We are fast approaching a potentially major turning point in the club's history.
In stark terms, we need to decide upon whether to play safe and build on our gains or to push our chips across the table and go all in.
On the pitch we have to solve the oft debated question of whether we should prioritise 4th, or, in the case of the Europa League competition, silverware. On the face of it, the decision should be easy since winning the cup competition in Warsaw this year also qualifies us for the Champion's League and its attendant money and cache.
The stakes are massive. The new TV money from BT means the qualifying clubs can expect £40 million pounds even if they lose every game in the group stages. Winning the thing could add £60 million to the club's value. To put that in perspective our entire matchday income comes to £42 million a year.
If you are one of the deluded few who thinks that doubling your income whilst keeping the same overheads wouldn't make a huge difference to our team wait and see what happens when our rivals spend that money instead of us.
Winning the domestic cup competitions would make such comparatively little difference to a club's fortunes now that we can soon expect to see teams fielding weakened sides in FA cup semi-finals. That should give pause for thought for anyone who thinks winning those competitions is a true sign of progress. And yes, that includes Kenny's time in charge.
Yet, in this most attractive years for targeting silverware, the stakes are raised further by our most recent victory over Tottenham. Suddenly it is no longer clear which team is favourite for one of two, or possibly even three, Champion's League spots that are up for grabs in the league. Whereas we faltered with our European campaigns of late, in the league we are top of the form table. The competition is absolutely wide open and we now know that we have as good a chance of success as anyone.
So what do we do?
« Last Edit: Feb 12, 2015 07:47:18 pm by JD »
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