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No Leadership At This Club - 5 Examples

Boston Red

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Boston Red

Boston Red

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NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 1. THE DEPARTURE OF GARY JOHNSON.

Away at Plymouth City played awfully and lost. After the match Johnson tore into the team. Apparently he made a comment about Ivan Sproule's late son, something along the lines of "You Ivan, you can score a brilliant goal away at Leicester in honour of your son, why can't you do it now as well?" The City players leapt to their feet, and a fight almost broke out. The next day, several senior players said they could not work with Gary Johnson anymore.

WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. Lansdown calls an immediate meeting. He says "Gary, that was a truly awful thing to say. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You are fined £200 000 pounds, and it will go to the charity of Ivan's choice. Get on your knees and humbly apologise to Ivan. If this ever happens again you will be sacked with no pay off." Johnson apologises to Ivan Sproule. Lansdown says "Now leave the room please, Gary." Gary Johnson leaves the room and Lansdown addresses the players. He says "That was an awful thing of Gary to say. If he says anything like that again, he is out of this football club. You senior players were quite right to come to me and protest. But this is Bristol City Football Club. We have to stick together. You guys played awfully last night. This is football. It is passionate. In the heat of the moment things get said. Gary has apologised, paid the fine, so let us be big and accept his apology. Stop all this talk about not being able to play for him anymore. You are extremely well paid professionals doing a wonderful job. If you tear up your contracts and walk away from this club no other club will want you. You will be seen as a troublemaker. You have probably said things you regret too. We are all human. Gary has taken this club further than anyone since the 70s. He has taken us to 4th, 10th, and 10th. I need you to be big, to be men, to be the better person, to forgive and let it go, and to carry on working for Bristol City Football Club. Can you do that for me?" The players say "Yes." Lansdown calls Johnson back in and says "Things are said in the heat of the moment, we accept your apology. You are a top manager and these players will play for you. We need a win, and you are going to get one on Saturday. Now let's all get back out on the training ground, I'll come with you, let's play some football with a smile on our faces, and let's all move on and stick together. OK?"

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. Lansdown panicked. "Help help! The players won't play for Johnson anymore and if the reason why comes out we will all be embarrassed! We'll have to part with mutual consent. This will break Gary Johnson and he will never manage this high again. This will break this football club and we won't finish this high again for the next ten years. But I don't know what else to do. Help help!"

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 2. THE APPOINTMENT OF DEREK MCINNES.

Millen was sacked, and Lansdown wanted to appoint Mark Robins. But the board wanted Mcinnes. They interview for the job, and Mcinnes goes back to Scotland. Then Lansdown throws his toys out of the pram and goes off to Africa. This puts the club in limbo. 2 weeks pass after the interview, but no decision can be made. Mcinnes goes on the radio and says, in a humble tone of voice "It's no secret I have had an interview, and now I am just waiting to hear." This is not the way to treat the man you want for the job. The international break passes, and without a manager we lose 2-1 at home to Peterborough. We are sinking further into the relegation zone, but the man who must make the decision cannot be contacted. This is amateurish. It is unprofessional. Have you ever heard of a football club not having a manager because the bloke in charge has gone on holiday, has switched his phone off, and won't make a decision?

Meanwhile St Johnstone, not the lead club in dynamic footballing efficiency, are starting to wonder what on earth is going on. Here is an excellent observation from Southville kiddy on another thread; 

"You may remember that the negotiations to get Derek McInnes to come to us went on and on? SL was supposedly no longer Chairman of BCFC, Keith Dawe was listed as Chairman, although and  wishing him no ill-will because I know he has been ill from time to time, hardly anyone knew what Keith Dawe looked like. What we know is true is that nothing could be approved unless it went through SL. With all the delays, the Chairman of St Johnstone FC, Geoff Brown, starts to get exasperated about who he is supposed to be dealing with. He's obviously heard about SL's involvement and eventually asks "Who actually is the Chairman of Bristol City Football Club?". What does this say about the way our Club is run?  "

Lansdown is away with the elephants in Africa, and another game comes and goes. We lose 1-0 away to Crystal Palace. Finally McInnes is appointed, having sat by the phone for three weeks, with less enthusiasm for the job than he had, surely knowing that his boss does not really want him. Amateurish. In the end we stay up, but what if we had gone down by two points? That 16 day 2-game delay could have been fatal. Lansdown then goes on the radio, hardly mentions the fact that his new man McInnes has won four out of five to get us out of the relegation zone, but sings the praises of his late-lamented yes man Keith Millen. Then he speaks generally about the appointment. "Well" he says " we didn't want someone who was going to come in and change everything." Excuse me? We are in the relegation zone, but all you are concerned about is preserving the status quo? City could have appointed Dave Jones, who had taken Cardiff to a Wembley final and the play offs, but no, that would be change, wouldn't it? We don't want that at Bristol City Football Club. Accountants don't like change. It unsettles them. 

