Tweet
When Briatore and the boys took over our club all those moons ago I was genuinely excited and thought that at last we would get back to the Premiership for certain. I knew that it might take some time but with all their money and business expertise it was a done deal.
Then came the talk of a 4/5 year plan and it will not be rushed, we need to get the foundations right etc etc. I didn't really agree with it as I think those foundations can equally be put right and possibly more so if you are in the Premiership, with the exposure and money to boot. But at least I felt like we were going somewhere.
Now the virtues of a plan are 1. Stability. 2. Everyone is working towards the same goals. 3. Progress is measurable.
Now we are nearly 3 years in and what have we achieved?
1.Stability: The club is possibly the most unstable club in the professional game. We have had 7 managers in little under 3 years. Some have been good, some have been terrible. All have been sacked. The club has become an absolute shambles and is being run terribly. More or less every major decision they have got wrong and handled poorly, Briatore scandal, Magilton Scandal, appointment and sacking of Sousa, Dodgy Italian/Spanish loan signings.
2. Working together towards the same goal: Now I don't know about you but I have no idea what we (Owners/Directors/Players and Fans) are working towards. In my opinion the only ones that want the Premiership are Fans and some of the players, I say some as a lot of the squad know they are not good enough for the Prem and are not wanting to be replaced. I think the owners and in particular Briatore are using the club as a play thing, a little side project, a dabble into the world of football to satisfy his ego that he can come in and transform a struggling club and make it into a global brand. Until there is transparency at the board level the fans we always be a bit dubious about the REAL intentions of these billionaires.
3. Measurable Progress: Now I have to concede that the playing side has improved since the takeover. However our league position has only slightly improved year on year and I think that that may change for the worse this season. The playing side will not improve until we have a manager that is given TIME to prove his worth, this latest appointment of Hart and co, stinks of desperation. Off the field we have a better corporate set up, sponsors and a TV screen stuck on the roof. All in all so far the 4/5 year plan has been a complete and utter failure and in any line of business if you fail to deliver to the plan, heads have to roll at the top. Why has this not happened?
For what it is worth if I had been given the task of completing a 4 year plan it would have been.
Year 1. Pay off the debts. Get a decent young up and coming manager and stick by him. Massively invest in the youth development side.
Year 2. After a year the manager will know where the team needs to improve. Provide decent amount of money to improve the playing side. Start improving the ground and looking at potential new ground sites.
Year 3. As the team improves (play-offs minimum) the interest from sponsors etc starts to grow. Charge more for businesses and improve the corporate side, better product on the pitch more money off it.
Year 4. Promotion. Massively improve the playing staff. Look for young talent from the youth set up and U21 internationals from abroad coupled with established proven premiership players.
Then came the talk of a 4/5 year plan and it will not be rushed, we need to get the foundations right etc etc. I didn't really agree with it as I think those foundations can equally be put right and possibly more so if you are in the Premiership, with the exposure and money to boot. But at least I felt like we were going somewhere.
Now the virtues of a plan are 1. Stability. 2. Everyone is working towards the same goals. 3. Progress is measurable.
Now we are nearly 3 years in and what have we achieved?
1.Stability: The club is possibly the most unstable club in the professional game. We have had 7 managers in little under 3 years. Some have been good, some have been terrible. All have been sacked. The club has become an absolute shambles and is being run terribly. More or less every major decision they have got wrong and handled poorly, Briatore scandal, Magilton Scandal, appointment and sacking of Sousa, Dodgy Italian/Spanish loan signings.
2. Working together towards the same goal: Now I don't know about you but I have no idea what we (Owners/Directors/Players and Fans) are working towards. In my opinion the only ones that want the Premiership are Fans and some of the players, I say some as a lot of the squad know they are not good enough for the Prem and are not wanting to be replaced. I think the owners and in particular Briatore are using the club as a play thing, a little side project, a dabble into the world of football to satisfy his ego that he can come in and transform a struggling club and make it into a global brand. Until there is transparency at the board level the fans we always be a bit dubious about the REAL intentions of these billionaires.
3. Measurable Progress: Now I have to concede that the playing side has improved since the takeover. However our league position has only slightly improved year on year and I think that that may change for the worse this season. The playing side will not improve until we have a manager that is given TIME to prove his worth, this latest appointment of Hart and co, stinks of desperation. Off the field we have a better corporate set up, sponsors and a TV screen stuck on the roof. All in all so far the 4/5 year plan has been a complete and utter failure and in any line of business if you fail to deliver to the plan, heads have to roll at the top. Why has this not happened?
For what it is worth if I had been given the task of completing a 4 year plan it would have been.
Year 1. Pay off the debts. Get a decent young up and coming manager and stick by him. Massively invest in the youth development side.
Year 2. After a year the manager will know where the team needs to improve. Provide decent amount of money to improve the playing side. Start improving the ground and looking at potential new ground sites.
Year 3. As the team improves (play-offs minimum) the interest from sponsors etc starts to grow. Charge more for businesses and improve the corporate side, better product on the pitch more money off it.
Year 4. Promotion. Massively improve the playing staff. Look for young talent from the youth set up and U21 internationals from abroad coupled with established proven premiership players.
Comment