Lost the passion?

[Stat Brother]

Not read the whole thread but when somebody as respected as the OP feels moved to write such a post then it must not be ignored..

It got ignored the last time the OP wrote something like this.
There might even have been one before that, too.

Why should this one be treated differently?

 

[herecomesaregular]

passion surely can't be maintained at a high level constantly, unless you are bit dolally? natural for it to ebb and flow. I h
ave wondered a few times in 43 years have I lost my Albion mojo? never completely thankfully, a few seasons here and there when I've seen only a few games but a break from anything is still a good thing IMO. I'm sure there are a lot of new people involved in the Albion, even though some of the 'greats' have move on, perhaps even acrimoniously, I'm sure some of these new people will be good people too.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Maybe because it's ongoing. We all lose our passion from time to time but now things don't seem to be progressing.

How many teams do you think we could beat in this league? I'm hoping we do well against Huddersfield but Wigan haven't won at home for months, so that looks a nailed on win for them. Watford will do another B'muff on us and, if 'Boro need the points, we'll get nothing up there.

We'll be saved by having 3 poor sides below us, and 2 are teams we've not beaten this season.

 

[mooey]

Not overly concerned since I ve been watching Brighton its never a smooth ride up or down just the way I like it. im sure the op was nt losing his passion just before the home tie playoff leg against the scum.move with the times you don t like it you don t go simple.

 

[Charlies Shinpad]

After all that we have been through, the Mullery years, Wembley, the war years and the arrival at The Amex, the Poyet years, the AMEPC (training ground to you and me) - I have lost the passion.

Where did it go wrong?

No it's not the big corporate animal itself that has ground me down, it's things like:

- The spin;
- The number of disaffected ex-employees and ex-suppliers, loyal individuals, who are highly critical of what's gone on over the last 4 years;
- The disconnect with players (no settled squad, too many money grabbing loan rubbish);
- The utter lack of passion on the pitch (barring a few heroic individuals like Calde and CMS - who sadly don't possess enough skill); and
- The very poor quality of play on the pitch.

Money can't buy everything of course - we are so very lucky to have The Amex and The AMEPC - which of course are the envy of most football clubs. But if I'd spent £30m on a new state-of-the-art training ground, I'd want a pretty quick return on my investment. To see set pieces of the quality we have had this season would make me weep.

No team has the right to be successful and win trophies or be in the top 10, but every team should be united and passionate.

I haven't looked forward or been excited by an Albion match for months (years?). I don't want to leave the ground early or miss a home match but my loyalty is being severely tested. The Board would do well to listen, read and understand what supporters are saying, instead of sugar coating everything. Yesterday I received an email pushing the Player of the Season Awards Night - really? That's up there with giving the 'pretendance'. Who are you kidding? In my view, it shouldn't be held. Yes invite sponsors to a dinner, fair enough - use it as a real debriefing session. But who (other than a couple of players) are worthy off receiving any kind of award?

Football (but not exclusively football) is about opinions. They'll be people who will totally disagree with me. Some will be constructive in their arguments, others will be abusive and refer back to 'the inner sanctum' rubbish. I derive absolutely no pleasure in seeing the Club (that we fought so hard to bring back from the brink) being disunited or underperforming. I have always thought that by being united we can (and indeed have) achieve - and clearly the Club agree with their 'Together in 2015/16' strap line. But we aren't a Club that's 'together' - things need to be fixed.

Will I go on Tuesday, if my youngest doesn't want to go - I won't go. I've got lots of other things to do. Will anyone care, of course not and there's no reason why anyone should. Except I daresay there may be many other supporters, who might just be thinking along similar lines - and that should be of concern to the Board.

Couldn't agree more with this post and throw into that a 5 hour train journey each way and this season has been a complete f##k up from game one
Not renewing next season as my passion has gone sadly

 

[Justice]

What else am I going to do on a Saturday? victory or defeat every game tells a story, either way Its a day out with my sons which makes it all worthwhile.

 

[erkan]

I don't see anything wrong with questioning motives. Only a year ago we were told off by people on this board for questioning David Burke and urged to listen to his interview on Albion Roar (I'm not getting at the programme TLO & co) but he's now sacked and departed the club.
It's good to question everything and not take it on trust.

Nonsense defence of a ridiculously bitter and twisted post from one of the FC ABH brigade...

A year ago I was correctly describing Burke as limited. Today I do not question Paul Barber's commitment to his job and to the Albion cause.

