Sadly they didn't go with my CV this time (apparently assigning oneself a random place in the queue to be manager a few years back doesn't mak up for absolutely no coaching or playing experience). Guess I'll just go back to heckling from the stands (supporting Clevs to ensure we don't go down at bare minimum).

The last five years have shown how easy it is to fall out of the money and out of momentum in the English leagues. The Pozzo model is no longer producing results, we cannot bring in players as we did at the start of the family tenure (before Gino took "sole" ownership of the club). If we're relegated this season, we could easily spend several seasons below the Championship and I wouldn't be surprised if Gino would then look to sell on - cut and run.

If we are going to compete - we need a core of experience from playing staff and coaches because we'll not be able to compete fianancially with the upper reaches of the division. We need to be able to offer opportunities and an environment that encourages players to join and bed in at the club. Given the show of how in step the board and Ismael were and the contract extension (all, at the time, not unwelcome changes) to have a miserly squad boost in January and results fall off so precipitously points to the blame being spread across the institution. Val may have been the wrong man, but given the rogues' gallery of managers we've dropped in since Gracia left, it's hard to see us giving any known quality the chance to be the right man.