The big question: Do you trust Tony Bloom and his team with the Albion?

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I trust his intentions but not perhaps his judgement. He hasn't been a football club chairman for long, he is one because he can be not because he necessarily has an aptitude for it.

And that is a good point. But I would think that what has allowed him to put himself in that position provides comfort that he can adapt to being a football club chairman.

 

[Garage_Doors]

I abstained for this very reason. I think Bozza has been taking "poll-question wording" advice from Assem Allam.

More likely from the club.

 

[Seagull on the wing]

Some fans are ctiticising our transfer in policy...it hasn't been perfect,mainly because of our wage structure in not paying stupid money.
As far as I'm aware a list of 'wants' is drawn up,they go for the one at the top of the list,if refused it's the next choice and so on down...not a perfect way. A lot of fans would say 'blow the FFP rules,let's throw money at the problem....which would you choose ?

 

[Kevlar]

well I trust them as much as anybody else I do not know
and as much as any other football running team out there
but being pedantic I have to answer the poll no
but I do except their intentions to abide by FFP

 

[El Presidente]

Yup, he's human and therefore fallible at times, but so what? The hysterical reaction from some quarters and immediate demands for heads to roll when information is not as desired is pathetic.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I don't know. My feelings are complex, and probably contradictory. I find myself questioning every statement from the club, either direct, or relayed via "sources" on here. I question the argus and their motives behind each piece.

If I'm questioning everything they say, can I really claim to trust them?

But, while I question what they say, I don't believe for a second that Bloom means any harm to this club, I am certain he wants the best for the club and is acting in the way he thinks is best.

I don't know if I believe his philosophy will bring any instant success - the youth academy will take at least several years before we start seeing any benefit from it, and I think if we are going to adhere to FFP, or just have the club become self-sufficient we won't afford the better players we need to get up before we can start bringing through youth products.

I am more confident of his long term plans, than I am of him bringing short term success, but that is more to do with the current state of football and finances than anything to do with my trust in Bloom.


With regard to his team, again, I think it's a little complex (partly because I'm unsure of exactly what roles each has with in the team and what responsibilities).

Paul Barber was brought in to bring down cost and increase revenue. I think he is doing that well in and of itself, but putting in the context of keeping football fans happy (a group that desires a wide range of things), I don't know how well that balance is met.

David Burke is one I have absolutely no idea on, partly because of the way all I know about his job is the contradictory stories we hear as to how much influence he has, what the exact system is, and I'm even less certain given how many contradictory stories that are currently going around.

This is fairly much where I am.

Day to day I work for a software and consultancy business at a fairly senior level. Our clients are high profile and demanding. Whilst delivery is key managing expectations realistically comes a close second. If I know we are going to miss a deadline or screw up I tell them. One of the reasons we often come out more highly rated in client surveys than equivalent Indian outsourcers is that typically the Indians will not tell you, they'll cover it up till the last minute.

How is this relevant? Because I don't think the club is very good at managing expectations. Mixed messages abound. Places like this, The Argus, maybe even fan blogs, maybe even my own, don't help of course because as soon as a piece of information is put out there people tend to put their own interpretation and spin on it. Nevertheless conflicting signals have emerged from the club since just after poo and ceiling gate.

David Burke has told the Albion Roar that Oscar had the last say in player acquisition. Oscar has told the Argus he didn't. Who's right? Paul Barber has said that the club has standards that have to be "Premier League Ready" which immediately sets the expectation that that is what we are aiming for, yet the budget is constantly played at the mid table Championship level. The Telegraph initially states that our budget has gone down and is then forced to change the story. No one has ever clarified the Grabban saga (should club have to? I say it leaves the situation open to interpretation and conjecture if they don't).

Yes of course I trust and respect Tony Bloom and I understand that his location and other business interests means that he has to delegate from time to time. I (mostly) trust Paul Barber. Certainly he was brought here with a specific remit which he seems to be delivering on while (whatever you thought of the style of play) we still managed to finish in the playoffs. Ken Brown was going to bankrupt this club. Do I trust David Burke? Honestly no idea. I'd leave that to the likes of TLO who have met him. What I would say is that I cannot understand why he and Oscar are contradicting each other, I do not believe his position is necessary in British football and his success / strike rate this season was, IMO, below par. Ward and Stephens good, Andrews dreadful (get rid asap) Obika and Rodriguez worse than dreadful. I liked Lingard A LOT but I can understand he wasn't everyone's cup of tea. Losing out on Conway and Grabban appear to be cock ups of the highest order but maybe we simply didn't have the budget left?

