And as for money, people will retrospectively moan about other teams 'buying the title' etc, but when we attempt to do it, well it just won't work will it... We need to stop giving our lot the free pass by saying money alone won't cut it - we have spent massively and need to see a turn on it. It's on Bruce and the players to make the millions of pounds spent count.
Having briefly discussed the matter with him, I can assure you Brian isn't driving at giving Bruce a pass or suggesting we ought never to spend and aim to go up with a team made up of 17 year olds from Nechells only.
It is the fact that too often we think short term. That throwing money at X when others can't is something that must be a constant to stand any chance of achieving promotion.
By way of example, that shit run after Christmas last year. We weren't scoring enough so the answer was to spunk a load of cash on Hogan because he had scored a fair few for Brentford. Ignore the fact we were struggling to get the midfield further forward. Ignore the fact he can't function without a midfield that do. He scores goals, burn a few quid more.
Or the rehabilitation (part 62) of the fat waster that is Gabby. Why not give RHM or Davis a chance?
This summer it has been about wages spunked. Throw a shit load at Terry when Baker was more than adequate on less than half the cash. Or the need for players with "experience of the big league" who are fucking ancient and coming in with big league salaries.
For too long the answer to bloody everything at this club has been cash. Whether it is that Lerner isn't spending enough or Xia needs to keep spending. The answer too often is money. Rather than planning, philosophy and organisation.
That is the issue. Somewhere along the line we need to work out who we want to be rather than bung a few bob at it and hope for the best.