[BlueArmy]

I think our downfall again will be the manager. We clearly won't have a lot to spend but good managers use the market well, wheeler and dealers so to speak, and I'm not convinced Danny is a good manager. 

Sheff Wed, Ipswich, and Derby will all come good this year with with some very good squads, and you'd expect all three will definitely finish in the top 6. 

Clubs of very similar size to us like Charlton, Bolton will have their work cut out this year, like us, to challenge. 

You have Barnsley and Peterborough coming down from the championship with their squads fresh from the 2nd tier expected to be in the playoffs at least.

Mk dons, wycombe Plymouth oxford and a few others will be tough to beat as usual.

I am usually optimistic but I think that our 11th, yes 11th year outside the championship will be similar to last season at best.

I think that this season will be another transition season personally with the money spent on the stadium, with the Milton end being done up next summer too.

[Pompeyg100]

Transition seasons are a cop out and an excuse for failure, there is no such thing in professional football.

The only acceptable result this season is promotion and I don’t care how that comes.

I hope more than anything DC proves me wrong but I have no faith in him.

[BlueArmy]

Transition seasons are a cop out and an excuse for failure, there is no such thing in professional football.

The only acceptable result this season is promotion and I don’t care how that comes.

I hope more than anything DC proves me wrong but I have no faith in him.

I agree. I don't think many have faith in Danny to get us up. He's a nice bloke but can he get us promoted on a likely average budget? I don't think he has the eye for a player to do so.

I want out of this awful league back to where we belong in the championship but it will be very hard this season again.  

If we finish top 6 this season and then fail in the playoffs, that would be a success and we can then build on it the season after.

We just need to keep building the club off the field especially.

[Tufnell_Chimes]

“If we finish top 6 this season and then fail in the playoffs, that would be a success and we can then build on it the season after”

Jeez, that’s depressing. Even more so because it’s probably a realistic ambition.

[Cunninglinguist]

It certainly isn't an awful league, we've seen some good players in this division. We'd obviously like to see Pompey higher up the league's but it will improve.

The football on show was much better after the January window and that gives me hope for the season.

As to our chances of promotion, we've got as much chance as anyone, just depends who we sign. Roll on the new season!

[DeepBlue]

League One is not an easy league to get out of, especially at the moment with so many 'big' clubs in it, but none of those big clubs (including us) have any divine right to get promotion and we have as much chance as any of them. 

Cowley has several promotions in his 600 game CV as a manager, so I dont quite understand people writing him off after one season of getting rid of players that were not good enough under Jackett.  It'll be his squad next season and he can be judged properly after that. 

The bookies have us 6th favourites at the moment at about 14/1 to win the league, 4/1 to get promotion, and 6/4 to get a top 6 position.  That seems about a fair reflection of our chances to me.

[Pompeyg100]

How many of those games were managing plumbers and cab drivers?

[scumslayer]

Our downfall is that there is a minimum economy and competency required in order to compete for promotion and we are deficient in both.

We are killing less and therefore eating less with our eat what we kill policy.

We also are useless at hunting.

[West Australian Portsmouth Fan]

Transition seasons are a cop out and an excuse for failure, there is no such thing in professional football.

The only acceptable result this season is promotion and I don’t care how that comes.

I hope more than anything DC proves me wrong but I have no faith in him.

I agree. I don't think many have faith in Danny to get us up. He's a nice bloke but can he get us promoted on a likely average budget? I don't think he has the eye for a player to do so.

I want out of this awful league back to where we belong in the championship but it will be very hard this season again.  

If we finish top 6 this season and then fail in the playoffs, that would be a success and we can then build on it the season after.

We just need to keep building the club off the field especially.

If we fail to get promoted again, playoffs or not anyone that’s any good will leave and we are back to square one again in the 2023/24 season. Basically if we keep on with this ‘eat what we kill’ policy this will continue to occur until all other clubs adopt the same policy and that probably isn’t going to happen. A ‘speculate to accumulate’ policy will be required at some point and I can’t see that happening any time soon. Maybe after all the works on the ground are complete but who knows what the Eisner’s plans are for the long term

[Pedalo_menders]

Our downfall is that there is a minimum economy and competency required in order to compete for promotion and we are deficient in both.

