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Mark 'Gobbledygook' Ashton


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21 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

Reverse snobs? What a BS term.  It has nothing to do with snobbery - it's about using language that it fit for purpose rather than trying to make yourself appear different from others.  I'm sure he can't help it because he's spent most of his career trying to impress similar folk.

It's simple - use language that is pertinent to your audience.  It's no more complicated than that.

For people who've had decades of listening to this garbage at work they probably don't enjoy it elsewhere.  It is one of the best ways to alienate your audience.

So long as he does a good job I don't really care.  If he wants people to get 'on board' with his thinking and (dare I say it) be liked, he'll need to sound less like a politician for me.  

In a world where most football clubs are becoming increasingly removed from the fanbase, this doesn't help, even if it is rather minor.

After his first interview I was quite positive about him.  I still am.  I just don't wish to endure listening to him.

Has he said anything people don't understand?No.

Is he a media professional? No.

Do people understand what a process is? Well given it was the buzzword of SOD, a man who people were falling over themselves to covet not so long back, yes.

It's s big storm in a teacup about a man people are looking to dislike because he's a suit and works for Bristol Sport, despite the fact everything he says makes sense, is almost entirely easily digestible and occasionally he uses the word process in a revelant way. He's not trying to be 'a fan', he's trying to convey himself and the club in a way people understand and evidently open up more lines of communication, given he's talked to the post several times in the space of a couple of weeks. There is literally no issue.

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I really don't get all the hate for Ashton. He's exactly what many thought we needed and what has basically been missing since Sexton left. It seems like he's done more good here in the last few weeks than any of his peers have all season.

Can someone explain what the problem is? He wears a suit? He's well spoken? What is it? To me he seems like a bit of a coup for our club, What am I missing?

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Just now, sodburyred said:

I really don't get all the hate for Ashton. He's exactly what many thought we needed and what has basically been missing since Sexton left. It seems like he's done more good here in the last few weeks than any of his peers have all season.

Can someone explain what the problem is? He wears a suit? He's well spoken? What is it? To me he seems like a bit of a coup for our club, What am I missing?

I agree, apart from this bit.

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Just now, sodburyred said:

I really don't get all the hate for Ashton. He's exactly what many thought we needed and what has basically been missing since Sexton left. It seems like he's done more good here in the last few weeks than any of his peers have all season.

Can someone explain what the problem is? He wears a suit? He's well spoken? What is it? To me he seems like a bit of a coup for our club, What am I missing?

He's a reverse knob, mate. That's about the gist of it

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I would say , he has sort of arrived from nowhere and is suddenly talking like City is his club .

Secondly , he has an ego the size of Cheshire and could perhaps do with toning down the great " I am " à bit .

He might just have mentionned that he employed Brendan Rogers and company once or twice ...

Good for you Marky lad now stop telling us how good you are and show us how damn good you are .

You 've started well now get on it .

I'm in favour .

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1 hour ago, steviestevieneville said:

Exactly this. Plus he's not just a corporate suit. He was a goalkeeper for WBA wasn't he? So he has a background in the game.  Some people are so scared of change. 

Played one first team game, I believe and admitted himself on RB that he wasn't that good!

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3 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

I might be completely wrong as don't really know anything about the guy, but what has he done for him to get slated by many on here? 

We didn't sign Andre Gayle or Dwight Gayle last summer, that's what 

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1 hour ago, RedRaw said:

Non-productive? 5 players and a new manager in just over 3 weeks.......

A manager with zero experience at this level,when we are still very much in a hole with 16 games to climb out of it....of the 'January five',O'Donnell was already here,Goldbourne-good signing...am I missing something??...aah,someone to put the ball in the net.the item we require above all else to complete the job in hand...............

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1 hour ago, Moor2Sea said:

Seriously, just offering some kindly advice.

 Agree, he seems to have done reasonably well since his arrival. The two tough calls - manager and strikers - are the acid tests for me though and the jury is very much out.

My original posting was just highlighting that a key skill of a COO is to effectively communicate with people. Use of management-speak words like 'synergy' will get most football supporters reaching for a puke bucket and are best left in the board room.

As Mark would say, it's about 'engagement'. You don't 'engage' your football supporter audience by using language that have come out of the latest management manual. At best it can make you appear elitist, at worst, a bit of a prat. Very quickly you lose your audience - as, seemingly, is happening. People become fixated on what your next management -speak word is going to be. You lose both credibility and the entire message you are trying to communicate.

Having suffered 'process' for decades in planning, design and then project management, it has a place but it certainly ain't no guarantor of success. 

 

I too have suffered listening to corporate talk around a board room...it's nauseating.

However it seems fans are just picking up on individual words like 'synergy' and not listening to the rest of his comments...which come across clearly and eloquently.