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 3. THE NICKY MAYNARD SAGA.

Maynard is signed from Crewe for 2.25 million on a four year contract. After a quiet first season, he starts banging them in at 1 in 2. Attention is drawn to him because of some outrageous spectacular goals against QPR away (flick up and bicycle kick) and Coventry away (screaming volley). All Premier League clubs are aware of him, and he is one of the best strikers in the Championship. He starts to eye up the Premier League and a big money move. He has one year left on his contract but won't sign another one. Meanwhile Sven Goran-Erikson's Leicester are desperate for him, and go as high as 7 million for him. Maynard says no. It is clear he wants to leave on a free so that his new Premier League club will give the transfer fee to him as a signing on fee. In other words he wants to royally fleece Bristol City, the club that made him, paid him, and without which he would be nothing. It stinks. 

WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

LANSDOWN. Maynard, my office, now. You are a top player, you score goals for fun, sign another contract please, we gave you your chance in football, we nurtured you through your injury, we are going to the Premier League, you are going to score the goals to get us there, but I promise that if a big club matches our valuation we will not stand in your way, you will be the best paid player at this club, you will play every week, you will score every week, and you will be in the Premier League in 18 months either with us or with another club. Here's the pen. Sign here now.

MAYNARD. I have a better idea. I will run my contract down, leave for nothing, get lots of extra money for myself, and leave Bristol City Football Club high and dry. 

LANSDOWN. In which case just go. Sign for Leicester. It's more money for you, and the 7 million fee is good for us. This is right for both parties.

MAYNARD. (looking shifty) Er................er.............don't want to go to Leicester, want to go to the Premier League.

LANSDOWN. Now you listen to me, sunshine. You are trying to ruin my football club, so instead I am going to ruin you. You are out of the team. You are training with the kids every day. Hope you like shopping with the missus because that is how you are spending your Saturday afternoons from now on. Your career is going to stagnate for a whole year and no club will want you because you will be seen for what you are, a greedy troublemaker. You are never playing another game for Bristol City again and your name will be mud in the footballing world. Sign for us or go to Leicester, or else you are finished, pal.

MAYNARD. Er..............er......................when you put it like that, maybe I will go to Leicester.

LANSDOWN. Good. Go up the M5, turn right at the M42, it's signed. Tell Leicester to make the 7 million cheque payable to Bristol City Football Club. Have fun playing for a fornicating Swede who looks like a squirrel and starts every sentence with the word "Well..................................." in a patronising tone of voice. Shut the door on your way out.

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. Lansdown said "Help help!!! Maynard won't sign for Leicester!!! And he won't sign a new contract either!!! He is ruining this club and I don't know what to do!!! I'll indulge him and won't challenge him and keep him in the team every week and hope he goes to Leicester or signs even though he won't and er........................help!"

Most clubs know how to force someone out of the door. It is not difficult. It does not help that Lansdown is not at BS3 most of the time. He does not live in England. We are a body without a head, an institution without a leader. But the failure to deal with the Maynard situation relegated this club. If we had got the 7 million from Leicester, we would have been able to sign Bikey and Richard Keogh in the summer of 2012. As it was, Lansdown said there was no money, would not back Mcinnes (whom he never wanted) and we went down with a leaky defence. 

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 4. STEVE COTTERILL, ANDRE GRAY, AND HARRY MAGUIRE

City go up with almost 100 points and 100 goals. We can do a Norwich and a Southampton, and ride the momentum for back to back promotions. Cotterill has been brilliant at integrating his signings. Ayling, Wilbraham, Williams, Smith, Elliot, and Little all form a team immediately. He identifies Andre Gray and Harry Maguire. With hindsight, we see that Gray is a Premier League player who goes for millions more than we would have paid. So is Maguire, who goes to the World Cup semi-final with England. Both would have been amazing in our promotion team. With them, and Kodjia, and a motivated supported Cotterill, we could have been top half at least. The deals are done. Cotterill goes on holiday. Someone at the club opens up the deals again, they fall through, Cotterill is devastated and never recovers, and all momentum is lost. The guilty party loses his job, but it is too late. Lansdown vows this will not happen again, so he lets the next manager sign anyone he wants. He signs 46 players. Not one gets better. Not one is sold on for a profit. Millions are wasted. This spending spree is funded by selling the family silver, Flint, Reid, Bryan, Kodjia, and the Bolasie sell on.

