[Norfolk Baggie]

At the end of the premiership window it is now apparent to me that we have no aim to maintain our premiership status.  We have two players of genuine premiership status (Diangana and Pareira), and all of the rest try hard, but will struggle at this level.  Compared to other clubs locally (Villa and Wolves) our transfers mean our squad is significantly poorer, and the teams promoted with us (Leeds and Fulham), have made some great purchases.  Tactically this looks deliberate, i.e. we do not wish to invest and we are accepting being relegation as more or less inevitable.  I hope I am wrong, but I cannot see three teams worse than us, and I cannot see where the points will come from.  This year has the potential to be very painful indeed when we play Villa and Wolves.  If we do go down I would be surprised if Diangana and Pareira stay with us.  Perhaps I am feeling gloomy in this weather, but could does anyone feel more optimistic than me?

[BelgianBaggie]

I agree 100%

[silver surfer]

At the end of the premiership window it is now apparent to me that we have no aim to maintain our premiership status.  We have two players of genuine premiership status (Diangana and Pareira), and all of the rest try hard, but will struggle at this level.  Compared to other clubs locally (Villa and Wolves) our transfers mean our squad is significantly poorer, and the teams promoted with us (Leeds and Fulham), have made some great purchases.  Tactically this looks deliberate, i.e. we do not wish to invest and we are accepting being relegation as more or less inevitable.  I hope I am wrong, but I cannot see three teams worse than us, and I cannot see where the points will come from.  This year has the potential to be very painful indeed when we play Villa and Wolves.  If we do go down I would be surprised if Diangana and Pareira stay with us.  Perhaps I am feeling gloomy in this weather, but could does anyone feel more optimistic than me?

Totally agree. Jenkins knew what was coming didn't he?
Bilic could make it less painful with the way we set up but we are going to get some right stuffings the way we are going.

[mini gaardsoe]

Have to wonder why, when pretty much accepting relegation, that we didn't try in the cup. Could be sitting on a home quarter final now. Ridiculous.

[boinging_along]

I agree, we've waved the white flag already.  If you look at through other fan's eyes - we've resigned the players that got us promoted, and not really brought anyone additional in. 

The worst thing about it is that we'll lose Periera and\or Diangana if we go down.  We'll get to see them in a struggling side this season and then I can't see us holding onto them when some big money comes in.  If we replace them, I can't see us buying better players so if we got promoted again we're just back to where we are now.

It makes a mockery of the club's "Bilic has 2 season to get promoted" plan.  We clearly didn't have anything in place to push on.  We got promoted a season early so our financial position should be WAY better this year than it would be if we got promoted next year.  Yet we still seem to have no funds.

[Mr Cynical]

For 20 years we have been waiting for all these over-investing football clubs around us (in the league) to go bust and take advantage of the financial mayhem.  It hasn't happened.

Now we are pinning our hopes on the covid crisis impacting clubs while we are holding ourselves back to remain finacially stabe.

When you see that wulfs have had a net investment of £131m (loans and new shares in the last few years) and vile have had £333m (in the form of loans and new shares over the last 10 years) whilst Peace took out £27m, and a £4m loan (that shifted to Lai and hasn't come back to the club)... our problem is the ownership.  Peace said that he couldn't invest to take the club forward and would only sell to someone that could.  They he sold to someone who said the club had to be self-sufficient... and we have moved backward (and Peace has moved offshore).

As an aside - I can't believe how lucky vile have been.  Days from going bust under their Hong Kong owner Dr Tony, then saved from relegation by the only recorded failing of the goal line technology system.  They really annoy me.

[DaveWBA]

At the end of the premiership window it is now apparent to me that we have no aim to maintain our premiership status.  We have two players of genuine premiership status (Diangana and Pareira), and all of the rest try hard, but will struggle at this level.  Compared to other clubs locally (Villa and Wolves) our transfers mean our squad is significantly poorer, and the teams promoted with us (Leeds and Fulham), have made some great purchases.  Tactically this looks deliberate, i.e. we do not wish to invest and we are accepting being relegation as more or less inevitable.  I hope I am wrong, but I cannot see three teams worse than us, and I cannot see where the points will come from.  This year has the potential to be very painful indeed when we play Villa and Wolves.  If we do go down I would be surprised if Diangana and Pareira stay with us.  Perhaps I am feeling gloomy in this weather, but could does anyone feel more optimistic than me?

Leeds will be fine as they have spent wisely, recruited players who fit their system and have one of the games great coaches.

Fulham have gone with their usual scattergun approach, if you throw enough pooh at the wall some might stick. They will be down there with us.

Wolves are backed by Mendes enabling them to bring in his clients for bargain prices and flog high after a couple of seasons and Villa are willing to throw serious $$ at it. Both are still half a billion quid away from being real challengers for a the top 6.

Diangana and Pereira are next seasons transfer budget. Lai has made it clear that no money that isn't generated by the club will be spent, so hopefully the £40m we get for those two next summer is invested wisely but somehow I doubt it.

