Tiger on 5 @5.44

[bazzer9461]

Drivetime - 5 Minute Fans Forum: Tiger (25/04/19) - BBC Sounds

Oxford United owner Tiger takes your questions on board meetings and player contracts.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Ox4Eva]

Not heard it but guess he said f**k all!

 

[Marked Ox]

Not heard it but guess he said f**k all!

His answers were quite reasonable to me.

 

[Ox4Eva]

His answers were quite reasonable to me.

Care to expand..

 

[Marked Ox]

Care to expand..

From what I can remember:

Talked about the contract situation with Nico Jones and the squad in general. Including asked if they were looking to sell players, he said no but obviously if they got a silly offer they would consider it.

Talked about building the club all the way through (ie. Academy through to 1st team).

Talked about having a full board meeting after the game confirming everybody would be there. All subjects would be discussed.

He got asked about debt and was he loaning the funding to the club which it appears yes but only half of the shortfall based off of his comment. I was expecting him to be loaning the money anyway. He reiterated he is here for the long term.

Payment to Kassam relating to the last winding up petition (or threatened one, I lose track) will be made in the next week or so (iirc), otherwise up to date.

 

[yellowbow]

From what I can remember:

Talked about the contract situation with Nico Jones and the squad in general. Including asked if they were looking to sell players, he said no but obviously if they got a silly offer they would consider it.

Talked about building the club all the way through (ie. Academy through to 1st team).

Talked about having a full board meeting after the game confirming everybody would be there. All subjects would be discussed.

He got asked about debt and was he loaning the funding to the club which it appears yes but only half of the shortfall based off of his comment. I was expecting him to be loaning the money anyway. He reiterated he is here for the long term.

Payment to Kassam relating to the last winding up petition (or threatened one, I lose track) will be made in the next week or so (iirc), otherwise up to date.

One thing that slightly confused me. When asked whether Nico Jones had been offered a contract he said that he was on a scholars contract until June next year and would then be offered a professional contract on July 1st (presumably 2020) So can he not be offered a full professional contract now? If another club comes in for him before he signs a full contract would we still be able to receive a transfer fee for him? It just seems strange that a young player can break into the first team but still have to wait a year for a full contract. Unless of course, I misunderstood Tiger.

 

[bazzer9461]

Not heard it but guess he said f**k all!

You should listen, and to add to what @Marked Ox wrote he also said Karl doesn't have to sell and only a ridiculous offer for a player would they then look.

 

[Ox4Eva]

Will listen when I get back to the royal borough of Putney after a long hard day!

I hope what has been said is not bullshit

 

[MJB]

One thing that slightly confused me. When asked whether Nico Jones had been offered a contract he said that he was on a scholars contract until June next year and would then be offered a professional contract on July 1st (presumably 2020) So can he not be offered a full professional contract now? If another club comes in for him before he signs a full contract would we still be able to receive a transfer fee for him? It just seems strange that a young player can break into the first team but still have to wait a year for a full contract. Unless of course, I misunderstood Tiger.

Yes I was wondering the same thing. Can’t work if he meant 1st July 2019 or 2020.

 

[bazzer9461]

Yes I was wondering the same thing. Can’t work if he meant 1st July 2019 or 2020.

I was wondering the a me thing I suppose all will be revealed one way or the other

 

[Discoland]

Most honest set of answers from Tiger yet.

Let's hope this becomes more permanent with the board coming together. I genuinely think he has the clubs best interests at heart and despite earlier doubts, WUPs and the like, I'm starting to come round to his and Karl's plans. Not saying its gonna be perfect, but the parallels to Eales/MApps first season are there.

All part of the OUFC rollercoaster I guess, just give us a cracking pre-season please.

 

[Bodminyellow]

I presumed this year would be strange otherwise

 

[PottersRightBoot]

Worth a listen. Sounds much more fluent than in previous interviews. He’s clearly the front man. The dons are turning up for Donny. It’s the board meeting of the century..

 

[PottersRightBoot]

Also sounds far more clued up about how lower league football works ... than say Captain Bob,

 

[Telforddave]

Yeah I was also confused by this. Didn’t Slavi Spasov get a professional contract whilst he was 17. Assumed you could offer a professional deal at any time once a player turns 17.

I was wondering the a me thing I suppose all will be revealed one way or the other

 

[AbbeyOx]

maybe unpopular, but I'm willing to give him another chance. KR and some of the players have turned it around so hope he can as well. clearly lots of things underestimated and got seriously wrong but I reckon he's got the passion and enthusiasm, and money has certainly been put in. as long as lessons have been learnt I think we'll have a good season and could be exciting times

 

[Sarge]

maybe unpopular, but I'm willing to give him another chance. KR and some of the players have turned it around so hope he can as well. clearly lots of things underestimated and got seriously wrong but I reckon he's got the passion and enthusiasm, and money has certainly been put in. as long as lessons have been learnt I think we'll have a good season and could be exciting times

if tiger sets up :
A proper fans forum ...not a pre match 45min rush through... with all board members in attendance

and a shareholders AGM during the close season

i may change my mind about him too

 

[Victor1986]

Yes Sarge - we must all see the situation as set against a quite miraculous "turn around" on the playing side & I am sure that in itself is tempering peoples' attitude to Tiger (at present). He still has not told us whether it is 'his' money that has been put in to the various improvements or if it has been put in by A N Other? (Thohir?) A proper Fans Forum would also give the opportunity to ask more in depth questions about cash flow, paying bills & "the 5 sites".

