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Back to Reality
Isn’t it incredible – Blues win a couple of games on the spin, the transfer window shuts with the squad intact and the internet goes quiet? The last week has been a good one for Blues fans in honesty and hope has once again sprung that the team can push on.
I have to make a confession here myself – it’s so much harder for me to write something every day when things are going well. I’d like to think that it’s not because I’m a “moaner” or a “doom merchant”, but more because when things are going well there is less to talk about and less to debate opinion over.
Yet you will not find me complaining in the slightest. Too often in the past eighteen months there has been despair at what is happening around the club; something that has puzzled me at times because it’s not like Blues haven’t been here before. I can remember as a kid my old man asking me who I was going to support when Blues finally went bust (this was around the end of the Kumars); I can remember us playing in what is now League One quite clearly and how hard it was to take when the claret and baby blue mob were riding so high in the Premier League. How times have changed, eh?
I do wonder if the League Cup win and the subsequent European campaign spoiled us a little; it showed some of us that there can be more to aspire to than purely just trying to remain in the Premier League, hanging on the coat tails of bigger clubs and I wonder if some of the ill-will that has been around this season has been because it’s been “back to reality”. I will admit that at times I’ve found this season hard to take because I expected us to do much better than we have and it’s only been in recent weeks when I’ve semi-given up on Blues that I’ve relaxed a bit more about the situation on the pitch a bit.
I don’t think I’m the only person to feel this either. Whilst there was a common “enemy” in McLeish on Saturday I got the feeling that the way the transfer window had closed had made a lot of people happier about the club and meant for a more positive vibe in the stands. I think it also showed on the pitch because I think the lack of uncertainty now has lifted a bit of the burden from the players and they seemed to show much more of their old selves. Whilst many spoke about the return to form of Chris Burke (who has been excellent in the last few weeks in fairness), I think it also showed in players like Nathan Redmond who seemed much more settled and relaxed and was going back to doing what he does best – taking on players at pace and getting the crowd on their feet.
No doubt a poor result to Charlton will bring us back down with a bump but I don’t think it has to be that way. There were comments yesterday about me seemingly giving up because I aired my view that promotion was beyond us but that isn’t the case – if anything the lack of expectation now is making me feel more positive about games because I’m not worried any more about how not winning games is going to cost us. It’s a bit fatalistic but I think as people accept that finishing in mid-table won’t be the worst result for us this year that maybe there will be more positivity in the stands and maybe Blues will benefit from that.
Tags: Expectations, Positivity
37 Responses to “Back to Reality”
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Well said, Can I ask which players are out of contract at the end of the season? Maybe once mathmatically we are safe we should concentrate on youth and blood some youngsters more.
Can we have an article or short series on blues youth making it into the first team and staying there? Sort of who they were, where they made there mark, comparisons on seasons. That sort of thing. I didn’t pay attention to league football till Barnsley knocked Liverpool out the FA cup, didn’t go to a game of recent years till the blues derby game around Xmas ’08. I think it was then. It was a prem game not long after judas took over.
I totally agree Almajir.I really think that the new positivity stems from the non appearance of the threatened transfer window meltdown.It was such a relief to be left with the squad pretty much in tact . Mid table and no impending Administration risk-I would have bitten your hand off for this a few weeks ago.
I agree with your comments but with 19 players contracts ending in the summer the club still needs a buyer. If CY and co are still the owners we will face an even harder task to remain in the Championship next season.
So Tony now that Clarke isn’t satan and That the owners haven’t sold off the steel roof, your new mantra against the owners is that players are out of contract in the summer (the swines how could they let that happen). Well they and we have survived your alleged clueless manager, asset stripping owners (according to some) Impending administration and an oriental plot to destroy all things in the civilized world. But somehow we will survive out of contract players even so, some of which may move on some may not. After summer, what will be the new moaning mantra and what will Doctor Death (Carson) be scheming next. I just have to smile sometimes, always something to bring the clouds isn’t there. As i always say, wait and see and who knows, it may even be good.
