Statement from McCabe - Official Site

[Bladesway]

Part of me feels for him. he does genuinly care and has tried to do right by the club, however his decisions have a habit of going horribly and expensively tits up (Robson for one).

He does care. I don't doubt that. Unfortunately the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

 

[robbiez666]

I believe you meant, before slagging off everyone who doesn't agree with you, that a self-made property millionaire automatically knows how to run a football club and make big footballing decisions.

Despite a track record which proves he doesn't.

Anyway. goodnight.

Come on robbie you know what I meant, good night pal.

 

[UnitedBlade]

[


I heard his comments on Adkins in Statons interview on the way to the ground. When he eventually answered.

All I asked was if he mentioned future plans on investment etc. pretty much a yes or no answer rather than a journey around my cv. (And yours).

No one is currently talking to him about future investment.

There is a routine board meeting with the Prince in a couple of weeks. Nothing specific on future investment.

 

[Worksop II]

There is a routine board meeting with the Prince in a couple of weeks

Oooooh Q & A Session comming up ..................

 

[Sean Thornton]

No one is currently talking to him about future investment.

There is a routine board meeting with the Prince in a couple of weeks. Nothing specific on future investment.

I was asking if KMc mentioned anything about future planning, including further investment by the owners, in the audio.

 

[Bert]

A few things, if I may ...



I'm glad he recognises this. I am pretty sure he is always aware of our grinding disappointment, not just in being beaten by lesser sides, but my the sale of our talent without strategic plans to replace with better.



Much of which he owns. If he is suggesting we should be happy United play in a Premier League stadium against division three opposition he is a bit deluded. Frankly I'd be happy seeing us playing on last year's playing surface if we retained key players and won games. All the fluff surrounding the club - the pitch, the academy, the pies ... has it catapulted us up the table?



In summary, 'thanks for continuing to turn up. As well as your season ticket cash, we've pissed a whole lot more cash against the wall as well, not to mention the selling of decent players." What a crass statement.



Yes. I think we kinda agree. But aside from cosmetic improvements to the material state of the club, where's the worth-versus-cash-spent metric, Kev? I mean, you've not even mentioned parachute payments and Tevez money in your bluster. Just how did a relegated PL side with still some decent players end up sliding unarrested into a perpetually disappointing stab at the 'also promoted with the automatics competition'?



More puff. What about 'player investments which secured us an automatic promotion place into the Championship'? As was promised three years ago?



Why? Serious answer. He talks about the supposed impact of player input ... what about those players we have shipped out who were undoubtedly our best assets in any promotion-seeking campaign? What about the back four gap which manifested itself in so many disappointing concessions last - and this - season?



Oh, Christ. Look, if any of you fellow Bladesmen are sat nodding your heads and thinking, 'yeah, he has a point there' then have a look at 'luck' (as he has it) versus selling players who make a difference, versus continued failure to succeed in the playoffs (despite optimism at being there) versus the actions of a dick-led rapist and the sacking of Danny Wilson and Nigel Clough for reasons which we still aren't exactly clear on. That's not 'luck'. That's incompetence, lack of a plan B and failure to invest in strength and depth and most of all, avoidance of an end of season jamboree. Where does luck fit in with the amount of Cup Semis we have played in, Kev?



I have heard that one before. Summat to do with 'think Liverpool' as well.



In summary: Blame the managers. Don't blame selling the players and not reinvesting in players of a higher division marque. What next? The fans?



Like anyone with any money is going to come to you and buy the club, the ground, the academy and all the chattels when it languishes in no mans land with a gathering restless natives problem. Let's not forget the investments put in and how much he'll want back to cover his stated investments .... and then how much it will cost to effectively clean out the McCabe years and reboot the Sheffield United brand with a new set of players - young, hungry and experienced, controlled - and breathe back belief into the club that we will stop being a holding pattern for other teams to easily swoop in and steal our talent without a serious challenge and then ... honesty on what is being dealt and with whom ... and ability to replace like with better.



Trouble is ... the evidence just isn't there, is it? We failed to steer the Murphy money back into talent in the JTW (as you'd expect) and the results is us out of the playoffs and shipping goals, taking 12 points from 27. Is that 'rising again to good times' form?



See, look. Even he uses a sig.

pommpey

Much better! All of it without the usual unnecessary profanities, even though you are wrong about everything.

