You really can't handle one or two more seasons down here? I think we could still make play offs (yes we need to improve a LOT) but much more likely that next season will be the one to really go for promotion. There aren't any 'better players of other teams' left are there? I'd much rather build for the future personally than chuck everything including the kitchen sink on getting out of the NL.
The real issue here my fellow suffering Shrimper is that the COSU message is very clear, priority is sustainability of the Club, to be achieved hopefully by a targeted 5 year period. They do not consider progress up the football pyramid in that time scale a priority or a requisite requirement to achieving this. Yes the fanbase can offer the logical argument that promotions would bring increased revenues into the Club and COSU wouldn't argue the point, they just aren't demanding it, if it happens brilliant but they have a nice to happen approach to getting out of this League not the I want promotion now approach of supporters. COSU will look to compete for promotion going forward but definitely will not look to or have the expectation to 'sweep' to it and that is the reality and that's a bitter and unpalatable pill for some to swallow. I said on another thread that Kev's postion is safe if he doesn't massively drop the ball, relegation or a serious threat of it most likely would be that fumble, criticism of tactics or the perceived drop in attendances due to opinions of non entertaining
Yet from COSU's perspective getting out of the NL is not a vital catalyst towards sustainability and have the belief that our financial position will improve without the bonus of promotion! Not saying their right and not saying their wrong, just saying it as it is.
Yes I understand that completely and hope they are right. Only time will tell.
Agree, only time will tell and we live in hope but at least in the hands of COSU we have hope these days thankfully.
If you watch Kev et al on the touchline you will know that none of the coaching team advocate a slow build up but if players aren't performing, for whatever reason, then the team will adopt safety first mentality, usually without realising they're doing it. PB was often berated on here for being negative and promoting a slow safety first style of play, yet on the touchline it was his voice constantly shouting at players to push on. Managers are too often blamed when its the players who fail to perform and its always been that way, even when I played and that was about 35 years ago. I'm confident that things will change and these same players and management team that are now classed as clueless or not good enough, will push us into the play offs, if not, then next season will do. Pazienza.
Watching football you want to be entertained with the hope of promotion/play offs. I get the feeling that COSU don't really see the on the pitch stuff as priority at the moment ie the lack of player quality which has came to the club since they taken over but in there defence they only officially taken over in July so will reserve judgement on COSU overall leadership for year down the road. Unfortunately it does appear patience is name of the game at Southend which doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon. My concern is that patience will run out pretty quickly at Southend and fans will drift away which will hamper the club financially in the future if results continue to be poor and the ambition isn’t shown. Sustainability will work in this league if your customers ie the fans keep coming and invest with the odd player sale now and again. But will 7k plus keep turning up to watch poor quality of football with no hope of promotion? I doubt it. Tv deal in this league is ****, sponsorship at this level is dire so realistically COSU are solely reliant on the fans to keep turning up. I don't see a way that COSU can make sustainability work in this league without the fans keep turning up due to the poor revenue streams this league offers.
I don't know how many times it's been mentioned - Cosu believe the key to sustainability is non matchday related revenue streams.
That's way down the road though when new East stand is built. That could be years away.
I do understand where your coming from Tommy re what you and others want from your football, unfortunately COSU's priorities and yours are not aligned in the here and now. As for crowds dropping do I think COSU want that, of course not, but do I think they have considered the possibility during a 5 year regeneration plan of that happening, yes I do, just by the nature of football and they are prepared collectively as COSU to financially manage this type of senerio. Obviously not ongoing but within the overall project something to be potentially encountered and in the short term handled. I get what you say about COSU perceived reliance on crowds above 5k but I don't think COSU have structured their starting approach to the 5 year regeneration plan with as high a reliance over the first 12-18 months on this factor as much as it's liable to be a priority going forward from that point.
