Jim Phipps on Facebook

[MobileBlade]

I assumed Mel Brannigan was brought into the club to work alongside NC , certainly when Alan Biggs interviewed him in the Telegraphy on Thursday 19 February 2015 that's what was said. If they were working together why has MB not been brought to task or more importantly why didn't he see the problems and report to the board. That's what bothers me about the statement from JP it doesn't add up, that's me done we shall choose to disagree on this occasion.

How do you know he hasn't been brought to task or for that matter reported to the board the issue (alongside the FD who is responsible for FFP), I would believe.

 

[Maidenhead]

I assumed Mel Brannigan was brought into the club to work alongside NC , certainly when Alan Biggs interviewed him in the Telegraphy on Thursday 19 February 2015 that's what was said. If they were working together why has MB not been brought to task or more importantly why didn't he see the problems and report to the board. That's what bothers me about the statement from JP it doesn't add up, that's me done we shall choose to disagree on this occasion.

to be honest I'm not sure what we're disagreeing about but the points are done to death.

I agree with your comments about MB and I believe the fact that he is still with us shows that he has bought into the boards' strategy whereas Clough would not.

P.S Don't resurrect the debate by telling me where we differ

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Right.

Here goes.

I like Jim. I engaged with him briefly about 12 months ago and was impressed. As many confirm, his commitment to the cause is absolute and passionate. He is a good guy with UTDs best interest at heart.

I have HUGE reservations about his willingness to engage freely with supporters via social media, and I told him so. While the intentions on his part will always be good, the way in which this good intention will be interpreted by its target audience will frequently and widely vary. Many will take a genuinely positive point made as negative. That is the risk of non verbal communications. It's easier to misinterpret.

Now, and with this in mind, and also in the hope that Jim just might tune in to this forum from time to time, I would like to take him up and other forum members on one particular sentence in his statement.

Specifically "the diabolical nature of the competition in L1".

Really. Do you and the board really believe this ?

It's further qualified later in the statement by confirming how much money has been made available to the 1st team squad and amplified further with confirmation it's one of the biggest budgets in the division.

It comes across as arrogance of the very highest order.

It comes across as do you know who we are ? We are Sheffield Utd.

It comes across as being we are bigger richer and better than our L1 counterparts, who should bow to our vastness and superiority.

Which gets me to wondering if this arrogance is also present on the playing side and management team.

We have absolutely no right to positive results. They need to be earned. This starts with hard graft in training.

if the standard of football in this division is so diabolical, why aren't we running away with it then ??

Truth is, the standard is far from diabolical. It's the best standard of division 3 football that I can certainly remember.

Statements like Jims, in this context, are not at all helpful. It is a swipe at managers and players in that it is felt they are not doing enough. Ironically, I reckon Jims intention was more to rally the fans rather than rattle the players.

To finish, it's not going to be easy getting out of this division, wether by Auto or via Play Offs. Throwing shitloads of money at it is no guarantee of success. Jim and the board would do well to remember this.

All this of course IMHO and only that !!!!!!!

UTB

A few others have already picked up on the "diabolical nature of the competition" in this thread. I, like a few others, are of the opinion that it means we're struggling to overcome the other teams in this division, rather than saying they're crap.

That's my understanding of it, anyway - like you said though, it's easy to misinterpret. That's why I'd rather he kept well away from Social media.

 

[derryblade]

How do you know he hasn't been brought to task or for that matter reported to the board the issue (alongside the FD who is responsible for FFP), I would believe.

All we can do is speculate, but not dealing with the matter till he was sacked on May 25th will continue to concern me, we can even question why this wasn't mentioned when he was dismissed or actually why JP felt the need to make it public now.

 

[Grecian2000]

A few others have already picked up on the "diabolical nature of the competition" in this thread. I, like a few others, are of the opinion that it means we're struggling to overcome the other teams in this division, rather than saying they're crap.

That's my understanding of it, anyway - like you said though, it's easy to misinterpret. That's why I'd rather he kept well away from Social media.

I actually, based on some of the other "quotes" from that sentence, think he was paraphrasing what has been sent to him and he has read elsewhere (i.e. on here). Don't we see a myriad of posters talking about how shit this league is, far too many in my view, and isn't he just "going along" with their sentiments?

Not saying he couldn't have worded it better but why bother when you're addressing twats?

 

[Caseh]

I actually, based on some of the other "quotes" from that sentence, think he was paraphrasing what has been sent to him and he has read elsewhere (i.e. on here). Don't we see a myriad of posters talking about how shit this league is, far too many in my view, and isn't he just "going along" with their sentiments?

Not saying he couldn't have worded it better but why bother when you're addressing twats?

I think he could have meant it either way, but it's not like Jim is a stupid fella. He wouldn't go and outright say the competition is rubbish, that's something a fan would do, not a totally clued up board member.

 

[robbiez666]

Right.

Here goes.

I like Jim. I engaged with him briefly about 12 months ago and was impressed. As many confirm, his commitment to the cause is absolute and passionate. He is a good guy with UTDs best interest at heart.

I have HUGE reservations about his willingness to engage freely with supporters via social media, and I told him so. While the intentions on his part will always be good, the way in which this good intention will be interpreted by its target audience will frequently and widely vary. Many will take a genuinely positive point made as negative. That is the risk of non verbal communications. It's easier to misinterpret.

