The Apprentice series 7 starts tonight

[Uncle Spielberg]

Susan has got more common sense than the rest of them put together. If you look back through the Series Susan has made by far the most correct calls and judgements.

 

[Triggaaar]

Jim seems to have pulled it back over the last few weeks but is ultimately just a salesman, albeit a very good one. But if his back was against the wall he'd stab his own granny in the back to wriggle out of it !!!

I don't think he's needed to pull it back, he's been one of the best from the start, it's just that the viewers haven't liked him because of how he's defended himself (attacked others) in the boardroom. He was responsible for the record breaking £1.6mil sale. He developed the product on his own, and then pitched it to Asda. LS and Karen criticised him for bullshitting in the pitch, but they can stick it - his sale was 8 times bigger than any deal ever done in the boardroom. He's not just good at selling, he's great with people alround, during focus groups when developing pitches etc.

 

[New Carpet?]

Still think Helen's miles in front.

Lord Sugar had to give her a bit of a grilling given that this was the first opportunity he could do so.

Granted, last night was probably her worst performance so far, but look at the competition:

• Jim - too inconsistent (either outstanding like he was last night or in the earlier purchasing task or abysmal like in the magazine task)
• Tom - has been in the boardroom too much (even though Lord Sugar seems to enjoy taking the piss out of him more than everyone else)
• Susan - pretty naive and probably not ready for such a large joint venture with Lord Sugar
• Natasha - GASH. Has no chance whatsoever

As glad as I am to see the back of her, I thought Melody was unlucky to go last night, but was always going to get the bullet once it was announced that her team had lost the task. It was clear Lord Sugar was more keen on sending someone packing from the other team (most likely Natasha).

According to The Metro (not the most reliable source I know), there only appears to be two weeks left as they're changing the format and having a four-person final. And best of all, and contrary to what was mentioned by some on here, the interview round IS the final!


http://www.metro.co.uk/tv/868346-lord-alan-sugar-bans-ex-apprentice-contestants-from-series-final

 

[Blackadder]

Really think Helen is over rated, as tonight showed

Don't agree. Wasn't her best night but on the whole I think she is very strong.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

anyone for an emergency biscuit?

 

[Beach Hut]

Tom is an amazing contender in my view, should have gone ages ago, serial boardroom attender yet till in the game

 

[Blackadder]

Susan is a dark horse for a place in the final two, surely? She may be a whiny school girl but to be fair she has wrongly been treated like a school girl by some of the absolute shithouse contestants. And more often than not, she has been proved right - the exception being when it comes to picking things to sell where she lets herself down badly on a couple of occasions this series. Tom has the common sense to succeed but not the sales patter and polish, whereas Jim is the other way round. It's worth bearing in mind that Nick doesn't like Jim and I think that might count for something.

Surely everyone agrees that Helen will be in the final as she remains the stand out candidate despite a weak(ish) showing this week, and that Natasha is shit and needs to be ditched. She really ought to have gone a long time ago, IMO, but the minute she loses, she's out on her arse.

Susan is underated but I fear she is not assertive enough for what LS is looking for. I would be delighted for Susan or Tom if they won, as I think they are genuinely nice people but I'm not sure that is what Sugar is looking for. Agree that Natasha has to go!

 

[Blackadder]

Tom is an amazing contender in my view, should have gone ages ago, serial boardroom attender yet till in the game

As mentioned in my last post to Simster, it would be fantastic if Tom won. I Just like the bloke. If he could play football with flair, I would want Gus to sign him up!

 

[Blackadder]

Interesting. They have to have a Business Plan this year.

 

[Gazwag]

Having watched the background the the final five tonight, I must admit I will not really mind who wins.

I have certainly changed my opinion of Susan and Natasha who have both acheived a hell of a lot in their lives from very poor backgrounds

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

How can Susan be naive when she set up her own business at 18 and paid her mum's mortgage off ?. Coming from a background of living in a hut and shitting in a pit in the back garden until age 7 and then going from nothing and learning a completely new language and way of life she has more balls, achievement and potential than the rest of them put together. I really HATE Jim , he is scum and would sell his Granny for a fiver. His true colours will come out in the final. I think he is actually evil and would show no loyalty to Sugar. Natasha came across better last night, Helen is a great Salesperson but has flaws and is overrated, Tom is a nice bloke but when you think about it has achieved absolutely nothing and been woeful for the whole 10 week process.

