Skip to content

Fans Forum

Unfortunately I could not make it last night due to work commitments. Can those who did attend share any interesting snippets from the discussions ?

«1

Comments

  • Generally it was informative, though stonewalling questions about why Howard didn't bother to consult fans about how the club would vote on the tinpot trophy changes was disappointing.

  • Anything on the Ibe monies?

  • Obviously the debate over whether DevC should stay or leave the Gasroom was a more pressing issue.

  • edited October 2016

    Could these kind of events be live-streamed on the WWFC website or somewhere else (the trust page?)?

    It would be interesting for those of us who can't make it in person.

    It would depend on the costs of organising and how many people would watch - and the possible downside of people deciding to watch online rather than attend in person, but I can't think that would be many.

  • seem to be an incredible lack of what actually was said coming out, either here or the FB group. Over there, one chap did mention the website would have a review, but without being cynical, the club polished version won't come close to what we'd like to know.

    Did anyone actually go?

  • Nothing on the club website which is not good, they may be seeing how they can put a good spin on it.

  • Surely there were more important things to discuss than a new website when existing contract ends, moaning about the LDV and the name of a rebranded beer (Slopey Loakes over Adams Ale - meh , mind you does leave field open for the dedicated cider to be called Adams Apple .........).

    hopefully promised report will appear soon.

  • Interesting how the day after a fans forum is the slowest in ages on the fans forums.

    Seems to back up the theory that those that post on here are in the real minority or it could just be nothing much of any substance was talked about. Recent forums I've been too have been derailed by seat movings and the standard of the floodlights if I remember correctly.

  • The forum itself was mainly very polite and uncontroversial, which might explain the lack of fevered posting on here. I didn't take notes, though what I can remember is:

    Ibe sell-on

    • Andrew Howard was not complimentary towards one of the two Premier League clubs involved in negotiations
    • He would like a deal that front-loads the payments
    • The 15%-20% sell-on fee quoted online and in some media is not correct. Actual sell-on % is part of NDA from original transfer agreement with Liverpool, and can be deduced from club accounts when they are released.

    Football League Trophy and Premier League B teams

    • Howard was bullish in his defence of it. When I asked him whether he had consulted with supporters as to their views, if only to get a better picture of the range of views, it was dismissed (IIRC, correct me if I misinterpreted what was said) as something that was voted on by the Football League, therefore he didn't deem it necessary.
    • Ainsworth considered it worthwhile, as it was (paraphrasing) taking easy money off academy sides that can't deal with the pressures of pro football outside of the Premier League, and also it gave the academy youngsters a massive reality check.
    • Howard was particularly dismissive of the prospect/danger of B teams playing the Football League in the foreseeable future, there is no support for it amongst FL chairmen. Even if PL wanted to bring it in, Howard doesn't see it being agreed to.

    On the playing side

    • Gareth Ainsworth believes that the full squad is the strongest since he's taken over
    • Only Max Müller and Dale Southwell are medium-term injury doubts, all others are either fit or on the verge of being available for selection again
    • Paul Hayes believes he is putting ankle troubles behind him
    • Southwell was playing with a hernia earlier in the season

    There were other queries about other general things around the club that slip my mind at the moment, though if anyone wants to expand on or correct anything, please feel free.

  • Thanks for the summary.

  • @ReadingMarginalista's recollection of what was said chimes pretty closely with my own.
    Just a couple of minor points.To save others struggling with the acronym NDA, It stands for non-disclosure agreement (I assume).
    An inconclusive vote (show of hands) was taken on whether Ibe is pronounced as in I've or as in Eve. Jordon was settled on as a compromise and no-one queried whether it should be pronounced jawed on (which is what I'm doing now). Mr Howard looked too fierce.
    The financial/legal/logistical complexities surrounding resolution of the deal are clearly extensive and the amount the club eventually receives is likely to be considerably less than the £2 million bandied about in some quarters.
    Dayle Southwell again impressed as a personable, articulate and confident young man - mature beyond his years. As @ReadingMarginalista says, he had been playing with a hernia; the thigh strain a couple of weeks ago proved a blessing in disguise as he was able to have an operation last week (?) and I guess he could be fully fit and raring to go within a month or so.

  • Thanks @ReadingMarginalista and @micra

    It's like I've by the way -

  • Good summaries chaps.

    Sounds fairly worrying on the Ibe deal then. No guarantee it's anywhere near ALL the press indications.

