Surprise Scapegoat?

[YorkshireSection]

I just saw this on CTID Facebook page, got me wondering.

The recent publicity, highlighting, Mark Ashton's role, in City's transfer dealings, made me wonder, if he's going to be made the scapegoat, for January's debacle. Or; maybe the publicity, would highlight, making him culpable, for any of our, future failings?

So will Mark Ashton be the surprise scapegoat?!?!

[Maggersno1Fan]

I be very surprised if he is

 

hes slippery 

[Buster Footman's T shirt]

We can but hope

[Harry]

Ain’t no scapegoating about it. He’s responsible. That’s his role. If our transfer policy fails, if the club fails, it’s his job that was responsible for it. 

No scapegoating. 

Plus, whoever wrote that on Facebook needs to seriously control their comma’s. 

[Wolf Island]

MA LK JL v close and have a lot to answer for

[Unan]

Even if he is then duck it cus we need one and Ashton seems to be a tower, all aboard the Ashton gate

[City Rocker]

Bring on the #Ashtongate scandal. 

*Mr Ashton is no longer required in the Lansdown Stand* 

[YorkshireSection]

16 minutes ago, Harry said:

Ain’t no scapegoating about it. He’s responsible. That’s his role. If our transfer policy fails, if the club fails, it’s his job that was responsible for it. 

No scapegoating. 

Plus, whoever wrote that on Facebook, needs to seriously control, their comma’s. 

I don't think you can pin it on MA, not solely, LJ has a huge part to pay.

[stawey]

its hard for anyone to start a job that hadnt been needed before. what does he bring to ashton gate could it be slick suit and bullshite.

smooth talk and shinny suit maybe i dont know  perhaps a title and big salary

weve all worked with them

 

.

 

[Harry]

3 minutes ago, YorkshireSection said:

I don't think you can pin it on MA, not solely, LJ has a huge part to pay.

Yeah, LJ is failing too, no doubt about that. And he definitely has to take some responsibility as well. But Ashton is dealing him a bum. Ashton is the main man behind incoming players and he’s failing. All off the field football matters are in Ashton’s control. He is responsible. The fact that our best players and the majority of the first team are still from before his regime, after £30m spent, tells its own very depressing story. 

[cidercity1987]

11 minutes ago, Harry said:

Yeah, LJ is failing too, no doubt about that. And he definitely has to take some responsibility as well. But Ashton is dealing him a bum. Ashton is the main man behind incoming players and he’s failing. All off the field football matters are in Ashton’s control. He is responsible. The fact that our best players and the majority of the first team are still from before his regime, after £30m spent, tells its own very depressing story. 

But 7 mins ago on another thread you said we were punching massively above our weight to finish top half.

LJ failing, MA failing but punching above our weight? 

[INCRED]

17 minutes ago, YorkshireSection said:

I don't think you can pin it on MA, not solely, LJ has a huge part to pay.

LJ has a say on transfers and that’s his own words, MA does the closure on deals. If LJ chooses not to play them then who’s the scapegoat?

[YorkshireSection]

4 minutes ago, Harry said:

Yeah, LJ is failing too, no doubt about that. And he definitely has to take some responsibility as well. But Ashton is dealing him a bum. Ashton is the main man behind incoming players and he’s failing. All off the field football matters are in Ashton’s control. He is responsible. The fact that our best players and the majority of the first team are still from before his regime, after £30m spent, tells its own very depressing story. 

Lets not hide the fact, that the core of City's first team are, first and foremost- SC signings and not LJ's. You've spun that quite well. 

For many LJ gets beaten with a stick for the Useless January window, for others he's a genius for the signing of Famara. Replace LJ name with MA and a pattern emerges.

The only constant; a scapegoat.

[Super]

Completely his fault. The weasel is lucky to still be in a job. 

[Harry]

9 minutes ago, YorkshireSection said:

Lets not hide the fact, that the core of City's first team are, first and foremost- SC signings and not LJ's. You've spun that quite well. 

No spin. That’s basically what I said. The core of the team is pre-Ashton, which naturally makes it pre-LJ. No spin. We are in 100% agreement mate 

[Harry]

15 minutes ago, cidercity1987 said:

But 7 mins ago on another thread you said we were punching massively above our weight to finish top half.

LJ failing, MA failing but punching above our weight? 

Yes. They are failing in the transfer market. We’ve spent £30m which means we should be competing at the top. But because we’ve signed dross we’re still left with the core of the L1 team. So yes, based on the players who’ve played, we’ve punched. However based on our recruitment we’ve failed and the quality of our squad is miles behind all of the playoff teams. 

[The Original OTIB]

1 hour ago, YorkshireSection said:

I just saw this on CTID Facebook page, got me wondering.

The recent publicity, highlighting, Mark Ashton's role, in City's transfer dealings, made me wonder, if he's going to be made the scapegoat, for January's debacle. Or; maybe the publicity, would highlight, making him culpable, for any of our, future failings?

So will Mark Ashton be the surprise scapegoat?!?!

Merge with thrown under the bus thread?

[YorkshireSection]

14 minutes ago, Harry said:

No spin. That’s basically what I said. The core of the team is pre-Ashton, which naturally makes it pre-LJ. No spin. We are in 100% agreement mate 

It was a joke mate, based on him being the Spin Dr incarnate.

That's the only thing I'm 100% sure that he does, not sure that's what he's employed for but it's certainly rubbed of on LJ. 

Agree with you indeed, personally I'd sack the both of them, both culpable for being a combined failure; especially in January!!!!

[YorkshireSection]

7 minutes ago, The Original OTIB said:

Merge with thrown under the bus thread?

