As ridiculous as it seems, in less than a fortnight we’ll be mulling over next season’s fixtures. Those wishing to milk every last drop out of City’s play-off triumph had better be quick about it.
The stark reality of what lies ahead will soon be revealed and with it will come the reopening of some old, festering wounds, most the result of that turgid, soul destroying and ultimately fruitless last season in the top flight.
The memories of the no-shows, the ultra-defensive mindset and the all too regular capitulations still remain – in particular, I suspect, for the travelling Yellow Army.
So too the dismissiveness of the pundits, that general feeling of being unwelcome guests at a swish party and, of course, that sinking feeling when skimming down the Match of the Day running order.
For some the play-offs represented a great adventure, but one that, had it ended in Wembley disappointment, would have been met with little more than a shrug.
After all, we were almost unanimous in agreeing that regardless of the highs and lows, the Championship had been much more fun than the Premier League, in particular said second season under Chris Hughton’s tutelage.
The safety net of another swashbuckling 46-game season was, for some, almost irresistible.
Yet, here we are now, just over a year after suffering the aforementioned pain, ready and raring to go again. All bright eyed and bushy tailed.
In the best footballing traditions of blind hope and optimism we will kick-off again on August 8, with aspirations of mid-table comfort and – this is a biggie – perhaps even a cup run?
That leaves Alex Neil just 65 days to transform the current iteration – I.E. ‘the best squad in the Championship’ – into an outfit that’s at least the 17th best in the Premier League. In truth however, there is little doubt the gaffer’s aspirations will be rather higher than one place above the relegation zone.
While to the watching world I expect the club to trot out the ‘consolidation in the first season back’ platitude, I’m positive that was not the mindset that took Hamilton Academicals to third place in the SPL at the turn of the year.
Like another Scot before him, Alex will be wanting to ‘give it a right go’.
And it’s on that basis, without sticking my neck out too far, I like to think that in twelve months time we won’t be undertaking the next round soul-searching, which tends to accompany the club’s every backward step.
That’s not to say it won’t be a rough ride at times – and it’s a little too early for serious predictions – but if the last 25 games have told us anything it’s that Messrs Neil, McAvoy and Holt will not just be taking City along for the ride. The planning will be meticulous, so too the tactical and mental preparation.
In my first Metro column of the new season (yes, really) I was asked to offer five reasons as to why City will survive in the Premier League. I came up with four and a half – number five was stretching it a bit – but in the process convinced myself that with a few astute summer buys we do indeed have what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Much of course rests on the ability of Team Neil to create that same environment of fearlessness that prevailed in Hamilton in the second half of 2014, and also the harnessing of the underdog mentality epitomised by the Accies’ 1-0 win at Celtic Park.
In terms of being in the City dugout, it will be a different ball game as of August 8. No more being the big fish.
In the less rarefied atmosphere of the Championship, Neil knew that if he could get a tune out of a squad which – regardless of its description – was one of the best in the division, he could deliver as promised.
This time round he’ll be regularly locking horns with the haves in a division in which City will be in a small group of have-nots – relatively speaking of course.
He’s already cited the management of expectation levels as one of his biggest challenges and there is no question the Y’Army will need to brace itself for some disappointing afternoons.
Also the harsh reality is that the undefeated away record will be unlikely to survive too many weeks into the new season.
But what we can expect is that every sinew will be strained in order to make it happen.
Last time out ‘sleep walking to relegation’ became a phrase synonymous with the club’s inglorious slide to the second tier but, even before a ball has been kicked, it’s clear season 2015/16 will be different.
The next few weeks will be fascinating and already behind the scenes a file marked ‘Scenario A’ is being actioned. For now, all we can do is sit tight, trust Alex and Frankie, and let Macca do his dealing.
Roll on June 17.
Given my memories of sitting through endless failures under Chris Hughton – even when we did win he tried to make it boring- Alex Neil needs to do one thing for me. Exactly as the article says, just have a go at teams, no matter who we play try to win, I know full well we won’t triumph every time. But starting with that mentality of simply trying not to lose if we can? It’s begging for disaster. Just ask poor old Chris Hughton.
Personally, I can’t wait for next season and locking horns with the “big boys.”
Goals will be key. Last time we managed just 28, with just 17 at home and 11 away. No where near enough and that’s why we deserved to be relegated.
