It's a process...

[Dynamite Red]

Ah great the pre season propaganda and bullshit has started.

[BanburyRed]

4 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Just stating the bleeding obvious............

I get the impression sometimes that MA thinks we are all numpties............

 

Sounds like most of the senior management that i work with - they open their mouths and you think 'how on earth have you got this far knowing nothing and talking shite?'...

[lenred]

I actually quite like the bloke, he's a product of 'modern football' but that's not his fault (modern football that is) and I think he gets a bad rap on here in general because he's a 'suit' and apparently 'posh' (though a Midlands accent never comes across that way to me but each to their own!). But those comments about Bryan and Bobby are a little unnerving, as were the references to the 'pathway'.  Guess we just need to see what happens over the next few weeks.  Here's hoping he delivers the goods, sure he will. 

[Robbored]

8 minutes ago, lenred said:

I actually quite like the bloke, he's a product of 'modern football' but that's not his fault (modern football that is) and I think he gets a bad rap on here in general because he's a 'suit' 

Having met the guy I agree he's a likeable bloke but tends to inadvertently patronises us by telling us that he and LJ are doing all the right things in a professional, thoughtful and precise manner to improve the playing element of football club.

Well.........of course they are. That's their job ffs. Does he really need to tell us in an interview?

 

[downendcity]

24 minutes ago, Dynamite Red said:

Ah great the pre season propaganda and bullshit has started.

As has the cynical and sarcastic response from fans. 

[robin_unreliant]

34 minutes ago, Ivorguy said:

We don't even have a chief scout, nor do we have a believable explanation why the last one left.

Am I right in saying this issue was not addressed?

Very good question imo. Last season there were comments about how well our scouting network had developed and that we could now pick up players from around Europe. Now it appears we don't even have a Chief Scout. Who is making decisions about which players we chase? I thought MA was just the money man who worked on the deal once we identified a player. Is LJ now directing the scouting effort? If so I'm worried.

[exAtyeoMax]

22 minutes ago, lenred said:

I actually quite like the bloke, he's a product of 'modern football' but that's not his fault (modern football that is) and I think he gets a bad rap on here in general because he's a 'suit' and apparently 'posh' (though a Midlands accent never comes across that way to me but each to their own!). But those comments about Bryan and Bobby are a little unnerving, as were the references to the 'pathway'.  Guess we just need to see what happens over the next few weeks.  Here's hoping he delivers the goods, sure he will. 

it's not posh, just corporate 

[Red Skin]

1 hour ago, INCRED said:

A bit contradictory in places such as don't need to sell but smaller squad and we are bringing in at all levels?

Yeah, I thought that too.

MA is on a hiding to nothing.  Not much to say at this stage, so he will always be accused of not saying much.  He did deliver the type of signings he as asked for last window.  That not all have been successful, have not been played, or that there was an imbalance toward players with potential isn't his fault.

The fact we are identifying a number of targets throughout the season and recruiting more staff to analyse players and identify targets says to me the club continues to move in the right direction.  

Would like to see of the U23s break through.  He is obviously talking this up when there hasn't really been much evidence of this.

 

[Fordy62]

Perrow: is it true the transfer window is just a domino effect?

Ashton: I'd say it's more of a spider web. One transfer happens and the rest domino. 

Christ on a bike. 

[GrahamC]

17 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

Very good question imo. Last season there were comments about how well our scouting network had developed and that we could now pick up players from around Europe. Now it appears we don't even have a Chief Scout. Who is making decisions about which players we chase? I thought MA was just the money man who worked on the deal once we identified a player. Is LJ now directing the scouting effort? If so I'm worried.

Pretty sure Mervyn Day has been filling that role on a temporary basis since Des Taylor left, plus there have been rumours Brian Tinnion has got more involved in that side of things recently, too.

Not saying it is ideal, but we will have had people watching games that players we are interested in are involved in, even with Taylor's rather strange departure.

