Sport Republic

[SaintsLoyal]

Im going to predict that Spors and Still is the last throw of the dice for Solak, i reckon hes radpidly losing interest in the whole football ownership thing.

 

I think the CEO Parsons is also floundering and running the club like some shitty non league outfit.

 

[Badger]

Can’t blame him for losing interest and the will to continue pumping money in if it continually flounders.

I put the following on the Still thread, but might also be worth asking it here as well:

Anyone know who from our hierarchy was in Hull yesterday to see how well our the team are performing?

I recall seeing Kat at the skates game, but is Dragan a regular at home matches or does he rely on feedback from Spors ? 

[sockeye]

1 hour ago, SaintsLoyal said:

Im going to predict that Spors and Still is the last throw of the dice for Solak, i reckon hes radpidly losing interest in the whole football ownership thing.

 

Wouldn't surprise me. But if we can't get out of the Championship the club is worth much, much less than they paid for it. They deserve to take a loss on the sale but will they?

[CB Fry]

9 hours ago, SaintsLoyal said:

I think the CEO Parsons is also floundering and running the club like some shitty non league outfit

Your obsession with Phil Parsons is fucking deranged 😂😂😂

[Fitzhugh Fella]

10 hours ago, Badger said:

Can’t blame him for losing interest and the will to continue pumping money in if it continually flounders.

I put the following on the Still thread, but might also be worth asking it here as well:

Anyone know who from our hierarchy was in Hull yesterday to see how well our the team are performing?

I recall seeing Kat at the skates game, but is Dragan a regular at home matches or does he rely on feedback from Spors ? 

Dragan attends about 6 home games a season. He has a few issues with his company at the moment which takes up a lot of his time.

I've seen a fair bit of criticism towards PP. I was invited to the Pompey game as his guest in the board room. I recently lost my wife so it was a nice gesture. I can categorically say from what I observed PP lives and breaths the club. He couldn't eat before the game, he was so nervous and afterwards he was as upset at out performance as any fan I have seen. I don't know for absolute certain he was at Hull but I recall him telling another director he was thinking of going up on the Friday. Although I don't know enough about the inner financial workings of the club I can certainly guarantee his committment and determination to making us more competitive. He is working on lots of plans, some of which are significant, to boost our revenues. I found him open, honest and a straight talker. I guess you can only speak as you find.

I also spent a long time talking to Johannes Spors. Again a very articulate, intelligent and friendly man who appearted dedicated to the cause. He has a young family living in Germany but has moved here to be completely hands on. Obviously his recruitment is very much under the spotlight right now and I sensed he was feeling the pressure. Although Dragan was not there, everybody else was and one thing I came away with was they are all very committed.

[Simo is back]

3 wins in 44 games is pretty damning on SR's ownership imo.

[benali-shorts]

1 hour ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

Dragan attends about 6 home games a season. He has a few issues with his company at the moment which takes up a lot of his time.

I've seen a fair bit of criticism towards PP. I was invited 

Sorry to hear about your wife, FF, best wishes to you. 

[benali-shorts]

1 hour ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

 

I also spent a long time talking to Johannes Spors. Again a very articulate, intelligent and friendly man who appearted dedicated to the cause. He has a young family living in Germany but has moved here to be completely hands on. Obviously his recruitment is very much under the spotlight right now and I sensed he was feeling the pressure. Although Dragan was not there, everybody else was and one thing I came away with was they are all very committed.

Interesting that Spors hasn’t moved his family over. Whilst understandable, it’s unsustainable for anything other than the short term. 
Solak’s business complications are a mess which will impact us sooner rather than later. 
I don’t doubt their commitment (particularly Solak’s financial commitment) - unfortunately it’s their competence which appears utterly suspect. They lurch from one football plan to another and whilst might be nice guys, their impact on the playing squad and club has been utterly abysmal.
With the owner suffering a challenging situation with his core business and a very uncertain outcome for it, I would be amazed if we weren’t actively looking for a sale. 

[csh398]

SR have been the common denominator here. Progressive and consistent deterioration in terms of squad quality, suitability and performances. I would still argue that we should have expected automatic promotion 2023/24, and whilst we got there in the end finishing 4th, it was in my opinion a degree of failure (however small). Then, as we all know they failed spectacularly last season, in almost every way. 
 

