SUFC: Series of Fans Forums.

[TJB.]

Quite mixed feelings about that.

He didn't really answer my question about getting a director of football in. A lad before me alluded to it but spoke more about what Dooley did when he was around. I tried to ask if there was any place for a DoF at SUFC instead of/as well as a technical board (he mentioned such a board numerous times). He seemed to allude that such people 'didn't really exist' and asked who such a person might be. That's not my job, it's theirs. I wanted to know if there was a place at Sheff United for someone who would oversee football matters whilst Adkins was here and beyond. Response was poor, so I take that as a No.

Kept mentioning putting faith in youth, which can be taken either way. I like the idea of putting faith in youth, but it can be seen that those who are good enough have already been brought into the fold (Reed, DCL, Adams et al). It's also a narrative that can be viewed by the more pessimistic of us as taking the cheap way out.

Ched came up far too much for my liking. Fucking leave it.

Very interesting point for me was where Turnbull was concerned. 'He has a good CV, but we've yet to see the fruits of that' - or words to that extent. What on earth has he been up to for 8 months or whatever? He seemed a bit pissed off on this point. I'd have liked more answers on this but the point went no further.

I think he does care, and I think he is genuinely pissed that so much of his dosh has been spunked away. Wouldn't you be? I feel part of his problem is that he talks like a businessman to football fans, and anyone who has worked in or come across business people knows that they tend to talk a lot of hot air and gloss. That dunt wesh wi Yorkshire folk much of the time, and it creates a communication barrier.

 

[Esablade]

 

[Bladesman]

But at least he paid less Tax. Phew!

Well as long he saved a few quid so he could spend a bit more on some waffles.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

I considered going but it really is a complete waste of a night. From my experience these are are sadly a waste of time. McCabe will do his best politician act. They will be business/corporate bull crap and it will be all about the future and learning from mistakes.

Can hear McCabe now: 'Hey, we have not had much luck. Hey, there's no bigger blade than me. Hey, it's not my fault I keep making mistake after mistake.'

We have heard it all before. We need positive action and decisions that see this club moving forward not backwards and not more empty words. they should more time sorting out the mess of a board ensuring we have a proper football structure moving forward. McCabe has tried Robinson, Birch, Winter and many more. He cannot get a decent CEO in to run the football side, cannot get anyone in who can effecitvely deal with in's/out's on the playing and continaully picks duff managers who keep failing.

There is nothing he could say that would make me think 'This guy knows what he is doing at SUFC'. The last 10 years has proved he has not got a scooby doo. I don't need to attend a fans forum event to listen to him make more excuses for his and the boards total incompetency.

Sorry for apathy and I know some may say the club are damned if they do, damned if they don't but everything McCabe and the board has said and done in the last 10 years makes it hard to believe anything that comes out of his mouth thus rendering much of these pointless.

Fair play to Foxy and Linz for trudging along and updating us on Twitter - but from what I've read seems DB was right.

 

[zablade]

Still Going on about the Premier League / West Ham / Tevez thing is deeply deeply embarasing.

 

[Snowman]

Well as long he saved a few quid so he could spend a bit more on some waffles.

BUT who signed Sammon and are they embarrassed?

 

[Bladesman]

Oops, misread it. But they're still twats.

The twats can keep laughing while in their death trap of a stadium.

 

[Silent Blade]

Very interesting point for me was where Turnbull was concerned. 'He has a good CV, but we've yet to see the fruits of that' - or words to that extent. What on earth has he been up to for 8 months or whatever? He seemed a bit pissed off on this point. I'd have liked more answers on this but the point went no further.

He became our scout in July so he had little time to make recommendations for Summer 2015 recruitment when other clubs have already started their plans from January 2015. If Sunjihi 's post about Adkins leaving is bullshit then we will find out next season if Turnbull made good recommendations

 

[Esablade]

Could buy a couple, maybe three decent L1/L2 players for around £316,000 though eh?

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Quite mixed feelings about that.

He didn't really answer my question about getting a director of football in. A lad before me alluded to it but spoke more about what Dooley did when he was around. I tried to ask if there was any place for a DoF at SUFC instead of/as well as a technical board (he mentioned such a board numerous times). He seemed to allude that such people 'didn't really exist' and asked who such a person might be. That's not my job, it's theirs. I wanted to know if there was a place at Sheff United for someone who would oversee football matters whilst Adkins was here and beyond. Response was poor, so I take that as a No.

Kept mentioning putting faith in youth, which can be taken either way. I like the idea of putting faith in youth, but it can be seen that those who are good enough have already been brought into the fold (Reed, DCL, Adams et al). It's also a narrative that can be viewed by the more pessimistic of us as taking the cheap way out.

Ched came up far too much for my liking. Fucking leave it.

