Tony Fernandes discusses new stadium plans

[W12_Ranger]

Why should you contact them yourself?

To give them a more representative idea of what fans think. Like the people on Twitter have. Some of those responding on Twitter probably agree with you anyway btw.

TBH I feel like we are going around in circles here , I've listened to the podcast I wasn't blown away but there was some nice things to hear. Some fans clearly have a hard on over TF but lets be clear he has made some terrible mistakes the previous 2 years but is definately leraning from them.

A 40k stadium we will not fill with QPR fans that much I believe , there is a massive risk the club could lose its soul if we are not careful. Some fans are already more interested in being a big Premier League club and I believe they would be happy to sacrifice what makes supporting this club special to achieve it.

I guess if that makes me a WUM or Troll or what ever backward *****ic name I've been tagged with recently so be it, I support my club because they are a part of me not because of what they some day might be because thats not important to me. I care not for the Premier League, I want us to be sucessful but don't want us to sacrifice our identity to achieve it. I've a right to be sceptical but some see that as an attack on TF which means an attack on them which is just embarassing!

[vespa]

Who's to say the club won't be surveying members and ST holders? The announcement's only a few days old.

Hopefully they will Stanley

Cheers for putting the podcast up by the way

[vespa]

TBH I feel like we are going around in circles here , I've listened to the podcast I wasn't blown away but there was some nice things to hear. Some fans clearly have a hard on over TF but lets be clear he has made some terrible mistakes the previous 2 years but is definately leraning from them.

A 40k stadium we will not fill with QPR fans that much I believe , there is a massive risk the club could lose its soul if we are not careful. Some fans are already more interested in being a big Premier League club and I believe they would be happy to sacrifice what makes supporting this club special to achieve it.

I guess if that makes me a WUM or Troll or what ever backward *****ic name I've been tagged with recently so be it, I support my club because they are a part of me not because of what they some day might be because thats not important to me. I care not for the Premier League, I want us to be sucessful but don't want us to sacrifice our identity to achieve it. I've a right to be sceptical but some see that as an attack on TF which means an attack on them which is just embarassing!

Good post W12 , thats how i feel too.........

[DeepcutHoop]

TBH I feel like we are going around in circles here , I've listened to the podcast I wasn't blown away but there was some nice things to hear. Some fans clearly have a hard on over TF but lets be clear he has made some terrible mistakes the previous 2 years but is definately leraning from them.

A 40k stadium we will not fill with QPR fans that much I believe , there is a massive risk the club could lose its soul if we are not careful. Some fans are already more interested in being a big Premier League club and I believe they would be happy to sacrifice what makes supporting this club special to achieve it.

I guess if that makes me a WUM or Troll or what ever backward *****ic name I've been tagged with recently so be it, I support my club because they are a part of me not because of what they some day might be because thats not important to me. I care not for the Premier League, I want us to be sucessful but don't want us to sacrifice our identity to achieve it. I've a right to be sceptical but some see that as an attack on TF which means an attack on them which is just embarassing!

You're entitled to that opinion, and it's a perfectly reasonable one. Tell the club that's how you feel. It may not change anything, but not telling them that definitely won't.

[dsqpr]

Very interesting and informative, thanks for posting Stanley!

[brightonr]

Hugely enjoyable read, this thread.

The usual suspects complaining about the board and their intentions. First of all they are unhappy about not being consulted and when they are, they haven't been consulted properly.

The owners made promises when they arrived. They are rapidly progressing towards delivering on each and every one.

My own view is that all fans have a right to be concerned about the future. The true fans have every reason to, when such huge changes are on the horizon. Not a single one of us should just back the board blindly and for the sake of it. There is far too much history and tradition at stake, let alone all the different memories LR holds for each of us. I totally get that. Absolutely understand that it is a worry. But there are ways to go about dealing with these issues and ways not to.

