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Post by sheikhmomo on Apr 20, 2009 11:07:08 GMT
If we win our remaining home games and beat Dull there must be a chance of a top half finish. Now that would a be a wonderful way to shove their words down some pundits throats and would be an outstanding achievement and cause for genuine celebration but where does that leave expecatations for next year?
Realistically fourth bottom and a decent cup run (yeah right!) should be the limit of our ambitions again next year, a top half finish though would probably make that prospect a little disappointing. Is there a danger of us doing too well this year?
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Post by RMSCFC on Apr 20, 2009 11:08:22 GMT
wouldnt mind that  then go for a europa cup spot next season |
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Post by Kenilworth_Stokies on Apr 20, 2009 11:09:50 GMT
It does worry me that expectations are going to be the killer next season. As you say, another season of Prem survival would be another immense achievement. Any more is a bonus.
On the other hand, you'd like to think we could at least improve our away form to something even vaguely approaching our home form.
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Post by eriksson74 on Apr 20, 2009 11:10:18 GMT
As long as it doesn't increase the fans expectations too much I would take it. The money on offer per place would be welcome and any perspective signings would certainley be impressed with a top half position and the backing of the best fans in the world.  |
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Post by kiwistoke on Apr 20, 2009 11:10:38 GMT
Finish as high as possible and bank the money. More chance of attracting players with possibility of challenging for cups etc rather then a guarenteed relegation dog fight.
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Post by vestanpance on Apr 20, 2009 11:12:05 GMT
I see what you are sayijg Momo but we are a pragmatic bunch really aren't we? I think we'd all settle for 17th next season if it was offered now wouldn't we?
Also, the higher we finish, the more money we get, so top ten would great as far as that is concerned.
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Post by kiwistoke on Apr 20, 2009 11:15:28 GMT
Also hoping to attract better players to keep us safe next year would mean my planned trip back to uk in august 2010 would be to see us still in premiership. Desperate to see us there and hear the noise but with a baby on way cannot come back any sooner......
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Post by FullerMagic on Apr 20, 2009 11:21:28 GMT
Can we keep this battered, bruised ugly duckling motif running throughout a 2nd season if we finish 11th or higher?
It'll be tough. Mind you, the extra income and extra attractiveness as an option for prospective targets would be huge.
But I bet we're in the bottom 3 in the relegation odds come June regardless.
How quickly expectations rise though. It is a danger. We'd have to force ourselves to see 17th as another wonderful season.
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Post by PotterLog on Apr 20, 2009 11:22:16 GMT
I think most sensible Stoke fans know that surviving will be the goal once again. One of the real challenges I think we'll face next year is keeping the Brit as the "Bear Pit" it's come to be known as. Maintaining that noise level and special atmosphere will be essential once again.
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Post by jorgieporgy on Apr 20, 2009 11:28:15 GMT
There are loads of good reasons why top half is a good thing. As for next year I think it'll be just as competetive apart from the big 4 mini league, then the next 4 Villa, Spurs, Everton, Man C (with possibly West Ham if they're not skint)- hope one or two of them has a crap run. All that the rest can hope for is that they can gatecrash that clique and that the three that come up go straight back down again.
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Post by Kenilworth_Stokies on Apr 20, 2009 11:29:26 GMT
By the looks of things, finishing mid table as opposed to 3/4 of the way down would net us approximately an extra £10M in prize money. The money doesn't seem to increase hugely until you get to the European places though (based on last season's figures): soccerlens.com/20072008-premier-league-tv-revenue/7415/Worth having an extra £10M. Could be the difference that we need to get a couple of extra quality players in. |
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Post by xchpotter on Apr 20, 2009 11:49:33 GMT
The higher we go the better with prize money and proving people wrong etc. My only concern would be complacency for next season where the players might think safety is easy. Now i'm sure for one minute Pulis wouldn't let that happen, but attitude is the biggest battle in football and i would hate the team to lose that seige mentality which has been crucial to this seasons performance.
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Post by Paul Spencer on Apr 20, 2009 12:15:05 GMT
Is there a danger of us doing too well this year? In my book it's impossible to do too well this year. As long as we stay up each season then at some point the expectation is going to rise, so why does it matter when it actually does? If we finish mid table this season and finish 17th next season then I can't see how that could be worse than finishing 17th this season and next season. |
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Post by Caerwrangonpotter on Apr 20, 2009 12:16:45 GMT
£700,000+ for every extra league position. Wow! A Top Ten finish would do lovely!
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Post by y_oh_y_delilah on Apr 20, 2009 12:19:50 GMT
Surprised that you didn't hear it last saturday in Nelson NZ anyway kiwi!
;D
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Post by luke45 on Apr 20, 2009 12:25:56 GMT
I think regardless where we finish whether it be top half or near the bottom, we will still be amongst the expected sides to be battling to survive next season, and i'm sure the club, the players and the media will think the same thing.
I personally think we can and will become a stable Premiership side for years to come, but without a major increase in finances we will struggle to ever compete for top 6 places. I'll be more than happy next season with survival, past history has shown that lots of sides suffer from second season syndrome after surviving the first so we must be wary of that and make sure we stay in the league.