We have seen bizarre decisions, awful transfer activity, alienation of supporters, failure to mitigate obvious gaps in our squad. If this was over the short term I could perhaps think that maybe, just maybe it might be down to a shoddy manager or random bad luck/poor decisions. However, this has been sustained and total failure, repeating the same old patterns without change. In terms of evidence, for me it all points directly to the fact that until this lot sell up and piss off, nothing significant will change. I mean, I’ve been saying for several years about a lack of spine (GK, CB, CM, CF) and any effort to address has been half hearted (only Ramsdale ticked that box last season). How can the average fan in the stand clearly and easily identify the glaring deficiencies (in squad and club structure), but those in charge can’t? It can only be incompetence. 
 

I have absolutely no confidence that SR will ever turn this around. Despite the platitudes and sound bites, nothing changes in their approach (or the outcomes). I would be delighted to be proved wrong, but wouldn’t put my mortgage on it that’s for sure! I think our only real chance is for a saviour to roll into town to save us. Sadly, there aren’t many Markus’s around. 

[badgerx16]

Less of a Sports Republic, more of a Banana Republic.

Edited Monday at 10:37 by badgerx16

[tdmickey3]

32 minutes ago, csh398 said:

SR have been the common denominator here. Progressive and consistent deterioration in terms of squad quality, suitability and performances. I would still argue that we should have expected automatic promotion 2023/24, and whilst we got there in the end finishing 4th, it was in my opinion a degree of failure (however small). Then, as we all know they failed spectacularly last season, in almost every way. 
 

We have seen bizarre decisions, awful transfer activity, alienation of supporters, failure to mitigate obvious gaps in our squad. If this was over the short term I could perhaps think that maybe, just maybe it might be down to a shoddy manager or random bad luck/poor decisions. However, this has been sustained and total failure, repeating the same old patterns without change. In terms of evidence, for me it all points directly to the fact that until this lot sell up and piss off, nothing significant will change. I mean, I’ve been saying for several years about a lack of spine (GK, CB, CM, CF) and any effort to address has been half hearted (only Ramsdale ticked that box last season). How can the average fan in the stand clearly and easily identify the glaring deficiencies (in squad and club structure), but those in charge can’t? It can only be incompetence. 
 

I have absolutely no confidence that SR will ever turn this around. Despite the platitudes and sound bites, nothing changes in their approach (or the outcomes). I would be delighted to be proved wrong, but wouldn’t put my mortgage on it that’s for sure! I think our only real chance is for a saviour to roll into town to save us. Sadly, there aren’t many Markus’s around. 

That is a top post, absolutely spot on

[CheshireSaint]

24 minutes ago, csh398 said:

SR have been the common denominator here. Progressive and consistent deterioration in terms of squad quality, suitability and performances. I would still argue that we should have expected automatic promotion 2023/24, and whilst we got there in the end finishing 4th, it was in my opinion a degree of failure (however small). Then, as we all know they failed spectacularly last season, in almost every way. 
 

We have seen bizarre decisions, awful transfer activity, alienation of supporters, failure to mitigate obvious gaps in our squad. If this was over the short term I could perhaps think that maybe, just maybe it might be down to a shoddy manager or random bad luck/poor decisions. However, this has been sustained and total failure, repeating the same old patterns without change. In terms of evidence, for me it all points directly to the fact that until this lot sell up and piss off, nothing significant will change. I mean, I’ve been saying for several years about a lack of spine (GK, CB, CM, CF) and any effort to address has been half hearted (only Ramsdale ticked that box last season). How can the average fan in the stand clearly and easily identify the glaring deficiencies (in squad and club structure), but those in charge can’t? It can only be incompetence. 
 

I have absolutely no confidence that SR will ever turn this around. Despite the platitudes and sound bites, nothing changes in their approach (or the outcomes). I would be delighted to be proved wrong, but wouldn’t put my mortgage on it that’s for sure! I think our only real chance is for a saviour to roll into town to save us. Sadly, there aren’t many Markus’s around. 

This is absolutely correct. If the fans can see it, then someone being paid to do the same, should be all over it. No one can doubt the financial backing so far but one wonders how a person can be so good in business and so bad at appointing the correct people. It's been glaringly obvious since Ings, that we have needed a striker. It's been glaringly obvious that Bazunu isn't a number one or even a two. Hardly surprising then that we struggle to score and concede at will. I think it's a little early to judge this summers transfers in but certainly Downs isn't what we need. He hasn't the heart to get amongst it and challenge, preferring to remain on the periphery, where it's safe. How on earth he was scouted and not found out, I don't know. Again likely by someone who is paid handsomely to not make this mistake. It seems we are continually trying to be too clever, looking for the next superstar. We need a steady Eddie type of striker who doesn't pull up trees necessarily but is a no nonsense target man that knows where the goal is and isn't afraid to get stuck in. 