Berrt

 

[BeatleBlade]

I do think the idea that the money hasn't been invested is ridiculous. While I think there has been some cutting back this year that is mostly down to Clough's spending last season and nobody in the board doing anything to reign him in. Unlike some people I don't believe that McCabe is against the club, but he's just made some rather stupid decisions and we've had some bad luck.
However, I do think we need to hold players to contracts that they have signed.

 

[Worksop II]

he's just made some rather stupid decisions

Just focus on that ...

 

[pommpey]

Much better! All of it without the usual unnecessary profanities, even though you are wrong about everything.

Berrt

Aw. Pommpey is fucking pleased.

pommpey

 

[pommpey]

If you mean Hulse he was seriously injured in March when the transfer window was closed I believe.

No. I mean not already having strength in depth to challenge at that level.

pommpey

 

[Barney]

Aw. Pommpey is fucking pleased.

pommpey

Barney has always been intrigued by Bert's use of a non-funny third person narrative. He wonders whether it might be because Bert has an inflated opinion of himself.

 

[Worksop II]

Barney has always been intrigued by Bert's use of a non-funny third person narrative. He wonders whether it might be because Bert has an inflated opinion of himself.

No need to wonder any longer ...

 

[pommpey]

Barney has always been intrigued by Bert's use of a non-funny third person narrative. He wonders whether it might be because Bert has an inflated opinion of himself.

Bert has always spoke of Bert in the third person since all this were just fields. The patronising manner has just evolved with his elevated status as board oracle.

Pommpey reckons it's best if he just 'humours' Bert, as he is past caring. Pommpey also wonders if Bert is somewhat:

... when it comes to the colourful utterances of people brought up in shithole council estates like Gleadless Valley and schooled on naval messdecks, such as he.

pommpey

 

[Davie Blade]

I am sick and tired of hearing the ''if this was a business he'd be booted out by now'' analogy.
This is a business. He didn't need to give it any money.
Could someone tell me any other business where the boss puts £90 million in of their own money (made from running another business) Sounds like charity or philanthropy.
This is sport for heaven sake, we are talking about with winners/losers, promotions and relegations, injuries/luck/ with good and bad decisions by players/ referees coaches and managers.
Do you think all 92 football club chairman are good/bad?
Some really simplistic binary crap on this thread.

 

[Caveblade]

My Main issue with Kevin is the spin that he has used over the years has bought me to a place of great mistrust. Let's take the 90 million, a figure that has never been mentioned until the last couple of weeks.

I know the McCabe family have made considerable investments in the club, but my understanding was when the Prince came onboard he wrote off a figure in the region of 30 million. Can somebody explain to me how a matter of 2 years later his family investments have now reached this new high of 90 million? It feels like classic McCabe spin "the natives are getting restless, I will pluck some amazing figure from the air to make them all feel guilty about criticising me and get them off my back.

Another related point is if, and it is a large if, they have invested 90 million it categorically proves those people shouldn't be trusted to run a kids party never mind a professional football club. During his tenure we have continually sold our best players bringing in good income. Gone on good cup runs generating good income. Raised 25 million from the Tevez legal case, consistently generated good gate receipts and had the Sky money from the Premiership year and parachute payments. Yet we still find ourselves in this position of our worst consistent league standing in our history with little backing from the board to change things.

You have done a stunning job Kevin, the ground and pitch look amazing, just ask Darlington fans about the importance of a great ground!

 

[nopigfansintown]

I welcome this statement and have never questioned that Mr McCabe's intentions were always honorable - for the betterment of SUFC, and its supporters. I'm thankful for that and sorry for everyone concerned its not been going well since PL relegation. I would love another statement/question or answer session, were they laid out the strategy going forward at all levels of the club. There's hints at this in recent managerial statements, but nothing comprehensive we can really sink our teeth into. Scouting, the academy going forward (in light of EPPP), and transfer policy (in and out) are all areas of extreme concern for me.

 

[Blade56]

Thought it was convincing that he wants success, has put the funds in, has made mistakes, UNTIL......

However, if there are level headed businessmen, either local, national or international who can clearly demonstrate that they have the credentials to work on enhancing the progress of Sheffield United FC, then they should make contact as I am prepared to listen to their proposals.

That says any reasonable offer accepted Mr Wo.

Official FOR SALE

Shame cause I like McCabe, believe one thing, he's a genuine fan and he's tried hard to make it work but luck thing aside its been mismanaged at several levels and he owns the club ergo the responsibility not to let these 'bad luck' events damage us through contingency management,

 

[judge]

My Main issue with Kevin is the spin that he has used over the years has bought me to a place of great mistrust. Let's take the 90 million, a figure that has never been mentioned until the last couple of weeks.

