[Albion] Not just our club - a very clever club indeed.......A meeting with Tony Bloom and Paul Barber

[Silverhatch]

The food chain metaphor stands up for me. The only difference to what we did to Swansea is that Chelsea did it more so and at a really annoying time. Backroom staff often go with their manager, such a large percentage is a little unusual but then we had, in premier league terms quite a small backroom staff. I would also suggest that some of those staff took the opportunity to go because there were no guarantees that they would be a valued member of the team when the new manager came in (and brought his own staff with him).

Anyway this has been done to death. The fact is that the club knew that the day was coming and have done a brilliant job of riding the bumps and keeping on.

Oh ffs, yes it’s been done to death but the MASSIVE DIFFERENCE with Chelsea’s approach and ours with Swansea was timing! And yes I am shouting. SIX f***ing GAMES INTO A NEW SEASON.

 

[BadFish]

Oh ffs, yes it’s been done to death but the MASSIVE DIFFERENCE with Chelsea’s approach and ours with Swansea was timing! And yes I am shouting. SIX f***ing GAMES INTO A NEW SEASON.

No need to shout old boy, I included the timing in my post

My post was more about the food chain analogy that what actually happened.

 

[fly high]

With what is happening it seems the right time to revisit this. My mojo for today’s match is very low, not my love of BHA but for top class football. I get our business model to survive & improve need us to find young, low price talent, improve it & sell for a high price. It is the only way we can really compete against richer clubs. I also appreciate the club are doing everything they can to keep Caicedo but even if he stays we expect him to go in the summer after just a season & a couple of months starting in the first team. We had Cucurella for just one season now Caicedo disappearing after maybe even less time on the pitch.

How often can we replace lost talent if they are only going to stay for a year & a bit. We are on the verge of something special this season & even if we do manage to finish top 6 with Caicedo gone & quite probably Mac Allister also going in the summer who will be our DM pair to take on European clubs as well as the EPL. Who will the vultures target next? Mitoma? Sarmiento? Estupinan? Ferguson, the striker we have been waiting a long time for. Yes so far we have managed to find excellent replacements but when does that run out. The speed at which we are losing players seems to be ever increasing & even if we have talent waiting in the wings how long for them to really settle in.

 

[Sheebo]

With what is happening it seems the right time to revisit this. My mojo for today’s match is very low, not my love of BHA but for top class football. I get our business model to survive & improve need us to find young, low price talent, improve it & sell for a high price. It is the only way we can really compete against richer clubs. I also appreciate the club are doing everything they can to keep Caicedo but even if he stays we expect him to go in the summer after just a season & a couple of months starting in the first team. We had Cucurella for just one season now Caicedo disappearing after maybe even less time on the pitch.

How often can we replace lost talent if they are only going to stay for a year & a bit. We are on the verge of something special this season & even if we do manage to finish top 6 with Caicedo gone & quite probably Mac Allister also going in the summer who will be our DM pair to take on European clubs as well as the EPL. Who will the vultures target next? Mitoma? Sarmiento? Estupinan? Ferguson, the striker we have been waiting a long time for. Yes so far we have managed to find excellent replacements but when does that run out. The speed at which we are losing players seems to be ever increasing & even if we have talent waiting in the wings how long for them to really settle in.

I’m the same. Totally the same. Mojo should be 9/10 and it’s prob 4/5 right now. It’ll pass I know.

 

[Nicks]

With what is happening it seems the right time to revisit this. My mojo for today’s match is very low, not my love of BHA but for top class football. I get our business model to survive & improve need us to find young, low price talent, improve it & sell for a high price. It is the only way we can really compete against richer clubs. I also appreciate the club are doing everything they can to keep Caicedo but even if he stays we expect him to go in the summer after just a season & a couple of months starting in the first team. We had Cucurella for just one season now Caicedo disappearing after maybe even less time on the pitch.

How often can we replace lost talent if they are only going to stay for a year & a bit. We are on the verge of something special this season & even if we do manage to finish top 6 with Caicedo gone & quite probably Mac Allister also going in the summer who will be our DM pair to take on European clubs as well as the EPL. Who will the vultures target next? Mitoma? Sarmiento? Estupinan? Ferguson, the striker we have been waiting a long time for. Yes so far we have managed to find excellent replacements but when does that run out. The speed at which we are losing players seems to be ever increasing & even if we have talent waiting in the wings how long for them to really settle in.

