Fitz as manager?

[abee]

I think you've found the answer. Colchester seems to be a very well run club, everyone has to justify their position I suspect.

Care to comment Matt_CUFC?

The current structure at Brentford is not working, and I knew that before I joined the board and nothing has changed my mind since.

Yes but Les tells us that blaming Bees United is "nonsense" but he doesn't move it up a notch by telling us who should be sorting it out having listed the problems as he sees them (and pretty damning they are too in my book). If BU has no control over the structure then that is their fault but there is no point in arguing how we got here it's where we go from here that matters. So either BU changes the structure or if it has no power to do that then just disbands the BU board and concentrates on the fundraising activites.

 

[NorthamptonBee]

A hell of a lot of luck and a Freddy Eastwood signing from Grays and with Scunthorpe's decent housekeeping allowing a 100k signing of Sharp IMO.
Isn't football simple really, you need a 20 a season goalscorer with a big strong and bonded unit around him who chip in with one or two themselves?
Billy Sharp is no different to the Holdsworth coup that we had many years ago when 40 teams looked at us and thought why couldn't we find him.
Our scouting network is a joke and our contacts appear limited.... rave reviews up here for the teenage? centre half on loan from bloody Reading for gawds sake!!! Surely we can work on getting first refusal on Reading players up for loan and leave the Bristol connection for the likes of Newport County.

 

[Les Beeavinu]

Agreed but the structure was presumably designed by Bees United and as you are effectively stating that this is not working then to whom do you turn.

The point I'm making is that BU doesn't have a direct impact on how the football club is run and I actually don't have too much of a problem with that.

I get concerned however when I hear that a board of 9 people have a lack of trust in each othere, have different agendas and have disagreed on all the recent major appointments. That doesn't strike me as a happy ship.

To take Mark's point as well - nothing seems to change at the operating level either. We have an interim operations manager still, a ticketing system that hasn't resulted in any savings as far as I can see, same old complaints about customer service, no clearly defined marketing strategy and a sense that the club still relies on too few individuals to do the hard work while others coast.

All pretty fundamental issues which I believe will continue to dog us until someone does something about them.

 

[Les Beeavinu]

A hell of a lot of luck and a Freedy Eastwood signing from Grays and with Scunthorpe's decent housekeeping allowing a 100k signing of Sharp IMO.
Isn't football simple really, you need a 20 a season goalscorer with a big strong and bonded unit around him who chip in with one or two themselves?
Billy Sharp is no different to the Holdsworth coup that we had many years ago when 40 teams looked at us and thought why couldn't we find him.
Our scouting network is a joke and our contacts appear limited.... rave reviews up here for the teenage? centre half on loan from bloody Reading for gawds sake!!! Surely we can work on getting first refusal on Reading players up for loan and leave the Bristol connection for the likes of Newport County.

The difference is NB is that they didn't feel obliged to sell their players. We're told that DJ had to go for the sake of morale and finances, yet Eastwood, Sharp and Danns to name but three were all kept and those clubs reaped the rewards.

We're also told that the playing budget will need to be cut (I know Mark, my bug bear ). Mark has stated quite rightly in the past that the playing budget should be the last to go but it always seems to me to be the first (and easiest) cut to make.

 

[rebus]

The point I'm making is that BU doesn't have a direct impact on how the football club is run and I actually don't have too much of a problem with that.

Andy, Bees United are the majority shareholder FFS! What is the point of it all then?

 

[abee]

The point I'm making is that BU doesn't have a direct impact on how the football club is run and I actually don't have too much of a problem with that.

I get concerned however when I hear that a board of 9 people have a lack of trust in each othere, have different agendas and have disagreed on all the recent major appointments. That doesn't strike me as a happy ship.

To take Mark's point as well - nothing seems to change at the operating level either. We have an interim operations manager still, a ticketing system that hasn't resulted in any savings as far as I can see, same old complaints about customer service, no clearly defined marketing strategy and a sense that the club still relies on too few individuals to do the hard work while others coast.

All pretty fundamental issues which I believe will continue to dog us until someone does something about them.

