Sunday Independent Steve Lansdown Interview...grounds For Optimism?

[Redtucks]

Didnt start of badly this season mind, whatever happened after the Blackburn home game will remain a mystery.. Players had all the fight, passion and ability to win games or at least give it a real go, after that it just ceased to exist and they looked a shadow of a team.

I remember saying on our way home after the Blackburn game that I was concerned how that result would affect the team's confidence.

It wasn't so much that we lost that game, but the way that we lost it.

The team had given everything to twice come from behind to equalise at 2-2, and then again at 3-3 with only minutes to go.

But then we went flat out to try and get the winner only to be hit on the break twice to concede two goals in injury time.

I was worried then that it would have a big impact on confidence.

It wasn't long after that we were 2-0 up at Bolton, then lost it 3-2.

I don't think the confidence was ever restored.

[Aizoon]

I remember saying on our way home after the Blackburn game that I was concerned how that result would affect the team's confidence.

It wasn't so much that we lost that game, but the way that we lost it.

The team had given everything to twice come from behind to equalise at 2-2, and then again at 3-3 with only minutes to go.

But then we went flat out to try and get the winner only to be hit on the break twice to concede two goals in injury time.

I was worried then that it would have a big impact on confidence.

It wasn't long after that we were 2-0 up at Bolton, then lost it 3-2.

I don't think the confidence was ever restored.

That's the kind of situation where you need an ace bullshitter like GJ or a super-calm rationalist like SOD.

DMC wasn't up to being either.

[SecretSam]

Rot started under Johnson. We neglected player development and kept bringing in 'experienced' players, most of whom offered modest value for money and had little re-sale value. As a smaller Championship Club, the resultant huge losses were unsustainable, and it was only a matter of time before it all caught up with us.

+1

But subsequent managers have performed poorly, although all have had bright spells - Millen kept us up after the Coppell fiasco, then Del seemed to be able to deliver, but was hampered by lack of experience and not having the operational skill to match his clear vision and eye for a good player.

Let's hope SOD can steady the ship, now that our unrealistic expectations bubble has been burst. Let's also accept that life in L1 is going to be tough, and we are by no means certain to storm back.

[garlicbread]

It isn't just McInnes' fault, he was the final piece of jigsaw that sent us down.

It all started when Lansdown put his faith in GJ to go out and spend money on players the season we won promotion. Johnson bought in loads of average players on long contracts, in which no sides wanted to sign these players so in the end we were stuck to average crap, by the end GJ fell out with the real proper football players in our team like David Noble, Michael McIndoe, Lee Trundle and finally Ivan Sproule. In the end he was inevitably sacked, after leaving us in 18th place I believe at the time of his departure (Do not credit him for 2 10th place finishes) we were on a downward spiral and could have gone down at the end of 09/10 season if he had remained.

Then we had the Coppell enigma which really messed us up, signed Adomah who has been a revelation at City whilst in the mean time forked out loads of the wages on added poor signings, this being David James, Nicky Hunt and Damion Stewart, then with 2 games in charge Coppell left, the board panicked and bought in quickfire replacement, Keith Millen.

Thought Millen did a very good job in keeping us up in that season after an horrific start and bought in Brett Pitman, Jon Stead, Steve Caulker and Danny Rose, though he also bought in Ryan Taylor, Neil Kilkenny, Yannick Bolasie and Martyn Woolford. Thought 3 of them were very good signings in helping us stay up and were great for long term success. Unfortunately though Millen was inexperienced as a first team manager and couldn't sell players who were in contract and refused to sell Maynard to Leicester for 6 million. He was inevitably sacked after an equally bad start from the season before.

McInnes came in, also did well to keep us up and had a mixed bag of signings which included Foster, Baldock, Davies, Cunningham, Morris.

What went wrong? Failure to sign at least 1 central defender for the beginning of the season, failed to see the talents of Bolasie and Wood,he then signed 2 strikers and then said we couldn't afford Amougou's wages, which is ridiculous as he signed 2 strikers! Though I do believe he got rid of a load last summer. McInnes was also inexperienced in English football and left us with a mountain to climb and we are now relegated.

