WR BlueMost of that hasn’t happened though. It’s people forecasting what they think will happenRab C NesbittSuper HansNot being a smart arse but how do we hold them to account?Of course these owners are a cause for celebration, they’re absolutely ace.
They’re clearly not faultless though, and imo should be held accountable for when their decisions (so far) backfire as badly as the stats in this article show.
Taking 'held to account' as a figure of speech, I think it would be nice if we were able to have grown up conversations on forums like this and be able to offer constructive criticism of the owner's decision making without this being treated as if it were some sort of act of heresy which in turn means that the person being criticial must be a) a bed-wetter b) a vile fan c) not 'proper blues' d) in the same category as somebody shouting unpleasant, profane abuse directly at a person IRL inside the stadium.
There are different categories of decisions that the club can make in terms of the effect they can have on the club's standing, long-term plans and consequently the fans and how they feel. For example -
A) At one end of the scale is changing the colour of the corner flags to one that the fans don't appreciate.
B) At the other end of the scale is sacking a manager who for once was getting a tune out of our bargain bin group of misfits and crocks (no offence meant to our players, but you know). Bringing in a replacement who has a whole world of issues and baggage trailing along behind him, has a poor managerial record, is a fledgling manager at this level and only has one/two redeeming features which is that he was an outstanding, world-class player in the past and hence grabs headlines (but this is a double-edged sword). Add to this a similarly expensive backroom team with big names but also aren't very good. For good measure throw in a bunch of very poorly thought-out public statements to accompany the manager change and a publicly stated mission to alter the footballing philosophy from top to bottom based upon very ambitious principles which will be expensive and difficult to achieve for a club like ours.
So bearing in mind that they went for the big 'un (option B) then there is plenty to talk about and chew over on discussion forums (to hold them to account for, as it were), because the ramifications of a decision like that will set the tone for how it feels to be a supporter of Blues for a very long time. They should have known this when they made that decision, now WE (as fans) have to live with the consequences. To be told by your fellow fans that you should not be allowed to express your honest opinion on this decision and the ramifications of it, without being cast as some sort of outcast or supporter of our arch-rivals is precisely why there is talk of the fan base being split.
Many people are angry that they made such an idiotic decision when the best way to avoid such an error was just to have a working knowledge of the club's recent history (IE the Zola incident), a decent grasp of the nature of the playing squad (generally not capable of this new style and prone to injury in some cases) and an understanding about why the club can't afford/is not allowed to replace the whole squad with an upgraded version of itself overnight. In other words, how could the owners NOT be aware of these things? Or put another way, WTF have they gone and done and why?
If the answer is 'because they're ambitious' then as seasoned businessmen they should know that blind ambition without a concrete, well-thought out plan usually leads to failure. To come full circle back to your question, perhaps some people at the club actually look at fan forums occasionally and perhaps this is one way of 'holding them to account' - IE - they can't hide from the truth and nobody can pretend that its 'just abuse' when it's clearly not.
Not only forecasting but also rewriting history.
In the 11 games this season that Eustace managed us there were perhaps three, maybe four , decent performances with a similar number of rubbish games and two or three mediocre.
I agree that the timing could have been better and maybe Rooney will not prove to be the right appointment.
But please don't distort the argument by presenting the previous manager as someone that he wasn't.
Dirty BertieNot only forecasting but also rewriting history.
In the 11 games this season that Eustace managed us there were perhaps three, maybe four , decent performances with a similar number of rubbish games and two or three mediocre.
I agree that the timing could have been better and maybe Rooney will not prove to be the right appointment.
But please don't distort the argument by presenting the previous manager as someone that he wasn't.
Where did I do this?
Rab C NesbittMost of that hasn’t happened though. It’s people forecasting what they think will happen
Which part hasn't happened?
Add to this a similarly expensive backroom team with big names but also aren't very good. For good measure throw in a bunch of very poorly thought-out public statements to accompany the manager change and a publicly stated mission to alter the footballing philosophy from top to bottom based upon very ambitious principles which will be expensive and difficult to achieve for a club like ours.
So bearing in mind that they went for the big 'un (option B) then there is plenty to talk about and chew over on discussion forums (to hold them to account for, as it were), because the ramifications of a decision like that will set the tone for how it feels to be a supporter of Blues for a very long time. They should have known this when they made that decision, now WE (as fans) have to live with the consequences.
We can only have a grown up conversation when people stop using pejoratives, hyperbole and half-truths when putting their point across.
For example-
Saying the back room staff “aren’t very good” after 5 games, many of which they had limited input into due to them being so poor at their jobs that they’re trusted to coach in the national set up.
Calling the new owners “idiotic” and ignorant about the club/players and calling them out as poor business men who are relying on “blind ambition without a concrete, well-thought out plan”.
If you want a grown up conversation then converse like a grown up. Use facts. Stick to what’s known instead of what might/could happen.
If it is wrong then it sets us back possibly a season at least. We must be quite tight to ffp. Albeit early days, we have bought players in and some seem not suited - Bielik, Sanderson, Long, Dembele. Being this tight we have to make every purchase count and add to the team to be able to move forward. If we are able to move these on, with the huge proviso that they are not needed, then great but for years we have been lumbered with players seeing out their large contracts - and this has held us back in being able to improve the squad.
