CEO QUESTIONS & ANSWERS...NIGHT

Was my question asked mate, about the break clause in his contract?

 

He said no more loans had been taken and it was being paid in line with the agreed repayment schedule.

 

Few too many people jumping to insults and ridicule based on little snippets. As with everything you have to hear the whole conversation rather than a paraphrased version shared the day after. In my opinion anyway, that's why the Twitter updates in the past have done more harm than good.

He can hardly say we're down can he? I expect everyone at the club to go out and try and win every game between now and the end of the season. It's almost zero chance of happening, but that has to be the aim, and he has to be consistent with that message.

We've also been fairly critical on here of not knowing what the plan is or the target is. I don't see what's wrong with those at the club (not the owners) setting a target of 11,000 season tickets. Of course it's a punchy one, and one that will require a lot of change over the Summer and lots of creativity. We'll likely fall well short. But if you don't set off trying to run five miles you'll never run five miles, and if the ideas and enthusiasm behind the scenes gets us 10% closer than if we did nothing, that's a positive.

Overall there just wasn't anything new and I don't think many expected there to be. It maintains the communication line between the CEO and Supporters, but only a small number and a regular audience at that. I didn't find any answers controversial, surprising, or ones I'd be critical of. There really is a desire from those at the club to try and separate the feeling for the owners from building a community between those involved in the club and the supporters. I find this admirable, but a little bit like pushing water up a hill when the owners remain silent. However any decent team of people would still try and not give up because that's their job and they're passionate about who they work for. I do think there's something in not giving up on your community because of people at the top, but then I also understand not supporting something that's run by silent owners not willing to speak to us or clarify their own plans for the future.

FWIW, the comment on Poya and not always sacking the manager doesn't mean he's staying, but again there really is no other answer to give considering we want to win every game and stay up still. He talked about wanting to blend experience with youth in the squad, how players like Morris and Woodrow are approaching 26/27 and it's not a squad of teenagers, but the challenge is getting that budget to give you that balance. Yes we want to be known as a young team that provides opportunities to develop talent, but if we can get the budget to include a Sollbauer then we would always consider that.

Even as I type this I realise it's nothing that isn't in the Chron, the YP or on Radio Sheffield. Overall I think we've got a more than capable CEO, who's passionate to improve so much about the club and community. He just finds himself hamstrung by a car crash of a Summer, working for a Chairman who shouldn't be allowed near the day to day operations of our football club ever again, and who won't speak to supporters to at least clarify some of the issues out there (not that I think this would make a blind bit of difference).

 

Well, he was part of the pricing process as explained by Khaled last night. This was also mentioned at the fan engagement forum meeting about season tickets so I think it's safe to say he's very much involved.

 

This 11K is taken out of context. He talked about setting the bar high and working towards it. He didn't say we'll definitely have 11K season ticket holders and I've budgeted for it. You're now trying to invent a situation where the FD is having to talk him down from a so-called delusional prediction. That's not what he said.