    I wonder how long Southwell has been playing impeded. The positive is that fully fit he might produce more, the worry that we're a little lax on who we award decent contracts too, following Muller and Weston, and although i love the fella, Paris.

  • @Chris said:
    Could these kind of events be live-streamed on the WWFC website or somewhere else (the trust page?)?

    It would be interesting for those of us who can't make it in person.

    It would depend on the costs of organising and how many people would watch - and the possible downside of people deciding to watch online rather than attend in person, but I can't think that would be many.

    There are lots of apps that do this for free (eg periscope). I'd also like to see them live streamed, perhaps with a pin code for trust members (or some mechanism for screening trolls).

  • To encourage more people to attend what in effect is a dead rubber match, and subject to FA or FL approval, the club are planning to enter all home supporters' tickets purchased for the Coventry FLT game into a prize draw, with the winning ticket collecting 10% (I think) of the home gate money. This isn't a joke, it was a serious statement from Andrew Howard last night.

  • Subject to approval of the governing bodies, I believe, but an interesting initiative.

  • Oh shucks. Sorry @NewburyWanderer. You'd already said that. This speed reading is very dodgy !

  • I'm actually speechless

  • "Dead rubber"? We must win this one if we want to make sure we avoid the mighty Norwich City U23s in the next round...

  • AH and GA were also pretty scathing about the type of football played by the U21 teams, their upbringing in the game, and the general attitude of the big clubs involved, especially with regard to stockpiling these players and then treating them like expensive racehorses. The point that they kept making was that it was good to play against these teams, as it emphasised the fact that they would have little chance of surviving in the FL structure. A couple of distinctly uncomplimentary terms were used (I think by AH) to generally describe the players, and their lack of suitability for League football.

  • @NewburyWanderer what type of football were they critical about? And what type of player?

  • Slightly disappointed by this whole thing to be honest.

    Q+A report promised on line yesterday - not delivered.
    Opportunity to ask questions by email - well I did but not mentioned in reports so I suspect not asked.
    Opportunity to gain illumination about the issues facing WWFC - from reports hijacked by
    discussions about premier league youth policy and how to pronounce an ex-players name
    Not surprised that from reports Howard looked distinctly unimpressed.

    I wasn't there, probably therefore don't have the right to comment, don't think I'll bother to engage even remotely in future.

  • A chap called Mark, who is a good considered poster on the WWFC page, excitedly informed someone querying the £2m Ibe fee that all details will be on the website.

    How can they possibly be?
    It'll be part of the Non disclosure deal, we won't find out the total fee, or when it's due, and we'll have to do some guesswork in over a year's time looking at the public backdated accounts.

    I don't know how anyone can see that as worthy of reading about?

  • i like the idea of our management being "scathing" about the "style" of football the premier youngsters play though.

    Those dastards with their short sharp on the floor passing! How dare they try and play that way, it should all be about smashing into people, hoofing it and "working hard for the badge".

    That's how you'll win world cups....

  • That's probably it isn't it? They literally aren't being prepared for a career in the lower leagues that will likely be the destination for most of them.

    They are only developing the skill set required for top level football. Which makes sense for the elite clubs, and probably for the national team; but is not great for the majority of those players.

  • Still nothing on the club website which is pathetic.

  • @Chris what is the skill set required for lower league football?

  • Being able to hoof the ball as far and as high as possible!

  • Being able to do something with very little time on the ball, being a physical presence and being able to deal with a physical opposition, being able to scrap for the second ball. (Being able to work with teammates whose skill sets are geared towards those things too.)

    Now those are useful skills even in international football; and a good touch and being able to pick a pass etc are useful in league 2. But I think it's a question of degrees of usefulness at different levels. Skills that are nice to have in League 2 might be your essentials in the Premier League, and vice versa.

  • I'm not sure you've really added anything @Chris with that answer. All those skills and the level of them are valuable at all levels of the game.
    For me it's the mental side that is the most important to develop early. Those that have it can make a career in the game and those that don't won't. Being told how brilliant you are at 14 years old and being in a Premier League academy until 21 is no use if you don't work hard (and get the breaks). Sadly so few get the chance and fall too far down the league pyramid.

    How can someone with 8 years in an Academy leave and not be good enough to be in our squad? Bring up the level of the average and the best will get better.

Sign In or Register to comment.