He maybe not perfect...but I really don't understand this fixation by certain City supporters, who seem to be offended by people who talk in a thoughtful and eloquent way.

He gets slated for using certain words, wearing a suit...SoD got slated for mumbling and speaking quietly...but tbh...look beyond their 'personalities'  both try to communicate something to the fans that is interesting and beyond normal 'football catch phrases'.

It seems certain fans get their hackles up when listening to obviously educated people...it's reverse snobbery.

The majority of people are judging the poor bloke on media clips...I bet the majority of people criticising him have never had to stand in front of a camera and talk in a relaxed manner...I've had to do this for work for local news reports abroad...and trust me, when you have a camera and mic pointed at you and someone asking you questions, it's not easy.

He's not employed primarily to do interviews...he's employed to do talent spotting and recruitment and negotiating contracts etc.

Lisa Knights is a prime example of how to 'communicate' with the fans...but that's what she's employed to do.

MA needs to be given a break...and if judged...people should do it, based on who he recruits and how well his negotiations go.

Not aimed at you fella...but a general observation.

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44 minutes ago, spudski said:

I too have suffered listening to corporate talk around a board room...it's nauseating.

However it seems fans are just picking up on individual words like 'synergy' and not listening to the rest of his comments...which come across clearly and eloquently.

He maybe not perfect...but I really don't understand this fixation by certain City supporters, who seem to be offended by people who talk in a thoughtful and eloquent way.

He gets slated for using certain words, wearing a suit...SoD got slated for mumbling and speaking quietly...but tbh...look beyond their 'personalities'  both try to communicate something to the fans that is interesting and beyond normal 'football catch phrases'.

It seems certain fans get their hackles up when listening to obviously educated people...it's reverse snobbery.

The majority of people are judging the poor bloke on media clips...I bet the majority of people criticising him have never had to stand in front of a camera and talk in a relaxed manner...I've had to do this for work for local news reports abroad...and trust me, when you have a camera and mic pointed at you and someone asking you questions, it's not easy.

He's not employed primarily to do interviews...he's employed to do talent spotting and recruitment and negotiating contracts etc.

Lisa Knights is a prime example of how to 'communicate' with the fans...but that's what she's employed to do.

MA needs to be given a break...and if judged...people should do it, based on who he recruits and how well his negotiations go.

Not aimed at you fella...but a general observation.

Fair do's.

Let's see more of Lisa I say! 

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46 minutes ago, spudski said:

I too have suffered listening to corporate talk around a board room...it's nauseating.

However it seems fans are just picking up on individual words like 'synergy' and not listening to the rest of his comments...which come across clearly and eloquently.

He maybe not perfect...but I really don't understand this fixation by certain City supporters, who seem to be offended by people who talk in a thoughtful and eloquent way.

He gets slated for using certain words, wearing a suit...SoD got slated for mumbling and speaking quietly...but tbh...look beyond their 'personalities'  both try to communicate something to the fans that is interesting and beyond normal 'football catch phrases'.

It seems certain fans get their hackles up when listening to obviously educated people...it's reverse snobbery.

The majority of people are judging the poor bloke on media clips...I bet the majority of people criticising him have never had to stand in front of a camera and talk in a relaxed manner...I've had to do this for work for local news reports abroad...and trust me, when you have a camera and mic pointed at you and someone asking you questions, it's not easy.

He's not employed primarily to do interviews...he's employed to do talent spotting and recruitment and negotiating contracts etc.

Lisa Knights is a prime example of how to 'communicate' with the fans...but that's what she's employed to do.

MA needs to be given a break...and if judged...people should do it, based on who he recruits and how well his negotiations go.

Not aimed at you fella...but a general observation.

That's all well and good, but what about his hair cut? 

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56 minutes ago, spudski said:

I too have suffered listening to corporate talk around a board room...it's nauseating.

However it seems fans are just picking up on individual words like 'synergy' and not listening to the rest of his comments...which come across clearly and eloquently.

He maybe not perfect...but I really don't understand this fixation by certain City supporters, who seem to be offended by people who talk in a thoughtful and eloquent way.

He gets slated for using certain words, wearing a suit...SoD got slated for mumbling and speaking quietly...but tbh...look beyond their 'personalities'  both try to communicate something to the fans that is interesting and beyond normal 'football catch phrases'.

It seems certain fans get their hackles up when listening to obviously educated people...it's reverse snobbery.

The majority of people are judging the poor bloke on media clips...I bet the majority of people criticising him have never had to stand in front of a camera and talk in a relaxed manner...I've had to do this for work for local news reports abroad...and trust me, when you have a camera and mic pointed at you and someone asking you questions, it's not easy.

He's not employed primarily to do interviews...he's employed to do talent spotting and recruitment and negotiating contracts etc.