Couldn't agree with you more sadly.
As I said in another post somewhere, we are in danger of being the new Southampton where the big clubs constantly swoop to take our crown Jewels away.

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

I’m the same. Totally the same. Mojo should be 9/10 and it’s prob 4/5 right now. It’ll pass I know.

I think this season has been the biggest rollercoaster ride since the mid 90s. It's like every time we have an up (great start to season, great post World Cup) there's an immediate down (Potter going, and now the Moises saga).
However, hopefully come midweek the dust will have settled and we can move on. I just hope the team put in a performance today, win or lose to show they are still focused.

 

[fisons]

Totally agree. Been a big fan for 51 years. Seen us at over 70 away grounds mainly ropey ones. Season ticket holder at Withdean and the Amex. Not going today. What's the point? I have given Brighton players from Kit Napier and Kenny Beamish, Brian Horton and Michael Robinson, Danny Cullip and David Cameron to Lewis Dunk and Pascal Gross absolutely unconditional love. I've sung songs of devotion to Potter, the bloke who drinks estrella and the one who's come to win the Ballon d'Or and in return get complete disrespect. Na. Not bothered who wins today. Mojo at an all time low. Sick of being taken for a mug. Will I watch on TV? Probably.

 

[Icy Gull]

Totally agree. Been a big fan for 51 years. Seen us at over 70 away grounds mainly ropey ones. Season ticket holder at Withdean and the Amex. Not going today. What's the point? I have given Brighton players from Kit Napier and Kenny Beamish, Brian Horton and Michael Robinson, Danny Cullip and David Cameron to Lewis Dunk and Pascal Gross absolutely unconditional love. I've sung songs of devotion to Potter, the bloke who drinks estrella and the one who's come to win the Ballon d'Or and in return get complete disrespect. Na. Not bothered who wins today. Mojo at an all time low. Sick of being taken for a mug. Will I watch on TV? Probably.

Definitely and you know it

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

With what is happening it seems the right time to revisit this. My mojo for today’s match is very low, not my love of BHA but for top class football. I get our business model to survive & improve need us to find young, low price talent, improve it & sell for a high price. It is the only way we can really compete against richer clubs. I also appreciate the club are doing everything they can to keep Caicedo but even if he stays we expect him to go in the summer after just a season & a couple of months starting in the first team. We had Cucurella for just one season now Caicedo disappearing after maybe even less time on the pitch.

How often can we replace lost talent if they are only going to stay for a year & a bit. We are on the verge of something special this season & even if we do manage to finish top 6 with Caicedo gone & quite probably Mac Allister also going in the summer who will be our DM pair to take on European clubs as well as the EPL. Who will the vultures target next? Mitoma? Sarmiento? Estupinan? Ferguson, the striker we have been waiting a long time for. Yes so far we have managed to find excellent replacements but when does that run out. The speed at which we are losing players seems to be ever increasing & even if we have talent waiting in the wings how long for them to really settle in.

Brilliant post amongst many in recent weeks on all of this and the effect on the Albion mojo, summed up by me taking my BHA 2023 calendar off the kitchen wall yesterday and putting it in a drawer rather than have Caicedo staring out at me through what’s left of January, turning to check February and seeing Trossard staring out, then (the month of) March with Mac Allister staring out, his time here surely numbered. Next year we need an interactive/smart BHA calendar that updates as players leave.

 

[Beach Hut]

This is what everyone wanted, the Premier League.

And what is happening to us is what happens to all smaller clubs with very good players or managers.

It is what it is.

Why are people complaining, what else did they expect ?

There is an alternative, we just stay a lower league club however I am enjoying all of this.

 

[Sheebo]

This is what everyone wanted, the Premier League.

And what is happening to us is what happens to all smaller clubs with very good players or managers.

It is what it is.

Why are people complaining, what else did they expect ?

There is an alternative, we just stay a lower league club however I am enjoying all of this.

Don’t know any premier league clubs who have had as many staff and players poached and unsettled by vultures though. What’s happened to us is unique unfortunately. It’s constant. Victims of our own success of course - this didn’t happen in our first 3 seasons. Lose the odd player is fine - it’s just getting silly now.