Football is just an owners game, who's got the most cash and the inclination to spend it. Certainly not us.

[Groovephil]

What is surprising me is how little the local media seem to be reporting on the lack of a 'go' by the club.

In years gone by they'd have been all over this but this year there's almost as much silence as there is from the club.

Apathy really has set in and that's a huge worry.

[liverbaggie]

We are trying to cover all bases and being sensible,boring but sensible.
What is the point of playing football?
Its to win matches.
Which of our players play to lose?
If they give 100% every game can you fault them?
I think the plan is to stay in this league if possible,keep our p/l sheet neutral then spend more next season on better players,when we'll have a more solid base to work from,both playing wise and business wise.
We might not like it or agree but we won't crash and burn like other clubs have.
By the way, we don't sell our best players if we go down we build the team around them!

[ex coseley kid]

how much do we each have to chip in to buy Lai out? 

[FallOutBoy]

What is surprising me is how little the local media seem to be reporting on the lack of a 'go' by the club.

In years gone by they'd have been all over this but this year there's almost as much silence as there is from the club.

Apathy really has set in and that's a huge worry.

The local rags can't afford to upset the applecart by asking difficult questions now, they might lose their access; combine that with having to write clickbait stories to get the advertising revenue, and there is no way they're holding anybody to account.

Decent investigative journalism is dead.

[baggie82]

how much do we each have to chip in to buy Lai out? 

£5,000.00 each if we can find 40,000 of us, that's £200m. I'd rather spend it on myself mind.

We just have to hope we can beat Burnley in our next match, scrap 17th this season, then next summer we should have the budget we needed this summer and a few our our championship players who are surplus to requirements like Austin, Phillips and Zohore off the wage bill. Every season at least four teams deserve to be relegated but only three go down. With our goalkeeper I think we have no chance but I'll still cheer us on.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Diangana and Pereira are next seasons transfer budget. Lai has made it clear that no money that isn't generated by the club will be spent, so hopefully the £40m we get for those two next summer is invested wisely but somehow I doubt it.

This is my fear.

We will sell the likes of Diagana and Pereira to fund the next few years but the quality of replacement will be significantly poorer.

In effect we will end up with more Zohore's and Andre Gray's and whoever else is on Dowling's british based spreadsheet.

[tuamigos]

A win against Burnley and all will be well with the world again.

Joking aside we've got our work cut out to stay in this division this year.
The really annoying thing for me is that the club have deliberately made noises that they were after certain players just to keep the fan base quiet for a little longer.
Before anybody says anything, I'm well aware that the club have said nothing directly concerning transfers but the snippets from the likes of Nixon and Percy have been deliberately leaked in my opinion.
Bilic said he wanted another two maybe three players, maybe he's been sold a pup like the rest of us.
Sad thing is that the club should have had a good go at the Caraboa Cup, instead we capitulated.
Dowling said that the targets we were after were not even on the radar  looks like they've crashed and burnt to me.
We really are in a hole

[baggie38]

What is surprising me is how little the local media seem to be reporting on the lack of a 'go' by the club.

In years gone by they'd have been all over this but this year there's almost as much silence as there is from the club.

Apathy really has set in and that's a huge worry.

That's because the likes of Joe Masi for the express and star have fell into the journalist trap of becoming a fan and not doing the job properly some of the stuff that plank comes out with on social media sounds like it comes from the club. Madeley back in the day and Lepkowski would of been all over this.

[jimmyj]

That's because the likes of Joe Masi for the express and star have fell into the journalist trap of becoming a fan and not doing the job properly some of the stuff that plank comes out with on social media sounds like it comes from the club. Madeley back in the day and Lepkowski would of been all over this.

Don't be so sure. Lepkowski had his nose firmly up the behind of Mr Lai last night on twitter.

[darbolina]

Yes, it's clear - the good old - judge the actions not the words spring to mind.  It's very clear that we just wanted a piece of the 5bn TV money pie that runs from 2019 to 2022 and promotion last year saw to it - job done in the board's view. Their actions show they're no committed to trying to stay up this year.

Next job in the their eyes will be trying to get us back up again next year or the year after to take a bite from the next TV deal. Boring ain't it but it is what it is.

[gazberg]

I said before this season and before the budget was halved that Lai won't give a toss this season. He just wants us to be in the PL for the new deal in a few years time when every players value increases and so does every club. Then he might just get his money back and **** off. This year is about collecting revenue.

[The Black Pearl]

Oh please behave, give the team and the club a chance to grow and develop in the Premier League, if we are bottom by mid November, then yes, fans have every reason to feel miserable, but for now, watch, accept and hope.

[PartisanBaggie]

Don't be so sure. Lepkowski had his nose firmly up the behind of Mr Lai last night on twitter.

I’ve just read those posts on Twitter after seeing them in your post. What utter garbage Lepkowski has written about Lai!

[kc56wba]

Oh please behave, give the team and the club a chance to grow and develop in the Premier League, if we are bottom by mid November, then yes, fans have every reason to feel miserable, but for now, watch, accept and hope.