Very interesting point for me was where Turnbull was concerned. 'He has a good CV, but we've yet to see the fruits of that' - or words to that extent. What on earth has he been up to for 8 months or whatever? He seemed a bit pissed off on this point. I'd have liked more answers on this but the point went no further.

I think he does care, and I think he is genuinely pissed that so much of his dosh has been spunked away. Wouldn't you be? I feel part of his problem is that he talks like a businessman to football fans, and anyone who has worked in or come across business people knows that they tend to talk a lot of hot air and gloss. That dunt wesh wi Yorkshire folk much of the time, and it creates a communication barrier.

Agree with almost all that.

I paid really close attention all night (I had to to stay awake) and felt I learned next to nothing. That's not through any deliberate obfuscation or misdirection: some of the answers are just, Wait and see, or It depends.

Some/All of the more interesting points weren't followed up/ Maybe a different forum with an independent chair (Rob Staton?) would have managed that better. That said, there are downsides to any format.

 

[TJB.]

Agree with almost all that.

I paid really close attention all night (I had to to stay awake) and felt I learned next to nothing. That's not through any deliberate obfuscation or misdirection: some of the answers are just, Wait and see, or It depends.

Some/All of the more interesting points weren't followed up/ Maybe a different forum with an independent chair (Rob Staton?) would have managed that better. That said, there are downsides to any format.

That was the thing; interesting responses from McCabe were followed up by a different question, so some things lingered in the air when they could have, or needed to, be taken further.

I feel that after 90 minutes of that lot, we still don't have a clear position on what's going to happen going forward. You can pin that on much of the questioning being directed towards what's gone on in the past, but McCabe's summary was basically 'We go again'. He seemed very annoyed about how this season has panned out.

I dunno what to think about going forward. I really don't.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Kev McCabe at the April 2017 fans' forum:

"We were very unlucky again..."

 

[S60 unitedite]

He became our scout in July so he had little time to make recommendations for Summer 2015 recruitment when other clubs have already started their plans from January 2015. If Sunjihi 's post about Adkins leaving is bullshit then we will find out next season if Turnbull made good recommendations

I understand what you are saying but turnbull left Scunthorpe where he was doing the same job for a club in the same league. I am sure we have different budgets but we were both aiming for promotion
Since he joined the much mentioned technical board has been created which makes you think the people in power don't trust him to make the right decisions

 

[TJB.]

Kev McCabe at the April 2017 fans' forum:

"We were very unlucky again..."

The repetition of 'luck' really pissed me off, actually.

You make your own luck in any league. You need a matchday squad of 18 that can do a job on the opposition. That's what promotion sides do.

Say Ched didn't get sent down when he did. Say the whole thing hadn't happened. Say he pulled his hamstring badly instead of going to prison. We still wouldn't have gone up, because our talisman was out of action.

Is that bad luck, or is that a lack of depth in the squad? Who was up front for us when Ched wasn't available? Was he adequate?...

 

[Barney]

No surprise to read that it was a waste of time. Politicians answers are so infuriating. It's why people have such a problem with Adkins' interviews. He simply does not answer the questions. If I was chairing the damn thing I'd cut McCabe off and ask him to start again every time he either didn't answer the question, or tried to bullshit his way out of it. Answer the question or don't fucking bother wasting yet more of everyones time.

 

[The Bohemian]

BUT who signed Sammon and are they embarrassed?

Mel Branngan presented Sammon as a fait accompli to Adkins. The deal was done without Adkins' input. This was confirmed to me tonight. This may, at least in part, explain Branngan's departure.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

McCabe is borderline obsessed with how much bad luck we've had. I think it's ok to have a laugh about it on a forum but if you're running the place you really should have a more balanced outlook. In amongst all that bad luck there has to be some good luck. Otherwise you're in the realm of curses and witchcraft. Maybe the vicar could perform an exorcism.

A lot of talk about youth. Came up time and time again. Looks like it's planned to be a key feature over the next few seasons (till we all decide it's a ridiculous policy and what we need is experience and know-how).

Warnock (or Bassett) can't be DoF because he doesn't live in Sheffield. This didn't really add up. If you appoint a DoF wouldn't they move? I do think it's a good point that a DoF has to be hands on at all levels so needs to be locally based. (Said it before but I hope things turn out well next season and in time Adkins takes this role.)

Lots of deferring to the Technical Board without any clarification of the process and afaics one outright, er, mis-statement: "The final say rests with the manager." It clearly doesn't. NA: "I'd like Messi for £100m." KM: "No. Final Answer."

A chair might have helped sort out what this process is by managing a to and fro rally of questions instead of the serve and return we were getting.

Academy has made more money than it's cost according to McCabe (at least I'm pretty sure that's what he said).

