The Faustian pact comes unstuck.....

[Dick Knights Mumm]

You have hit the nail fair and squarely on the head there.

You scamp Buzzer.

 

[Stat Brother]

One of my cosy personal contacts tells me that the club has expressed an interest in re-establishing contacts that have faded away in recent years.

An interesting time to embark on such a project.

Anything to stop them standing on the outside pissing in.

 

[Buzzer]

But is anyone really circling the wagons for TB? Really?

It seems that way to me and others. People (well...most) aren't brave enough yet to have a go directly at TB so are doing so by proxy by sniping at those he's appointed...Burke, Barber, Hyypia. I certainly think there's a fair few using this as payback for perceived wrongs done in the past.

 

[Guinness Boy]

sure - got a grandmother i can secure as collateral?

lolz

 

[Hungry Joe]

It seems that way to me and others. People (well...most) aren't brave enough yet to have a go directly at TB so are doing so by proxy by sniping at those he's appointed...Burke, Barber, Hyypia. I certainly think there's a fair few using this as payback for perceived wrongs done in the past.

Perhaps you're right, but I don't see it that way. I've seen plenty of criticism for TB here, and not just from 'the old guard', and most of it is justified I think. I made a blunder posting the 'Barber Out?' thread at the time I did and the way I did it, and some took that as evidence of what you suggest. Thing is, it really isn't/wasn't. I do admit though that it's harder to point the finger at a man who has without question delivered the dream out of his own pocket and is also a very affable man and a genuine fan to boot.

Arrrgggh! It's like Alan Partridge and ladyboys - all too confusing.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Perhaps you're right, but I don't see it that way. I've seen plenty of criticism for TB here, and not just from 'the old guard', and most of it is justified I think. I made a blunder posting the 'Barber Out?' thread at the time I did and the way I did it, and some took that as evidence of what you suggest. Thing is, it really isn't/wasn't. I do admit though that it's harder to point the finger at a man who has without question delivered the dream out of his own pocket and is also a very affable man and a genuine fan to boot.

Arrrgggh! It's like Alan Partridge and ladyboys - all too confusing.

I can justify it precisely. I think Hyypia and Burke, and to a lesser extent Barber are currently risking pissing away much of that investment. A season in League One might not ruin us. Several seasons may. I have sniped plenty but it's not in any way intended as a dig at Tony Bloom. It's specifically intended as a genuine worry at our current position. The irony is, of course, I imagine Tony Bloom does not agree with that point of view one iota.

 

[Hungry Joe]

I can justify it precisely. I think Hyypia and Burke, and to a lesser extent Barber are currently risking pissing away much of that investment. A season in League One might not ruin us. Several seasons may. I have sniped plenty but it's not in any way intended as a dig at Tony Bloom. It's specifically intended as a genuine worry at our current position.

I feel exactly the same, but unfortunately didn't put it so well.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Arrrgggh! It's like Alan Partridge and ladyboys - all too confusing.

Do you want me to come up and show you the button that says ‘no’...?

 

[Hungry Joe]

Do you want me to come up and show you the button that says ‘no’...?

Yes please.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

lolz

View attachment 60716

What has Roy Hodgson got to do with anything?

 

[GT49er]

It seems that way to me and others. People (well...most) aren't brave enough yet to have a go directly at TB so are doing so by proxy by sniping at those he's appointed...Burke, Barber, Hyypia. I certainly think there's a fair few using this as payback for perceived wrongs done in the past.

I don't think bravery comes into it - if people have had a pop at Hyypia and Burke (as I have) and Barber, it is probably actually because they ARE having a pop at SH, DB and PB.

 

[Buzzer]

I don't think bravery comes into it - if people have had a pop at Hyypia and Burke (as I have) and Barber, it is probably actually because they ARE having a pop at SH, DB and PB.

Then why the need for references to selling out to the corporate world and referencing Tony and his money compared to Dick and his passion? There's plenty of oblique references in this thread title and in the OP's first post that allude to TB's involvement as a necessary evil in order for long-term Albion success.