An excellent post John but afraid it will fall on deaf ears.

[AlbionFan]

Oh please behave, give the team and the club a chance to grow and develop in the Premier League, if we are bottom by mid November, then yes, fans have every reason to feel miserable, but for now, watch, accept and hope.

You sum up my feelings exactly, a good and sensible post

[gazberg]

I’ve just read those posts on Twitter after seeing them in your post. What utter garbage Lepkowski has written about Lai!

He's right in the sense that Lai's men have underperformed but he doesn't even query why Lai hasn't sacked any of his staff so in the end it makes no sense.

[baggiejohn]

I’ve just read those posts on Twitter after seeing them in your post. What utter garbage Lepkowski has written about Lai!

What part of the Lepkowski commentary do you think is garbage?

[AlbionFan]

For anyone interested or wondering, here are Chris Lepkowski's Tweets They make sense to me at least

If you're pinning blame on Lai for lack of spending at WBA then your target is misplaced. He has done exactly as he said he would 4 yrs ago. The issue lies with how that budget was allocated, and where it was spent? And that falls to those employed on his watch.

Bilic wanted a striker (or 2) ages ago. Also wanted a new goalkeeper (Grbić) & is pursuing Grant, who hasn't played a single minute of 20/21 football. Gray hasn't played any football either. Deeney does slightly better - an 89th min sub (last month). All 3 would need to catch up

But, on the flip side, *if* WBA go down they do so without being in any great hock, with saleable assets and going into a Championship where their budget should be greater than most clubs combined. They *should* stand a chance. Best case scenario they stay up anyway - all is good

Final questions are whether a bit more financial muscle towards wages would make a difference? The Premier League 20/21 is bonkers. All bets seem off. And it feels like WBA are on the outside looking in. As for Lai? As you were since '16. He said this would be his Modus Operandi

Of course the biggest problem is that WBA have pretty much got every major strategic decision wrong since '14. Papered over cracks, trying to fast-peddle back to where they were a couple of years before. And that alone requires a period of recovery. This is STILL that period.

Ironically, the one thing they got right was the appointment of Bilic. And he did a great job last season. But when it comes to judging results it is inevitable the manager becomes the fall guy. Always. Players, directors can weather the storm. Managers rarely do.

[BalisPen]

For anyone interested or wondering, here are Chris Lepkowski's Tweets They make sense to me at least

If you're pinning blame on Lai for lack of spending at WBA then your target is misplaced. He has done exactly as he said he would 4 yrs ago. The issue lies with how that budget was allocated, and where it was spent? And that falls to those employed on his watch.

Bilic wanted a striker (or 2) ages ago. Also wanted a new goalkeeper (Grbić) & is pursuing Grant, who hasn't played a single minute of 20/21 football. Gray hasn't played any football either. Deeney does slightly better - an 89th min sub (last month). All 3 would need to catch up

But, on the flip side, *if* WBA go down they do so without being in any great hock, with saleable assets and going into a Championship where their budget should be greater than most clubs combined. They *should* stand a chance. Best case scenario they stay up anyway - all is good

Final questions are whether a bit more financial muscle towards wages would make a difference? The Premier League 20/21 is bonkers. All bets seem off. And it feels like WBA are on the outside looking in. As for Lai? As you were since '16. He said this would be his Modus Operandi

Of course the biggest problem is that WBA have pretty much got every major strategic decision wrong since '14. Papered over cracks, trying to fast-peddle back to where they were a couple of years before. And that alone requires a period of recovery. This is STILL that period.

Ironically, the one thing they got right was the appointment of Bilic. And he did a great job last season. But when it comes to judging results it is inevitable the manager becomes the fall guy. Always. Players, directors can weather the storm. Managers rarely do.

Obviously no hidden agenda from the sacked by us CL.

[gazberg]

Lai's lack of action in not sacking these failures means he is ultimately responsible.

[skyclad99]

Oh please behave, give the team and the club a chance to grow and develop in the Premier League, if we are bottom by mid November, then yes, fans have every reason to feel miserable, but for now, watch, accept and hope.

Fully agree with you BP, but the evidence available does lean towards the theory. My view is that the plan is to get us back in the Premier league (tick), and then try to sell us. I am in Cornwall at the moment and quite coincidentally I bumped into a baggie who saw my crest. First thing he said was that he had been told that ‘they’ have been trying to sell us for a year, which does not surprise me.

[AlbionFan]

 èµ–国传, translated quote

"The Impossible We Do Immediately. Miracles Takes a Little Longer"

[darbolina]

For anyone interested or wondering, here are Chris Lepkowski's Tweets They make sense to me at least

If you're pinning blame on Lai for lack of spending at WBA then your target is misplaced. He has done exactly as he said he would 4 yrs ago. The issue lies with how that budget was allocated, and where it was spent? And that falls to those employed on his watch.

