Article: Being Positive

[MattBackHome]

Fabulous. Keep it up.

 

[Seagull on the wing]

Following the tidal wave of negativity over the past three months and today's departure of Will Buckley, has anyone (aside from me) considered recent events could in fact be a very POSITIVE move by the club?

Let me explain my rationale:

Firstly, as a devoted fan of the Albion and it's greatest ever benefactor, it's inconceivable Tony Bloom will leave the club high and dry. Or that he would suddenly dilute his ambition for Premier League football, instead wallowing in the depths of League 1, the echoes of anonymous loanees bouncing off the 15.000 or so empty padded seats. Do fans really perceive him to be lacking in drive or ambition, unwilling to dip into his swollen coffers? The same guy who paid £93m to build the Amex Stadium? The same guy who has built one of the finest academies in the country, the same guy who, despite our relatively short return to the Championship has stumped up a wages bill far greater than the majority of our well established peers? Doesn't sound like a cheapskate. Ask yourself this question: if he didn't wish to pile his fortune into the black hole of top flight football, the why bother building the Amex in the first place? No-one is deluded enough to spend that kind of money in this sport and actually expect to build a viable, profitable business model. We all know football clubs are largely profligate vanity projects for rich kids. Or sheiks.

For a guy who has built his life and business around beating the guy next door (or across the card table), I can't ever see Tony Bloom, that most competitive of beasts, accepting second best or selling off the family silver. I'd say 'Bloom has taken the broom' and is cashing some chips to ramp up for another assault on the PL. I'd say neither Ulloa nor Buckley helped us reach the PL and their proceeds will further fund a new generation of Albion stars. Expect some big signings this year. if not pre September, then in January or next season. But don't expect the Albion dream to suddenly dissipate into a cloud of what-ifs and disaffection. To end up a broken club - or a Portsmouth.

Of course we can't ever discount the sale of the club. The stadium is shiny and new. They built it, they came. Good for us. But even if the boards go up, then I expect TB to broker a deal to safeguard our future in top flight football. No-one can dispute his credentials or credibility, his passion for the club. He's never reneged on a promise. Never lied or screwed us over. Why start now?

You can fire the insults, I'm not precious. But there's as much sense in what I say as the prophets of doom currently pedalling their misery on NSC.

Up the Albion. Always.

Sensible analysis of the situation as it stands....take a bow sir!

 

[dingodan]

Fake.

 

[trueblue]

I don't think Tony Bloom has any intention at all of bailing out at this point in time. It would make no sense at on a personal or business level, unless it's a financial necessity.

While "FFP" is fast becoming football's most tiresome initialism, I think it genuinely is at the root of the situation. TB, being a shrewd sort, is simply not willing to pay over the odds right now to land players when others of the same quality could be available at lower cost once transfer embargoes kick in. Clubs will be desperate to offload some of their biggest wage earners, flooding the market and driving salaries down.

That's if it happens. If it doesn't, then the strategy will have to change but we won't know that until next year.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

A decent post which may or may not turn out to be true. The thing is no one knows at the moment and there is a lot of willy measuring on here at the moment with a competition on who can be the most loyal and biggest fan. Anyone who questions things is made to feel they are not a fan. What a ridiculous sitation

 

[Miami Seagull]

When you put it like that, it does make sense. I for one totally agree.

I just trust Bloom to do the right thing in the end.

Or you take the approach that Huddersfield did with the Clayton to Boro signing. He was not permitted to go until the deal to sign his replacement was completed. Much better policy. And, we have had lots of time to find replacements for the main players that left. None did so suddenly.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Following the tidal wave of negativity over the past three months and today's departure of Will Buckley, has anyone (aside from me) considered recent events could in fact be a very POSITIVE move by the club?

Some of the stuff on here is embarrassing. I think some fans genuinely want a Portsmouth on their hands for us - spend spend spend, worry about non-sustainability and debt later.

I'd go as far as to say that even if we don't bring anyone in, we've still got a pretty good Championship squad on our hands, and a club looking to do everything it can to ensure a bright future.

I hope a noisy minority on here isn't confusing the club into thinking this is a collective feeling, or representative of widespread views. I assume as a football club owner you have to learn to be thick skinned because to build what TB has and put into this then read some of the bile on here must make him wonder why the hell he bothered.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

A decent post which may or may not turn out to be true. The thing is no one knows at the moment and there is a lot of willy measuring on here at the moment with a competition on who can be the most loyal and biggest fan. Anyone who questions things is made to feel they are not a fan. What a ridiculous sitation

No no no. It's not that questioning is allowed but doom mongering is not. The coffers are looking fuller than ever, we've got an ambitious young manager who has, at last, got the funds to build the team he wants. Granted, doing this during the season is a bit of a roller coaster but it is a strategy I can see paying dividends.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Or you take the approach that Huddersfield did with the Clayton to Boro signing. He was not permitted to go until the deal to sign his replacement was completed. Much better policy. And, we have had lots of time to find replacements for the main players that left. None did so suddenly.

