Reaction to last night's Meet the Manager

[Linz]

Not much seems to have been said about it.

Did anyone listen in? Or was it only available to Bladesworld subscribers?

Did anyone go? How well do you think it was organised? How do you think the players came across and would you like something like that to happen more often?

I'll add the MP3s to this thread later if the audio is good enough.

 

[lenners]

I think you already have your reaction to it Linz.

 

[parisblade]

Having not heard Speed much before (at bdtbl) I thought he really came across well. He never shirked a question and was honest in a lot of his replies. He was polite with everyone and showed real enthusiasm and intelligence. I was happy with his appointment and am even happier now. I was also impressed with Morgs who took the stick and dealt out his own nicely. There seems to be a good relationship between Speed and others at the club. Okay, there may only have been one "tricky" question about Ellis but all in all I thought it was well worth a listen

 

[shreds1975]

I was there. It was well organised, well hosted by Andy Pack and there was a good atmosphere which contributed to some good humour as well as some serious points being made.

When Britton and Morgs were asked questions they answered well and confidently and Morgs took plenty of stick in good turn. It seems the "team spirit" remains good and something they were keen to emphasise.

We all know Speed is comfortable in front of an audience, his frequent media exposure helps with that. He appeared to answer questions openly and honestly, even grabbing the mic off Trevor Birch at one point to ensure he made a point on transfers and loans. One question from the back about Sam Ellis brought a forceful response - "my decision and i will live or die by it", but generally his responses were calm and considered.

Trevor Birch had little to answer, but Andy Pack was keen to emphasise early doors that it was to be focused on the manager. I spoke to Trevor afterwards. I'm from a Finance background and attended a Finance in Football presentation that Trevor and former FD Simon Capper gave a couple of months ago. In it, comments regarding the strong possibility of a large club folding (not just going into admin) were made and he re-iterated them last night. The presentation he gave a couple of months ago was looking at the football industry as a whole and was fascinating stuff. I suggested that, given the moans and groans on the forums about loans, McCabe's further investment and levels of expenditure, a watered down version of the presentation with a bit of context of the Blades financial position would be a good way of giving the wider fanbase clarity and understanding of where we are at. The sponsorship/investment deals he referred to last night were interesting. Cutting the expenditure is one way of sorting out the financial situation, but identifying and exploiting other income streams and re-assessing others (changing nature of Chinese investment) have to be done. Let's see how it progresses.

Overall it was a good night and I overheard positive murmurings about it from senior Blades staff afterwards. I think the media ban was interesting, at least it means Radio sheffield don't take up half the show with their questions,but putting this on Blades Player isn't really going to attract new subscribers so I think the purpose of doing it that way is lost.

Even those who like to come on here and moan might have found last night a positive experience and I would urge people to support any further evenings like it. I came away happy that we have a determined and knowledgeable manager who was open and honest in his thoughts and deserves our continued backing, whatever reservations you may have.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Unable to go last night due to work commitments
Where can I pick up a transcipt!

 

[JohnDenver]

I was there.

Cheers Shreds - interesting stuff.

 

[lenners]

Sponsorship/investment deals? What they?

 

[Linz]

Unable to go last night due to work commitments
Where can I pick up a transcipt!

Well you can pay for Bladesworld or get the programmes for the next two games.

OR... we'll do our best this weekend to get everything on here for free in one way or another. MP3 if the audio is decent enough... transcript if not.

I'm crossing my fingers for the former!

 

[davidpinder]

I didn't go and haven't listened yet because am lazy. Any players coming in? Lots of other clubs strengthening were not???

 

[beechblade]

I attended last and Shreds has pretty much said all my views on the night.

It was a well run night and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I got a seat on the front row as we got there pretty early and got settled in, I even asked one of the first questions of the night… about the change from coaching to the managerial role, I found his and Morgan’s answers intriguing because I currently coach and manage a youth side, I in general feel similar as emotions as Gary does on those positions, I've spent a few week coaching the team and I was able to pick up on everything with that clarity he mentioned, but having taking over the sort of hot seat I found that I also don't see things quite so clear whilst I'm actually doing the managing side of it. Ok Speeds emotions will be on a grander scale than my own but I could relate to what he said.

Speed answered all his questions very well and he kept the event engaging, as did Morgs and Britton, Trevor had a relative quite one but I also enjoyed hearing a little about his football background. The banter between the lot of them and the fans was great. Ollie put in a thread about people perceiving Speed to walk on water, well he certainly can in my eyes now, last nights events made me more confident of having Gary in the role as our manager.

I really hope the club does put on more of these events.

 

[beechblade]

I didn't go and haven't listened yet because am lazy. Any players coming in? Lots of other clubs strengthening were not???

Speed said last night that he wants to look at the players he wants to bring in, he isn't going to go out and pick loans up willy nilly, he only wants players that will add something more to the squad so he won't rush his loans or signings.