Bilic wanted a striker (or 2) ages ago. Also wanted a new goalkeeper (Grbić) & is pursuing Grant, who hasn't played a single minute of 20/21 football. Gray hasn't played any football either. Deeney does slightly better - an 89th min sub (last month). All 3 would need to catch up

But, on the flip side, *if* WBA go down they do so without being in any great hock, with saleable assets and going into a Championship where their budget should be greater than most clubs combined. They *should* stand a chance. Best case scenario they stay up anyway - all is good

Final questions are whether a bit more financial muscle towards wages would make a difference? The Premier League 20/21 is bonkers. All bets seem off. And it feels like WBA are on the outside looking in. As for Lai? As you were since '16. He said this would be his Modus Operandi

Of course the biggest problem is that WBA have pretty much got every major strategic decision wrong since '14. Papered over cracks, trying to fast-peddle back to where they were a couple of years before. And that alone requires a period of recovery. This is STILL that period.

Ironically, the one thing they got right was the appointment of Bilic. And he did a great job last season. But when it comes to judging results it is inevitable the manager becomes the fall guy. Always. Players, directors can weather the storm. Managers rarely do.

I don't see anything controversial or incorrect about that. Seems logical and tallies with what has happened.  As a fan,my problem is I have to watch my woefully unprepared team get battered most weeks. I don't really honestly care about Lai or his team of investors just as they don't really care less about us fans unless we're spending our money.

[AlbionFan]

Fully agree with you BP, but the evidence available does lean towards the theory. My view is that the plan is to get us back in the Premier league (tick), and then try to sell us. I am in Cornwall at the moment and quite coincidentally I bumped into a baggie who saw my crest. First thing he said was that he had been told that ‘they’ have been trying to sell us for a year, which does not surprise me.

If you have an opportunity to read the article in The Athletic,"For British and European clubs, the financial equation is simple: Chinese money is out, investment from America is in." It makes clear that we have been up for sale for a long time.

So, it's no big secret, just a low profile approach at the moment.

It really is worth the read, but some might find the reading unpalatable.

[PartisanBaggie]

What part of the Lepkowski commentary do you think is garbage?

At the beginning of his ownership Lai stated he wanted to enhance the financial success of the club moving forward. Those were Lai’s words in the first interview he gave after taking over. In 4 years of ownership, what has Lai and his Chinese consortium done to enhance the financial success of our club?

So Lepkowski’s opening sentence of:

“If you're pinning blame on Lai for lack of spending at WBA then your target is misplaced“.

I am pinning our financial situation and resulted lack of spending by the club firmly on the door of the Yunyi Guokai Sports Development Limited.

[KYA]

It's pretty clear that Albion fans are well p'd off and with good reason we're usually a shambles in the transfer market but this year we  have really hit rock bottom.
It's probably a blessing for the club that the fans are not at the ground the atmosphere could have been really nasty, what a sorry state we are in.

[leeiswba]

I’ve stuck up for Dowling a bit but the fact remains that he and we knew that we wouldn’t have much money at all this pre season, he would have known for 12/18 months. If that is the case why are pretty much all our targets domestic based where everyone knows that the prices are absolutely ridiculous.

European market is where we should have been which this day in age shouldn’t be too difficult, not like 20 years ago where the only way we could have done that was to send Megsons dad on a year long world tour

[skyclad99]

If you have an opportunity to read the article in The Athletic,"For British and European clubs, the financial equation is simple: Chinese money is out, investment from America is in." It makes clear that we have been up for sale for a long time.

So, it's no big secret, just a low profile approach at the moment.

It really is worth the read, but some might find the reading unpalatable.

Thanks for this AF. So, armed with this knowledge it is pretty apparent that we are virtually done with spending and we are open to offers. ‘A desirable property in need of modernisation’ so to speak........

[Singhwba]

We all know that we should be looking abroad for signings. But, Bilics No1 target is Grant. So aslong as he comes in its what the manager wanted. We know Jenkins looks at the english market and thats what we can do in the next 2 weeks. If anything we have 2 weeks to get our targets in, whether thats loan or whatever. There is alot of panic but our main targets are still there so lets see what happens in the next 2 weeks

[baggiejohn]

At the beginning of his ownership Lai stated he wanted to enhance the financial success of the club moving forward. Those were Lai’s words in the first interview he gave after taking over. In 4 years of ownership, what has Lai and his Chinese consortium done to enhance the financial success of our club?

So Lepkowski’s opening sentence of:

“If you're pinning blame on Lai for lack of spending at WBA then your target is misplaced“.

I am pinning our financial situation and resulted lack of spending by the club firmly on the door of the Yunyi Guokai Sports Development Limited.

If you follow the fortunes of Palm on the Shenzhen stock exchange, it's  value has fallen by almost 70% since 2017.
I'm still of the opinion that the performance of Palm was intended to be linked to the performance of WBAFC.
A successful Palm would have funded WBAFC.

If that's the case, then Lepkowski's correct, Lai has no funds to support us, & any funding for players would have to be generated by WBAFC.

[Gilsey 56]

Oh please behave, give the team and the club a chance to grow and develop in the Premier League, if we are bottom by mid November, then yes, fans have every reason to feel miserable, but for now, watch, accept and hope.

