How much of the problem is down to Tony Bloom?

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spanish flair

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2014
2,349
Brighton
All SH said when he was appointed was that he liked the way we played and just wanted to improve the quickness in transition between defence and attack. That seems to have morphed somewhat!

I suppose when he joined, he could have felt the team could play this way and with Ulloa, Buckley and the expectation of Ward in the squad it was possible.
But to lose these three could have been a blow to Hypia's plans.
 




spanish flair

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2014
2,349
Brighton
Restraints ? According to Bloom this is the most expensive squad in history. His record on cost for performance is appalling.

This and I have never heard or seen written that the player budget has ever been reduced since Poyet days. So that means Garcia and Hypia were managing on a level playing field to Gus, with the exception of the star players Gus had brought in and the club had sold under the feet of Garcia and Hypia. Also, probably being told who they could bring in more I suspect than Gus was.
 




father_and_son

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2012
4,652
Under the Police Box
That's interesting if he has. I doubt that this is standard practice in the football world though.

My assumption is on the basis of TB being a learner. Looking at his business career (and to a lesser extent his poker one), he very much appears as a man who, having made a mistake, prepares himself for situation next time. His consultancy business is built almost entirely on this premise... get a result wrong, then you re-configure the model for the new data and don't make that mistake again.

I personally think he will see Poyet's departure as a personal failure. It was messy, ill-tempered and too public and that will have irked a man like Tony. I think, learning from the past, he will have set a number of "exit" clauses into firstly OG's and now SH's contracts, then can be invoked BEFORE it all gets too unpleasant.


I have absolutely NO evidence for this assumption BTW. This is just on the basis of spending time studying the man and, actually, having a similar background and personality (but with none of the success I hasten to add!)
 


KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
21,099
Wolsingham, County Durham
My assumption is on the basis of TB being a learner. Looking at his business career (and to a lesser extent his poker one), he very much appears as a man who, having made a mistake, prepares himself for situation next time. His consultancy business is built almost entirely on this premise... get a result wrong, then you re-configure the model for the new data and don't make that mistake again.

I personally think he will see Poyet's departure as a personal failure. It was messy, ill-tempered and too public and that will have irked a man like Tony. I think, learning from the past, he will have set a number of "exit" clauses into firstly OG's and now SH's contracts, then can be invoked BEFORE it all gets too unpleasant.


I have absolutely NO evidence for this assumption BTW. This is just on the basis of spending time studying the man and, actually, having a similar background and personality (but with none of the success I hasten to add!)

Yup, that all makes sense. It is an interesting theory - dunno if we will ever find out if you are right though! It also adds another dimension to this theory on here, from some, that various managers turned us down before Sami - if true perhaps it was not the DoF setup that put them off but rather performance clauses in the contract?
 


spanish flair

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2014
2,349
Brighton
Yup, that all makes sense. It is an interesting theory - dunno if we will ever find out if you are right though! It also adds another dimension to this theory on here, from some, that various managers turned us down before Sami - if true perhaps it was not the DoF setup that put them off but rather performance clauses in the contract?

You have to say if you were the guy being given these conditions in you contract, that you would request to have a clause stating, that this is acceptable on the basis that star players are not sold and hence weakening your squad and ability to perform
 




KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
21,099
Wolsingham, County Durham
You have to say if you were the guy being given these conditions in you contract, that you would request to have a clause stating, that this is acceptable on the basis that star players are not sold and hence weakening your squad and ability to perform

But that would leave unhappy players at the club which could also undermine your performance clauses.

The most successful transfer policies mean always selling your best players when someone offers more than you perceive them to be worth. You are, however, supposed to have their replacements already in the squad. According to "Soccernomics" anyway - read it if you have not done so already - it is very interesting.
 


Seagull73

Sienna's Heaven
Jul 26, 2003
3,382
Not Lewes
The 3 managerial appointments that Bloom has made have all had exactly the same hallmarks: New manager, learning their way, experience of being in manager or assistant positions, but very new to the managerial game.

The first two arguably were successful. Whatever anybody thinks / thought of Poyet and his over-active mouth, some of the football was the best we have ever, and will possibly ever see at this club. Garcia was possibly even more of a success because the football was so bloody dull, but still got us results.

The issue now is that Hyppia is clearly one gamble too far. He is out of his depth and doesn't know how to turn it round. Bloom needs to take a deep breath, admit that this one has not worked, and change it before it is way too late.
Having witnessed the Garcia football last year, it has just gone from boring to sh1t, and the 7% drop in season ticket holders last summer could be 27% this summer. We have too much floating support that will not happily turn up and watch crap week-in week-out
 


spanish flair

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2014
2,349
Brighton
But that would leave unhappy players at the club which could also undermine your performance clauses.