So instead of giving the RIGHT manager the RIGHT two players to sign for a massive profit and a top half finish, the club give the WRONG manager the WRONG 46 players to sign, all for nothing. 

 

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 5. MISSED PROMOTION IN THE 2017/18 SEASON. 

Picture the scene. The City boardroom over Christmas.

LANSDOWN. Well, as you can see, we are second in the league and have a major national semi final against the best team in Europe. This is all a bit unexpected, really. I specifically told BBC Radio 5 live at the Man Utd game that I wanted top 6, and now we are top 2, against all expectations. As things stand, we are going up. What are we going to do?

Awkward silence. Everybody gazes at their papers. Atmosphere like a funeral. Nobody knows where to look. Then suddenly Lansdown has an idea.

LANSDOWN. I have it!!! We will put season tickets for next season on sale now. All our supporters will think we are going to the Premier League, and they will all buy season tickets in a mad rush of misplaced enthusiasm! Of course, we are not going to the Premier League. We are little old Bristol City in the middle of the second tier. But next season, we will be little old Bristol City in the middle of the second tier WITH INCREASED SEASON TICKET SALES!!! I'll tell the press we are sticking to the plan and are not going to break the bank. You, Mark Ashton, say we can get promotion any old season. If we do go up great, but come hell or high water, it's more season ticket sales from our stupid fan base for the 2018/19 season!!!

Relief breaks out among the board. Everyone starts smiling and sighing with joy. Adam Baker pours the tea, hands round the 3 for the price of 2 Safeway Economy Digestive Biscuits, and the meeting moves to the next agenda. Adam Baker leaves. But just as he reaches the door, he turns and speaks.

ADAM BAKER. Excuse me for saying this, but may I make a suggestion? We have been in the top 2 of the second tier once in the last forty years. We may never be there again. Why don't we just go for it? It has to start from the top down. Steve Lansdown, you hit the press and tell them we are going full on for promotion this season. Call in the players and tell them the club is going for it and they are going to pull it off. Say you will back Lee Johnson fully in January. Offer reduced half season tickets to increase the ground to capacity and boost the atmosphere. Inspire the fans. Do Kid-A-Quid and Bring-A-Mate-For-Free for every game. Make every night game a Red and White night. A full capacity with the fans roaring the team on will be worth four points at the end of the season. Announce publicly we are not selling our top players, and tell them they are going to the Premier League with Bristol City. Ride the wave of positivity we are on and keep the momentum going. We have better players than Cardiff, but they have team spirit. We can create that with the club if it starts from the top. Inspire the manager, inspire the fans, and the players will be inspired. Even if we miss out we will still make money on the gate, make money from the play-offs, and we will be able to attract better players and keep our best players if we are a top-6 play off club. The danger of your season ticket plan is that if we do not go for it, the best players will leave, the fans will feel fleeced and disillusioned, and the club will just fall. If we go for it and fail, who cares? Go again next season. Why not?

LANSDOWN. Great idea Adam. We'll discuss it. That'll do for now. Thanks.

Adam Baker leaves.

LANSDOWN. Always nice to see a bit of enthusiasm from the tea-boy. Somebody make sure he is not at the club in 6 months time. Anyway, I like my season ticket plan better. Doesn't matter if the fans get disillusioned, they will have already paid. Now, Mark Ashton, are we ready for the usual January transfer window? Have you got the usuals lined up? A random winger? A Premier League nobody? An expensive French failed centre-forward?

Mark Ashton nods.

LANSDOWN. Good. Now to the next item on the agenda. We need to appoint a Digital Multi-Based Cross-Sport Environmental Learning-and Development Team Leader and Co-ordinator. I have already given jobs to my son and four failed thirty-something footballers with no experience or talent. Anyone got a nephew or a son or something who needs a job? You, Graham? What's that? A 17 year old rat-faced YTS school drop-out with yellow teeth and an unspent conviction? Splendid, have him send his cv in immediately............................................

