Rage Online

Money. It's a funny old subject. If you had dropped down dead two weeks after we won the milk cup, you wouldn't have been complaining about the way Bob ran OUFC. I'm 35, and for the most part have known and a full run of adownward spiral at our football club. If we go on, in debt, to win anything-and I mean anything-I won't really care about the legacy left for my kids. In all things in life, this is the one thing I can be selfish about for my own life span. My house price, my legacy, my shareholdings, my goods, my business... All of these things I have an eye on for the future. My football club is about immediacy and, what I want to enjoy it while I'm still living on this small, mortal planet we call earth.

Should we get somebody more invested then DE, who wants to take us to even higher planes, then I shan't grumble whatever the cost. Football is entertainment and entertainment is only valid while I have breath my lungs. Oxford United is not an opportunity for me to provide a legacy to anybody, but to have pure enjoyment. While I still have feet on this land and breath in my lungs I will will ask on, whatever the cost, to success.

On the subject of Michael Appleton, the jury was a very much out last season, but we have to give credit to him for pulling together a fantastic squad and I hope to hear at some stage the crowd singing his praise once we are established in a position where we know we will move up through the leagues.

If injuries do occur I have faith in MApps recent's loan signings that we may be able to fill gaps when needed. Just to look at Graham and the interchange between his position and Callum O'Dowd and Graham. There is clearly an issue with Callums international involvement, but what a replacement Graham seems to be.

For me the highlight of the season is the relationship between Callum and Baldock. The strength on that side of the pitch, and their understanding is something I've not seen in Oxford United side for a very long time. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the two of them interchange passes, overlapping, and the general understanding of each other on the pitch.

Granted we are still in the infancy of this league, but it is a real joy at the moment to watch this team play. I don't mean to call on fate but I'd like to go to my grave remembering this style of football, it brings a smile to my face.

The difference between the Eales era and the Maxwell era, is that Eales is spending his own money, not burning holes in other people's pension pots. If it all goes the shape of the pear, then only Eales will lose out.

Eales has already converted significant sums from debt to capital, and has significantly increased commercial revenues. On top of that, we are starting to attract regular crowds above the budget level, and there is a very strong feel good factor about the club, which can only result in further improvements.

I suspect Eales' business model is based on getting OUFC into the Championship, when selling the club would easily wipe out accrued debts.

I have to say that I find the way the club is being run, on and off the park, is the best in my 35 years supporting the club. Considering the concerns we all had when Eales, Ashton and Appleton came in, they have completely proved their worth and I am very impressed.

We will get promoted this season, of that I am almost certain, and I think we have a very good chance at taking the title as well.

This squad, is the best we have had since 1995, and I think we would do well in League 1 without too many changes.

I think we should have cautious optimism. Whilst we may have a bit more commercial revenue,
Slightly higher crowds to budget (whatever that is) I imagine the club is still losing several hundreds of thousands of pounds per year and this needs to be funded somehow. Nice performances on the pitch shouldn't blind us to this.

I find it really interesting that people are saying they're sure we'll go up, I agree that things are looking great at the moment but there's still a long way to go!

The same names keep cropping up - Roofe, Sercombe, Graham, Hylton etc- all brilliant, exciting players. But one man who I still feel doesn't get enough credit is Jake Wright. Almost every week for several years now I've sat at the Kassam wondering why on earth no League 1 or Championship has thrown a couple hundred grand at him, the only answer I've got is that he's poor with the ball at his feet, but his job is to defend and he consistently defends brilliantly!

My one main concern on the pitch is stood between the posts. On the evidence of a couple of months Slocombe is a capable shot stopper, but since the Luton game I've felt he needs to be far more commanding in the box, and my fears are yet to be allayed. I've heard/read somewhere, possibly on this forum, that when he was promoted with Scunthorpe he had two big centre-backs that headed everything for him, and from what I've seen that sounds very likely. As much as Mullins and Wright are high in quality they aren't especially tall or dominant in the air. I am curious to see what part Mr Dunkley has to play this season...

joepoolman wrote: I am curious to see what part Mr Dunkley has to play this season...

He certainly should have had a part to play during the second half at Orient!

Wright isn't poor with the ball at his feet at all. Several times this season with quick feet, he has managed to get out of tight situations, and play the ball out well at the back. Dunkley is the one who looks a bit shaky with the ball at his feet.

SWA - I'll grant you he can dribble fairly well for a defender, but beyond a simple pass his distribution is weak IMO, if no midfielder makes himself available (which they should and normally do do) then he struggles.

joepoolman wrote:SWA - I'll grant you he can dribble fairly well for a defender, but beyond a simple pass his distribution is weak IMO, if no midfielder makes himself available (which they should and normally do do) then he struggles.

Agree with this - if he could ping a 40 yard ball to a teammate, he'd be playing at a higher level.

joepoolman wrote:SWA - I'll grant you he can dribble fairly well for a defender, but beyond a simple pass his distribution is weak IMO, if no midfielder makes himself available (which they should and normally do do) then he struggles.

It didn't hinder Rio Ferdinand!