The most successful transfer policies mean always selling your best players when someone offers more than you perceive them to be worth. You are, however, supposed to have their replacements already in the squad. According to "Soccernomics" anyway - read it if you have not done so already - it is very interesting.

I fully understand all that and agree with you, but how can you possibly sack a manager for bad results when you have sold all his assets, would this not someway be considered constructive dismissal?
 




Seagull73

Sienna's Heaven
Jul 26, 2003
3,382
Not Lewes
I fully understand all that and agree with you, but how can you possibly sack a manager for bad results when you have sold all his assets, would this not someway be considered constructive dismissal?

Mmm although we know we have sold the best players, you could never 'prove' that in a CD case...! Besides, the club would now point to Hyppia working with the most expensive squad in our history??
 


GT49er

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 1, 2009
49,188
Gloucester
All SH said when he was appointed was that he liked the way we played and just wanted to improve the quickness in transition between defence and attack. It was in his interviews he did when he got the job. I first heard it on the seagull player interview, but he repeats it at the end of this article:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27812911
Well, perhaps there's a bit of, 'He would say that, wouldn't he' about that; surely when interviewed he wouldn't have said he was going to chuck everything out of the window and start again from scratch (although that's almost what happened to the playing personnel).

Also, didn't OG say something similar when he first took over? - about keeping the passing game, but moving to attack a little quicker.
 


spanish flair

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2014
2,349
Brighton
Mmm although we know we have sold the best players, you could never 'prove' that in a CD case...! Besides, the club would now point to Hyppia working with the most expensive squad in our history??

Yes I can understand that argument. I can see it now at the tribunal, Mr Hypia the club admit to selling star players but you have ended up with the most expensive squad the club have ever had, what do you say to that. Well I don't select the players and nor am I involved with the fee's or salaries, that is the role of the DoF and CEO, but I will take your word for that.
 








Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
24,785
GOSBTS






Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
72,358
Cheers Tom, what was the name of the show so I can look out for a repeat?

Failing that, can you outline what he said in brief?

Show was called Matchday Breakfast on Latest TV (Freeview channels 8 & 860) broadcast twice on the morning of the Fulham match. 45 minute interview. DK came across really well, albeit really disgruntled...

The sound was strangely echoey

NSC thread is here:

https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?313397-Must-SEE-TV-tomorrow-it-s-HARTY-v-Dick-Tight

Some quick notes I jotted down re: DK’s analysis (which overall is pretty much the same as the general consensus on NSC!):

Weird, the sound was perfect before the Dick/Harty interview and also after it. Soundman must have knocked off for his Matchday Breakfast.

Some classic soundbites from Dick:

- 'Lewis Dunk is for me player of the season and also our top goalscorer which is pretty embarrassing'
- 'I dont know why we signed Chris O'Grady, he's not good enough for the Championship' (Harty visibly winced at that one)
- 'Midfield has been pedestrian... moribund going forward'
- 'Squad is weaker this season than last season, and last seasons was weaker than the one before'
- 'My book came out last Christmas and was promptly banned by the club, which suggests its an interesting read'

Dick said he'd had a word with 'my friend Delia Smith' to try and get Elliot Bennett's loan extended for the season.

Harty banged on a bit about the 'core 8-12 thousand support' even when his answer had little to do with the question he was asked.

Both agreed that entertainment was key to filling the Amex and hoped that the arrival of Darren Bent would kick-start a revival in that direction.

Presenter knew her Albion stuff, asked the questions then listened to the answers - which is not as easy as it sounds.

Good interview, well worth a watch. IMHO, like.
 


Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
No he wasn't, he had a wealth of experience and did a fantastic job. He was exactly the right person for Bloom to discuss things with, rather than relying on the advice from Poyet, Burke and Bloom.

What experience can Dick Knight impart to Tony Bloom, he's no knowledge of running a football club of the size and shape that the Albion is now. It's a completely different type of business from what the Albion was in 2004 and the constraints that both TB and DK have/had were miles apart.

Player contracts? DK is a man of many great qualities but he is hardly a master in this regard. Hammond and O'Callaghan spring to mind straight away. Dealings with the manager? I'd rather TB didn't take advice on managers from the man who sacked Dean Wilkins. Both men are of their time and now it belongs to TB. I really don't think there's much practical advice that DK could give him.
 


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