Albion Update

[Lord Bracknell]

In theory, why SHOULD he lead the club through this mess? He's appointed a highly-paid, highly-qualified and experienced professional in Paul Barber to run his club for him. If Tony Bloom is lording it up on Bondi Beach at the moment then I don't really see a problem, as long as he has 100% faith in Paul Barber to do the right thing.

Part of the "uncertainty and concern" that has been expressed by some supporters in recent weeks has been about the role of Paul Barber. A clear statement by the Chairman to the effect that he has, as you say, 100% faith in Barber to do the right thing, might knock that uncertainty on the head.

 

[marshy68]

As I've said elsewhere, a statement by Tony Bloom would be helpful and reassuring.

why? He pays Paul Barber a handsome salary to run the football club - it appears that Barber is doing this withe a very erudite and comprehensive statement.

 

[blue2]

"We are aware of some ill-informed and unfounded speculation appearing in various places"

That's NSC then

 

[Black Rod]

I'm not expecting more information to come from Tony Bloom. A reassuring confirmation that he is leading the Club through this mess would be enough. There comes a time when leadership needs to be shown. This is one of those moments.

How many chairman actually come out with statements at times like these? You don't see Abrahmovich or the Glazer's seeking to reassure fans do you? What about the trust that owns Southampton? No, all their work comes through Cortese. In modern football, a wealthy owner will appoint a CEO who he feels is fit to run the club on a day-to-day basis. That is what Barber is and that is why you hear from him and very rarely Bloom.

We've moved on from the days when Dick Knight would be the centre of everything, making speeches on the pitch and snap comments on the radio like promising to sign five players in the transfer window. Some people just can't seem to accept that. Still, any chance to have a moan that the old clique is no more and things were better in the good old days.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Yatta, yatta, yatta - doesn't tell us anything. Poogate etc etc. I think most of the statement is inconsequential. The key statement was the final paragraph:

"Finally, with Financial Fair Play rules in mind, we must continue to look for ways of reducing our operational cost base to ensure our club is as efficient as possible and to maximise our football budget for the season ahead."

Here we are again - that word "Budget". As a fan all I know is that Gus's beef is about our perceived lack of budget, and here's is Barber ending two and a half weeks of silence with a final word about "reducing our operational cost base". Worrying stuff.

Surely this is good news as it reads to me like they are trying to reduce OPERATIONAL costs in order to MAXIMISE OUR FOOTBALL BUDGET. In other words cut out waste and invest the money in players/team

 

[marshy68]

Why? What's he going to say that Paul Barber can't?

I find it a bit ridiculous that Paul Barber has to take the time to write stuff like this just to appease idiots who can't understand that stuff like this takes time. There is no quick answer, and if there was it certainly can't be published by the club. Just let them get on with it, and if it takes another week/month/three months then so be it.

I am agreeing with you more and more....

 

[soistes]

Part of the "uncertainty and concern" that has been expressed by some supporters in recent weeks has been about the role of Paul Barber. A clear statement by the Chairman to the effect that he has, as you say, 100% faith in Barber to do the right thing, might knock that uncertainty on the head.

Letting Barber get on with his job without interference does, in my view, effectively give the message that he has that faith. Why on earth raise the possibility that he ever doubted Barber by putting out a statement like that?

 

[kevo]

i still got a feeling Gus will still be manager come next season.

The sentence about the "processes" involving the three doesn't sound good - nor does the bit about it being "reasonable in the circumstances". If there was any way they were going to stay, I think the language in Barber's statement would be a little different.

For instance, he could have said something like 'The discussions with Gus Poyet are continuing but we can't update you at this time." What was actually said sounds very much like they are continuing an official investigation into whatever they did and trying to agree a deal in which Gus's team and the club part company.

 

[Rookie]

No update from the Club - gets flamed for lack of communication

Update from the Club - gets flamed for not enough information

Unbelievable

It was always going to be that way, dammed if they do dammed if they don't.

 

[skipper734]

If I had a junkyard dog, I wouldn't expect to do my own barking, every time someone rattled the gate.

 

[brightonmark1234]

The sentence about the "processes" involving the three doesn't sound good - nor does the bit about it being "reasonable in the circumstances". If there was any way they were going to stay, I think the language in Barber's statement would be a little different.

okay sorry i read it wrong

 

[yxee]

Pretty happy with that statement.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Surely this is good news as it reads to me like they are trying to reduce OPERATIONAL costs in order to MAXIMISE OUR FOOTBALL BUDGET. In other words cut out waste and invest the money in players/team

I read it like that too.

If that's how long it takes then I don't really see an alternative. An alternative to kicking off the season with no manager I mean, not to Gully picking the team obviously. Not a single person on this board knows even 1% of the story as fact, so there is absolutely zero point in dishing out blame or setting timeframes. I have faith in Tony Bloom, which by association means I have faith in Paul Barber. If he needs more time then I trust there is a reason, and he's not just dragging it out.

Tony Bloom has the best interests of the club at heart. This I do not doubt. However if we even go a couple of weeks in to pre-season manager-less (effectively) you could question the action taken based on a simple cost / benefit analysis. Losing out on players and transfer fees and having a poor to average season could end up costing more than any amount we may have spent taking 'alternative actions'.

 

[Titanic]

Part of the "uncertainty and concern" that has been expressed by some supporters in recent weeks has been about the role of Paul Barber. A clear statement by the Chairman to the effect that he has, as you say, 100% faith in Barber to do the right thing, might knock that uncertainty on the head.

Ah... the dreaded 'vote of confidence from the Chairman'. Not always seen as reassuring

 

[PWA]

No surprises in the statement. Well thought out and reads well.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Part of the "uncertainty and concern" that has been expressed by some supporters in recent weeks has been about the role of Paul Barber. A clear statement by the Chairman to the effect that he has, as you say, 100% faith in Barber to do the right thing, might knock that uncertainty on the head.

I think it's only you, everyone else seems to accept that he's doing his job. Why should Bloom need to issue a statement to explain what individual employees are employed to do?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The massive support that Tony Bloom has had from Albion supporters over the years is based not only on the fact that he's got the funds to have got us to where we are, but on the equally important fact that he is a FAN. Now is his chance to speak as a fan. All I'm saying is that a statement from him would go down well.

I'm not arguing that Barber is handling the situation incorrectly.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I don't agree that Bloom needs to make clear his confidence in Paul Barber.

But I do think Barber could do himself a favour by not being so corporate about his updates etc. Fans don't need to hear all the bullshit about how far we have come etc and how we have increased attention from outside the area. We know that. Just cut the crap and tell us what we need to know.

If his update just dealt with poogate and the reasurances over pre season it would be fine.

Ideally, a couple of lines from Bloom saying, basically, "Chill, I got this..." would be much more welcome. Would it make THAT much of a difference? Probably not. But it would put a few anxious minds at rest so probably worth the five minutes it would take to know up that press release...