Quite Disturbing...

[Kid in the Riot]

Reading the thread about LJ's interview being cut short last night, it's just occurred to me that if it was indeed Adam Baker cutting the interview short last night, it demonstrates perfectly how inappropriate it was of the club to make him the Supporters Liaison Officer. Here, on the one hand, you have a guy who is controlling the media output given from the club to supporters, and on the other hand whose job it is to supposedly represent the views of the supporters?

Anyone see a conflict of interest at all? No?

I should say that in his role in the media department, he is of course entitled to keep journalists in check etc. But that still illustrates aptly why he shouldn't be doing both jobs.

The more I think about it, the more it feels like quite a deliberate, disturbing appointment... SL has always been 'dubious', shall we say, in terms of support involvement in the running of the football club and I guess this is just another strand to that. Strange times.

[Roger Red Hat]

2 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Reading the thread about LJ's interview being cut short last night, it's just occurred to me that if it was indeed Adam Baker cutting the interview short last night, it demonstrates perfectly how inappropriate it was of the club to make him the Supporters Liaison Officer. Here, on the one hand, you have a guy who is controlling the media output given from the club to supporters, and on the other hand whose job it is to supposedly represent the views of the supporters?

Anyone see a conflict of interest at all? No?

I should say that in his role in the media department, he is of course entitled to keep journalists in check etc. But that still illustrates aptly why he shouldn't be doing both jobs.

The more I think about it, the more it feels like quite a deliberate, disturbing appointment... SL has always been 'dubious', shall we say, in terms of support involvement in the running of the football club and I guess this is just another strand to that. Strange times.

Positively 'Trumpesque'!

[iamalagerdrinker]

Are we on about the interview on the player app? I don't see anything wrong with it & Adam Baker does a great job for the club and us fans! 

[Phileas Fogg]

17 minutes ago, iamalagerdrinker said:

Are we on about the interview on the player app? I don't see anything wrong with it & Adam Baker does a great job for the club and us fans! 

Agree he does a good job with the media stuff and content we get, but that's not the point being made at all. What's being said is that his dual role as media manager and also as supporters liaison officer is a conflict of interest. 

I've been uncomfortable with the dual role since it was secretively announced. Seems obvious to me, as KITR said, that you can't do both roles without potentially jeopardising your ability to do the other as well as possible. 

I think the club would rather not have a SLO, especially not one who they can't guarantee will toe the party line.

[Mr Popodopolous]

7 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Agree he does a good job with the media stuff and content we get, but that's not the point being made at all. What's being said is that his dual role as media manager and also as supporters liaison officer is a conflict of interest. 

I've been uncomfortable with the dual role since it was secretively announced. Seems obvious to me, as KITR said, that you can't do both roles without potentially jeopardising your ability to do the other as well as possible. 

I think the club would rather not have a SLO, especially not one who they can't guarantee will toe the party line.

Yep- with you on that especially. Absolutely a potential conflict of interest also.

I would add he shares the role with Rachel Lemar. Still no clue how engaged she is or has been with the wider fanbase- anyone care to enlighten the rest of us on that?

[Unan]

Story for the FA?

[Phileas Fogg]

5 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Yep- with you on that especially. Absolutely a potential conflict of interest also.

I would add he shares the role with Rachel Lemar. Still no clue how engaged she is or has been with the wider fanbase- anyone care to enlighten the rest of us on that?

It's all a bit of a farce. I really didn't like how secretive it all seems to be from appointments to visibility to purpose..

Nobody knows who she is and to the best of my knowledge she hasn't come onto this site or anything like that. Wasn't the role also shared with similar responsibilities for Bristol Rugby?

The club would never allow the role to be done like this but to be truly effective the person in that role needs to be able to hold the club truly accountable and oppose them where necessary.

[Kid in the Riot]

31 minutes ago, iamalagerdrinker said:

Are we on about the interview on the player app? I don't see anything wrong with it & Adam Baker does a great job for the club and us fans! 

Come on, it's the most obvious conflict of interest since Trump advertised his daughter's clothing brand using The White House twitter account!

[Mr Popodopolous]

7 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

It's all a bit of a farce. I really didn't like how secretive it all seems to be from appointments to visibility to purpose..

Nobody knows who she is and to the best of my knowledge she hasn't come onto this site or anything like that. Wasn't the role also shared with similar responsibilities for Bristol Rugby?

The club would never allow the role to be done like this but to be truly effective the person in that role needs to be able to hold the club truly accountable and oppose them where necessary.

Agree entirely. No recollection of her on here- also a role is not effective when shared by 2 people who each have full time roles at the club already. How can it be?

