Expectations for 2024/25

[BD]

With the eve of the new season almost upon us, what are your expectations for the season ahead? ST's stewardship is clearly still in its infancy and there is still plenty of work to do. The spectre of last season is behind us now, but clearly we are still in a transitional stage. Personally, I believe we will be competitive but not challenging the higher echelons of the table. ST has a rebuilding job ahead of him, and it won't be an overnight thing. Happy to be proven wrong.

Thoughts?

[Bay Dolphin]

I fear that your "competitive but not challenging" prediction may well be turn out to be fairly accurate BD.
Having read the opinions expressed on the "Downton v Poole" thread, other fans appear to be equally apprehensive.
I'm happy to be proved wrong too so let's hope for the best and give ST and co., and the players, every chance.
COYD!

P.S. as for the goalkeeper situation, I wish I was about 40 years younger!

[laserdad]

Your quite right BD . Most teams start with a core of players and add to strengthen where we are virtually starting from scratch and it will take time .So let's buckle up and hopefully enjoy the journey.?

[dolphin]

Can I ask a genuine question, who actually picks and signs the players now?

My reason for the question is that when we appointed Tully, I was excited to see what connections he had in the West Country having been at Bristol Rovers, Exeter, Truro, I thought it might be quite exciting to see some new faces.

But so far, many of the players who have come in are players that we’ve all seen do the rounds at many local clubs without pulling up any trees. I’m not saying they are bad players but in my opinion not promotion winning players and not as good as some players we’ve lost (McCarthy being the exception as he is a real coup)

Then you’ve got Staunton (ex Yeovil) and Hewlett (Burton) are obviously through Rossiters connections at both clubs.

So my question is that with Tully having not been involved with this league/standard of football for a few seasons having been at Bristol Rovers, then who’s been picking these local players who we’ve all seen and been uninspired by before?

I do think Steve Tully is a good manager and a good guy but how patient will they be with him if we aren’t in the top spots early on? After all we had 4 managers last season and Rossiter is expecting promotion for the next 3 seasons in a row according to his recent statements about being a football league side in 4 years time

[laserdad]

I guess there's only so much money in the pot and the money man makes the decisions.

[jamesm]

This is an interesting topic with some very good points raised. Following considerable commercial activity & substantial investment on & off the pitch, I think the minimum expectation is the play-offs. We've made some very promising signings & have the nucleus of a good side. Yes, admittedly we're a few players shy (in key positions) but we're not far off. It's now up to Steve & Luke to ensure that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Another interesting & exciting season awaits!

[expat]

Dolphin

Can you imagine a Football League side playing at Creekmoor?

There are going to be some mightily bewildered Poole Fans if we do not make serious progress starting in August

BUT expectations are high and we all hope for a winning start to the season'
We need to get those of wavering faith back in the Stands

COYNED

[WelshDolphin]

I am hopeful that we might, but will be pleasantly surprised if we make the playoffs, given that the season is pretty much a couple of weeks away and we're still short of 2 goalkeepers and (at least) 2 more defenders. Surely anyone half decent has already sorted themselves out by now so getting quality into those positions will be really tough.

Like dolphin I was also hoping that Tully's connections at Rovers or Exeter might find us a few young players that he had worked with as youth players that have been released by those clubs as young pros, but that doesn't seem to have happened. Maybe we can get some season long loan of some young lads from those clubs to shore up the positions we need to cover.

The danger comes in if we're not in the top 6 again by October and Tully gets the boot because of Rossiter's weird idea that we should be walking the League and gets an itchy trigger finger as he did with Tommy. We then end up with a 2nd rate manager again and the cycle repeats.

Judging by the friendlies there will be goals at both ends though so we could be in for some goalfests which would be fun!

[dave]

No chance Poole are losing 3-0 at Exmouth. No chance this season I am afraid. Oh of course the result does not matter!

A very poor pre season for Poole and beaten again by a team well below Poole in the League structure.

[jonjondorset]

Of course the Transition phase in rebuilding will always be more than signing players.  Moulding a team and gaining confidence and momentum takes time.  So patience needed, especially when results or performance falls below that needed to compete at our level.

no idea what sort of team are playing at Exmouth tonight but Flashscore just told me Exmouth are 3-0 up.  I fear the fall out from the exodus of players last season will continue into the coming season…but of course a couple of astute signing…loans or permanent….can change things very quickly

[nigelj]

I admit that I am a glass half empty type of person,but we keep loosing convincingly to teams below our level,something needs to improve,when Rossiter said that he wanted to take us to another level this wasn't what I was expecting .Let's hope that the players start to gel together very soon.

[DorsetDolphin]

My first pre season game tonight and left completely shocked at what i witnessed. I know it's pre season and a few players were missing but unless things improve quickly I fear for us this season, against a very poor Exmouth side (whose 2 centre backs were knackered after 25 mins and 1 of them spent most of his game talking to his mates on the sideline). Completely new team hope things gel quickly liked the look of Oakley Hanger and think we look better with natural wide players, Tyler forbes 3 times went through 1on1 so result could of been different.

[BD]

Yes the pre-season has been far from ideal, results have definitely been a bag of liqorice allsorts, but it is pre-season. Results are secondary. Rhythm and fitness trump results. Yes good form builds momentum into the season, and losing 3-0 to a lower league team isn't great preparation. Let's hold fire and not have a knee jerk reaction. Let's seen what transpires over the next month .

