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Steve Lansdown interview


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1 minute ago, Cardy said:

Well my take away from that interview is just how very corporate our Head Coach Recruitment process is. It is absolutely at the mercy of Ashton’s spin & coaches who can talk the talk.

What I find concerning is that they seem unable to identify, agree on & headhunt the right guy from the start. It just smacks of a complete lack of knowledge of the football world around them.

We are basically going to go through the same process & timeline that we saw in the summer. Goodness know how many more points will be dropped & where we will sit in the table by the time a decision is made.

Will we get the right person this time around? I’m not holding out much hope if Ashton has a major say in it.

Don't think we will be, in the summer we welcomed all applications whereas now we seem to be drawing a long list based on those applications and sounding out a few whose situation has changed. I don't expect it to take anywhere near 6 weeks this time as that would take us to April. 

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2 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Maybe, but we are in no way sustainable. Ironically, one way we could have made ourselves sustainable would have been to appoint a Warnock type to get us promoted to the promised land and bag the £100m+ promotion bonus plus parachute payments. 

Correction then - as self-sustaining as we can be until we get promotion

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My take on the interview was-

•He cares, and him speaking twice in 5 days ahead of MA or JL should tell you a lot. 
 

•He’s embarrassed and pi$$ed off with what’s happened- rightly so, and he apologised AND took the blame. 
 

•He’s determined- I remember the interview after we were relegated away vs Hull under SOD and at that point he looks bored and lacked some enthusiasm, that 28 minutes of him talking made me think he’s almost thinking “I’ll show em, I’ve not come this far, to only come this far” 

 

I think we stay up this season regardless of how long this appointment takes, and I think SL will be adamant he wants a proper run at it next season. 

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4 minutes ago, Cardy said:

Well my take away from that interview is just how very corporate our Head Coach Recruitment process is. It is absolutely at the mercy of Ashton’s spin & coaches who can talk the talk.

What I find concerning is that they seem unable to identify, agree on & headhunt the right guy from the start. It just smacks of a complete lack of knowledge of the football world around them.

We are basically going to go through the same process & timeline that we saw in the summer. Goodness knows how many more points will be dropped & where we will sit in the table by the time a decision is made.

Will we get the right person this time around? I’m not holding out much hope if Ashton has a major say in it.

Agreed, as we seem to be very set in our structure and how the head coach has to work e.g. a set specification you think they would have compiled a list of likely recruits to align to this very tight specification.

It appears like the summer this is not the case, maybe there isn't anyone hence promoting from with 3 times. Scary. 

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12 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

Agree

Jon hasn’t bought a ‘holiday home’ and is more likely to buy an American Sport Franchise Post his father than own Bristol City IMHO

There may be a realisation that Jon isn’t up to , or doesn’t want to , inherit the responsibility of owning and running the Bristol Sport Empire

Steve is in his late 60’s and if  the above is in anyway accurate ,must be eyeing some form of exit strategy before anything happens to him.

 

 

Eyeing one?

The whole shebang has been touted about for sometime.

Here's why SL is pissy - it's easier to sell a real estate 'empire' based around 2 successful teams, than one that's doing well, and one that just got relegated to L1

It's championship football that sells.

BECAUSE.......

Carrot of the Prem, sell ALL BS holdings (inc housing estates and business assets) and let the new guys have the carrot of the Prem - and the wage bill to succeed in it.

There are people out there already talking - the housing / Land / Offices add up - but its the extra income from the Prem (merch, advertising etc) that really makes this project stand out from others world wide.

 

A shiny toy alongside the money.

People want to sit in their owners seats watching Prem Football - the ones interested in buying anyway

 

They don't want to watch City v Wycombe.

 

Someone asked "are we bigger than Bournemouth" - in the markets that count - The USA and China - No, we are not.

 

 

You don't sell shirts when no-ones heard of you. Or TV subscriptions, or  pitch-side advertising during the game.

 

And it's a lot easier to get a big deal over the line when you have the ability to offer your client the best seat in the stadium, and a quick chat with the Man City team after the game.