I totally agree, just hope none of the players are reading this.

[jimmyj]

My issue with Lepkowski is that when he says "“If you're pinning blame on Lai for lack of spending at WBA then your target is misplaced“ he is essentially excusing the owner of extremely poor forward planning and also a rigid position that is simply ridiculous when running a premier League club.

Firstly, it should be clear to anyone with even a cursory knowledge of English football that anyone thinking a club can succeed at the highest level without any sort of investment or speculation is deluded. Secondly, if he has not got a pot to **** in, then that's a firm example of poor planning and no forward thought. Getting into this sort of responsibility without any sort of secondary funding in case of home funds being cut off is incredibly stupid. Fosun is Chinese. They still have been able to invest. That's because they were well set for the Chinese government putting the drawbridge up. Thirdly, as others have said, if the person's put in position by Lai have failed so badly why do they remain in place?
Fourthly and finally, frankly the buck stops with him. We have had the worst start to a top flight campaign we have ever had.  The squad that barely got promoted has not been improved upon. The transfer window is half closed and looks disastrous for us.

And so, with all of the above in mind, to say "don't get angry at the owner he's just doing what he said he would" does not sooth my ire at all. If anything it makes me angrier at him for getting himself in this position whilst being woefully ill-prepared for it.

[gazberg]

And so, with all of the above in mind, to say "don't get angry at the owner he's just doing what he said he would" does not sooth my ire at all. If anything it makes me angrier at him for getting himself in this position whilst being woefully ill-prepared for it.

Spot on post. Lai might not give a rubbish about us but i do.

[johnny Cash]

And so, with all of the above in mind, to say "don't get angry at the owner he's just doing what he said he would" does not sooth my ire at all. If anything it makes me angrier at him for getting himself in this position whilst being woefully ill-prepared for it.

Although I don’t blame Lai As such and My views are probably more akin to Astle1968 earlier in the thread, I can also understand this sentiment.

Lai was incredibly naive and possibly in some respects arrogant to think he could make it work in the fashion he has tried.. I don’t think he understood the huge level of risk in this investment.

[PartisanBaggie]

If you follow the fortunes of Palm on the Shenzhen stock exchange, it's  value has fallen by almost 70% since 2017.
I'm still of the opinion that the performance of Palm was intended to be linked to the performance of WBAFC.
A successful Palm would have funded WBAFC.

If that's the case, then Lepkowski's correct, Lai has no funds to support us, & any funding for players would have to be generated by WBAFC.

I don’t follow the fortunes of Palm on the Shenzhen stock exchange baggiejohn, no. But it’s an interesting post.

If the fortunes of our club were linked to landscape gardening in China, Lai was an even bigger fool than I originally thought he was. But isn’t that how the old saying goes...’a fool and his money are easily parted’.

[PartisanBaggie]

My issue with Lepkowski is that when he says "“If you're pinning blame on Lai for lack of spending at WBA then your target is misplaced“ he is essentially excusing the owner of extremely poor forward planning and also a rigid position that is simply ridiculous when running a premier League club.

Firstly, it should be clear to anyone with even a cursory knowledge of English football that anyone thinking a club can succeed at the highest level without any sort of investment or speculation is deluded. Secondly, if he has not got a pot to **** in, then that's a firm example of poor planning and no forward thought. Getting into this sort of responsibility without any sort of secondary funding in case of home funds being cut off is incredibly stupid. Fosun is Chinese. They still have been able to invest. That's because they were well set for the Chinese government putting the drawbridge up. Thirdly, as others have said, if the person's put in position by Lai have failed so badly why do they remain in place?
Fourthly and finally, frankly the buck stops with him. We have had the worst start to a top flight campaign we have ever had.  The squad that barely got promoted has not been improved upon. The transfer window is half closed and looks disastrous for us.

And so, with all of the above in mind, to say "don't get angry at the owner he's just doing what he said he would" does not sooth my ire at all. If anything it makes me angrier at him for getting himself in this position whilst being woefully ill-prepared for it.

Brilliant post jimmyj. My thoughts exactly 👍🏻

[ex coseley kid]

I've made no secret in my posts that I blame Lai for our predicament.

I hope Bilic can get enough out of our decidedly motley crew to get us over the line this year. There's probably seven players in our squad that I really rate but the gaping holes are agonisingly obvious, and if Lai couldn't liberate even another £10m from somewhere then he's a fool. In not finding a way to invest in the squad he really is cutting his nose off.

[kirk]

My issue with Lepkowski is that when he says "“If you're pinning blame on Lai for lack of spending at WBA then your target is misplaced“ he is essentially excusing the owner of extremely poor forward planning and also a rigid position that is simply ridiculous when running a premier League club.