We are killing less and therefore eating less with our eat what we kill policy.

We also are useless at hunting.

Spot on

[bluetagagain]

We’re going up this year ?

[Pompeyg100]

We’re going up this year ?

No, the transfer window opened today and we haven’t signed anyone so will be relegated.

[bluetagagain]

Oh no, there’ll probably be a rush for new mattresses to replace mass bed wetting ones.

[mikey393]

Transition seasons are a cop out and an excuse for failure, there is no such thing in professional football.

The only acceptable result this season is promotion and I don’t care how that comes.

I hope more than anything DC proves me wrong but I have no faith in him.

I agree. I don't think many have faith in Danny to get us up. He's a nice bloke but can he get us promoted on a likely average budget? I don't think he has the eye for a player to do so.

I want out of this awful league back to where we belong in the championship but it will be very hard this season again.  

If we finish top 6 this season and then fail in the playoffs, that would be a success and we can then build on it the season after.

We just need to keep building the club off the field especially.

If we fail to get promoted again, playoffs or not anyone that’s any good will leave and we are back to square one again in the 2023/24 season. Basically if we keep on with this ‘eat what we kill’ policy this will continue to occur until all other clubs adopt the same policy and that probably isn’t going to happen. A ‘speculate to accumulate’ policy will be required at some point and I can’t see that happening any time soon. Maybe after all the works on the ground are complete but who knows what the Eisner’s plans are for the long term

Totally agree with you. They don't want to speculate at all so No real ambition.
Having just watched the Andy Cullen Ground Developments video this won't be completed until Summer 2023.

I have a feeling like a few others that they are fattening up the club for a sale next Summer.

[Pompeyg100]

Transition seasons are a cop out and an excuse for failure, there is no such thing in professional football.

The only acceptable result this season is promotion and I don’t care how that comes.

I hope more than anything DC proves me wrong but I have no faith in him.

I agree. I don't think many have faith in Danny to get us up. He's a nice bloke but can he get us promoted on a likely average budget? I don't think he has the eye for a player to do so.

I want out of this awful league back to where we belong in the championship but it will be very hard this season again.  

If we finish top 6 this season and then fail in the playoffs, that would be a success and we can then build on it the season after.

We just need to keep building the club off the field especially.

If we fail to get promoted again, playoffs or not anyone that’s any good will leave and we are back to square one again in the 2023/24 season. Basically if we keep on with this ‘eat what we kill’ policy this will continue to occur until all other clubs adopt the same policy and that probably isn’t going to happen. A ‘speculate to accumulate’ policy will be required at some point and I can’t see that happening any time soon. Maybe after all the works on the ground are complete but who knows what the Eisner’s plans are for the long term

Totally agree with you. They don't want to speculate at all so No real ambition.
Having just watched the Andy Cullen Ground Developments video this won't be completed until Summer 2023.

I have a feeling like a few others that they are fattening up the club for a sale next Summer.

I don’t think you could be anywhere further from what they are planning. What fattening has been done?!

I really just cannot understand this mentality and I have tried.  Have a look at Derby.

[Hammie]

Very hard to finish above the relegated clubs all the time they are allowed to have a much bigger wage bill than the clubs already in the 3rd tier.
Surprising really that rule has not been successfully challenged in court as the wage limit was a couple of years ago.

[Northstandgeorge]

I dont think there is any wage cap now other than against turnover. Relegated clubs this year will not have any advantage apart from Derby who are likely to have a larger turnover. Im sure we will have a higher turnover than Barnsley or Peterborough. Whether there is any desire from the owners to spend  based on our turnover is open to debate.