 

t's the little things that sell a deal.

 

And SL does not want to lose one of his 'points of difference'

 

Good to see a lot more people accepting that this is actually going to happen.

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1 hour ago, spudski said:

I get the impression that SL recruited MA to pretty much structure the club to how it is now.

It's his baby so to speak...financed by SL.

He will only put forward candidates that will fit with the structure he's built and that are willing to work within it. Most importantly the recruitment side of things. 

Any man in his position would not include candidates that would rock the boat so to speak. For it to work in MA's way...he has to have someone he can trust and work with.

All this revolves around working within MA's way...imho.

See, I saw it the opposite way to that.

SL says, Mark I want you to run the rule over X, Y & Z managers and give me your opinion but they must be willing to fit into the way I have decided the way the club should be ran.

MA then speaks to X, Y & Z and gives Steve his opinion on them and Steve then decides who he wants. LJ was a prime example of this. MA then needs to spin it to make it sound like it was a group decision. 

Basically, I saw that interview as 'I run this club the way I see fit even though, officially, I'm not on the board'.

He owns the majority of shares and pays the bills so he is entitled to do so. Whether he makes the right decisions is another argument altogether

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29 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

I can't believe there isn't an element of flexibility should someone come in with ideas that can improve our processes, that's a basic business protocol. New eyes, new ideas etc etc.

If they wanted to come in and wreck the 'pillars' of youth / experience, academy promotion and change the (yet to be finished) training centre layout , say, then definitely not.

Should someone want to come in and suggest changes to the recruitment process for the better, i can't believe SL wouldn't look at it and be open to adjustment.

 

EDIT: Shelts beat me to it and one again, I find myself in total agreement with his point.

Lansdown seems to be doing a pretty good job in extinguishing any hopes of significant improvement. What is there to destroy on the playing front. It would be almost impossible to  make the team play any worse than they are at the moment.

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I thought it was a good interview and exactly the simple PR exercise that would have kept many fans calm last summer. If he's taken that feedback on board, good on him, and let's home some other feedback has sunk in too.

Naturally, I worry about how successful this rig/vig process will be, and my expectations are low low low low, but Sl could really atone with this appointment and come out of this looking good. Big decision Stevey boy.

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1 hour ago, Redrascal2 said:

Was there ever any doubt he was the final decision maker. Whatever state this club is in whether good or bad is down to Steve Lansdown.

Purely cynical but, given SL clearly reads fans comments, could he be trying to deflect the flak flying the 'slimemeisters' way?

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1 hour ago, steviestevieneville said:

Perhaps you need to watch it again. I saw a different interview this time. He’s pissed off & it’s not because of our criticism . He knows as a board they’ve ****** up  

Must say I didn't hear anything that told me it will be different next time though Stevie.  

Yes he admitted mistakes have been made. Fair play. Yes he's pissed off. Join the club. 

But there's no evidence he's changed the criteria for the manager's role - in fact he explicitly and categorically said the next manager will have to fit in with our way of doing things rather than the other way round.

And the 3 people doing the interviewing - who got it catastrophically wrong last time - are doing it again this time.

Surely Lansdown's insistence on Ashton continuing to control recruitment will again prove the stumbling block to the very best candidates being interested?

A winner will be chosen from the remaining, second best, candidates by an owner whose judgement has been historically terrible, a CEO who will do whatever keeps Lansdown happy, and a Chairman who's irrelevant. 

I see no grounds for optimism. 

Wish I did but I don't

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Having watched it I appreciated him doing it and thought that was an honest assessment where he took full responsibility for things.

He confirmed everything goes through him, success and failure. His points on “we have to get it right” were good to hear but it seems we are still looking for a Head Coach and not manager and Ashton is not only entwined in everything he is is clearly going nowhere.

It was good to hear from him but overall I am no more convinced the right decisions will be made.

Interesting he clearly reads this forum though! 