Firstly, it should be clear to anyone with even a cursory knowledge of English football that anyone thinking a club can succeed at the highest level without any sort of investment or speculation is deluded. Secondly, if he has not got a pot to **** in, then that's a firm example of poor planning and no forward thought. Getting into this sort of responsibility without any sort of secondary funding in case of home funds being cut off is incredibly stupid. Fosun is Chinese. They still have been able to invest. That's because they were well set for the Chinese government putting the drawbridge up. Thirdly, as others have said, if the person's put in position by Lai have failed so badly why do they remain in place?
Fourthly and finally, frankly the buck stops with him. We have had the worst start to a top flight campaign we have ever had.  The squad that barely got promoted has not been improved upon. The transfer window is half closed and looks disastrous for us.

And so, with all of the above in mind, to say "don't get angry at the owner he's just doing what he said he would" does not sooth my ire at all. If anything it makes me angrier at him for getting himself in this position whilst being woefully ill-prepared for it.

The previous owner JP never put a penny of his money into the club in fact he got the club to pay the loan he took to buy us. He then took 4 million out of the club in a loan before making himself a millionaire. The blame lies at his feet

[AlbionFan]

I totally refute this suggestion, which implies a deliberate strategy and denigrates, directors, management, Head Coach, Coaches, players, medical and other paying side support staff, tea ladies and cleaners that have worked so hard to achieve the goal of promotion.

And no, the owner also isn’t deliberately aiming for relegation as some fans would have you think imo.

[Canmore Baggie]

What is surprising me is how little the local media seem to be reporting on the lack of a 'go' by the club. In years gone by they'd have been all over this but this year there's almost as much silence as there is from the club.

I do wonder if this is less of a media issue simply because "newly promoted club doesn't spend a lot of money in an uncertain pandemic-hit world" isn't really much of a story.

I we had blown through 60m, we might be way happier as fans but I would have thought that would have been a bigger media story

[Groovephil]

I do wonder if this is less of a media issue simply because "newly promoted club doesn't spend a lot of money in an uncertain pandemic-hit world" isn't really much of a story.

I we had blown through 60m, we might be way happier as fans but I would have thought that would have been a bigger media story

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/west-bromwich-albion/2020/10/08/west-brom-comment-guochuan-lai-is-letting-down-fans-with-lack-of-investment/

Well they've had a tentative swipe at the owner but not sure this represents the anger amongst a large percentage of fans.

[NJS]

And so, with all of the above in mind, to say "don't get angry at the owner he's just doing what he said he would" does not sooth my ire at all. If anything it makes me angrier at him for getting himself in this position whilst being woefully ill-prepared for it.

I totally agree, just hope none of the players are reading this.

Lai was sold a pup: it's a fact that he is not going to "invest" in WBA.  Getting angry with that may be a waste of emotion like being enraged because it rains a lot in autumn.  IMO, We should be discussing things that might be changed like whether we need to spend what remains of our kitty on a CF or a defensive midfielder.  We have attackers who can score goals; what we lack is someone who can break up attacks - our midfield is porous.

(I think Fosun has money outside China - a joint venture with Mendes?)

[Norfolk Baggie]

I totally refute this suggestion, which implies a deliberate strategy and denigrates, directors, management, Head Coach, Coaches, players, medical and other paying side support staff, tea ladies and cleaners that have worked so hard to achieve the goal of promotion.

And no, the owner also isn’t deliberately aiming for relegation as some fans would have you think imo.

Thanks for the comment.  Firstly I am not seeking to denigrate the playing management, players and certainly not the tea lady.  At Board and Senior Management level I am critical.   The way in which I usually judge a business strategy is to look at the likely outcome scenarios and challenge the realism of the assumptions being made.  We have not made significant changes from our championship squad and the evidence available to us so far suggests that most of our squad are struggling significantly.  We need reinforcements which are not coming, and I could not honestly conclude that The WBA Board have any clear plan which will deliver premiership survival.  Time of course will tell, and I sincerely hope I am wrong, but I do not think I am.

[Albionic]

This might be semantics but there is a difference between Strategy and Plans

From a quick google,
A strategy looks at every possible influencing factor, both seen and unforeseen and comes to terms with the whole situation, not just one end result. A plan says, “Here are the steps,” while a strategy says, “Here are the best steps.” Strategy speaks to the reasons why, while the plan is focused on how.

Clearly there is no strategic route to getting relegated, but there seems to be a strategy for if we get relegated and its this which is influencing the current seasons plans too much in my view.

[tex]

I think they looked at the chances of staying up with little investment and decided that any purchases would need to have a high probability of being worth more in the summer of 2021 so they could be sold at a profit. This thinking is why we have not bought Grant yet, there is not enough upside in the deal.  the club was gearing for relegation before we had kicked a ball. A number of posters keep pushing that this is what the owner said he would do, but for the fan how does that help if we are not even competitive.
This is like trying to enter F1 with a Skoda Fabia and saying we wont go bust, what's the point?

[Albionic]

I think they looked at the chances of staying up with little investment and decided that any purchases would need to have a high probability of being worth more in the summer of 2021 so they could be sold at a profit. This thinking is why we have not bought Grant yet, there is not enough upside in the deal.  the club was gearing for relegation before we had kicked a ball. A number of posters keep pushing that this is what the owner said he would do, but for the fan how does that help if we are not even competitive.
This is like trying to enter F1 with a Skoda Fabia and saying we wont go bust, what's the point?

you get to market fabias, world wide.