[Mboto Gorge]

59 minutes ago, csh398 said:

SR have been the common denominator here. Progressive and consistent deterioration in terms of squad quality, suitability and performances. I would still argue that we should have expected automatic promotion 2023/24, and whilst we got there in the end finishing 4th, it was in my opinion a degree of failure (however small). Then, as we all know they failed spectacularly last season, in almost every way. 
 

We have seen bizarre decisions, awful transfer activity, alienation of supporters, failure to mitigate obvious gaps in our squad. If this was over the short term I could perhaps think that maybe, just maybe it might be down to a shoddy manager or random bad luck/poor decisions. However, this has been sustained and total failure, repeating the same old patterns without change. In terms of evidence, for me it all points directly to the fact that until this lot sell up and piss off, nothing significant will change. I mean, I’ve been saying for several years about a lack of spine (GK, CB, CM, CF) and any effort to address has been half hearted (only Ramsdale ticked that box last season). How can the average fan in the stand clearly and easily identify the glaring deficiencies (in squad and club structure), but those in charge can’t? It can only be incompetence. 
 

I have absolutely no confidence that SR will ever turn this around. Despite the platitudes and sound bites, nothing changes in their approach (or the outcomes). I would be delighted to be proved wrong, but wouldn’t put my mortgage on it that’s for sure! I think our only real chance is for a saviour to roll into town to save us. Sadly, there aren’t many Markus’s around. 

Bang on. It’s very frustrating to see the same mistakes being repeated year after year while the club slowly declines each season 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, csh398 said:

SR have been the common denominator here. Progressive and consistent deterioration in terms of squad quality, suitability and performances. I would still argue that we should have expected automatic promotion 2023/24, and whilst we got there in the end finishing 4th, it was in my opinion a degree of failure (however small). Then, as we all know they failed spectacularly last season, in almost every way. 
 

We have seen bizarre decisions, awful transfer activity, alienation of supporters, failure to mitigate obvious gaps in our squad. If this was over the short term I could perhaps think that maybe, just maybe it might be down to a shoddy manager or random bad luck/poor decisions. However, this has been sustained and total failure, repeating the same old patterns without change. In terms of evidence, for me it all points directly to the fact that until this lot sell up and piss off, nothing significant will change. I mean, I’ve been saying for several years about a lack of spine (GK, CB, CM, CF) and any effort to address has been half hearted (only Ramsdale ticked that box last season). How can the average fan in the stand clearly and easily identify the glaring deficiencies (in squad and club structure), but those in charge can’t? It can only be incompetence. 
 

I have absolutely no confidence that SR will ever turn this around. Despite the platitudes and sound bites, nothing changes in their approach (or the outcomes). I would be delighted to be proved wrong, but wouldn’t put my mortgage on it that’s for sure! I think our only real chance is for a saviour to roll into town to save us. Sadly, there aren’t many Markus’s around. 

When one of the main voices at SR is snake oil's best ever salesman Rasmus Ankersen it is hardly surprising that they have made a complete hash of running our football team.

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, csh398 said:

SR have been the common denominator here. Progressive and consistent deterioration in terms of squad quality, suitability and performances. I would still argue that we should have expected automatic promotion 2023/24, and whilst we got there in the end finishing 4th, it was in my opinion a degree of failure (however small). Then, as we all know they failed spectacularly last season, in almost every way. 
 

We have seen bizarre decisions, awful transfer activity, alienation of supporters, failure to mitigate obvious gaps in our squad. If this was over the short term I could perhaps think that maybe, just maybe it might be down to a shoddy manager or random bad luck/poor decisions. However, this has been sustained and total failure, repeating the same old patterns without change. In terms of evidence, for me it all points directly to the fact that until this lot sell up and piss off, nothing significant will change. I mean, I’ve been saying for several years about a lack of spine (GK, CB, CM, CF) and any effort to address has been half hearted (only Ramsdale ticked that box last season). How can the average fan in the stand clearly and easily identify the glaring deficiencies (in squad and club structure), but those in charge can’t? It can only be incompetence. 
 

I have absolutely no confidence that SR will ever turn this around. Despite the platitudes and sound bites, nothing changes in their approach (or the outcomes). I would be delighted to be proved wrong, but wouldn’t put my mortgage on it that’s for sure! I think our only real chance is for a saviour to roll into town to save us. Sadly, there aren’t many Markus’s around. 

