Realistic Expectations

[Lastfootstamper]

Wolves had really good players coming up. As good as Jack and McGinn look, Ruben Neves was captaining a club in the champions league at 19 years old.

Obviously dubious to how they got these guys in but it's worked. What I liked from their summer deals is they just added to what worked well. Joao Moutinho was a brilliant pick up for them, experienced and seen it all presence for them in midfield. We probably need that sort to keep the above mentioned two calm in premier league.

After a slow start Raul Jimenez was looking a very good striker in the final few months of the season.

They were also ruthless with some departures. I was amazed they let Douglas go to Leeds as he was a regular in their promotion winning team but haven't missed him with getting Johnny in from Atletico Madrid.

Sometimes there's no secret. Add a top striker and other good players to a decent side and you're certainly not getting relegated.

Yep, they had a spine of five or six quality players when they were in the Championship, but the rest were still quite average players at that level and I thought we exposed some of them in that 4-1 win at Villa Park.

What they did well when they went up was immediately replace the average players with players of the quality of the other five or six they already had there.

I think that the lack of any January talks (that I'm aware of, anyway) with the not insubstantial number of our players who will be out of contract either this summer or next hints to me that we can expect quite the cull.

[algy]

Being realistic, for any team who goes up through the playoffs, getting relegated with a squad good enough to come straight back automatically is progress.

That in mind, I'd be inclined to say: gut the squad, aim high, top half of the table, challenge for UEFA Cup places. If it all goes pear shaped and we go down, so be it - Smith keeps his job as long as the club comes straight back up for another go with a better squad.

[Damo70]

Being realistic, for any team who goes up through the playoffs, getting relegated with a squad good enough to come straight back automatically is progress.

That in mind, I'd be inclined to say: gut the squad, aim high, top half of the table, challenge for UEFA Cup places. If it all goes pear shaped and we go down, so be it - Smith keeps his job as long as the club comes straight back up for another go with a better squad.

I don't think that is a very good plan. Since the play offs were introduced twenty eight seasons ago only 23.5%  of relegated teams have bounced straight back up to the top flight.  76.5 per cent haven't including a good number who have never come back at all and some who haven't even come close to coming back up.

And of course some have kept falling and ended up in League One, League Two and an example like Tranmere who over a number of years went from Championship to non league.

[Taylor]

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that is the plan. What we mustn’t do though is sack Dean Smith if we are struggling, which is a huge possibility. What concerns me is if we are bottom 3 at Christmas, we will get a few saying that DS is a “good championship manager” and we need an experienced head in charge. Cue Sam Alladyce. Shudder.

[not3bad]

13th or 14th will do me. A cup run would be a nice bonus.

[algy]

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that is the plan. What we mustn’t do though is sack Dean Smith if we are struggling, which is a huge possibility. What concerns me is if we are bottom 3 at Christmas, we will get a few saying that DS is a “good championship manager” and we need an experienced head in charge. Cue Sam Alladyce. Shudder.

Yeah, that's what I was meaning. I'd stay with DS even in in the event of relegation as long as the squad's clearly improved. But I don't think it'll come to that, I'd not be shocked if, with a good summer, Villa were the surprise package and ended up in Europe.

[AV82EC]

Objectives for me would be to be comfortable in the League 9-12th and get deep into one of the Cup competitions. Anything else is a bonus.

Deano knows what needs to be done to make this happen and it sounds like the plan to make it happen is already in place. It’s just a question of good execution.

Off the pitch First job for Purslow and co is to get the clubs turnover moving in the right direction. Improved commercial deals
And sponsorship is critical to help us compete and it will be interesting to see who is lined up as shirt sponsor next year. Getting the turnover heading towards £300m is a must. Much as I’d love to see the ground being developed let’s stay up before announcing the improvements we know are needed.

[Jon Crofts]

Continue to build the squad.
Add depth and choice.
Continue to stabilise.
Continue to build our identity and style.
8-12th would be bloody good.

We’ll have a sticky patch, hold our nerve and believe in our philosophy and strategy.
We’ll have a purple patch, don’t get carried away it’ll make up for the sticky patch.

[Smirker]

Realistic expectation is survival for the first year. We won three games all season the last time we were in the PL and won a pathetic 17 points. I'm not taking anything for granted.

Survival and to not completely stink up the pitch would be a good start for me.

[Taylor]

Realistic expectation is survival for the first year. We won three games all season the last time we were in the PL and won a pathetic 17 points. I'm not taking anything for granted.

Survival and to not completely stink up the pitch would be a good start for me.

Was it just three? Christ, were we that bad, must have wiped this from memory? Different mind set now though I hope.

[DennisHodgetts]

The magic 40 points with a few weeks to spare will do me just fine. A decent cup run (in either or both) as well and I think that would be a great first season back. Anything more and we are in delirium territory IMO.

[Ads]

What are the FFP rules in the Premier League?

[danno]

What are the FFP rules in the Premier League?

I'll stand corrected but I believe they just have "guidelines" rather than outright rules, it's why only teams that qualify for Europe seem to worry about them.

Edit: Haha nope, they have: Profit and Sustainability rules and short term cost control rules (STCC).

From what I've read you breach profit and sustainability rules if you lose £105 million over three seasons.

The STCC seems to be about making sure the wage bill only goes up by £7 million per season (the starting point is set at £67 million though).

More here:

http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/latest-news/premier-league-update-their-ffp-rules

[KRS]

I asked the same question a few months ago and someone replied saying that there are only implications if you qualify for Europe...which, if true, could possibly land Wolves in the FFP shit? 🤔

[danno]

A better explanation is here:
https://www.accountancyage.com/football-finance-short-term-cost-controls-profitability-and-sustainability/