 

[mooro]

One thing that slightly confused me. When asked whether Nico Jones had been offered a contract he said that he was on a scholars contract until June next year and would then be offered a professional contract on July 1st (presumably 2020) So can he not be offered a full professional contract now? If another club comes in for him before he signs a full contract would we still be able to receive a transfer fee for him? It just seems strange that a young player can break into the first team but still have to wait a year for a full contract. Unless of course, I misunderstood Tiger.

Jones is a first year scholar and is due to graduate in the summer of 2020 along with a number of others, including Elechi, Spasov and Lopes. These three however have already been given pro deals up to the summer of 2021, although will technically be able to continue in the U18s, albeit also in the U23s/out on loan.
Pro deals can only be signed once a player reaches his 17th birthday, which this crop will have been doing during this season (if I remember correctly age groups are done on a year by year basis, just like schools, though sounds like the dates run from July-June to match the footie season rather than the school Sept-Aug setup.
Therefore pretty certain that Jones COULD be offered a deal before then, as long as he has reached his 17th birthday, which right now I cant be bothered to look up

 

[Foley]

Jones is a first year scholar and is due to graduate in the summer of 2020 along with a number of others, including Elechi, Spasov and Lopes. These three however have already been given pro deals up to the summer of 2021, although will technically be able to continue in the U18s, albeit also in the U23s/out on loan.
Pro deals can only be signed once a player reaches his 17th birthday, which this crop will have been doing during this season (if I remember correctly age groups are done on a year by year basis, just like schools, though sounds like the dates run from July-June to match the footie season rather than the school Sept-Aug setup.
Therefore pretty certain that Jones COULD be offered a deal before then, as long as he has reached his 17th birthday, which right now I cant be bothered to look up

Nico Jones was born on the 3 February 02 which means he turned 17 couple of months ago.
It sounds as as if a contract has been discussed. Let's hope he signs it and his agent isn't eyeing a move elsewhere.

 

[Junior_1]

Pretty sure he will.

My understanding is Nico is very grateful to Dan Harris, Leon Blackmore Such and Chris Hackett for effectively rescuing him (and Elechi ) from the wilderness after they were released from Fulham and Manchester Utd respectively. Believe it not, after watching the 18’s numerous times this season it’s obvious to see the money we’ve invested is being very well spent and will help the first team for years to come. Worth noting that Robinson is very clued up on all the youth lads and is pretty much a regular at all home games. If you follow my twitter! You’d have seen I called that Nico would play for the first team months ago!

Both had difficult upbringings away from football and if we hadn’t have signed them, who knows what they would be doing with their young lives now. If you’ve not seen Elechi yet you’ll be shocked! The lad is huge but can also shift! Sweet left peg as well and he and Nico link up very well often with Owen James in and around them too.

What Oxford also do so well is they educate the youth lads on all sorts of life situations and they help them just as much away from the pitch as on it.

 

[warksox]

Worth noting that Robinson is very clued up on all the youth lads and is pretty much a regular at all home games.

I had a similar impression about Tiger from the 5 min Q&A. Although he won't have seen so much of them, he clearly takes an interest and was able to reel off a list of the youth lads names in a way that I doubt many of our previous owners would've been able to do.

 

[yellowbow]

Pretty sure he will.

My understanding is Nico is very grateful to Dan Harris, Leon Blackmore Such and Chris Hackett for effectively rescuing him (and Elechi ) from the wilderness after they were released from Fulham and Manchester Utd respectively. Believe it not, after watching the 18’s numerous times this season it’s obvious to see the money we’ve invested is being very well spent and will help the first team for years to come. Worth noting that Robinson is very clued up on all the youth lads and is pretty much a regular at all home games. If you follow my twitter! You’d have seen I called that Nico would play for the first team months ago!

Both had difficult upbringings away from football and if we hadn’t have signed them, who knows what they would be doing with their young lives now. If you’ve not seen Elechi yet you’ll be shocked! The lad is huge but can also shift! Sweet left peg as well and he and Nico link up very well often with Owen James in and around them too.

What Oxford also do so well is they educate the youth lads on all sorts of life situations and they help them just as much away from the pitch as on it.

This is all good to hear. I’m as guilty as anyone for knocking the club from time to time when things aren’t so positive so it’s good to know about things that are successful. Credit where credit is due.

As for Nico, Tiger seemed quite relaxed about it all so hopefully they’ve got it all in hand.

 

[Foley]

Pretty sure he will.

My understanding is Nico is very grateful to Dan Harris, Leon Blackmore Such and Chris Hackett for effectively rescuing him (and Elechi ) from the wilderness after they were released from Fulham and Manchester Utd respectively. Believe it not, after watching the 18’s numerous times this season it’s obvious to see the money we’ve invested is being very well spent and will help the first team for years to come. Worth noting that Robinson is very clued up on all the youth lads and is pretty much a regular at all home games. If you follow my twitter! You’d have seen I called that Nico would play for the first team months ago!