I'm exactly with you, I think they've been given a lot of rope and I don't think they should have been given as much as they have.

I also have zero confidence in them. Every major decision they screw up, every single one. Hoping it changes at this point is just hope casting, the reality is that what has gone before will continue to occur.

They have simply destroyed our football club at every level and we have no future under them.

Edited Monday at 12:09 by S-Clarke

[Eagle778]

1 hour ago, csh398 said:

SR have been the common denominator here. Progressive and consistent deterioration in terms of squad quality, suitability and performances. I would still argue that we should have expected automatic promotion 2023/24, and whilst we got there in the end finishing 4th, it was in my opinion a degree of failure (however small). Then, as we all know they failed spectacularly last season, in almost every way. 
 

We have seen bizarre decisions, awful transfer activity, alienation of supporters, failure to mitigate obvious gaps in our squad. If this was over the short term I could perhaps think that maybe, just maybe it might be down to a shoddy manager or random bad luck/poor decisions. However, this has been sustained and total failure, repeating the same old patterns without change. In terms of evidence, for me it all points directly to the fact that until this lot sell up and piss off, nothing significant will change. I mean, I’ve been saying for several years about a lack of spine (GK, CB, CM, CF) and any effort to address has been half hearted (only Ramsdale ticked that box last season). How can the average fan in the stand clearly and easily identify the glaring deficiencies (in squad and club structure), but those in charge can’t? It can only be incompetence. 
 

I have absolutely no confidence that SR will ever turn this around. Despite the platitudes and sound bites, nothing changes in their approach (or the outcomes). I would be delighted to be proved wrong, but wouldn’t put my mortgage on it that’s for sure! I think our only real chance is for a saviour to roll into town to save us. Sadly, there aren’t many Markus’s around. 

Finishing 4th was an achievement in itself, we had a great season. You could argue we could have finished higher, but Leicester and Ipswich had unreal seasons, which won’t be matched this year. We had an identity then, yes we concedded very poor goals in possession but our football was free flowing and we created so much.

I’d give anything to finish 4th again this year.

 

[SaintsLoyal]

6 hours ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

Dragan attends about 6 home games a season. He has a few issues with his company at the moment which takes up a lot of his time.

I've seen a fair bit of criticism towards PP. I was invited to the Pompey game as his guest in the board room. I recently lost my wife so it was a nice gesture. I can categorically say from what I observed PP lives and breaths the club. He couldn't eat before the game, he was so nervous and afterwards he was as upset at out performance as any fan I have seen. I don't know for absolute certain he was at Hull but I recall him telling another director he was thinking of going up on the Friday. Although I don't know enough about the inner financial workings of the club I can certainly guarantee his committment and determination to making us more competitive. He is working on lots of plans, some of which are significant, to boost our revenues. I found him open, honest and a straight talker. I guess you can only speak as you find.

I also spent a long time talking to Johannes Spors. Again a very articulate, intelligent and friendly man who appearted dedicated to the cause. He has a young family living in Germany but has moved here to be completely hands on. Obviously his recruitment is very much under the spotlight right now and I sensed he was feeling the pressure. Although Dragan was not there, everybody else was and one thing I came away with was they are all very committed.

 

Sorry to hear about your loss, DH.

My thoughts on PP are that he’s low-budget and comes across like an ’80s car salesman from Shirley.

His personal inclusion of looney Le Tissier  — despite all of his irresponsible and embarrassing behaviour — crosses the line for me.

I’ve told him that personally, by the way, and also said, “Who gives a toss what Glenn Cockerill says about MLT?”

But now I’ve noticed he’s in bed with the ex-Saints, playing football with them at charity games. 😐

He’s talked so many things up and got fans hyped for XYZ, yet I see no real evidence from the people that matter to support his verbal hype.

 

Anyway, when it comes to Solak, I just think the large expenditure and seeing unlimited money at other clubs has put him off somewhat.

I still don’t understand how such a big businessman cannot attract some decent sponsorship towards the club.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[saint michael]

7 hours ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

Dragan attends about 6 home games a season. He has a few issues with his company at the moment which takes up a lot of his time.

I've seen a fair bit of criticism towards PP. I was invited to the Pompey game as his guest in the board room. I recently lost my wife so it was a nice gesture. I can categorically say from what I observed PP lives and breaths the club. He couldn't eat before the game, he was so nervous and afterwards he was as upset at out performance as any fan I have seen. I don't know for absolute certain he was at Hull but I recall him telling another director he was thinking of going up on the Friday. Although I don't know enough about the inner financial workings of the club I can certainly guarantee his committment and determination to making us more competitive. He is working on lots of plans, some of which are significant, to boost our revenues. I found him open, honest and a straight talker. I guess you can only speak as you find.

