David Burke, is the fat lady clearing her throat?

[Acker79]

Going back to my point before, player recruitment is a long term strategy and Tony would be churlish to dismiss Burke until he has had enough time to develop his strategy. But up to this point you'd have to say our process is hardly functioning spectacularly. Perhaps Tony has faith in Burke that it will come good soon, or perhaps he's running out of patience. We can only speculate obviously, but to imagine Tony has been pleased with what Burke has delivered in the last couple of windows seems crazy to me! Just because Burke is still in a job now doesn't mean Tony is pleased, it just means he is giving Burke time to get it right. But I imagine he will soon run out of patience if things don't improve!

Isn't the rumour that Tony is getting more hands on with player recruitment? If so, why? Just to lend his support and negotiating nous, does he want to get a greater experience of it so he can put a more realistic policy in place, or because he is concerned with the job being done? Genuine question, I don't mean that to sound like I'm hinting I know it's because he is concerned that such a question might suggest. I know nothing of the inner workings.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Isn't the rumour that Tony is getting more hands on with player recruitment? If so, why? Just to lend his support and negotiating nous, does he want to get a greater experience of it so he can put a more realistic policy in place, or because he is concerned with the job being done? Genuine question, I don't mean that to sound like I'm hinting I know it's because he is concerned that such a question might suggest. I know nothing of the inner workings.

Personally I cannot fathom how anyone can expect that Tony is pleased with player recruitment the past few windows. Publicly supporting Burke is par for the course!

Where did you hear that Tony is now more involved Acker? Sounds promising for us and ominous for Burke based on the evidence at hand!

 

[Giraffe]

Gus had star quality and attracted players as a result. Burke does not. I know which one I'd rather have at the club right now.

 

[Acker79]

Personally I cannot fathom how anyone can expect that Tony is pleased with player recruitment the past few windows. Publicly supporting Burke is par for the course!

Where did you hear that Tony is now more involved Acker? Sounds promising for us and ominous for Burke based on the evidence at hand!

I'm pretty sure I saw it reported on here.

 

[Giraffe]

Very interesting that When asked about Oscar leaving, the first point Bloom made was that he had a good working relationship with Cruyff at Tel Aviv in terms of recruiting players. So he didn't have this with Burke then? Gus didn't either. Were they both wrong? Or is Burke the wrong man?

 

[Acker79]

Gus had star quality and attracted players as a result. Burke does not. I know which one I'd rather have at the club right now.

But having Burke didn't remove Gus's star quality. If our managers are a draw for potential players, they will be a draw regardless of who is/if there is a director of football type player. It will be the manager/coach who the player will work with on a day to day basis.

 

[Giraffe]

But having Burke didn't remove Gus's star quality. If our managers are a draw for potential players, they will be a draw regardless of who is/if there is a director of football type player. It will be the manager/coach who the player will work with on a day to day basis.

But if Burke is in charge of recruitment and doesn't get on with the manager that is a problem.

 

[Joe Gatting's Dad]

Tony himself stated he was working hard with Burke on player recruitment.

This involves doing a deal with the club, the agent and the player himself (plus his family) just to get to the medical. All this takes a very long time .

 

[Acker79]

But if Burke is in charge of recruitment and doesn't get on with the manager that is a problem.

But if he doesn't get on with the manager (and that could be either person's fault) that still doesn't change the fact the manager's appeal is there regardless. If, for a topical example, Clayton saw Hyypia as a draw to come sign for us, it wouldn't matter if Sami got on with Burke or not, he is still the manager that Clayton is interested in playing for. Burke has a job to do and if he allows petty personal relationships to get in the way, I trust Bloom would sort it out (and remember it is Bloom that has the final say in signings, anyway).

 

[AZ Gull]

Very interesting that When asked about Oscar leaving, the first point Bloom made was that he had a good working relationship with Cruyff at Tel Aviv in terms of recruiting players. So he didn't have this with Burke then? Gus didn't either. Were they both wrong? Or is Burke the wrong man?

Do you know this for a fact?

Back on May 13th, in the wake of Oscar's resignation, Bozza posted this:-

It takes two to tango. Poyet and Burke danced together quite well. Maybe Oscar has two left feet.

That would suggest your comment about Poyet and Burke is wrong.

 

[Stat Brother]

Andrews signed on the 10th of August on a season long loan. After Agustien and Lopez signed, before Bridcutt or Crofts were injured. Orlandi was our only midfield injury.

I meant on the actual playing front.
Ince was going off the boil and Andrews stepped up.

Quite what he was doing between the 10th of August and April the blah is anyone guess.
But it does go someway to explain why Andrews doesn't get the recognition he deserves for getting us into the playoffs.

 

[portslade seagull]

Expect signings that make Obika and Dobbie etc look world class

 

[ewe2]

....Well Bloom backed him at the Forum !...........(Or was that the famous "Chairman " vote......)

 

[The Large One]

I didn't mention PB.

I have previously said the club needs to review its player recruitment strategy, that includes DB, his team, budgets, getting deals done timely, etc. etc.

Bottom-line - DB IS responsible for player recruitment - a key element of his job. He has to be accountable.

This is astounding. You've accused people of being 'traitors' for less than this. What does that make you now - flying straight in the face of Tony's opinion (the only one that matters in this instance) based on your own pre-determined mindset?

 

[Seagull by the Sea]

Last seasons transfer windows, both summer and winter, were extremely poor. This one isn't looking any better, it's likely to be considerably worse, despite having a larger budget.