I know the McCabe family have made considerable investments in the club, but my understanding was when the Prince came onboard he wrote off a figure in the region of 30 million. Can somebody explain to me how a matter of 2 years later his family investments have now reached this new high of 90 million? It feels like classic McCabe spin "the natives are getting restless, I will pluck some amazing figure from the air to make them all feel guilty about criticising me and get them off my back.

Another related point is if, and it is a large if, they have invested 90 million it categorically proves those people shouldn't be trusted to run a kids party never mind a professional football club. During his tenure we have continually sold our best players bringing in good income. Gone on good cup runs generating good income. Raised 25 million from the Tevez legal case, consistently generated good gate receipts and had the Sky money from the Premiership year and parachute payments. Yet we still find ourselves in this position of our worst consistent league standing in our history with little backing from the board to change things.

You have done a stunning job Kevin, the ground and pitch look amazing, just ask Darlington fans about the importance of a great ground!

Brilliant post
These figures are complete gumph !
If he has put 90m in and he says the prince has put 15 in in two seasons add to that the tevez money 25m and parachute payments of 20m thats 150 m pounds over 10 seasons

And yet we have gone through every transfer window scraping around for loans with the transfers we do make covered by player sales and ticket money

It just doenst add up and when you ask on here you will get a half dozen replys abusing you but no real answer other than
Associated wages or some shit

Somethings not right

 

[judge]

Thought it was convincing that he wants success, has put the funds in, has made mistakes, UNTIL......

However, if there are level headed businessmen, either local, national or international who can clearly demonstrate that they have the credentials to work on enhancing the progress of Sheffield United FC, then they should make contact as I am prepared to listen to their proposals.

That says any reasonable offer accepted Mr Wo.

Official FOR SALE

Hes had the club up for sale for years
Its no secret

 

[mattbianco1]

On the playing front, the number of new recruits brought on board in the last three or four seasons alone exceeded over 40 new players joining the Blades, surely demonstrating our commitment to succeed. Whatever the reasons at the moment, the various costly recruitments have not as yet brought us the success we crave.

This is the problem. For me there is no denying the money is being/has been spent. We have gone from Wilson having to employ a 1 in, 1 out transfer policy which ultimately cost him his job (a bit of a gamble in his 2nd January and who knows?? We let Blackman go and brought in Robson and Forte)...
Then the prince comes in and all the managers bought quantity, not quality. Some of Weir's signings were the worst in our history - McGinty, McGuinn etc.

Clough must have signed 25-30 players himself. Again, signed loads of average players and also fell out with good L1 standard players (Butler for example).

Adkins is the only one who hasn't bought loads of players, he's been a bit more 'thoughtful' maybe!?! Or is it the board saying enoughs enough, sorry Mr Adkins but you've got to sell all this tat that we've accumulated since 2011.

Back to my point. If we have spent £15m over the last 4 seasons on 40+ players. Surely hindsight suggests that 2 or 3 quality players in per season as opposed to 8 or 10 mediocre players would have served us better?

I still think we're a GOOD CB and decent left back away from having a decent end to the season. Come on Adkins, make it happen.

 

[Blade56]

Hes had the club up for sale for years
Its no secret

I did not know that!

 

[Woodwardfan]

I am sick and tired of hearing the ''if this was a business he'd be booted out by now'' analogy.
This is a business. He didn't need to give it any money.
Could someone tell me any other business where the boss puts £90 million in of their own money (made from running another business) Sounds like charity or philanthropy.
This is sport for heaven sake, we are talking about with winners/losers, promotions and relegations, injuries/luck/ with good and bad decisions by players/ referees coaches and managers.
Do you think all 92 football club chairman are good/bad?
Some really simplistic binary crap on this thread.

In amongst those 92 football clubs there are only 4 Champions, and 7 other clubs promoted each year. There are 12 clubs relegated.

That means 81 club chairmen don't achieve promotion out of 92 and 12 have to suffer the financial effects of relegation.

As for KM. £90m spent with only one year in the Premier League, three freeholds and ownership of only half a slimmed down football club anchored in League 1 to show for it.

As for the prince, going on for £20m spent by now with just the half shareholding of that modest League 1 football club to show for it - and oh, also 20000 hostile supporters.

The alarming fact in this "sport"/ business is that most of the brass goes into the players' pockets.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Thought it was convincing that he wants success, has put the funds in, has made mistakes, UNTIL......