If Rooney is then moved on, paying him and his team off will have further impacts on the ability to improve the squad.
All this will set us back at least a year in getting the squad to the level where it needs to be to move forward.
If there is any money in the kitty and Rooney gets it in January unless he starts showing some improvement by then, they have to be players with either sell-on value or can fit a number of styles of play else we will be making the same mistakes.
The owners have been absolutely brilliant but nothing in Rooney's career said he would be the person to take us forward and if there are financial implications and we really are close to the limit then it has been a very poor decision.
I'll back Rooney and hope he comes good because otherwise it will be a waste of a year and stall some tremendous momentum. For all those keeping faith there will be loads that won't and that ultimately will affect the bottom line. They can be swayed back quite easily and the goodwill will flow back again but results will have to come soon for that to happen.
Just a mind-boggling unnecessary decision that has so far turned out as disastrous as it could have gone - poor results, terrible performances, the squad being in an apparent worse state than we believed at the earlier stages of the season and new players being possibly surplus.
You're not pinpointing any specific points (just chunks of my reply), so it would seem that you're saying amongst other things -
the backroom team weren't expensive
the public statements weren't very poorly thought-out (even though the sacking statement led to a follow up 'letter to supporters')
changing the footballing philosophy won't be expensive or difficult
I disagree.
For the first example, it's subjective. Based on what I've seen over five games, I don't think they're very good. And I believe five games is enough. For the second, you're mis-quoting me. The conversation would be very awkward if absolutely no opinion were allowed whatsoever, only facts. Grown ups are allowed to express opinion too, especially if it's backed up by arguments and reasoning.
You're not pinpointing any specific points (just chunks of my reply), so it would seem that you're saying amongst other things -
the backroom team weren't expensive
the public statements weren't very poorly thought-out (even though the sacking statement led to a follow up 'letter to supporters')
changing the footballing philosophy won't be expensive or difficult
I disagree.
Give it a rest, please. Your relentless narrative is extremely tedious and has disrupted the forum to the extent that most of the usual contributors have gone into hiding.
Onel HernandezIf it is wrong then it sets us back possibly a season at least. We must be quite tight to ffp. Albeit early days, we have bought players in and some seem not suited - Bielik, Sanderson, Long, Dembele. Being this tight we have to make every purchase count and add to the team to be able to move forward. If we are able to move these on, with the huge proviso that they are not needed, then great but for years we have been lumbered with players seeing out their large contracts - and this has held us back in being able to improve the squad.
If Rooney is then moved on, paying him and his team off will have further impacts on the ability to improve the squad.
All this will set us back at least a year in getting the squad to the level where it needs to be to move forward.
If there is any money in the kitty and Rooney gets it in January unless he starts showing some improvement by then, they have to be players with either sell-on value or can fit a number of styles of play else we will be making the same mistakes.
The owners have been absolutely brilliant but nothing in Rooney's career said he would be the person to take us forward and if there are financial implications and we really are close to the limit then it has been a very poor decision.
I'll back Rooney and hope he comes good because otherwise it will be a waste of a year and stall some tremendous momentum. For all those keeping faith there will be loads that won't and that ultimately will affect the bottom line. They can be swayed back quite easily and the goodwill will flow back again but results will have to come soon for that to happen.
Just a mind-boggling unnecessary decision that has so far turned out as disastrous as it could have gone - poor results, terrible performances, the squad being in an apparent worse state than we believed at the earlier stages of the season and new players being possibly surplus.
Good points well made.
Oh Franky FrankyGive it a rest, please. Your relentless narrative is extremely tedious and has disrupted the forum to the extent that most of the usual contributors have gone into hiding.
I disagree and think that just like others, you want to silence anybody who is critical of the new owners and their decisions. I barely post on here in comparison with the majority, hence your claim is utterly ludicrous. It's tedious to read stuff from people acting as if they are a part of some cult where nobody can be critical of the glorious leaders and the only speech allowed is to praise and worship them, even when we're being embarrassed on the football pitch.
Oh Franky FrankyGive it a rest, please. Your relentless narrative is extremely tedious and has disrupted the forum to the extent that most of the usual contributors have gone into hiding.
I disagree and think that just like others, you want to silence anybody who is critical of the new owners and their decisions. I barely post on here in comparison with the majority, hence your claim is utterly ludicrous. It's tedious to read stuff from people acting as if they are a part of some cult where nobody can be critical of the glorious leaders and the only speech allowed is to praise and worship them, even when we're being embarrassed on the football pitch.
😴
It is factual that Blues were 6th - points were on the board.
Rab C NesbittSuper HansIsn’t the key that we’re not with TTA, hence me being fine. I’d have done anything to have these owners 9 months back. We’ve got them. I’m ecstatic and not judging Rooney on 5 games I thought we’d go winless in anyway.Rab C NesbittI’m fine with it mate but I’m nuts. The journey has just started. My optimism is high
I’m surprised you’re fine with it, if we were still under TTA and they sacked JE for Rooney I think you’d be giving him a much harder time.
Absolutely this with nobs, bells, glitter and 100's and 1,000's on. Some people just need a little think about things and how different this season would look under our wonderful ex owners.