[kamarasboot]

I think they looked at the chances of staying up with little investment and decided that any purchases would need to have a high probability of being worth more in the summer of 2021 so they could be sold at a profit. This thinking is why we have not bought Grant yet, there is not enough upside in the deal.  the club was gearing for relegation before we had kicked a ball. A number of posters keep pushing that this is what the owner said he would do, but for the fan how does that help if we are not even competitive.
This is like trying to enter F1 with a Skoda Fabia and saying we wont go bust, what's the point?

Great analogy - even worse when you realise you've that entered F1 with a Skoda Fabia on Borrow tyres and brakes.....

[costa blanca baggie]

Great analogy - even worse when you realise you've that entered F1 with a Skoda Fabia on Borrow tyres and brakes.....

..and no driver.

[KYA]

Reading about the Albion and their will they won't they transfers has become as boring as reading about covid I've reached the stage now where I don't give a ****, barring a miracle when fans return a good many baggies just might not bother.
I'm actually more interested in the young kids out on loan than what's happening with the seniors.

[baggie53]

Great analogy - even worse when you realise you've that entered F1 with a Skoda Fabia on Borrow tyres and brakes.....

Might not be any good for F1, but won the WRC2 rally championship 3 years on the trot, with driveshafts and propshaft designed and made in the midlands

[ex coseley kid]

Might not be any good for F1, but won the WRC2 rally championship 3 years on the trot, with driveshafts and propshaft designed and made in the midlands

Cracking comeback. 

[zippyandbungle]

At the end of the premiership window it is now apparent to me that we have no aim to maintain our premiership status.  We have two players of genuine premiership status (Diangana and Pareira), and all of the rest try hard, but will struggle at this level.  Compared to other clubs locally (Villa and Wolves) our transfers mean our squad is significantly poorer, and the teams promoted with us (Leeds and Fulham), have made some great purchases.  Tactically this looks deliberate, i.e. we do not wish to invest and we are accepting being relegation as more or less inevitable.  I hope I am wrong, but I cannot see three teams worse than us, and I cannot see where the points will come from.  This year has the potential to be very painful indeed when we play Villa and Wolves.  If we do go down I would be surprised if Diangana and Pareira stay with us.  Perhaps I am feeling gloomy in this weather, but could does anyone feel more optimistic than me?

At the end of the transfer window it is obvious that Chelsea who spent over 250m ....were very lucky to get a draw against us ..

[beechyboy90]

The irritating thing is there are other things that are/were going well;
1) connection between fans and club seemed to have got stronger and better.
2) manager who wants to play football the right way and isnt afraid of using the kids.
3) youth wise we were losing talent left right and centre and of late its flipped we retained oshea tulloch morton Richard's etc.
4) not only are we retaining young talent we seem.to have a strategy and pathway to first team. How many are out on loan already this year?
5) overall we had been bringing in younger players rather than old duffers. Even this window periera diangana Robinson krovonovic Gallagher kipre all the right age.

Theres still plenty to be optimistic about. Get either king or grant in and the window hasnt been that bad. Failure to get the marquee striker makes stuff hard for us. If the owner doesnt want to bankroll us we have to better with bringing through our own talent and finding other up and coming talent... let's see where we are come January. Coyb keep the faith

[crazedwbafan18]

I'm just a bit fed up with the club now if im honest, and i think a loss against burnley would cement my decision to follow non league football a bit more closely this year. There's no joy in watching a side struggle, and at least with watching Stourbridge although it's real park football its a bit more unpredictable, and do you know what, for the first time in a long time i actually enjoyed going to a non league game (Stourbridge vs Hitchin) it was exciting, one of the outfield players had to go in goal as the goalie was sent off straight away, and the spirit was generally good. I think if we were allowed at the hawthorns now, it'd be far from pleasant. Anyone else feel the same?

[TheJacko2000]

I'm just a bit fed up with the club now if im honest, and i think a loss against burnley would cement my decision to follow non league football a bit more closely this year. There's no joy in watching a side struggle, and at least with watching Stourbridge although it's real park football its a bit more unpredictable, and do you know what, for the first time in a long time i actually enjoyed going to a non league game (Stourbridge vs Hitchin) it was exciting, one of the outfield players had to go in goal as the goalie was sent off straight away, and the spirit was generally good. I think if we were allowed at the hawthorns now, it'd be far from pleasant. Anyone else feel the same?

Not remotely. I've seen us lose 5-1 at home to Crewe and that was far from the worst. If going up the Albion is about us doing well, it's not for you.

[tex]

Its the fact that most of us can't detach from the Albion that makes this even harder. However bad it has been in the past it offers no consolation about our current plight. it always the hope that kills you.

[KnaveofAlbion]

Lets play this out and look at the next twelve months from a realistic viewpoint.