Somehow, I just can’t see it being the same this time around!
Hi Gary, I’m looking forward to our boys pitting their wits against some very talented footballers and, hopefully, surprising a few people on the way.
We won’t win every week, but we won’t just surrender either, Alex Neil is a man who likes to play with positivity, I’m sure we will see lots of attacking flair, we now have a much better version of Paul Lambert encouraging our boys to go for glory!
COYY OTBC IANWT
Neil seems very tactically astute and prepares to the nth degree. The key games in the premier league are often those against teams around you. If we can win the more of those than we lose we’ll not go far wrong. The games against Chelsea, Arsenal and the like look after themselves where are points picked up are bonus ones.
Bring it on! Of course it won’t be easy – some of the top teams have single players costing as much as our entire squad! But I’m pretty sure we can mix it with the Stokes, West Broms, Villas and Sunderlands of this division – and with Neil at the helm, without the all-consuming ‘fear factor’ which was all too apparent last time round – on the pitch AND in the stands.
A key to City’s prospects is the contribution of Sebastian Bassong. In 2013-14, he fell out with Hughton and Adams and he was part of the reason why the season ended disastrously. This time he can again be a star turn as in 2012-13. Others whose contributions will need to improve include Tettey and Johnson. Both should take encouragement from their season in the Championship. If Alex Neil can harness their undoubted strengths to the team, City can do well.
I am looking forward to seeing Jonny Howson back in the Premier League. If he can stay fit, he has an immense role to play. The same applies to Redmond who showed in the playoffs how good he can be.
Above all, the manager must create an offensive style to get Jerome, Grabban or Hooper scoring regularly. Each of them has the potential to be effective in the Premier League.
Let us hope that the management team can get City off to a good start. Then they can play with the freedom that they showed against Middlesborough.
Sitting with my young son last time in the PL was gloomier than Hughtons style of play! Lost count of the times his head was in his hands saying lets go now! So is it now that it’s almost two years on and he’s a teenager that he’s looking forward to the return of top flight football? I think not! its our new leader our new manager that has dared us all to believe we have a team that can give teams a good battle, and are prepared to keep an attacking momentum, a more solid defence and not forgetting Alex has a plan B
#otbc
Please can one of the MFW contributors put paid to all this optimism and hope for a new beginning by dragging up one of the many articles they wrote telling us that such people have no understanding of the game. A cautious Hughton style approach is the only one that will give us a chance of staying in the division (it shouldn’t be too hard as there were hundreds of them written).
Like all apologists for any discredited regime these people have seamlessly attached themselves to the changes made under Neil without a backward glance. Maybe it’s time I did the same!
Andy W (8) – If it makes you happy, here’s a ‘classic’ from yours truly…
https://norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com/2014/01/03/a-rocky-few-months-ahead-for-those-clad-in-yellow-as-premier-league-survival-will-typically-go-down-to-the-wire/
I’ve admitted many times that my optimism was ill-founded and ultimately just plain wrong! Sorry for being optimistic all over again
Quick straw poll – given the choice would people prefer to start the season vs Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal or end it that way? Same question for Vs Sunderland, Villa and WBA. Which and why?
Personally I’d rather play the big boys earlier so we’re not going into the last games needing points against teams who may be playing to win the league. Of course playing against teams trying desperately to stay up isn’t necessarily a better scenario.
My green and yellow tinted glasses have me believing we’ll actually finish comfortably mid table but it wouldn’t be the first time they had deceived me.
So, you’re not going to give us those five reasons, Gary? I guess we’ll have to find them some other way…
What I’d really like to see in the early part of the season is the cutting of slack for the management and players if things don’t go well from the off. It will take a lot of readjustment, there will be new players settling in and teams up there (with a few exceptions) are very savvy when it comes to exposing naivety. The last thing anyone would need is the fans getting on their backs if we’re struggling early on.
As for the fixtures question above, Geoff, I’d rather play teams of the Sunderland/Villa nature in the early matches. It’s hard to get momentum going in a season if you go a long time without a win. After a poor run, even bottom-three teams have a fear factor because games become that bit more important.
Ben (11) – I added a hyperlink to the Metro piece. Click on it and it’ll take you through to my four and a half reasons! 🙂
Cheers Gary; I’ll give it a read.