shambles...

[Lundinsponytail]

Sad to say, but this club is in a right old state and that state has been looming over the horizon for a while. To re-cap, as things stand, and in no particular order:

1. A new manager is going to arrive not in November/ December, as best practice indicates, but at the end of January
2. The club was ejected from the two serious Cup competitions at the earliest stage by teams at the bottom of League 2
3. After a protracted period with no day-to-day leadership, the club has just appointed a part-time MD with no prior experience of football club management (no fault of his, by the way, as running schools is a more admirable occupation)
4. There has been no commercial or marketing leadership for over a year, and therefore no commercial and marketing initiatives of any kind.
5. The club has allegedly been in and out of takeover discussions for almost a year, and has not denied as much
6. In that time, and not surprisingly, the manager and his entire playing leadership team has left, of their own accord, followed by the chief scout
7. The club is in litigation with its landlord, who has baldly stated that he is going to make life as difficult as possible
8. After two massive price hikes, home crowds are down by over 15%
9. On the pitch, the team has suffered its worst ever result, a 0-7 home defeat to a side in our own league, something even he Kemp side didn't manage

The positive is that we are mid-table in League 1, still have some good players and staff, and if swift, decisive, strategically sensible action is taken at all levels then the tanker can gradually be turned around. But equally, we are a couple more bad decisions and a bit of bad luck away from disaster. Here's hoping that those good decisions start to be made. Whatever all our differences of opinion in the past, I think that we can all agree that the club is entering a pretty important period in its history.

 

[Lundinsponytail]

The manger one is hardly one to hold against de though, I don’t remember u being up in arms at the signing of clotet, and even a few days ago we’re saying change may be needed to halt the slide.

Ownership, I agree don’t really care which way but need to be decided and give us some clarity on which way that means the club will be heading.

The new md and head of academy may have taken a while but after listening to both I was very impressed, especially with his plans for the academy and improving our local intake.

Who is ur preferred candidate by the way ?

I never really commented on the appointment of Pep at all. How could one? He was a total unknown, and we weren't in the interview room. Several pointed out his disastrous history on the three previous occasions he had been elevated to the manager's chair. But then that was levelled at Mapp as well.

Even now, we don't know enough to comment on the sacking. If there were no internal fall-outs etc then I maintain that this is a risky decision. It throws the cards up in the air at a moment when we are still very much favourites to stay up. Another unknown is just how bad Pep was!! It's possible - possible not probable - that this is a better group of players than we have seen and they just need to be organised and motivated by someone capable.

But the bigger picture is - I think - inarguably grim. There was a moment in time last June either to accept the Sartori bid or else to re-commit - in all areas - to furthering the success of the club (£4 million in cash coming in would certainly have allowed for that). Instead, the bid was turned down, the cash was pocketed and things were allowed to drift, in a somewhat presumptous view that all would continue to be well. Six months later, we succumbed meekly to an appallingly bad Bury side in front of 6000 home fans with a manager about to be sacked gesticulating at the remaining home fans and a motley assortment of players slumping off heads down. It's a helluva comedown, given the riches - which were the net result of good decisions taken over previous years - that were accrued last summer. There was plenty enough there to give MApp a big budget, to recruit an experienced CEO and Marketing chap and to bring in a mix of bright young things and a couple of League 1 ready performers (I always felt that Sercombe was a big signing for us back in the day - someone to come in and improve the team immediately)

 

[Ian]

Why did this miserable monologue require a new thread when there are so many similar threads already?

Where are the rules concerning 'best practice' for sacking a manager, and do they really say that sackings should take place in November/December - just before the January transfer window?

 

[Concretebob]

Why did this miserable monologue require a new thread when there are so many similar threads already?

Where are the rules concerning 'best practice' for sacking a manager, and do they really say that sackings should take place in November/December - just before the January transfer window?

Because he's still absolutely steaming over the fact him and his mates didn't buy the club.

 

[Lundinsponytail]

Can't argue with any of that Charlie. Factual rather than interpretative. Pleasing that OxVox don't get an adverse mention.

Pete, I shall leave others to work out if they think that that set of circumstances demand substantial and straightforward questioning from a supporters trust, or if they are happy with the current, cleverly PR choreographed status quo. As a PR man, I am - naturally - always delighted when smart PR wins the day!

