00:00We've got a few of our predictions to bring you.
00:04We've been having a bit of a think.
00:06I think the major one is, and I haven't seen an awful lot of this,
00:08is what are Alvin's expectations?
00:10What is the realistic prediction?
00:16And I think I kind of wrote a piece a few weeks back
00:19about when we went into the QPR game last season,
00:23you know, the transfer business was far from done.
00:24I think a lot of people were kind of underwhelmed
00:26but knew it was going to be a bit of a transition of a summer
00:30and the expectation was low.
00:33That expectation went absolutely through the roof
00:35when Alvin won five games out of six at the start of last season.
00:38For me, the expectation should probably be a little bit lower
00:43going into this season.
00:45New manager, rookie manager, you know,
00:49now with a potential sale of a big player.
00:51Alvin have invested, invested in January.
00:53I think the expectation, I think the hope at the club
00:59will obviously be playoffs and the hope among every Albion fan
01:02will obviously be playoffs.
01:04But for me,
01:08a top 10 finish,
01:12as maybe negative as that might sound to a lot of our listeners,
01:17I don't think it sounds negative.
01:19It is a realistic expectation.
01:23I think if Ryan Mason gets Alvin in the top 10
01:26or between, you know, eighth and sixth,
01:29challenging for the playoffs,
01:30that's what he'll be hoping for.
01:32But if it's a top 10 finish,
01:33Alvin finished ninth,
01:35for me, that might represent
01:37an okay season,
01:40a good season,
01:41a step in the right direction.
01:42And, you know,
01:44if we come out of a season
01:45with Alvin finishing eighth or ninth,
01:47you know,
01:48they've had a little bit of a jab
01:49towards the bottom end of the playoffs,
01:50but we've come out of it
01:52with a really good settled side
01:55that's played some good stuff
01:56and had good spells
01:57and Mason's done relatively well
01:59in his first season.
02:00For me,
02:01that represents
02:02a good campaign.
02:04So for me,
02:04I think Alvin will finish
02:05anywhere between sixth
02:06and tenth.
02:09It's not beyond the realms of possibility
02:10that they get in the playoffs
02:11because Ryan Mason
02:12is an unknown manager.
02:13He might get something
02:15out of these players
02:15that Carlos Corbran
02:16and Tony Mowbray
02:17didn't before him.
02:19We don't know that
02:20until the season kicks off.
02:21But for me,
02:23sixth to tenth
02:24is about where Alvin
02:24will be this season.
02:26Good into my head
02:27if you're asking me
02:28to pick a number,
02:29which I think
02:30we should both do
02:31and jot it down
02:32and revisit it
02:33in many months' time.
02:34I'll say
02:34the number I've got in my head
02:37is I think
02:37Alvin will finish eighth.
02:39And there's no science to that,
02:41but on top of
02:43what you've said really,
02:44Johnny,
02:44I think that's how I see it
02:46here and now.
02:47That's around about
02:48where I see where they are.
02:51Yes,
02:51I mean,
02:52come September the 2nd,
02:54maybe we can revisit this
02:56because it is quite tricky,
02:57isn't it,
02:57to do when
02:59business is not finished
03:00and obviously things
03:01drastically could change.
03:03But, you know,
03:06it is,
03:07it's more transition,
03:08absolutely.
03:08and the case
03:10I sort of hinted
03:11at the top
03:12about expectations
03:13each season
03:13kind of just
03:14lowering that step
03:15further down
03:16because it comes
03:16that bit harder
03:17the more you're
03:18sort of marooned
03:19or trenched.
03:22But,
03:23on the flip side,
03:24it's still
03:24West Bromwich Albion
03:25and there's still
03:27quality in the building.
03:29You know?
03:30And yes,
03:31you know,
03:31Hagen,
03:31we know that's up
03:32in the air
03:32and whatever comes
03:35to follow it,
03:36but there's still
03:36talent,
03:38extreme talent
03:39for this level
03:40in the building.
03:41So,
03:42there will still be
03:43that internal
03:44target
03:45of the top six,
03:47but I think
03:48that sort of
03:48how you balance
03:51and weigh up
03:51potential disappointment
03:53if it doesn't happen.
03:55You know,
03:55I don't think
03:56it's not
03:57a pitchfork
03:58and torch his job
04:00if it's
04:00seventh,
04:01eighth,
04:01ninth visit.
04:02It's,
04:03you know,
04:04and again,
04:05fans pay their money
04:05and absolutely
04:06make up their own
04:07mind on that,
04:08but that's how I see it.
04:09And I think,
04:10I think,
04:11you know,
04:12baggage fans out
04:12less certainly
04:13the like-minded
04:15sort of ones
04:17would agree with that,
04:18I would expect.
04:19But,
04:19but most will carry
04:21that hope and optimism,
04:22won't they?
04:22And yeah,
04:24it's just,
04:24you look at the other
04:25side of it,
04:26the squad out
04:27is now a lack of depth
04:28in some areas,
04:29fitness question marks.
04:31It's,
04:31it's,
04:31it's really,
04:32it looks like a tough
04:33championship,
04:33doesn't it?
04:34A really strong championship.
04:35You only got the sides
04:36coming up
04:36and the ones that keep
04:38going up to the top flight
04:39and back down
04:39get stronger
04:40with the finances
04:41and it,
04:41it's really tricky
04:43to make a case.
04:44I think it's,
04:45I think it's tricky
04:46to make a case
04:46for a top six finish.
04:47I do,
04:48a strong case.
04:49But,
04:49you know,
04:50clearly not,
04:50not impossible,
04:51not totally
04:52but,
04:52well,
04:52thank you.
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