oldskyblue58
CCFC Finance Director
First day back to posting today and have been catching up on things following a hip replacement two weeks ago. Hopefully the two weeks resting have allowed me to stand back a little and look at things. I have read a lot of the stuff on here and have some thoughts to share.
I think the over riding thing is that nothing has really changed either on here or at the club on the pitch or off it. Not this season not from what i can see in the immediate future either. I do not see next season being other than more of the same
I got to see a recording of the Peterborough game, was going to say good fortune to see but really it wasnt, not a good start to recuperation. The team is fragile, lacks belief and confidence, doesnt have sufficient strength physically or mentally, lacks leaders. But there is a lack of speed, physically but more importantly in decision making, in moving the ball. But is that so very different to many seasons recently
Is the playing side down to TM and his management team - well in part yes you would have to say so. There are some glaring omissions certainly but that doesnt mean he hasnt moved heaven and earth to try to fix those things. To think we are the only ones that can see these weaknesses is a bit arrogant. The difference is we dont have to work with the budget. Yes he has made some bad choices, made some bad decisions, over the season these tend to balance out and the team finds its level. Yes TM is human just like any other manager has good periods and bad periods.
This argument about staying positive. "we have to stay positive, support the team" Well thats ok so long as the team wins when it starts to struggle then such thinking can become a millstone creating unrealistic expectations by the fans. Failure, angst, irritation, counter productive support becomes a driving force to further disappointment. No I am not saying it is the fans fault (far from it) but at the start of the season there was no real belief in most of promotion. Not struggling, challenging at the top half i would suggest was the realistic hope. In the end this and many seasons before it becomes a bi polar event good times followed by ultimate failure - thats the character of CCFC and can hardly be pinned on TM's past record. Failure is engrained in to CCFC
Hope. Isnt that what has been battered from us over the decades of failure. But also we turn up and the team hopes to win....... other teams turn up believing that the minimum they can get is a draw and the better teams believe they will win, they can taste it. Thats not something new
Then I read the latest from the SCG. Please what do these well intending people actually achieve. They cant even get the date on the minutes right. They still comment on things at the stadium as if the club owns it do they not realise that the club controls very little at the stadium and the only way many of the SCG ideas get in to fruition is if CCFC sign off spending money they can not afford , they fail to challenge what they are told, they accept what they are told, they claim to represent the fans and yet rarely consult them or ask fans questions.
Going though those last minutes.
- The Trust presentation on transport deferred who or what wasnt available. When was the Trust consulting on this with fans in any case? Season nearly over so likely any suggestions may well die with it
- balloons on pitch cost clubs money. Cup finals must be costly then. What about beach balls?. Some of that paragraph comes over a bit jobs worth
- The youth forum is not going to suddenly happen it will take time but do youngsters really want to sit round a table in a formal setting to discuss things. Yes do it but do it in a way that youngsters engage with - that means lots of social networking online (but that has dangers of course). But that is how the kids connect, let them connect with the club that way
- car parking. Seems there are faults on both sides but surely this reflects that this no longer our ground. Some of the behaviour of a few fans would seem to be well out of order
- Ticketing. This has been a problem all season and still not resolved. CA says he will consult with the scg on the tickets then goes on to say they will announce in three weeks - so no consultation then ! just words. CCFC wont be setting their own system they will be buying one in so why the continued problems. Deal with it. The season tickets I wonder how many will renew and at what price. If Blackpool can work out a two year deal why is it too difficult for CCFC to do so (we have done it before) Season ends 8th May used to run early bird till end of June didnt they?
- wasnt aware the Club had a consumer credit licence to renew. They havent had one for years. So how did it get renewed. we were told they couldnt get one because Otium was a new company. Think the rules say if no interest charged they could have operated a pay as you go scheme.
- the important questions were listed but not answered. From what has gone before i wont hold my breath to seeing those replied to properly or fully.
Now the reason I went through all that was to highlight a growing feeling that in essence nothing has changed under the new guy Anderson. No real answers and "information" that doesnt join up dots. We are still being told what they want to us to hear or perhaps more importantly what they think will keep us quiet a bit longer. There is no effective way for the fans to challenge anything and the media dont dig for answers
As for a change of heart by SISU. Please wake up they havent. Their focus is as has always been the case on the off field, their investors. They havent suddenly focusssed on the team, they are focussed on their cashflow and not spending more of it on CCFC. The decision they have made is that the club gets no more money invested but has to rely on its own efforts. That means it finds its own level in the Football League. Ask how does lack of finance match fans expectations especially after initial success. The budget is apparently over spent and only the sale of Maddison I assume has kept them out of FL embargo or penalty. With attendances lower than needed then week by week the benefit of Maddisons sale decreases.