 

[Juan Pablo Showpony]

Whether its a crisis or not, I don't know. However any of the good will that has been built up at the club under Eales does seem to be evaporating rapidly.

To go down the list: -

1) I do agree that we have probably gotten rid of the manager at the wrong time, but the counter argument is that in November/December our form was choppy but didnt dictate him getting sacked. Thats changed from mid December/January admittedly, I just think it would have been incredibly harsh at the time.
2) Yep, cant sugar coat how poorly we have done in cups this year.
3) This does worry me. I have no knowledge of the new MD, but it does worry me that he has no experience of this sort of thing. The fact that he is a known amongst a fair few number of people in Oxford does make me believe that sadly he's there more as a PR exercise as opposed to really being expected to do anything. Not his fault, but not good nonetheless.
4) Agree, its pretty shocking.
5) I completely understand Eales desire to keep the negotiations secret. Its his club, he can do what ever he wants went in come to selling it on. I don't like that we don't know more, but it is what it is. The bigger concern for me isn't that we don't know more, its that nothing seems to be happening at all. Even the local press seems to have started to turn on Eales over the fact that they cant get a hold of any news. The OM, in the analysis of what went wrong with Pep, was just as damning (if not more) of Eales than they were of Pep.
6) Losing Appleton in the summer has been massive for this club. A few people at the time said he could see the writing on the wall, but I don't think anybody truly understood the extent of it until now.
7) The club has to deal with Kassam. It doesn't matter if people like him or not, its just a fact of life that we need to have a cordial relationship with him. Kassam has our future in his hands. Eales has used a negative relationship with Kassam to gain fan kudos, cause its easy to say he's evil and he wants to hurt us and subsequently fans lap it up, but eventually whether its him or the next owner someone is going to have to sit and be nice with him.
8) Undoubtedly a massive, massive issue. Losing Appleton didnt help sure, but this is a much larger problem. Worse than the fall in attendance, for me at least, is the notion that prices were gonna go up to fund acquisitions. Subsequently we've sold those acquisitions at a large profit and haven't invested any of it. So what were we funding exactly?
9) Yep, that probably was the beginning of the end of Pep.

There are still a number of positives, but I do worry. We keep talking about how we "should easily get enough points to stay up" and "have a good enough squad to stay up". Jerome Sale for example is constantly talking up the teams unlikeliness to go down, but a five point gap (which it could be after games in hand are played) is two losses away from some major problems. Lose three of the next four for example and you may well be in a slide that we cant arrest. Very, very important two weeks. We need to get a manager in quickly, the right manager, and we need to fund some transfers in before our next game.

 

[Deleted member 462]

The manger one is hardly one to hold against de though, I don’t remember u being up in arms at the signing of clotet, and even a few days ago we’re saying change may be needed to halt the slide.

Ownership, I agree don’t really care which way but need to be decided and give us some clarity on which way that means the club will be heading.

The new md and head of academy may have taken a while but after listening to both I was very impressed, especially with his plans for the academy and improving our local intake.

Who is ur preferred candidate by the way ?

I never really commented on the appointment of Pep at all. How could one? He was a total unknown, and we weren't in the interview room. Several pointed out his disastrous history on the three previous occasions he had been elevated to the manager's chair. But then that was levelled at Mapp as well.

Even now, we don't know enough to comment on the sacking. If there were no internal fall-outs etc then I maintain that this is a risky decision. It throws the cards up in the air at a moment when we are still very much favourites to stay up. Another unknown is just how bad Pep was!! It's possible - possible not probable - that this is a better group of players than we have seen and they just need to be organised and motivated by someone capable.

But the bigger picture is - I think - inarguably grim. There was a moment in time last June either to accept the Sartori bid or else to re-commit - in all areas - to furthering the success of the club (£4 million in cash coming in would certainly have allowed for that). Instead, the bid was turned down, the cash was pocketed and things were allowed to drift, in a somewhat presumptous view that all would continue to be well. Six months later, we succumbed meekly to an appallingly bad Bury side in front of 6000 home fans with a manager about to be sacked gesticulating at the remaining home fans and a motley assortment of players slumping off heads down. It's a helluva comedown, given the riches - which were the net result of good decisions taken over previous years - that were accrued last summer. There was plenty enough there to give MApp a big budget, to recruit an experienced CEO and Marketing chap and to bring in a mix of bright young things and a couple of League 1 ready performers (I always felt that Sercombe was a big signing for us back in the day - someone to come in and improve the team immediately)

So who’s ur preferred candidate ?