Being Cat 1 v Cat 2 is not a big deal. Might be worth a thread of its own. One related point is that clubs have pinched players since the dawn of time. We get the cast offs eg Whiteman from Man United. Everyone finds their level.

If we ever go up then the level of investment will increase. Again a follow up would be how do you compete against the £50m (or whateve it is) parachute payment clubs? Are you willing to up to that level of investment? Wigan have wiped the floor with us this season, it's not a great precedent is it?

(A footnote for me but my take would be he clearly sympathises with Evans but the damage it would do to the club precludes a return. And the club means everyone who works there and all the grief they got and would get. Tbf these are the realities of a decision like that.)

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

The repetition of 'luck' really pissed me off, actually.

You make your own luck in any league. You need a matchday squad of 18 that can do a job on the opposition. That's what promotion sides do.

Say Ched didn't get sent down when he did. Say the whole thing hadn't happened. Say he pulled his hamstring badly instead of going to prison. We still wouldn't have gone up, because our talisman was out of action.

Is that bad luck, or is that a lack of depth in the squad? Who was up front for us when Ched wasn't available? Was he adequate?...

Exactly - and a great example.

 

[Silent Blade]

I understand what you are saying but turnbull left Scunthorpe where he was doing the same job for a club in the same league. I am sure we have different budgets but we were both aiming for promotion
Since he joined the much mentioned technical board has been created which makes you think the people in power don't trust him to make the right decisions

Scunthorpe are above us in the league atm. I know very little about their current players. Was it thanks to Turnbull's recommendations playing a large part in Scunthorpe doing better than expected?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Mr McCabe,
You are asked to see a 25-year-old man who experienced marked weakness and dyspnea 4 days after being admitted for a compound arm fracture after falling from a tree. Estimated blood loss from the initial fracture episode was 600 mL, and the patient was transfused with one unit of packed erythrocytes. The initial cross match was reported as compatible by the transfusion service. The patient has never been transfused before this incident and has no other serious medical illnesses. The patient's arm fracture was treated with surgical pinning and prophylactic antibiotics consisting of cefotetan 2 g IV every 12 hours. On examination, the patient is febrile and mildly tachycardic, with no evidence of wound infection or compartment syndrome. Laboratory data show a hematocrit of 15%, absolute reticulocyte count of 600,000 μL, and total bilirubin of 70 umol/L with direct bilirubin of 9 umol/L. The peripheral smear shows many spherocytes. No hemoglobinemia or hemoglobinuria is seen on visual inspection of the plasma and urine. The transfusion service reports that the direct Coombs' test is now strongly positive using anti-IgG and only weakly positive with anti-C3d antisera. They further report that routine compatibility tests show no new erythrocyte antibodies in the patient's serum and that, when they attempted to elute antibody from the patient's RBCs and test against normal RBCs, the results were negative. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A) Hemolytic transfusion reaction caused by an ABO incompatibility
B) Delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction
C) Autoimmune hemolytic anemia of warm antibody type
D) Autoimmune hemolytic anemia of cold antibody type
E) Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia

Sack him

 

[spongebobblade]

"Why don't we have replays or goal music?"

Kev " I haven't a bloody clue"

Is this a reply to the question or just generally the most honest he was all night??

 

[S60 unitedite]

Scunthorpe are above us in the league atm. I know very little about their current players. Was it thanks to Turnbull's recommendations playing a large part in Scunthorpe doing better than expected?

They have a reasonable budget, there owner is the owner of wilkinson sand they are building a new stadium ready for the season afterwards

He was at Scunthorpe when they signed good players like hooper Martin Patterson Andy keogh even our very own woolford.

Not doubting his credentials but I think he shouldn't have had a problem hitting the ground running if the money was available to sign players and McCabe digging him out a bit shows he has been a bit underwhelmed x

 

[Sean Thornton]

What do people want as DoF ? A football man like DD who understood the game - at the time - with an ability to link the football side with the boardroom? Because neither Basset nor Warnock are that man due to their ego's.

The top clubs are appointing technically minded people to fill that role rather than people who had some success managing the club years ago. McCabe has made a total mess of appointing senior management. Anyone suggesting DB or NW is just as clueless as are the fans who think they can do the job.

 

[The Bohemian]

Whilst the "bad luck" story has substance it is time to move on and build a new narrative around lessons learned and acted upon to ensure future success.

McCabe was forthright in his answers and more candid than might have been expected in his damning reaction to this season's signings, Lee Turnbull's contribution and his support of "Ched", referring to an "injustice" and a "young lad who's had his life ruined." This is strong stuff and will divide opinion - certainly not political obfuscation. He also said Ched had cost £3.25m and was on "huge wages."