Both had difficult upbringings away from football and if we hadn’t have signed them, who knows what they would be doing with their young lives now. If you’ve not seen Elechi yet you’ll be shocked! The lad is huge but can also shift! Sweet left peg as well and he and Nico link up very well often with Owen James in and around them too.

What Oxford also do so well is they educate the youth lads on all sorts of life situations and they help them just as much away from the pitch as on it.

I think that even when the first team were doing poorly it was clear that great things were going in in the younger age groups (just needed to read Dan Harris's monthly updates and see the YT and U23 results)
Tiger has got a lot of things badly wrong this season but zI have been saying all along that he deserves a lot of credit for clearly investing large amounts in the young player set up.

 

[Tomox]

Pretty sure he will.

My understanding is Nico is very grateful to Dan Harris, Leon Blackmore Such and Chris Hackett for effectively rescuing him (and Elechi ) from the wilderness after they were released from Fulham and Manchester Utd respectively. Believe it not, after watching the 18’s numerous times this season it’s obvious to see the money we’ve invested is being very well spent and will help the first team for years to come. Worth noting that Robinson is very clued up on all the youth lads and is pretty much a regular at all home games. If you follow my twitter! You’d have seen I called that Nico would play for the first team months ago!

Both had difficult upbringings away from football and if we hadn’t have signed them, who knows what they would be doing with their young lives now. If you’ve not seen Elechi yet you’ll be shocked! The lad is huge but can also shift! Sweet left peg as well and he and Nico link up very well often with Owen James in and around them too.

What Oxford also do so well is they educate the youth lads on all sorts of life situations and they help them just as much away from the pitch as on it.

That's great to gear.

Who do you think is the most likely to make the step up next season out of the youngsters?

 

[Manorlounger]

I can't help but think that the problem with Tiger (easier to use his nickname!) is one of perception.

One WUP after another and we perceive him as a financial liability. One stumbling inarticulate press conference, and he's an idiot. The perception is, wrongly or rightly, that he is not the man in charge.
Listening to this latest 5 minute conversation, a few good things were said and, despite the language barrier, he did come across as more on the ball and prepared to answer.

Maybe, I have perhaps, got more patience with him. The issues remain though and will need to be addressed before I offer any praise. The situation with FK and Grenoble Road, the inability to organise a stable cash flow position, and, the mystery shrouding the actual financing of OUFC. All these, and the real purpose behind Thohir being on the board and, of course, the team, need to be resolved for my opinion to change.

 

[Sarge]

That's great to gear.

Who do you think is the most likely to make the step up next season out of the youngsters?

U18s at home v Southend U18 tomorrow (at Abingdon United fc oxford rd/ Northcourt rd) 11am kick off - free admission

also, a week tomorrow, U18s home v Scum U18s same ground, and assume same kick off time?
(with only a very limited amount of tickets for the first team away game at Luton, there may be a few more U's supporters at next Saturdays U18 home game, esp' given who the opponents are? )

if you're in the area for either game, @Tomox maybe pop along and see for yourself who you think most likely to step up?...
IMO there's more than a few contenders too .... U18s play exciting, attacking football ... hence they're currently joint top of their league( sharing the top slot with ... Southend and Scum u18s - so the last two matches for OUFC U18s could be a second league win this season for our U18s ... if they win the two remaining games)


EDIT _ U18'S are AWAY to Southend U18s tomorrow ...oopsy!

 

[Marked Ox]

U18s at home v Southend U18 tomorrow (at Abingdon United fc oxford rd/ Northcourt rd) 11am kick off - free admission

also, a week tomorrow, U18s home v Scum U18s same ground, and assume same kick off time?
(with only a very limited amount of tickets for the first team away game at Luton, there may be a few more U's supporters at next Saturdays U18 home game, esp' given who the opponents are? )

if you're in the area for either game, @Tomox maybe pop along and see for yourself who you think most likely to step up?...
IMO there's more than a few contenders too .... U18s play exciting, attacking football ... hence they're currently joint top of their league( sharing the top slot with ... Southend and Scum u18s - so the last two matches for OUFC U18s could be a second league win this season for our U18s ... if they win the two remaining games)

We are away to Southend u18s tomorrow at their training ground.

 

[Sarge]

We are away to Southend u18s tomorrow at their training ground.

oops .....well spotted and corrected

at home a week tomorrow v scum U18 ... if U18s get the win(away) tomorrow, a week tomorrow could be the league title decider?

 

[beyondthefourth]

Yes I was wondering the same thing. Can’t work if he meant 1st July 2019 or 2020.

Dan Harris confirmed in Academy update that Nico has been offered a pro deal.

Nico said on his Instagram that he hasn't seen anything put in front of him yet.

I imagine his agent is doing some negotiation at the minute. But Nico sounds very much like he wants to stay and force his way into the first team here. So shouldn't be anything more than a bit of cheeky haggling before it gets signed.