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24 minutes ago, ohhhshauntaylor said:

My take on the interview was-

•He cares, and him speaking twice in 5 days ahead of MA or JL should tell you a lot. 
 

•He’s embarrassed and pi$$ed off with what’s happened- rightly so, and he apologised AND took the blame. 
 

•He’s determined- I remember the interview after we were relegated away vs Hull under SOD and at that point he looks bored and lacked some enthusiasm, that 28 minutes of him talking made me think he’s almost thinking “I’ll show em, I’ve not come this far, to only come this far” 

 

I think we stay up this season regardless of how long this appointment takes, and I think SL will be adamant he wants a proper run at it next season. 

Proper run at it next season, god give me strength if I had a pound for every time I have heard that spouted I could have a good night out and still have enough for fish and chips on the way home, this is so boring to the likes of us who have been waiting very patiently for over 40 years for this club to actually live up to all the so called sleeping giant potential, there must be a lot of us who are quite frankly a bit bored with hearing it, personally I wouldn't mind someone else having a go as it's not really working out at the moment is it. Yes it could all go t**s up but do you know what I am past caring, treading water had enough of it. 

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1 hour ago, ralphindevon said:

Now he’s said he was hoping covid restrictions would be lifted and maybe wait until they’re lifted before appointing, so he can be at the interview, I won’t have to keep checking my phone at work all day........for a few weeks yet.

By which time we'll be dropping like a stone, I shouldn't wonder.

I don't know why he thinks we've got the luxury of "taking our time" (his words)  

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Appreciate SL fronting up, and we are privileged to have an owner such as him. However, despite that half hour interview it’s going to come down to actions not words, does he have an actual desire to change the fortunes of this football club on the pitch for the better, he knows as well as the rest of us what is needed, he’s far from silly; I feel that if we aren’t going to appoint a manager with pedigree now, then we never will under SL’s stewardship. 24 years in the making this next appointment...no pressure Steve! 

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Being of a similar age to Steve I think he is probably looking to his legacy more than his exit strategy. He clearly still cares deeply about the club but passing on your legacy becomes very important. Remember it was Jon who got his dad into Bristol City and I suspect Jon now has more influence than people give him credit for. Jon has been a big factor in the whole Bristol Sport development and whilst easily dismissed by many on here he has been very supportive of the Basketball and hence the new arena.

Jon clearly has interests across the Atlantic, Barbados and beyond and I suspect may be instrumental in attracting American investment not necessary to sell to but rather buy into or partner with. I think Jon may turn out to be sharper than many give him credit for. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Lansdowns buy into or partner with a team in the US whether Football, Basketball or even Baseball (another of Jon’s interests).

it’s also worth remembering that Barbados is a very popular place (due to low tax) for International Businesses (Financial Services etc) to set up and also has a strong UK connection in these post Brexit times. Could be useful for Steve and for future business contacts.
 

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3 hours ago, Ska Junkie said:

Agreed Lrrr. Maybe he was applying but Wigan were holding him to his contract? Pure guesswork but judging by the cook interview posted on here yesterday, he walked away to save the club money but was still under contract.

Could it be that he was applying but couldn't actually fulfil any role until the contract situation was sorted with Wigan / the administrators? I may be totally wrong as it's pure conjecture.

Wigan not unreasonably wanted compensation as two years were left on contract, but based on that interview maybe he's a free agent with no strings now attached.

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3 hours ago, Sheltons Army said:

Agree

Jon hasn’t bought a ‘holiday home’ and is more likely to buy an American Sport Franchise Post his father than own Bristol City IMHO

There may be a realisation that Jon isn’t up to , or doesn’t want to , inherit the responsibility of owning and running the Bristol Sport Empire

Steve is in his late 60’s and if  the above is in anyway accurate ,must be eyeing some form of exit strategy before anything happens to him.

 

 

Nothing against him but I hope so- I've never had any particular wild faith in his ability to run the club- and when I say run, tenure as Chairman is questionable enough, actually owning it and taking over verbatim from SL?

That would worry me. Far from the only one with these views I'm sure.

