The Football.....

[Webbo2]

Quite the contrary I suspect (arsenal fans are not neutral of course).

Personally, of the four scrapping to avoid that third relegation spot, I hope Leeds go down. I have had a dislike of them ever since the Don Revie days.

But Spurs are looking the most likely

It would appear that even their great rivals from the other side of the Pennines are helping Leeds attempt to stay up.😉

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

I'm also unconvinced it's an easy ride back to the Prem if they drop. They will lose a bucketfull of cash (BBC suggest it could be as much as £250 million) and even though players are reported to have 50% wage reduction clauses there are some with release clauses as well. They're probably lucky that this year rather than next is the World Cup as the exodus will already be large, and as mentioned above, there will be plenty that wanted out but had to stay.

I don't think their academy setup is quite good enough that they can just replace internally and bring youth through, so they'll have to shop well to find players that will be right for a Championship challenge but also good enough to play the next season in the Prem if they *do* go up

I said this earlier on the thread, I think they are gone. If so, they are in massive trouble. Many of the players they have now won't find it easy to get into other PL or top European teams and most of them need to be moved on. If a fair few stay they will struggle in the Championship and the financial strain of their contracts would be massive. I also think De Zerbi won't really relish being a 'Championship' manager.

 

[AndyRM]

I think it's fair to say that the last established/big Premier League side to be relegated was Newcastle, and they managed to bounce back both times (although the second was a close run thing to win the Championship).

They had arguably a poorer squad and an even more terrible owner in Ashley who basically had the club up for sale constantly.

Difference with Spurs I feel is that they have huge resources and have been inexplicably included as part of the Premier League's "Big Six" despite very little to show for their outlay. This is why the neutral is either perplexed by or mocking their demise.

Would they come straight back up? Probably, but I reckon that like Newcastle they'd struggle for a few seasons then go back down again.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I think it's fair to say that the last established/big Premier League side to be relegated was Newcastle, and they managed to bounce back both times (although the second was a close run thing to win the Championship).

They had arguably a poorer squad and an even more terrible owner in Ashley who basically had the club up for sale constantly.

Difference with Spurs I feel is that they have huge resources and have been inexplicably included as part of the Premier League's "Big Six" despite very little to show for their outlay. This is why the neutral is either perplexed by or mocking their demise.

Would they come straight back up? Probably, but I reckon that like Newcastle they'd struggle for a few seasons then go back down again.

One difference is that Newcastle's attendances didn't drop when they were relegated, they kept filling a 50k ground. I don't think that would be the same for Spurs - at least not at current prices. And while their stadium is genuinely excellent, it's not the same and doesn't have the nostalgia of WHL. There will be a lot of STs not being renewed just on the basis that "football isn't what it used to be".

They've some of the highest operating costs in Europe and a huge mortgage to pay off. Their main sponsors won't be expecting to pay as much for the Championship as they would for the Prem & CL, it'll be a big blow for them financially

 

[AndyRM]

One difference is that Newcastle's attendances didn't drop when they were relegated, they kept filling a 50k ground. I don't think that would be the same for Spurs - at least not at current prices. And while their stadium is genuinely excellent, it's not the same and doesn't have the nostalgia of WHL. There will be a lot of STs not being renewed just on the basis that "football isn't what it used to be".

They've some of the highest operating costs in Europe and a huge mortgage to pay off. Their main sponsors won't be expecting to pay as much for the Championship as they would for the Prem & CL, it'll be a big blow for them financially

True. They've been trying to flog the naming rights for the stadium since it opened and had no takers, I believe they're after £400m for 20 years...

 

[No Ta Doctor]

True. They've been trying to flog the naming rights for the stadium since it opened and had no takers, I believe they're after £400m for 20 years...

I'll give 'em £40 for next season if they go down. I'll even get Mr. Tourette to do the signwriting for them

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

I think it's fair to say that the last established/big Premier League side to be relegated was Newcastle, and they managed to bounce back both times (although the second was a close run thing to win the Championship).

They had arguably a poorer squad and an even more terrible owner in Ashley who basically had the club up for sale constantly.

Difference with Spurs I feel is that they have huge resources and have been inexplicably included as part of the Premier League's "Big Six" despite very little to show for their outlay. This is why the neutral is either perplexed by or mocking their demise.

Would they come straight back up? Probably, but I reckon that like Newcastle they'd struggle for a few seasons then go back down again.

Interesting listening to Nicky Butt on his/Scholes podcast a few weeks back. He stayed on for an extra season and so did a lot of Newcastle players because they were so embarassed at being relegated and seeing people at the club lose jobs as a result. They were determined to get them back into the Prem. I don't see a single Spurs player with that mindset.

 

[AndyRM]

Interesting listening to Nicky Butt on his/Scholes podcast a few weeks back. He stayed on for an extra season and so did a lot of Newcastle players because they were so embarassed at being relegated and seeing people at the club lose jobs as a result. They were determined to get them back into the Prem. I don't see a single Spurs player with that mindset.

Yep most of the side stayed which definitely helped. The highest profile player they lost following the '09 relegation was Michael Owen, who went off to Man Utd which went really well for him...

 

[wakemalcolm]

I think it's fair to say that the last established/big Premier League side to be relegated was Newcastle, and they managed to bounce back both times (although the second was a close run thing to win the Championship).

They had arguably a poorer squad and an even more terrible owner in Ashley who basically had the club up for sale constantly.

Difference with Spurs I feel is that they have huge resources and have been inexplicably included as part of the Premier League's "Big Six" despite very little to show for their outlay. This is why the neutral is either perplexed by or mocking their demise.

Would they come straight back up? Probably, but I reckon that like Newcastle they'd struggle for a few seasons then go back down again.

I'm not sure where the truth lies about Ashley being a terrible owner.

The fans loved him when he took over from John Hall who'd somehow become reviled despite sinking a large part of his personal fortune into the club.

Ashley ran the club like a business and refused to bury them in the tailspin of debt demanded by the 55,000 deluded screaming entitled jaw-dees who felt that success was their birth right despite not having won any silverware for decades.

He appointed the kind of popular high profile managers that the fans demanded (Keegan, Shearer and Benitez) who sometimes succeeded yet often failed (can't remember who was in charge when they finished 5th, I do remember that Benitez was somehow still a hero after taking them down).

His model of scouting players who appreciated in value during their stay is now the blueprint for sustainability for many other medium sized clubs. Alan Carr's Dad was mostly to be credited for that.

Throughout, he was always clear that the club was available for anyone else who could take it forward and eventually the Saudis did.

But in conclusion, yeah, Spurs are doomed.

 

[StuAff]

Ipswich are probably wishing it got postponed again. Four clear of the drop, hopefully a good result against Leicester on Saturday....