However, if there are level headed businessmen, either local, national or international who can clearly demonstrate that they have the credentials to work on enhancing the progress of Sheffield United FC, then they should make contact as I am prepared to listen to their proposals.

That says any reasonable offer accepted Mr Wo.

Official FOR SALE

Shame cause I like McCabe, believe one thing, he's a genuine fan and he's tried hard to make it work but luck thing aside its been mismanaged at several levels and he owns the club ergo the responsibility not to let these 'bad luck' events damage us through contingency management,

I suggest KM's comment was simply making the point that no such businessmen exist.

I don't think KM would be well advised to crystallise his losses while the club is languishing in League 1. He's already given half away and written off loads of debt owed to him to attract the prince. I think he'll wait until we are challenging for promotion to the Prem or indeed back in the Prem before he feels the price will be right.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Saturday McCabe says the Prince has put in £15 million , Sunday morning it's " going on for twenty million".

Clap clap clap clap clap. Latest wwf fantasy.

 

[finlaytheblade]

I suspect his energy and appetite for continuing to sink money and time into a bottomless pit, without being able to control the outcomes, has waned. Circumstances have led to him getting in much deeper than he could ever have anticipated and, consequently, it's harder to get out. That said, if a good (however he defines that) exit opportunity materialised, he'd be crazy to ignore it.

A few things, if I may ...



I'm glad he recognises this. I am pretty sure he is always aware of our grinding disappointment, not just in being beaten by lesser sides, but my the sale of our talent without strategic plans to replace with better.



Much of which he owns. If he is suggesting we should be happy United play in a Premier League stadium against division three opposition he is a bit deluded. Frankly I'd be happy seeing us playing on last year's playing surface if we retained key players and won games. All the fluff surrounding the club - the pitch, the academy, the pies ... has it catapulted us up the table?



In summary, 'thanks for continuing to turn up. As well as your season ticket cash, we've pissed a whole lot more cash against the wall as well, not to mention the selling of decent players." What a crass statement.



Yes. I think we kinda agree. But aside from cosmetic improvements to the material state of the club, where's the worth-versus-cash-spent metric, Kev? I mean, you've not even mentioned parachute payments and Tevez money in your bluster. Just how did a relegated PL side with still some decent players end up sliding unarrested into a perpetually disappointing stab at the 'also promoted with the automatics competition'?



More puff. What about 'player investments which secured us an automatic promotion place into the Championship'? As was promised three years ago?



Why? Serious answer. He talks about the supposed impact of player input ... what about those players we have shipped out who were undoubtedly our best assets in any promotion-seeking campaign? What about the back four gap which manifested itself in so many disappointing concessions last - and this - season?



Oh, Christ. Look, if any of you fellow Bladesmen are sat nodding your heads and thinking, 'yeah, he has a point there' then have a look at 'luck' (as he has it) versus selling players who make a difference, versus continued failure to succeed in the playoffs (despite optimism at being there) versus the actions of a dick-led rapist and the sacking of Danny Wilson and Nigel Clough for reasons which we still aren't exactly clear on. That's not 'luck'. That's incompetence, lack of a plan B and failure to invest in strength and depth and most of all, avoidance of an end of season jamboree. Where does luck fit in with the amount of Cup Semis we have played in, Kev?



I have heard that one before. Summat to do with 'think Liverpool' as well.



In summary: Blame the managers. Don't blame selling the players and not reinvesting in players of a higher division marque. What next? The fans?



Like anyone with any money is going to come to you and buy the club, the ground, the academy and all the chattels when it languishes in no mans land with a gathering restless natives problem. Let's not forget the investments put in and how much he'll want back to cover his stated investments .... and then how much it will cost to effectively clean out the McCabe years and reboot the Sheffield United brand with a new set of players - young, hungry and experienced, controlled - and breathe back belief into the club that we will stop being a holding pattern for other teams to easily swoop in and steal our talent without a serious challenge and then ... honesty on what is being dealt and with whom ... and ability to replace like with better.



Trouble is ... the evidence just isn't there, is it? We failed to steer the Murphy money back into talent in the JTW (as you'd expect) and the results is us out of the playoffs and shipping goals, taking 12 points from 27. Is that 'rising again to good times' form?



