Even me with my criticism of the club and some of the decisions the couhigs have made in more recent months can’t stretch to any conspiracy theories around Pete.
I think him being separated from his family for so long over covid and now not able to bring his son over it’s highly understandable he should focus on his family life in the States over Wycombe Wanderers. Which is a shame given the passion he clearly has/has for the club but family first.
That guff “it’s not about the history” re club size undermines every other claim to now “get football”.
Size is a product of historical relevance / success, hence teams like lowly Bradford City still get big crowds after years of relative failure and enjoy concomitant budgets, as do many of our current promotion rivals.
At least Rob gets that that size =‘s revenue. ‘World class’ burgers and Wi-Fi will never generate funds comparable to that gate money. Even at pushing 9,000 capacity we would not generate the funds to complete at a higher level. So cumulatively fortnight on fortnight vs the promotion competition we are stuffed financially. Gaz’s remarkable ‘rabbits from a magic hat’ can only be ‘sustained’ (a word used too often in an inappropriate context in the world of money ball) if he is gifted a considerable injection of funding either through a vanity project or unimaginable sponsorship.
So, if we have to have new outsiders owning 90% of the club let them come with deep, preferably very deep pockets.
Or we all accept that the last few years are the exception and we settle for our natural level in the pyramid which isn’t up where we are now.
Either are fine by me but delusional dreams of success on a shoe string ain’t gonna happen any time soon.
We should perhaps be a little circumspect in our Gasroom criticism of the Club, as any potential new owner/purchaser will surly be looking everywhere for information/issues? We are after all, "Supporters" are we not?
If you'd told me, 50 odd years ago, watching us play the likes of Tooting & Mitchem, Kingstonians, Slough, Enfield & Hendon that I'd get to see WWFC compete as equals in the second tier of English football I wouldn't have believed you. But it happened.
The seemingly impossible can be achieved given the right circumstances. But the truth is we had to take some massively brave decisions along the way - moving to AP, appointing as football manager St. Martin, joining the football league, rejecting plans to move to Booker & regaining control of the club from SH, appointing and sticking with GA and his staff, separating ownership of club and AP, passing 75% stewardship if the club to RC.
I don't know what the right next step is, but anyone who thinks it will be easy, or won't involve some brave decisions is kidding themselves.
I get what he's saying on size (clumsily) , When we play Ipswich we don't play against John Wark, Portman, Bobby Robson, Alf Ramsey and Europe. You play the eleven in front of you. Admittedly though the former glories attract fans who hang about as our cup runs did to some extent.
But when you do set about planning or recruiting you have to pay with actual money. There are former big clubs that don't now have a pot to piss in now but there are also many direct opponents who take in 5 times as much each week. Robs plans are only to bridge the gap a little and if we get promotion (which is neither to be guaranteed or impossible) the difference between us and our opponents multiplies.
Not much point poring over every word Rob says and only the bad things it could mean. But we do need to literally fix the roof while the sun shines, and it's easy to see why people think talk of exit strategies doesn't sit too well alongside extremely ambitious plans.
Some of them seem like quite big brave decisions, most generally the right path but not easy or entirely obvious.
Moving to somewhere more modern for example was needed but building a new stadium doesn't just happen and is quite a leap of faith and culmination of many people's work. Same with the Trust taking control, you know it needs doing but that's a long way from agreeing the structure, satisfying creditors, staff, the league etc.
I'll always be eternally grateful to those real supporters who staked their time, money and lives on forming the Trust and saved the club! Even if Rob thinks it was unprofessional (which of course it was). No member of our Trust will ever be but a hero to me. I did nothing but join the Trust.
Remaining at Loakes Park sadly wasn't an option. WDC published a future plan document for the centre of High Wycombe in 1969. Loakes Park had been replaced by an expanded WGH with no consideration for an alternative ground. By 1985 when the sale of Loakes Park was completed it was clear we needed to move if we were to realise any ambitions of playing in the Football League.
The only alternative to the Supporters Trust taking control of WWFC in 2012 was liquidation. It was brave of those individual Trust directors to take on the task but the decision itself was obvious. It's the fundamental purpose of any Supporters Trust.