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

Couldn't agree with you more sadly.
As I said in another post somewhere, we are in danger of being the new Southampton where the big clubs constantly swoop to take our crown Jewels away.

Don’t know any premier league clubs who have had as many staff and players poached and unsettled by vultures though. What’s happened to us is unique unfortunately. It’s constant. Victims of our own success of course - this didn’t happen in our first 3 seasons. Lose the odd player is fine - it’s just getting silly now.

Brentford and Fulham are having just as good seasons as us. Why can't they steal their players instead!

 

[attila]

This is what everyone wanted, the Premier League.

And what is happening to us is what happens to all smaller clubs with very good players or managers.

It is what it is.

Why are people complaining, what else did they expect ?

There is an alternative, we just stay a lower league club however I am enjoying all of this.

No. There is another alternative. A new 'branding' if I can bear to use that ghastly terminology.
We're now no longer just an anonymous 'small club' but a phenomenally well run, increasingly popular club with an ever-growing global fanbase, based in one of the most well known holiday destinations in Europe.

The stand we are taking now proves that - however it ends - from now on we are doing things differently. Nobody will get one over on us any more - no 'Top Six' journalist stooges, no corporate agents. From the horse's mouth: 'No-one will bully us. Our club comes first'.

I too am enjoying all of this. And one of the things I am most enjoying is tying cliche-mongering armchair plastic 'Big Six' pundits and fans up in knots and laughing at their entitled foamings at our 'temerity'

 

[Nobby]

This is what everyone wanted, the Premier League.

And what is happening to us is what happens to all smaller clubs with very good players or managers.

It is what it is.

Why are people complaining, what else did they expect ?

There is an alternative, we just stay a lower league club however I am enjoying all of this.

This

 

[Beach Hut]

Don’t know any premier league clubs who have had as many staff and players poached and unsettled by vultures though. What’s happened to us is unique unfortunately. It’s constant. Victims of our own success of course - this didn’t happen in our first 3 seasons. Lose the odd player is fine - it’s just getting silly now.

It would have happened in the first three seasons had we had a more progressive manager as opposed to one that thought going 1-0 up was enough to win a game.

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

This is what everyone wanted, the Premier League.

And what is happening to us is what happens to all smaller clubs with very good players or managers.

It is what it is.

Why are people complaining, what else did they expect ?

There is an alternative, we just stay a lower league club however I am enjoying all of this.

I think we are all suffering from a version of the Easterlin Paradox

 

[WATFORD zero]

I’m the same. Totally the same. Mojo should be 9/10 and it’s prob 4/5 right now. It’ll pass I know.

I know exactly what you mean but come Wednesday when TB and PB have firmly put these brash, loud, annoying 'loadsamoneys' back in their place you know it will be climbing back

I hope

 

[Surf's Up]

Brentford and Fulham are having just as good seasons as us. Why can't they steal their players instead!

Because we said "yes".

 

[Beach Hut]

No. There is another alternative. A new 'branding' if I can bear to use that ghastly terminology.
We're now no longer just an anonymous 'small club' but a phenomenally well run, increasingly popular club with an ever-growing global fanbase, based in one of the most well known holiday destinations in Europe.

The stand we are taking now proves that - however it ends - from now on we are doing things differently. Nobody will get one over on us any more - no 'Top Six' journalist stooges, no corporate agents. From the horse's mouth: 'No-one will bully us. Our club comes first'.

I, too, am enjoying all of this. And one of the things I am most enjoying is tying cliche-mongering armchair plastic 'Big Six' pundits and fans up in knots and watching their entitled foamings at our 'temerity'

Agree on brand however how are we any different or "unique" when the club has publicly stated players/managers can move on if valued correctly to bigger clubs for better wages ?

The reason this is a difficult time is because we have had quite a few players become very good (bar a stupidly over valued Cucu that we could hardly refuse) including a World Cup winner which is magnificent however, given the short career length of a player they have little alternative but to move to other clubs that pay at least twice what we do as that option only happens once in their career.

I think we have done incredibly well to keep Pascal, he had the talent to go to a much better club but fortunately didn't.

 

[Beach Hut]

Brentford and Fulham are having just as good seasons as us. Why can't they steal their players instead!

Because those players are no where near as talented as the ones we have.