See, look. Even he uses a sig.

pommpey

I think you take on board Pommpey what you want to fire it back at him.one of the many facets of the interview you overlook is his readiness to continue the fight to return to the top flight, he knows full well it will cost a lot more to achieve it.But as I said earlier you pick out all the negative bits.But I suppose if you are an half empty Person (negative)

 

[Sean Thornton]

I think you take on board Pommpey what you want to fire it back at him.one of the many facets of the interview you overlook is his readiness to continue the fight to return to the top flight, he knows full well it will cost a lot more to achieve it.But as I said earlier you pick out all the negative bits.But I suppose if you are an half empty Person (negative)

Just concentrating on the facts Kevin McCabe himself supplied makes grim reading. Now most are concentrating on the ninety million figure when much more relevant are the financials from the last three years. Losses 2014 and 2015 totalling some £9 million and a forecast loss of £8 million this season virtually covers the Princes original ten million investment and the recent eight million investment ( the Desso pitch covers the rest?) and look where we are. Lower in the league, poor squad and not one penny of that eighteen million can be said to have improved the playing squad.

It's not all down to luck or Clough going mad with the cheque book.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Saturday McCabe says the Prince has put in £15 million , Sunday morning it's " going on for twenty million".

Clap clap clap clap clap. Latest wwf fantasy.

My mistake, I had only heard the interview and have now read the transcript. I knew it was £12m by the start of the season.

I heard £8m each this season and it's £8m between them. £15m is still a load of money.

Other areas I've been wrong are :

1) making the assumption the prince and his men are running the club now.
2) believing that KM had stopped putting money into the club and that all new investment by the prince would increase his equity in the club over a period.

My biggest concern is the future and the frame of mind of the prince. They can't make plans until they know what division we are in. I guess the prince will dictate the level of investment and KM will match him - only a guess!! My concern is whether the prince feels duped into the scenario which must be far more severe than he ever imagined and how he reacts to abuse by fans. He can shut up shop at any stage.

 

[Sean Thornton]

My mistake, I had only heard the interview and have now read the transcript. I knew it was £12m by the start of the season.

I heard £8m each this season and it's £8m between them. £15m is still a load of money.

Other areas I've been wrong are :

1) making the assumption the prince and his men are running the club now.
2) KM had stopped putting money into the club and that all new investment by the prince would increase his equity in the club over a period.

My biggest concern is the future and the frame of mind of the prince. They can't make plans until they know what division we are in. I guess the prince will dictate the level of investment and KM will match him - only a guess!! My concern is whether the prince feels duped into the scenario which must be far more severe than he ever imagined and how he reacts to abuse by fans. He can shut up shop at any stage.

I think you were right about KMc not putting money into the club. Until December 2015 he hadn't for sometime. I think it was borne of necessity and that opinion is strengthened by his comment about losing £8 million this year. The trouble is it's not improved the squad at all but has gone on an inflated wage bill due to Clough apparently being handed the keys to the safe.

 

[finlaytheblade]

My mistake, I had only heard the interview and have now read the transcript. I knew it was £12m by the start of the season.

I heard £8m each this season and it's £8m between them. £15m is still a load of money.

Other areas I've been wrong are :

1) making the assumption the prince and his men are running the club now.
2) KM had stopped putting money into the club and that all new investment by the prince would increase his equity in the club over a period.

My biggest concern is the future and the frame of mind of the prince. They can't make plans until they know what division we are in. I guess the prince will dictate the level of investment and KM will match him - only a guess!! My concern is whether the prince feels duped into the scenario which must be far more severe than he ever imagined and how he reacts to abuse by fans. He can shut up shop at any stage.

The best thing to come out of the interviewer was his clearing of the air regarding finance he's not running away from the mistakes he has made and the prince is fully supportive,that is vital if we are to get back to where we want to be.
He has stated categorically that the finance is there to push on to the premiership when we get out of this one.So why not get fully behind the club, let's get to the next level and test whether the big investment is there.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Just concentrating on the facts Kevin McCabe himself supplied makes grim reading. Now most are concentrating on the ninety million figure when much more relevant are the financials from the last three years. Losses 2014 and 2015 totalling some £9 million and a forecast loss of £8 million this season virtually covers the Princes original ten million investment and the recent eight million investment ( the Desso pitch covers the rest?) and look where we are. Lower in the league, poor squad and not one penny of that eighteen million can be said to have improved the playing squad.

It's not all down to luck or Clough going mad with the cheque book.

Please can somebody explain how we can lose £8M this season?
If FFP means we are only spending 60% of our income on player's wages.
That rule is designed to avoid clubs overspending.

The £8M isn't going on wages or transfer fees, so what has it been spent on?
Why can nobody ever give or get a straight answer to this question?