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Post by wembley4372 on Apr 20, 2009 12:26:12 GMT
Of course we need to finish as low as possible. ffs
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Post by JoeinOz on Apr 20, 2009 12:27:28 GMT
We are bloody miles away from Europe qualification. Next season again will be about staying up.
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Post by y_oh_y_delilah on Apr 20, 2009 12:33:15 GMT
Joe, F F's Sake GO TO BED!!
;D
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Post by ParaPsych on Apr 20, 2009 12:37:23 GMT
No, it won't be a bad thing.
Are we so used to failure that we are getting afraid of a little bit of success? Come on, get a grip.
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Post by actongatestokie on Apr 20, 2009 12:44:06 GMT
For 4 teams in the Premier League - the expectation is to stay in the top 4, challenge for the title, reach the latter stages of the Champions League and the Semi's of the cups.
For the next 2 teams (Villa and Everton) it is to challenge for the Uefa cup spots with a selection of any other teams (max of 2) who break away from midtable and try their hardest to get into 4th spot.
The next 10 is all about making sure they stay in midtable, get a bit lucky in the Cup and hoping to hell they don't have a mid season crisis and get sucked into a relegation battlle.
The rest make sure they scrap like hell to avoid a relegation battle.
Regardless of where we finish, we need to hope beyond hope we spend enough money on enough quality to build a strong enough squad to fall into the midtable band.
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Post by jimmygscfc on Apr 20, 2009 12:44:39 GMT
Let's make sure we actually survive first. Unless you know something we don't we're not out of it yet. However, I'm guessing a couple of points will make us safe and then we can look at the table with a smile as opposed to a grimace. I'm pretty sure we'll end up around 14th and that in itself would be a tremendous achievement but let's not start getting picky.
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Post by JoeinOz on Apr 20, 2009 12:49:36 GMT
Joe, F F's Sake GO TO BED!!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by sheikhmomo on Apr 20, 2009 12:54:58 GMT
Of course we need to finish as low as possible. ffs yeah 'cos that's what everyone is saying.  I should have known better than try and start a Stoke debate on a fucking Stoke messageboard. |
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Apr 20, 2009 12:57:30 GMT
Roughly speaking, I divide the Prem into the top six (who will contest the top four places), the middle seven and the bottom seven (who will battle most of the season against relegation).
If we can finish in the middle seven (ie 13th or above) we will have more than fulfilled expectations. Whether we finish middle seven or bottom seven our aim next year must be to occupy a spot in the middle seven for all or most of the season rather than creep in there at the end.
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Post by OldStokie on Apr 20, 2009 13:45:57 GMT
We have the best centre half pairing I've seen at Stoke since the 70's. We have Fuller, Beattie and Mama who are good class. We have the 'Delap effect'. We have Wiilko who has come on leaps and bounds. If we add some quality to the midfield and a good class left back [Sorry Danny but you're a better centre half than a left back] then I see no reason why we can't look forward to next season as a mid-table side. We also need to strengthen the depth of the squad. Finishing higher in this league will add funds to our pot for further strengthening. A top half finish will be a good thing. But, we need a another couple of points yet to absolutely certain of staying here.
OS.
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Post by Tubes on Apr 20, 2009 13:57:30 GMT
I'd take two seasons of survival right now.
However, if we do finish in the top half, there will be idiots who expect us to push on from there. There will be expectation for us to beat the promoted teams. The reason you've seen villa fans booing their own team this season, despite spending most of it contenting for a champions league spot, is because their expectations have been massively raised.
the point when we are expected to win a match becomes very dangerous because it allows us as supporters to get lazy. We must not allow this to happen. Maintaining the atmosphere at the Brit will become harder if we become a midtable team.
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Post by ted1965 on Apr 20, 2009 14:00:30 GMT
I think a top half finish would be very beneficial to the club, it would raise the profile even more and with the supporters already applauded for the noise and passion they create even if it’s not to every pundits liking will also be a great selling point to perspective signings.
I think most supporters will realize survival or another mid table finish next season will be a complete success once more. We must not fall into the trap of thinking we’ve arrived simply based on this seasons performances but we have a damn good base to work from.
As long as we strengthen and don’t assume the squad can sustain the growth of this season without further additions I really think we can establish ourselves. I think both Ipswich and Reading failed to strengthen significantly on what they had and suffered accordingly. There is still plenty dead wood floating around the squad and we need to replace it with players who will genuinely give the manager headaches of the right variety.
The foundations have been built now it’s time to build the house and that will take time and we as supporters must continue to show the same passion and enthusiasm next season and beyond as we have done this time around. I worry a little that some supporters will become complacent, the moment that happens we will lose that uniqueness and become just another Premiership club that’s when the problems could begin.
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Post by Northy on Apr 20, 2009 14:05:09 GMT
For prize money and attracting players yes, it can only be good for the club.
If that will make our ambitions 6th from bottom next season, instead of 4th off bottom then so be it.
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Post by lancer on Apr 20, 2009 14:20:53 GMT
No matter where we finish this season, TP is not the complacent type. He'll also have extra dinero to splash about a bit, so hopefully, he'll strengthen on what we already have.
We have a team spirit that won't give in, and a little added talent with the same team ethos can only impove our chances of a safe, if not super season next time around.
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