[Football] Gus Poyet Interview

[Herne Hill Seagull]

I found it a hugely diverting and enlightening interview - cap tipped to the lads for getting him to talk so openly. Personally, that period was one of my favourites (I first started going in the mid 80s) and that 2010-11 season was just fantastic. Being at the Charlton and Peterborough games, and others, where you were watching a team head and shoulders above the opponents and for once it was your lot doing the bashing, still gives me warm, fuzzy feelings.

Poyet's view of events, like anybody's would be, is filtered through his own lenses. I would not more take his word as gospel than the 'fact' that he told the team he was off in the dressing room just before the game - how do we know this to be any more true than his version of events? (I'm not taking his side - it's genuinely a question; how is it that this has been posted here as 'fact'? How is this known?)

Any manager who was already having trouble with his relationship with other senior figures at the club would find it hard to recover from losing to Palace in the play-offs like that. But all the other crap that was going on (some of it literal) at the time would likely just have been noise if we'd won that game. That such a period in the club's history came to such a horrible end - that remains the worst I've ever felt as a consequence of a result - is lamentable, whichever side of the story you listen to.

 

[philgull25]

Thought the interview was great and as ever Gus was open and interesting. But given that some of the statements he’s made before in public about his time with the club have been widely refuted, I won’t be holding anything he’s said against the club.

I was mostly disappointed that given how much time has passed, he didn’t offer regret of any of his actions which contributed towards the mess which came after the playoff defeat to Palace. I’m sure there were those at the club whose actions also contributed, but the fact he seemed to lay all the blame at the defeat to Palace and the fact he had too much power which some didn’t like, was I thought a bit pathetic. No wonder no one has invited him back.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Often talked about, but has seemingly been erased from the clubs history for the most part by the Albion. Given his exit and the controversy that surrounds it I was always surprised nobody got in touch with him. Well we did. Tomorrow I'll be dropping the latest episode of Together: A Brighton & Hove Albion podcast and it is a 2 hour marathon interview with ex Albion manager Gus Poyet, on his time at the club, the good, the bad and the ugly. Very few punches pulled, lots of questions you want asking as a fan were asked. I'll drop it in here tomorrow.

Congratulations on the scoop.

An excellent listen.

Still a hero in my world, and miss that straight talking (Oh does he talk)

 

[Brian Fantana]

Congratulations on the scoop.

An excellent listen.

Still a hero in my world, and miss that straight talking (Oh does he talk)

Cheers!

And boy, does he talk. We’ve had a few comments about interrupting him to too much, but if we didn’t try to move the conversation on a couple of times we wouldn’t have got beyond the first question. Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for listening.

 

[Weststander]

I've said this before on the "ceiling" comments. It's all well and good with the benefit seeing how we've grown to slate him for that but, at that time, I don't think it was unreasonable.

- We were very focused on aligning with FFP
- Our signings the following season and the one after showed that belts were very much tightened
- All transfer dealings were essentially run by David Burke and the infamous transfer committee
- We got worse under Garcia and then even worse under Hyypia as a result of the above.

It was only two years after he left that we sacked Burke and started spending some money on proper players (pretty much everyone we signed under Hyypia and the committee was awful - the first "manager" signing was Kayal). So again I don't think it unreasonable for Poyet to think that the club had plateaued for the foreseeable future.

He'd gone from complete control to having to accept budget signings from above.

Poyet himself didn’t suffer from a cutback on player spending, that happened after his suspension. Generous TB subsidised a £9m loss 2011/12, growing to £15m in 2012/13. In that second season we signed Bruno, Lopez, Orlandi, Kuszchak, Crofts and Ulloa, taking on loan Hammond and Bridge. All under Burke. Increasing wages from £15m to £21m.

Despite TB generously backing Poyet as above, Poyet bizarrely courted other jobs.

The era of “budget signings” happened after he’d been suspended.

 

[herecomesaregular]

I enjoyed it, many thanks. It's obvious that even Gus recognises managing us was his most successful period and he's therefore bound to have regrets he wouldn't admit to publicly. It only soured because he let his emotions get the better of him and he couldn't stop running his mouth off (if only he had chosen perhaps a better foil to keep him in check). Great memories for me as he managed to get players we couldn't have dreamt off, the Spanish contingent and the top loans. That was what I enjoyed most, that quality of player.

 

[OzMike]

Good to know so many people are keeping an open mind.

I hadn't heard him say the stuff about Vicente's fitness, or his praise for TB going the extra mile on transfers.

Yadda, yadda, yadda, sorry if my not being the slightest bit intetested offends you.
As far as I am concerned it is a closed book, if you take exception to that it is your problem, not mine.

 

[Barham's tash]

Cheers!

And boy, does he talk. We’ve had a few comments about interrupting him to too much, but if we didn’t try to move the conversation on a couple of times we wouldn’t have got beyond the first question. Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for listening.

It’s funny you say that because last night I watched Frost Nixon [if you haven’t already it’s totally compelling and well worth a watch] and then afterwards listened to your brilliant podcast.

Parallels to both interviewees in terms of egos and inability to show actual remorse. But what makes Gus come across as irritating as **** is also what drives him - his self belief is implacable.

Great listen and thanks to you and @viper for the coup.

Suspect certain members of the club hierarchy are bristling over their cornflakes this morning.

Expect some kind of rubbish petty comms to be issued about not commenting on things of a legal nature.

 

[Brian Fantana]

It’s funny you say that because last night I watched Frost Nixon [if you haven’t already it’s totally compelling and well worth a watch] and then afterwards listened to your brilliant podcast.

Parallels to both interviewees in terms of egos and inability to show actual remorse. But what makes Gus come across as irritating as **** is also what drives him - his self belief is implacable.

