David Burke

[Lord Bracknell]

... Clearly, there's no way that a hotel will be generating revenue soon ...

Nobody knows the structure of the financial deal that the Club will make with the hotel operator. Will the operator pay the Club up front and keep all the revenue from running the hotel? Or will the operator lease the premises at an agreed annual rent? Or will the club's income be tied into a proportion of room occupancy charges? Or will the Club simply sell the hotel to another organisation (possibly the hotel operator)? Each of these options produces a different spread of risks and a different outcome.

The worst case scenario would see the Club paying to build the hotel and no operator coming in to run it. Whether this happens would depend on the relative projections in the different business plans that will be prepared.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Burke was dour, like the teams play! I felt sorry for Ady 'n Al. Dodged questions, talked a lot, explained nothing.

WOULD YOU SIGN FOR THIS GUY?

The thing is, how much longer will 26k (let's be real, it's about 22k max) turn up to watch utter dross?
I won't. I've watched it for 90% of my Life. I'm not prepared to PAY to watch that shit. I've been a Brighton fan since I was big enough to wear a shirt. But I will not put up with watching shit. I've watched it for effing years, and if Oscar doesn't get some decent stuff going on. I'm off.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Nobody knows the structure of the financial deal that the Club will make with the hotel operator. Will the operator pay the Club up front and keep all the revenue from running the hotel? Or will the operator lease the premises at an agreed annual rent? Or will the club's income be tied into a proportion of room occupancy charges? Or will the Club simply sell the hotel to another organisation (possibly the hotel operator)? Each of these options produces a different spread of risks and a different outcome.

The worst case scenario would see the Club paying to build the hotel and no operator coming in to run it. Whether this happens would depend on the relative projections in the different business plans that will be prepared.

The point I was making was simply that it's not credible to think the hotel will generate revenue (whatever financial structure is used) until planning permission is granted at the very earliest, and this is unlikely to be "soon". S'all.

 

[The Large One]

Burke was dour, like the teams play! I felt sorry for Ady 'n Al. Dodged questions, talked a lot, explained nothing.

WOULD YOU SIGN FOR THIS GUY?

The thing is, how much longer will 26k (let's be real, it's about 22k max) turn up to watch utter dross?
I won't. I've watched it for 90% of my Life. I'm not prepared to PAY to watch that shit. I've been a Brighton fan since I was big enough to wear a shirt. But I will not put up with watching shit. I've watched it for effing years, and if Oscar doesn't get some decent stuff going on. I'm off.

 

[The Large One]

I will listen to this before passing comment but in general I struggle to warm to this "director of football" role. Surely looking at past examples at other clubs this set up tends to fail miserably WAY more often than it succeeds!

You've just contradicted yourself.

You have passed a certain amount of judgement by announcing there's stuff you don't understand, and 'struggle to warm' to this wrongly-titled Director of Football (it's Head of Football Operations). And you've done this before you've listened in.

 

[KZNSeagull]

What was your overall impression of Mr Burke?

 

[Stat Brother]

Now it's time for my dumb-ass FFP question (everybody else has had a go)

On 01.01.14

Bloom signs Messi for £150,000,000.
Bloom pays Messi £250,000 pw

On 02.01.14

Bloom signs an international TV license deal for £150,000,000.
Bloom commits to selling £250,000 pw of merchandise.

Do we easily pass FFP?

 

[KZNSeagull]

Now it's time for my dumb-ass FFP question (everybody else has had a go)

On 01.01.14

Bloom signs Messi for £150,000,000.
Bloom pays Messi £250,000 pw

On 02.01.14

Bloom signs an international TV license deal for £150,000,000.
Bloom commits to selling £250,000 pw of merchandise.

Do we easily pass FFP?

Depends if the football league think that the 150,000,000 international TV deal is reasonable or not. So I would say no.

Oh, and re Messi - only actual income counts, not perceived income.

 

[The Large One]

What was your overall impression of Mr Burke?

I'm sorry, I don't do impressions, my work in specifically in the field of publishing.


Sorry.

When it comes to considering people in his position, I'm not in pre-disposed to make a real judgement on their role. I'm not a football administrator, never have been nor have I ever played Football Manager.

However, the way he described his role, the set-up and how he goes about it left me quite impressed. I can't say that what he described and what the actualities are are one and the same, but even if that's their target to achieve, that's pretty good, I'd say.

