Stoke Relegation Thread

[Joe B]

1 hour ago, Wrex said:

To be fair on O'Neill he can't really be blamed for relegation. Jones is more responsible on the managerial front as he was getting the same results and also signed 12 or so players. No manager with any kind of reputation were willing to risk it on such a basket case and O'Neill probably figured if he failed he'd be gone at the end of the season and could simply carry on with Northern Ireland.

On the one hand credit to Stoke for their policy of ensuring their manager is British but then you have to say when your number one, two and three choice turn you down then why not get a foreigner in? It's like they looked at what has gone wrong for them and said "well Tony was British and had mostly British players, our mistake was letting Hughes sign a load of foreigners!" I don't know, why bother trying to understand the thinking process behind idiots like Coates Jnr? Seems irresponsible of Saint Peter to allow his son to run the club when he can barely tie his own shoelaces.

That group of players has far more talent than bottom of the Championship.

Butland, Allen, Martins Indi, Etebo, Vokes, N'Diaye, and Diouf are full internationals to a decent standard.

Ward, McClean, Batth, Ince, Carter-Vickers, Clucas, Duffy have all experienced good levels of success at the standard Stoke are currently at.

They've appointed Rowett, who was moderately successful at this level before and has turned Milwall around; they've appointed Jones, who quite rightly was the hottest managerial prospect in the FL for what he achieved with Luton.

Both were made to look non-league standard, despite have a squad packed with internationals and very decent Championship players who are good enough for mid-table security at the very worst.

There's something massively wrong at that club. Beauty is, because they're fairly obtuse when it comes to who actually makes the decisions, there's no one to direct the fans' ire at. Consequently, being the entitled fanbase that they are, they turn on the manager at the first sign of wrongdoing; a few were already asking questions of O'Neill last night, for inheriting a shambles and not fixing it immediately.

They've got some quite serious financial implications imminent, as Parachute Payments decrease next year and then are cancelled the year after. If they go down this year, such is the size of their budget with players who don't want to be there (Wimmer and Imbulla still have lengthy contracts there), it could be really, really serious.

Which is an absolute p******.

[The man in the pub]

2 hours ago, Guitar Ray said:

Both Scholes and Coates Jr sound like clueless serial wafflers when you hear either of them speak. Tip of the hat to Scholes from me as he’s probably more involved than Coates Jr, who I guess will just be rubber-stamping whatever’s put in front of his nose.

Listen to either of this pair and compare to Carol and you realise just how lucky we are. 👍 

Doubly lucky in having Scholes and Coates Jnr at Sjoke. When will they realise it isn't the managers anymore its the players who very misguidedly think they are decent players. In fairness they are probably right , unfortunately for Sjoke they are decent League 1 players.

[Woakesy]

The question in my mind is how low can Stoke go? They’re on a downward spiral and to me are nowhere near rock bottom.

Things aren’t going to get any better until all the heavy player contracts have expired and they have room for manoeuvre. Probably at least another couple of seasons. Could be non league by then!

[Fosse69]

16 minutes ago, Woakesy said:

The question in my mind is how low can Stoke go? They’re on a downward spiral and to me are nowhere near rock bottom.

Things aren’t going to get any better until all the heavy player contracts have expired and they have room for manoeuvre. Probably at least another couple of seasons. Could be non league by then!

Even if they are relegated, still a 3rd parachute payment due.

[Woakesy]

On 08/12/2019 at 15:17, Fosse69 said:

Even if they are relegated, still a 3rd parachute payment due.

Yes but this year it’s 45% so probably 45-50m ish. Next year it’s 20% so 20m ish. A massive drop, especially with Stokes massive wage bill.

They won’t be able to move any of their players who are in contract on either without paying them off. They’re set for a least a few seasons in lg 1 imo.

 

[Jacko51]

3 minutes ago, Woakesy said:

Yes but this year it’s 45% so probably 45-50m ish. Next year it’s 20% so 20m ish. A massive drop, especially with Stokes massive wage bill.

They won’t be able to move any of their players who are in contract on either without paying them off. They’re set for a least a few seasons in lg 1 imo.

 

If it's the same as Sunderland, their payment this year is £34 million and next year is £15 million.  Their wage bill in their relegation season was £94 million.  Even if they've halved that they are in trouble?? 

[The man in the pub]

Will be keeping half an eye on the Sjoke v Luton game tonight. Was so hoping that Agent Jones was back in charge at Luton and came to the Incinerator and beat Sjoke with a team consisting  of League 1 & 2 players using the Diamond formation. Pleased that the Coates family still think the manager is the problem rather than the bag of nails they call their team. Their players have a major problem they think they are great players. Bias apart they probably are, unfortunately for Sjoke they are great League 2 players.

[Joe B]

Anyone seen how empty it is at the Incinerator Megadome this evening?

I'm shocked that a town centre arena with such a fantastic atmosphere is struggling to attract the most loyal fans in the country.

18 months out of the biggest league in the world and they've lost half of their fans. Their supporters are a real embarassment, and expose themselves as proper fairweather frauds. They can't handle a year out of the big time.

[Jacko51]

[Jacko51]

City ‘til I die?  Looks like a lot of lardies have passed away!

[Bald Eagle]

Looks a good 28000 there Jean.  
 

it’s like our reported Arsenal attendance in reverse!

[Bald Eagle]

Shawcross off now, their problems just keep getting bigger and bigger

[Houston Valiant]

Bah , McLean  throws a spanner in the works. 

[Jacko51]

56 minutes ago, Bald Eagle said:

Looks a good 28000 there Jean.  
 

it’s like our reported Arsenal attendance in reverse!

20,216. I think that must be the empty seats??

[Old fort]

Agent MO'N has followed instructions to a tee tonight by giving them a little bit of sugar,  while keeping them in the bottom three. He's such a tease for them,  how he plays with their yoyo emotions like tonight,  then plunges them back down  again. It's as funny as a 1970's joke that could start like, "Two Welshmen, a Scotsman and an Irishman walk in to a bar"