[Albion] Saudi regime buying Dan Ashworth: the undelying cause for our collapse in form?

[attila]

I am not surprised by reports that the Albion management and board was shocked to the core by Ashworth's resignation, given the apparent closeness between him, Potter and Barber and the essential role he was playing at the club. We were (hopefully still will be) creating something a bit special, navigating the financial challenges of competing with the ridiculous Premier League plutocrats with aplomb, but for one of the core staff to leave in such a way just drove home the reality that, seemingly even for us, the only thing that counts in this league is money, anyone/anything can be bought and ultimately all the fruits of our magnificent efforts on or off the pitch can be cherrypicked by whichever crook, oligarch or foreign despot regime chooses to make a PL club his latest plaything or sportswashing exercise.

I suspect (I may be wrong) that the board thought we were a bit different, creating something not entirely driven by pound signs, given the large remuneration packages already in place, and that this has sent shockwaves through the club of a kind that players demanding transfers would never do. Results at the moment seem entirely predictable, and Potter sounds, dare I say it, a little bit defeated by it all.

I, like many of you, am behind him 100%, think he is the best manager we have ever had and am confident that we can pick ourselves up, gain the five or so points we need to finish in our financially predetermined 15th place again and regroup ready to do the same next season - unless the disgusting Abramovich fiasco finally triggers legislation forcing clubs to adopt the German model, which it won't.

Up the Albion.

Down with modern football.

 

[Beach Hut]

Down with modern football that we are now part of ?

 

[Braggfan]

Down with modern football that we are now part of ?

Correct

 

[A mex eyecan]

whatever it is, I am against it

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Nope. Not having it at all. I know they are disappointed with his leaving, and obviously if he is as good at his job as his reputation suggests then it will have an effect on us. But that effect will be felt later - in regards to recruitment, contract negotiations, etc.

He’s not the manager. He’s not a coach. He’s not a player. Hanging the current run of dreadful form on his leaving, is a lazy cop out.

 

[attila]

Down with modern football that we are now part of ?

Yes, I'd like us to be part of something far, far better, like the Bundesliga, where money still plays a role, but not to such a ludicrous extent, and ticket prices are affordable to all. It's eminently possuble with the right political wiil, which is obviously on gardening leave with Dan Ashworth.

 

[Surf's Up]

I am not surprised by reports that the Albion management and board was shocked to the core by Ashworth's resignation, given the apparent closeness between him, Potter and Barber and the essential role he was playing at the club. We were (hopefully still will be) creating something a bit special, navigating the financial challenges of competing with the ridiculous Premier League plutocrats with aplomb, but for one of the core staff to leave in such a way just drove home the reality that, seemingly even for us, the only thing that counts in this league is money, anyone/anything can be bought and ultimately all the fruits of our magnificent efforts on or off the pitch can be cherrypicked by whichever crook, oligarch or foreign despot regime chooses to make a PL club his latest plaything or sportswashing exercise.

I suspect (I may be wrong) that the board though we were a bit different, creating something not entirely driven by pound signs, given the large remuneration packages already in place, and that this has sent shockwaves through the club of a kind that players demanding transfers would never do. Results at the moment seem entirely predictable, and Potter sounds, dare I say it, a little bit defeated by it all.

I, like many of you, am behind him 100%, think he is the best manager we have ever had and am confident that we can pick ourselves up, gain the five or so points we need to finish in our financially predetermined 15th place again and regroup ready to do the same next season - unless the disgusting Abramovich fiasco finally triggers legislation forcing clubs to adopt the German model, which it won't.

Up the Albion.

Down with modern football.

Yes - it cannot be co-incidence that our form downturn pretty much matched the timing of with the Saudi money ramraid on our resources. We look/ed shell shocked on and off the pitch and are struggling to recover.

 

[Beach Hut]

Yes, I'd like us to be part of something far, far better, like the Bundesliga, where money still plays a role, but not to such a ludicrous extent, and ticket prices are affordable to all. It's eminently possuble with the right political wiil, which is obviously on gardening leave with Dan Ashworth.

Here we go, so really this is just another political rant via football ?

 

[Icy Gull]

Nope. Not having it at all. I know they are disappointed with his leaving, and obviously if he is as good at his job as his reputation suggests then it will have an effect on us. But that effect will be felt later - in regards to recruitment, contract negotiations, etc.