Great listen and thanks to you and @viper for the coup.

Suspect certain members of the club hierarchy are bristling over their cornflakes this morning.

Expect some kind of rubbish petty comms to be issued about not commenting on things of a legal nature.

Great film! Watched it only recently, too.

Many thanks for your kind words. Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Cheers!

And boy, does he talk. We’ve had a few comments about interrupting him to too much, but if we didn’t try to move the conversation on a couple of times we wouldn’t have got beyond the first question. Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for listening.

Great Interview. They were great times, but it was only ever going to end one way. It was interesting to hear GP say that the Murray was a simple salary deal, and I can believe that, because I know that we have always been 'careful' on wage structures across the club.

I think that from the moment TB decided he needed a Chief Exec, it was only a matter of time before the toys were coming out the pram.

I love the way he was upset that no one has invited him back. Coincidentally, I've never been out for a beer with anyone I sacked on a Gross Disciplinary either

 

[Brian Fantana]

Great Interview. They were great times, but it was only ever going to end one way. It was interesting to hear GP say that the Murray was a simple salary deal, and I can believe that, because I know that we have always been 'careful' on wage structures across the club.

I think that from the moment TB decided he needed a Chief Exec, it was only a matter of time before the toys were coming out the pram.

I love the way he was upset that no one has invited him back. Coincidentally, I've never been out for a beer with anyone I sacked on a Gross Disciplinary either

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

Yeah, that’s what struck me too. There seemed to be a genuine sadness there that he’d not been invited back. He was referencing going back to Chelsea, Spurs etc. Forgetting of course, as you point you, that he was sacked for gross misconduct and not a mutual parting of the ways.

 

[JBizzle]

Poyet himself didn’t suffer from a cutback on player spending, that happened after his suspension. Generous TB subsidised a £9m loss 2011/12, growing to £15m in 2012/13. In that second season we signed Bruno, Lopez, Orlandi, Kuszchak, Crofts and Ulloa, taking on loan Hammond and Bridge. All under Burke. Increasing wages from £15m to £21m.

Despite TB generously backing Poyet as above, Poyet bizarrely courted other jobs.

The era of “budget signings” happened after he’d been suspended.

No I know that, I wasn't clear - I think Poyet knew the way the wind was blowing and those days of spending were at an end, I guess we'll never know if our signings would have continued in the Poyet mould or the post Poyet mould had he stayed, but the indications were that we were well finished with big budget signings under Garcia and especially Hyypia.

Regarding the courting of other jobs, agree. That was always bizarre.

 

[The_Viper]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. Needless to say this podcast episode has exploded. What surprises me (and Gus) is that it was SEVEN years and we were the first to get in touch, not Owen at The Argus, Naylor didn't even go this route when he moved to The Athletic. I have spoke with the club a few times about interviews and nothing was ever mentioned. Is this something the local media gurus has been warned off or did people just think it was too long ago to bother? Maybe [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] will have some thoughts on that given he has some inroads with the Albion?

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

That's the first time I was motivated to listen to the interview and listen to the whole thing right through while trying to keep working... and failed.

That's how good it was.... I suspect that what you get it out of it will be coloured by what you already thought before.

I think it's sad situation. I know how utterly bewildered I was by the total fall out and I think people have rewritten history and a lot of the accusations on both sides may very well be assumptions and downright lies and the truth is somewhere else entirely.

It didn't change my opinions.... what i do agree with is:

1) We lost because of our performance... the rest is excuses.
2) If we had gone up we have thrived under Poyet... failing to go up it seems the end was inevitable.
3) No one except maybe TB should escape without blame.
4) His Reading and Murray explanations

 

[Common as Mook]

I absolutely ****ing loved having Gus Poyet as our manager. What a time to be a fan.

 

[amexer]

For legal and decency reasons as he was sacked for Gross Misconduct the club will not comment. He said he didnt get a penny payoff despite having a 3 year contract. Despite saying he would, he didnt pursue case for unfair dismissal Have always assumed with large amount of money at stake he was advised he didnt have a case.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

For legal and decency reasons as he was sacked for Gross Misconduct the club will not comment. He said he didnt get a penny payoff despite having a 3 year contract. Despite saying he would, he didnt pursue case for unfair dismissal Have always assumed with large amount of money at stake he was advised he didnt have a case.

He was offered the job with Sunderland, and decided to drop the appeal so he could take that job.

 

[Brian Fantana]

He was offered the job with Sunderland, and decided to drop the appeal so he could take that job.

He also made reference to the maximum he could have got in court was £70k, which I wasn’t really sure of the background too.

 

[Badger Boy]

I'm about 20 minutes into the interview, it's a magnificent chat.

He's absolutely right about Plymouth away. The night we met Craig Noone and we realised how amazing we were. I totally agree with him, that was the turning point. We understood what we were doing on the pitch and it was obvious how good the team was. And we just got better, and better, and better. Gus is incredible and boys, you were totally right - Charlton and Peterborough are the best performances we've ever seen from a Brighton team. Difficult to listen to the error of Charlton following Peterborough but nevermind!

Edit
Adam El-Abd - spot on boys, and I'm so pleased Gus remembers the players so intimately. It's such a good listen. To set up training sessions specifically to improve El-Abd is genius, to have identified what a player there was in there. He was such a good coach at that point, I wonder if he's moved away from that kind of man management since leaving us?

 

[Milano]

I absolutely ****ing loved having Gus Poyet as our manager. What a time to be a fan.

This. The season we lost to the pikeys was some of the best attacking football I’ve ever seen from us and certainly since the Amex. Bruno and Bridge at full backs were a joy to watch, at times we were superb. I’m not sure that team would have survived in the EPL though.