As you say that's probably it, splitting a role when the 2 people already have a full time role would certainly stop accountability, let alone opposition.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

My problem is what with SL's criticism of the fanbase and last nights cut short interview, it's clear that the club is a dictatorship and the fans will get what they are given.

Our club like many others will never be run for the fans.

 

[lenred]

2 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

My problem is what with SL's criticism of the fanbase and last nights cut short interview, it's clear that the club is a dictatorship and the fans will get what they are given.

 

Agree. It certainly feels that way at the moment to me. 

[Xiled]

I was only half-listening to the LJ interview when the voices became mumbled and then Adam Baker could be heard stopping the discussion.

Initially I was quite surprised as it's not been the club's usual method of operation.  If you follow Formula 1 and see how the large teams are managed, it's become normal practice for a "PR minder" to stand alongside the team principle during interviews.

To defend the club, in this day and age they have to be careful about what is said as a matter of public record.  Unusually for Radio Bristol I thought the questioning was actually quite tough and Lee Johnson was struggling to keep the happy party line.  I'm all in favour of some tricky questions but it's not the the norm nowadays.  There is an unwritten rule between journalists and football clubs that questions will be constrained if favourable access to breaking stories is to be retained.

Also, on the back of the appalling Fulham defeat, Lee Johnson was clearly in an unfit state to answer questions.  He basically confirmed that he had lost the support of some players, that cliques had become an issue and that he needed to get everyone out for a social.  As interesting as it was to hear, it was far too honest in this modern footballing world.

So, it's possible that Adam Baker was there to prevent LJ from scoring more home goals.  Whatever happens during the remainder of the season, the club will not want prospective players or investors (or managers!) getting the idea that the club is split by factions.

[Kid in the Riot]

13 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

My problem is what with SL's criticism of the fanbase and last nights cut short interview, it's clear that the club is a dictatorship and the fans will get what they are given.

Our club like many others will never be run for the fans.

In a nutshell, this is exactly what I'm getting at. We are being run like an autocracy more than ever.

Anyone heard from 'The Board' this season? They might as well not exist. The only person who we do hear from is Mark Ashton who is a club employee. Nothing from the others but then I suppose it's only the opinion of one man that counts. Dawe allegedly has 5% of shares, what happens when he goes? Presumably SL will buy them up so he can shout 'full house'! 

Suppose it's just a fact of modern day life, the man at the top is getting richer and more powerful and the man at the bottom is getting bummed harder and harder.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

2 hours ago, lenred said:

Agree. It certainly feels that way at the moment to me. 

 

2 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

In a nutshell, this is exactly what I'm getting at. We are being run like an autocracy more than ever.

Anyone heard from 'The Board' this season? They might as well not exist. The only person who we do hear from is Mark Ashton who is a club employee. Nothing from the others but then I suppose it's only the opinion of one man that counts. Dawe allegedly has 5% of shares, what happens when he goes? Presumably SL will buy them up so he can shout 'full house'! 

Suppose it's just a fact of modern day life, the man at the top is getting richer and more powerful and the man at the bottom is getting bummed harder and harder.

Dictators don't take well to criticism and dictate what can or cannot be said by it's officials.

[AppyDAZE]

What was Adam Baker unhappy about, anyone?  :laugh: Radio Bristol was hardly giving Lee the Spanish inquisition.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

4 minutes ago, AppyDAZE said:

What was Adam Baker unhappy about, anyone?  Radio Bristol was hardly giving Lee the Spanish inquisition.

Perhaps Adam Baker wasn't properly prepared................................... 

Because nobody expects the Spanish inquisition

[AppyDAZE]

Just I when I think I couldn't be more angry about anything I see Norman Tebbit on the news.

Gives us some perspective, I suppose

and he's quite disturbing, still

 

[GrahamC]

3 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

In a nutshell, this is exactly what I'm getting at. We are being run like an autocracy more than ever.

Anyone heard from 'The Board' this season? They might as well not exist. The only person who we do hear from is Mark Ashton who is a club employee. Nothing from the others but then I suppose it's only the opinion of one man that counts.

Jon Lansdown re-surfaces on social media again every time we get a decent result (no need to do the obvious joke there everyone, I'm already well ahead of you) like the glorious Rotherham 1-0 victory or much more commendable point at Newcastle, with a comment, but of course like the rest of them is always missing in action after the total shite that was served up v Fulham, Cardiff, Brentford, Preston and Reading etc, etc.

I am also starting to get so bored of the predictable "if we didn't have SL, we'd have Vincent Tan" or some even more extreme example from a dimishing few on here.