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54 minutes ago, Johnny Musicworks said:

Being of a similar age to Steve I think he is probably looking to his legacy more than his exit strategy. He clearly still cares deeply about the club but passing on your legacy becomes very important. Remember it was Jon who got his dad into Bristol City and I suspect Jon now has more influence than people give him credit for. Jon has been a big factor in the whole Bristol Sport development and whilst easily dismissed by many on here he has been very supportive of the Basketball and hence the new arena.

Jon clearly has interests across the Atlantic, Barbados and beyond and I suspect may be instrumental in attracting American investment not necessary to sell to but rather buy into or partner with. I think Jon may turn out to be sharper than many give him credit for. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Lansdowns buy into or partner with a team in the US whether Football, Basketball or even Baseball (another of Jon’s interests).

it’s also worth remembering that Barbados is a very popular place (due to low tax) for International Businesses (Financial Services etc) to set up and also has a strong UK connection in these post Brexit times. Could be useful for Steve and for future business contacts.
 

Sorry but to avoid confusion I meant Bermuda not Barbados. Getting my Caribbean islands mixed up. 

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2 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Maybe, but we are in no way sustainable. Ironically, one way we could have made ourselves sustainable would have been to appoint a Warnock type to get us promoted to the promised land and bag the £100m+ promotion bonus plus parachute payments. 

We are exactly that, a soft touch. Evidence for that is the performances the players have been turning in for the past 3 months. It's become a cosy club again. 

That's the bulk of the Championship the bulk of the time.

Let's see if Warnock or McCarthy take Cardiff up this year- one interesting factor will be if the latter stay down it'll be their first season since 2012/13 since neither Parachute Payments nor PL cash- in an era of better monitored and rolling FFP. Will that appeal to him- his contract only runs until Summer as it stands too.

In modern times, all that cash- it can happen to any club at any time.

All that cash, watertight contracts at decent levels- Nice Stadium, nice Training facility, good Wage- Covid notwithstanding nice City. Reliable Owner who will always see that the wages get paid on time and in full.

It can happen to any club- maybe Covid will see Player Power will shift this summer.

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SL who gets its wrong from time to time but in the main keeps the club secure and operational  

or 

Some billionaire from somewhere nobody has heard of with the attention span of a 2 year old 

Easy decision really.

He might not be the greatest owner in the world but I'm glad we have him. How many owners would of done that interview? 

I'd rather the headline "SL addresses fan's concerns" than "SL crashes $150m yacht" 

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3 hours ago, GlastonburyRed said:

 I feel that if we aren’t going to appoint a manager with pedigree now, then we never will under SL’s stewardship. 24 years in the making this next appointment...no pressure Steve! 

This....

Been watching City since 1970 & in all honesty if this critical upcoming appointment is "more of the same" I'll personally not be investing in this club,,physically,emotionally or financially untill the clearly failing current 'structure is hoiked into the skip...

A line has to be drawn at some point & the goalposts can't get any wider.

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6 hours ago, Sheltons Army said:

FWIW I got the vibe that he’s being a bit more realistic and prepared to ‘bend’ , if not break the ‘ethos’ 

This Appointment is a massive one for the Club and Steve Lansdown

 

 

But ...... Boy do we need a Football man in the hierarchy

I agree 100%. 

I actually think the structure is fine. It's the implementation, specifically the personnel, that is the problem. 

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1 hour ago, markcarter said:

It’s worse than that, I’m afraid.  Bermuda is not in the Caribbean, it’s in the North Atlantic nearly a thousand miles away.

So Steve’s son is in Bermuda, which is in the North Atlantic , not The Caribbean.

Isn't that  just splitting heirs? :) 

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9 hours ago, Nugget said:

Loved the honesty, heard a few snippets before though & feel with Ashton still leading the charge it’s gonna be a similar outcome. 
Really hope they get it right, for Steve’s sake too, it’s clear he cares & yeah, he clearly 100% reads this forum 

Which could explain the horses head in my bed this morning.

:shocking:

 

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