No doubt about it, this is a team in transition.
Unfortunately, progress is not linear, and it’s not always upward trending either — as shown by NU’s results in the first month of the season.
Fortunately, this was to be expected and it’s a natural part of any rebuild. Although it’s Russell Payne’s second season at the helm, it’s really his first in the sense that he can now start making meaningful alterations to the long-term trajectory of this program.
Most importantly, this is in regard to the players he fills his squad with and the system he has them playing in.