Thought Scott Parker has been brought in to build for the ‘long term’ rather than the here and now.
Not necessarily for promotion this season but to build a strong squad/team for the future.
This has started with ’forced‘ selections in playing a number of youngsters from the start and on the bench due to injuries to more senior members of the team.
So if/when we get promotion we will have a side/plus additions like before to survive in that league and not coming up and down like Norwich City.
Like Eddie did.
I think the next 10 games will tell us more if Parker is promotion at all costs or developing with promotion as medium term goal.
It could be argued that Norwich are attacking and get stronger by Championship standards every time they come back down and while that's not enough to stay up, they retain what's needed to keep getting promoted. One year they will be well placed in Jan and might give it right go in the market to stay up.
In contrast I am not sure if enough of our current squad, whether we go up or not, will be able to step up a level to PL next year. Some will, but with some nearer the end of careers, we need a plan. If we are happy to go up and then down then up again as Norwich have while we develop slowly, then I am not against that if we tie players in for long enough. However if we want to go up and have a chance, the only way to have a squad capable, and avoid another spending spree is to accelerate the development of the younger players, which means risking them when other players might be a safer short term option.
That might mean we don't go up this year, but increases the chances over 2 years and probably can mean taking risks to be more expansive.
So whether or not, this year might be better by giving SP what he wants, if I was above SP in the food chain, I wouldn't give him extra recruits unless they are also younger prospects to develop, and I would accept the risks of a compact small squad to ensure he had little choice but to develop this crop for the longer term.
Imagine if he can add an EXTRA 1 out 10 across all positions then by the end of the season this line up would be difficult to beat (maybe 2 from Brooks, but we know he has it)
Travers
Stacey Rossi Kelly [Zemura or Davis]
(2 from Kilkenny, L Cook, Pearson)
Anthony, Brooks, Rogers
Solanke
Had Travers not been ill, 8 would have started Saturday, so to get that full team improved and as first choice by May isn't a stretch, it's just a hugely exciting prospect and a team I would look forward to seeing every week.