 

[Lundinsponytail]

So who’s ur preferred candidate ?

Heavens, I don't know. Which of us would have plucked CJ Wilder out of the hat back in the day, or MAppy four years ago?

I massively rate Paul Tisdale, and he has applied twice before. I think that the Lenagans regretted not appointing him. His double act with Steve Perryman consistently out-performs one of the five smallest budgets in the league.
I rate Warburton. Rangers is a s**t show that nobody right now could make work.

Whoever it is, they must have an affinity with progressing young talent. It's what we are as a club, and almost always have been. Our fans like watching young players and are supportive, we have a big catchment area of kids to bring into the academy and the first team and we are at a good level to attract the Brannegans of this world. I really don't think that that was Pep. It wasn't what he and Monk did at Swansea or at Leeds and I didn't see any sign that he wanted to be that kind of manager here.

Lampard is a wildcard, but he is brighter and more level-headed than most former top-flight players. Being smart counts, as a manager, and I am often struck on TV by how much quicker he is than the other pundits to grasp a question and answer it. I think that he's a good guy. Big risk, as I say - look at G Neville - because management is generally learned gradually, rather than as a matter of inspiration.

 

[Scotchegg]

There was a moment in time last June either to accept the Sartori bid or else to re-commit - in all areas - to furthering the success of the club (£4 million in cash coming in would certainly have allowed for that). Instead, the bid was turned down, the cash was pocketed and things were allowed to drift, in a somewhat presumptous view that all would continue to be well. Six months later, we succumbed meekly to an appallingly bad Bury side in front of 6000 home fans with a manager about to be sacked gesticulating at the remaining home fans and a motley assortment of players slumping off heads down.

And there, Ladies and Gentlemen, is our agenda.

 

[Mellowyellow]

Why did this miserable monologue require a new thread when there are so many similar threads already?

Where are the rules concerning 'best practice' for sacking a manager, and do they really say that sackings should take place in November/December - just before the January transfer window?

For Christ sake cut the back biting, childish and not welcome on a forum, that should be about everyone moving forward together.
The comment about Charlie and his mates not buying the club is the kind of rubbish that should have been left behind on the last forum.
There may come a point, the way things are going that eales needs called to account by fans, properly,as kassam was in the end.
Think about what the OP points out. I'm not comparing eales to kassam, but did kassam ever make as many hollow promises as eales has done.
What we need now is fans united behind an experienced manager, going to Charlton in their droves, not splintered name calling.

 

[Scotchegg]

For Christ sake cut the back biting, childish and not welcome on a forum, that should be about everyone moving forward together.
The comment about Charlie and his mates not buying the club is the kind of rubbish that should have been left behind on the last forum.
There may come a point, the way things are going that eales needs called to account by fans, properly,as kassam was in the end.
Think about what the OP points out. I'm not comparing eales to kassam, but did kassam ever make as many hollow promises as eales has done.
What we need now is fans united behind an experienced manager, going to Charlton in their droves, not splintered name calling.

Everyone moving forward together as long as they're anti DE?

 

[Lundinsponytail]

I’d like warburton as well, probably suits the model even more so than greyson. I suppose with lampard being new he can be told more that is the route we want him to take the club, using youth . Last two callers on radio oxford want Coleman and Gareth ainsworth [emoji85]

I really rate Ainsworth as well! With a better budget and base of young players I think he would do well.
Confused on the Coleman suggestion! Seamus Coleman?

 

[Colin B]

I’m guessing Chris, but with some of the other suggestions I’m not so sure now. Someone wants the brackley manager.

I think ainsworths done a good job, but I don’t like him he’s a less annoying version of phil brown

John Coleman, Accrington boss.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Would the 4 million be paid in stages and thus not pocketed? Even including Roofe, COD, etc sales

 

[The Hawk]

Everyone moving forward together as long as they're anti DE?

Which of the above numbered points are inaccurate?

If you could go through them one by one I’d be interested to read your rationale

That’s a genuine request by the way

 

[Mellowyellow]

Everyone moving forward together as long as they're anti DE?

