season.

I imagine you don't go on Facebook much.

[longsiders1882]

14 minutes ago, booth said:

I imagine you don't go on Facebook much.

Facebook, Twitter, not seen any fans claiming we have already won the league. I did see one of your fans on here, on the Dingles thread, tell me we were all but guaranteed to win it and if we didn't beat you guys at the Turf that would be a massive failure but the fans I know are being pretty cautious. Loving the footie, really really enjoying the season and yeah hopeful, optimistic but absolutely not expectant.

[J*B]

31 minutes ago, longsiders1882 said:

Facebook, Twitter, not seen any fans claiming we have already won the league. I did see one of your fans on here, on the Dingles thread, tell me we were all but guaranteed to win it and if we didn't beat you guys at the Turf that would be a massive failure but the fans I know are being pretty cautious. Loving the footie, really really enjoying the season and yeah hopeful, optimistic but absolutely not expectant.

Question... would you rather go up, knowing what ultimately is always going to happen to clubs of our size in the top league unless we have a huge benefactor, or rather stay down but be one of the top clubs in the league every year? 

[longsiders1882]

12 minutes ago, J*B said:

Question... would you rather go up, knowing what ultimately is always going to happen to clubs of our size in the top league unless we have a huge benefactor, or rather stay down but be one of the top clubs in the league every year? 

Such a good question. As with us all I want my team to play at the highest level. I also want to compete. Without question I enjoted our seasons at this level more than I did at the level above. For me the inevitable relegation isn't what bothers me - it's how it can lead to finacial implosion becuase though the incomes are eyewatering so are the wages players expect.

So to try and answer your question, I want to go up as Champions every season but never change division 🙂 🤷‍♂️

[rigger]

48 minutes ago, longsiders1882 said:

Facebook, Twitter, not seen any fans claiming we have already won the league. I did see one of your fans on here, on the Dingles thread, tell me we were all but guaranteed to win it and if we didn't beat you guys at the Turf that would be a massive failure but the fans I know are being pretty cautious. Loving the footie, really really enjoying the season and yeah hopeful, optimistic but absolutely not expectant.

I hope you continue to enjoy the Championship next season.

[booth]

1 hour ago, longsiders1882 said:

Facebook, Twitter, not seen any fans claiming we have already won the league. I did see one of your fans on here, on the Dingles thread, tell me we were all but guaranteed to win it and if we didn't beat you guys at the Turf that would be a massive failure but the fans I know are being pretty cautious. Loving the footie, really really enjoying the season and yeah hopeful, optimistic but absolutely not expectant.

I think if you don't go up this season it'll be a failure, as it would for any club that went down with parachute payments and big players sales. Do I think you'll do it? I have no idea as it can swing easily, you've a new team and manager, an unknown quantity. We don't know how Kompany would respond to a couple of losses. I've seen too many Tony Mowbray death spirals to predict anything.

I have watched Burnley a few times to know that Kompany can be a bit naive and... Dull maybe? They reminded me of us under Mowbray. But you have players like Tella that look very good for this league that enable him to get away with it (Mowbray also had players who dug him out from time to time). I'm left thinking he's one of those managers who could easily f*** it up with a few bad choices, but not as nearly as bad as I would have hoped.

The "we're going to walk this" gang were definitely in full swing on Facebook. They actually come on the Rovers page as well as the other haunts which in the past has been reserved for nobenders. They must have forgotten this league and how it can easily bring you down to Earth within a week, as it did for us earlier in the season.

[DeeCee]

2 hours ago, J*B said:

Question... would you rather go up, knowing what ultimately is always going to happen to clubs of our size in the top league unless we have a huge benefactor, or rather stay down but be one of the top clubs in the league every year? 

What a question? Got to be promotion surely?

 

[islander200]

2 hours ago, J*B said:

Question... would you rather go up, knowing what ultimately is always going to happen to clubs of our size in the top league unless we have a huge benefactor, or rather stay down but be one of the top clubs in the league every year? 

Iv noticed you saying similar regarding Rovers on here before and saying how you prefer us playing here rather than premier league if im remembering correctly.

By being one of the top clubs in this division yearly then you are either being promoted or just missing out.Clubs like ourselves and Burnley would be better off getting to the play off final every year and losing as we would be a top club in the championship rather than getting promoted to the premier league and likely struggling?

Edited October 27, 2022 by islander200

[Cherry Blue]

2 hours ago, J*B said:

Question... would you rather go up, knowing what ultimately is always going to happen to clubs of our size in the top league unless we have a huge benefactor, or rather stay down but be one of the top clubs in the league every year? 