What rubbish. Huddersfield Town held out for the best bid they could get for Clayton, nothing to do with bringing Butterfield in first - they couldn't sign him until they had the money secured from Clayton. You make it sound like it was the other way round.

 

[Lawro's Lip]

I'm not expecting this view to be popular...but here goes...

Agree promotion remains firmly in Bloom's plans rather than there being any hidden agenda. Implementing the plan is now the challenge. Should be interesting and potentially as exciting as anything we have experienced in the last three years.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Some of the stuff on here is embarrassing. I think some fans genuinely want a Portsmouth on their hands for us - spend spend spend, worry about non-sustainability and debt later.

I'd go as far as to say that even if we don't bring anyone in, we've still got a pretty good Championship squad on our hands, and a club looking to do everything it can to ensure a bright future.

I hope a noisy minority on here isn't confusing the club into thinking this is a collective feeling, or representative of widespread views. I assume as a football club owner you have to learn to be thick skinned because to build what TB has and put into this then read some of the bile on here must make him wonder why the hell he bothered.

Agree with you on the hysterics but think you're in danger of falling into complacency about the current squad which is, as it stands today, a long way off from being "competitive." Where are the goals going to come from? The squad badly needs creativity & guile but also pace and power. Assuming Ward signs, the defence may look ok for now ( although actually i wonder if we now need a right-wing back too) we still require 4 or 5 new players to replace what we've lost. Most sensible souls will reserve judgement on that until Sept 1.

 

[Codner's Wallop]

A decent post which may or may not turn out to be true. The thing is no one knows at the moment and there is a lot of willy measuring on here at the moment with a competition on who can be the most loyal and biggest fan. Anyone who questions things is made to feel they are not a fan. What a ridiculous sitation

Don't be ridiculous, no-one is suggesting you can't criticise the club, I certainly don't agree with every decision passed by the powers that be. But scrutinising the club's dealings isn't remotely connected with making wild, unsubstantiated statements of fact or pedalling nonsense about certain board members as a spiteful, spoilt hissy fit reaction to a lack of signings.

 

[kevo]

Good post, but I'd take issue with a couple of things:

The same guy who, despite our relatively short return to the Championship has stumped up a wages bill far greater than the majority of our well established peers?

Is this true - how do you know this? I thought the published figures on wage bills for the last season they were available for (2012-13), showed us as below mid-table for the division (between 12th and 16th). This raises concerns about whether there is too much investment in infrastructure, marketing etc, and not enough on the playing side.

I'd say neither Ulloa nor Buckley helped us reach the PL and their proceeds will further fund a new generation of Albion stars.

No, they didn't - but hardly their fault alone, so not sure what point you're making here. There's absolutely no question they are both good enough to have been part of a Championship promotion side (and should have been under Poyet). I admire your faith in TB but I'd be surprised if we buy players of the same calibre to replace them.

 

[Hometownglory]

Further to my earlier short reply, it's nice to hear a reasonable and positive point of view on things.

I will hold my hands up and say some of my posts are born out of frustration. I'm sorry NSC!

IMO Football fans are fickle, win 4 games in a row we are world beaters, lose 4 in a row and people go into meltdown. Every fan would have different starting lineups, different tactics, and sign different players. I have been a little frustrated recently but only because players are going one way at the moment, but that happens eh? I'm in no doubt about the running of our club and I'm glad we have TB overseeing everything!

Sign some quality players come September we will be back playoff contenders by many - I'm sure! X

 

[Bold Seagull]

Just to play devils advocate - I understand that Bloom has had a fair chunk of his investments returned by way of Stadium and Training ground sponsorship deals.

Really. Look forward to seeing the accounts on that one.

 

[Ecosse Exile]

Following the tidal wave of negativity over the past three months and today's departure of Will Buckley, has anyone (aside from me) considered recent events could in fact be a very POSITIVE move by the club?

Let me explain my rationale:

Firstly, as a devoted fan of the Albion and it's greatest ever benefactor, it's inconceivable Tony Bloom will leave the club high and dry. Or that he would suddenly dilute his ambition for Premier League football, instead wallowing in the depths of League 1, the echoes of anonymous loanees bouncing off the 15.000 or so empty padded seats. Do fans really perceive him to be lacking in drive or ambition, unwilling to dip into his swollen coffers? The same guy who paid £93m to build the Amex Stadium? The same guy who has built one of the finest academies in the country, the same guy who, despite our relatively short return to the Championship has stumped up a wages bill far greater than the majority of our well established peers? Doesn't sound like a cheapskate. Ask yourself this question: if he didn't wish to pile his fortune into the black hole of top flight football, the why bother building the Amex in the first place? No-one is deluded enough to spend that kind of money in this sport and actually expect to build a viable, profitable business model. We all know football clubs are largely profligate vanity projects for rich kids. Or sheiks.

