Whilst Phil has incredible talent and could commentate well on any team, it’s his deep knowledge as a lifetime Wycombe fan that really allows him to shine here.
Phil really is part of the fabric of the club. One of the best decisions the Couhigs made was to bring him on board.
Completely agree with this, I would be very disappointed if either him or Matt Cecil leave in the fallout from this.
As someone who doesn’t get to a lot of games these days, I am very grateful we have such an impressive online presence, they do a great job of producing varied, interesting and engaging content. Phil really is an excellent commentator too.
I noticed on Friday Bloomfield signed off his Portsmouth interview saying top man to Phil - now wondering if that was more of a goodbye.
i’ve mentioned before that I was surprised only Scott Mitchell left (as well as the two medical staff on the eve of the season starting) with the new owners coming in as Phil and Matt C were my bigger concerns than MB tbh.
The cynic in me has always seen any club media output as the clubs own propaganda outlet - it’s there to spin everything as positive from the club after all really - and it has been my worry the new owners would want to put there own people either in place of, or above Matt and Phil.
I think this would be disastrous btw. Those two really are the real link between fans and club. Players and managers (as much as they kiss badges etc) come and go. But Matt and Phil really are one of us.
Could have been a goodbye. In fact could it be that if the guy from Brentford comes today that all of Wycombe, Luton and Brentford wanted the Portsmouth, Forest and Man City games out of the way first and that there could have been conversations going on for the best part of a week now? I’m probably overthinking it but if he does join us then under the above scenario it would also add weight to the Dane / Dane’s joining the team within the same period
On Matt B departure, well, it’s done now isn’t it?
I had a day of feeling sad about it but as a greater man than I once said:
”Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”.
I’ll be forever thankful for the commitment Matt gave us, and I was hoping for a repeat of his emotion from the playoff final at Wembley at the end of this season. But that’s not to be. Although I have a feeling he’ll still be delighted if we do go up this season.
And in true fickle fan fashion - He’s gone now. On to the next. Never too high, never too low etc.
There going to be times ahead of us. Interesting times. Sad times. Good times. Bad times. Lots and lots of times.
3pm on Saturday and within 100 minutes or so we’ll be celebrating a win, or bemoaning a loss or agonising over that missed chance in a draw, just like we did last game.
Hadn't realised that Neil Peters had gone - sad news. He always responded promptly and thoroughly to emails I sent in about stuff that was probably very low on his list of priorities. Another of the good guys gone.
I tell you what, whatever else the ownership group might be good at, managing the narrative is not one of them is it?
There's a way they could have done this where everybody comes out looking far better than they do now. Instead, they're at the helm of the leakiest ship in the ocean and everyone knows exactly what has been going on since day 1.
Which brings me back to a point I've made a few times, do they even care what fans think? My conclusion thus far from the evidence we have is no, they do not.
They don’t need to, since the funding for the project doesn’t come from ticket sales. The financial rules at League One level clearly not fit for purpose.
I didn't think I could get more sad than I was but that article on the website has turned that to pure anger.
That website as of yesterday morning should have had page after page of tributes to Matt Bloomfield. Articles highlighting the major highs of his career at Wycombe which he reminds us is his entire adult life. An interview with the man himself reminiscing about his time here and what the future may hold.
Instead we get an insult to all our intelligence. A cold-hearted few lines about how they're disappointed he's chosen to leave.
It is staggering to me that anyone who calls themself a Wycombe fan is ok with all this
If good people like Phil, Matt Cecil and Alan Parry decide to call it a day with WWFC, then it will certainly send alarm bells for us the fans. For the first time in my 35 years of supporting Wycombe I am unsure of my feelings for the future of this great club of ours.
it's crossed my mind but I don't think it's my place to speak on anyone else's behalf when I don't know them and haven't spoken to them
But it must be a very difficult situation for anyone working for the club who has genuine love for the club and shares our concerns about the direction things are heading. If any of them is reading this I would hope they know that we all realise what a horrible situation it must be
Welcome to corporate football (west/central asian stylie).
I know we all seem to hold football to different standards, but except on retirement I have never known any other business wax effusively about someone who has "chosen to leave", irrespective of length of service etc.
The statement on the website is dreadfully bland, horribly corporate and no more than I expect from the "ownership team".