Yes Les..........quite.

Who was it who said "Don't just do something, stand there"......it was attributed to Ronald Reagan but he supposedly pinched it.......

 

[Les Beeavinu]

Andy, Bees United are the majority shareholder FFS! What is the point of it all then?

That's more a statement on the here and now. The BFC board has, on the face of it, more experience than BU in being able to address the problems at the club. If BU persuaded me that they had equivalent skills then I'd happily see them run the club but I don't see that at the moment.

How many people have I insulted there? Possibly should have started with a "not meaning to be rude ...".

 

[Gee Bee]

Scunthorpe are not yet promoted and could turn out to be next seasons Brentford. We were in a similar position last season with promotion in our own hands despite selling DJ and blew it. I still a sneaking feeling they might just do the same.

Southend are in quite substantial debt, but have the fall back presently of a new ground being granted palnning permission. That is what their main creditor Mr Martin is in it for and will get back all his loans and more once the new site os up and running.

Colchester like Crewe recently have managed to get together a decent football team on the cheap. It doesn't happen often and again I suspect it wont last much longer.

 

[AB]

Another difference between us and Colchester and Southend is that both of those clubs spent a fair amount of time in lower divisions but didn't take the headless chicken approach of seeing this as the end of time itself.

Another club to add to the list is Doncaster- in a worse financial situation than us and already down to the Conference before they started the slow process of rebuilding the club.

I imagine that someone should be able to get hold of Colchester's accounts, but I can't believe that they would have spent a vast amount given that their ground is so small and lacking in facilities. Parkinson was given several years to build the squad up too (ditto Tilson at Southend).

Perhaps due to our perception that each season could be our last, there is a general feeling amongst Bees fans (or at least here on the GPG) that we have to be up at the top of L1 each season or else it is all over. This is distinct from the more realistic heads (often worn by the same people when only looking at footballing issues) who realise that our natural level is somewhere non-descript in this division (Noades' second season as manager, and Wally's first are probably our default position). But, we need to be on the up to retain fans and attract more fans and that if we don't do that there is a feeling that we are doomed financially. Personally, I think we are no more or less doomed either way- the situation is just so bad that the impact of budgets or attendances is a drop in the bigger ocean of our troubles. Think of it as the liberation of poverty.

This means that there just isn't the patience required to give a Tilson, Parkinson, Penney or an Adams the time to build as they have done at a wide range of other similar sized clubs in similarly poor financial situations. I think that a first step would be for the Board to say that they are planning on running the club based at GP on the basis of reality. If they want to carry on looking at LR, then fine, but as a separate sideline, not as a key part of their strategic view of their stewardship of the club. We then need to plan the playing side of the club on a longer timescale to give a chance to stabilise and rebuild. We need to make sure that we make a good and informed choice about a manager who will be up to the job over a longer time but who will also have the ability to keep us competitive enough that we are not facing a trip to the Conference.

Most of all we need to do this in a way that stops everyone being infected with the fear that any mishap now is the end of everything. Perhaps that is a fantasy and that really if we go down we might as well give up now, but I'm sceptical. I don't see how our plight would be any worse than that of other clubs who have gone from L2 to the Conference in any event and we would be in a better position than Cambridge who really are at risk of oblivion because we do still own GP. Life will still go on but we need to be grown up enough to be able to deal with it and get back up.

 

[SpiderBee]

abee and AB.
What a team!

 

[NorthamptonBee]

Abee and AB.
What a team!

It's abee and he doesn't like being called Abee.

 

[SpiderBee]

It's abee and he doesn't like being called Abee.

Don't know what you are talking about!!!!

 

[Carri Bee Un]

Most of all we need to do this in a way that stops everyone being infected with the fear that any mishap now is the end of everything. Perhaps that is a fantasy and that really if we go down we might as well give up now, but I'm sceptical. I don't see how our plight would be any worse than that of other clubs who have gone from L2 to the Conference in any event and we would be in a better position than Cambridge who really are at risk of oblivion because we do still own GP. Life will still go on but we need to be grown up enough to be able to deal with it and get back up.

exackerly, nicely put.