For a guy who has built his life and business around beating the guy next door (or across the card table), I can't ever see Tony Bloom, that most competitive of beasts, accepting second best or selling off the family silver. I'd say 'Bloom has taken the broom' and is cashing some chips to ramp up for another assault on the PL. I'd say neither Ulloa nor Buckley helped us reach the PL and their proceeds will further fund a new generation of Albion stars. Expect some big signings this year. if not pre September, then in January or next season. But don't expect the Albion dream to suddenly dissipate into a cloud of what-ifs and disaffection. To end up a broken club - or a Portsmouth.

Of course we can't ever discount the sale of the club. The stadium is shiny and new. They built it, they came. Good for us. But even if the boards go up, then I expect TB to broker a deal to safeguard our future in top flight football. No-one can dispute his credentials or credibility, his passion for the club. He's never reneged on a promise. Never lied or screwed us over. Why start now?

You can fire the insults, I'm not precious. But there's as much sense in what I say as the prophets of doom currently pedalling their misery on NSC.

Up the Albion. Always.

I agree with everything you have said, however, the bit I've highlighted, I think this depends on you're idea of big signings, I think a lot of people are looking for another Vicente or ex England internationals like Bridge and Upson, I think those days have gone, FFP has seen to that. I could be totally wrong but I think Steven Ward will be the biggest name we will sign as we have to comply and bring the wage structure into line.

We have recently missed out on Adam Clayton and Jamie Ward, these are very good championship footballers, I think that is as high a standard as we are likely to see and even then only if their wage demands fall within our limits.

Im not for one second criticising the club for this, it has to be done, and I'm glad they are doing it because it insures that we stay within FFP and therefore don't get hit with a transfer embargo.

Players like Clayton, and both Steven and Jamie Ward are capable enough to get the club into at least the play offs, so why take a risk on big name players that are going to take up more of the wage budget.

All just my opinion.

 

[kevtherev]

Following the tidal wave of negativity over the past three months and today's departure of Will Buckley, has anyone (aside from me) considered recent events could in fact be a very POSITIVE move by the club?

Let me explain my rationale:

Firstly, as a devoted fan of the Albion and it's greatest ever benefactor, it's inconceivable Tony Bloom will leave the club high and dry. Or that he would suddenly dilute his ambition for Premier League football, instead wallowing in the depths of League 1, the echoes of anonymous loanees bouncing off the 15.000 or so empty padded seats. Do fans really perceive him to be lacking in drive or ambition, unwilling to dip into his swollen coffers? The same guy who paid £93m to build the Amex Stadium? The same guy who has built one of the finest academies in the country, the same guy who, despite our relatively short return to the Championship has stumped up a wages bill far greater than the majority of our well established peers? Doesn't sound like a cheapskate. Ask yourself this question: if he didn't wish to pile his fortune into the black hole of top flight football, the why bother building the Amex in the first place? No-one is deluded enough to spend that kind of money in this sport and actually expect to build a viable, profitable business model. We all know football clubs are largely profligate vanity projects for rich kids. Or sheiks.

For a guy who has built his life and business around beating the guy next door (or across the card table), I can't ever see Tony Bloom, that most competitive of beasts, accepting second best or selling off the family silver. I'd say 'Bloom has taken the broom' and is cashing some chips to ramp up for another assault on the PL. I'd say neither Ulloa nor Buckley helped us reach the PL and their proceeds will further fund a new generation of Albion stars. Expect some big signings this year. if not pre September, then in January or next season. But don't expect the Albion dream to suddenly dissipate into a cloud of what-ifs and disaffection. To end up a broken club - or a Portsmouth.

Of course we can't ever discount the sale of the club. The stadium is shiny and new. They built it, they came. Good for us. But even if the boards go up, then I expect TB to broker a deal to safeguard our future in top flight football. No-one can dispute his credentials or credibility, his passion for the club. He's never reneged on a promise. Never lied or screwed us over. Why start now?

You can fire the insults, I'm not precious. But there's as much sense in what I say as the prophets of doom currently pedalling their misery on NSC.

Up the Albion. Always.

Half of me thinks you right, the other half is not so sure...We will know soon enough, because we need two big statement signings before the deadline, a centre forward and a creative spark in the middle. Both of which will cost big money. The rest can be filled in with whoever, but we need them two places filled and filled fast.

 

[jimhigham]

Codnor's Wallop did not expect his views to be popular?

The thumb count suggests otherwise.

If there's ever a post of the season award this one's a front runner.

 

[perseus]

Moaning is sort of catching. e.g. when Lopez made some crosses into an empty space, fans moaned at Lopez. There was not any player running into the space like Dunk. I was apt to blame the rest of the team.

There is still a big gap on the right wing now.

 

[kevtherev]

No no no. It's not that questioning is allowed but doom mongering is not. The coffers are looking fuller than ever, we've got an ambitious young manager who has, at last, got the funds to build the team he wants. Granted, doing this during the season is a bit of a roller coaster but it is a strategy I can see paying dividends.

Fair point, but Hyypia is not the one trying to broker the deals, Burke is. That's the main reason I think everyone is having kittens.