It has been coming for years this relegation and we have no one else to blame other than ourselves for signing average players on silly contracts at the beginning and not being able to get rid of them.

SOD has a busy summer ahead of him and I can see the following...

Adomah to be bought

Cunningham to be bought

Davies to be bought

Baldock to be bought

Elliott to be bought

Skuse to be bought

Heaton will leave

Stead will leave

Fontaine will leave

Nyatanga will leave

Foster will leave

Howard will leave

Gerken will leave

This will help lower the wage bill quite a lot and should get some extra cash through signings. I do believe next season may be tough, but will be a road to recovery under SOD.

It started when Lansdown gave Johnson a 5 year deal and carte blanche to buy whoever he wanted at whatever the cost...it got silly

Peter Styvar was a prime example

[Welcome To The Jungle]

I demand paragraphs!

[timothy bird]

Good post garlicbread.

[maxjak]

He did try and sign Keogh, Ward, Monk, Gerard amongst others. They all turned us down because we cut our wage bill and couldn't afford their terms. Del was reaping what others sowed sadly. That said I'm sure there was value somewhere and spending on two strikers seemed excessive.

Got to say I feel your letting Mcinnes off too lightly..the 100% absolute priority was in getting our back 4 sorted.....he failed to address it, and although I agree he did try, he did not try hard enough, and that was to come back to haunt him. What had ever happened before his appointment.........he still proved to be a very poor manager

[One BCFC]

It started when Lansdown gave Johnson a 5 year deal and carte blanche to buy whoever he wanted at whatever the cost...it got silly

Peter Styvar was a prime example

Yes, aswell as about 15 other weirdo's... Saborio, John, Agyemang, Maierhofer just to name a few!

[New Dazzler]

It isn't just McInnes' fault, he was the final piece of jigsaw that sent us down.

It all started when Lansdown put his faith in GJ to go out and spend money on players the season we won promotion. Johnson bought in loads of average players on long contracts, in which no sides wanted to sign these players so in the end we were stuck to average crap, by the end GJ fell out with the real proper football players in our team like David Noble, Michael McIndoe, Lee Trundle and finally Ivan Sproule. In the end he was inevitably sacked, after leaving us in 18th place I believe at the time of his departure (Do not credit him for 2 10th place finishes) we were on a downward spiral and could have gone down at the end of 09/10 season if he had remained. These though were 3 players GJ bought when we won promotion, I do not agree that he signed loads of average players that season, Marv was another excellent buy + Byfield.

Then we had the Coppell enigma which really messed us up, signed Adomah who has been a revelation at City whilst in the mean time forked out loads of the wages on added poor signings, this being David James, Nicky Hunt and Damion Stewart, then with 2 games in charge Coppell left, the board panicked and bought in quickfire replacement, Keith Millen.

Thought Millen did a very good job in keeping us up in that season after an horrific start and bought in Brett Pitman, Jon Stead, Steve Caulker and Danny Rose, though he also bought in Ryan Taylor, Neil Kilkenny, Yannick Bolasie and Martyn Woolford. Thought 3 of them were very good signings in helping us stay up and were great for long term success. Unfortunately though Millen was inexperienced as a first team manager and couldn't sell players who were in contract and refused to sell Maynard to Leicester for 6 million. He was inevitably sacked after an equally bad start from the season before. Maynard did no want to go to Leicester so that was the end of that potential move.

[One BCFC]

I wasn't singling out the 07/08 season in particular, I was stating that he let too many potential talents go, but kept average players.

And yes that's true about Maynard, but we could have helped the situation money wise when it came to Maynard, as much as he left us in the dark!

[sglosbcfc]

Yes, aswell as about 15 other weirdo's... Saborio, John, Agyemang, Maierhofer just to name a few!

Maierhofer was a bloody good keeper, it was just a shame he was bought as a striker. I saw his debut which I think was at Plymouth, six foot nine and he didn't win a header all night, :laugh:.

[Son of Fred]

It was millen that didnt replace Caulker

when this centre half finally arrives i will kiss his feet!!

[havanatopia]

It's too simplistic and easy to blame McInnes

Gary Johnson spent heavily & so did Coppell - this created the situation where losses increased to the point that

there was no money left for McInnes to get the CH's he needed.