There is a sustainable model where we survive in level 3. We roll the dice when we can afford to roll the dice, not before, not every season. If we sell an uncut gem that we’ve polished then we can roll the dice on and off the field with that windfall. We get a cup run, we can spend that money. This is responsible stewardship. Rolling the dice using debt based on the belief we could be in the championship is a recipe for disaster that has made many clubs go out of business or teeter on the verge of it. I find it astounding that this is even a conversation. Would I like to be in the championship sure, at all costs nope.
Your thoughts are mine exactly except my worry is it’s not really sustainable and we’re always going to be looking for someone who will be prepared to cover a bit of a shortfall every season .
I know it’s a pipe dream but the only real answer is for the premier league to up their solidarity payments to such an extent that the trust ownership that we had could have continued and flourished.
Maybe I’m being fanciful. But I think that we all agree £3million deficit a year is neither sustainable or a definition of good stewardship. And a vast chunk of that money is largely being spent on wages I guess so a squad that reflects.
The reality is that we are punching well above our weight for the last few years and personally I loved it. If it comes to an end because the Couhigs back out, and we find our ‘ real level’ bottom half of League 1 or top half League 2, not an issue with me. I’ve enjoyed the ride. I suspect Mehmeti will go in the January window, rumours Forest / Fulham interested with a £5m price tag!!! If we get that, it clears a lot of debt. Cannot read Couhig’s interview, one minute he’s talking about , the new road, ground improvements, 24 hour Wanderers Tv etc and in the next breath, losing a bit of interest, flying in is becoming harder. My take is, if we get promoted they stay if we don’t they sell.
I don't think increasing solidarity payments would have any significant effect. It just means that ALL clubs would have more money to spend most of which would go into increased players wage packets.
What was Rob Couhig referring to when he briefly referred to an "Issue with Gareth a couple of weeks ago about what might happen with him." Have I missed something?
Comments
Even me with my criticism of the club and some of the decisions the couhigs have made in more recent months can’t stretch to any conspiracy theories around Pete.
I think him being separated from his family for so long over covid and now not able to bring his son over it’s highly understandable he should focus on his family life in the States over Wycombe Wanderers. Which is a shame given the passion he clearly has/has for the club but family first.
What was the bit in the interview about the Trust ownership of the ground all about? Something that the lawyers are apparently working on?
Wil be related to the adjusted longer lease
That guff “it’s not about the history” re club size undermines every other claim to now “get football”.
Size is a product of historical relevance / success, hence teams like lowly Bradford City still get big crowds after years of relative failure and enjoy concomitant budgets, as do many of our current promotion rivals.
At least Rob gets that that size =‘s revenue. ‘World class’ burgers and Wi-Fi will never generate funds comparable to that gate money. Even at pushing 9,000 capacity we would not generate the funds to complete at a higher level. So cumulatively fortnight on fortnight vs the promotion competition we are stuffed financially. Gaz’s remarkable ‘rabbits from a magic hat’ can only be ‘sustained’ (a word used too often in an inappropriate context in the world of money ball) if he is gifted a considerable injection of funding either through a vanity project or unimaginable sponsorship.
So, if we have to have new outsiders owning 90% of the club let them come with deep, preferably very deep pockets.
Or we all accept that the last few years are the exception and we settle for our natural level in the pyramid which isn’t up where we are now.
Either are fine by me but delusional dreams of success on a shoe string ain’t gonna happen any time soon.
We should perhaps be a little circumspect in our Gasroom criticism of the Club, as any potential new owner/purchaser will surly be looking everywhere for information/issues? We are after all, "Supporters" are we not?
If you'd told me, 50 odd years ago, watching us play the likes of Tooting & Mitchem, Kingstonians, Slough, Enfield & Hendon that I'd get to see WWFC compete as equals in the second tier of English football I wouldn't have believed you. But it happened.
The seemingly impossible can be achieved given the right circumstances. But the truth is we had to take some massively brave decisions along the way - moving to AP, appointing as football manager St. Martin, joining the football league, rejecting plans to move to Booker & regaining control of the club from SH, appointing and sticking with GA and his staff, separating ownership of club and AP, passing 75% stewardship if the club to RC.
I don't know what the right next step is, but anyone who thinks it will be easy, or won't involve some brave decisions is kidding themselves.
I get what he's saying on size (clumsily) , When we play Ipswich we don't play against John Wark, Portman, Bobby Robson, Alf Ramsey and Europe. You play the eleven in front of you. Admittedly though the former glories attract fans who hang about as our cup runs did to some extent.