I trust Tony and his team to deliver a long term, sustainable football club with an excellent academy. They have already delivered a first class stadium and constantly excellent on field results in terms of actual league table finish. However the fact we could not sell out Derby at home concerns me greatly, the fact we have lost two managers within a year for similar reasons concerns me greatly and I believe the club need to take an urgent look at their PR and their senior leadership structure.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Unequivocally.

 

[Marshy]

I look at it like this, pretty much every football fan i know want someone like Tony in charge of there football club.

The man is a god as far as i am concerned.

 

[Austrian Gull]

This is fairly much where I am.

Day to day I work for a software and consultancy business at a fairly senior level. Our clients are high profile and demanding. Whilst delivery is key managing expectations realistically comes a close second. If I know we are going to miss a deadline or screw up I tell them. One of the reasons we often come out more highly rated in client surveys than equivalent Indian outsourcers is that typically the Indians will not tell you, they'll cover it up till the last minute.

How is this relevant? Because I don't think the club is very good at managing expectations. Mixed messages abound. Places like this, The Argus, maybe even fan blogs, maybe even my own, don't help of course because as soon as a piece of information is put out there people tend to put their own interpretation and spin on it. Nevertheless conflicting signals have emerged from the club since just after poo and ceiling gate.

David Burke has told the Albion Roar that Oscar had the last say in player acquisition. Oscar has told the Argus he didn't. Who's right? Paul Barber has said that the club has standards that have to be "Premier League Ready" which immediately sets the expectation that that is what we are aiming for, yet the budget is constantly played at the mid table Championship level. The Telegraph initially states that our budget has gone down and is then forced to change the story. No one has ever clarified the Grabban saga (should club have to? I say it leaves the situation open to interpretation and conjecture if they don't).

Yes of course I trust and respect Tony Bloom and I understand that his location and other business interests means that he has to delegate from time to time. I (mostly) trust Paul Barber. Certainly he was brought here with a specific remit which he seems to be delivering on while (whatever you thought of the style of play) we still managed to finish in the playoffs. Ken Brown was going to bankrupt this club. Do I trust David Burke? Honestly no idea. I'd leave that to the likes of TLO who have met him. What I would say is that I cannot understand why he and Oscar are contradicting each other, I do not believe his position is necessary in British football and his success / strike rate this season was, IMO, below par. Ward and Stephens good, Andrews dreadful (get rid asap) Obika and Rodriguez worse than dreadful. I liked Lingard A LOT but I can understand he wasn't everyone's cup of tea. Losing out on Conway and Grabban appear to be cock ups of the highest order but maybe we simply didn't have the budget left?

I trust Tony and his team to deliver a long term, sustainable football club with an excellent academy. They have already delivered a first class stadium and constantly excellent on field results in terms of actual league table finish. However the fact we could not sell out Derby at home concerns me greatly, the fact we have lost two managers within a year for similar reasons concerns me greatly and I believe the club need to take an urgent look at their PR and their senior leadership structure.

A very good post. I particularly agree on what you've written about Burke although you've missed out Agustien who has been the biggest failure.

Burke certainly did not do his homework on that case in terms of attitude and lifestyle...

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I know, and i have absolute trusted inside knowledge that Oscar wanted to leave simply because he wanted to go back to Spain. He won't be taking another English club, he loved Brighton, Tony and the rest loved him but it was simply that Spain is a better place to live than England, which i'm sure most would agree with. And so it's the end of the matter for me personally and i just hope we recruit another dignified prfessional that continues our desire to pass like the Spanish and be like Spain.

100% believe this, and expect him to be announced as Celta Vigo boss soon.

I also reckon we'll be playing them pre-season because of this connection.

 

[Guinness Boy]

A very good post. I particularly agree on what you've written about Burke although you've missed out Agustien who has been the biggest failure.

Burke certainly did not do his homework on that case in terms of attitude and lifestyle...

Good point re Agustien - agree 100%

 

[Bold Seagull]

David Burke has told the Albion Roar that Oscar had the last say in player acquisition. Oscar has told the Argus he didn't. Who's right? Paul Barber has said that the club has standards that have to be "Premier League Ready" which immediately sets the expectation that that is what we are aiming for, yet the budget is constantly played at the mid table Championship level. The Telegraph initially states that our budget has gone down and is then forced to change the story. No one has ever clarified the Grabban saga (should club have to? I say it leaves the situation open to interpretation and conjecture if they don't).

