AT away from home (3 Viewers)

[Godiva]

I must confess, I am impressed by your dedication to trying to present SISU's actions over the last couple of years as competent!

We don't know what the exact financial situation was. Were SISU unable to get any money or did SISU choose to slash (I think "cut" doesn't do their actions justice) costs?

In the summer their newly appointed Board was talking about (what was Brodie's phrase - franchise signings?) serious investment in the team, so the money must have been there then - this was several months post RR remember.

In my view, it was their choice - presumably led by the brilliant CEO they installed - Deluded Ken.

And if there was no money in January, where has the money suddenly come from to fund these new players? Please don't tell me it's funded by the savings on Eastwood, Clingan etc as (due to the SISU inspired relegation) we've lost £3 - £4m of revenue which has got to be funded from somewhere.

I think sisu's actions since they took over the board last March has been mostly right ... there are exceptions with Ken Dulieu being the most spectacular. I have already said this on many occasions.
No, we don't know the 'exact' financial situation, but in the geeks section (board and finance stuff) there have been made many guesstimates based on the little facts we already have from the accounts. OSB have been tireless, and I don't think we are very far from knowing where we are. Combine that with the boards actions that pretty much underline our guesswork.

Now I was kind of a fan of Brody - and openly announced that. I liked that the man brought different ideas to the table, but brits are truely conservative and hates all things new and untested. Brody was ridiculed and abused on the forum and on his twitter account and I don't blame the man for just giving up and find venues where new ideas are more welcome.

I think the term franchise player was widely misunderstood as a prolific (and expensive) player brought in to build the team around. In reality it could actually be a younger non-expensive player we brought in with the purpose on having him for a prolonged period - like 5 years. A stability factor with above team average abillities. Stabillity is the key factor - a franchise player is the only player truely not for sale. The franchise is that the selection of players around him are picked to maximize his abillity.
At least that is how I understood Brody.
But as everybody was waiting for the signing of Ronaldo, people got frustrated when it didn't happen. Quiertly Bigi was introduced to the team, and he had the abillity to become our franchise player. But nobody cared and now both Brody and Bigi are gone.

All this are purely my oppinions - don't go blame others, they're innocent

 

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[Nonleagueherewecome]

But we did sign a franchise player - Cody 'Ronald' McDonald(s)

Makes me laugh that people derided Porter so readily given his infinitely superior L1 record. Talking of which, has he signed yet? Don't tell me it was an unfounded rumour..

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

Hey Godiva, we both rate Gael-common ground, finally, after 18 months! Enjoy this special moment.

Still, Brody's inherent lack of understanding of "Soccer" is highlighted even further by his inability to realise that you can't carry a team with a "star quarter-back" in this sport, and neither can you sign a star "college draft" prospect and expect him to be the best player in your side-or even capable of being reasonably consistent until a few years experience at men's level has been garnered.

And five years? Yes, that would have been ideal, but even I think he'd have been gone within another 2 years. And SISU don't do long-term: if you understand how hedge funds operate, you'll know that.

 

[Astute]

I'm pretty sure SISU were aware of the ground situation when they bought us/got us for free. And they actually claimed that they intended to buy the ground! You can blame Ranson if you like for selling them his flawed vision, but just because they swallowed it, doesn't excuse them for suddenly being poor ickle innocents.

I remember you used to be one of SISU's staunchest defenders. Then last season, one of their greatest critics. Why the flip-back, Astute? A few free transfer signings does not re-write historical errors, you know..forgive by all means if you must, but don't justify previous cock-ups that you once were as angry with as I am.

I see you are still having a go at anyone who has any good thoughts about what is going on and having a chance of having a decent season. It is as though you want us to struggle all season again just so you cam prove a point. I hope this is not true.