 

[KeepUpLino]

1 hour ago, Ivorguy said:

We don't even have a chief scout, nor do we have a believable explanation why the last one left.

Am I right in saying this issue was not addressed?

Great point.... We're not in great shape moving forward are we?

[lenred]

28 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

it's not posh, just corporate 

Fair play. But corporate and posh are two different things. Certainly wouldn't argue against your point that's he's corporate as you say but that's the way of the modern game. A case of if you can't beat them, join them. 

[lenred]

37 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Having met the guy I agree he's a likeable bloke but tends to inadvertently patronises us by telling us that he and LJ are doing all the right things in a professional, thoughtful and precise manner to improve the playing element of football club.

Well.........of course they are. That's their job ffs. Does he really need to tell us in an interview?

 

Guess it's a case for him that he's damned if he doesn't say anything  to us and then damned if he doesn't. But I certainly get your point. 

[Fiale]

If we want to improve we need to bring in at least 3 quality players of a better calibre than we have - as well as keeping hold of our better players. We have a pretty big squad, LJ signed 13 players last season, if he would like a trimmed down squad we must be looking at letting some go / losing a number of them. 

As for the pathway - yeah I am not seeing it either, maybe they need to be asked to clarify this, are they referring to the "development squad "like Hodur / O'Dowda etc when they say this ? 

[exAtyeoMax]

8 hours ago, lenred said:

Fair play. But corporate and posh are two different things. Certainly wouldn't argue against your point that's he's corporate as you say but that's the way of the modern game. A case of if you can't beat them, join them. 

He's not posh at all. Unfortunately with the amount of spin that is prevalent in all walks of communication these days, and the apparent untruths constantly told to us through various media outlets, I tend not to subscribe to the idea that spin is good. I'd rather listen to someone who tells it straight i.e. without the use of buzzwords and soundbites. I'm not saying he's lying or he's not working hard, I just find that kind of talk a bit tedious. 

[GrahamC]

The four we have had on loan have gone, so has Mark Little, plus we don't know if Wilbraham is staying. That is 5, possibly 6 gone.

Unless we get a huge bid for say, Flint, I can honestly see us making only 4 signings, a goalkeeper, a right back and 2 forwards, which means by definition we will have a smaller squad.

It is even arguable that if we are prepared to go with Lucic or O'Leary as back up, to Fielding we don't need the keeper, making just 3 signings.

Last season's 13 or so in means LJ has a squad of players largely brought in by him, so unless fringe players like Golbourne go, we don't have much space for manoeuvre.

[chipdawg]

I'm not sure why everyone's getting their knickers in a twist, he doesn't really say anything. I'm guessing someone felt it would be good PR to get Ashton to give us all an 'update' on this summers strategy, except there's nothing to tell. Cue 7 minutes of cliches and nothingness.

Based on his record so far, I'm going to trust that Ashton knows what he's doing RE: player recruitment. He brought some quality, (mainly) young players in during the summer. It's not MAs fault that Johnson butchered the middle part of the season 

[Floatn Over]

I didn't find the interview too bad to be honest, apart from the Joe B's season comment (not quite sure where that came from) Yes there was spin and he was saying a lot of what he thought we would want to hear (meetings, multiple targets, me and Lee on the road) time will tell of course but on face value, he came across quite well.  I say give him a chance to deliver in preparation for what will be another difficult season and hope the "players are locked down" comment means exactly that.  Some of the critics should think back to the debacle of the Coppell summer when as I recall Nicky Hunt and Damien Stewart were signed at the last minute.

If we get to the season and there are comments like "well we tried" "we cannot compete with parachute payments" "player did not want to come" and critically "the offer was too good to turn down" then I'll be ready to give him some stick.

[RedM]

My observations: We are bringing in more recruitment staff to recruit less players. Yes I realise we have no head scout but we are at the same time trimming the squad. At best this is quality not quantity maybe? On the upside less players less chance for Lee to Tombola the team, on the downside we are gambling with injuries and someone buying our best players on transfer deadline day.