We won the League One title, we finished 10th after chasing the play offs most of that first Championship season, then we've had 2 play off seasons in a row. How on earth is that a mixed message over being Premier League Ready? How is that not an evidence to all and sundry that this club is aiming for the Premier League!?

As for clarifying the Grabban saga, maybe OG messed up, maybe Grabban did the dirty on us, perhaps Burke messed up in his valuation - what on earth do people expect the club to do, dish the dirt on every dealing!? Do some people really need to manage their expectations of what can be revealed generally?

Same with Conway, this may well have been OG's decision to send him back, and do we want a club that publicly exposes every error of it's staff, players or targets, or one that acts in a dignified confidential way?

You end with saying that we have lost two managers within a year for similar reasons - how on earth do you know this? This is typical of putting two and two together and finding you have five.

The club's PR is fine. What needs to be urgently reviewed it's fans expectations of being issued minutes from every board meeting, manager meeting, player transfer dealing.

I don't know many other clubs that outline their expenditure and finances in such an open way, outline their plans and what is being put in place, interviews about the structure of the club, regular fans forums around the South and beyond, regular interviews with the CEO, the Chairman, the Director of Football Operations - seriously, this club goes further than many others would do, and yet we want more and more. You can't run a football club as an open forum to everyone, just can't happen, out of respect to employees, players, prospect targets, previous employees, there has to be some confidentiality.

 

[Screaming J]

A very good post. I particularly agree on what you've written about Burke although you've missed out Agustien who has been the biggest failure.

Burke certainly did not do his homework on that case in terms of attitude and lifestyle...

Or was it a case of " look if we go for this guy, he's talented but there are risks given the way he runs his life", and a decision was taken - God knows by who - that we'd take the risk. It may be that the homework was done, they just decided, having done it, to gamble.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I know, and i have absolute trusted inside knowledge that Oscar wanted to leave simply because he wanted to go back to Spain. He won't be taking another English club, he loved Brighton, Tony and the rest loved him but it was simply that Spain is a better place to live than England, which i'm sure most would agree with. And so it's the end of the matter for me personally and i just hope we recruit another dignified prfessional that continues our desire to pass like the Spanish and be like Spain.

But that contradicts the likes of [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION] who maintain we've lost 2 managers within a year for the same reasons!? I don't remember Gus moving to Spain, he went in the opposite direction!

 

[Chris001]

Wakey, wakey! THIS IS A GOLDEN AGE FOR BHAFC - This club has never been in better hands, never been better managed and never had a brighter future. We are very lucky and the whole community should be grateful - I definitely am, and so should all of you.

 

[Austrian Gull]

Or was it a case of " look if we go for this guy, he's talented but there are risks given the way he runs his life", and a decision was taken - God knows by who - that we'd take the risk. It may be that the homework was done, they just decided, having done it, to gamble.

That may well have been the case but Burke is responsible for the decision. With only a limited pot, gambles of this kind are to be avoided - would have much prefered the club to have gone for an up and coming young player.

I have listened to the Roar interview with him - still not convinced that he's the right man or that the job is necessary.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Yup, he's human and therefore fallible at times, but so what? The hysterical reaction from some quarters and immediate demands for heads to roll when information is not as desired is pathetic.

The view expressed by you and others of suppressing the truth, however important and relevant, if it is not palatable to the club and might upset someone many would also see as 'pathetic'. Unhelpful language.

 

[smeg]

Can anyone, sensibly, answer anything other than yes? At least to the TB part of the question. Saved us, raised us and sunk around 150 million in? I would need cast iron evidence of serious wrongdoing before thinking about questioning the mans integrity.

Exactly this. Lets face it compared to other owners out there he has been magnificent, not tried to change our name to the Brighton warriors or trade in blue and white for lucky red, just sensible investment.

 

[Chris001]

"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid."
(John Wayne)

Life must be really bad for the 12 people who have voted NO so far.

 

[Guinness Boy]

But that contradicts the likes of [MENTION=616]Guinness Boy[/MENTION] who maintain we've lost 2 managers within a year for the same reasons!? I don't remember Gus moving to Spain, he went in the opposite direction!

So why didn't he just give Andy Naylor an interview that went "I've had a great time here but I've had an offer from my native land where I understand the nuances of language, where it doesn't spend six months solid raining and where I can get all the chorizo, Rioja and olives I can afford".

Instead he's gone ON RECORD contradicting the senior management team. Don't you find that a bit odd?