Neerav, JAQ, Jeane...

100% agree with all of that.

 

What mistakes are you referring to that they keep making over and over again?

 

Would you rather have a stadium where the only way you know where are is by the colour of the seats? Like Leicester, Derby etc

 

I would rather have owners like we have that are not saddling us with debt and are backing the club with their own money, so in essence paying for their mistakes.
Can they do better, Yes, do they need to do better absolutely not only for the club but for themselves as well as they can’t indefinitely keep putting millions in.
Worth also putting out there those asking who would buy us, read something other day that said 59% of clubs in the English leagues had received interest in people buying them last season, there were no details on which club or breakdown of leagues but it does show there is interest in clubs of all sizes, what it could also suggests as well though is how unsuitable some of these enquiries were.

 

The owners mistake is appointing the DoF who has failed in my opinion. He won't even be interviewed by the local press/ radio as he knows he cannot defend his record. He sacked Collins for failing?? Time for him to go. The **** up with Collins replacement!! The signings he has made . He paid good money once and guess what? Yes that player is very good. Awful signings so owners please remove him from his position. Surely, they have a contact/s to recommend someone?

 

Why,are every other stadiums central heated?

 

If we were top of the league, would people be criticising the owners? Because they’d not be doing anything they’re not doing right now. Which is employing a collection of staff to run the club for them. From the first team, to the academy, the administration, to commercial, catering, maintenance, marketing, etc etc.

I can’t imagine Neerav dropped Darrell a text ahead of the game yesterday telling him he must put our most dangerous player on the right wing. I don’t believe Jean was holidaying in Corsica, spotted Rodrigues and demanded we sign him. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think Julie Anne is coaching the goalkeepers. And whilst the idea is tickling me as I type this, I’d be surprised if James goes around switching off the concourse TVs on a matchday.

You’ve a CEO and Sporting Director now. As well as the Finance Director. Didn’t they appoint a Chief of Staff too? Head of Operations rings a bell also. So they’ve seemingly increased the staffing levels. Even in terms of coaching, there’s more bodies than I ever remember. Surely that’s a good thing? More hands on deck and all that!

According to publicly available info, they are continually injecting more cash (with no guaranteed return) so as to cover massive losses. Isn’t it something like £15,000,000 lost in the last three years based on published accounts?

You mentioned my being on the inside, and in all the years I worked there, the support and backing I received from the owners - the Cryne family in particular - went above and beyond. It saddens me to think Jean was there yesterday having to listen to idiots chant “greedy b**tards, get out of our club”.

Are the owners perfect? No. Have they made mistakes? Obviously.

I’ve posted my thoughts on here numerous times this season, suggesting a reset and rethink on strategy. Even when we were in the playoff places. Because I don’t like the fact that without their financial input, the club would go under. Similar to Patrick all those years ago, I’d like to see a team full of local lads. A club running on its own steam. Sustainable. Living within its means. But maybe that’s a pipe dream nowadays.

What isn’t impossible is clear and transparent communication. Engagement. Working with the fanbase. Being present and forthcoming regardless of adversity. But again, that’s not on the owners.

You ask if I think it’s safe in their hands and whether the club will prosper. I can’t really answer that. A few years ago a pandemic arrived and a lot of clubs were on the brink until financial assistance was offered. We were fortunate to be open about that and have a fanbase that bought thousands of tickets for 23 games they couldn’t attend. See. It’s about working together.

Spectemur agendo.

 

Who is that on? Because the employees surely work on direction of their bosses, the owners don't they?

 

All true but whoever is on the board has to get the right coaches and managers in and I am afraid they haven't and the point is the board doesn't seem too bothered

 

Semantics.

The owners employ people within their respective fields to head up various departments making autonomous decisions.

Granted, whoever is running comms would need sign off for this, that and t’other.

And, yes, I guess the owners themselves could speak out. But whenever Julie Anne tried to engage on social media it didn’t end well did it?

I might be alone. But I feel more invested in the club when it speaks to me.

 

Be careful what you wish for.

 

So do I. My point is that the owners know how **** our communication is. They could very easily be directing the CEO to improve the issue

 

Not sure I'd include the Crynes in this. The nature of their share holding is they have no real influence. There were just 6 people in our Directors Box yesterday. Jean was certainly there and was possibly sat with James (I didn't have a good view). Not sure Neerev or JAQ were there, I get it that they have international business interests but this remoteness from the Club means they don't endure what we have to at Oakwell. If they were there more often it might inform their decision making better.

 

All those coaching staff and not one defensive/ex defender coach to be seen.

 

You could say since we've started to operate this way, the losses have increased due to staffing levels being much higher, less playing budget, smaller transfer kitty and were on course for our lowest league finish in 20 years if we fall below 11th (14/15 season).

You'd think with such a big structure we'd get things nailed down, it's not like the TV's on the concourse is a new thing, as small as it is if they want people in the ground spending then play ball.

Football is a results business, both on and off the pitch.
The people tasked with heading up those departments need to take accountability and in any other walk of life, some performance measurement.
The owners are trusting individuals to perform to a level required to get this club promoted, we're getting performance levels such as recruitment, fan engagement, communication of a club rapidly regressing.

 

If there was an option to have a heated seat, I'd willingly pay for it! I can't seem to deal with being cold anymore, takes me half a day to warm up after a cold game at Oakwell!

 

When the shortfall is paid every year, the chairman pays far more of it and gets a bigger share of the club. His family are super rich so it may not be a big thing to him for a few years. I would like a breakdown of the finances to see what is behind the big yearly loss, as it can't be us paying ridiculous wages. They are hoping that they get promoted so that they don't have to pay out as much. The attendances are falling. There is never the crowd they announce, they include all sold tickets even if you don't turn up. I don't think they dare say the actual figure. The ground looked empty yesterday, never even10k in. Fan of over 50 years but I hate the ground now, empty West stand and same in away. Sad times. Need a clear out of staff, DoF, poor manager and coaches and academy failing. Without the injuries, the academy lads would be no where near.

 

Jean sipping a cocktail asking can tha play football.... brilliant. Agree with thread. It really annoyed me that Sormaz won't speak to independent journalists. Get him on Radio Sheffield for a Q&A. He must go. The owners have built a team to go forward but picked the wrong DoF. He is the main one, identifying a style of play and staff/players. If he fails, no one comes and season ticket holders are staying away, the TV shows the empty seats.

 

I suspect we've wasted a right chunk on poor recruitment wage bill for the 1st team is around 5m this season.
Add up the costs of Dallas,Shaw, Cosgrove, Watters, Humphrys.
Cosgrove 2 years
Dallas 3 years
Shaw 2.5years
Humphrys 1year
Watters 3 years.

That's 11.5 years of wages combined, if you were to apply an average wage of 2k a week plus 300k fee for Watters it's a total cost of 1.5m in return for a total of 21 goals.

Not difficult to see where our resources are going

 

Add the academy costs, the Premier league only pay a small portion of the costs, players, coaches, medical staff, educational staff, hotel and travel costs to Colchester, Ipswich away etc...