Behind the team. Chairman come and go, fans are the constant.

 

[Sharp Edges]

For Christ sake cut the back biting, childish and not welcome on a forum, that should be about everyone moving forward together.
The comment about Charlie and his mates not buying the club is the kind of rubbish that should have been left behind on the last forum.
There may come a point, the way things are going that eales needs called to account by fans, properly,as kassam was in the end.
Think about what the OP points out. I'm not comparing eales to kassam, but did kassam ever make as many hollow promises as eales has done.
What we need now is fans united behind an experienced manager, going to Charlton in their droves, not splintered name calling.

When Kassam said he would take us on a journey you were expecting a journey to the conference were you? Kassam took us from the championship to the trap door out of the football league while raping us of every asset we had. Eales has taken us from the trap door out of the football league to league 1 and wembley twice whilst investing in a scouting network and players that have given the club some worthwhile assets again.
As for the opening post Charlie has said it all before many times, the smell of bitterness is choking me. I think any genuine fan of sane mind should have a little think about where we might be if IL had sold to Charlies gang. Think about some of the s**t that flies in Eales direction and pause for minute to think how mr rhino skin would deal with it. Things are not as good as they should be at present but they are better than local derbies with Oxford City.
For me Eales biggest contribution to OUFC was buying the club off IL, his second biggest contribution was not selling to Sartori. Both decisions kept Charlie and his side kicks to s**t stirring on here and other social media.

 

[Mellowyellow]

When Kassam said he would take us on a journey you were expecting a journey to the conference were you? Kassam took us from the championship to the trap door out of the football league while raping us of every asset we had. Eales has taken us from the trap door out of the football league to league 1 and wembley twice whilst investing in a scouting network and players that have given the club some worthwhile assets again.
As for the opening post Charlie has said it all before many times, the smell of bitterness is choking me. I think any genuine fan of sane mind should have a little think about where we might be if IL had sold to Charlies gang. Think about some of the s**t that flies in Eales direction and pause for minute to think how mr rhino skin would deal with it. Things are not as good as they should be at present but they are better than local derbies with Oxford City.
For me Eales biggest contribution to OUFC was buying the club off IL, his second biggest contribution was not selling to Sartori. Both decisions kept Charlie and his side kicks to s**t stirring on here and other social media.

Prey tell what you know, that leads you to form the opinion that Sartori would have been detrimental to the club??

Love this quote:
Kassam took us from the championship to the trap door out of the football league while raping us of every asset we had. Eales has taken us from the trap door out of the football league to league 1....AND THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING HE IS QUICKLY LEADING US BLINDLY BACK T THE TRAP DOOR!!

 

[Scotchegg]

Prey tell what you know, that leads you to form the opinion that Sartori would have been detrimental to the club??

Love this quote:
Kassam took us from the championship to the trap door out of the football league while raping us of every asset we had. Eales has taken us from the trap door out of the football league to league 1....AND THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING HE IS QUICKLY LEADING US BLINDLY BACK T THE TRAP DOOR!!

The point being made was that anyone can say anything but results speak for themselves. Satori promised the world, but so did Kassam. Whereas DE has improved our league position for each of the completed seasons with us (including promotion) and taken us to Wembley twice. He has funded a playing squad that has seen several million pound plus sales, something we have not seen in a generation. This season has been poor, but another mid table finish will still be pretty good for the 4 years DE has been incharge.

Satori could have turned us into Blackburn, or he could have turned us into Bury. No one knows. But we can judge DE or the last 4 years and he has done far more good than bad in that time.

 

[uptheus]

The point being made was that anyone can say anything but results speak for themselves. Satori promised the world, but so did Kassam. Whereas DE has improved our league position for each of the completed seasons with us (including promotion) and taken us to Wembley twice. He has funded a playing squad that has seen several million pound plus sales, something we have not seen in a generation. This season has been poor, but another mid table finish will still be pretty good for the 4 years DE has been incharge.

Satori could have turned us into Blackburn, or he could have turned us into Bury. No one knows. But we can judge DE or the last 4 years and he has done far more good than bad in that time.

There's no denying that Darryl has done a good job for the club, but not so sure over the last 9 months.

Re; Satori, we'll probably never know unfortunately.