Joe Sims interview with JL

[Show Me The Money!]

1 hour ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Plus one other, Rawcliffe I expect, or maybe Marshall. 

It would be nice to hear from Rawcliffe given he is COO.

So another non-football person.

Even with Tinnion i don't get that warm fluffy feeling that he's experienced enough to be recommending the next head coach being not a particularly successful or experienced head coach himself.

Here's hoping that for all this whether through wisdom or through luck we get the right person to take us upwards

[GrahamC]

20 minutes ago, TV Tom said:

Buying Simpson was a poor move by Pearson for more than one reason

He didn’t “buy” him.

He was a free agent.

It was a mistake though & a player I would have preferred had never played for us.

However even Alex Ferguson signed a lot of duds in his time & when compared to LJ (how long a list do you want?) or even Holden’s brief spell (he signed Chris Brunt, who was arguably worse than Simpson) it was very minor.

[Numero Uno]

9 minutes ago, TV Tom said:

I give up 

That's a shame.

[Kid in the Riot]

3 minutes ago, Harry said:

My point was more the contradiction. He was happy to share his comments on the players fitness regime but “I don’t want to talk about the football - there are others more qualified than me to do that”. 
If there were others telling him about the fitness I’m sure they’ve told him about the football too. 
Why is he happy to comment on one but not the other? 

One is an excuse for getting rid of Nige, the other he wants us to believe he has no interference/input on footballing matters (clearly bollox).

[GrahamC]

21 minutes ago, TV Tom said:

To be honest most of our games have been awful though i did enjoy Blackburn away 53 games ago

Hard to establish credibility after a comment like this.

Plymouth at home a few weeks ago? Win at Swansea?

Not sure how often you watch us, but this is a fairly stupid remark.

[DT The Optimist]

2 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

 

 

2 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

However even Alex Ferguson signed a lot of duds in his time 

Remember Ralph Milne who he signed from us… awful. Think he played about once for them

[Numero Uno]

4 minutes ago, ashton_fan said:

If SL had blocked that NP would probably have walked out in week 1 so Steve didn't have much choice 

Of course he had a choice. If his moral compass was that high he could have told Pearson to **** off if he didn't accept the decision. However he needed Nige at that time to get him out of the shit so he relaxed the old moral compass. Be careful what you wish for and all that bollocks......

[ExiledAjax]

Such a wide-ranging interview and I think one where it's easy to interpret it in any way the viewer would like to. So I'll interpret it though my own biased lens as follows.

The bit about not needing a CEO is infuriating for me. I think it highlights that there's no real plan there and at a senior manager level we're pretty much winging it with people swapping hats and filling in roles that they aren't expert in. Brilliant, I've heard that's what all successful companies do. I guess we already know that job titles mean very little at BCFC given Jon's nebulous "chairman" title.

I don't expect Joe Sims to grill Jon on corporate governance and board composition, but I'd love someone to have a go. That was an easy ride.

Likewise the "attempt" to ask about finances. Bless Joe but if by your own admission FFP "boggles your mind" then maybe leave that question for another time. As it was we just got whatever Jon wants to say.

On the lack of a plan for managerial succession, and there clearly isn't one, that's mad. They're repeating the mistakes of the past and I don't understand it at all. Someone on the read mentioned Brighton and how they plan succession. It's collaborative, open, and surprise surprise everyone's grown up enough to handle that. I swear that Pearson would have been mature enough to handle an honest "we'd love you to see out yours contract but please help us manage a handover to a new guy" kind of thing. For me, that's innovative thinking, that's leadership, and that's acting in the best interests of the club.

On the plus side, if they deliver better communication going forward - and this style of interview is a step in the right direction - then great...they could start by announcing a fans forum perhaps? Did Joe ask why there isn't one this autumn? No of course not.

So yeh I think I echo much of what's being said - better than expected but an awful lot of shallow questions and shallow answers, and a pretty easy ride for Jon.

Edited November 3, 2023 by ExiledAjax

[TV Tom]

3 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

He didn’t “buy” him.

He was a free agent.

It was a mistake though & a player I would have preferred had never played for us.

However even Alex Ferguson signed a lot of duds in his time & when compared to LJ (how long a list do you want?) or even Holden’s brief spell (he signed Chris Brunt, who was arguably worse than Simpson) it was very minor.

I read an article recently regarding Man U's worse ever signings and Ralph Milne came in at number 4, some real dogs below him as well, AF said that Ralph was his worst ever signing  

[Numero Uno]

6 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

He didn’t “buy” him.

He was a free agent.

It was a mistake though & a player I would have preferred had never played for us.

