Paul Barber - a thoroughly likeable guy actually

[Bozza]

No flaming here but I have made a u turn. I don't know what extenuating circumstances you have for that shambles of a summer or for turning a team full of ex-internationals in to one full of Gary Gardner and five foot six strikers. I know these things are not his REMIT but they happened on his watch. FACT. If my company starts performing badly all eyes are on its leaders at directorate level..

However.....

Some things are not in doubt. That he is TBs trusted right hand man. That he has improved the financial results of a club that was heading for Shitsville Arizona sans paddle financially. That he turns up to as many fans forums as possible, talks honestly and takes on feedback. That he'll email you back at 10pm even if he finds what you've written inaccurate and/or annoying. And then the recovery began....

We managed to not have Sami in charge any more without losing a large sum of cash. We treated Nathan Jones in such a way as he got us a couple of cracking results but was then happy to revert to a coaching position. We appointed a GREAT manager, And Kayal looks to be one of the bargain signings of the January window anywhere. We will stay up. What's more the club are trying to sort out the singing section proactively and have played a blinder on season ticket prices. The 18-21 category is exactly what's needed.

There is an anti Barber (and Sami and Burke) rant on my blog. There's a whole series of messages on various media I sent and replied to during and straight after Millwall. I don't regret them because at that precise moment many of us thought the club was off to hell in a handcart (or at least off to League One in a cut price coach). The recovery has been genuinely pleasing. The fans are being listened to, but only when what they ask is reasonable, which is how it should be. I think I was wrong. Sod it, I know I was wrong (though not about Sami and David Burke).

It's take some time, but welcome aboard brother.

 

[Beach Hut]

I have only twice mailed Barber, once about REMF for Mini and awaiting details and the other one was more a query on the type of contract on payment terminals the club had for catering as we were looking into bidding for a similar type of contract.

He responded within an hour on a match day Saturday and gave me some very useful information on how these contracts work.

I commend him

 

[Stat Brother]

I honestly have no idea how hands on Bloom is, but he has a lot more money at stake in the club than Barber. Clearly he pays Barber a lot of money to do something so cannot be immune to criticism.

But it was his money that paid for the Amex so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

That's such a crock of s***.

Are you actually saying the man in change and runs everything gets the benefit of the doubt, because he did the things you like.
But for every decision you don't like one of the employees is responsible.

 

[Horses Arse]

No flaming here but I have made a u turn. I don't know what extenuating circumstances you have for that shambles of a summer or for turning a team full of ex-internationals in to one full of Gary Gardner and five foot six strikers. I know these things are not his REMIT but they happened on his watch. FACT. If my company starts performing badly all eyes are on its leaders at directorate level..

However.....

Some things are not in doubt. That he is TBs trusted right hand man. That he has improved the financial results of a club that was heading for Shitsville Arizona sans paddle financially. That he turns up to as many fans forums as possible, talks honestly and takes on feedback. That he'll email you back at 10pm even if he finds what you've written inaccurate and/or annoying. And then the recovery began....

We managed to not have Sami in charge any more without losing a large sum of cash. We treated Nathan Jones in such a way as he got us a couple of cracking results but was then happy to revert to a coaching position. We appointed a GREAT manager, And Kayal looks to be one of the bargain signings of the January window anywhere. We will stay up. What's more the club are trying to sort out the singing section proactively and have played a blinder on season ticket prices. The 18-21 category is exactly what's needed.

There is an anti Barber (and Sami and Burke) rant on my blog. There's a whole series of messages on various media I sent and replied to during and straight after Millwall. I don't regret them because at that precise moment many of us thought the club was off to hell in a handcart (or at least off to League One in a cut price coach). The recovery has been genuinely pleasing. The fans are being listened to, but only when what they ask is reasonable, which is how it should be. I think I was wrong. Sod it, I know I was wrong (though not about Sami and David Burke).

So Hyppia does the honourable thing, jones didn't leave (didn't want the trauma of relegation on an inexperienced cv), Hughton was employed (after being overlooked in the summer), Hughton got Kayal and improved performances and results and Barber is the man because of it. Meanwhile, he's got nothing to do with all the crap that went on before, no that was someone else's fault and they had to go.