I also spent a long time talking to Johannes Spors. Again a very articulate, intelligent and friendly man who appearted dedicated to the cause. He has a young family living in Germany but has moved here to be completely hands on. Obviously his recruitment is very much under the spotlight right now and I sensed he was feeling the pressure. Although Dragan was not there, everybody else was and one thing I came away with was they are all very committed.

So sorry to hear of your loss. Thanks for the info. Always good to hear the inside view.
 

My problem with them isn’t commitment it’s capability, strategy and implementation. Why they believe they have to have a different approach to football than anyone else and why they try to experiment with everything… goodness only knows. They have over complicated everything to a point of destruction of the club I have supported and loved for tens of years, and have taken away the joy of watching them. Trying to reinvent football is not needed and they would have been miles more profitable if they had stuck with the core competencies of running a football club with the proven basics. Building on when these are in place. Running before they can walk has tripped them up big time. Admitting that and changing that is now essential.
 

Edited Monday at 15:48 by saint michael

[SaintsLoyal]

12 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Your obsession with Phil Parsons is fucking deranged 😂😂😂

 

or is your obsession with my posts deranged ?

 

I wouldnt be saying it, if i didnt think there was good reason.

[benjii]

8 hours ago, benali-shorts said:

Interesting that Spors hasn’t moved his family over. Whilst understandable, it’s unsustainable for anything other than the short term. 
Solak’s business complications are a mess which will impact us sooner rather than later. 
I don’t doubt their commitment (particularly Solak’s financial commitment) - unfortunately it’s their competence which appears utterly suspect. They lurch from one football plan to another and whilst might be nice guys, their impact on the playing squad and club has been utterly abysmal.
With the owner suffering a challenging situation with his core business and a very uncertain outcome for it, I would be amazed if we weren’t actively looking for a sale. 

 

Agreed. If our Sporting Director can't even be arsed to move his family here it's not surprising he's doing such a terrible job.

[Maggie May]

Good to see this place is still capable of reaching new levels of meltdown.

[FredVaFC59100]

8 hours ago, benjii said:

 

Agreed. If our Sporting Director can't even be arsed to move his family here it's not surprising he's doing such a terrible job.

Exactly; We had the same situation with Ben Chorley as sporting director for Valenciennes. For 2 years he was living alone in Valenciennes while his family remained in London. We went down the 1st year and had a terrible run in National the following year.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

21 hours ago, benjii said:

 

Agreed. If our Sporting Director can't even be arsed to move his family here it's not surprising he's doing such a terrible job.

Plenty of managers of ours didn't move their families over here. Ralph and Koeman are just two. If you have young kids in school its impractical. Let's judge him on his recruitment - ( I accept the jury is very much still out).

[benjii]

1 hour ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

Plenty of managers of ours didn't move their families over here. Ralph and Koeman are just two. If you have young kids in school its impractical. Let's judge him on his recruitment - ( I accept the jury is very much still out).

Koeman's youngest son was 18 when he became our manager. That's hardly a young kid.

It's not impractical at all for a German family to move to England for a few years if one of the parents has a high-profile and well-paid job. In fact, it's a great opportunity for all of them.

[S-Clarke]

3 hours ago, benjii said:

Koeman's youngest son was 18 when he became our manager. That's hardly a young kid.

It's not impractical at all for a German family to move to England for a few years if one of the parents has a high-profile and well-paid job. In fact, it's a great opportunity for all of them.

Let's be honest, his role is transitional. We know how it plays out, same as it played out with Wilcox and Shields. 

He's here for a flying visit to leave us with some iffy choices, and then onto the next one.

Edited Tuesday at 21:20 by S-Clarke

[Badger]

3 hours ago, benjii said:

It's not impractical at all for a German family to move to England for a few years if one of the parents has a high-profile and well-paid job. In fact, it's a great opportunity for all of them.

Possibly, although that’s a matter for them to decide, if they want to or not. Multiple considerations, family, schools etc.

Turning this round though, does he need to be based here, or in the UK at all ? Better if he is in my view but  he can oversee recruitment etc from his laptop from anywhere with a connection, attend SFC once or twice a month. 

[Badger]

24 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Let's be honest, his role is transitional. We know how it plays out, same as it played out with Wilcox and Shields. 

He's here for a flying visit to leave us with some iffy choices, and then onto the next one.

This is probably close to the mark.