I don't get the support he gets. We've not made any real forwards progress since he took over, despite having a better manager. We've got a squad that is basically on par with what we had when he took over and all the money he has spent has been brought in by selling players that were already here. We finished 10th with 64 points the season before he joined and we're currently 12th, on course for 65 points. He can definitely talk the talk and he has some convinced but "being fair" he's achieved **** all.
It definitely wasn't. Do you not remember our worst start to a league campaign for 30 years? We had no injuries then. Our summer business, just as the year before, left us massively unprepared going into the season. Whether you think the players we signed were great or not (I happen to think "jury is still out" on most of them isn't the best indicator of great) is almost irrelevant when it puts us in an almost impossible position to compete for promotion.
The squad age is much lower. I'd argue better in quite a few positions
pre-KS GK: Archer, Stojanovic, Pears
Now: Dieng, Glover, Jones
Pears was very young and inexperienced, and we never really wanted to sell, but yes, we are in a better place now
pre-KS: FB: Dijksteel, Fisher, Bola, Marvin Johnson, Coulson, Spence
Now: Smith, Dijksteel, Engel, Bangura, Coulson
Better now, although the Smith injury has weakened us and we need to fill that in the summer as unlikely he'll be back the player he was
pre-KS CBs: Fry, McNair, Hall, Wood
Now: Fry, McNair, Clarke, Rav, Lenihan
Clearly better now. Although a gap will emerge when McNair leaves But McNair was on silly money, so will be a big FFP win to get him out.
pre-KS CM: Howson, Tavernier, Saville, Wing
CM: Hackney, Howson, Barlaser
About the same, Howson has deteriorated, Hackney and Tav about the same, Barlaser better than Saville and Wing.
pre-KS Wide and 10: Bolasie, Browne, Folarin, Jones, Mendez-Laing,
Wide and 10: Azaz, Jones, McGree, Silvera, Crooks, Forss, Gilbert
Again, clearly much better now
pre-KS CF: Britt, Fletcher, Akpom, Watmore
CF: Lath, Hoppe, Coburn
Better depth in the pre-KS days, but that forward 4 cost an absolute fortune in FFP terms and got the grand total of 20 league goals between them that season. Despite injuries and playing Greenwood and Rogers at CF, our remaingin two main strikers have got 10 league goals, add in Rogers 2 from playing up top and they are on a par with what the expensive pre-KS strikeforce did. We had more depth under KS, but no more quality. We paid about 10m a year FFP for the pre-KS strikeforce
we are paying about 3m for this equally average strike force. So financially it's better. Still needs strengthening though.
So yeah, we are arguably in a better position with the squad today than when Scott took over. Younger squad, better quality in most areas, and less rediculous contracts in place.