What he said about Joe was baffling, but what he said about Bobby was worrying. If he hasn't been able to break into the team and nail down a place with any consistency by now it's looking unlikely. Why is he suddenly going to become that player this season? If Bobby was available from another team, would we even look at him?

He mentions our way of pathways etc (?)was unique. Well the positive in me says we are brave and innovative in that respect, but my sensible side says if no one else is doing it there's a reason for that.

He is corporate and articulate, I can see past that. Fair play he has held onto his Brummie accent, many would have worked on that. But on the whole I get a feeling he is saying one thing to us and very different things are happening in reality. 

 

[shelts]

I haven't got the stomach to watch it ....

['Orns]

11 hours ago, Robbored said:

Just stating the bleeding obvious............

I get the impression sometimes that MA thinks we are all numpties............

 

I suspect maybe he's rumbled you us (attack the post, not the poster)

Wasn't it you who was kissing the blokes arse 18 months or so ago after his talks with the Senior Reds? He's gonna be calling you into his office next 

Conference COO

10 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

Perrow: is it true the transfer window is just a domino effect?

Ashton: I'd say it's more of a spider web. One transfer happens and the rest domino. 

Christ on a bike. 

Ha - that is brilliant to be fair!

I'll have a watch later. The bloke is damned if he talks, and damned if he doesn't. It's 26th May, I'm not sure why they've rolled him out this early, I can't imagine there's too much he's going to give away right now

 

[Monkeh]

14 hours ago, ScottishRed said:

Fordy,, I could not agree more.

That was an utter pack of BS and lies.

Mark Ashton has a great career in politics available to him if he ever chooses to leave  football.

How stupid does BS think we are?

And this is the COO who utterly disappeared during the dark days of last season.

Disappointed, but frankly not surprised.

The tone of it suggests we had an OK season and its now about some fine tuning!

Utterly and completed deluded.

didn't he go and meet fans in the crowd during the run away from home?

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, GrahamC said:

The four we have had on loan have gone, so has Mark Little, plus we don't know if Wilbraham is staying. That is 5, possibly 6 gone.

Unless we get a huge bid for say, Flint, I can honestly see us making only 4 signings, a goalkeeper, a right back and 2 forwards, which means by definition we will have a smaller squad.

It is even arguable that if we are prepared to go with Lucic or O'Leary as back up, to Fielding we don't need the keeper, making just 3 signings.

Last season's 13 or so in means LJ has a squad of players largely brought in by him, so unless fringe players like Golbourne go, we don't have much space for manoeuvre.

That's a pretty decent assessment Graham.  I think the comment that "we don't need to sell" can be taken out of context.  That may be more about not having to sell the likes of Flint unless we get an OTT offer.  I don't think it says we won't move players on, probably two types here:

1. Those who want to go anyway, no ITK, but perhaps Tomlin as an example

2. Those who will be told that they won't get much / any game time and it might be best if they started getting done worth from their Agent, no ITK, but Golbourne as an example

2, 3, 4 of those go together with the 5 or 6 already, and suddenly you're at a trimmer squad.

Of course there might be clubs who want our less-stellar players.  Might a league one squad think someone like Bobby would be a fine player at that level, even if he's not gonna be a Champ starter.

3 hours ago, chipdawg said:

I'm not sure why everyone's getting their knickers in a twist, he doesn't really say anything. I'm guessing someone felt it would be good PR to get Ashton to give us all an 'update' on this summers strategy, except there's nothing to tell. Cue 7 minutes of cliches and nothingness.

Based on his record so far, I'm going to trust that Ashton knows what he's doing RE: player recruitment. He brought some quality, (mainly) young players in during the summer. It's not MAs fault that Johnson butchered the middle part of the season 

I agree, I just think he wanted to make a statement before all the rumours start flying around.  I think he's alright, and importantly I think he understands the current market.

