Message from Uncle Steve

[Mr Popodopolous]

15 hours ago, glynriley said:

So he didn't have the final say on signings then?

Another waste of money to chalk up to the oily one. 

At Brentford I read that the headcoach doesn't  have, hasn't had the final say on signings- worked quite well. Unsure how it all broke down here.

I digress, Kent has his attributes but our success had come without more traditional wingers in our golden period that season.

Switching to Kent, more traditional fullbacks etc just ripped that structure right up. (The shape when we had all those injuries and yet looked really good).

[frenchred]

35 minutes ago, Leveller said:

Yep. Imagine what this forum would be like if we ACTUALLY had a bad owner. Like one of the foreign ones who would rock up if SL really decided to sell.

Imagine what ut would be like if a good foreign owner rocked up who new what he was doing!

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 hours ago, Oh Louie louie said:

In ljs last year, play offs at least, jon or steve said.....

Fwiw I think we have made them in 2017/18 given the massive headstart we had on the chasing pack around Christmas time (post Reading at home), the fact that the injury situation was set to improve in the 2nd half of the season, we didn't sell anyone in January and the confidence of the Cup run.

There is also an argument that we could have pushed for say one more CM and one more striker in January 2019 given a) The fact that some momentum was slowly building b) The fact we still had a certain chunk of players who had experienced strong Cup runs (useful for playoffs that) and c) We had useful financial headroom unlike Jan 2018.

Our CM especially was thin- Korey had his injury, Hegeler quit/was released after injuries and his coaching ambitions, Walsh despite attributes wasn't fully trusted and Morrell was promising but not seen as sufficiently ready.

Thw result being that you flog Brownhill and Pack into the ground.

Edited December 15, 2021 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 minutes ago, frenchred said:

Imagine what ut would be like if a good foreign owner rocked up who new what he was doing!

Although we wouldn't particularly be able to splash cash barring a highly unlikely promotion in that time until by my estimates summer 2023 ie 2023/24. Or barring big growth in turnover (genuine not inflated), big player sales or the cost base plunging. 

Profit on disposal of Fixed assets no longer counts towards FFP and I expect the EFL would be all over suspiciously soaring RPTs.

Granted spending in terms of owners isn't everything but I expect that some would have the expectation that a new foreign owner comes in and cash splashed. Not if the FFP position is tight. Strategy of course is a key factor too.

Edited December 15, 2021 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Popodopolous]

Might also ask @frenchred to follow up.

SL sells tomorrow, new owner comes in...foreign.

What would you expect them to do?

What do you think that they could do within the regs.

Cannot stress enough, new owners do not or cannot reset the regs for a club. Although unlimited expenditure on academy eg is permitted, as it is with infrastructure...one other benefit could be if SL hasn't been putting in the full equity amount to fill the gap between upper and lower losses- although I think he has.

The loss and the position stays with the Club- not the Owner. New foreign owner couldn't give us a quick fix unless they gambled in Jan 2022 to spend all of our remaining headroom on strengthening the squad, we surged up, snuck into the PL via the playoffs...other than that...?

That aside there would be no quick fix and such an approach could land us with notable problems if promotion was not achieved this and only this season.

Edited December 15, 2021 by Mr Popodopolous

[frenchred]

15 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Might also ask @frenchred to follow up.

SL sells tomorrow, new owner comes in...foreign.

What would you expect them to do?

What do you think that they could do within the regs.

Cannot stress enough, new owners do not or cannot reset the regs for a club. Although unlimited expenditure on academy eg is permitted, as it is with infrastructure...one other benefit could be if SL hasn't been putting in the full equity amount to fill the gap between upper and lower losses- although I think he has.

The loss and the position stays with the Club- not the Owner. New foreign owner couldn't give us a quick fix unless they gambled in Jan 2022 to spend all of our remaining headroom on strengthening the squad, we surged up, snuck into the PL via the playoffs...other than that...?