When one of the early questioners went off on a rant about McCabe's reference to luck (which was fair enough) and got steadily louder to the point of shouting, McCabe stood his ground, told the guy to "lower your voice" and asked him to state what he would do differently. His answer was something along the lines of "we need to copy Southampton's recruitment policy."

He talked at length of the changes made to the football club board and processes put in place to improve player recruitment, though I'm not too clear what those changes are.

He gave measured support to Adkins, acknowledging the challenge of having to sort out a bloated squad and a number of players not up to scratch (interestingly he mentioned character here - not just ability).

He clearly rates young Travis Binnion - new Academy Head - and reaffirmed the importance of the Academy to the club's longer term strategy.

He restated the difficulty in keeping players who want to move to club's higher up the ladder for more money - said we got over £2m for Murphy, who wanted to leave, and that two clubs had bid for him.

He suggested The Prince is still committed to supporting the club and would be reviewing his board representation (mentioned JP will probably be heading back to Utah).

He seemed generally positive and upbeat despite the obvious burden of ongoing disappointment and under-achievement.

 

[TJB.]

What do people want as DoF ? A football man like DD who understood the game - at the time - with an ability to link the football side with the boardroom? Because neither Basset nor Warnock are that man due to their ego's.

The top clubs are appointing technically minded people to fill that role rather than people who had some success managing the club years ago. McCabe has made a total mess of appointing senior management. Anyone suggesting DB or NW is just as clueless as are the fans who think they can do the job.

He was deflecting, though. A director of football, who would be there to work alongside Adkins and his successor, should there be one, is a good and relevent idea. It's not up to is as fans to suggest such people, but it is up to those who run the club to headhunt people like that.

People said 'Bassett' when Dof's were mentioned, but we don't know his situation, and it was dismissed by Kev because he's not local. However, I personally don't believe that there is absolutely nobody out there who is suitable for this role, and it doesn't seem to be a priority for this club.

We had the Clough era where the football people did the football stuff, and the board people did the business stuff. That failed. Now we have a 'technical board' and are supposed to be assured that things will be different, just because it's been rearranged. I heard no real reassurances tonight.

 

[Sean Thornton]

He was deflecting, though. A director of football, who would be there to work alongside Adkins and his successor, should there be one, is a good and relevent idea. It's not up to is as fans to suggest such people, but it is up to those who run the club to headhunt people like that.

People said 'Bassett' when Dof's were mentioned, but we don't know his situation, and it was dismissed by Kev because he's not local. However, I personally don't believe that there is absolutely nobody out there who is suitable for this role, and it doesn't seem to be a priority for this club.

We had the Clough era where the football people did the football stuff, and the board people did the business stuff. That failed. Now we have a 'technical board' and are supposed to be assured that things will be different, just because it's been rearranged. I heard no real reassurances tonight.

Not suggesting we don't need a DoF but it's the Bladey Blade way to suggest DB and NW. That sort of appointment is why we are where we are.

NW and DB are primarily motivators, dealing with players is their strength. They wouldn't be involved in that. That's not the role. And why would the likes of Adkins or a modern manager need those two as a link to the board?

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Also (not from KM) a couple of bizarre responses:

We can't have goal music (some are very keen on it) because we can't afford the royalties apparently.
We can't have goal replays because we haven't got the software.

That's what was said. Whether any of it's true or not I don't know.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

McCabe was forthright in his answers and more candid than might have been expected in his damning reaction to this season's signings, Lee Turnbull's contribution

The comment about Turnbull (if it was a comment about Turnbull at all) was far from clear.

I just don't think it was intended as a criticism, not least because it would be the wrong place to do that.

I took it to mean possibly: Turnbull's not shown anything because he couldn't till we've made room in the squad.

Either that or he's undermining Turnbull (and by extension Adkins) in public isn't he?

He wasn't happy about recruitment, and I think the stuff about Turnbull got caught up in the middle of all that.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Mel Branngan presented Sammon as a fait accompli to Adkins. The deal was done without Adkins' input. This was confirmed to me tonight. This may, at least in part, explain Branngan's departure.

It would seem to be implied by this comment he made, which for me was probably the one I found most of interest.



The comment came midway through a question on Hammond, and presumably meant that we wouldn't spend that sort of money again in the future on a loan signing.

Though I'm not much of a fan of Hammond, I worry about this technical board – how do we know they actually have the right knowledge? There's a danger that in having perhaps felt like Clough overspent on the wrong players, the board goes too far the other way in being overly restrictive and meddlesome. Potentially makes the job even more difficult for any manager.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Also (not from KM) a couple of bizarre responses:

We can't have goal music (some are very keen on it) because we can't afford the royalties apparently.
We can't have goal replays because we haven't got the software.

That's what was said. Whether any of it's true or not I don't know.

Is it a different licence for goal music than the one which allows Us to play recorded songs pre match ?