 

[tigertim68]

I

great post .......passionate about the playing side, something forgotten by those in the upper management who have their heads stuck up their own backsides looking for the perfect day out.
yes..........the perfect day out at the Amex well a win for a start would be the perfect day out, not nice food and clackers (who thought that one up I wonder).
get the playing side right( no problem with the present manager) get the transfers right and things should fall into place ...............but leave it to those who know what they are doing, not people who have never even kicked a football in anger.
this season has been bloody terrible and we are lucky that some teams are a lot worse at putting the ball in the net that we are.
we need one or two key players and I trust CH to find them thats if he aready has'nt.
upper management need to take a good look at themselves and change things otherwise we will lose this manager as well.

I agree , the season has been horrible , they have really cocked it up , crap signings money wasted on Stockdale , Ogrady and baldock must be over 3 million on players who should be playing in division 1 , appointing a useless manager , then would not sack him , when the whole world could see he had no idea what he was doing , but on the field there is no imagination or flare and the lack of goals is disturbing , I just hope they sort it in the summer and we can start winning games again

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

Objectively, there have been many worse periods in which to support The Albion, but this thread shows that there are many people who have similar feelings to the OP. Having been a STH since childhood, for the first time ever I feel totally ambivalent about going to home games.

I suspect the biggest issue is that the Poyet years, the joy of moving into the Amex and spending many weeks at the top of the Championship (or close to it) created the expectation of further progress, which was then reinforced by the club's own reference to being "Premier League Ready". Against this expectation, the results and performances have been incredibly disappointing. Frustrations, I think, have been execerbated by the club's slowness to acknowledge the extent of the problem under Hyypia, the issues with player acquisition and failure to replace adequately the players that have been sold.

I keep looking in Barber's programme notes for some reassurance that we will put things right in the summer and get things back on track, but he often seems to talk about almost everything else - except what the fans want to know about which is how we are going to build a successful team.

In the long term, I still have high hopes for the Albion. The infrastructure at the club should ensure that our natural place in football's hierarchy is at least one division higher than it has been through history, but unless there is a change of priorities, we may need to reconcile ourselves to a few years of treading water.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Couldn't agree more with this post and throw into that a 5 hour train journey each way and this season has been a complete f##k up from game one
Not renewing next season as my passion has gone sadly

Didn't renew for this season and have yet to buy a ticket from the club this season

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Lost mine years ago

You're not the only one , trust me
regards
DR

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

It got ignored the last time the OP wrote something like this.
There might even have been one before that, too.

Why should this one be treated differently?

what makes you so special
regards
DR

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Didn't renew for this season and have yet to buy a ticket from the club this season

I tried but gave up queuing at the portakabin (sheff wed) went back to Brighton for a beer
regards
DR

 

[brighton bluenose]

Seems to me the club is still the benign entity we hoped it would be. The chairman is a through-and-through Albion fan, the chief executive actively engages with the fans and is happy to have a bucket of iced water tipped over his head in front on the North Stand, the club as a whole appears ready and willing to take on board any suggestions by the fanbase to improve the atmosphere/catering/transport etc. Of COURSE it's more impersonal and corporate, it has to be, due to the numbers involved, but on the whole I think the current set-up has made a pretty decent transition from the Withdean era. It's still our club, and although we all enjoy the occasional grumble, I think we all know deep down that things could be a whole lot worse.

Well said - a touch of reality in this thread!

Whilst not Barbers greatest fan the idea that he is totally untouchable is b0ll0cks and with regular fans group meetings and Barbers willingness to respond to individuals fans gripes via email - he sent a THREE PAGE response to my pals own email rant!! - indicates to me that he and the board care a helluva lot more than we all realise!! Saying that it is clear that they have made serious errors in appointing Hyppia and in giving free rein to Burke ans so this unfortunate season needs writing off - the close season will reveal Tony Blooms intentions and, lets be honest, success or failure rests solely with Bloom and his ambitions - or lack of same!!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Nonsense defence of a ridiculously bitter and twisted post from one of the FC ABH brigade...

A year ago I was correctly describing Burke as limited. Today I do not question Paul Barber's commitment to his job and to the Albion cause.

I can only speak as I find.

 

[Stat Brother]

Well said - a touch of reality in this thread!

Whilst not Barbers greatest fan the idea that he is totally untouchable is b0ll0cks and with regular fans group meetings and Barbers willingness to respond to individuals fans gripes via email... Saying that it is clear that they have made serious errors in appointing Hyppia and in giving free rein to Burke ans so this unfortunate season needs writing off - the close season will reveal Tony Blooms intentions and, lets be honest, success or failure rests solely with Bloom and his ambitions - or lack of same!!