He’s not the manager. He’s not a coach. He’s not a player. Hanging the current run of dreadful form on his leaving, is a lazy cop out.

Agreed, I have no idea why it is even being considered

 

[attila]

No, it's simply my opinion, rarely expressed on this board these days for you to have your customary go at, Beachy

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Underlying cause in our collapse in form has to be far more to do with destabilisation of our defence through injury, suspension and transfer shirley. Plus Sanchez can no longer have any great faith in his defenders, leading to his own knock-on wobble in confidence. We've had trouble scoring goals for yonks but the collapse in our ability to defend is recent, and has been a constant since January

 

[Icy Gull]

Yes - it cannot be co-incidence that our form downturn pretty much matched the timing of with the Saudi money ramraid on our resources. We look/ed shell shocked on and off the pitch and are struggling to recover.

I refuse to believe that our players and management are such a bunch of pussies

Burn going, Dunk getting sent off and coming back a pale imitation of what he has been and Webster rivalling Lallana as the top sick note has much more to do with it.

The club would not have considered that we’d lose two other CBs from the team immediately after Burn’s departure. Shit happens but let’s not look to think Ashworth’s departure would have an immediate impact on the team’s performances. Ludicrous

 

[Dibdab]

Yes - it cannot be co-incidence that our form downturn pretty much matched the timing of with the Saudi money ramraid on our resources. We look/ed shell shocked on and off the pitch and are struggling to recover.

Im 1000% sure that Dan Burn going there and our defence turning to turd has had far more to do with our form than Dan Ashworth who had no influence on day to day first team matters being on gardening leave.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Potter has never complained about what he has available to him and takes the heat for the run of poor performances. But you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. The players are as good as where they are in the table - that’s a little bit better than last year but not as good as most of us would currently like. TB is playing a cautious and patient game which may not be lizard-like but I’d rather this than having the ownership structure that a lot of out competitors have. I feel quite clean when it it come to the ownership of the Albion (other than it’s association with betting).

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Underlying cause in our collapse in form has to be far more to do with destabilisation of our defence through injury, suspension and transfer shirley. Plus Sanchez can no longer have any great faith in his defenders, leading to his own knock-on wobble in confidence. We've had trouble scoring goals for yonks but the collapse in our ability to defend is recent, and has been a constant since January

This is correct.

Whether the Dan Burn deal was a reasonable one has been done to death, and the two sides of that debate will never agree (though the people who now have him as some 8 foot Geordie Maldini are strangely quiet about him being at fault for the match deciding goals in both Newcastle’s games this week…)

What is undeniable though, is that the unfortunate timing of Webster’s latest injury and Dunk’s red, at the very time of Burn leaving, absolutely did leave us very short.

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

Underlying cause in our collapse in form has to be far more to do with destabilisation of our defence through injury, suspension and transfer shirley. Plus Sanchez can no longer have any great faith in his defenders, leading to his own knock-on wobble in confidence. We've had trouble scoring goals for yonks but the collapse in our ability to defend is recent, and has been a constant since January

If you concede as many goals as we are now doing you are not going to get many decent results. We have to go back to basics and tighten up at the back.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Before we all get our pants / knickers in a twist.
Haven't we been here before, lost something, then replaced.
No person is bigger than the club.
I have a feeling Bruno will have some part to play in our future, whether GP is here or not.
Bruno has connections I'm sure!

 

[bhanutz]

I just think we are too nice...

We need toughen up both on the pitch and off it... We are far too accommodating and friendly....

 

[attila]

I refuse to believe that our players and management are such a bunch of pussies

Burn going, Dunk getting sent off and coming back a pale imitation of what he has been and Webster rivalling Lallana as the top sick note has much more to do with it.

The club would not have considered that we’d lose two other CBs from the team immediately after Burn’s departure. Shit happens but let’s not look to think Ashworth’s departure would have an immediate impact on the team’s performances. Ludicrous

This is just an idea, corroborated by reports I have heard. it may not be the case - shouldn't be theoretically, but when a carefully constructed edifice has one of the central planks pulled away it can have a powerful effect.

 

[nicko31]

Before we all get our pants / knickers in a twist.
Haven't we been here before, lost something, then replaced.
No person is bigger than the club.
I have a feeling Bruno will have some part to play in our future, whether GP is here or not.
Bruno has connections I'm sure!

Well said sir, we need to move on. BDB has gone, onwards not backwards