@Stewie63 said: @bluntphil asked about a succession plan for when Rob either dies or sells up. He admitted that he hadn't thought about it, but when the time comes he'll be in discussion with the Trust about selling the club on.
I can imagine Rob on his death bed about to draw his terminal breath, on the phone to Trevor discussing what should happen to the club.
After taking a sober look a few days after the meeting at what we know about what the Couhigs want to do, would it be fair to say that the current level of spending is envisaged to be funded essentially be increased gates and flogging more grub. In the recent past we have struggled to average over half of capacity, and no shortage of people have come in promising to turn around the levels of service and quality of wares at the food kiosks.
On a more general level, almost all clubs will point to wanting to build a more sustainable future with private owners, but the model of relying on outside investment results in increasing losses. The paradox is to survive by going down the same, essentially unsustainable route, to achieve stability. Which is not to say that continuing to swim against the tide as a trust-owned club can continue indefinitely if there is no finance available to invest in facilities and infrastructure.
Those with long enough memories will feel a strong sense of déjà vu of the current situation, which is all the more reason to closely scrutinise the proposals and ask the awkward questions. That is not to say the Couhigs are Steve Hayes mk II (for one, the ground being in the hands of WWT/FALL with no charges is definitely a positive), however fans will have to 'look the gift horse in the mouth' (as Gareth Ainsworth somewhat disingenuously described it). This isn't a freebie being doled out by benefactors, the Couhigs have made no bones about wanting to make it work in their financial favour. Our beloved football club of 132 years is at stake and it's important that the next step taken is done with the full facts available and with the best interests of WWFC as a sustainable football club at heart.
One further thought, that the way the club is run will change at a fundamental level. Currently, business decisions are taken with the view of benefiting the club (or should be). Decisions are made to benefit the short, medium and long term future of the club, and the club only. Should the takeover complete, decisions will be made that benefit the Couhigs first and foremost, and the club secondly. That’s not to say they will be different, however at a very basic level, the primary concern of the Couhig’s will be protecting and growing their investment, rather than the future of the club. (as I said they maybe the same – however they might not be)
It depends how you want to view things. If the Couhigs are voted in as major shareholders, every decision they make would obviously be aimed at growing the club on and off the field as that’s the only way they can protect their investment and potentially make it grow. Yes, they would stand to benefit but the club would as well.
I don’t see how their priorities could be incompatible with those of WWFC.
I am not 100% sure I explained myself brilliantly, however long term planning and strategy will be of secondary importance with their desire to 'turn a quick buck', or 'spin' the club in the few years.
@glasshalffull said:
It depends how you want to view things. If the Couhigs are voted in as major shareholders, every decision they make would obviously be aimed at growing the club on and off the field as that’s the only way they can protect their investment and potentially make it grow. Yes, they would stand to benefit but the club would as well.
I don’t see how their priorities could be incompatible with those of WWFC.
It’s a well made point @glasshalffull. I thought about your last point. Maybe it would be useful to substitute Steve Hayes with the Couhigs here. SH’s and WWFC’s interests were not incompatible... until they were.
I very much believe the Couhig’s are caught up in the Wycombe buzz, it just concerns me that they feel they have a robust business strategy based on a formula that is boom or bust. They’ve come into a club literally riding higher than ever in history, but 30 years of being a wanderers fan, along with the record books, tell us it’s not always as ‘easy’ as this.
I share a lot of @Tom ’s concerns and he is right to ask the questions. I’m inclined to vote yes based on the very little we know, but some solid responses to some of Tom’s points would go a long way to securing my vote.
The sheer lack of financially clarity from the current board is truly appalling. There had been no explanation as to how the club went from apparent stability under the mid AH era to the SOS mess of the last 18 months.
@Tom said:
I am not 100% sure I explained myself brilliantly, however long term planning and strategy will be of secondary importance with their desire to 'turn a quick buck', or 'spin' the club in the few years.
