Having listened to the pre match press conference, I feel there are a number of positives and negatives from it. +ves KH finally admits the chronic shortage money means we simply cant compete with virtually ever team in this division. I like the way he has never blamed Patrick Cryne or used it as an excuse for our position. He has finally admitted that if we finish 4th bottom we will have massively overachieved in this division given our financial predicament. (this now allows the fans to understand the expectations of the Club, the Manager and the playing staff, and we should align our own expectations accordingly). He admits its been a huge learning curve for himself, (which is an admission of the huge gap between league one, bigger than he ever realised) He admits that his players aren't good enough to compete at this level, in terms of skill, but he will fully back them and a least expect them to over achieve in terms of effort. -ves He clearly is not bothered about what the fans think, even though the Club does (PC), I think he should have taken this opportunity to reached out to the fans more, and raised himself above any negative comments. (If we are not careful there will become a huge divide between management and the fans) I also hate the leading questions being made by interviewer which continues to perpetuate ill feeling between KH and the fans, (why isn't Hassell playing, is there an us and them situation, are you bothered what the fans think etc) he seems to enjoy the opportunity to draw KH into controversial remarks. The bottom line for me is to treat this season like Premier League Survival! we should target the 3 teams we believe will be around us, treat these 6 games like cup finals, Rest our better player against top teams so they are fit for key matches (like Wolves and Blackpool did in the Prem) and try not to concede too many goals as goal difference will be critical (as it is now) Its going to be a long hard season, lets hope we are up for the Challenge and the relationship between KH and the fans doesn't completely degenerate.
I was full of optimism ( which was unusual for me ) as the preseason performances were good and I was taken in by KH's rhetoric, I enjoyed the Forest game too, but did question whether the point was down to Forest being garbage as opposed to us being good, but hoped it was the latter. It was the first preseaon that I allowed my heart rule my head! Never again! Realistically, how do we expect to compete without players of the calibre of Shackell, McShane, Trippier, Hammill, Marlon Beresford ?
And at the same time we should also question why the Club sent out a very contradictory message regarding expectations at the time they were recruiting a new manager and, coincidentally trying to sell season tickets.
I am not sure that I treat the revelation (that the view of KH is finishing 4th bottom is massively over achieving) as a positive. Fair enough, I know where we stand and will be realistic over the coming months. But to me, "over achieving" is something that, by its very name, suggests that it is unlikely. I want to believe that it is likely that we will stay up, but it is unlikely that we will be upper mid table - I would treat that as over achieiving. As the season goes on I may have to concede to KH's view above, but it seems a bit too depressing to accept that view after 3 games.
Realisticlly we will see better fottball this season than last evan if we go down only Hammill and Trippier made a differance to performances out of that list.
In the space of a week, 3 games and an interview quite a lot of fans have gone from optimism to relegation fight that we will probably lose. Now do you understand why people are booing and voicing their opinions its the sudden turn round of realisation that we are not what we thought we were. To answer your question Mr Hill builds a TEAM that play to a system that the players are used to and in positions that the players are comfortable with and that will give us a FIGHTING chance he still has the option of fetching more signings/loans in if he requires.
Only one way to sum this up - the Board and management team want us to become Rochdale! Hey Baby! Great! Let's go back to 1966 - when the club almost went out of existence! THIS IS AN ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FFS!
By being self sufficient........one things for sure we won't go out of existence! Unfortunately, we may not be able to compete in this division! Mark my words it won't be long before a number of Clubs do! I read during the pre season that Forest owner has put into the Club £10 million quid a year for the last 6 years ! And they are still poor And the Preston owner has been putting £4million a year for the past 3 years and they still got relegated ! He can only afford to put in £3mill this season and the fans are up in arms!