Emailing people back is not what he's employed to do. If doing better than some bloke called Ken was previously is his role then he's done pretty well. Ditto re penning irritating programme notes.

 

[Horses Arse]

I have learned a lot from Paul Barber in my dealings with him.

At the top of my list of learnings has been to add 'Sent from my iPhone' as the signature on my desktop email client as it turns out by doing so and then sending really long emails people are relatively impressed regardless of what I write.

The ONLY Barber related post from you that made me smile rather than vomit! It's a first, maybe I'm starting to turn........

 

[Guinness Boy]

So Hyppia does the honourable thing, jones didn't leave (didn't want the trauma of relegation on an inexperienced cv), Hughton was employed (after being overlooked in the summer), Hughton got Kayal and improved performances and results and Barber is the man because of it. Meanwhile, he's got nothing to do with all the crap that went on before, no that was someone else's fault and they had to go.

Emailing people back is not what he's employed to do. If doing better than some bloke called Ken was previously is his role then he's done pretty well. Ditto re penning irritating programme notes.

No you're missing the point. I gave Barber dog's abuse when we hit the nadir in December and was told by many on here that it wasn't his fault. I stuck to the line that the CEO is ultimately responsible. If that was my position then it has to be my position that the CEO is ultimately responsible for the positive turnaround. I was a borderline non-renewal in December. I'm a pretty happy camper right now. The CEO hasn't changed in that time.

Of course if Hughton leaves citing "recruitment issues"......

 

[Lower West Stander]

That's such a crock of s***.

Are you actually saying the man in change and runs everything gets the benefit of the doubt, because he did the things you like.
But for every decision you don't like one of the employees is responsible.

Indeed.

I did "like" the fact that he paid for the Amex. And yes, for that reason he does get the benefit of the doubt - there is a huge difference between a paid employee like Barber and the lifelong fan who has stuck over £100m into the club. As I said, I don't know how hands on TB is and that he is not immune from criticism but that sort of commitment counts for a lot in my book.

The job of a CEO is to run the club - and my personal view is that I don't think Barber has done a particularly good job.

 

[Javeaseagull]

That's such a crock of s***.

Are you actually saying the man in change and runs everything gets the benefit of the doubt, because he did the things you like.
But for every decision you don't like one of the employees is responsible.

What's all this benefit of the doubt? After what TB has put into the club he will always have my gratitude and how anyone can doubt him beggars belief. Benefit of the doubt? Pish!

 

[Stat Brother]

The job of a CEO is to run the club - and my personal view is that I don't think Barber has done a particularly good job.

Whereas I struggle to see what more Barber can do.

Ultimately TB holds the purse strings.
Barber has his remit set down by Tony, and Paul is so good he can clear £100,000+ in bonuses.

Tony, quite rightly, is untouchable. That doesn't mean there has to be an 'enemy'.

While he's trying to day to day run a multi million pound business.
He's also having to sort out the dross from some self important amoeba who spends £40 a month, and is whinging on about nothing.

If nothing else PB deserves our respect and a medal for not stoving some 'tards face in.

So many people have no idea about the extent of his role (myself included) yet he's instantly to blame for anything and everything that goes wrong.
Nothing of which has ever gone badly wrong.

 

[nwgull]

Not a Barber fan - sorry.

However he comes across on a personal basis (and clearly its quite well), the fact remains that since he's been in charge at the club, performance on the pitch has deteriorated.

He's been in charge since June 2012. Performance on the pitch seemed decent enough to me the following season. It certainly didn't deteriorate from the mid table finish of 11/12.

 

[Husty]

He's a twot, and everyone who loves him is a twot.

 

[Lower West Stander]

Whereas I struggle to see what more Barber can do.

Ultimately TB holds the purse strings.
Barber has his remit set down by Tony, and Paul is so good he can clear £100,000+ in bonuses.

Tony, quite rightly, is untouchable. That doesn't mean there has to be an 'enemy'.