 

[sonofabee]

Another difference between us and Colchester and Southend is that both of those clubs spent a fair amount of time in lower divisions but didn't take the headless chicken approach of seeing this as the end of time itself.

Another club to add to the list is Doncaster- in a worse financial situation than us and already down to the Conference before they started the slow process of rebuilding the club.

I imagine that someone should be able to get hold of Colchester's accounts, but I can't believe that they would have spent a vast amount given that their ground is so small and lacking in facilities. Parkinson was given several years to build the squad up too (ditto Tilson at Southend).

Perhaps due to our perception that each season could be our last, there is a general feeling amongst Bees fans (or at least here on the GPG) that we have to be up at the top of L1 each season or else it is all over. This is distinct from the more realistic heads (often worn by the same people when only looking at footballing issues) who realise that our natural level is somewhere non-descript in this division (Noades' second season as manager, and Wally's first are probably our default position). But, we need to be on the up to retain fans and attract more fans and that if we don't do that there is a feeling that we are doomed financially. Personally, I think we are no more or less doomed either way- the situation is just so bad that the impact of budgets or attendances is a drop in the bigger ocean of our troubles. Think of it as the liberation of poverty.

This means that there just isn't the patience required to give a Tilson, Parkinson, Penney or an Adams the time to build as they have done at a wide range of other similar sized clubs in similarly poor financial situations. I think that a first step would be for the Board to say that they are planning on running the club based at GP on the basis of reality. If they want to carry on looking at LR, then fine, but as a separate sideline, not as a key part of their strategic view of their stewardship of the club. We then need to plan the playing side of the club on a longer timescale to give a chance to stabilise and rebuild. We need to make sure that we make a good and informed choice about a manager who will be up to the job over a longer time but who will also have the ability to keep us competitive enough that we are not facing a trip to the Conference.

Most of all we need to do this in a way that stops everyone being infected with the fear that any mishap now is the end of everything. Perhaps that is a fantasy and that really if we go down we might as well give up now, but I'm sceptical. I don't see how our plight would be any worse than that of other clubs who have gone from L2 to the Conference in any event and we would be in a better position than Cambridge who really are at risk of oblivion because we do still own GP. Life will still go on but we need to be grown up enough to be able to deal with it and get back up.

Great post

 

[abee]

I thought that the loan window ran until March 31 but according to the Newsbots today it closes this evening. The Chronny last week told us that Fitz was still looking to bring in one or more players to boost the squad.

So whaddaya reckon......

1) The BFC board calls it a day, accepts that relegation is now inevitable and tells Fitz that no more monies will be available as it's being saved for next season

2) "Fighting Whimper" is supplemented by the board digging deep and throwing more monies at Fitz hoping for a thrilling escape in the last reel.

3) The "freebie Premiership loanees" finally pitch up in the nick of time and we are saved without any further monies having to be spent

4) Fitz tells the board that the squad that he has has all of the fighting elements needed to ensure that we reel in at least three of the sides above us and that our League One status is as good as secured. The BFC board accept this happily and order a round of gin and tonics to celebrate

5) Skunk is made not only legal but compulsory for Bees fans following #4

6) None of the above

 

[maddogging]

hopefully all sense prevails, and we finally draw a line under any more loan signings, if anything, we should be sending them back.

 

[Les Beeavinu]

I thought that the loan window ran until March 31 but according to the Newsbots today it closes this evening. The Chronny last week told us that Fitz was still looking to bring in one or more players to boost the squad.

So whaddaya reckon......

1) The BFC board calls it a day, accepts that relegation is now inevitable and tells Fitz that no more monies will be available as it's being saved for next season

2) "Fighting Whimper" is supplemented by the board digging deep and throwing more monies at Fitz hoping for a thrilling escape in the last reel.