 

 

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NickJ

NickJ

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1 hour ago, Boston Red said:

 

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 4. STEVE COTTERILL, ANDRE GRAY, AND HARRY MAGUIRE

City go up with almost 100 points and 100 goals. We can do a Norwich and a Southampton, and ride the momentum for back to back promotions. Cotterill has been brilliant at integrating his signings. Ayling, Wilbraham, Williams, Smith, Elliot, and Little all form a team immediately. He identifies Andre Gray and Harry Maguire. With hindsight, we see that Gray is a Premier League player who goes for millions more than we would have paid. So is Maguire, who goes to the World Cup semi-final with England. Both would have been amazing in our promotion team. With them, and Kodjia, and a motivated supported Cotterill, we could have been top half at least. The deals are done. Cotterill goes on holiday. Someone at the club opens up the deals again, they fall through, Cotterill is devastated and never recovers, and all momentum is lost. The guilty party loses his job, but it is too late. Lansdown vows this will not happen again, so he lets the next manager sign anyone he wants. He signs 46 players. Not one gets better. Not one is sold on for a profit. Millions are wasted. This spending spree is funded by selling the family silver, Flint, Reid, Bryan, Kodjia, and the Bolasie sell on.

So instead of giving the RIGHT manager the RIGHT two players to sign for a massive profit and a top half finish, the club give the WRONG manager the WRONG 46 players to sign, all for nothing. 

 

ADD THIS TO EXAMPLE 4

End of 2014/15 season. Bristol City have an outstanding manager who proved all the doubters wrong, by saving them from relegation and following it up with instant promotion the next, walking it as champions with an entertaining style of football not seen in years.

Start of the summer 2015 transfer window. The manager had done his homework before the season even ended. He has identified signings, ambitious signings but nevertheless he thinks he's got them, he thinks these signings will enable his team to compete at the top end of the Championship.

But mistakes are made, Bristol City lose these potential signings and a valuable transfer window. 

The manager is livid, and deflated. The season 2015/16 does not start well. The manager "sulks". He's now seen as "stubborn". He fails to name all 7 subs for a couple of games; with 6 other subs anyway, it has no impact on the result, but he's made his point.

 

GOOD LEADERSHIP FROM HERE:

Lansdown: Steve, you're a great manager, a leader, a motivator, you have proven that, you've performed a minor miracle at this club. You have the respect of your players. Certain people have ****** up during the summer. It's cost us dearly, I know that. I'm sorry, the buck stops with me. But it's happened. We are where we are. 

We can't go back in time, so let's start again. Stop sulking, you are dragging yourself down and with it your team. There's another transfer window coming up. You've proved that you are a good manager. Prove it again. This time I will personally work alongside you and make sure we get it right, between us.

 

WHAT HAPPENED:

Not that

 

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phantom

phantom

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1 hour ago, Boston Red said:

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 1. THE DEPARTURE OF GARY JOHNSON.

After the match Johnson tore into the team. Apparently he made a comment about Ivan Sproule's late son

Point 1 - I was always led to believe this allegedly happened during the half time interval

 

Also PLEASE NOBODY COPY THE WHOLE DAMNED THING JUST TO REPLY A SHORT ANSWER !!!!

Do like @NickJ did !

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Lack of Action Man

Lack of Action Man

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1 hour ago, Boston Red said:

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 1. THE DEPARTURE OF GARY JOHNSON.

Away at Plymouth City played awfully and lost. After the match Johnson tore into the team. Apparently he made a comment about Ivan Sproule's late son, something along the lines of "You Ivan, you can score a brilliant goal away at Leicester in honour of your son, why can't you do it now as well?" The City players leapt to their feet, and a fight almost broke out. The next day, several senior players said they could not work with Gary Johnson anymore.

And allegedly Bradley Orr then decked Lee Johnson. 

Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that bust up. 

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Robbored

Robbored

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1 hour ago, Boston Red said:

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 1. THE DEPARTURE OF GARY JOHNSON.

Away at Plymouth City played awfully and lost. After the match Johnson tore into the team. Apparently he made a comment about Ivan Sproule's late son, something along the lines of "You Ivan, you can score a brilliant goal away at Leicester in honour of your son, why can't you do it now as well?" The City players leapt to their feet, and a fight almost broke out. The next day, several senior players said they could not work with Gary Johnson anymore.

WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. Lansdown calls an immediate meeting. He says "Gary, that was a truly awful thing to say. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You are fined £200 000 pounds, and it will go to the charity of Ivan's choice. Get on your knees and humbly apologise to Ivan. If this ever happens again you will be sacked with no pay off." Johnson apologises to Ivan Sproule. Lansdown says "Now leave the room please, Gary." Gary Johnson leaves the room and Lansdown addresses the players. He says "That was an awful thing of Gary to say. If he says anything like that again, he is out of this football club. You senior players were quite right to come to me and protest. But this is Bristol City Football Club. We have to stick together. You guys played awfully last night. This is football. It is passionate. In the heat of the moment things get said. Gary has apologised, paid the fine, so let us be big and accept his apology. Stop all this talk about not being able to play for him anymore. You are extremely well paid professionals doing a wonderful job. If you tear up your contracts and walk away from this club no other club will want you. You will be seen as a troublemaker. You have probably said things you regret too. We are all human. Gary has taken this club further than anyone since the 70s. He has taken us to 4th, 10th, and 10th. I need you to be big, to be men, to be the better person, to forgive and let it go, and to carry on working for Bristol City Football Club. Can you do that for me?" The players say "Yes." Lansdown calls Johnson back in and says "Things are said in the heat of the moment, we accept your apology. You are a top manager and these players will play for you. We need a win, and you are going to get one on Saturday. Now let's all get back out on the training ground, I'll come with you, let's play some football with a smile on our faces, and let's all move on and stick together. OK?"

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. Lansdown panicked. "Help help! The players won't play for Johnson anymore and if the reason why comes out we will all be embarrassed! We'll have to part with mutual consent. This will break Gary Johnson and he will never manage this high again. This will break this football club and we won't finish this high again for the next ten years. But I don't know what else to do. Help help!"

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 2. THE APPOINTMENT OF DEREK MCINNES.

Millen was sacked, and Lansdown wanted to appoint Mark Robins. But the board wanted Mcinnes. They interview for the job, and Mcinnes goes back to Scotland. Then Lansdown throws his toys out of the pram and goes off to Africa. This puts the club in limbo. 2 weeks pass after the interview, but no decision can be made. Mcinnes goes on the radio and says, in a humble tone of voice "It's no secret I have had an interview, and now I am just waiting to hear." This is not the way to treat the man you want for the job. The international break passes, and without a manager we lose 2-1 at home to Peterborough. We are sinking further into the relegation zone, but the man who must make the decision cannot be contacted. This is amateurish. It is unprofessional. Have you ever heard of a football club not having a manager because the bloke in charge has gone on holiday, has switched his phone off, and won't make a decision?

Meanwhile St Johnstone, not the lead club in dynamic footballing efficiency, are starting to wonder what on earth is going on. Here is an excellent observation from Southville kiddy on another thread; 

"You may remember that the negotiations to get Derek McInnes to come to us went on and on? SL was supposedly no longer Chairman of BCFC, Keith Dawe was listed as Chairman, although and  wishing him no ill-will because I know he has been ill from time to time, hardly anyone knew what Keith Dawe looked like. What we know is true is that nothing could be approved unless it went through SL. With all the delays, the Chairman of St Johnstone FC, Geoff Brown, starts to get exasperated about who he is supposed to be dealing with. He's obviously heard about SL's involvement and eventually asks "Who actually is the Chairman of Bristol City Football Club?". What does this say about the way our Club is run?  "

Lansdown is away with the elephants in Africa, and another game comes and goes. We lose 1-0 away to Crystal Palace. Finally McInnes is appointed, having sat by the phone for three weeks, with less enthusiasm for the job than he had, surely knowing that his boss does not really want him. Amateurish. In the end we stay up, but what if we had gone down by two points? That 16 day 2-game delay could have been fatal. Lansdown then goes on the radio, hardly mentions the fact that his new man McInnes has won four out of five to get us out of the relegation zone, but sings the praises of his late-lamented yes man Keith Millen. Then he speaks generally about the appointment. "Well" he says " we didn't want someone who was going to come in and change everything." Excuse me? We are in the relegation zone, but all you are concerned about is preserving the status quo? City could have appointed Dave Jones, who had taken Cardiff to a Wembley final and the play offs, but no, that would be change, wouldn't it? We don't want that at Bristol City Football Club. Accountants don't like change. It unsettles them. 

