Hall Of Fame
Just to be clear, we needed to offer Ritchie and Dummet new contracts if we qualified for the Conference League as UEFA rules demand 4 homegrown players in the squad to play in Europe. Now we haven’t qualified, we don’t need to give them new contracts. It’s the silver lining to the dark cloud.😄Originally Posted by Geordie_Jacko
No complaints from me today. Chelsea and ManU deserve their places in Europe for the way they finished the season. We should’ve beaten Brighton and drawn at OT - we only have ourselves to blame.
A car crash of a season with injuries and Tonali - we’ve done well to finish 7th.
Now for a top window and a season gunning for top 4 and a good challenge in the cups.
Hall Of Fame
Next season will be tough, as they all are, Man City,Arsenal,Liverpool,Aston Villa, Chelsea,Tottenham, manuuuu, and us. A few of those clubs will have new managers so anything could happen. I just hope our owners grasp the nettle and make some statement signings in the summer, this should convince our “ stars” that it’s worth another season. I don’t think no European football will stop players signing, the conference is just a poor man’s champions league,THATS the target!
Moderator
Aye, good points, man.
I don't feel cheated although it does piss me off that it's Chelsea who have taken the place we earned. They seem to be above the rules-spending over a billion and selling propert back to themselves.
Like you say, after the season we had, 7th was way better than we might have got but, when you look at the points we threw away, we've only got ourselves to blame for missing out.
Hall Of Fame
Toptoon the voice of reason, as usual. Agree completely. We’ve had more than our fair share of bad luck this season with Tonali’s ban, our cup/european draws and the countless injuries. We’re punching with the heavyweights now and despite the issues we’ve faced, we have only ourselves to blame for not qualifying for Europe. Yesterday was a blow but it’s happened now and we have to look at the positives. Less midweek games gives us a much better chance of concentrating on our league position and a cup run. We’re not owned by Ashley anymore so we can be confident those in charge are looking up not down.
Hall Of Fame
Righto, I've calmed down a bit now! haha I'd forgotten about the final until & visited the board just now, said a quiet "F**k" and moved on.
Top's is right we needed the HomeGrown Quota. For that same reason we are in the process of signing Lloyd Kelly & Tosin Adarabioyo as they are both English and came through the EFA academy system. To upgrade those positions in the squad with quality Prem standard professionals in their mid-20s on free contracts is great business.
Indeed, we've been battered by injuries and losing Tonali who was our marque signing of last summer to suspension put EH in a position where the staff had to work with the previous years squad.
"If you are standing still, you are going backwards as everyone around is progressing."
NUFC are still playing catch up for 15 yrs of decay. No matter how you cut it every single one of the 7 clubs who finished above us, including Villa, has spent vastly more money on players in recent times.
If we take the last 4 years and look at the basis of each squad we see that those other clubs have much similar quality in the 13-25 to the 1-11 in their squad than we do. City being almost like-for-like. Arsenal being able to swap Martinelli for Trosard as examples. We are no where close to that.
Which once again leads me to point out that we're really over-achieved again this season.
I'm 100% optimistic which is why reality hurts so much and disappoint is crushing but that's life. I am who I am and I'm happy to be an eternally disappointed optimist.
However, winning is a culture. However it's nurtured not nature. So it can be bred into the club as we have seen at City. Our very history is that of winners, historically. 5 FA cups and 4 League Titles + 1 European trophy.
It's in us, we just need to bring it out.
A chain is as strong as it's weakest link. This season we've had out weak links on the pitch for 50+% of the time
those weak links are getting upgraded to reinforced stronger links so we'll come back better and better. It's only a matter of time until we are successful, get that first trophy is a life time an rewrite our culture to that of winners.
Hall Of Fame
Ha ha - cheers 18nufc92.
It’s true, we have to have the hope and optimism - it’s what supporters do. The difference between now and the previous era is that our hope isn’t blind anymore - it’s real. We’ve mixed it with the big boys for the last two seasons and will continue to do so. We should all be very excited for the new season.
HTL.
First Team
Winning the conference league was another potential add on to the Europa as is the FA cup final.
Am I bothered about not qualifying for the conference?------nahhhh I'm not because it gives us a run without major issue towards a champions league placing next season and I'll take that offering.
For some reason I sort of half knew Man u would nick into Europe and also leave Chelsea another place into the conference. After all they're the darlings.
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