As I said nothing has really changed just the pot has been stirred around. Players will come and go, thats a given, one year contracts are normal at L1 or below, Yougsters will be pinched for a few dollars more because of the Premiership deal and we cant compete - hell we cant even fund the JSB's as a club. Managers will win some lose some then get fired. Nothing really changes or starts to change until the club commits to something long term whatever that is.......... but is that likely at the moment, i fear not
Sorry if that is a ramble through things ..... must be my meds kicking in ..... but i think it should make sense :laugh:
I think the over riding thing is that nothing has really changed either on here or at the club on the pitch or off it. Not this season not from what i can see in the immediate future either. I do not see next season being other than more of the same
I got to see a recording of the Peterborough game, was going to say good fortune to see but really it wasnt, not a good start to recuperation. The team is fragile, lacks belief and confidence, doesnt have sufficient strength physically or mentally, lacks leaders. But there is a lack of speed, physically but more importantly in decision making, in moving the ball. But is that so very different to many seasons recently
Is the playing side down to TM and his management team - well in part yes you would have to say so. There are some glaring omissions certainly but that doesnt mean he hasnt moved heaven and earth to try to fix those things. To think we are the only ones that can see these weaknesses is a bit arrogant. The difference is we dont have to work with the budget. Yes he has made some bad choices, made some bad decisions, over the season these tend to balance out and the team finds its level. Yes TM is human just like any other manager has good periods and bad periods.
This argument about staying positive. "we have to stay positive, support the team" Well thats ok so long as the team wins when it starts to struggle then such thinking can become a millstone creating unrealistic expectations by the fans. Failure, angst, irritation, counter productive support becomes a driving force to further disappointment. No I am not saying it is the fans fault (far from it) but at the start of the season there was no real belief in most of promotion. Not struggling, challenging at the top half i would suggest was the realistic hope. In the end this and many seasons before it becomes a bi polar event good times followed by ultimate failure - thats the character of CCFC and can hardly be pinned on TM's past record. Failure is engrained in to CCFC
Hope. Isnt that what has been battered from us over the decades of failure. But also we turn up and the team hopes to win....... other teams turn up believing that the minimum they can get is a draw and the better teams believe they will win, they can taste it. Thats not something new
Then I read the latest from the SCG. Please what do these well intending people actually achieve. They cant even get the date on the minutes right. They still comment on things at the stadium as if the club owns it do they not realise that the club controls very little at the stadium and the only way many of the SCG ideas get in to fruition is if CCFC sign off spending money they can not afford , they fail to challenge what they are told, they accept what they are told, they claim to represent the fans and yet rarely consult them or ask fans questions.
Going though those last minutes.
- The Trust presentation on transport deferred who or what wasnt available. When was the Trust consulting on this with fans in any case? Season nearly over so likely any suggestions may well die with it
- balloons on pitch cost clubs money. Cup finals must be costly then. What about beach balls?. Some of that paragraph comes over a bit jobs worth
- The youth forum is not going to suddenly happen it will take time but do youngsters really want to sit round a table in a formal setting to discuss things. Yes do it but do it in a way that youngsters engage with - that means lots of social networking online (but that has dangers of course). But that is how the kids connect, let them connect with the club that way
- car parking. Seems there are faults on both sides but surely this reflects that this no longer our ground. Some of the behaviour of a few fans would seem to be well out of order
- Ticketing. This has been a problem all season and still not resolved. CA says he will consult with the scg on the tickets then goes on to say they will announce in three weeks - so no consultation then ! just words. CCFC wont be setting their own system they will be buying one in so why the continued problems. Deal with it. The season tickets I wonder how many will renew and at what price. If Blackpool can work out a two year deal why is it too difficult for CCFC to do so (we have done it before) Season ends 8th May used to run early bird till end of June didnt they?
- wasnt aware the Club had a consumer credit licence to renew. They havent had one for years. So how did it get renewed. we were told they couldnt get one because Otium was a new company. Think the rules say if no interest charged they could have operated a pay as you go scheme.
- the important questions were listed but not answered. From what has gone before i wont hold my breath to seeing those replied to properly or fully.
Now the reason I went through all that was to highlight a growing feeling that in essence nothing has changed under the new guy Anderson. No real answers and "information" that doesnt join up dots. We are still being told what they want to us to hear or perhaps more importantly what they think will keep us quiet a bit longer. There is no effective way for the fans to challenge anything and the media dont dig for answers
As for a change of heart by SISU. Please wake up they havent. Their focus is as has always been the case on the off field, their investors. They havent suddenly focusssed on the team, they are focussed on their cashflow and not spending more of it on CCFC. The decision they have made is that the club gets no more money invested but has to rely on its own efforts. That means it finds its own level in the Football League. Ask how does lack of finance match fans expectations especially after initial success. The budget is apparently over spent and only the sale of Maddison I assume has kept them out of FL embargo or penalty. With attendances lower than needed then week by week the benefit of Maddisons sale decreases.
As I said nothing has really changed just the pot has been stirred around. Players will come and go, thats a given, one year contracts are normal at L1 or below, Yougsters will be pinched for a few dollars more because of the Premiership deal and we cant compete - hell we cant even fund the JSB's as a club. Managers will win some lose some then get fired. Nothing really changes or starts to change until the club commits to something long term whatever that is.......... but is that likely at the moment, i fear not
Sorry if that is a ramble through things ..... must be my meds kicking in ..... but i think it should make sense :laugh:
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