I get where you’re coming from Tom, but if they were able to ‘turn a quick buck’ they would surely be leaving the club in a better state than that in which they found it. I understand concerns about who they might want to sell the club to when/if they reach that point, but that’s something that no one can speculate on at this moment.
@Lloyd2084 said:
The sheer lack of financially clarity from the current board is truly appalling. There had been no explanation as to how the club went from apparent stability under the mid AH era to the SOS mess of the last 18 months.
This is the precise point which will probably persuade me to vote yes.
We either let people with a good business acumen run our club or continue with the current bumbling Trust Board. Both options may eventually lead us into armageddon, but I would suggest the second option will get us there first.
Lloyd2084, I know no more about the fine print of the proposed deal than you or Tom, but we’ve been told that the ‘contract’ will be available for all Legacy members to view before they vote. I see no evidence of anything secretive or underhand at this stage.
I very much believe the Couhig’s are caught up in the Wycombe buzz, it just concerns me that they feel they have a robust business strategy based on a formula that is boom or bust. They’ve come into a club literally riding higher than ever in history, but 30 years of being a wanderers fan, along with the record books, tell us it’s not always as ‘easy’ as this.
I keep coming back to this too, but then there’s no way RC has made his money by just hoping for the best. There must be significant details being held back for legacy members, which is fine.
There are obvious cultural differences between, we English lower league football fans (and I use each word deliberately), and our new American sport as family entertainment business focused friends.
As has been pointed out currently we are on a high and all is rosey (or peachy as they might put it). Which is fine when Adams Park is full of can do positivity, they get that. However, Clan Couhig have yet to experience, or possibly even comprehend, is our capacity for old world negative sceptical cynicism. We won’t always be third, there will be some dark days and it will come. How they react to the implicit criticism will be the true test of their resolve.
Small time loan shark heavies and shouty ice cream vendors we coped with, yet I for one would not want to be on the wrong side of Rob and the blood family. To succeed in the US cold eyed ruthlessness is the cost of entering the game. And I suspect post sale it will be ‘The Couhig Way’ - or the highway.
Along with many others I see no practical alternative but we must go in with our eyes open and accepting of what we sign up for.
Comments
She told Rob no to 3k a week for shop workers
@rmjlondon why don’t you fuck off you’re the pest
Lmao!
I genuinely love this guy. I have no doubt he will improve the Club. I am still an undecided voter though. Handing over the keys scares me
Right now i really want to have a bucket of beer and some stupidly hot wings with Rob. The endgame needs finalising
Really c4aving hot wings...get them in the vere please
Aye love it
Ron Couhig... Get spicy wings and buckets served at half time please... and you have my vote
Rob not ron sorrry
Basically you can buy me with hot wings. There is a lot of crap coming fromamerjca but hot wings aint crap!
If someone can send mea platter of hot chi ken wings right now i would give you 100 sterling
Good morning, @LX1. Time to get up. (Open curtains cheerfully)
What's that? You've got a headache?
Love all that @LX1 .... how come I always instinctively look at the time of your posts haha
Sometimes I think about handing over the keys of the gasroom to @LX1 just to see what happens. Reckon it would liven things up a bit.
Are you still looking for hot wings?
After taking a sober look a few days after the meeting at what we know about what the Couhigs want to do, would it be fair to say that the current level of spending is envisaged to be funded essentially be increased gates and flogging more grub. In the recent past we have struggled to average over half of capacity, and no shortage of people have come in promising to turn around the levels of service and quality of wares at the food kiosks.
On a more general level, almost all clubs will point to wanting to build a more sustainable future with private owners, but the model of relying on outside investment results in increasing losses. The paradox is to survive by going down the same, essentially unsustainable route, to achieve stability. Which is not to say that continuing to swim against the tide as a trust-owned club can continue indefinitely if there is no finance available to invest in facilities and infrastructure.