It is true that I was one of the last people to be backing SISU. I have always held my hands up to that. At the time we had too many overpaid players which we couldn't afford. We had to reduce our wagebill significantly. The only problem was I was expecting players to come in to replace the high earners that had left. We were left without a squad capable of competing. This is when I went against SISU. I still believe that they did the right thing by reducing our outgoings, just not by as much as what they did. The part of this I don't understand is when people say that they dislike SISU for leaving us with a very poor squad, but the next minute they blame AT for not saving us from relegation, calling him a poor manager/the worse manager we have ever have if the stats are to be believed. Now either SISU sent us down and deserve all they got from the fans for not giving us a squad to compete, or it is the fault of AT. If it is the fault of AT then SISU left us with a squad capable of competing.

I am looking at SISU more favourably than last season, but I have not changed my mind about them. I have said on here several times that if they give us a squad to get us back into the Championship and then a squad that can compete in that league with a chance of promotion then a lot will be forgiven, but none of it will ever be forgotten. I will never be a fan of SISU. I would love you to point out anything that I have said that says anything different. At the moment there is no bid from anyone like Hoffman that he has been able to put together. There isn't even a Dhinsa bid on the table. So we are owned by SISU until further notice. What is the use of continually having a go at them? It don't mean you love them or support them if you don't constantly have a go at them. I want them gone. But if nobody wants us then what next? If we can get a good run together and put bums on seats we could turn a profit. This could then get people interested. This is the main reason I was for the costcutting. Or should we have done a Pompey and keep spending money we don't have? If this is what you think then go and support Pompey. They should be about for another 2 or three weeks.

And on the AT situation. I have been accused of being a supporter of 'Teflon AT' I fully blame SISU for what happened last season. I did not see him having a fair crack of being a manager with a squad that could compete. I am not saying he was perfect. He made mistakes. I make mistakes. Do you? This season he has players he has wanted at our club. He has brought in players that should be able to play the way he wants to. They have all been free signings, but they are still players he wanted. If we are not at least in the top 6 at Xmas then he should go. I do think we will have a good season though.

I used to see you as one of the best posters on here NLHWC, but lately half of your posts just seem to be having a go at other people. Sometimes it may be deserved, but a lot of the time it is not. Mellow out and see if you can enjoy this season. This could easily be the most fun we have had since 87.

 

[Astute]

And if there was no money in January, where has the money suddenly come from to fund these new players? Please don't tell me it's funded by the savings on Eastwood, Clingan etc as (due to the SISU inspired relegation) we've lost £3 - £4m of revenue which has got to be funded from somewhere.

We have lost a few players again, and I would say the top 3 paid of them were on about 20k a week between them. If we have signed 7 players on 1.5k a week that is a saving of about 10k a week. Other players also left. 10k a week is 520k a year. They also know we need to go back up ASAP.

 

[dongonzalos]

I see you are still having a go at anyone who has any good thoughts about what is going on and having a chance of having a decent season. It is as though you want us to struggle all season again just so you cam prove a point. I hope this is not true.

It is true that I was one of the last people to be backing SISU. I have always held my hands up to that. At the time we had too many overpaid players which we couldn't afford. We had to reduce our wagebill significantly. The only problem was I was expecting players to come in to replace the high earners that had left. We were left without a squad capable of competing. This is when I went against SISU. I still believe that they did the right thing by reducing our outgoings, just not by as much as what they did. The part of this I don't understand is when people say that they dislike SISU for leaving us with a very poor squad, but the next minute they blame AT for not saving us from relegation, calling him a poor manager/the worse manager we have ever have if the stats are to be believed. Now either SISU sent us down and deserve all they got from the fans for not giving us a squad to compete, or it is the fault of AT. If it is the fault of AT then SISU left us with a squad capable of competing.