Certain people really need to get a grip on reality. We have fabulously wealthy board members, a shareholder who just happens to be one of the wealthiest men on the planet. I doubt very much if the term "asset stripping" came remotely close to their thoughts when they purchased QPR. People like these could just as easily have gone ahead with such ambitious plans without needing to own a football club. You wouldn't want a huge loss making company ruining your otherwise incredibly successful business portfolio for the kudos, would you? Unless of course, you were prepared to invest some of the profit into revitalising that element and making it successful too.

I'm going to provisionally back them to the hilt all the time they keep doing what appears to be the right thing for our club. We shouldn't be afraid to be successful. But should they ever abuse our trust, then I think they are fair game for what comes their way.

[QPR Richard]

Hugely enjoyable read, this thread.

The usual suspects complaining about the board and their intentions. First of all they are unhappy about not being consulted and when they are, they haven't been consulted properly.

The owners made promises when they arrived. They are rapidly progressing towards delivering on each and every one.

My own view is that all fans have a right to be concerned about the future. The true fans have every reason to, when such huge changes are on the horizon. Not a single one of us should just back the board blindly and for the sake of it. There is far too much history and tradition at stake, let alone all the different memories LR holds for each of us. I totally get that. Absolutely understand that it is a worry. But there are ways to go about dealing with these issues and ways not to.

Certain people really need to get a grip on reality. We have fabulously wealthy board members, a shareholder who just happens to be one of the wealthiest men on the planet. I doubt very much if the term "asset stripping" came remotely close to their thoughts when they purchased QPR. People like these could just as easily have gone ahead with such ambitious plans without needing to own a football club. You wouldn't want a huge loss making company ruining your otherwise incredibly successful business portfolio for the kudos, would you? Unless of course, you were prepared to invest some of the profit into revitalising that element and making it successful too.

I'm going to provisionally back them to the hilt all the time they keep doing what appears to be the right thing for our club. We shouldn't be afraid to be successful. But should they ever abuse our trust, then I think they are fair game for what comes their way.

Good post Brights. You have to wonder what Vespa, W12, Vblock and NW Hoopz actually want from the board. Not a single one of them has bothered to form an organisation to put forward their views when invited to do so. It's just moan moan moan for the sake of it. Perhaps they should get off their fat behinds and do something about it if they care so much about the issue.

Would they prefer owners like Portsmouth had, or some of our previous owners, or those of Hull, Blackburn or Cardiff? How about the Glazers, who put over half a billion debt on Man Utd's books?

As for ownership of the new ground, so what if it's owned by a stadium company that's part of QPR Holdings? Such a phenomenon is hardly a new thing. There are a number of new stadiums under similar style ownership. Multi-use? That's not a new thing either. We've done it ourselves at LR.

It's no good for the naysayers to keep abusing fellow fans that have bought into the board's vision. If they don't like what's happening, they should form an activists group. They should be presenting an alternative view instead of snide little comments on a message board.

Some of them whinge about so- called little sound-bites on twitter. Their posts on here are no different. We have a fantastic opportunity to be part of an exciting new development with a new state-of-the-art stadium. Our owners are forking out for a top of the range training ground/academy. They've supported the managers in the transfer market. Yet the naysayers continue to knock the owners. What more do they want?

A good example is Chris Samba. The majority on here wanted him. TF went out and got him. It's hardly TF's fault he didn't perform as expected.

I for one am looking forward to the next chapter in the club's history, both on and off the pitch. It looks like we're heading back to the top division at the first time of asking, and we have a new academy and stadium in the pipeline. What's not to get excited about?

Perhaps the naysayers should get together and put their views to the board instead of the constant sly little digs at fellow fans.

[W12_Ranger]

Good post Brights. You have to wonder what Vespa, W12, Vblock and NW Hoopz actually want from the board. Not a single one of them has bothered to form an organisation to put forward their views when invited to do so. It's just moan moan moan for the sake of it. Perhaps they should get off their fat behinds and do something about it if they care so much about the issue.