I'm not going to be one of those people who seeks to judge him on results only (there are some who make those facile judgements on many aspects within football without considering mitigation) - it has no value.

A couple of other things - even though his role is complex, he could indulge in some brevity (said the pot...), and he could do with a change in voice-tone once in a while. Oh, and he is a massive fan of The Cure.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I'm sorry, I don't do impressions, my work in specifically in the field of publishing.

Well I was asking for that....

Sorry.

When it comes to considering people in his position, I'm not in pre-disposed to make a real judgement on their role. I'm not a football administrator, never have been nor have I ever played Football Manager. Quite right

However, the way he described his role, the set-up and how he goes about it left me quite impressed. I can't say that what he described and what the actualities are are one and the same, but even if that's their target to achieve, that's pretty good, I'd say. He came across as impressive and knowledgeable. Actualities on what? There were a couple of things re FFP that I did not think sounded quite right.

I'm not going to be one of those people who seeks to judge him on results only (there are some who make those facile judgements on many aspects within football without considering mitigation) - it has no value. Fair enough - you can only really judge him over a long period and in particular with how the academy turns out. The short termism of some on here, or some people's desire to rubbish him no matter what, is a bit odd, I feel.

A couple of other things - even though his role is complex, he could indulge in some brevity (said the pot...), and he could do with a change in voice-tone once in a while. Oh, and he is a massive fan of The Cure. Brevity indeed, but there were no pregnant pauses or anything, so to me he sounded like someone who knows what they are talking about and is clearly keen to explain things. He did answer your questions, although you did not get many in as a result! The Cure - good man!

Thanks for this - have commented above.

 

[KZNSeagull]

What I thought came across loud and clear was how he wants the academy to be the best it can be. If he can stop all the local talent from going to Arsenal/Chelsea etc, then our future is extremely bright.

The other thing I thought was interesting is that he reports directly to TB and not PB.

 

[BensGrandad]

Should we offer to move Alan Mullery from his hospitality role to become involved in the playing side in some capacity. I am open minded on this and not really sure just an idea or discussion point.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Should we offer to move Alan Mullery from his hospitality role to become involved in the playing side in some capacity. I am open minded on this and not really sure just an idea or discussion point.

Why?

 

[BensGrandad]

He has wide experience of the English game at both Premier (Div 1 in the old days) and Championship (old Div 2) perhaps his experience and views would help Oscar. The drawback is his experience was sometime ago but you dont lose knowledge as you get older and possibly wiser.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Depends if the football league think that the 150,000,000 international TV deal is reasonable or not. So I would say no.

Oh, and re Messi - only actual income counts, not perceived income.

This. The key issue here is whether the 150m is a genuine independent deal. If it isn't ie Bloom is linked to the company providing the 150m then the 150m will have to be at "market rate."

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Should we offer to move Alan Mullery from his hospitality role to become involved in the playing side in some capacity. I am open minded on this and not really sure just an idea or discussion point.

He has wide experience of the English game at both Premier (Div 1 in the old days) and Championship (old Div 2) perhaps his experience and views would help Oscar. The drawback is his experience was sometime ago but you dont lose knowledge as you get older and possibly wiser.

You seem to be the exception to this rule with some of your ideas

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

He has wide experience of the English game at both Premier (Div 1 in the old days) and Championship (old Div 2) perhaps his experience and views would help Oscar. The drawback is his experience was sometime ago but you dont lose knowledge as you get older and possibly wiser.

Good point. Also, in terms of persuasion to sign, like it or not an area Gus was quite good at, Mullers could play a key role.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Good point. Also, in terms of persuasion to sign, like it or not an area Gus was quite good at, Mullers could play a key role.

I'm not remotely convinced by the idea of Mullery in any role linked to the playing side. I was one of his biggest advocates when it came to the club getting him involved again.

But it's around 25 years since Alan Mullery last managed a professional team (and was sacked). That's an enormous gap. Also, I don't think players of today would relate to him in terms of his presence being a factor in them signing or not. Many players we'd look to sign wouldn't have been born the last time he was a manager, let alone a top level player. Sadly, I'd guess a good few won't even have heard of him.

 

[The Large One]

He did answer your questions, although you did not get many in as a result!

He was actually answering questions before we asked them.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Only 40 mins though the podcast at the moment so may comment more when I've finished it tonight. However I am already dying to know if one of the Strengths in the SWAT analysis is "currently playing in Wales".