Some thoughts on Stevenage/the current situation

Jon Palmer · 02 Jan 2018, 12:42

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RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 02 Jan 2018, 13:08

Agree with JP that a longer-term view to building for next season is needed rather than a knee-jerk to try and get play offs this season.

confused.com · 02 Jan 2018, 14:54

As much as I would love to be in playoffs, a few teams would have to go off the boil as well as us improving a lot for that to happen. I am all for forgetting about this season and building. As long as that what it is. My football expert friend tells me you can't build any more in L2

let's hope he is wrong

MacRobin · 02 Jan 2018, 16:08

Very difficult to build for the mid/long term in L2. Typical contracts are 12, 18 or 24 months and therefore you are constantly working to a short horizon. Realistically clubs at our level are heavily reliant on an effective mix of loans (typically younger lads from Championship/Premiership clubs) experienced lower league Pros and, ideally, homegrown youth that not only progresses in to the first team but that in one or two cases goes on to make a fee that helps fund the Academy.

A strong and successful youth system is the key to stable and steady evolution but unfortunately ours has not yielded any real success in recent times but I hope George Lloyd and Matt Bower can buck that trend.

Sensible budgeting and not taking too many risks to chase an unrealistic goal should be the approach given where we are at the moment. Strengthening to avoid getting sucked in to a relegation battle - yes! Gambling cash that we don’t have or that can be used in other areas in the summer - no!

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 02 Jan 2018, 16:36

confused.com wrote:As much as I would love to be in playoffs, a few teams would have to go off the boil as well as us improving a lot for that to happen. I am all for forgetting about this season and building. As long as that what it is. My football expert friend tells me you can't build any more in L2 let's hope he is wrong

We can build in January and Summer for next season, but if we have a good season as a result it is likely one or two top players will get snapped up by higher teams.