 

[Puppet Master]

tl;dr

 

[Guinness Boy]

Then why the need for references to selling out to the corporate world and referencing Tony and his money compared to Dick and his passion? There's plenty of oblique references in this thread title and in the OP's first post that allude to TB's involvement as a necessary evil in order for long-term Albion success.

Perhaps because a Socialist writer on the edge of the alternative scene sees what is "evil" differently to a billionairre, or indeed to many of the Amex's "customers".

 

[Hotchilidog]

He might have sounded impressive, but on the face of it and what we as fans see, what he said is very different from the reality. He talked about the level of detail and analysis, no stone left unturned, every aspect of the player fully looked into. So, how do you explain a fat goalkeeper who couldn't save a ball two yards to his left? A lumbering centre forward tailor made for league 1 hoofball? A million pound plus striker who can't kick straight regularly enough? Love the style of McCourt - but...if he did his research as well as he said then the outcome of that deal should be no surprise. The list goes on and on.

So while in theory it's all a lovely exact science, the reality is total chaos and FOUR, count'em, rebuilds of a squad in 5 months. If I was Tony I wouldn't be too happy about that. Expensive business getting it right, even more expensive getting it wrong. What do they say? Buy cheap, buy twice.

It's not the amount of money we spend that bothers me, it's the quality of the talent evaluation. We will obviously be out of the market for a number of pricier players but good due diligence should still net you some hungry youngsters looking for a break or a wise old head looking to keep his career going for a little longer. Clearly we have failed on this front massively this season, and Burke either needs to pull some exceedingly large rabbits out of a hat in january or make way for someone who can.

 

[GT49er]

Then why the need for references to selling out to the corporate world and referencing Tony and his money compared to Dick and his passion? There's plenty of oblique references in this thread title and in the OP's first post that allude to TB's involvement as a necessary evil in order for long-term Albion success.

Some of us didn't read the OP's post in anything like that way. Not every post or poster has a hidden agenda!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Anybody else get the feeling that attila is just playing catchup with harty? And that both of them are WAY off the pace nowadays?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Some of us didn't read the OP's post in anything like that way. Not every post or poster has a hidden agenda!

You're quite right of course. Some don't even try to hide their agenda.

 

[Betfair Bozo]

"Old guard" and "war years" eh? I remember Attila appealing to everyone (unsuccessfully) to calm down outside the West Stand during one of the ubiquitous protests of the latter days of the Goldstone. Luckily, in my view, plenty took a different stance and decided that we needed to go a bit further as I don't think Bellotti and Archer would have been that concerned about some angry poems. Fair play to those that risked arrest on many occasions in the West Stand seats, the lads that snapped the crossbars, those on the marches etc AS WELL AS those that did the cerebral work like Paul Samrah. There were hundreds if not thousands regularly involved, not just those that enjoy a namecheck many years on.

It's hardly a Faustian pact is it? The closest there is is stuff like the naming rights and let's face it we'd be mugs to turn down the cash, especially when, despite all the corporate deals, the club is shipping millions every year. Or more accurately, Tony Bloom is shipping millions every year. We are incredibly lucky to have him and should never lose sight of that. He isn't lacking in "passion" for the club he just quite simply isn't the sort to court publicity. Who wants a Dave Whelan anyway?

I'll agree that I think he has made an error this time with Sami. I'll not aftertime though - I was happy enough with the appointment when it was made. I also do not know what criteria were laid down for any prospective incoming manager. For all we know they could all have asked for the undeliverable and TB was left with a narrow choice.

Either way, we all make mistakes. Some deserve a little leeway and some deserve more than others. TB falls squarely into the latter category. Just a view.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

It takes really stupid man to pass on someone elses incorrect view on someone to a message board.
In all likelihood the person that you know, as they know you, is not worth giving the time of day to, and wasn't...

But its NOT incorrect.