But when you do set about planning or recruiting you have to pay with actual money. There are former big clubs that don't now have a pot to piss in now but there are also many direct opponents who take in 5 times as much each week. Robs plans are only to bridge the gap a little and if we get promotion (which is neither to be guaranteed or impossible) the difference between us and our opponents multiplies.
Not much point poring over every word Rob says and only the bad things it could mean. But we do need to literally fix the roof while the sun shines, and it's easy to see why people think talk of exit strategies doesn't sit too well alongside extremely ambitious plans.
I ought to wind my neck in and ignore the provocation but given I'm still poncing around on here I'll nibble.
I don't think any of these decisions involved bravery. They were either the only and / or the obvious decision to make at the time.
O'Neill was a bit of a gamble. The rest not so much.
Some of them seem like quite big brave decisions, most generally the right path but not easy or entirely obvious.
Moving to somewhere more modern for example was needed but building a new stadium doesn't just happen and is quite a leap of faith and culmination of many people's work. Same with the Trust taking control, you know it needs doing but that's a long way from agreeing the structure, satisfying creditors, staff, the league etc.
I'll always be eternally grateful to those real supporters who staked their time, money and lives on forming the Trust and saved the club! Even if Rob thinks it was unprofessional (which of course it was). No member of our Trust will ever be but a hero to me. I did nothing but join the Trust.
If the do sell their share lets hope who ever buys their shares doesn't do what the owners did to Wrexham.
Buy lots of players?
Remaining at Loakes Park sadly wasn't an option. WDC published a future plan document for the centre of High Wycombe in 1969. Loakes Park had been replaced by an expanded WGH with no consideration for an alternative ground. By 1985 when the sale of Loakes Park was completed it was clear we needed to move if we were to realise any ambitions of playing in the Football League.
The only alternative to the Supporters Trust taking control of WWFC in 2012 was liquidation. It was brave of those individual Trust directors to take on the task but the decision itself was obvious. It's the fundamental purpose of any Supporters Trust.
Both needed doing but also easier said than done.
Difficulty doesn't necessarily equal bravery.
Haha Yeah, that is a bad example, tbh they have been nothing but good news for Wrexham, a better example would've been Crawley !
leave them i a tip
There is a sustainable model where we survive in level 3. We roll the dice when we can afford to roll the dice, not before, not every season. If we sell an uncut gem that we’ve polished then we can roll the dice on and off the field with that windfall. We get a cup run, we can spend that money. This is responsible stewardship. Rolling the dice using debt based on the belief we could be in the championship is a recipe for disaster that has made many clubs go out of business or teeter on the verge of it. I find it astounding that this is even a conversation. Would I like to be in the championship sure, at all costs nope.
Your thoughts are mine exactly except my worry is it’s not really sustainable and we’re always going to be looking for someone who will be prepared to cover a bit of a shortfall every season .
I know it’s a pipe dream but the only real answer is for the premier league to up their solidarity payments to such an extent that the trust ownership that we had could have continued and flourished.
Maybe I’m being fanciful. But I think that we all agree £3million deficit a year is neither sustainable or a definition of good stewardship. And a vast chunk of that money is largely being spent on wages I guess so a squad that reflects.
The reality is that we are punching well above our weight for the last few years and personally I loved it. If it comes to an end because the Couhigs back out, and we find our ‘ real level’ bottom half of League 1 or top half League 2, not an issue with me. I’ve enjoyed the ride. I suspect Mehmeti will go in the January window, rumours Forest / Fulham interested with a £5m price tag!!! If we get that, it clears a lot of debt. Cannot read Couhig’s interview, one minute he’s talking about , the new road, ground improvements, 24 hour Wanderers Tv etc and in the next breath, losing a bit of interest, flying in is becoming harder. My take is, if we get promoted they stay if we don’t they sell.
I don't think increasing solidarity payments would have any significant effect. It just means that ALL clubs would have more money to spend most of which would go into increased players wage packets.
What was Rob Couhig referring to when he briefly referred to an "Issue with Gareth a couple of weeks ago about what might happen with him." Have I missed something?
I thought that and then totally forgot about it. Surprised that bit wasn't edited out!
I would imagine it's the QPR job, that he would have taken, had he just not missed out to the other chap.