My big worry now is whether the Media Team survive, they are the glue that bonds the fans & club together. I do suspect they will be fine as long as they continue to do their jobs and dont go rogue.
edited in light of comments made whilst I was typing this, but only spotted after I hit post
Sorry, I don’t understand your answer at all. My point was exactly that in Phil and Matts cases, they may be feeling somewhat uneasy at the moment. I certainly am not putting pressure on them to come on here and openly talk about what’s going on. They are employed by the club and I don’t expect them to discuss confidential information with us.
Thanks for all your concern but I have a mortgage to pay and a family to bring up so please can you let me worry about my future and not tell me what I should be doing.
It certainly feels like a turning point. In the age of instant social media when they've obviously had time to prepare for Matt's departure, given he's been having interviews, and given we have an excellent media team, the silence is indeed deafening. It must be very hard for people so close to the club who interact with fans, so I've got no problem with them keeping their own counsel.
Alienating even a small section of the fanbase at our level is dangerous but as @eric_plant points out...they may not care.
I decided yesterday not to post for a while, due to my deep sadness regarding the situation. But my brief post yesterday made the same point that Eric makes here.
So I am posting my "hear, hear" to this post, and wholeheartedly endorsing the sentiments contained within. Eric is spot on, and I confirm that I for one am "not ok with this" either. I too have gone from sadness, to anger. It's just not right.
Comments
Couhig to Reading, MB to Luton, Phil to.....Watford?
Whilst Phil has incredible talent and could commentate well on any team, it’s his deep knowledge as a lifetime Wycombe fan that really allows him to shine here.
Phil really is part of the fabric of the club. One of the best decisions the Couhigs made was to bring him on board.
Completely agree with this, I would be very disappointed if either him or Matt Cecil leave in the fallout from this.
As someone who doesn’t get to a lot of games these days, I am very grateful we have such an impressive online presence, they do a great job of producing varied, interesting and engaging content. Phil really is an excellent commentator too.
Inoticed on Friday Bloomfield signed off his Portsmouth interview saying top man to Phil - now wondering if that was more of a goodbye.i’ve mentioned before that I was surprised only Scott Mitchell left (as well as the two medical staff on the eve of the season starting) with the new owners coming in as Phil and Matt C were my bigger concerns than MB tbh.
The cynic in me has always seen any club media output as the clubs own propaganda outlet - it’s there to spin everything as positive from the club after all really - and it has been my worry the new owners would want to put there own people either in place of, or above Matt and Phil.
I think this would be disastrous btw. Those two really are the real link between fans and club. Players and managers (as much as they kiss badges etc) come and go. But Matt and Phil really are one of us.
Could have been a goodbye. In fact could it be that if the guy from Brentford comes today that all of Wycombe, Luton and Brentford wanted the Portsmouth, Forest and Man City games out of the way first and that there could have been conversations going on for the best part of a week now? I’m probably overthinking it but if he does join us then under the above scenario it would also add weight to the Dane / Dane’s joining the team within the same period
On Matt B departure, well, it’s done now isn’t it?
I had a day of feeling sad about it but as a greater man than I once said:
”Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”.
I’ll be forever thankful for the commitment Matt gave us, and I was hoping for a repeat of his emotion from the playoff final at Wembley at the end of this season. But that’s not to be. Although I have a feeling he’ll still be delighted if we do go up this season.
And in true fickle fan fashion - He’s gone now. On to the next. Never too high, never too low etc.
There going to be times ahead of us. Interesting times. Sad times. Good times. Bad times. Lots and lots of times.
3pm on Saturday and within 100 minutes or so we’ll be celebrating a win, or bemoaning a loss or agonising over that missed chance in a draw, just like we did last game.
Bloomfield and Catchpole have both used the phrase "top man" at the end of numerous interviews. Nothing to read into there.
Can't help but think he's left a promising promotion campaign to join a relegation fight that is far from winnable for LTFC, IMO.
I hope this enforced managerial change doesn't upset the apple cart.
Hadn't realised that Neil Peters had gone - sad news. He always responded promptly and thoroughly to emails I sent in about stuff that was probably very low on his list of priorities. Another of the good guys gone.
I tell you what, whatever else the ownership group might be good at, managing the narrative is not one of them is it?