Results were poor under GJ during his last season, results were poor under Millen and McInnes and SOD.

The club has spent heavily on transfer fees, wages, paying off expensive rubbish signings, & paying off managers. Without success. Various managers have recommended these players, board members have signed off on these contracts.

It's a collective responsibility - Board/Managers/Coaches/Players/Scouts.

The only people who arn't to blame are the fans - We've bought our S/T's, that's all we can do.

For what it's worth we got a bit carried away when appointing McInnes . Sexstone was assuring us he would be the next big thing - when his actual experience as a manager was untested in adversity, by that I mean Owen Coyle started the transformation of St.Johnstone which got him noticed & his move to England, McInnes took over a ship on a steady course & carried on the good work with a team that was already doing well. A lot different to coming in to a side in trouble in an unfamiliar league and having to undertake a rebuilding job whilst cutting costs at the same time.

That task needed an experienced manager with prior experience in the Championship & the board were naive not to recognise this.

Hopefully SOD will be that man - but he'll have to get results whilst rebuilding, or the whole process will start again.

Good points there squire.

[havanatopia]

Got to say I feel your letting Mcinnes off too lightly..the 100% absolute priority was in getting our back 4 sorted.....he failed to address it, and although I agree he did try, he did not try hard enough, and that was to come back to haunt him. What had ever happened before his appointment.........he still proved to be a very poor manager

And as fans who were we to know that his scouting network appeared to be the sum total of a couple of jock buddies and getting on the blower to other English clubs; the evidence suggests as such and that bodes the question; why on earth did Sexstone and the other ghosts on the board not nail this as a prime pre-requisite for awarding the manager's job. i.e. extensive scouting network. This was the prime undoing of a manager who had such poor contacts in the game; the evidence certainly points to that.

To say it again.. we fans who were very enthusiastic about McInnes assumed the board would have done their homework.. really was a very poor error on their part and we are paying for it now. Its not all McInnes but as you and others have said it was not as if he did not have the time. He had plenty of time.

[BCFC_Dan]

Johnson bought in loads of average players on long contracts ... (Do not credit him for 2 10th place finishes) we were on a downward spiral and could have gone down at the end of 09/10 season if he had remained.

I can't disagree with most of your excellent post, but why can we not credit Johnson for two 10th place finishes? They were achieved by his team under his management. Why can he not have the credit? Even if he was systematically dismantling the foundations of his own success while he did so he was still achieving decent results.

[Aizoon]

when this centre half finally arrives i will kiss his feet!!

As long as you don't bite

[Cider red]

The interview is now on player. Very encouraging words about the ethos going forward, says he will not call in any of the debt, has bristol city at heart and is a supporter like anyone else. Just verifies for me people are looking for a scapegoat when they question his motives, the man wants nothing but a successful city side imo.

[eric04]

Got to say I feel your letting Mcinnes off too lightly..the 100% absolute priority was in getting our back 4 sorted.....he failed to address it, and although I agree he did try, he did not try hard enough, and that was to come back to haunt him. What had ever happened before his appointment.........he still proved to be a very poor manager

Could also argue S'OD failed to address this before the window shut?

[RedZepperin]

he will not call in any of the debt...

That makes us debt-free. Trolls from other clubs, please take note.

[CodeRed]

That makes us debt-free.

No it doesn't - it means we won't go into administration, because all the debt is owed to SL, not HMRC, etc like

Pompey and Rangers etc.

It is still debt - unless he writes it off.......which is not what he is saying.

[RedZepperin]

No it doesn't - it means we won't go into administration, because all the debt is owed to SL, not HMRC, etc like

Pompey and Rangers etc.

It is still debt - unless he writes it off.......which is not what he is saying.

You can't compare "internal" debt (repayable to fans/owners) with debt to the Inland Revenue, banks, etc. He hasn't written it off but, as a man of his word who has said "I won't call in the debt", we are, in practical terms, debt-free.

['Orns]

The interview is now on player. Very encouraging words about the ethos going forward, says he will not call in any of the debt, has bristol city at heart and is a supporter like anyone else. Just verifies for me people are looking for a scapegoat when they question his motives, the man wants nothing but a successful city side imo.