[Monkeh]

Just now, Davefevs said:

That's a pretty decent assessment Graham.  I think the comment that "we don't need to sell" can be taken out of context.  That may be more about not having to sell the likes of Flint unless we get an OTT offer.  I don't think it says we won't move players on, probably two types here:

1. Those who want to go anyway, no ITK, but perhaps Tomlin as an example

2. Those who will be told that they won't get much / any game time and it might be best if they started getting done worth from their Agent, no ITK, but Golbourne as an example

2, 3, 4 of those go together with the 5 or 6 already, and suddenly you're at a trimmer squad.

Of course there might be clubs who want our less-stellar players.  Might a league one squad think someone like Bobby would be a fine player at that level, even if he's not gonna be a Champ starter.

I agree, I just think he wanted to make a statement before all the rumours start flying around.  I think he's alright, and importantly I think he understands the current market.

We've not needed to sell since about 2007 (When lansdown's wealth started its upward trajectory) It's never meant we won't sell,

Personally I think 3 will leave and 6 will come in (first team) and we'll see a load more youngsters come in 

[Robbored]

2 hours ago, Woodsy said:

I suspect maybe he's rumbled you us (attack the post, not the poster)

Wasn't it you who was kissing the blokes arse 18 months or so ago after his talks with the Senior Reds? He's gonna be calling you into his office next 

Conference COO

He is a very charismatic bloke as I've said before but I don't recal "kissing" his ass. Perhaps you find a post to confirm that I was?

As for him being a conference COO - I think he's far too well qualified for non league standard.

['Orns]

5 minutes ago, Robbored said:

He is a very charismatic bloke as I've said before but I don't recal "kissing" his ass. Perhaps you find a post to confirm that I was?

As for him being a conference COO - I think he's far too well qualified for non league standard.

Got way better things to do than go back thru old posts, maybe it wasn't even you - that's why I was asking the question

I just remember someone being blown away with how he presented and was full of praise for him

[Monkeh]

2 minutes ago, Woodsy said:

Got way better things to do than go back thru old posts, maybe it wasn't even you - that's why I was asking the question

I just remember someone being blown away with how he presented and was full of praise for him

I* said he wasn't bad for a "Suit" and I quite like him, is it that?

[Robbored]

9 minutes ago, Woodsy said:

I just remember someone being blown away with how he presented and was full of praise for him

He's an impressive guy and speaker for sure and has ( so far ) done a decent job as COO.

The criticism of him originally was his regular use corporate "buzz" words like "DNA" and so on. That did him no favours  and that type of  speak lost him credibility and did him no favours in eyes of many fans.

I noticed in his latest interview he's toned down the corporate bullshit.

['Orns]

13 minutes ago, Robbored said:

He's an impressive guy and speaker for sure and has ( so far ) done a decent job as COO.

The criticism of him originally was his regular use corporate "buzz" words like "DNA" and so on. That did him no favours  and that type of  speak lost him credibility and did him no favours in eyes of many fans.

I noticed in his latest interview he's toned down the corporate bullshit.

A very confident bloke, that's for sure

Can't say I'm a massive fan of the buzzwords, but it's the in thing right now, so we'll have to live with that for a year or two, I guess

As for criticism of MA - doesn't he just work from the list that LJ gives him? He doesn't actually have a say in who we buy, does he?? Anyone know? He gets a list, makes a call, if there's interest he does some maths, makes an offer etc etc. I'm not sure where the blame (if there is any) for dealings lands with him

[BobBobSuperBob]

3 hours ago, Woodsy said:

I suspect maybe he's rumbled you us (attack the post, not the poster)

Wasn't it you who was kissing the blokes arse 18 months or so ago after his talks with the Senior Reds? He's gonna be calling you into his office next 

Correct Sir - much more recently than that , droning on about how good he was

He can't remember what drivel he said last week let alone a month ago

Turned circle on LJ more than a Magic Roundabout

Ashton too