Who do you want us to be?
A further part of Chirs Lepkowski's interview with Jeremy Peace was published this morning, and seems to have kicked up the usual storm about his apparent lack of ambition for the club. The 'should-we-spend-more-money?' debate has to be one of the most tiresome amongst Albion fans, and brings out depressingly boorish opinions:
Essentially my view is this: Spending more money would not get us anywhere. In the short-term it doesn't seem to much help, and in the longer-term is certainly hinders.
What I find confusing is, who are we aiming to be? Which teams out there do we hope to replicate by spending more and more? As far as I can see, there are no comparable clubs that are spending the kind of money that the fans that moan want us to spend, and having consequent success. Looking at last season's final league table, the 7 clubs above us aren't in a comparable financial position. As for the teams below, if you consider clubs like Sunderland, Aston Villa and Newcastle, all of which have spent significantly in recent years, it has quite clearly not helped them at all.
Some seem to have taken Peace's comments that Albion are a "mid-table Championship club that is massively over-performing" as a personal insult. Quite aside from the fact that being offended by what someone says about your football team is completely absurd, he is actually not far from the mark. We are over-achieving, about that there can be no doubt, and I am sure he is sending a message to fans who are expecting us to break the bank that it is simply not feasible.
Ultimately, we had too good a season last year, and Peace is just trying to deflate expectations. People are talking about having to "kick on". Of course I want to improve, but I only want us to make an effort that is proportional to our means.