If he really has this club at heart then he needs to get his son all the help he can get. It's a massive job for JL at such a young age. Being a fan since he was 6 doesn't make him the right person to lead us.

Fantastic to hear he won't call in any of the debt, but there are a lot of other areas that the club need to improve on before I feel comfortable

Not SL 'bashing' before anyone says anything, but he's admitted to mistakes being made in the past. Lets make sure we don't hear that again in another 12 months time

[RedZepperin]

The interview is now on player. Very encouraging words about the ethos going forward, says he will not call in any of the debt, has bristol city at heart and is a supporter like anyone else. Just verifies for me people are looking for a scapegoat when they question his motives, the man wants nothing but a successful city side imo.

SL has changed a lot over the years. This version of him is my favourite, to be honest. He's made a huge amount of money over his working life and now seems to be concentrating on having a nice time with Mrs L in Guernsey, leaving a good wedge to his son and doing a lot of philanthropic work: a) for sport in Bristol, and b) for the poor in Africa.

And he doesn't play golf. Great bloke.

[bristolcitysweden]

Topman!

We have been extremely unlucky with appointments but this is end of the beginning.

[Portland Bill]

Maierhofer was a bloody good keeper, it was just a shame he was bought as a striker. I saw his debut which I think was at Plymouth, six foot nine and he didn't win a header all night, .

Haha, can remember him going in goal, I think his neck was longer than the goal post.

On a serious note,how mad was it,that when Sam Vokes got injured GJ then asked Wolves if they had any other strikers he could have, it was a bizarre signing.

GJ lost the plot big time around that stage.

He was panicking to the extreme.

[One BCFC]

I can't disagree with most of your excellent post, but why can we not credit Johnson for two 10th place finishes? They were achieved by his team under his management. Why can he not have the credit? Even if he was systematically dismantling the foundations of his own success while he did so he was still achieving decent results.

He can have credit for the first two Championship seasons on where we ended up, but the 2010 finish was down to Millen being caretaker. Don't get me wrong GJ was brilliant for City up until about 08/09 and then lost his way and made costly errors!

[Aizoon]

Topman!

We have been extremely unlucky with appointments but this is end of the beginning.

It is not the end; it is not even the beginning of the end. It is, perhaps, the end of the beginning...

[BCFC_Dan]

He can have credit for the first two Championship seasons on where we ended up, but the 2010 finish was down to Millen being caretaker. Don't get me wrong GJ was brilliant for City up until about 08/09 and then lost his way and made costly errors!

Well it's a fair point that we were somewhat lower than 10th and heading downwards when GJ left, but I think he gets the credit for that finish nonetheless as he assembled the team. We've seen what Millen did with his own team.

This is splitting hairs in any case. I agreed with 99% of your original post and I can't entirely disagree with this one.

[the frampton balti]

funny isnt it, I was beginning to doubt his commitment, however his interviews are incredibly reassuring. Honest and genuine , the first to hold up his hands and admit mistakes. He is knowledgeble about the team.

I think he needs to have a regular interview , say monthly, he is by far and away the best spokesman at the club. I think there is almost an acceptance that maybe if a little more had been spent perhaps a little less might have been lost!.

We do now seem fully committed to ffp and that in itself will play to our advantage as one of the bigger clubs in div 3.

be interested to know if he thought selling 30% of hargreaves lansdown was a mistake. I also wonder if our 40 million debt would be called in in the unlikely scenario that bcfc became a financially successfull football club?

I must say the jury is out for a while on sean o driscoll. He could certainly learn a trick or to from mr lansdowns pr team. Still always look on the bright cider life. I am now looking forward to o driscolls bright young guns in league one . hopefully with an experienced backbone of stead carey and elliott. Lets face it the rest will chase championship wages!

[bristolcitysweden]

No reason to question Steve Lansdowns ambition whatsoever.

He is very successfull with Lansdown & H.

Mainly by hiring skilled people

When it comes to football he has to pay ten times that money and what he gets with his poor advisors is not nothing but true shit.