Would they prefer owners like Portsmouth had, or some of our previous owners, or those of Hull, Blackburn or Cardiff? How about the Glazers, who put over half a billion debt on Man Utd's books?

As for ownership of the new ground, so what if it's owned by a stadium company that's part of QPR Holdings? Such a phenomenon is hardly a new thing. There are a number of new stadiums under similar style ownership. Multi-use? That's not a new thing either. We've done it ourselves at LR.

It's no good for the naysayers to keep abusing fellow fans that have bought into the board's vision. If they don't like what's happening, they should form an activists group. They should be presenting an alternative view instead of snide little comments on a message board.

Some of them whinge about so- called little sound-bites on twitter. Their posts on here are no different. We have a fantastic opportunity to be part of an exciting new development with a new state-of-the-art stadium. Our owners are forking out for a top of the range training ground/academy. They've supported the managers in the transfer market. Yet the naysayers continue to knock the owners. What more do they want?

A good example is Chris Samba. The majority on here wanted him. TF went out and got him. It's hardly TF's fault he didn't perform as expected.

I for one am looking forward to the next chapter in the club's history, both on and off the pitch. It looks like we're heading back to the top division at the first time of asking, and we have a new academy and stadium in the pipeline. What's not to get excited about?

Perhaps the naysayers should get together and put their views to the board instead of the constant sly little digs at fellow fans.

Oh look dicky boy has awoken....now those who have concerns should form an organisation apparently because that's the sort of thing you would do if you were a tad skeptical about something or did you just write it to bore as with more of the same waffle ?

"Constant sly little digs at fellow fans" glass houses and throwing stones seems to spring to mind here, laughable Dickyboy

The purpose of a online football forum seems to escape you at the best of times

[QPR Richard]

Oh look dicky boy has awoken....now those who have concerns should form an organisation apparently because that's the sort of thing you would do if you were a tad skeptical about something or did you just write it to bore as with more of the same waffle ?

"Constant sly little digs at fellow fans" glass houses and throwing stones seems to spring to mind here, laughable Dickyboy

The purpose of a online football forum seems to escape you at the best of times

I think it's fair to say you are the most negative poster on this forum, and I don't think I'm alone in this opinion. Some have even questioned if you're even a QPR fan.

The new stadium is going ahead whether you like it or not. Apart from you incessant rants on here, what are YOU doing to question the board's motives? When a group of people oppose things, they tend to form action groups. They're called things like greenpeace, ash etc. what's your protest group called? Windbags?

Here's a deal. Let's have a proper debate about the merits of the move using some proper research and leve the personalities out of it. Up for the challenge?

[TBLOCKRANGER]

Presumably because of the fact that it's only been a few days since the announcement, and Twitter's nature means fast responses. Not necessarily the most reasoned, but certainly quick!

They are not going to base any long-term decision on the first three or four days responses from Twitter ffs. These are not stupid people.

You're wrong and you've moved the goal posts with regard to the timeline of the contentious issues that were raised on this board.

When the announcement was made that the stadium was 40k, a few posters queried this, me being one.

The points we raised was how did the club come to the figure of 40k. I with a few others queried whether any consulation, feasibility test or feedback had been sought by the club. At that point we had majority of posters saying the 40k was fine and particular posters saying the club must of done a feasibility test, I recall one particular poster challenging W12 for daring to have a view and that TF must of come to the 40k by using professional consultants and this was all thought out and obviously TF wouldn't base the size on fans feedback but would listen to professionals.

So by way of timeline, this board kicked off because the few posters thought the 40k was plucked from thin air and the only evidence we had was what our past crowds were, however posters were having a go a me and others for being naive and lacking ambition.

