Paul Barber interview on Seagulls World

[Weststander]

Does anyone have a single example of any other club talking about FFP at all?

Arsenal and Liverpool, especially Arsenal, praise it repeatedly and Arsenal keep saying they hope it's enforced (both Gazidis and Wenger).

QPR bemoan it.

Huddersfield and Derby often praise it/talk about it, in the Albion camp.

 

[BrianWade4]

Very impressive interview from a very impressive man. I have always been a fan of Barber and we are lucky to have him

 

[Machiavelli]

He continues to appear to be a top bloke that I will continue to put my trust in but, sometimes just sometimes, I wish the interviewer had a more incisive mind/script. The questions that need to be asked are rarely asked, particularly when one of Mr. Barber's responses demands that such a question be asked.

Still, I remain committed, trusting and faithful... and that's it. If you don't, then that's fine too. I trust my own judgment in retaining my trust.

That interviewer really wasn't much cop. While we're on this matter, Paxman was good with Wilshaw the other night; he seems to be really enjoying himself of late.

 

[S.T.U cgull]

Very impressive interview from a very impressive man. I have always been a fan of Barber and we are lucky to have him

We aren't lucky to have him though, he is purely a professional doing his job & justifying a more than reasonable wage.

 

[ozzygull]

I am always impressed about how much we are told about the processes going on at the club. The understanding that I have as a Brighton fan about FFP is more then any other club fans, I know. Having this understanding helps a lot when things are going well as well as when not so well and I appreciate it immensely. I don't pay much attention to other clubs, but I don't know of any other club that gives its fans this level of insite.

I overriding feeling is the club is being run professionally and carefully and that is thanks to Paul Barber and especially Tony Bloom for employing him.

Of course this could all be smoke and mirrors, but then why bother telling us anything at all.

 

[Monkey Man]

I'm generally quite a cynical individual but my faith in Tony Bloom and Paul Barber never ceases to amaze me.

 

[Acker79]

The problem is that the club don't (and can't, realistically) provide irrefutable proof that the manager/head coach has the sort of input people would feel comfortable with. This is easily dismissed as 'just the club spinning things'. The phrase the OP uses ("No one is signed without input from the manager") isn't much less specific than previous comments from the club. This means, for those that take issue with the club's player recruitment structure aren't having their issues addressed, such a statement allows for

Burke: Hey, Sami, we've been looking at this player and we want to buy him, what do you think of him?
Sami: I don't rate him, he won't ever play in my team, it is a waste of a limited budget
Burke: Thank you for your input, but it's my decision, I'm signing him.​

A lot of people want player recruitment that is driven by the manager according to what he feels he needs for his team, with him assessing a team, him judging what is more important: stretching the budget in one player knowing it limits what can be spent on another position, or foregoing that player to keep money available for the other position that is more in need of player upgrade. The clubs comments make it seem much less direct than that.

Personally, I think this might be more of a dislike of the modernisation of/influence of money in football. With so much more money involved in and out of football, with increased player power and influence of agents etc. signing players is a lot more complicated than it used to be, feeding into a financial system (ie the financial obligations of the football club) that is more complex than it used to be, requiring contract negotiations and cost/benefit analysis to be handled by people who are dedicated to it, and not just thinking about the next match. I also think with the world getting smaller thanks to advances in technology and ease of travel and migration (ie the expansion of the EU, easier to travel to other countries in Europe to scout players, easier to video players to show others back at the club, the increase in international player transfers etc) has expanded most clubs' scouting networks, giving a larger range of leagues, teams and players to keep an eye on, making it harder for the manager to do all this while also running the team. It makes sense to have a department at the club to take care of the bulk of this.

Managers getting their players or not is always an issue at financially well run clubs. If we didn't have Burke involved, the complaint wouldn't be that the manager didn't get to pick his players, but that the club didn't back the manager, forcing him to pick his last choices. It's essentially the same complaint.


There will always be such complaints, a youtube video where someone in a softball interview tells us a manager has input isn't going to change that. The only thing that would change things is for every person who has concerns/complaints about the process were to be invited in to witness every step of the process, or video every meeting/phone call/conversation and put them on youtube, but such access would probably be at the very least counter-productive.

 

[AZ Gull]

The problem is that the club don't (and can't, realistically) provide irrefutable proof that the manager/head coach has the sort of input people would feel comfortable with. This is easily dismissed as 'just the club spinning things'. The phrase the OP uses ("No one is signed without input from the manager") isn't much less specific than previous comments from the club. This means, for those that take issue with the club's player recruitment structure aren't having their issues addressed, such a statement allows for

Burke: Hey, Sami, we've been looking at this player and we want to buy him, what do you think of him?
Sami: I don't rate him, he won't ever play in my team, it is a waste of a limited budget
Burke: Thank you for your input, but it's my decision, I'm signing him.​

A lot of people want player recruitment that is driven by the manager according to what he feels he needs for his team, with him assessing a team, him judging what is more important: stretching the budget in one player knowing it limits what can be spent on another position, or foregoing that player to keep money available for the other position that is more in need of player upgrade. The clubs comments make it seem much less direct than that.

Personally, I think this might be more of a dislike of the modernisation of/influence of money in football. With so much more money involved in and out of football, with increased player power and influence of agents etc. signing players is a lot more complicated than it used to be, feeding into a financial system (ie the financial obligations of the football club) that is more complex than it used to be, requiring contract negotiations and cost/benefit analysis to be handled by people who are dedicated to it, and not just thinking about the next match. I also think with the world getting smaller thanks to advances in technology and ease of travel and migration (ie the expansion of the EU, easier to travel to other countries in Europe to scout players, easier to video players to show others back at the club, the increase in international player transfers etc) has expanded most clubs' scouting networks, giving a larger range of leagues, teams and players to keep an eye on, making it harder for the manager to do all this while also running the team. It makes sense to have a department at the club to take care of the bulk of this.