There's a way they could have done this where everybody comes out looking far better than they do now. Instead, they're at the helm of the leakiest ship in the ocean and everyone knows exactly what has been going on since day 1.
Which brings me back to a point I've made a few times, do they even care what fans think? My conclusion thus far from the evidence we have is no, they do not.
They don’t need to, since the funding for the project doesn’t come from ticket sales. The financial rules at League One level clearly not fit for purpose.
"The Club is naturally disappointed with Matt’s decision to leave in the middle of the season"
'LOL'
Back then Red and white stripes would be more likely to be Kingstonian if it was a league match
but the size of the crowd means that perhaps it wasn't.
I didn't think I could get more sad than I was but that article on the website has turned that to pure anger.
That website as of yesterday morning should have had page after page of tributes to Matt Bloomfield. Articles highlighting the major highs of his career at Wycombe which he reminds us is his entire adult life. An interview with the man himself reminiscing about his time here and what the future may hold.
Instead we get an insult to all our intelligence. A cold-hearted few lines about how they're disappointed he's chosen to leave.
It is staggering to me that anyone who calls themself a Wycombe fan is ok with all this
If good people like Phil, Matt Cecil and Alan Parry decide to call it a day with WWFC, then it will certainly send alarm bells for us the fans. For the first time in my 35 years of supporting Wycombe I am unsure of my feelings for the future of this great club of ours.
Imagine how Matt Cecil must be feeling about not being able to do this.
(edit - as I say below, this is based on inference rather than any inside knowledge of the situation)
This is all a little bit far fetched in my opinion. I can’t speak for Alan Parry but Phil and Matt are decent people who have a regular full time job.
I can’t imagine they appreciate coming on here with people speculating about their futures with no ability to respond.
it's crossed my mind but I don't think it's my place to speak on anyone else's behalf when I don't know them and haven't spoken to them
But it must be a very difficult situation for anyone working for the club who has genuine love for the club and shares our concerns about the direction things are heading. If any of them is reading this I would hope they know that we all realise what a horrible situation it must be
Matt is not allowed to do the tribute? Wow. This is incredible.
AP, Phil and Matt's jobs being discussed.
Seems we are still in a dark place following our manager leaving to take on a post at a higher level club
Full disclosure : I am only one of a small handful of people without an ITK.
Welcome to corporate football (west/central asian stylie).
I know we all seem to hold football to different standards, but except on retirement I have never known any other business wax effusively about someone who has "chosen to leave", irrespective of length of service etc.
The statement on the website is dreadfully bland, horribly corporate and no more than I expect from the "ownership team".
My big worry now is whether the Media Team survive, they are the glue that bonds the fans & club together. I do suspect they will be fine as long as they continue to do their jobs and dont go rogue.
edited in light of comments made whilst I was typing this, but only spotted after I hit post
To be clear I don’t have any inside information.
I most definitely am not ITK
Sorry, I don’t understand your answer at all. My point was exactly that in Phil and Matts cases, they may be feeling somewhat uneasy at the moment. I certainly am not putting pressure on them to come on here and openly talk about what’s going on. They are employed by the club and I don’t expect them to discuss confidential information with us.
Was my first game!
What we do know about the culture is Matt Bloomfield felt the need to leave.
Alright, I’ll be Matt for this one.
Thanks for all your concern but I have a mortgage to pay and a family to bring up so please can you let me worry about my future and not tell me what I should be doing.
It certainly feels like a turning point. In the age of instant social media when they've obviously had time to prepare for Matt's departure, given he's been having interviews, and given we have an excellent media team, the silence is indeed deafening. It must be very hard for people so close to the club who interact with fans, so I've got no problem with them keeping their own counsel.
Alienating even a small section of the fanbase at our level is dangerous but as @eric_plant points out...they may not care.
I decided yesterday not to post for a while, due to my deep sadness regarding the situation. But my brief post yesterday made the same point that Eric makes here.
So I am posting my "hear, hear" to this post, and wholeheartedly endorsing the sentiments contained within. Eric is spot on, and I confirm that I for one am "not ok with this" either. I too have gone from sadness, to anger. It's just not right.
That's it. Back to silence for me.
Has anyone got Dan Rice's email address so we could all then him our thoughts!
If it follows the format of other club email addresses, I would suggest it is either [email protected], or [email protected].