Those with long enough memories will feel a strong sense of déjà vu of the current situation, which is all the more reason to closely scrutinise the proposals and ask the awkward questions. That is not to say the Couhigs are Steve Hayes mk II (for one, the ground being in the hands of WWT/FALL with no charges is definitely a positive), however fans will have to 'look the gift horse in the mouth' (as Gareth Ainsworth somewhat disingenuously described it). This isn't a freebie being doled out by benefactors, the Couhigs have made no bones about wanting to make it work in their financial favour. Our beloved football club of 132 years is at stake and it's important that the next step taken is done with the full facts available and with the best interests of WWFC as a sustainable football club at heart.
One further thought, that the way the club is run will change at a fundamental level. Currently, business decisions are taken with the view of benefiting the club (or should be). Decisions are made to benefit the short, medium and long term future of the club, and the club only. Should the takeover complete, decisions will be made that benefit the Couhigs first and foremost, and the club secondly. That’s not to say they will be different, however at a very basic level, the primary concern of the Couhig’s will be protecting and growing their investment, rather than the future of the club. (as I said they maybe the same – however they might not be)
It depends how you want to view things. If the Couhigs are voted in as major shareholders, every decision they make would obviously be aimed at growing the club on and off the field as that’s the only way they can protect their investment and potentially make it grow. Yes, they would stand to benefit but the club would as well.
I don’t see how their priorities could be incompatible with those of WWFC.
I am not 100% sure I explained myself brilliantly, however long term planning and strategy will be of secondary importance with their desire to 'turn a quick buck', or 'spin' the club in the few years.
It’s a well made point @glasshalffull. I thought about your last point. Maybe it would be useful to substitute Steve Hayes with the Couhigs here. SH’s and WWFC’s interests were not incompatible... until they were.
I very much believe the Couhig’s are caught up in the Wycombe buzz, it just concerns me that they feel they have a robust business strategy based on a formula that is boom or bust. They’ve come into a club literally riding higher than ever in history, but 30 years of being a wanderers fan, along with the record books, tell us it’s not always as ‘easy’ as this.
I share a lot of @Tom ’s concerns and he is right to ask the questions. I’m inclined to vote yes based on the very little we know, but some solid responses to some of Tom’s points would go a long way to securing my vote.
The sheer lack of financially clarity from the current board is truly appalling. There had been no explanation as to how the club went from apparent stability under the mid AH era to the SOS mess of the last 18 months.
I get where you’re coming from Tom, but if they were able to ‘turn a quick buck’ they would surely be leaving the club in a better state than that in which they found it. I understand concerns about who they might want to sell the club to when/if they reach that point, but that’s something that no one can speculate on at this moment.
This is the precise point which will probably persuade me to vote yes.
We either let people with a good business acumen run our club or continue with the current bumbling Trust Board. Both options may eventually lead us into armageddon, but I would suggest the second option will get us there first.
Lloyd2084, I know no more about the fine print of the proposed deal than you or Tom, but we’ve been told that the ‘contract’ will be available for all Legacy members to view before they vote. I see no evidence of anything secretive or underhand at this stage.
@glasshalffull
That’s good to read, thanks.
I keep coming back to this too, but then there’s no way RC has made his money by just hoping for the best. There must be significant details being held back for legacy members, which is fine.
We still don't know how much money he has do we?
There are obvious cultural differences between, we English lower league football fans (and I use each word deliberately), and our new American sport as family entertainment business focused friends.
As has been pointed out currently we are on a high and all is rosey (or peachy as they might put it). Which is fine when Adams Park is full of can do positivity, they get that. However, Clan Couhig have yet to experience, or possibly even comprehend, is our capacity for old world negative sceptical cynicism. We won’t always be third, there will be some dark days and it will come. How they react to the implicit criticism will be the true test of their resolve.
Small time loan shark heavies and shouty ice cream vendors we coped with, yet I for one would not want to be on the wrong side of Rob and the blood family. To succeed in the US cold eyed ruthlessness is the cost of entering the game. And I suspect post sale it will be ‘The Couhig Way’ - or the highway.
Along with many others I see no practical alternative but we must go in with our eyes open and accepting of what we sign up for.
Enough, apparently.
.
A person's wealth is immaterial unless he/her is prepared to spend it.