 

[davidpinder]

Speed said last night that he wants to look at the players he wants to bring in, he isn't going to go out and pick loans up willy nilly, he only wants players that will add something more to the squad so he won't rush his loans or signings.

You mentioned you got a front row seat, are you the only with a pint that is shown on the pic on the OS?

 

[Fiery Blade]

Well you can pay for Bladesworld or get the programmes for the next two games.

OR... we'll do our best this weekend to get everything on here for free in one way or another. MP3 if the audio is decent enough... transcript if not.

I'm crossing my fingers for the former!

Thanks Linz !

 

[davidpinder]

Speed said last night that he wants to look at the players he wants to bring in, he isn't going to go out and pick loans up willy nilly, he only wants players that will add something more to the squad so he won't rush his loans or signings.

So i am guessing that players currently moving to other clubs, speed doesn't think will strengthen our side?

 

[beechblade]

You mentioned you got a front row seat, are you the only with a pint that is shown on the pic on the OS?

No I was near that guy, I'm the young looking one with the new training top on leaning slightly forward, my pint was under the seat.

So i am guessing that players currently moving to other clubs, speed doesn't think will strengthen our side?

He just mentioned something on the lines of he knows the areas he'd like to strengthen on, but he'd only bring a player in that was right for the club. He kept his cards close to his chest on whether he'd actively approached anyone.

 

[Fiery Blade]

The overiding information coming out in dribs and drabs is the fact that nothing is happening!
Blackwell always trotted out the same.................... invest in quality, taking our time, bringing in better players than we have but... we finished up with Kozluk, Jordan Stewart, France, Reid, Taylor etc
I have a lot of time for Gary Speed and will be behind him 100% but Don't treat us as fools and whilst Middlesborough and Preston showed some signs of improvement the overiding factor is that we are producing dire fayre for the public - two shots on goal in 180 mins
Don't tell us we need pace and creativity and expect Montgomery to provide he cannot! Give Yeates a chance
Anything but Monty and Quinn in a midfield devoid of thought, pace, creativity and skill!

 

[shreds1975]

So i am guessing that players currently moving to other clubs, speed doesn't think will strengthen our side?

He made great play of the fact that he wants to see players play now, before committing to loaning them. He will not base decisions on performances in previous seasons or DVDs.

 

[shreds1975]

He acknowledged where the failings were in the final 3rd, touched on poor set pieces and the performance of players like Wardy who were seemingly trying too hard and not doing teh simle things that were required. Plenty of work being done on teh training ground.

For every Britton, you need a Monty - a fair point made by Captain and Manager last night. Not Monty and Quinn I grant you, but he didn't play them from the start against Preston?

 

[shreds1975]

Sponsorship/investment deals? What they?

Sponsorship is where someone pays us money to attach their name/branding to some thing at the club, a stand, a suite, the stadium

Investment is where money is provided to support the operations of a business with a view to generating a return, note this is not often achieved in a football club.

Is this what you wanted to know Len?

Apparently there are more deals than the reported Malaysian one being explored.

 

[Linz]

I don't think anything groundbreaking was ever going to be said, but I did enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and a feeling of a genuine attempt to connect with the fans.

However, I did mention to someone who wanted to know about our reaction, the club really need to do what they did in that small room but in a way which reaches 20000+ fans.

They aren't going to do that by making it only available on Bladesworld or via the programme

 

[beechblade]

I don't think anything groundbreaking was ever going to be said, but I did enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and a feeling of a genuine attempt to connect with the fans.

However, I did mention to someone who wanted to know about our reaction, the club really need to do what they did in that small room but in a way which reaches 20000+ fans.

They aren't going to do that by making it only available on Bladesworld or via the programme

I agree this should have been free on the blades player, or broadcast live free on the player, so it could reach a wider auidence, what type of thing do you think they could do Linz?

 

[MunXy]

in vite them onto here linz, where they can post and answer questions, a first for any footy forum i believe.
straight from the horses mouth kinda thing.

MunXy

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I don't think anything groundbreaking was ever going to be said, but I did enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and a feeling of a genuine attempt to connect with the fans.
However, I did mention to someone who wanted to know about our reaction, the club really need to do what they did in that small room but in a way which reaches 20000+ fans.
They aren't going to do that by making it only available on Bladesworld or via the programme

If only there were some sort of large screen at the ground where they could show the highlights of the fans forum. If there were, they could maybe show them at around 7:15 before a Tuesday night match against Scunthorpe or something

 

[Linz]

I agree this should have been free on the blades player, or broadcast live free on the player, so it could reach a wider auidence, what type of thing do you think they could do Linz?

That would be a start. I also think they need to give longer notice of the forums via more channels. As creatures of the internet, it's easy to forget that not everyone is online. Perhaps if they could schedule a programme of Q&As and publicise this via mail-outs with reminders online and on matchdays, they would reach more people. Create a dedicated person responsible for running these forums and gathering questions, as well as possibly creating some sort of agenda.