Final - Helen and Susan, Susan to win.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

i think susan could NAIL it in the "business plan".........had it been the old format with the interviews she would've annoyed the tits of the interviewers. However i get the impression that LS quite likes her for her energy, and he always likes that "rags to riches" stuff

helen is a very good organiser, and seems like she really "gets" people, however, will she be able to come up with a decent business plan? i think she would've won the old format easily but i'm not so sure with this one

jim is a brilliant sales person, and is generally brilliant with the public.......however, while he IS very good at getting people to do what he wants, he's often completely blinkered about it, sending everyone down the wrong path......however, he might come up with a decent business plan if he thinks about it properly

tom may actually have the BEST business plan, as he's clearly an 'ideas' man......he's also very good with numbers and throrough, which could make him a decent partner. He'd have no chance at all in the old format, but i've got a feeling LS likes him

natasha.........hmmmm, she's got a lot of energy, but fucks up a LOT.......surely the next to go?

 

[Lord Bamber]

I have certainly changed my opinion of Susan and Natasha who have both acheived a hell of a lot in their lives from very poor backgrounds

Not sure my opinion has changed however I have a respect for what Natasha has achieved given her background.

She remains annoying.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

How can Susan be naive when she set up her own business at 18 and paid her mum's mortgage off ?. Coming from a background of living in a hut and shitting in a pit in the back garden until age 7 and then going from nothing and learning a completely new language and way of life she has more balls, achievement and potential than the rest of them put together. I really HATE Jim , he is scum and would sell his Granny for a fiver. His true colours will come out in the final. I think he is actually evil and would show no loyalty to Sugar. Natasha came across better last night, Helen is a great Salesperson but has flaws and is overrated, Tom is a nice bloke but when you think about it has achieved absolutely nothing and been woeful for the whole 10 week process.

Final - Helen and Susan, Susan to win.

Agree with your sentiments, but just can't see Sugar wanting to work with her. Her silly comments and whiny voice will seriously grate with him and for those reasons I can't see her winning

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Sugar I think wants someone he can invest £ 250k into a business , let them get on with it and make him a profit. I think Susan is best placed to do this.

 

[Pavilionaire]

We haven't seen their business ideas - we'll then be getting into Dragon's Den Territory, and that's where things will really get interesting.

If it was a normal "Apprentice" prize up for grabs it's a no-brainer as Helen would walk it. However, it's a business venture and I think Tom will win.

Helen's history is one of a team player / corporate person with no experience of starting a business, developing a product or bringing it to market. Jim's a glorified salesman, Susie's good but 5 years too young for what Sugar needs now. And I don't think Natasha has ANY chance to be classed as a contender.

In recent years we've seen the woman in her late 20s win and I fancy it's time for a male winner, maybe someone Sir Alan can build a relationship with. I got the feeling in the last series with Baggsy that Lord Sugar quite fancies a male protege. In that instance Baggsy ballsed it up in interview stage but I fancy Tom won't have skeletons in the cupboard.

 

[Manx Shearwater]

Helen - sharp, clever, but no business experience
Natasha - Out of her depth
Jim - Smooth talker, quite clever, a possibility
Susan - Sorry, she's clever but with no actual knowledge of anything (e.g. could draw up a business plan, but doesn't know what the capital of Italy is)
Tom - Clever, not forceful enough.

Susan and Natasha can forget it, it depends on what Sugar is after, if he's after someone confident to head up a project he will guide then its between Helen and Jim, if he wants some brains and ideas, then Tom.

 

[brightonian finest]

Toms a nice bloke and all that, but is it me that thinks he is f***ing AWFUL, and doesnt actually come up with much

 

[kevo]

Helen - sharp, clever, but no business experience
Natasha - Out of her depth
Jim - Smooth talker, quite clever, a possibility
Susan - Sorry, she's clever but with no actual knowledge of anything (e.g. could draw up a business plan, but doesn't know what the capital of Italy is)
Tom - Clever, not forceful enough.

Susan and Natasha can forget it, it depends on what Sugar is after, if he's after someone confident to head up a project he will guide then its between Helen and Jim, if he wants some brains and ideas, then Tom.

Jim is clear second favourite, but too devious. Don't think Sugar would trust him. Helen is a shoe-in surely?

 

[Seagull27]

Final five tonight.

Who's it gonna be?