Managers getting their players or not is always an issue at financially well run clubs. If we didn't have Burke involved, the complaint wouldn't be that the manager didn't get to pick his players, but that the club didn't back the manager, forcing him to pick his last choices. It's essentially the same complaint.


There will always be such complaints, a youtube video where someone in a softball interview tells us a manager has input isn't going to change that. The only thing that would change things is for every person who has concerns/complaints about the process were to be invited in to witness every step of the process, or video every meeting/phone call/conversation and put them on youtube, but such access would probably be at the very least counter-productive.

But the phrase that the OP uses is not what Barber actually says in the interview. Talking about the manager, he says:-

Of course it's going to be his decision whether a player is bought or sold...

You cannot get any more unequivocal than that.

 

[Acker79]

But the phrase that the OP uses is not what Barber actually says in the interview. Talking about the manager, he says:-



You cannot get any more unequivocal than that.

I certainly hope that isn't true. I don't want a manger having the final say on whether we buy someone or not, since their concern is the current team and not the long term health of the club, and it isn't their money they are spending. It also doesn't tally with Tony Bloom saying that the players Oscar wanted to sign were too expensive. If oscar wanted to sign them, and had the final say surely we would have signed them? We didn't ergo, there is another layer of authority that has the final say (and rightly so).

 

[Justice]

Of course, but there are plenty on this site who swear blind that Oscar had no say at all.

I dont believe for one minute Oscar wanted Lita and Obika.

 

[Justice]

We aren't lucky to have him though, he is purely a professional doing his job & justifying a more than reasonable uwage.

Exactly this, he says what he thinks the fans want to hear and it worked with some of you lot, for example we will never know if Hypia was first choice or forth choice.

 

[brighton bluenose]

Of course, but there are plenty on this site who swear blind that Oscar had no say at all.

I doubt that 'plenty' say anything of the sort! What is said is that Burke and his scouting team provide a list of prospects to the manager who watches videos and, if time permits, the players in real life. The manager then selects which one he wants and then a) if available & b) if the purchase price is right and c) if terms can be agreed with the player we will buy him! That was the extent of Oscars influence on building the team and that will undoubtedly be the same for Hyypia - largely because both OG and SH did not/ do not know this league!!

 

[looney]

A bit of spit and shine and all you wannabe lapdogs come running for barber to pat you on the head. Usually ceo's are held accountable by shareholders, but as that is mainly TB all he(Barber) has to do is keep the peasants amused(thats you lot) and the jobs half done. So many of you are happily spoonfed that I am suprised barber isnt already pushing ponzi schemes on the fanbase.

This has nothing to do with FFP. Since Barber has arrived caos has rained. Instead of being interviewed by some club shill he needs to face some real questions.

 

[somerset]

I doubt that 'plenty' say anything of the sort!

Oh there were plenty, don't doubt, ...

 

[Barrel of Fun]

No-one is signed without the input of the manager, apart from Nzonzi...

 

[Jam The Man]

No-one is signed without the input of the manager, apart from Nzonzi...

" correctamundo ehhhhhh! "

 

[browneggsandham]

I certainly hope that isn't true. I don't want a manger having the final say on whether we buy someone or not, since their concern is the current team and not the long term health of the club, and it isn't their money they are spending. It also doesn't tally with Tony Bloom saying that the players Oscar wanted to sign were too expensive. If oscar wanted to sign them, and had the final say surely we would have signed them? We didn't ergo, there is another layer of authority that has the final say (and rightly so).

I think that might be taking it too literally. Of course any signing would have to be approved by those in charge of finance, but I think what Burke was suggesting is that players will not be forced on a manager.

Assuming a player is available within budget and appears willing to sign, they would then have the final call as to whether they want them to form part of their squad.

 

[Davey Boy Smith]

A bit of spit and shine and all you wannabe lapdogs come running for barber to pat you on the head. Usually ceo's are held accountable by shareholders, but as that is mainly TB all he(Barber) has to do is keep the peasants amused(thats you lot) and the jobs half done. So many of you are happily spoonfed that I am suprised barber isnt already pushing ponzi schemes on the fanbase.

This has nothing to do with FFP. Since Barber has arrived caos has rained. Instead of being interviewed by some club shill he needs to face some real questions.

Genuinely interested to understand what questions you would ask?

For me he's increased revenue outside of matches, cut costs and seems to answer most questions put to him by fans I'm not sure what else he needs to do.

 

[Lower West Stander]

What I really don't get is why Barber believes FFP is so important. Any accountant or financial analyst could drive a bus through it. Barber is happy to go on about budget and The business model but it is no more viable than that of any other club.

The only reason the club has no "debt" is because TB underwrote the building of the stadium with shareholder loans. This is debt by any other name and the cash generation of the business would never have been sufficient to device the interest payments. If TB ever walked we would be in trouble as we would never be able to replace his loans with debt. If this is taken into account Brighton are no closer to complying with FFP than QPR.

So I for one am getting very weary of listening to Barber on this

 

[brighton bluenose]

No-one is signed without the input of the manager, apart from Nzonzi...

Input?! I don't doubt he has 'input' but personally I want to see the manager at our club BUILD a team over a period of time and within the constraints of FFP that will get us out of this division from his own knowledge of the game and what the Championship is all about a la Sean Dyche! OG was either sold a dummy or maybe he just didn't understand how the club was going to operate under the FFP reins that would be imposed - let's just full clarity on all this has been provided to Hyping!!