[DeepBlue]

I dont think there is any wage cap now other than against turnover. Relegated clubs this year will not have any advantage apart from Derby who are likely to have a larger turnover. Im sure we will have a higher turnover than Barnsley or Peterborough. Whether there is any desire from the owners to spend  based on our turnover is open to debate.

The way things are going Derby are no certainty to even make the start of the season, or suffer another points deduction.

[Pompeyg100]

I dont think there is any wage cap now other than against turnover. Relegated clubs this year will not have any advantage apart from Derby who are likely to have a larger turnover. Im sure we will have a higher turnover than Barnsley or Peterborough. Whether there is any desire from the owners to spend  based on our turnover is open to debate.

They’ve been pretty clear that we will spend what we can afford to.  We are competitive and the manager needs to be the difference. Cook spent a fortune on wages last year and failed as we did under KJ. Football isn’t decided by how much you spend.

[farq2]

League One is not an easy league to get out of, especially at the moment with so many 'big' clubs in it, but none of those big clubs (including us) have any divine right to get promotion and we have as much chance as any of them. 

Cowley has several promotions in his 600 game CV as a manager, so I dont quite understand people writing him off after one season of getting rid of players that were not good enough under Jackett.  It'll be his squad next season and he can be judged properly after that. 

The bookies have us 6th favourites at the moment at about 14/1 to win the league, 4/1 to get promotion, and 6/4 to get a top 6 position.  That seems about a fair reflection of our chances to me.

not sure id be a backer at 14-1

[farq2]

I dont think there is any wage cap now other than against turnover. Relegated clubs this year will not have any advantage apart from Derby who are likely to have a larger turnover. Im sure we will have a higher turnover than Barnsley or Peterborough. Whether there is any desire from the owners to spend  based on our turnover is open to debate.

They’ve been pretty clear that we will spend what we can afford to.  We are competitive and the manager needs to be the difference. Cook spent a fortune on wages last year and failed as we did under KJ. Football isn’t decided by how much you spend.

unfortunately in general it is, as in life you get what you pay for.

[66zoolane]

'Is a top 6 finish really realistic this coming season?'

Yes definitely, for us and about 10 other clubs, plus possible surprises. That's one of the GOOD things about League 1.

[Pompeyg100]

I dont think there is any wage cap now other than against turnover. Relegated clubs this year will not have any advantage apart from Derby who are likely to have a larger turnover. Im sure we will have a higher turnover than Barnsley or Peterborough. Whether there is any desire from the owners to spend  based on our turnover is open to debate.

They’ve been pretty clear that we will spend what we can afford to.  We are competitive and the manager needs to be the difference. Cook spent a fortune on wages last year and failed as we did under KJ. Football isn’t decided by how much you spend.

unfortunately in general it is, as in life you get what you pay for.

It’s not though as we, Ipswich and Sunderland have proved season after season in L1. There’s examples up and down the leagues year after year. Leicester didn’t outspend the rest of the Prem when they won the title. It just isn’t the case.

[66zoolane]

I dont think there is any wage cap now other than against turnover. Relegated clubs this year will not have any advantage apart from Derby who are likely to have a larger turnover. Im sure we will have a higher turnover than Barnsley or Peterborough. Whether there is any desire from the owners to spend  based on our turnover is open to debate.

They’ve been pretty clear that we will spend what we can afford to.  We are competitive and the manager needs to be the difference. Cook spent a fortune on wages last year and failed as we did under KJ. Football isn’t decided by how much you spend.

unfortunately in general it is, as in life you get what you pay for.

It’s not though as we, Ipswich and Sunderland have proved season after season in L1. There’s examples up and down the leagues year after year. Leicester didn’t outspend the rest of the Prem when they won the title. It just isn’t the case.

Yes but as Winston Churchill once said 'The best argument against democracy is a 5 minute chat with the average Sunderland supporter'.

Actually that might be from one of the other forums and misquoted.

[mike hunt]

I love this time of year, with all to play for , & optimism for the coming season but will that optimism be founded or another pipe dream? IMHO we do need a couple of strikers, a midfield maestro & another central defender . whether that materializes is the question!