Lisa Knights is a prime example of how to 'communicate' with the fans...but that's what she's employed to do.

MA needs to be given a break...and if judged...people should do it, based on who he recruits and how well his negotiations go.

Not aimed at you fella...but a general observation.

I agree with most of what you say, but i'm sorry I have endured loads of SOD's interviews and I don't know what you think you hear but they are little different to any football manager doing the rounds at any given time, he says exactly the same things just quieter and more boringly.

 

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27 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

I agree with most of what you say, but i'm sorry I have endured loads of SOD's interviews and I don't know what you think you hear but they are little different to any football manager doing the rounds at any given time, he says exactly the same things just quieter and more boringly.

 

I beg to differ on that EMB...I agree he doesn't come across well on camera, but he has taken time to do pod casts, always wrote thoughtful notes, and having spent time talking to the chap, was always willing to talk football and share his thoughts...you could feel the passion he had for football. He's often too honest in his appraisals, and can rough people up the wrong way...he doesn't suffer fools gladly.

I know he came across to some people at the Club as rude and arrogant...but he was under immense pressure to try and make this Club work for the long term. He was trying to do the job of many men...as we didn't have the 'infrastructure' in place that SL has spoken about recently. He was working to make the Club work as a whole and not just short term. From the Academy up...trying to put things in place. A lot of the 'infrastructure' being put in place recently, is down to what SoD recommended...I know this for a fact. Granted it failed on the pitch...but i'm really not surprised considering.

We are going back, to making this Club sustainable and work for the future.

What certain fans fail to realise, is that SC was ripping the heart out of this Club. He may have got promotion...but he was doing it his way. He wasn't thinking about the clubs long term future...he was managing in a way that would see out the length of his Contract.

He had no interest in the development teams or Academy...as he knew none of those players would probably be good enough to break into the first team during his tenure. It was purely short term thinking on his part...all about who could he get that would make him instantly successful...no thought of development or for the future. Even fringe players were shunned. He even fell out with coach's and staff to a point of not talking to them.

He actually told the under 21's they were useless...had them in tears, and told them he might as well tear up their contracts. The bloke was a bully, and just interested in SC the man...rather than Bristol City, the Club. Unfortunately many don't see that part of the Club.

His demeanor in front of the camera, was one of a man who sulked and blamed everyone else bar himself.

I'd rather have a manager and team of people in place, who are working for the club...rather than for themselves...regardless of how they come across on camera or in the media.

The whole ethos now, seems to be to employ people who have a passion, but are also connected to this Club and City.

I can only see positive moves right now...and I've been one of the clubs biggest critics as you know...so credit, where credit is due.

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Interesting isn't it?

Was SC right though that the Under 21's and Academy weren't/aren't fit for purpose? As such, was he just delivering a GJ style 'hand grenade' as a last resort in the hope that might have shaken a few up to raise their games? 

I think it would be hard to argue over the last couple of decades anything other than our player development has been less than a total disaster and wasted millions that could have been spent on a decent scouting system.

I've been waiting for 20 years for The Academy to deliver a home grown decent goal scoring forward worthy of a first team place. You seem closer to the Club than I - is there any hope of our development system contributing to our Club or would buying in hungry, 'winners' eager to prove themselves from lower/non league be a better bet?

Always seems to me The Academy promises a golden tomorrow but fails abysmally to deliver no matter whether we have a 'caring' manager interested in player development or not.

 

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5 minutes ago, Moor2Sea said:

Interesting isn't it?

Was SC right though that the Under 21's and Academy weren't/aren't fit for purpose? As such, was he just delivering a GJ style 'hand grenade' as a last resort in the hope that might have shaken a few up to raise their games? 

I think it would be hard to argue over the last couple of decades anything other than our player development has been less than a total disaster and wasted millions that could have been spent on a decent scouting system.

I've been waiting for 20 years for The Academy to deliver a home grown decent goal scoring forward worthy of a first team place. You seem closer to the Club than I - is there any hope of our development system contributing to our Club or would buying in hungry, 'winners' eager to prove themselves from lower/non league be a better bet?

Always seems to me The Academy promises a golden tomorrow but fails abysmally to deliver no matter whether we have a 'caring' manager interested in player development or not.

 

Ask how many times he actually watched the under 21's or took any interest in their development...

Wade and Pembo, included fringe players into the first team squad and academy products. involved the whole squad on match day.

If they thought SC was doing right, having worked with him all that time, they would have stuck to doing the same thing. They didn't...and fortunes changed.

The bloke was a bully...just interested in himself.

We've got some good players in the development teams...you develop them...not bully them. I know some were completely disillusioned with the whole affair, as well as certain staff...and parents.

I know one parent of a player spoke to another potential player and told them not to bother here...not because the academy was bad...but because there was no clear path to the first team whilst SC was here.

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