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 3. THE NICKY MAYNARD SAGA.

Maynard is signed from Crewe for 2.25 million on a four year contract. After a quiet first season, he starts banging them in at 1 in 2. Attention is drawn to him because of some outrageous spectacular goals against QPR away (flick up and bicycle kick) and Coventry away (screaming volley). All Premier League clubs are aware of him, and he is one of the best strikers in the Championship. He starts to eye up the Premier League and a big money move. He has one year left on his contract but won't sign another one. Meanwhile Sven Goran-Erikson's Leicester are desperate for him, and go as high as 7 million for him. Maynard says no. It is clear he wants to leave on a free so that his new Premier League club will give the transfer fee to him as a signing on fee. In other words he wants to royally fleece Bristol City, the club that made him, paid him, and without which he would be nothing. It stinks. 

WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

LANSDOWN. Maynard, my office, now. You are a top player, you score goals for fun, sign another contract please, we gave you your chance in football, we nurtured you through your injury, we are going to the Premier League, you are going to score the goals to get us there, but I promise that if a big club matches our valuation we will not stand in your way, you will be the best paid player at this club, you will play every week, you will score every week, and you will be in the Premier League in 18 months either with us or with another club. Here's the pen. Sign here now.

MAYNARD. I have a better idea. I will run my contract down, leave for nothing, get lots of extra money for myself, and leave Bristol City Football Club high and dry. 

LANSDOWN. In which case just go. Sign for Leicester. It's more money for you, and the 7 million fee is good for us. This is right for both parties.

MAYNARD. (looking shifty) Er................er.............don't want to go to Leicester, want to go to the Premier League.

LANSDOWN. Now you listen to me, sunshine. You are trying to ruin my football club, so instead I am going to ruin you. You are out of the team. You are training with the kids every day. Hope you like shopping with the missus because that is how you are spending your Saturday afternoons from now on. Your career is going to stagnate for a whole year and no club will want you because you will be seen for what you are, a greedy troublemaker. You are never playing another game for Bristol City again and your name will be mud in the footballing world. Sign for us or go to Leicester, or else you are finished, pal.

MAYNARD. Er..............er......................when you put it like that, maybe I will go to Leicester.

LANSDOWN. Good. Go up the M5, turn right at the M42, it's signed. Tell Leicester to make the 7 million cheque payable to Bristol City Football Club. Have fun playing for a fornicating Swede who looks like a squirrel and starts every sentence with the word "Well..................................." in a patronising tone of voice. Shut the door on your way out.

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. Lansdown said "Help help!!! Maynard won't sign for Leicester!!! And he won't sign a new contract either!!! He is ruining this club and I don't know what to do!!! I'll indulge him and won't challenge him and keep him in the team every week and hope he goes to Leicester or signs even though he won't and er........................help!"

Most clubs know how to force someone out of the door. It is not difficult. It does not help that Lansdown is not at BS3 most of the time. He does not live in England. We are a body without a head, an institution without a leader. But the failure to deal with the Maynard situation relegated this club. If we had got the 7 million from Leicester, we would have been able to sign Bikey and Richard Keogh in the summer of 2012. As it was, Lansdown said there was no money, would not back Mcinnes (whom he never wanted) and we went down with a leaky defence. 

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 4. STEVE COTTERILL, ANDRE GRAY, AND HARRY MAGUIRE

City go up with almost 100 points and 100 goals. We can do a Norwich and a Southampton, and ride the momentum for back to back promotions. Cotterill has been brilliant at integrating his signings. Ayling, Wilbraham, Williams, Smith, Elliot, and Little all form a team immediately. He identifies Andre Gray and Harry Maguire. With hindsight, we see that Gray is a Premier League player who goes for millions more than we would have paid. So is Maguire, who goes to the World Cup semi-final with England. Both would have been amazing in our promotion team. With them, and Kodjia, and a motivated supported Cotterill, we could have been top half at least. The deals are done. Cotterill goes on holiday. Someone at the club opens up the deals again, they fall through, Cotterill is devastated and never recovers, and all momentum is lost. The guilty party loses his job, but it is too late. Lansdown vows this will not happen again, so he lets the next manager sign anyone he wants. He signs 46 players. Not one gets better. Not one is sold on for a profit. Millions are wasted. This spending spree is funded by selling the family silver, Flint, Reid, Bryan, Kodjia, and the Bolasie sell on.

