Little bit of info

Unless the whole pyramid collapses, in multiple countries, I don't see how anything changes. Governance in the UK is split across multiple bodies and we've the fiscal pressure of Sky and BT (and Amazon and any other entity that wants to play the game). All are making money from football.

Once owners are in, how do you get rid of them unless they do something criminal? The most damage an individual has done was at Blackpool (that I can think of) and the lengths that had to be gone to there was insane. If Oyston hadn't made the agreement he did and welched on it, he'd probably still be there.

The other question thats closer to home... who owns us? Or perhaps more accurately to say.... who funded these owners? I'd say the wealthiest of them would be Chien Lee who should have earned a few million from the first raise IPO at the hotel chain he had a minority holding in. Parekh likely has a few quid, but he's likely in his infancy in wealth accrual. So I suspect Lee funded most of the deal with Parekh supplementing, or we had some sort of fund they've borrowed from thats registered offshore (like Red Ball Corp has done in the caymans).

Because HK is so opaque, we can't see the accounts of the ownership vehicle and how that is funded or if its owned by other entities.

If we're not able to see ultimate holding company information, we're going to struggle to hold people to account and understand motives.

 

It would be nice if someone could actually get one of them to sit down and ask them what their motives are.
If it's to make money that's fine as long as it's not to the detriment of the club. I can't see where they are making anything remotely worth their while though and I'm still totally in the dark about why they're here.

 

I agree. They're billionaire businessman. They can't be here to make money. Maybe they want to be a global franchise that gets a team to the top flight without spending vast sums of money. It's got to be a prestige thing unless they are skint Con Men.

 

Completely agree.

The amount of time just to watch us, and the time put in to have to deal with so much rubbish and media rounds over 3-4 years and the scope for profit seems nominal to me.

If i had multi millions, I absolutely would not be wasting my time buying some of the smaller clubs in their respective leagues across Europe.

I've seen some call them asset strippers. They very much aren't (at this stage, and hopefully that doesn't change). But maybe carpet baggers is a more realistic suggestion.

 

They aren't billionaires, lets stop implying they are.

 

Well maybe not for you but I like to be kept in the loop with key players injurys etc.

 

Then why not find him on a social media channel and ask him? I also suspect its not been asked give the huge issues we're faced with and how there are problems around so may aspects of the club.

A short term injury doesn't seem that big a deal in the scheme of things, so I can understand why its gone under the radar for the journos. Maybe they'll ask at the press conference before the Bristol game. You could maybe message RS, Leon Wobschall or Doug O'Kane and see if they can find out too.

 

Benson was injured in the warm up against whoever it was. Forest maybe. It was his return from covid.

Not played since.

 

You would expect such information in the pre match press conference, rather than Q&A sessions with the CEO, but Schopp seems a bit more evasive than Ismael was. Suspect we'll hear if players are back available, but if there are new injuries we'll probably not hear about it, nor will he give any details of Benson's injury.

Tend to take Schopp's player availability updates with a pinch of salt. He said he had no idea how far Oulare was from playing, and he played a few days later. Morris was 6-8 weeks out and it's looking more like 12-14. Andersen's injury was initially downplayed and he's missed 2 months and counting

 

That's when the board remembered they were paying Burnley appearance based add ons.

 

Haha.

And instead of just bringing Gomes into the side to replace Benson, Schopp moved about 6 blokes around to accommodate Jordan Williams (who I actually like) to left wing back (where he should never play).

 

They might just love soccer.

 

He should drop Brittain for Jordan Williams. Ruining two players what he's doing now. Four if you include Ben Williams and Moon.

 

He's ruining the vast majority of them.

 

Even allowing for injuries. Ben Williams should only play if we're playing four at the back and never in midfield. Moon should play left of the three but only if it's dire straights injury wise and never in midfield. In form Brittain should play right back over Jordan Williams but only if he's playing well. He's been crap all season and deserves dropping. As Jordan Williams is a right back. He deserves his chance at right back.

 

The Oulare one was extremely bizarre and I commented on it at the time. I wonder though if its Schopp to completely blame or if he's simply being fed inaccurate timescales. The sports science team should surely be the ones to guide him on length of absence. I'd doubt he's just sticking his finger in the air and blindly suggesting random times, that serves no purpose to anyone.

I always think there is a bit of cat and mouse over injuries and selections though, giving your opposition accurate info on possible team selection isn't the wisest move in my view and has to be balanced with sharing info with the fans as well as potentially losing a competitive advantage now and then.

 

It was a shame for Oulare on Sunday. Could have done with giving him another pipe opener in the grand scheme of things. I agree with you that Schopp is boxing tight though.

 

I don't think he's ever been able to figure out his best team, and crucially Styles' best position. That's why we see both Williams and Odour playing the odd game at LWB, while Styles keeps shifting from playing on the left to playing central.

Schopp does seem to be suffering from dud info from the Sports science team, and would have every right to be asking why players are taking so long to come back from injuries. The Oulare selection against Boro had a whiff of Davey selecting Noble-Lazarus about it. He didn't pick him because he thought he was ready, but mainly to create a story for people to talk or write about. He was back to sixth in line against Sheff Utd.

 

I think starting with Oulare might have been the right idea, but when Cole and Iseka came on it was clear the pace was what was causing Sheff Utd problems. I understand why he didn't bring Oulare on at that point.

 

The what team? Do we have one?