I spoke to United fans who didn't even realise that there was a meet the manager session and as we were there last night, it was obvious that it was the same old faces (which I suppose Foxy and I are becoming guilty of too!).

in vite them onto here linz, where they can post and answer questions, a first for any footy forum i believe.
straight from the horses mouth kinda thing.

They are more than welcome and we do know for definite that representatives of the club do read this forum. This is one of the reasons for my appeal for calm earlier.

The more reasonable we are as a forum, the more the club may be willing to work with us. This isn't about toeing the party line, but more fostering the atmosphere where criticisms and complaints can be raised in the same manner as praise and positives and debated in the same way.

If only there were some sort of large screen at the ground where they could show the highlights of the fans forum. If there were, they could maybe show them at around 7:15 before a Tuesday night match against Scunthorpe or something

It's about time that TV was used for summat useful

 

[beechblade]

That would be a start. I also think they need to give longer notice of the forums via more channels. As creatures of the internet, it's easy to forget that not everyone is online. Perhaps if they could schedule a programme of Q&As and publicise this via mail-outs with reminders online and on matchdays, they would reach more people. Create a dedicated person responsible for running these forums and gathering questions, as well as possibly creating some sort of agenda.

I spoke to United fans who didn't even realise that there was a meet the manager session and as we were there last night, it was obvious that it was the same old faces (which I suppose Foxy and I are becoming guilty of too!).

I saw the both of you and Sliver was there too wasn't he?, you and Foxy were always chatting to people as I passed. Its the first time I've been at anything like this and I agree more notice should have been given for the events, a week before the event on the OS wasn't really enough time for the word to spread.

 

[lenners]

Sponsorship is where someone pays us money to attach their name/branding to some thing at the club, a stand, a suite, the stadium

Investment is where money is provided to support the operations of a business with a view to generating a return, note this is not often achieved in a football club.

Is this what you wanted to know Len?

Apparently there are more deals than the reported Malaysian one being explored.

Appreciate yours and others run through of events but the end result was clearly the square root of FA.
We are utterly drifting as a football club. Don't know what deals we've got on but next Tuesday's crowd could be 8,000 plus down on last season's average - a devastating indictment of the management of the club.

 

[beechblade]

Appreciate yours and others run through of events but the end result was clearly the square root of FA.
We are utterly drifting as a football club. Don't know what deals we've got on but next Tuesday's crowd could be 8,000 plus down on last season's average - a devastating indictment of the management of the club.

Not all of it boils down to the club, I'm not saying everything they have done everything good but the finicial climate won't help the attendances either.

 

[Linz]

I saw the both of you and Sliver was there too wasn't he?, you and Foxy were always chatting to people as I passed. Its the first time I've been at anything like this and I agree more notice should have been given for the events, a week before the event on the OS wasn't really enough time for the word to spread.

Aye... you should've given me a nudge I was being a social butterfly.

 

[Foxy]

in vite them onto here linz, where they can post and answer questions, a first for any footy forum i believe.
straight from the horses mouth kinda thing.

MunXy

The club have been great in terms of our involvement more recently... See the coverage of Gary Speeds unveiling as an example and the involvement we've had in previous Q&A's. This in my eyes is undoubtably down to our approach as a site and an entity over the years.

Provided it's done in the right way, I'm more than happy to try and facilitate things like your suggestion. Taking the forum as a whole since it began, I'd be proud to suggest such a thing and to work to provide it.

However, we are keen to address the happenings of the last few days and keep the forum and site as a whole in the spirits that it historically has had...

If we turned into the ridiculous "made up camp" vs. "made up camp" and shouting down of opposing opinions, why would anyone want to do such a thing?

Quite frankly, more than anything, if I let us become that I'd be failing myself and our membership and I'd also be making myself look like a complete idiot approaching the club to facilitate such happenings.

The moral of the story is, if everybody uses this place as it's intended, in the right spirits, then I'll be doing what I can to provide things like your suggestion, as I always have.

I saw the both of you and Sliver was there too wasn't he?, you and Foxy were always chatting to people as I passed. Its the first time I've been at anything like this and I agree more notice should have been given for the events, a week before the event on the OS wasn't really enough time for the word to spread.

As Linz said, you should have given us a nudge. Was a bit busy, but never too busy for a chat with fellow blades and members!

 

[Trigger Blade]

Appreciate yours and others run through of events but the end result was clearly the square root of FA.
We are utterly drifting as a football club. Don't know what deals we've got on but next Tuesday's crowd could be 8,000 plus down on last season's average - a devastating indictment of the management of the club.

That's classic len, that is! Can't be bothered to turn up and then moaning about the fact that nothing really limit breaking came out of it.

len, without you there, it was always going to be that way. You can't put your trust in idiots like Shreds75, Foxy and linz, they're just patsys, they've gone native, you really need to get involved, you're the only one with vision.

Please, please promise you'll go to the AGM and sort the club out in one session, we need you more than ever.

What kind of notice are you in in your current job? You need to think about that, because the club will need you to start straightaway, though I expect they'd see compo for you as money well spent.

Thanks in advance.