* We get a striker in and the team settle into a standard starting 11 and wider 18 first teamers.
* We get a couple of good results and a few entertaining matches, but we go down.
* All of this during a senario where the 2nd wave of Covid means there are either no crowds in attendance, or there are and they are minimal (say 5,000 at the Hawthorns).
* This results in a situation where Albion are back in the Prem, with Parachute payments for the next 3 years and many of the other clubs (basically everyone outside the top 6/8 in the Prem) are having to be extremely delicate with money.
* We sell MP & GD that summer, for realistically circa £45-60mill combined.


This means that by Sep/Oct 2021 we're in a very financially stable position and we're all but guaranteeing that there will be an Albion for our grandkids.

Yes its annoying, but dragging ourselves over the line to win promotion was enormous. The rest is just noise.

[Atomic]

Again there is no "Premiership". It is the PREMIER LEAGUE!

[KnaveofAlbion]

Again there is no "Premiership". It is the PREMIER LEAGUE!

Branding isn't really the issue is it.

We all know what the OP meant, it's called the Premiership enough in common parlance.

[zippyandbungle]

Lets play this out and look at the next twelve months from a realistic viewpoint.

* We get a striker in and the team settle into a standard starting 11 and wider 18 first teamers.
* We get a couple of good results and a few entertaining matches, but we go down.
* All of this during a senario where the 2nd wave of Covid means there are either no crowds in attendance, or there are and they are minimal (say 5,000 at the Hawthorns).
* This results in a situation where Albion are back in the Prem, with Parachute payments for the next 3 years and many of the other clubs (basically everyone outside the top 6/8 in the Prem) are having to be extremely delicate with money.
* We sell MP & GD that summer, for realistically circa £45-60mill combined.


This means that by Sep/Oct 2021 we're in a very financially stable position and we're all but guaranteeing that there will be an Albion for our grandkids.

Yes its annoying, but dragging ourselves over the line to win promotion was enormous. The rest is just noise.

Yes,yes and thrice yes....I advise all to look at the bigger picture.....and let’s not kid ourselves, the champ is were the fun really is ...

[crazedwbafan18]

Not remotely. I've seen us lose 5-1 at home to Crewe and that was far from the worst. If going up the Albion is about us doing well, it's not for you.

Alright, it’s not a prize of who’s seen us in the doldrums. Times have moved on from then, it’s a select few who have vast riches and a vast stretch to those who don’t. And we can’t keep up anymore, even from 5-6 years ago there’s an even more apparent gap then there used to be. As the saying goes, it’s the hope that kills you, and I lack a lot of optimism right now. It’s easy to get caught in the moment, I get that, but I think the apathy is growing more widely now, especially given how prosperous things look for some of our rivals currently, it’s hard to not feel the hurt, when we could easily have prevented this tumultuous spell.

[darbolina]

I'm just a bit fed up with the club now if im honest, and i think a loss against burnley would cement my decision to follow non league football a bit more closely this year. There's no joy in watching a side struggle, and at least with watching Stourbridge although it's real park football its a bit more unpredictable, and do you know what, for the first time in a long time i actually enjoyed going to a non league game (Stourbridge vs Hitchin) it was exciting, one of the outfield players had to go in goal as the goalie was sent off straight away, and the spirit was generally good. I think if we were allowed at the hawthorns now, it'd be far from pleasant. Anyone else feel the same?

What's turned me off over the past couple of years is not albions performances , it's the wider rubbish, football has become about money, fees, TV rights and about 6 clubs in this country who dominate. We spend our time now talking about money instead of football which is absurd really for football fans.  My view is the football on the pitch in the EPL is predictable and stale, lacking physicality.. It's also pretty obvious a European league will soon 'eat' the premier league and football will be largely a TV sport as it nearly is. Football is driven by money nit success, look at the fa cup which was sacred but is now considered like a league cup.

I'm a realist but I feel the game I fell in love with is dying and my live of it is dying . Money and greed will kill the soul of most things over time and football is no different.

I'll always follow albion in my own way but I can see through the football machine and it's looking ugly to me.

[BelgianBaggie]

You sum up my feelings exactly, a good and sensible post

I’ve seen little sign of the team growing and developing in the PL.  However, we aren’t quite bottom.

[Norfolk Baggie]

I’ve seen little sign of the team growing and developing in the PL.  However, we aren’t quite bottom.

So I started this thread.  If anything I think the position has declined since I started it.  Grady and Grant have performed worse than we might have anticipated.  Ivanovic has also been poor on the whole.  Even so, we have not looked that far off the pace at the lower end of the Premiership.  Another three decent players would have allowed us a chance of survival.  I cannot understand the financial logic here.

[ex coseley kid]

So I started this thread.  If anything I think the position has declined since I started it.  Grady and Grant have performed worse than we might have anticipated.  Ivanovic has also been poor on the whole.  Even so, we have not looked that far off the pace at the lower end of the Premiership.  Another three decent players would have allowed us a chance of survival.  I cannot understand the financial logic here.

We are told that Lai couldn't release any further funds. Or wouldn't.
Either way it shows a total lack of understanding of not only the game and this league, but how to run a business.