Season predictions 2022/23

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Kairdiff Exile
Mid-life Crisis
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Season predictions 2022/23

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

So, with CamBran's contract extension giving rise to a wave of positivity across Oxfordshire, what are our predictions for the season?

Given that the squad's still a bit thin and K-Rob always starts the season slowly anyway, I can see it being something of a grind but that we'll end up hauling ourselves to a mid-table finish. Let's say 13th (unlucky for some). I quite fancy us to have a cup run too, maybe in the FA Cup once K-Rob has a more settled side.

More positively, I can see the #StadiumSituation progressing nicely and us getting through the various hurdles that lie ahead surprisingly easily. Planning permission by the end of the season may be a bit too optimistic, but I think we'll be well on the way. On a related note, I think the various Board changes will get sorted so we'll have a settled Board of Directors as we enter the next phase of the club's history.
Dr Bob
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Re: Season predictions 2022/23

Post by Dr Bob »

This season the league is going to be horribly competitive - although it is hard to know for sure just how much cash is being thrown around by some clubs with so many transfers being for "undisclosed fees" (why is that anyway? Does anyone know?).

I could quite imagine the league splitting in two again, as it did last season. Retaining CBs services was massive and the other signings look impressive. I am still trying to decide if Forde's departure was a decent player looking for more game time, or KR looking for a smaller squad of higher average quality - and higher wages. I cannot imagine that keeping hold of CB came cheap, let alone some of the new signings, so is this a shift in direction with the new board?

I think I predicted 8th last season and I shall go for the same again - amid hope that I shall be proved wrong.
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Season predictions 2022/23

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

If I was guessing, I'd say that Forde was offered more money to drop two divisions and play for Wrecsam (they're paying silly money by all accounts) and was likely to start more games. If they were happy to throw in a fee as well, then it's hard to see a reason to turn it down. I guess the fee and the wages saved may mean we can bring in some cover even allowing for needing to shove some extra bunce CamBran's way.
Isaac
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Re: Season predictions 2022/23

Post by Isaac »

Possibly cheating making a prediction after the first game, but given there's still a month left of the transfer window....

I'm going for 5th. We are a similar team to last year but possibly a bit more mature and definitely more experienced in terms of players signed so far, hopefully that will make the difference. The bench on saturday was a concern and for all the positive chat about the young players from Robinson, he didn't use any of them, despite having 2 subs left and his general love of substitutions.

I confess I've not been following the stadium situation particularly closely, but as ever that feels key to the medium/long term health of the club - some good news there might spur us on further.
slappy
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Re: Season predictions 2022/23

Post by slappy »

Last Thursday was one of the most bizarre transfer related days for Oxford United since Beano turned down a move to Paolo Di Canio's Slumdon, apparently for double the wages.

In the morning we were told that Blackpool had met the buy-out clause for Cameron Brannagan. At that point I was convinced he would be leaving. I didn't quite appreciate that any club could meet the buy-out clause, and then it's down to the buying club to negotiate a package between new club and player. So it's not like there would be a bidding war where one club pays OUFC a higher transfer fee.

The player trading / loans model we've had for the last few years relies on being able to get good players to drop down the leagues and get game time, with the understanding that they will be able to move on to a higher league with no hard feelings. Occasionally we've had players run down their contract to get a free transfer, but generally we've got some decent transfer fees to partly offset the huge losses we are running at.

I didn't think there was any chance we could match a Championship level salary package without upsetting the existing wage structure in the club. So at 10:45 pm I was astonished to see he had signed a new three year deal with no buy-out clause.

However, as Brannagan said in his post signing interview, being happy off the pitch is important too, and he likes living down here, and obviously loves fishing the carp lakes.

As to another question regards "undisclosed fees", Price Of Football podcast covered this, and it's mainly to stop other clubs knowing how much money you have left to pay transfer fees / wages. Eg sell player X for £10M and club Y knows you have that much available to sign a replacement.
Geoff
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Re: Season predictions 2022/23

Post by Geoff »

I'd like to be positive about our chances this season given the signings we've made thus far, but we still have gaps in the squad and need to fill them sooner rather than later. The bench at Derby showed that. Jones and Bate will obviously make a difference but we're still short of a striker and a defender for me and Wildschut's injury will hopefully trigger a pacey loan replacement. Should they arrive within the next two weeks I would be hopeful of finishing in the playoffs. Bear in mind, if we lose today we're already six points behind the leaders.
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