Firstly Chairman Peter Ridsdale must allow money to be spent on team strenghtening. It looks like the isues with Langston will be settled shortly out of court so we should not have that Sword of Damocles hanging over us.
"Dave Jones has told me the sort of spending power he would like," said Ridsdale.
"If we are able to give him that money he believes we can go on to earn promotion. I will not break my policy of not spending money we can't afford, but we will do everything possible to give Dave the backing he needs for next season."
Last year we took in money from Chopra, McLean, Gunter and reinvested very little apart from wages to Hasselbaink and Fowler. We've had two great cup runs and now with the exposure the club has had and the record breaking season ticket sales there can be no excuse for tightening the purse strings and self-inflicting a struggle next season.Our main concerns will be the furures of Aaron Ramsey and Joe Ledley. The papers are already trying to complete a move to Man Utd for Ramsey. What a shame it would be if the 17 year old were to disappear into the system. Let him play a full season at Championship level for City. He could be the catalyst for a top 6 finish. Ledley is linked with Everton. It's likely both players will go but we hope as the days go by that the club puts it's own ambition in front of the £ signs and keeps these lads for at least another year.
There is also speculation that Roger Johnson, Peter Whittingham and Tony Capaldi could be attracting interest. Middlesbrough are linked with Johnson, Championship teams Wolves and Coventry for Capaldi.
Of course players will leave as well. Forde, Oakes, Thompson, Sinclair. Stay or go? We are yet to see a retained list from Dave Jones.
Coming in we appear to have two new faces for sure. Goalkeepr Tom Heaton from Man Utd is looking like a done deal and so is Miguel Commingues, a full back from Swindon.
Jones has to decide on Fowler and Hasselbaink.
For me (and this is my opinion now not fact) the crucial players for next season are Loovens, Johnson, McNaughton, Ledley, Ramsey and Parry. I would love to build my team for next year on those 6 players.
We need a solid keeper (Heaton maybe?), Capaldi could probably keep his place if nothing better can be found (Commingues has a good reputation). I'm unconvinced by the midfield duo of Rae and McPhail. Squad players maybe or one or the other with Ramsey if he stays.
I also think we need two new front men. Learn from Stoke and Bristol City and WBA, big athletic, pacey strikers who are a threat. We need to get leaner, meaner and more ruthless along with the quality football we know we can play.
Cardiff City have the chance to here to make a real effort this season.To exit Ninian Park with a promotion winning team ready to move across the road as a Premier League club. With the committment and ambition of the board I can't see why it shouldn't be us in 12 months time looking forward to the top table just like Stoke this time around.