Rage Online

OtmoorYellow wrote: ↑Thu Jun 21, 2018 12:07 pm I had a bad feeling ahead of last season that we wouldn't do too well. Uncertainties over Eales, Appleton leaving, several big name players departed.

Despite my earlier reservations about Tiger, I'm beginning to warm to him. I suspect he is a much more careful owner than we've had for a while, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, provided he knows when to invest for progress.

I have a good feeling about the season ahead, even though signings have been thin on the ground so far. I'm a big fan of Robinson's style and he speaks and seems to understand the game and supporters very well.

For reasons I cannot substantiate or explain (and when I say that I mean it is just a feeling, I don't have any hard evidence), I think this coming season we will be promoted, and I think the stadium will be bought from Kassam as well, whether that be under Tiger's separate control, or within the assets of the football club.

125th anniversary season 2018/19 will be a very big and important one for Oxford United.

Kairdiff Exile wrote: ↑Thu Jun 21, 2018 12:22 pm Making predictions is a mug's game... so here goes.

I don't share OY's optimism. Not one bit. Karl Robinson talks a good game, and is clearly competent, but I don't think he's as good as many fans think. He's also not (so far, at least) signed players who immediately make me think he can improve significantly on last season's bottom-third finish. Indeed, on current showing we have a net loss of talent. Obviously we'll see some faces come in eventually, but it strikes me as a massive leap of faith to believe we can throw together a team in a very competitive league that will compete at the top end without much more investment than the current evidence is showing.

Likewise, Sunrith Thanakarnjanasuth has improved his PR in recent months - but having a nice new shirt and a decent sponsor does not, by itself, convince me that we're any less constrained off the pitch than last year. We still don't own our ground, we still have crowds at the 7,000-mark compared to some teams at our level who can comfortably draw double that, and I don't see either of those things changing any time soon.

Ka$$am isn't going to sell; that's become abundantly clear in the last few years. He knows his best bet is to sit tight, wait for us to move voluntarily or the lease to expire, and then cash in on the land by developing it for housing. Does our chairman have pockets deep enough to spend £10-£15m on a new stadium and keep us competitive in Div 3? Maybe, maybe not - but I don't see any evidence of it yet.

So, sorry to depress you - but I'm saying we'll be 14th.

Radley Rambler wrote: ↑Thu Jun 21, 2018 12:28 pm

OtmoorYellow wrote: ↑Thu Jun 21, 2018 12:07 pm I had a bad feeling ahead of last season that we wouldn't do too well. Uncertainties over Eales, Appleton leaving, several big name players departed.

Despite my earlier reservations about Tiger, I'm beginning to warm to him. I suspect he is a much more careful owner than we've had for a while, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, provided he knows when to invest for progress.

I have a good feeling about the season ahead, even though signings have been thin on the ground so far. I'm a big fan of Robinson's style and he speaks and seems to understand the game and supporters very well.

For reasons I cannot substantiate or explain (and when I say that I mean it is just a feeling, I don't have any hard evidence), I think this coming season we will be promoted, and I think the stadium will be bought from Kassam as well, whether that be under Tiger's separate control, or within the assets of the football club.

125th anniversary season 2018/19 will be a very big and important one for Oxford United.

Best get your money on at 8/1 then.

https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2018/june/league-betting/

Kairdiff Exile wrote: ↑Thu Jun 21, 2018 12:22 pm Making predictions is a mug's game... so here goes.

I don't share OY's optimism. Not one bit. Karl Robinson talks a good game, and is clearly competent, but I don't think he's as good as many fans think. He's also not (so far, at least) signed players who immediately make me think he can improve significantly on last season's bottom-third finish. Indeed, on current showing we have a net loss of talent. Obviously we'll see some faces come in eventually, but it strikes me as a massive leap of faith to believe we can throw together a team in a very competitive league that will compete at the top end without much more investment than the current evidence is showing.

Likewise, Sunrith Thanakarnjanasuth has improved his PR in recent months - but having a nice new shirt and a decent sponsor does not, by itself, convince me that we're any less constrained off the pitch than last year. We still don't own our ground, we still have crowds at the 7,000-mark compared to some teams at our level who can comfortably draw double that, and I don't see either of those things changing any time soon.

Ka$$am isn't going to sell; that's become abundantly clear in the last few years. He knows his best bet is to sit tight, wait for us to move voluntarily or the lease to expire, and then cash in on the land by developing it for housing. Does our chairman have pockets deep enough to spend £10-£15m on a new stadium and keep us competitive in Div 3? Maybe, maybe not - but I don't see any evidence of it yet.

So, sorry to depress you - but I'm saying we'll be 14th.