That aside there would be no quick fix and such an approach could land us with notable problems if promotion was not achieved this and only this season.

New owners don't mean instant success, I never ever said this, what new owners can do is eradicate the mistakes continually made over lansdowns tenure, they don't need to throw bad money after bad as done during lansdown tenure and they can start by putting football people in the important positions again not done under lansdowns tenure and have a fully functioning, accountable board of directors, again no done during lansdowns tenure.

Not asking for or expecting instant results just signs of a functioning  club showing progress 

Edited December 15, 2021 by frenchred

[tin]

15 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Might also ask @frenchred to follow up.

SL sells tomorrow, new owner comes in...foreign.

What would you expect them to do?

What do you think that they could do within the regs.

Cannot stress enough, new owners do not or cannot reset the regs for a club. Although unlimited expenditure on academy eg is permitted, as it is with infrastructure...one other benefit could be if SL hasn't been putting in the full equity amount to fill the gap between upper and lower losses- although I think he has.

The loss and the position stays with the Club- not the Owner. New foreign owner couldn't give us a quick fix unless they gambled in Jan 2022 to spend all of our remaining headroom on strengthening the squad, we surged up, snuck into the PL via the playoffs...other than that...?

That aside there would be no quick fix and such an approach could land us with notable problems if promotion was not achieved this and only this season.

While there's no quick fix, SL could easily upgrade the academy to Cat 1 status and employ a DOF/Sporting Director to implement a proper scouting network that integrates with all the data the numbercrunching interns process at the training ground. For all the investment in tangible assets, the football infrastructure is lacking. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

Just now, tin said:

While there's no quick fix, SL could easily upgrade the academy to Cat 1 status and employ a DOF/Sporting Director to implement a proper scouting network that integrates with all the data the numbercrunching interns process at the training ground. For all the investment in tangible assets, the football infrastructure is lacking. 

I have some sympathy with that especially the Category 1 bit. Sporting Directors in this country have a mixed record but yeah don't disagree, especially the Category 1 bit., Although Brentford do rely quite heavily but not exclusively on data- yet I bet some of their successful foreign signings in recent times were not even on our radar. Nothing at all to stop him pumping in loads more into the academy should he so choose and that would benefit us.

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 minutes ago, frenchred said:

New owners don't mean instant success, I never ever said this, what new owners can do is eradicate the mistakes continually made over lansdowns tenure, they don't need to throw bad money after bad as done during lansdown tenure and they can start by putting football people in the important positions again not done under lansdowns tenure and have a fully functioning, accountable board of directors, again no done during lansdowns tenure.

Not asking for or expecting instant results just signs of a functioning  club showing progress 

Okay that's clearer then. I think SL's tenure has been a mixed bag tbh and giving Pearson time and backing as far as financial figures allow seems the way forward-if he is looking to sell- could be a nice parting gift. Both to keep the ship afloat now and steadily build in the coming years- on the pitch and off it.

Walsh? An obvious link but wonder what he's doing now...

[Davefevs]

57 minutes ago, frenchred said:

New owners don't mean instant success, I never ever said this, what new owners can do is eradicate the mistakes continually made over lansdowns tenure, they don't need to throw bad money after bad as done during lansdown tenure and they can start by putting football people in the important positions again not done under lansdowns tenure and have a fully functioning, accountable board of directors, again no done during lansdowns tenure.

Not asking for or expecting instant results just signs of a functioning  club showing progress 

Good challenge from Mr Pop initially , and good answer in response.

54 minutes ago, tin said:

While there's no quick fix, SL could easily upgrade the academy to Cat 1 status and employ a DOF/Sporting Director to implement a proper scouting network that integrates with all the data the numbercrunching interns process at the training ground. For all the investment in tangible assets, the football infrastructure is lacking. 

As is this?

It is these things that turn us from perceived well-run club to a well-run club, rather than a large invested club.

[Midred]

Ashton gate just on 6.00 news encouraging fans to turn up early!