Thanks for the ground, Steve, but sadly everything else in truth is actually pretty rubbish.Tan may not even know how to put on a pair of trousers but unlike our owner even he knows the difference between a shite manager (Trollope) and a good one (Warnock).

Where were they in the league when they made that change exactly?

Not a chance in a million of them going down, is that what we are supposed to worry about under some evil foreign owner?

 

[CotswoldRed]

6 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Reading the thread about LJ's interview being cut short last night, it's just occurred to me that if it was indeed Adam Baker cutting the interview short last night, it demonstrates perfectly how inappropriate it was of the club to make him the Supporters Liaison Officer. Here, on the one hand, you have a guy who is controlling the media output given from the club to supporters, and on the other hand whose job it is to supposedly represent the views of the supporters?

Anyone see a conflict of interest at all? No?

I should say that in his role in the media department, he is of course entitled to keep journalists in check etc. But that still illustrates aptly why he shouldn't be doing both jobs.

The more I think about it, the more it feels like quite a deliberate, disturbing appointment... SL has always been 'dubious', shall we say, in terms of support involvement in the running of the football club and I guess this is just another strand to that. Strange times.

I'm not sure anyone truly believes AB was gonna do anything more than occupy the position, rather than truly fulfil it. 

 

[Kid in the Riot]

11 hours ago, CotswoldRed said:

I'm not sure anyone truly believes AB was gonna do anything more than occupy the position, rather than truly fulfil it.

There was a thread on it when it was announced through stealth and there were plenty jumping on those who were criticising the appointment. It seems many fans are just happy watching the club fragrantly breach the UEFA guidelines on SLO appointments to, ultimately, their detriment.

[Sniper]

13 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Jon Lansdown re-surfaces on social media again every time we get a decent result (no need to do the obvious joke there everyone, I'm already well ahead of you) like the glorious Rotherham 1-0 victory or much more commendable point at Newcastle, with a comment, but of course like the rest of them is always missing in action after the total shite that was served up v Fulham, Cardiff, Brentford, Preston and Reading etc, etc.

I am also starting to get so bored of the predictable "if we didn't have SL, we'd have Vincent Tan" or some even more extreme example from a dimishing few on here.

Thanks for the ground, Steve, but sadly everything else in truth is actually pretty rubbish.Tan may not even know how to put on a pair of trousers but unlike our owner even he knows the difference between a shite manager (Trollope) and a good one (Warnock).

Where were they in the league when they made that change exactly?

Not a chance in a million of them going down, is that what we are supposed to worry about under some evil foreign owner?

 

That nearly made me spit out my coffee

[The Original OTIB]

35 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

There was a thread on it when it was announced through stealth and there were plenty jumping on those who were criticising the appointment. It seems many fans are just happy watching the club fragrantly breach the UEFA guidelines on SLO appointments to, ultimately, their detriment.

Fragrantly? To the contrary, it smells something rotten.

 

[CotswoldRed]

36 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

There was a thread on it when it was announced through stealth and there were plenty jumping on those who were criticising the appointment. It seems many fans are just happy watching the club fragrantly breach the UEFA guidelines on SLO appointments to, ultimately, their detriment.

True. I thought AB was the best of an internal appointment, but then, the internal bit is the issue 

[Son of Fred]

17 hours ago, Xiled said:

I was only half-listening to the LJ interview when the voices became mumbled and then Adam Baker could be heard stopping the discussion.

Initially I was quite surprised as it's not been the club's usual method of operation.  If you follow Formula 1 and see how the large teams are managed, it's become normal practice for a "PR minder" to stand alongside the team principle during interviews.

To defend the club, in this day and age they have to be careful about what is said as a matter of public record.  Unusually for Radio Bristol I thought the questioning was actually quite tough and Lee Johnson was struggling to keep the happy party line.  I'm all in favour of some tricky questions but it's not the the norm nowadays.  There is an unwritten rule between journalists and football clubs that questions will be constrained if favourable access to breaking stories is to be retained.

Also, on the back of the appalling Fulham defeat, Lee Johnson was clearly in an unfit state to answer questions.  He basically confirmed that he had lost the support of some players, that cliques had become an issue and that he needed to get everyone out for a social.  As interesting as it was to hear, it was far too honest in this modern footballing world.

So, it's possible that Adam Baker was there to prevent LJ from scoring more home goals.  Whatever happens during the remainder of the season, the club will not want prospective players or investors (or managers!) getting the idea that the club is split by factions.

Its pathetic in the extreme-LJ not allowed to answer a few questions for our local radio station without a club 'representative' standing behind him???