The reality from the podcast was the few were correct and it is clear from TF that pre the announcement, no formal feedback had been gathered and by way of time line from now on ie post announcement feed back will be gathered via twitter, forums and offy as to size. TF particularly discounted the view that business consultants should be involved with the size and really the fans are best placed to provide this feedback. In his interview he said how his 12k staff for his airline are his main source for feedback being good or bad and he sees the fans the same. What Tony says completely discredits Richards and others critiscm of W12 that Tony wouldn't listen to fans and must of spoken to business consultants before the 40k announcement.
Also Dave said to me that TF would build what he wanted and I responded that he wouldn't as he didn't want to be like T and C, admittedly Dave conceded the point but the podcast did confirm the position I took that consultation must be at the heart of this and this appears to be what TF is doing.
So when posters go against the grain instead of the happy clappers jumping on the band wagon and saying we are out of sync with the rest of the club and we are Dinasours, the reality is we are occasionally more in line with the thinking of the club and I think TF wants people to be critical if that critiscm is warranted rather than surround himself with happy clappers who make no effort to scratch the surface and just agree that Tony must have done feasibility tests, hired expensive consultants blah blah ...because in reality he didn't and some of us worked that out before he confirmed it on the podcast.

This is why after listening to the podcast I'm happier but I will always question.

[QPR Richard]

You're wrong and you've moved the goal posts with regard to the timeline of the contentious issues that were raised on this board.

When the announcement was made that the stadium was 40k, a few posters queried this, me being one.

The points we raised was how did the club come to the figure of 40k. I with a few others queried whether any consulation, feasibility test or feedback had been sought by the club. At that point we had majority of posters saying the 40k was fine and particular posters saying the club must of done a feasibility test, I recall one particular poster challenging W12 for daring to have a view and that TF must of come to the 40k by using professional consultants and this was all thought out and obviously TF wouldn't base the size on fans feedback but would listen to professionals.

So by way of timeline, this board kicked off because the few posters thought the 40k was plucked from thin air and the only evidence we had was what our past crowds were, however posters were having a go a me and others for being naive and lacking ambition.

The reality from the podcast was the few were correct and it is clear from TF that pre the announcement, no formal feedback had been gathered and by way of time line from now on ie post announcement feed back will be gathered via twitter, forums and offy as to size. TF particularly discounted the view that business consultants should be involved with the size and really the fans are best placed to provide this feedback. In his interview he said how his 12k staff for his airline are his main source for feedback being good or bad and he sees the fans the same. What Tony says completely discredits Richards and others critiscm of W12 that Tony wouldn't listen to fans and must of spoken to business consultants before the 40k announcement.
Also Dave said to me that TF would build what he wanted and I responded that he wouldn't as he didn't want to be like T and C, admittedly Dave conceded the point but the podcast did confirm the position I took that consultation must be at the heart of this and this appears to be what TF is doing.
So when posters go against the grain instead of the happy clappers jumping on the band wagon and saying we are out of sync with the rest of the club and we are Dinasours, the reality is we are occasionally more in line with the thinking of the club and I think TF wants people to be critical if that critiscm is warranted rather than surround himself with happy clappers who make no effort to scratch the surface and just agree that Tony must have done feasibility tests, hired expensive consultants blah blah ...because in reality he didn't and some of us worked that out before he confirmed it on the podcast.

This is why after listening to the podcast I'm happier but I will always question.

The thing is, people like you offer criticism but rarely a solution. As you say, you will always question, but what about solutions?

QPR Dave put up some evidence to show the growth of attendances at new grounds, yet you offer nothing but doubt. Isn't it about time you put up a decent argument using some evidence? This is one of the most important events to happen to our club and we need to get it right. It's no good continually saying we'll rattle around in a 40k stadium. Why don't you tell us why you don't think our attendance will never reach 40k in the next 25-50 years in a new stadium, because it isn't about the next couple of years (it won't even be built by then), it's about the next 25 years and beyond.

[vblockranger]

The thing is, people like you offer criticism but rarely a solution. As you say, you will always question, but what about solutions?

