What are your expectations for next season?

[andy6025]

As long as everyone tries their best and enjoys themselves then that’s what counts. 😀

[Kelton]

We will have a new manager by Nov.
We will continue to leak bad goals and we will fall behind the top clubs early and get worse as the pressure from the supporters builds. We currently have one fit central defender and its a big ask to expect Lacey to be ready for what is normally about 8 games in the first month of the season.
I think Doyle will be in charge by November

[upthemaggies]

We will have a new manager by Nov.
We will continue to leak bad goals and we will fall behind the top clubs early and get worse as the pressure from the supporters builds. We currently have one fit central defender and its a big ask to expect Lacey to be ready for what is normally about 8 games in the first month of the season.
I think Doyle will be in charge by November

Mate, that's a brave post.

Not expecting us to challenge for 1st, or at least not for the distance, because Burchnall doesn't fill me with *that* much confidence, but I'd really like to think he can improve upon this season.

You might be right though. Sick of the pre-season hype every single year only to be slapped in the face with reality a few weeks into the campaign.

[the_anticlough]

I'm hard pressed to know what to expect, so much rests on getting the recruitment right. I'll answer the question then.

The new signings need to excite us - we need three players for the first team and be top performers from the off. Not easy.

I hope IB knows for sure how he wants to play (and is not dithering in any way), then the recruitment can fit into that.

[BigFatPie]

We will have a new manager by Nov.
We will continue to leak bad goals and we will fall behind the top clubs early and get worse as the pressure from the supporters builds. We currently have one fit central defender and its a big ask to expect Lacey to be ready for what is normally about 8 games in the first month of the season.
I think Doyle will be in charge by November

Shouldn’t you be concentrating on Solihull?

[Kelton]

Shouldn’t you be concentrating on Solihull?

Why would I do that im a county supporter. I assume your sarcastic post is because you fear the point im making?

[BigFatPie]

Why would I do that im a county supporter. I assume your sarcastic post is because you fear the point im making?

No, definitely not.

It’s just that your posts were unusually positive when Ardley was in charge, and are unusually negative now we have someone else in charge. To the point where it wouldn’t surprise me if you were Ardley, or someone who knew him.

We certainly weren’t great defensively in the playoff games, but they were both a far better watch than virtually everything in the first half of the season. I obviously hope IB can tighten us up in pre season while keeping us entertaining to watch.

[jackal2]

I think with the right additions during the summer, especially in midfield, we can be serious title challengers next season. I saw real, tangible improvement in the players and the team as Ian Burchnall's coaching began to take effect in the final part of last season, and you have to remember he had nowhere near as much time on the training field as he would in a "normal" season, so I would expect us to improve still further after a full pre-season, as IB's ideas and tactics really start to bed in. Plus, this will be IB's first real opportunity to bring in players he believes are perfectly suited to his system.

I generally avoid these "Where will we finish?" questions, because there are so many uncontrollable variables that can affect your chances, like injuries and postponements (and even worldwide pandemics!). Having said that, I do expect us to be a quicker, sharper, younger, more athletic, more aggressive team this season. I think IB became well aware of how limited his options were in midfield and I would expect him to strengthen in the centre-mid and central defensive positions. And if all of this falls into place, with that bit of luck all successful teams need along the way, then I think we should be minimum top three, with a fair shout of being champions.

[bule1]

With the right 2 or 3 key recruits we will be there or thereabouts. Think that opinion is based upon my opinion of the manager, what he has done (abroad) and what we have seen so far. Other than Nolan it would be Cotterill if not Allardyce who was the last manager who gave me quite so much confidence.

[slack_pie]

Minimum - playoffs
Expected - 3-5th and lose in the playoffs
Goal - champions or playoff winners