I am looking at SISU more favourably than last season, but I have not changed my mind about them. I have said on here several times that if they give us a squad to get us back into the Championship and then a squad that can compete in that league with a chance of promotion then a lot will be forgiven, but none of it will ever be forgotten. I will never be a fan of SISU. I would love you to point out anything that I have said that says anything different. At the moment there is no bid from anyone like Hoffman that he has been able to put together. There isn't even a Dhinsa bid on the table. So we are owned by SISU until further notice. What is the use of continually having a go at them? It don't mean you love them or support them if you don't constantly have a go at them. I want them gone. But if nobody wants us then what next? If we can get a good run together and put bums on seats we could turn a profit. This could then get people interested. This is the main reason I was for the costcutting. Or should we have done a Pompey and keep spending money we don't have? If this is what you think then go and support Pompey. They should be about for another 2 or three weeks.

And on the AT situation. I have been accused of being a supporter of 'Teflon AT' I fully blame SISU for what happened last season. I did not see him having a fair crack of being a manager with a squad that could compete. I am not saying he was perfect. He made mistakes. I make mistakes. Do you? This season he has players he has wanted at our club. He has brought in players that should be able to play the way he wants to. They have all been free signings, but they are still players he wanted. If we are not at least in the top 6 at Xmas then he should go. I do think we will have a good season though.

I used to see you as one of the best posters on here NLHWC, but lately half of your posts just seem to be having a go at other people. Sometimes it may be deserved, but a lot of the time it is not. Mellow out and see if you can enjoy this season. This could easily be the most fun we have had since 87.

Can you elaborate please

 

[Astute]

Can you elaborate please

SISU good idea, bad idea then better idea.

AT shafted by SISU. AT helped by signings. We had better do better or he needs to go.

Mellow out NLHWC

Not elaborated, but made simpler for people that don't know what elaborate means

 

[dongonzalos]

Ha ha, sorry buddy couldn't resist

 

[sw88]

One thing SISU can't be bleamt for was our dire away form last season.

If he doesn't pick things up in the first 5 or so, AT has o worry for his job. I'm givin him 10 games in total to decide his fate

 

[Astute]

One thing SISU can't be bleamt for was our dire away form last season.

If he doesn't pick things up in the first 5 or so, AT has o worry for his job. I'm givin him 10 games in total to decide his fate

So SISU left us with a good enough squad and we didn't overachieve at home then?

 

[Grendel]

One thing SISU can't be bleamt for was our dire away form last season.

If he doesn't pick things up in the first 5 or so, AT has o worry for his job. I'm givin him 10 games in total to decide his fate

Yes the original title for discussion appears to have been forgotten. 2 wins in 28 games suggests tactical flaws which have to be addressed especially as the home form was improved from January. If we lose most of the first 5 away games at the start he has to go.

 

[dongonzalos]

They can teams generally are better at home than away. Hence the phrase home advantage.

They left us with a squad that could scrape the odd win at home. But did have the stomach for the away battle.

There SISU blamed for our shocking away form

Even they pretty much admit their actions relegated us

 

[Grendel]

They can teams generally are better at home than away. Hence the phrase home advantage.

They left us with a squad that could scrape the odd win at home. But did have the stomach for the away battle.

There SISU blamed for our shocking away form

Even they pretty much admit their actions relegated us

Not so true as you may think. Also why only one win in our glorious honeymoon?

 

[Astute]

Even they pretty much admit their actions relegated us

Always forgotten though by anyone having a go at teflon AT.

What we need is everyone to get behind AT and our players, becoming our 12th man wherever we go. I think we can do it.

 

[lordsummerisle]

So SISU left us with a good enough squad and we didn't overachieve at home then?

Wouldn't say overachieved at home, though there were 6 teams who got less points than us at home last season, apart from Doncaster, mostly by a small margin, though Notts Forest home record surprised me how poor it was, only 23 points as opposed to our 31 pts.

The interesting thing is that of those six teams with a worse home record than us, we managed to lose against four of them, and draw the other two.

Our away form, so awful that it can't be just be down to the difference in home/away form, 31 pts at home, 9 points away, nobody else had anywhere near such a bad differential.

Forest's away record better than their home, 27 on their travels(though ironically lost to us), Doncaster 16 away, as opposed to the 20 at home.