However even Alex Ferguson signed a lot of duds in his time & when compared to LJ (how long a list do you want?) or even Holden’s brief spell (he signed Chris Brunt, who was arguably worse than Simpson) it was very minor.

The point is said poster, who has unfortunately given up, makes a statement that he'll only support a club of moral ownership and pointed out that partner beating is an issue they cannot accept. So when it's pointed out that Steve allowed Nige to sign Simpson that is Nige's fault rather than shared responsibility. Surely the sort of morally rich owner this person wants to see would have told Nige to do one, first week in the job or not?

[Harry]

One point on the finances. 
Jon (and others) always use the excuse of “the money for Scott doesn’t come in all at once”. 
True. 
But the same in reverse - when we buy a player we wouldn’t pay the other club “all at once” either. 
So to claim we didn’t spend any of the Scott money because we haven’t received it all yet is, once again, bollox! 

[Southport Red]

2 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Such a wide-ranging interview and I think one where it's easy to interpret it in any way the viewer would like to. So I'll interpret it though my own biased lens as follows.

The bit about not needing a CEO is infuriating for me. I think it highlights that there's no real plan there and at a senior manager level we're pretty much winging it with people swapping hats and filling in roles that they aren't expert in. Brilliant, I've heard that's what all successful companies do. I guess we already know that job titles mean very little at BCFC given Jon's nebulous "chairman" title.

I don't expect Joe Sims to grill Jon on corporate governance and board composition, but I'd love someone to have a go. That was an easy ride.

Likewise the "attempt" to ask about finances. Bless Joe but if by your own admission FFP "boggles your mind" then maybe leave that question for another time. As it was we just got whatever Jon wants to say.

On the lack of a plan for managerial succession, and there clearly isn't one, that's mad. They're repeating the mistakes of the past and I don't understand it at all. Someone on the read mentioned Brighton and how they plan succession. It's collaborative, open, and surprise surprise everyone's grown up enough to handle that. I swear that Pearson would have been mature enough to handle an honest "we'd love you to see out yourself contract but please help us manage a handover to a new guy" kind of thing. For me, that's innovative thinking, that's leadership, and that's acting in the best interests of the club.

On the plus side, if they deliver better communication going forward - and this style of interview is a step in the right direction - then great...they could start by announcing a fans forum perhaps? Did Joe ask why there isn't one this autumn? No of course not.

So yeh I think I echo much of what's being said - better than expected but an awful lot of shallow questions and shallow answers, and a pretty easy ride for Jon.

Haven’t heard the interview but if he really did say “Don’t need a CEO”, he is kidding himself. This is a serious, significant business, it needs executive management daily, not unqualified amateurs ‘having a go’. 

[TV Tom]

4 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Hard to establish credibility after a comment like this.

Plymouth at home a few weeks ago? Win at Swansea?

Not sure how often you watch us, but this is a fairly stupid remark.

Relax, it was said slightly tongue in cheek

[ExiledAjax]

1 minute ago, Harry said:

One point on the finances. 
Jon (and others) always use the excuse of “the money for Scott doesn’t come in all at once”. 
True. 
But the same in reverse - when we buy a player we wouldn’t pay the other club “all at once” either. 
So to claim we didn’t spend any of the Scott money because we haven’t received it all yet is, once again, bollox! 

And as I'm sure you know from an accounting - ie ffp reporting - point of view it does all come in at once, at least the part that is certain (ie the part not linked to possible targets being met). 

We may not receive the real world cash in a single lump sum, but we will immediately have the accounting credit on the books ready to swallow any amortisation that we incur in signing a new player.

So again, it's not the whole story, and it is a slightly misleading way to wave away criticism.

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, spudski said:

Haven't listened to it all, however a point was raised regarding replacing/appointing another CEO. 

The answer is that it's Tinnions new role and having Gavin Marshal insitu, we don't need one. 

I'd be interested to know if those two have experience in negotiating deals with players agents, and if so who's going to be dealing with any new perspective signing. 

Contracts these days are a minefield. 

Maybe they use outside specialist solicitors to oversee these contracts. 

Reading between the lines...Tins does the selling of club to footballer, Marshall deals with Agent!!!

JL also admits communication with fans is poor and has dropped off since Gould left. Admits it needs rectifying. Admits Club need to tell fans more information as to what they are doing. 

I wonder who will be charged with doing that job. 

I noted this too.  Better hope they have the skills.

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Top 10 budget I doubt.

Top 10 revenue I can believe, but top 10 budget I doubt.

I think we would have been tight to the wire with FFP had Scott stayed, post a sale well clear.