Not read it, although by title alone, I'm sure this asks a different question.

[Olé]

About as much of a surprise as Darrell Clarke's choice in a pet shop.

[BS4 on Tour...]

4 hours ago, Ser Davos Ciderworth said:

MA LK JL v close and have a lot to answer for

Who’s “LK” mate?

[RobintheRed Red]

They are both c.........ts him and the dwarf

[sticks 1969]

Like it has been said before,when we were doing well you could not get MA away from the camera, since Christmas he,s been like lord lucan........

[chinapig]

5 hours ago, YorkshireSection said:

Lets not hide the fact, that the core of City's first team are, first and foremost- SC signings and not LJ's. You've spun that quite well. 

For many LJ gets beaten with a stick for the Useless January window, for others he's a genius for the signing of Famara. Replace LJ name with MA and a pattern emerges.

The only constant; a scapegoat.

As far as I recall Cotts did not sign Fielding, Flint or Pack for starters. Obviously he did not sign Bryan and Reid. So presumably he shouldn't get any credit for anything those players achieved under him.

I'd be more concerned if a manager dumped players purely on the grounds that he didn't sign them.

[chinapig]

5 hours ago, INCRED said:

LJ has a say on transfers and that’s his own words, MA does the closure on deals. If LJ chooses not to play them then who’s the scapegoat?

What he says for public consumption isn't necessarily so. His job title is significant perhaps.

Clubs increasingly follow the European model where the coach has to deal with the players he is given. They nevertheless go along with club policy and carry the can for any failures.

Even Liverpool have a transfer committee but more obvious examples are West Ham, where David Sullivan is the de facto DoF and Swansea, where Huw Jenkins is said to do much the same.

See also the number of costly players who have disappeared at Stoke and Southampton.

Conte of course regularly breaks ranks at Chelsea and goes public about their signings. He made it clear he didn't want Drinkwater or Barkley for instance. He even claimed to know nothing about Emerson despite him coming from Roma. He is widely expected to be sacked as a result.

The majority toe the party line though as their job depends on it.

City's policy of course is to have a structure that does not change whoever the head coach is. In that context I wouldn't be surprised if the real power over recruitment rests with MA.

[bpexile]

8 hours ago, YorkshireSection said:

I just saw this on CTID Facebook page, got me wondering.

The recent publicity, highlighting, Mark Ashton's role, in City's transfer dealings, made me wonder, if he's going to be made the scapegoat, for January's debacle. Or; maybe the publicity, would highlight, making him culpable, for any of our, future failings?

So will Mark Ashton be the surprise scapegoat?!?!

Doubt it !

[WayOutWest]

2 points. 

Firstly, I have said on a different thread. MA should be nothing more than a negotiator. Leave the football to football people. Leave the corporate speak to like minded people. 

I really don't want to hear interviews from the guy. Just do your job. Get 15m for JK buy MT for 300k. That's what you do. Get on with that. 

Take credit for that. Not you think you should be part of the process for player identification. You are as qualified as me. 

Secondly I live in Canada. I follow the NHL very closely. It's a good model structurally.  They have a GM (General Manager). He is in absolute control. Buys off loads players. Selects the team etc. Has no interaction with the players during the game.  His coach is responsible for putting the team he has picked to work. He knows what's needed through vast experience and puts pressure on the coach to deliver. The vision is shared with owner and GM. The coach gets results. 

Think DoF. 

Maybe LJ workload is actually too much. Offloading player recruitment to a GM/DoF will allow him more time on training / coaching / development. A trusted DoF with clear responsibilities is the way forward. 

Let MA do the deal.

My thoughts 

Stevo

 

[chinapig]

21 minutes ago, WayOutWest said:

2 points. 

Firstly, I have said on a different thread. MA should be nothing more than a negotiator. Leave the football to football people. Leave the corporate speak to like minded people. 

I really don't want to hear interviews from the guy. Just do your job. Get 15m for JK buy MT for 300k. That's what you do. Get on with that. 

Take credit for that. Not you think you should be part of the process for player identification. You are as qualified as me. 

Secondly I live in Canada. I follow the NHL very closely. It's a good model structurally.  They have a GM (General Manager). He is in absolute control. Buys off loads players. Selects the team etc. Has no interaction with the players during the game.  His coach is responsible for putting the team he has picked to work. He knows what's needed through vast experience and puts pressure on the coach to deliver. The vision is shared with owner and GM. The coach gets results. 

Think DoF. 

Maybe LJ workload is actually too much. Offloading player recruitment to a GM/DoF will allow him more time on training / coaching / development. A trusted DoF with clear responsibilities is the way forward. 

Let MA do the deal.

My thoughts 

Stevo

 

Interesting comparison, thanks. Wenger referred recently to the possibility of becoming a General Manager, so presumably the term is used in France. Indeed it's been suggested he might take up such a role at PSG.

I agree on the workload point in respect of managers, or head coaches in our case, in general and that you need a football expert heading up the football side of things, not somebody like Ashton.

[Ivorguy]

As long as BS eschews transparency and instead relies on fake pr and gagging orders none of us will be much the wiser about transfer policy or much else.

If only they understood the benefits to be gained by embracing the fan base and carrying them with them

[chinapig]

6 minutes ago, Ivorguy said:

As long as BS eschews transparency and instead relies on fake pr and gagging orders none of us will be much the wiser about transfer policy or much else.

If only they understood the benefits to be gained by embracing the fan base and carrying them with them

I suspect your second paragraph may be exactly Adam's view and the reason he has been dumped. Plus the fact that he was popular with fans, unlike JL.

Props for using eschews as well.