3) The "freebie Premiership loanees" finally pitch up in the nick of time and we are saved without any further monies having to be spent

4) Fitz tells the board that the squad that he has has all of the fighting elements needed to ensure that we reel in at least three of the sides above us and that our League One status is as good as secured. The BFC board accept this happily and order a round of gin and tonics to celebrate

5) Skunk is made not only legal but compulsory for Bees fans following #4

6) None of the above

7> Fitz realises that two of the loan signings - Shipperley and Taylor - have failed. Both agree settlements and are replaced by a two 19 year olds - a flying left winger capable of skinning a fullback and a quick bustling striker with half an eye for a goal. We change our tactics from long ball to playing in the channels for Ide and newbie 1 to ping in crosses for Kuffour and newbie 2. We win the next six games to stay in the division.

In May, Matthew Benning writes off his loan as a result of an unprecedented gamble on Watford beating Chelsea 4-0 in the FA Cup final thanks to a Gavin Mahon hat trick. This means that we can sign the two 19 year olds plus 3 other players recommended by some chap from Northampton. We seal promotion to the Championship in January, just prior to all 5 players leaving for a combined value of £15m.

The New Road stand gets destroyed by a passing jumbo jet unblocking its toilets - 6 months later the BA stand is unveiled and makes grown men weep with the beauty of it all. The £15m is then used to redevelop GP completely - knocking down all those troublesome houses in the process to make way for a 20,000 state of the art facility.

(Source : 5 Year Plan - Alternative Scenario)

 

[beeeehive]

7> Fitz realises that two of the loan signings - Shipperley and Taylor - have failed. Both agree settlements and are replaced by a two 19 year olds - a flying left winger capable of skinning a fullback and a quick bustling striker with half an eye for a goal. We change our tactics from long ball to playing in the channels for Ide and newbie 1 to ping in crosses for Kuffour and newbie 2. We win the next six games to stay in the division.

In May, Matthew Benning writes off his loan as a result of an unprecedented gamble on Watford beating Chelsea 4-0 in the FA Cup final thanks to a Gavin Mahon hat trick. This means that we can sign the two 19 year olds plus 3 other players recommended by some chap from Northampton. We seal promotion to the Championship in January, just prior to all 5 players leaving for a combined value of £15m.

The New Road stand gets destroyed by a passing jumbo jet unblocking its toilets - 6 months later the BA stand is unveiled and makes grown men weep with the beauty of it all. The £15m is then used to redevelop GP completely - knocking down all those troublesome houses in the process to make way for a 20,000 state of the art facility.

(Source : 5 Year Plan - Alternative Scenario)

8> The rugger association goes bust and kindly donates Twickenham stadium + the new hotel to Brentford.

 

[Les Beeavinu]

8> The rugger association goes bust and kindly donates Twickenham stadium + the new hotel to Brentford.

You've seen the plan as well. I thought it was confidential.

 

[beeeehive]

I wonder what chance there would be of them letting us use Twickenham while we sell Griffin Park and find a new home



0.000000000001%

Playing in the biggest stadium in Britain would be pretty cool

 

[Billy Hunt]

5) Skunk is made not only legal but compulsory for Bees fans

I thought it already was.:looks:

 

[Brain-dead Bee]

We must spend no more money. If someone offers some Prem youngsters free, we should take them, but not a penny more should go on salvaging a lost season. We can't get out of paying for the deals we have already made, but with it about 500-1 against staying up, even one month's salary for one player is a waste [only exception might be extending Richards' loan if it was linked to getting him free on a moderate wage for next year - but don't see that happening]

 

[wanderer paul]

Playing in the biggest stadium in Britain would be pretty cool

not anymore with Wembley up and running at 90,000....................

 

[beeeehive]

not anymore with Wembley up and running at 90,000....................

Now Twickenham have built the new hotel stand hasn't it gone up to 90,000 or a little bit more?

or is it 80,000 something?


dunno.

 

[cheekybee74]

Now Twickenham have built the new hotel stand hasn't it gone up to 90,000 or a little bit more?

or is it 80,000 something?

dunno.

Twickenham is 82000 I think, a least that was the crowd total that saw us beat the Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys a few weeks back - so Wembley would now be bigger...

 

[beeeehive]

The biggest ground in the football leagues

 

[blunstone]

they've all had their lows too......