Recall when we were at the bottom of premiership, getting beat most weeks, hardly scoring with a mass of away fans drowning out Ewoods, I did wish we were a top 6 championship side with all that goes with it (bit like what we are now). Remember saying to a Burnley mate last season that they'd score more goals in first 10 championship games than in the whole premiership season. Not checked if that's correct but expect not far off.

Answer..... been a long time since we were up there and once we are there maybe it's that fight against relegation I dread with what I mentioned above. Nevertheless, right now I'd take promotion.

[roversfan99]

I cant believe that any fan would actively prefer being in a lower league.

[bazza]

4 hours ago, longsiders1882 said:

 Loving the footie, really really enjoying the season and yeah hopeful, optimistic but absolutely not expectant.

Glad to hear it. It could have been from a brother/sister relationship.😱

[longsiders1882]

1 hour ago, bazza said:

Glad to hear it. It could have been from a brother/sister relationship.😱

😂😂😂 - all the fingers it would have eh.

[Mattyblue]

We’ve spent most of this past decade treading water in second division mid table, in what way is that preferable to finishing, say, 15th to 17th in the PL?

[booth]

28 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

We’ve spent most of this past decade treading water in second division mid table, in what way is that preferable to finishing, say, 15th to 17th in the PL?

The cash for some long term security wouldn't be bad.

[Dreams of 1995]

12 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

We’ve spent most of this past decade treading water in second division mid table, in what way is that preferable to finishing, say, 15th to 17th in the PL?

Oh absolutely not

The fact is that some Clubs lack any real ambition to compete. The likes of Norwich, WBA and Burnley never really made any effort to "push on".

Burnley had a freak season under Dyche and then retreated back into the 'set up for the future in the lower league' plan

I would absolutely hate it if we were to become a club like that. When we go up, which we will do, I want us to be back being a club with ambitions for Europe and top table finishes. Certainly not a club that survives year on year like Southampton, or a club which always has relegation in the mind before a ball is kicked

In my opinion that's a bit of a sad existence when you are feeding at the top table

Unfortunately with this current lot you can't help but feel they will have us set up in exactly that way

Edited October 28, 2022 by Dreams of 1995

[Mattyblue]

We’ve spent a decade down here largely in mid table, so has this club been ‘competing’, even at this low level since 2012?

I’d rather be non competing at the top table.

 

[JacknOry]

if we go up, we need to be a Wolves, brentford or Brighton. Not a Norwich, Burnley, WBA, or Watford. 

Edit: Yes i added Burnley purely for bites

Edited October 28, 2022 by JacknOry

[Tricky]

19 hours ago, booth said:

I have watched Burnley a few times to know that Kompany can be a bit naive and... Dull maybe? They reminded me of us under Mowbray. But you have players like Tella that look very good for this league that enable him to get away with it

Hopefully he'll get recalled back to Southampton in January 😁

[Dreams of 1995]

3 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

We’ve spent a decade down here largely in mid table, so has this club been ‘competing’, even at this low level since 2012?

I’d rather be non competing at the top table.

 

No we haven't competed

That is not the point I was making though

There are teams who never have any long term ambition of PL success. They get promoted, ride it out for as long as possible, but always with the thought of it will come to an end

I would hate to be that club

Whether we have competed in this league or not is irrelevant. I've hated our years not competing down here too. But here we are

For all the joy this new found belief of promotion is giving me I can't escape the thought that they will set us up as a Norwich - no real investment, just a plan to try and scrape survival year after year and cash in on the PL riches

Sounds like my worst nightmare

[Mattyblue]

We won’t know what kind of PL club we’ll be until we get there. This debate started because J*B was questioning wanting promotion at all. A crazy attitude.

But if it takes a couple of promotions and relegations to build up the club, to become a club that can always compete at the top end of this division and attempt to make a fist of the PL in the medium term, then so be it. It will lead to bigger crowds, bigger incomes, better players, better infrastructure. Infinitely better than this decade of stasis we’ve endured…

Edited October 28, 2022 by Mattyblue

[Guest]

21 hours ago, J*B said:

Question... would you rather go up, knowing what ultimately is always going to happen to clubs of our size in the top league unless we have a huge benefactor, or rather stay down but be one of the top clubs in the league every year? 

It's interesting, purely from an enjoyment point of view, I enjoyed our season in League one more than any championship season under Mowbray. Winning games is the best feeling in football, regardless of division.