The accounts for last season will reveal more when they're out.

I’m gonna argue with you again on this.

No way were we tight on FFP this summer without the Scott sale.  We got £9m for Semenyo….that was the “saver”.

Don’t forget even though since January we’ve spent £5m (maybe £6m) on fees, that’s over 3-4 years, so only a fraction is go into each years accounts.  Wages on top, yeah, but not huge amounts in the grand scheme of things, less so when you see who’s been moved off the wagebill in that period.

The accounts will still be a mystery, because we won’t know the Covid offsets, unless they actually write them in, which I doubt.

[Philly The Kid]

2 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

The point is said poster, who has unfortunately given up, makes a statement that he'll only support a club of moral ownership and pointed out that partner beating is an issue they cannot accept. So when it's pointed out that Steve allowed Nige to sign Simpson that is Nige's fault rather than shared responsibility. Surely the sort of morally rich owner this person wants to see would have told Nige to do one, first week in the job or not?

People's moral compass's seemed to get *Cough* manually re-aligned when a shed full of money is waived at you, or needs must, just ask Jordan Henderson.
I seriously doubt the HL rise to fame wasn't without some questionable practices back in the early days. 
We all have things on our compass we find unacceptable. Let's be honest, no institution, company, club or individual is whiter than white and I'm always surprised at the naivety shown by some people when it comes to morals.

[ashton_fan]

12 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

Of course he had a choice. If his moral compass was that high he could have told Pearson to **** off if he didn't accept the decision. However he needed Nige at that time to get him out of the shit so he relaxed the old moral compass. Be careful what you wish for and all that bollocks......

That would have gone down well on here!

[ExiledAjax]

7 minutes ago, Southport Red said:

Haven’t heard the interview but if he really did say “Don’t need a CEO”, he is kidding himself. This is a serious, significant business, it needs executive management daily, not unqualified amateurs ‘having a go’. 

I'm paraphrasing, and don't have a transcript, but it was basically "we don't need a CEO as we've got Brian, Gavin and Tom who can fill that role as needed".

I agree it's mad.

I made the point on another thread this week that if we appoint a "head coach" we'll be a rare club that has neither a CEO nor a manager. Most have at least one of those roles, and many have both (plus a DoF and/or COO if they are big clubs).

[Mr Popodopolous]

7 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I noted this too.  Better hope they have the skills.

I’m gonna argue with you again on this.

No way were we tight on FFP this summer without the Scott sale.  We got £9m for Semenyo….that was the “saver”.

Don’t forget even though since January we’ve spent £5m (maybe £6m) on fees, that’s over 3-4 years, so only a fraction is go into each years accounts.  Wages on top, yeah, but not huge amounts in the grand scheme of things, less so when you see who’s been moved off the wagebill in that period.

The accounts will still be a mystery, because we won’t know the Covid offsets, unless they actually write them in, which I doubt.

Amortisation for sure, and wages down yeah.

The Covid offsets for 2021-22 are the mystery and though we will be fine for it either way, I still think there are some clubs who require further scrutiny...like Everton seem to have belatedly got.

Hopefully if Everton are found guilty and docked points, all periods that cover Covid periods will be freshly analysed.

My base assumption was knock off the likely FFP allowances then £2.5m for Covid in 2021-22 and go from there.

I remember thinking by tight a million or 2 short of the £39m without the Scott sale. ie around an adjusted loss to this season of £37-38m.

Edited November 3, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Nogbad the Bad]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

As I always said - and I know because I’ve seen text messages to back it up, LJ was always given a list to choose from. So he wasn’t to blame for the massive overspend or wages despite many fans thinking they were “his signings”. 

Can't be bothered to go through the interview again, but I'm sure I heard JL say that although the recruitment team make up a list based on positions the manager feels need strengthening, you'd never sign anyone the manager doesn't want, and the manager always has the 'final say' on signings.

The exact words 'final say' repeated so often by LJ, who also said, iirc, that he could, and did, put forward his own names to any list made up by others.

Trying to absolve LJ from any responsibility doesn't work for me.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Nogbad the Bad

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Zuni said:

He is paid more than that.

Highest earner by a considerable distance.

So, you’re either Matty James, or his agent, or your deep in Bristol City / Sport then, to know that.

It’s funny that the quoted £27k p.w.has been on various websites since his Leicester days, when it was probably his Prem League wages.  It hasn’t been updated.  Why not because people have no idea what he’s on.  But we do know the sort of wage structure City have been working to.

1 hour ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Plus one other, Rawcliffe I expect, or maybe Marshall. 