I completely agree with everything said, and it’s all very positive signs of better times to come, but at the risk of getting shot down, can I say it’s *only* 2 wins. When it’s 5 or 6 then I’ll get excited. I’m not asking for an unbeatables-style run of 15 games on the bounce, just a few more before I start dropping thoughts of dreaded words that start with A and R.
It’s a fantastic recovery in the face of all the doom-mongers, let’s hope we can build on it and cement the season, giving us a stable base to rebuild the squad / club from in the closed season.
Anyone who thinks we can make the play-offs is totally deluded. To win games consistently you need to keep clean sheets. We just cannot do that this season.
Lets avoid relegation, get a new owner and build from there.
A very reasonable and fair assessment.
Excellent comments.
no al to win games you need to score one more than the oppossition, so blues could get a run of 2-1 or 1-0 3-2 and make it to the pplay -offs on goal difference.
While agreeing with your sentiments totally ,,,,,I asked my grandfather why he didnt go to match,s anymore,,,,,he told me a story about him asking His grandfather the same thing, now his Grandfather had helped in the building of the “Muntz Street” ground,,,,,and had watched one of the clubs from which Blues had been formed play on a pitch in “Arthur Street”,,,,,as you can tell the family tradition of following Blues goes back a long , long way,,,,,,he was told “Well when I was bad nobody from Blues came to see me,,,,,so why should I go when they are bad ?
Mid-table security with a settled team, management and new owners should be the end goals until the summer.
Going up while we are still in a state of flux on so many fronts will not aid us other than to bring money into the club that might not be spent in the most sensible of ways, and it will probably delay the inevitable – CY and PP not leaving the club asap. We would founder with the squad we have any way and if LC is to remain as manager, I believe he, and us, would benefit from another year in the Championship to consolidate both on and off the pitch.
In amongst all the uncertainty at the end of the season; CY being/not convicted, finances, players out of contract etc., we should use the opportunity to streamline the squad with the type of players we would all like to see at our club – young, hungry and talented not being paid large amounts, and hopefully with sensible new owners we can then crack on.
Most of all, us fans and supporters, need to be alot more savvy of our expectations of our club and try to ensure that we do not have unrealistic expectations that would ever endanger our BCFC again.
Ata,
most of those of us who are daring to dream are simply riding the current positivity with a large tongue in cheek!
I would be ecstatic if we achieve mid-table, but will still be “dreaming” of Promotion and maybe even winning the Champions League whilst nodding off on the coach to Charlton!!
KRO
Sol,
Guess what??
My favourite one (dream that is) was always to see our beloved BCFC in Europe and hearing ‘Keep Right On’ on foreign shores.
What happened last year??!!
Only problem I seem with some, is when they get silly and unrealistic expectations and by right, think we should be tonking each and every team 5-0 every week. Prior to 2000, we had not much to boast or look back with fondness on. Then we reach the League Cup final against Liverpool, again visit the Millenium to beat Norwich to get promotion, have decent runs and results in the EPL albeit relegation on 3 different occasions, but with that glorious win 2 years ago and the surreal feeling of the Europa campaign last year, some think we are a much bigger club than we actually are.
Those that are now complaining of CY, did they ever envisage where we would be know in such a short time when CY was looking at the likes of Pavlyuchenko and sanctioning megabucks on the likes of Hleb and Martins??
It’s so, so easy to get addicted to small tastes and smells of success and when the tide turns again….
But whatever happens there will always be a BCFC.
Ata – I agree with all of that! Strange though, been supporting Blues since I was 8 (for 49 years). I am quite a self depracating person (which may taint my perspective) and when I look back over the years, I just used to love the experience home and away. The club was always stable, fans were never party to the commercials and the bad times perversely seemed as good as the good times. If we had a good cup run, beat the Villa or got promoted, then these were welcome and joyful events, but we didnt feel the in between times were any less enjoyable. I suppose the volatile period commenced with the end of the Coombs association and was exacerbated by the “too much info” era of the information super highway?
In the words of the brilliant Johnny Nash – “The more I find out, the less I know”
KRO!