I've heard enough-this club is turning to dogshit...shifty barstewards.

[RedM]

12 hours ago, CotswoldRed said:

I'm not sure anyone truly believes AB was gonna do anything more than occupy the position, rather than truly fulfil it. 

 

Out of interest is it a salaried role, do they get paid to liaise with fans?

[RedM]

21 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

True. I thought AB was the best of an internal appointment, but then, the internal bit is the issue 

Who were the other applicants, I can't remember being asked to decide?

[Son of Fred]

28 minutes ago, RedM said:

Who were the other applicants, I can't remember being asked to decide?

The "one horse race" recruitment policy clearly favored at bcfc for any role over and above tea lady.....hang on a minute???

[Meryl Goodrum]

19 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Reading the thread about LJ's interview being cut short last night, it's just occurred to me that if it was indeed Adam Baker cutting the interview short last night, it demonstrates perfectly how inappropriate it was of the club to make him the Supporters Liaison Officer. Here, on the one hand, you have a guy who is controlling the media output given from the club to supporters, and on the other hand whose job it is to supposedly represent the views of the supporters?

Anyone see a conflict of interest at all? No?

I should say that in his role in the media department, he is of course entitled to keep journalists in check etc. But that still illustrates aptly why he shouldn't be doing both jobs.

The more I think about it, the more it feels like quite a deliberate, disturbing appointment... SL has always been 'dubious', shall we say, in terms of support involvement in the running of the football club and I guess this is just another strand to that. Strange times.

Can't help thinking that this is just another example of the way money is ruining football. Since the Premiership began, football is no longer a game, or a sport - it's a business, and a war. Too much back-stabbing and sharp practice and no loyalty from players. SL is brilliant at making money but should have stuck to finance, not football.

[Blagdon red]

There is no doubt that the club/BS is not following UEFA best practice in terms of the commitment it gives to the SLO role. As the SC&T, you may recall, we had hoped when DL left that the club/BS would see that as an opportunity to look anew at the role and come closer to what UEFA would like clubs to do.

Having said that, I think it's unfair to criticise Adam personally. He clearly got landed with the job. I'm pretty sure he didn't ask for it. Ditto Rachel Lemar, who is notionally also regarded by BS as an SLO.

To be fair to Adam, he has been much better at attending meetings of various supporter groups (e.g. all SC&T and FAN meetings since his appointment), which his predecessor did not do and also chips in on here from time to time, which again his predecessor had stopped doing towards the end of his term. Adam also 'fought our corner' at the start of the season when BS sneakily added a £1 'booking fee' onto all tickets. With Adam helping to make our case for us internally, the SC&T, as you may recall, got that £1 scrapped from all tickets loaded onto cards or printed at home. On that issue, for one, he performed the SLO role well.

However, due to his very time-consuming full-time role as Head of Media, he is not able to fulfil the matchday aspects of the SLO job, either at home or away, e.g. he cannot be a point of contact on matchdays for any fans with an issue they wish to discuss with their SLO.

That is a failing of the way in which the club/BS operates this function and no fault of Adam's personally.

The situation is not ideal. But that is down to BS, not the individual in the role.

[Alessandro]

14 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Jon Lansdown re-surfaces on social media again every time we get a decent result (no need to do the obvious joke there everyone, I'm already well ahead of you) like the glorious Rotherham 1-0 victory or much more commendable point at Newcastle, with a comment, but of course like the rest of them is always missing in action after the total shite that was served up v Fulham, Cardiff, Brentford, Preston and Reading etc, etc.

I am also starting to get so bored of the predictable "if we didn't have SL, we'd have Vincent Tan" or some even more extreme example from a dimishing few on here.

Thanks for the ground, Steve, but sadly everything else in truth is actually pretty rubbish.Tan may not even know how to put on a pair of trousers but unlike our owner even he knows the difference between a shite manager (Trollope) and a good one (Warnock).

Where were they in the league when they made that change exactly?

Not a chance in a million of them going down, is that what we are supposed to worry about under some evil foreign owner?

 

You should pick your comparison's better.

How about a board who built up more than £100m in debt and brought in Russell Slade as manager.

How about an owner that flies in the face the 100 years of tradition by changing the kit from blue to red.

How about an owner who never communicates with the fans and when he does it's from a yacht off the coast of the Far East.

How about an owner who is going to sell the club as soon as he gets the offer he wants. 

 

Yeah that all sounds like things that would go down well on OTIB. Much more of the 'democracy' that you hope for. Oh but it's OK because he'll employ Warnock.