Exactly.
This close season will be more exciting than the football.
If the club ends preseason with a team of kids, loanees 1 striker and Kemy as captain, while spinning x, y & z from Bloom and Barber, then they might as well attach a white trunk to the outside of the North Stand.
Tony has made mistakes this season, if they get blindly repeated the remaining goodwill will be hard to find.

what makes you so special
regards
DR

I'm not.

 

[Rugrat]

Objectively, there have been many worse periods in which to support The Albion, but this thread shows that there are many people who have similar feelings to the OP. Having been a STH since childhood, for the first time ever I feel totally ambivalent about going to home games.

I suspect the biggest issue is that the Poyet years, the joy of moving into the Amex and spending many weeks at the top of the Championship (or close to it) created the expectation of further progress, which was then reinforced by the club's own reference to being "Premier League Ready". Against this expectation, the results and performances have been incredibly disappointing. Frustrations, I think, have been execerbated by the club's slowness to acknowledge the extent of the problem under Hyypia, the issues with player acquisition and failure to replace adequately the players that have been sold.

I keep looking in Barber's programme notes for some reassurance that we will put things right in the summer and get things back on track, but he often seems to talk about almost everything else - except what the fans want to know about which is how we are going to build a successful team.

In the long term, I still have high hopes for the Albion. The infrastructure at the club should ensure that our natural place in football's hierarchy is at least one division higher than it has been through history, but unless there is a change of priorities, we may need to reconcile ourselves to a few years of treading water.

I'd go along with this, and in terms of ambivalence tomorrow is the first game I've missed because 'I can't be bothered' for as long as I can remember.

Nor have I got a great deal of confidence that it's going to get better any time soon or that our on pitch performances are going to magically improve as a result of anything that happens over the summer

 

[bobbysmith01]

Firstly, it must be very worrying that someone like Paul has 'lost the passion' and I hope the club take note. I walked with Paul on that March to the FA with another mate who like Paul had the same passion, but now has similar views. Think the club have spend too
Much time and dosh making the infrastructure 'premiership ready' but forgetting the team, which to be honest are more 'div 1 ready' !. I do think that this is mainly a results business and if we were winning and playing good football, then we don't get many moans. First couple of seasons at the Amex there was no real complaints (ok queues etc). Truth is I still love going to the Amex, it's a great experience, but yes some of the passion has gone, which can be fixed in the main, by improving the team, getting rid of loan players, get a real leader/captain. Not sure that Hughton is the right man for that, but let him have a preseason, a clear out and bring in some players and then I will judge him. I still think in 5 years time we will be a steady prem club, as the infrastructure is probably the best in the country, but very worried if people like Paul are losing it.

 

[El Presidente]

The claims that nothing has been invested it the team don't stand up to any scrutiny.

The problem is that if you pay a million quid for a mediocre player it doesn't make him a better one.

Quality of Recruitment, not the amount spent, has been the problem.

As for the constant harping on about Barber's 'Premier League Ready' comment, it was one comment in one interview with Naylor when we were in the playoffs. It was contrasting the portakabin existence and shoestring operations at Withdean to the setup at the Amex. People have been using it as a stick to beat him with ever since..

 

[spanish flair]

The claims that nothing has been invested it the team don't stand up to any scrutiny.

The problem is that if you pay a million quid for a mediocre player it doesn't make him a better one.

Quality of Recruitment, not the amount spent, has been the problem.

As for the constant harping on about Barber's 'Premier League Ready' comment, it was one comment in one interview with Naylor when we were in the playoffs. It was contrasting the portakabin existence and shoestring operations at Withdean to the setup at the Amex. People have been using it as a stick to beat him with ever since..

I think this is a very valid point and recent promotion winning teams from this division have proved this, Burnley and Palace by getting promoted without spending huge amounts.
So that leaves the quality of recruitment and how you spend the money you do have.
Obviously Tony Bloom felt that David Burke was at fault here and acted accordingly, but what has been put in his place and have the signings since Burke's departure improved. If the four we have signed since are anything to go on, then I would say because of Kayel slightly, but value for money in Best, Ledesma and Carayol I would say no. But this close season is going to be very interesting in seeing if the club has learnt a lesson and put the right people in charge of recruitment. I don't think the club can afford another window that leaves the fans so uninspired as the last few.