It’s still possible to get promotion and while it’s possible they should go for it. They will probably finish in mid table based on their form so far but reading put a run together last year so why can’t blues. The games coming up are all winnable!
I agree with the last sentiment entirely – I think that our “success” over the past decade or so has left a number of fans over estimating us and it may not be a bad thing for us to remain in the championship for another season at least to dilute those views somewhat.
Additionally, albeit finance being ok, I am quite looking forward to the close season and thus contract conundrum. LC’s views on wanting to build a young vibrant pacey team wet my appetite entirely and is refreshing to hear in light of what previous managers have said, and in turn almost “patched up” the PL relagated side with 30 somethings to win promotion only to find ourselves in the PL again with no pace and an aging squad. The oppurtunity therefore to remove the older players free of charge to replace them with up and coming youngsters might be a good thing.
However, my pessimistic views would argue that something will mess it all up but I dare to dream. Kro
Owen the problem is the longer blues stay in the championship then hes not going to get the chance to build a vibrant young team. The team needs to start showing that it can start winning matches otherwise the owners will just sell these young players to keep the club going or until someone comes up with a sum that matches their valuation!
Almajir – do you think it’s possible that the points needed for playoffs will be lower this year? I ask this, because it seems to me that every team n this division are beating each other, so there’s not a group of teams, in my opinion, capable of breaking away from the rest?
Obviously it’s unlikely we’ll get in playoffs, but won’t stop me from supporting team. Hopefully we’ll finish in the “top half” as I’ll see that as, taking into account all of the uncertainty, a relative success. I also think if we finish in the top half of division we’ll look more “attractive” to potential buyers. They’ll see the potential of the football club and think with more investment we’re good bets to challenge next season.
Still plenty to play for!
so your moaning about moaning
surely anyone still thinking about playoffs are just ever so slightly deluded?
I love the optimism, but when we grind out results to remain in the championship I will be celebrating. I won’t be glum because we haven’t made the top 6.
Long Live City!
Almijir;, Your article is correct on counts, !!.
The utter relief of our squad, NOT being decimated left us between Euphoria and deflated [ strangely ].With all the fears of what may have been, now banished for the rest of this season,
The thrilling run, culminating in the winning of the League Cup, — The dashing of relagation from the Premiership, !!. What a strange mix to THAT season,!!.
Our glorious escapade in the Europa League, [ So close to yet further glory ], Tempered by the loss of C,H. at the end of last season, and knowing we were in S**t, street with C,Y, having his/our assets frozen, — Surely typical Blues, ?.
Whilst we retain hopes of reaching safety in the Championship this season, ?. We still face the unknown of the outcome of C,Y’s, courtcase and where that may lead us, ?. We of course, hope for a sale of our club to new owners who will do a Sully/Gold, rebuild, — Slow but steady, !!!!!!!!!!.
1
People were too quick to moan in my opinion. They were loving it, revelling in the negativity, I wont list all the pitiful comments cos we all read em. Making banners, hoping we’d lose. Now we’re doing better it’s buggin em but rest assured get beat at Charlton and they’ll be back like a bad penny.
If you need the odd article writing Dan just give me the nod. Am pretty good with the words which is how I became your favourite poster in the first place. And I have got millions of Blues stories.
Good idea, whilst its quiet. Theres some great stories especially about ‘Away Days’. Usually at games where our support was below 200!
Brilliant post by Atahualpa above, we have been spoilt recently.
Quick observation. The reason the Vile are going down is due to PL’s youth policy. The reason the Blues are staying up is due to LC’s youth policy!
KRO!
Lee Clark is a credit to this club.
Unlike the many low life who tried to ruin him with their slander.
He is the leader and face of our club in the absence of baldy and will not shirk his responsibility.
KRO Lee, in these troubled times we are right behind you.
You are so negative yourself fella with your antagonistic posts. Word of advice – you need to work on the tact and diplomacy skills first before you become a spokesman, leader or have a following on a website. That means being objective and taking on board other contrary points of view even if you don’t agree with them rather than be a bigot.