So instead of giving the RIGHT manager the RIGHT two players to sign for a massive profit and a top half finish, the club give the WRONG manager the WRONG 46 players to sign, all for nothing. 

 

NO LEADERSHIP AT THIS CLUB - EXAMPLE 5. MISSED PROMOTION IN THE 2017/18 SEASON. 

Picture the scene. The City boardroom over Christmas.

LANSDOWN. Well, as you can see, we are second in the league and have a major national semi final against the best team in Europe. This is all a bit unexpected, really. I specifically told BBC Radio 5 live at the Man Utd game that I wanted top 6, and now we are top 2, against all expectations. As things stand, we are going up. What are we going to do?

Awkward silence. Everybody gazes at their papers. Atmosphere like a funeral. Nobody knows where to look. Then suddenly Lansdown has an idea.

LANSDOWN. I have it!!! We will put season tickets for next season on sale now. All our supporters will think we are going to the Premier League, and they will all buy season tickets in a mad rush of misplaced enthusiasm! Of course, we are not going to the Premier League. We are little old Bristol City in the middle of the second tier. But next season, we will be little old Bristol City in the middle of the second tier WITH INCREASED SEASON TICKET SALES!!! I'll tell the press we are sticking to the plan and are not going to break the bank. You, Mark Ashton, say we can get promotion any old season. If we do go up great, but come hell or high water, it's more season ticket sales from our stupid fan base for the 2018/19 season!!!

Relief breaks out among the board. Everyone starts smiling and sighing with joy. Adam Baker pours the tea, hands round the 3 for the price of 2 Safeway Economy Digestive Biscuits, and the meeting moves to the next agenda. Adam Baker leaves. But just as he reaches the door, he turns and speaks.

ADAM BAKER. Excuse me for saying this, but may I make a suggestion? We have been in the top 2 of the second tier once in the last forty years. We may never be there again. Why don't we just go for it? It has to start from the top down. Steve Lansdown, you hit the press and tell them we are going full on for promotion this season. Call in the players and tell them the club is going for it and they are going to pull it off. Say you will back Lee Johnson fully in January. Offer reduced half season tickets to increase the ground to capacity and boost the atmosphere. Inspire the fans. Do Kid-A-Quid and Bring-A-Mate-For-Free for every game. Make every night game a Red and White night. A full capacity with the fans roaring the team on will be worth four points at the end of the season. Announce publicly we are not selling our top players, and tell them they are going to the Premier League with Bristol City. Ride the wave of positivity we are on and keep the momentum going. We have better players than Cardiff, but they have team spirit. We can create that with the club if it starts from the top. Inspire the manager, inspire the fans, and the players will be inspired. Even if we miss out we will still make money on the gate, make money from the play-offs, and we will be able to attract better players and keep our best players if we are a top-6 play off club. The danger of your season ticket plan is that if we do not go for it, the best players will leave, the fans will feel fleeced and disillusioned, and the club will just fall. If we go for it and fail, who cares? Go again next season. Why not?

LANSDOWN. Great idea Adam. We'll discuss it. That'll do for now. Thanks.

Adam Baker leaves.

LANSDOWN. Always nice to see a bit of enthusiasm from the tea-boy. Somebody make sure he is not at the club in 6 months time. Anyway, I like my season ticket plan better. Doesn't matter if the fans get disillusioned, they will have already paid. Now, Mark Ashton, are we ready for the usual January transfer window? Have you got the usuals lined up? A random winger? A Premier League nobody? An expensive French failed centre-forward?

Mark Ashton nods.

LANSDOWN. Good. Now to the next item on the agenda. We need to appoint a Digital Multi-Based Cross-Sport Environmental Learning-and Development Team Leader and Co-ordinator. I have already given jobs to my son and four failed thirty-something footballers with no experience or talent. Anyone got a nephew or a son or something who needs a job? You, Graham? What's that? A 17 year old rat-faced YTS school drop-out with yellow teeth and an unspent conviction? Splendid, have him send his cv in immediately............................................

 

 

Almost all of that is made up nonsense...............:cool2:

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Davefevs

Davefevs

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, EmissionImpossible said:

What a load of old shit

I’ve no idea how true some of it is, but it’s the message behind it that is important. We have taken the wrong route on a number of occasions.  Not always but we had opportunity to do it differently and didn’t. 

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