[Stato]

Difficult to say tbh as pre-season rarely indicates the season ahead. Good pre-seasons can often lead to a poor league campaign and visa versa. While it’s difficult for fans to see losing to a lower league opponent as a positive it’s often not about the result. It’s about fitness, match minutes, trying things out, bedding in new players, building new partnerships etc. That said, on the whole, pre-season has been poor but I’m certainly not going to hit the panic button just yet. In fact I believe Tully would have learnt so much from the matches as he can see the work that needs to be done, the areas that need attention, players that need to improve etc. Remember this is all still a work in progress and I believe in Tully and Burbs to get it right eventually. Do I think we will hit the ground running? Given the task of the first 3 games then no but, if nothing else, I’ve been very impressed with Tully since he joined and am confident he will get it right over the course of the season. It’s a marathon not a sprint as they say.

[bearwoodbob]

Some very thoughtful and considered comments on this thread. However you cant sugar coat what the results actually tell us. We have no pace in central defence just like last season. No fullbacks we have any confidence in and no goal keepers. Surely if Steve Tully is the Manager you all think he is this should be a red flag warning. We have been a leaking ship for over a season and I have little confidence things will improve with the current players.I hope to be prove wrong but expect this season to be a struggle with us operating in the bottom half of table.

[Stato]

I totally agree the defence is a huge worry. It was poor last season with Dec, Harvey and Hutch and, with their leaving, it is far worse now. The cb’s are a real concern and are perhaps being backed because of their past reputations but sadly, as we can all see, that counts for nothing in the here and now. We desperately need a couple of quality understudies with pace to learn and develop from the undoubted experience and qualities both Whisk and Staunts have to offer. Oakley looks decent enough at rb but needs cover in the event of injury, suspensions etc. and also for competition to keep him on his toes. The lb situation is a huge concern as it is such a specialised position with quality left footers like rocking horse poo. Hopefully the powers that be have something up their sleeve but they are certainly leaving it late if so! The keeper situation is less of a concern as, as I understand it, they have several options in that department. If rumours are to be believed then the unveiling of a top class keeper could be announced over the weekend. If true then he would change the whole dynamic of the season ahead.
On a more positive note, we definitely look a force from the midfield going forward with some quality signings. Forget the friendlies, goals will be easier to come by this season with the likes of McCarthy, Davis, Lowes, Slade, Clarke, Hoey, Diaz and Forbes backing up Toby and Tom. Maybe that’s the plan? A Keegan Newcastle whereby you score 3, we’ll score 4 😁 Still think we are in for another rollercoaster this season but with more highs than last year🤞🐬

[wallyred]

I’vee watched Poole , Totton and Dorch this pre season. For me Poole look well of short of the other two . Poole lack leaders on the pitch , solid defender just kicks and heads not much else . Another winger and good keeper some thing that feel should be first signing of the summer then build from back move forward the other worried the club yet again narrowed the pitch which for me is a big problem away push there full backs and wingers in and there will be very hard break down . ST And LB need to be left alone to get on the job fear they influenced by certain higher ups this always fails in longer term. I really fear for Poole this season

[expat]

Thx WallyRed

A sobering look at PTFC as we approach the new season,

let us hope we are being a bit too pessimistic

Early success in the League and Cup will lift spirits

[John Anderson]

Those of us of a certain age will remember great pre-seasons and appalling ones. Neither is a good indication of the campaign to come. I have been critical for some time of the lack of mobility/creativity in the CB positions, especially since Spetchy left, but any team is only any good if it is a team. With the changes in personnel, it will take some time to gel and Pre-season is a painless way of trying new things. Not all of them will work.

As seasoned supporters, most of us have been cured of the blind faith of back to back promotions and so we are right to be skeptics. That does not mean we should not support the team.

One thing that I have noticed is the professional way the club is now being run. Any one that has been to Tatnam will now it looks very smart with the contrasting red and white seats and newly painted stand. Many other changes, some visible and some not, but all pointing towards a better future. We all know how a lack of basic facilities hinder the rise through the leagues and , as I see it this will become a distant memory soon. Well at least when the first spade hits the ground in Creekmoor.

So it is down to the footballing side of the club to click. Playoffs have to be the target although we can all dream of winning the league. Once the whistle blows in two weeks time we will get some idea of where we are. Don’t expect miracles, just hope for them.

[DorsetDolphin]

As a supporter of over 30 years I've seen lots of highs and lows at Poole, just really concerned how weak our defence was on Friday but hoping once the season kicks off everyone's levels will go up a notch, win or lose will support Poole as always.

[georgefullerton]

Understandable that some fans are worried given results in pre season and the situation with GK/defence, but I know the management team and board will be doing everything they can to ensure we start the season in as strong a position as possible.

The ground is looking fantastic, we have a fantastic manager in Steve Tully and some talented players. Yes, they will need time to gel and yes, we are a few players short at this point, but let’s hope we can get the final pieces of the jigsaw together and have a really positive season.

I’m sure it’ll be a difficult start, but as we see every year in the SPL, anything can happen!

COYD 🐬