I won’t be negative if we lose at the weekend because I know we are heading in the right direction. Now. LC has taken half a season to find his feet. He has made loads of mistakes up until now but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. I won’t be giving you the benefit of the doubt tho judging by your responses
Evesham, with all due respect mate i do not agree that Paul is being antagonistic, we who don’t see it with ill minded eyes have had to read vile ill informed slander for weeks from some who are very conveniently changing their tune and are probably hoping for another bad run so they can bring back out the knives. I think Paul, like me, just wants to stick it in a few of your eyes, and that’s fair enough, we endured the sick ones here for a long time.
The new found unity is great, but the sick ones will be back and changing tunes again if we have a bad run, its our turn. Its only human nature to want good to triumph over sick mindedness and well i think that events over the last few weeks have shut a few up and i admit im enjoying it and have to restrain myself from saying a lot more, but im a nice guy :)
“I do wonder if the League Cup win and the subsequent European campaign spoiled us a little; it showed some of us that there can be more to aspire to than purely just trying to remain in the Premier League”
I hope that isn’t the case, I personally look at our CC success and subsequent european adventure as a beautiful period in Blues’ history that we can be proud of but definitely not some measure of where we are supposed to be as a club. That kind of thinking sounds like an Aston Villa or Arsenal fan’s thought process to me. I am grateful for the success (for Blues at least) and will be grateful for any future we have, League 2, non league or whatever, as long as there is a BCFC to support I will support them.
It has been a good couple of weeks for us, lets hope it continues…. but if it doesn’t it isn’t the end of the world.
KRO
Am I the only one to think how coincidental the situation is at the moment – No Firesale – One player sold ( was going anyway in the summer ) – NO statement from the talkative Paladini – NO counter slurs or accusations from Peter Pan – New Auditors who seem to be breaking records on BIHL accounts – The Oriental Barber slowly sinking ie house repossesion – a number of players ( many of whom would be moved on by new owners ) out of contract in the summer – This makes me believe a deal as been struck and the clubs sale of players and contract negotiations being orchestrated from the negotiation table !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lets hope your right cause right now it doesn’t look that great
Have we been spoiled over the last 10-12 years? No IMHO. Have some of the dreams come true associated with supporting a largely unsuccessful club…yes. Everyone would do well to remember that other than a small period in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s (which I remember only too well!), Blues ARE NOT a club that struggles in the second tier. Our yo-yo history means that our second tier seasons are usually associated with promotions/play offs. Whilst we haven’t always returned straight away, we have generally not struggled at this level. So whilst winning the league cup and playing in europe provided us with joyous moments we’re not used too, so struggling in the second tier has had the opposite effect beacuase again it’s not something we are used too. I was beginning to have visions of that awful 1989-92 period all over again. However, like you said Al, my mood has lifted due to the lack of transfers out and I do think performances will improve (though sadly I think the play offs are beyond us this year!).
Hi Steve,
I think the cup win and europe were the possible spoilers that Almajir was referring to, and while i don’t agree with what you are saying i do get where you are coming from. I guess it is all about perspective, I’ve looked at the last 10-15 years as a great time to be a blues fan as there have been some great times and wonderful memories for us. I don’t have the expectation of us challenging for promotion every year after relegation, if we do it is just a bonus. In the current situation our club is in my expectations have receded further. As we have spoken about before, as long as we are in business i am relatively happy. I think my expectations were permanently quelled after “the best squad Blues have had” had such a disaterous season.That is just me though, a simple man with simple wants.
Also do you fancy goind to Stans soon?And a pint or three at the anchor after?
Bad news is what people gossip about, it sells papers. It is something to write about, because it has such urgency. Good news however, is a relief and we should be grateful for it. I will be more than happy if we have no more bad news for a while, yet a little bit of reality says we will have both. Onwards and Upwards.
A bid has been made for Blues!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21373075
I just realised that this is being covered :P
Going for promotion is not as silly as it sounds. While I understand its beyond any of our expectations I do feel that the players will (and should) go out to win every time they play. That’s the mentality we need. If the result of that equates to a play off place then so be it. I doubt it personally but there’s nothing amiss with the attitude being discussed.