It would be nice to hear from Rawcliffe given he is COO.

We never heard from Luke Werhun!

[Numero Uno]

1 minute ago, ashton_fan said:

That would have gone down well on here!

What credence have the Lansdown's and their chum Tins given to fan opinion at the moment?

You either have a strict moral compass or you don't. I'm not criticising Steve on this btw, although there are some posters on here who reasonably would and did criticise the club at the time (albeit they aimed all their criticism at Nige and left Steve the ratifier of the decision out of it for some perverse reason), just pointing out the contradiction of posters who claim they will only support a club if the moral compass of the owner is of a certain standard.

[WessexPest]

1 hour ago, Bristol Oil Services said:

Golden? Texture like sun?

Ever the frown, with f*cking Lansclown.

[The Bard]

1 hour ago, RedorDead BCFC said:

And the Coventry game, we looked unfit and out of sorts. 

We didn't look unfit at all (we got stronger as the game went on).  We looked undercooked and, as you say, out of sorts. Possibly that's due to not actually kicking a ball much rather than fitness.

[Bris Red]

Yeah just confirmed what we already knew then.
 

The boy thinks he knows better than the vastly experienced PHD qualified Dave rennie, and Brian ******* Tinnion seems to now have full control of all football operations.

God help us.

[ashton_fan]

2 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

What credence have the Lansdown's and their chum Tins given to fan opinion at the moment?

You either have a strict moral compass or you don't. I'm not criticising Steve on this btw, although there are some posters on here who reasonably would and did criticise the club at the time (albeit they aimed all their criticism at Nige and left Steve the ratifier of the decision out of it for some perverse reason), just pointing out the contradiction of posters who claim they will only support a club if the moral compass of the owner is of a certain standard.

Steve was put in a situation where he could be given stick whichever option he took, I'm sure he'd rather that Nige had picked someone without the baggage Simpson had 

[Harry]

5 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Can't be bothered to go through the interview again, but I'm sure I heard JL say that although the recruitment team make up a list based on positions the manager feels need strengthening, you'd never sign anyone the manager doesn't want, and the manager always has the 'final say' on signings.

The exact words 'final say' repeated so often by LJ, who also said, iirc, that he could, and did, put forward his own names to any list made up by others.

Trying to absolve LJ from any blame doesn't work for me.

 

 

But the “final say” on what? 
A list drawn up by recruitment analysts. 
This may or may not always include a player which the manager may have suggested/wanted. 
I’m not trying to absolve LJ from blame for the performances of the team ON the field. But many put equal blame on him as they do to Ashton and the rest for the financial issues. 
The financial issues will have been zero responsibility of the head coach. He’d have had final say from a list of players presented to him (some of which he may have had input to). 
LJ is to blame for the football results. Ashton & Lansdown were to blame for the financials 

[Numero Uno]

Just now, ashton_fan said:

Steve was put in a situation where he could be given stick whichever option he took, I'm sure he'd rather that Nige had picked someone without the baggage Simpson had 

Which makes him an owner who has employed a convicted domestic abuser.........many can look beyond that (me included), some can't (I understand that) and a small minority are in denial because it doesn't fit the narrative of "good old moral Steve is one reason I support this club" (I don't understand that). 

[ashton_fan]

9 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Can't be bothered to go through the interview again, but I'm sure I heard JL say that although the recruitment team make up a list based on positions the manager feels need strengthening, you'd never sign anyone the manager doesn't want, and the manager always has the 'final say' on signings.

The exact words 'final say' repeated so often by LJ, who also said, iirc, that he could, and did, put forward his own names to any list made up by others.

Trying to absolve LJ from any responsibility doesn't work for me.

 

 

The board are responsible for the financial implications of transfers, any manager is going to spend money if it's offered

[IAmNick]

9 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Can't be bothered to go through the interview again, but I'm sure I heard JL say that although the recruitment team make up a list based on positions the manager feels need strengthening, you'd never sign anyone the manager doesn't want, and the manager always has the 'final say' on signings.

The exact words 'final say' repeated so often by LJ, who also said, iirc, that he could, and did, put forward his own names to any list made up by others.

Trying to absolve LJ from any responsibility doesn't work for me.

 

 

I agree, and managers clearly have input into the list - Brownhill for example. Or was it just coincidence James, Simpson, and King bobbled to the top of the analysts shortlist right after Pearson signed?

My reading was more that the days of a manager being given £10m to go away and sign 10 players on their own are gone. There's a team there now who all put names into a funnel -including the manger, give it a shake and see what comes out. The manager then has the final say.