[Albion] Interesting piece on USG, Bloom and the methodology

[Bozza]

"The first step was to be promoted to Belgium’s top division within three years, and to do that, Muzio knew, the squad needed to be revamped. He presented the club’s experienced manager, Marc Grosjean, with a list of potential signings, all of them selected and assessed by Starlizard’s data.

Grosjean was not impressed. He used an expletive to describe Muzio’s suggestions, and then offered his own alternatives. “He told me that he would much rather sign a set of Belgian players, players that he knew,” Muzio said. It did not take long to find out what Starlizard’s metrics made of them. Muzio hardly relished it, but Grosjean was gone by the end of the month, his abrupt, if mutual, departure announced as “a difference of opinion on the sporting development of the club.”

“We have ways that we want to do things,” Muzio said. Resistance would only slow things down."

Opens for me, in full, without requiring to go through the paywall: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...righton.html&usg=AOvVaw3ifx39keJNw6ncOJdycZww

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Thanks, a really interesting read [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION]

 

[schmunk]

" The club he has always supported, Brighton, has been transformed into a mainstay of the Premier League by Bloom’s money and methods."

Well gosh.

 

[B-right-on]

Interesting article. Thanks.

Bloom already owned a team in England: The club he has always supported, Brighton, has been transformed into a mainstay of the Premier League by Bloom’s money and methods. But he and Muzio wanted to see what else their “I.P.” could achieve. “We wanted,” Muzio said, “to win a title.”

Didn't realise how many UK club owners actually own clubs abroad. Written with a 'dig' point of view, but I'm sure the likes of USG fans don't mind 'foreign' owners.

 

[Lower West Stander]

"Resistance will only slow things down"

Perhaps Barber is always right?

 

[Audax]

"Resistance will only slow things down"

That's a new take on "Resistance is futile" ... Starlizard actually a front for the Borg?

 

[Guinness Boy]

That's a new take on "Resistance is futile" ... Starlizard actually a front for the Borg?

Does that make Mathew Benham Seven of Nine?




Any excuse.......

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I’m sure I’m in a minority but to me this isn’t what football is or should be about. Clubs are the playthings of rich, foreign owners experimenting with probability.

 

[Machiavelli]

Yes, great read. Ta Boz

 

[Swansman]

"The first step was to be promoted to Belgium’s top division within three years, and to do that, Muzio knew, the squad needed to be revamped. He presented the club’s experienced manager, Marc Grosjean, with a list of potential signings, all of them selected and assessed by Starlizard’s data.

Grosjean was not impressed. He used an expletive to describe Muzio’s suggestions, and then offered his own alternatives. “He told me that he would much rather sign a set of Belgian players, players that he knew,” Muzio said. It did not take long to find out what Starlizard’s metrics made of them. Muzio hardly relished it, but Grosjean was gone by the end of the month, his abrupt, if mutual, departure announced as “a difference of opinion on the sporting development of the club.”

“We have ways that we want to do things,” Muzio said. Resistance would only slow things down."

Opens for me, in full, without requiring to go through the paywall: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...righton.html&usg=AOvVaw3ifx39keJNw6ncOJdycZww

Good article.

By the way, can I be unbanned from the Ashworth thread pretty please? Promise not to post anything, just want to read & keep updated.

 

[Machiavelli]

I’m sure I’m in a minority but to me this isn’t what football is or should be about. Clubs are the playthings of rich, foreign owners experimenting with probability.

I kind of agree, but that would be to make football a bubble completely divorced from the rest of society or, better, economy. Eric Hobsbawm was on to something when he said at the turn of the millennium that football has become the vanguard for the new variant of capitalism increasingly taking shape around the world.

 

[Stat Brother]

I’m sure I’m in a minority but to me this isn’t what football is or should be about. Clubs are the playthings of rich, foreign owners experimenting with probability.

Listening to Alan Davies Arsenal pod this morning.

He turned it all the way up to 11 screaming about City's owners and not wanting their money here corrupting our game.



It appeared to be said without a hint of irony.

 

[albionfan37]

We are the brighton, resistance is futile

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I kind of agree, but that would be to make football a bubble completely divorced from the rest of society or, better, economy. Eric Hobsbawm was on to something when he said at the turn of the millennium that football has become the vanguard for the new variant of capitalism increasingly taking shape around the world.

Very true, although I still don’t understand the economic incentives for all of this. So what if USG win the Belgian League ? Perhaps the end game is simply selling the transformed clubs on to even richer capitalists like the Saudis ? Anyhow, it sends me cold. Quite a contrast to the joy with which [MENTION=528]attila[/MENTION] writes about Southwick FC.

 

[Hamilton]

So basically, we are a vehicle through which Union can get their hands on players who can help them win the league. In return, Union blood them and we get a chance to see if they might make it over here.

Our presence in the Premier League attracts the players; our money buys the players; their money pays the player salaries; the players then go up in value; we either sell at a profit or we use them in our first team. All this is underpinned by StarLizard's data. Sweet.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Brilliant read, thanks Bozza.

I liked the comparison with City Group’s Belgium acquisition:

“The group’s Belgian club, Lommel, remains mired at the wrong end of the second division despite a far greater budget than many of its peers.”

There is more to success than just throwing endless money at it.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Interesting article, thanks Bozza.

This struck me as a bit odd “We are so independent,” he said, before referring to Bloom: “Tony is the majority owner, but he is so uninvolved at Union. He doesn’t meddle. The club has the freedom to do it how we want to do it.”

That seems at odds with the players we have bought and then sent directly to Belgium.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Which is why the "No Dicke@ds" policy is so important!

 

[stss30]

Interesting article, thanks Bozza.

This struck me as a bit odd “We are so independent,” he said, before referring to Bloom: “Tony is the majority owner, but he is so uninvolved at Union. He doesn’t meddle. The club has the freedom to do it how we want to do it.”

That seems at odds with the players we have bought and then sent directly to Belgium.

I think what he's saying is probably true, I get the impression Tony employs people who he can trust to run the clubs day to day in accordance with his methods. As such, he doesn't need to be particularly hands on or meddle for the most part & it's only the big decisions where he perhaps gets more involved. But the link between the two clubs is clearly strong and I'm sure the people who are running both clubs day to day are in regular communication.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Good article.

By the way, can I be unbanned from the Ashworth thread pretty please? Promise not to post anything, just want to read & keep updated.

If you don't log in you'll be able to read the thread.