QPR Dave put up some evidence to show the growth of attendances at new grounds, yet you offer nothing but doubt. Isn't it about time you put up a decent argument using some evidence? This is one of the most important events to happen to our club and we need to get it right. It's no good continually saying we'll rattle around in a 40k stadium. Why don't you tell us why you don't think our attendance will never reach 40k in the next 25-50 years in a new stadium, because it isn't about the next couple of years (it won't even be built by then), it's about the next 25 years and beyond.

Solution? makes no difference as the board are in sight of their goal and wouldnt matter if it was the majority of fans that would dispute their vision as they dont care nor would change their plans. You really think that these billionaires give a **** about your or my opinion enough to pass on making even more millions of pounds? something they have been driving toward since day one? Its multi-million pound business and me and you amd the rest of the small loyal fanbase we have are bystanders.Whether the fans like it or not they have little choice and QPR is in their caretaker hands at the moment. just hope the club survives once they are gone and finished using and gambling with it.

[Jeems]

I was reading a Fulham board earlier (nothing better to do), and I saw a few overseas fans posting that they were flying to London and looking forward to following the team - some are going to away games as well! I know we mock them, and rightly so, but I would love it if more foreign fans watched us on TV and flew over just to watch us. These are fans I would have no problem sitting next to.

I know we have a few like that already, but nowhere near the numbers like the established teams do. Hopefully with a new stadium, and being back in the Prem at some stage (with a more settled squad!) will allow us this. (Korean or otherwise!). Remember, not everyone is born an R!

[NW_Hoopz]

Vblock & Tblock both correct, all we have done is question the need for QPR FOOTBALL CLUB to have a 40k seater stadium ......... You even quoted 'projected' attendances of 29k crowds Richard.
Anyone who does away games will tell you how soulless these shiny new grounds are when half empty.
It is a genuine concern .

For those that think just because the board want it WE WILL STAY IN THE PREMIERSHIP FOR EVERMORE , there are 20 teams already in there & another 6 or 8 who also believe they have a devine right to be there.

As V says they are in touching distance of the intended goal, a multi purpose arena to the west of London .............. Eyes on the prize boys, eyes on the prize !

[TBLOCKRANGER]

The thing is, people like you offer criticism but rarely a solution. As you say, you will always questionclearly hat about solutions?

QPR Dave put up some evidence to show the growth of attendances at new grounds, yet you offer nothing but doubt. Isn't it about time you put up a decent argument using some evidence? This is one of the most important events to happen to our club and we need to get it right. It's no good continually saying we'll rattle around in a 40k stadium. Why don't you tell us why you don't think our attendance will never reach 40k in the next 25-50 years in a new stadium, because it isn't about the next couple of years (it won't even be built by then), it's about the next 25 years and beyond.

You in particular were the most vocal with your views when the 40k announcement was made but the reality following Tony's podcast was nothing you said in your endless posts mirrored what Tony said.

1) you say business consultants or similar must of been involved in getting the 40k figure.Wrong. Tony says no.

2) you tell W12 that tonys a successful businessman and he would listen to consultants over fans. Wrong Tony says no point in expensive business consultants it will be fan driven.

3) you say club must of done feasibility tests to get to 40k. Wrong nothing has been decided . Size hasn't been decided could be 30 or 40k he will listen to fans.

4) you endlessly went on about other usage for the stadium.whether it's the case or not Tony makes no mention on podcast so not a priority as you see it. It's a football stadium so it follows the capacity will be based on how many the club can get in on match day not whether 1D are touring on Wednesday.

5) wants to hear from fans not just good but bad. He doesn't want Gareth types from the office who are yesmen bit even the boss doesnt agree with what they are going on about.

6) your view is not to be critical. Wrong Tony accepts fans are going to be worried and is reassuring us. He doesnt think it's a problem to have concerns, why do you? Some fans have been st holders for over 20 yrs, QPR and LR have been part of life for generations. Whats wrong with querying and questioning. People weren't doing it enough early in his tenure and looked what happened.

You say solutions, wrong again he don't want solutions he wants feedback which can be critical which is what some of us our airing.