It's difficult not to blame Burke for this, as fans we are led to believe this is the guy responsible for player recruitment - but obviously we don't know the full circumstances of which he works. There is a chance that our scouting network isn't up to scratch, but signing the likes of Agustein, Andrews, Obika and so on is inexcusable considering any one with access to the internet could have told you they would be failures. We simply seem to be poor at identifying talent, this needs to change if we are going to be a progressive club.

Totally agree with all that.

I also think the problem goes far deeper than that, I think the way we try to prise every penny from every deal is against protocol and as such we are getting a reputation for being tight. Players want to feel that you 'want' them and will do whatever it takes to get them, not try to play hardball and move on to other targets when the valuation is increased a little.

Stockdale said it himself that the fee we paid convinced him we really wanted and rated him.

There are some on here that say TB is God because he built us a stadium etc. but at what point do we think the day to day running is poor?

DK saved us from total oblivion but eventually people wanted him out.

Not saying TB is the same situation but if every transfer window keeps getting worse every single time then something has to give.

 

[B.W.]

This is astounding. You've accused people of being 'traitors' for less than this. What does that make you now - flying straight in the face of Tony's opinion (the only one that matters in this instance) based on your own pre-determined mindset?

You may find it astounding. I say it's reasoned logic. Get your head out of the sand TLO. Something is very wrong with our player recruitment strategy (be that DB, the budget, or one of the other factors I listed or didn't list, or some combination of factors). And most realise this even if club suck-ups like you can't or won't see it.

 

[B.W.]

Totally agree with all that.

I also think the problem goes far deeper than that, I think the way we try to prise every penny from every deal is against protocol and as such we are getting a reputation for being tight. Players want to feel that you 'want' them and will do whatever it takes to get them, not try to play hardball and move on to other targets when the valuation is increased a little.

Stockdale said it himself that the fee we paid convinced him we really wanted and rated him.

There are some on here that say TB is God because he built us a stadium etc. but at what point do we think the day to day running is poor?

DK saved us from total oblivion but eventually people wanted him out.

Not saying TB is the same situation but if every transfer window keeps getting worse every single time then something has to give.

Spot on. However, be careful the club suck-ups like TLO don't launch yet another unwarranted attack.

 

[The Large One]

You may find it astounding. I say it's reasoned logic. Get your head out of the sand TLO. Something is very wrong with our player recruitment strategy (be that DB, the budget, or one of the other factors I listed or didn't list, or some combination of factors). And most realise this even if club suck-ups like you can't or won't see it.

'Reason logic' - a euphemism for 'I've worked it all out myself, none of which are based on any concrete knowledge, and I'm right about it'.

Please, you're not fooling anyone - except maybe yourself.

What you've done is place the blame purely at David Burke's door, when there are myriad reasons why a player doesn't come here - including many which are beyond the club's control, none of which - by your own admission - you're prepared to acknowledge. So if you KNOW exactly why X, Y or Z player isn't coming here, let us know...

But you can't - because you're using your own self-assured 'reasoned logic', rather than the more sensible, practical and worthwhile 'first-hand knowledge'.

'A club suck-up' - isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? This from the person who calls people who questions the club 'traitors'...

 

[B.W.]

'Reason logic' - a euphemism for 'I've worked it all out myself, none of which are based on any concrete knowledge, and I'm right about it'.

Please, you're not fooling anyone - except maybe yourself.

What you've done is place the blame purely at David Burke's door, when there are myriad reasons why a player doesn't come here - including many which are beyond the club's control, none of which - by your own admission - you're prepared to acknowledge. So if you KNOW exactly why X, Y or Z player isn't coming here, let us know...

But you can't - because you're using your own self-assured 'reasoned logic', rather than the more sensible, practical and worthwhile 'first-hand knowledge'.

'A club suck-up' - isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? This from the person who calls people who questions the club 'traitors'...

Let's just say our opinions differ. No matter what you say DB IS accountable for player recruitment, and we are currently 4 players short going into the first game of the season. The manager is on record saying this is the case. I haven't just blamed DB, I've said over and over again that I believe the club should conduct a full review of the player recruitment strategy (DB, his team, budgets, etc. etc.).

I called people who supported Gus (who was sacked for gross misconduct) over Tony and the board traitors. Still holds true for me.

Facts and logic. Something you fail to recognise and something you apparently lack. Or maybe not, maybe you're just towing the club line for some other reason. TBH I don't think you're that stupid.

 

[Billy the Fish]

You may find it astounding. I say it's reasoned logic. Get your head out of the sand TLO. Something is very wrong with our player recruitment strategy (be that DB, the budget, or one of the other factors I listed or didn't list, or some combination of factors). And most realise this even if club suck-ups like you can't or won't see it.

I think it's pretty obvious that we haven't got the budget to compete. Burke is obviously in a difficult position in that he has to find players that are good for a price we can afford. Obviously the best players are wanted by more than one club and we are getting outbid.

When you start banging on about "burke not being up to it rah rah rah, the club's got it wrong rah rah rah, people got heads in sand rah rah rah, I told you rah rah rah" it's impossible to reason with you.

What you really should be say is "I want Tony to put in more money to cover a bigger wage bill". If he did I'm pretty sure we'd have our targets by now.

Unfortunately that's living in cloud-cuckoo-land. Tony will spend what he wants to spend and not a penny more, if that means we end up mid-table then so be it. What the f**k else do you propose they do to fix it?