While he's trying to day to day run a multi million pound business.
He's also having to sort out the dross from some self important amoeba who spends £40 a month, and is whinging on about nothing.

If nothing else PB deserves our respect and a medal for not stoving some 'tards face in.

So many people have no idea about the extent of his role (myself included) yet he's instantly to blame for anything and everything that goes wrong.
Nothing of which has ever gone badly wrong.

Nice to know you think fans who spend £40 a month at the club are giving him dross and whingeing about nothing. And that Barber deserves respect for not stoving their faces in.....

Bonuses? Don't make me laugh, since when did a CEO ever get a "bonus" linked to performance?

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

More spin than Mushy.

 

[Stat Brother]

Nice to know you think fans who spend £40 a month at the club are giving him dross and whingeing about nothing. And that Barber deserves respect for not stoving their faces in.....

Bonuses? Don't make me laugh, since when did a CEO ever get a "bonus" linked to performance?

Because in the whole scheme of things that's exactly what we are.
We are the single drop of rain in lake Windermere, nobody likes it, everybody would prefer it to be different, but fundamentally a £40 a month patron v a 5 year AMEX sponsorship, is a no brainer.
Even more so when you realise if it ain't raining today, it'll probably rain tomorrow.

Of the few dealings I've had with Albion staff, I've always been treated fantastically well.
If I hadn't, and I'm sure there are people who haven't, then I'd speak to the manager.
I wouldn't go running to the CEO.

Judging by this board he must get inundated with stupid questions like, asking him one Sunday lunchtime 'which mode of transport is quickest to get to Falmer, from Brighton Pier'.
The fact that he replied is bloody amazing, I certainly wouldn't have done.
Take this thread, you've got a problem with the ticket office email, then call the ticket office.


PB does receive x in bonus related pay, set out in the turns of his contract.
He has saved TB a small fortune in prudent management for which TB has handsomely rewarded him.

 

[Stat Brother]

More spin than Mushy.

and then there's that side to him.
Not something I care for, quite why anyone would want to occasionally sound just like a Politian, when they get so little respect is beyond me.

What was the straight down the line 'blunt' comment he made a couple of months ago?

I thought it was fantastic, it certainly seemed a little out of character, naturally there were others that turned on him for it.
But I'd love a little more of that, without the cringe that can be associated with trying to be 'just like us', and less of the politicking.

 

[easynow]

 

[casbom]

A question for those who don't like what he's doing or not impressed etc, what are you looking for in a CEO of our club? What would you like to see from Barber to make you change your mind?

Obviously you don't have to like him or what he does but I'm curious!
Unlike what seems half of NSC having had dealings with him I never had as haven't needed to. To me he is doing his job very well, basically get costs under control and brings as much revenue as possible into the club to raise the transfer fund. That's the bottom line for me.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

The job of a CEO is to run the club - and my personal view is that I don't think Barber has done a particularly good job.

Why?

 

[whosthedaddy]

Just to add my two-penny's worth to the Paul Barber debate.

I have been to a few of the Fans Forums and of course the CEO was there, as have been Tony Bloom and Martin Perry on various occasions. After the presentation speeches the fans can ask questions and the majority are replied to by Paul Barber, both with knowledge and with as much clarity as he can. I don't think I've seen him duck any tricky questions, he meets them head on and he does the same if you email him too. I honestly don't know where he finds the time for writing as many replies as he does, all I do know is that he's an asset to the club and to B&HAFC fans in general.

 

[Stat Brother]

A question for those who don't like what he's doing or not impressed etc, what are you looking for in a CEO of our club? What would you like to see from Barber to make you change your mind?

Obviously you don't have to like him or what he does but I'm curious!
Unlike what seems half of NSC having had dealings with him I never had as haven't needed to. To me he is doing his job very well, basically get costs under control and brings as much revenue as possible into the club to raise the transfer fund. That's the bottom line for me.

Tony Bloom is infallible.
Tony Bloom's right hand man is rubbish at his job.


So either Tony Bloom is fallible or neither statement is correct.
You just can't have it both ways.