Now, and with this in mind, and also in the hope that Jim just might tune in to this forum from time to time, I would like to take him up and other forum members on one particular sentence in his statement.

Specifically "the diabolical nature of the competition in L1".

Really. Do you and the board really believe this ?

It's further qualified later in the statement by confirming how much money has been made available to the 1st team squad and amplified further with confirmation it's one of the biggest budgets in the division.

It comes across as arrogance of the very highest order.

It comes across as do you know who we are ? We are Sheffield Utd.

It comes across as being we are bigger richer and better than our L1 counterparts, who should bow to our vastness and superiority.

Which gets me to wondering if this arrogance is also present on the playing side and management team.

We have absolutely no right to positive results. They need to be earned. This starts with hard graft in training.

if the standard of football in this division is so diabolical, why aren't we running away with it then ??

Truth is, the standard is far from diabolical. It's the best standard of division 3 football that I can certainly remember.

Statements like Jims, in this context, are not at all helpful. It is a swipe at managers and players in that it is felt they are not doing enough. Ironically, I reckon Jims intention was more to rally the fans rather than rattle the players.

To finish, it's not going to be easy getting out of this division, wether by Auto or via Play Offs. Throwing shitloads of money at it is no guarantee of success. Jim and the board would do well to remember this.

All this of course IMHO and only that !!!!!!!

UTB

It's also a perfect quote to motivate any other team in this division when they play us.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

A few others have already picked up on the "diabolical nature of the competition" in this thread. I, like a few others, are of the opinion that it means we're struggling to overcome the other teams in this division, rather than saying they're crap.

That's my understanding of it, anyway - like you said though, it's easy to misinterpret. That's why I'd rather he kept well away from Social media.

Life was much easier under teletext.

 

[judge]

I think he means all the other teams are cunts
Thats how i read it

 

[MobileBlade]

All we can do is speculate, but not dealing with the matter till he was sacked on May 25th will continue to concern me, we can even question why this wasn't mentioned when he was dismissed or actually why JP felt the need to make it public now.

Thats Clough. Your original post was about MD.

 

[PeteBlade]

Mceverley is though isn't he and that's 50% right, similar rate to our points tally so far 24 gained and 21 lost and you appear happy enough with that.

So what you say is 50% accurate, 50% made up nonsense?

Nice one.

 

[PeteBlade]

It's also a perfect quote to motivate any other team in this division when they play us.

Only teams that misinterpret it and don't understand what he actually meant.

Or choose not to.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

I get a feeling one way or another this statement will come back to bite JP on the arse no matter how well intentioned.

To summise JP and the board, presumably Mcabe as well? See progress being made, the twats like me who turn up on a Saturday don't see the progress from last season - we are still inconsistent and just doing enough to hover around the play offs getting inconsistent results.

I guess it all boils down to if yet again you're happy with the promise of jam tomorrow.

Or alternatively to quote Revolution watch what they do, not what they say.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Life was much easier under teletext.

It was. Page 306 what a real shocker...

 

[robbiez666]

Only teams that misinterpret it and don't understand what he actually meant.

Or choose not to.

It's there in the public domain for them to interpret how they like. What do you think they'll do with it?

 

[PeteBlade]

It's there in the public domain for them to interpret how they like. What do you think they'll do with it?

I would hope they would be sensible enough to interpret it correctly.

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

Your honestly held opinions are equally as valid as mine, even in my eyes and I'm always happy to agree to disagree but I do like to deal in specifics not suppositions because I'm a pedantic cantankerous old bugger.


As someone has said above I believe that this is how it was at the Lane and my opinion (but I have no information to support it) is that Clough was told that he must conform to the management strategy determined by the board. He did not like this, made his thoughts clear and a parting of the ways became inevitable.

So, you don't like to deal in suppositions then pull out that doozy?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Not when the manager is acting rashly and irresponsibly and his signings aren't making the desired impact.

Fact is, most managers barely last two years nowadays so allowing them to disregard club strategy and really push the financial boundaries is foolish unless they already have a convincing record of success.

The club have to be in charge of the manager, the manager should never be in charge of the club. Certainly not one like Nigel Clough. It really did anger me seeing United bend over for someone like him.

But is there not an argument that someone like McC should just sign the cheques and never have input concerning which players to sign?

Leave it to the football professionals?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I hope they make bucket loads because the only way they can do that is to get us into the Champions League

We can boo that tune then, Champions League seems tailor made for us.

 

[Bartleby]

But is there not an argument that someone like McC should just sign the cheques and never have input concerning which players to sign?

Leave it to the football professionals?

Not where NC was concerned no, nowhere near having the track record to warrant that kind of trust/autonomy IMO.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

It was. Page 306 what a real shocker...

Trouble is we'd be on page 307 these days.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Following United is a lot less fun nowadays. Not because of the standard of football or the caliber of opposition either - part of me prefers being in the lower leagues, well away from the riches and corruption that are rotting football from the top down.

Whats killing the mood is a whiff of arrogance about the place that we're Sheffield United, the biggest club in League one.

Every single week I hear phrases like;

'this shit league'
'we should be beating the likes of [insert any team here]'

You'd have thought 5 years of continued failure against such apparently inferior opposition would have bought about some humility but instead we're fast transforming into the Chelsea of the lower divisions with our god given right to walk the league and 'i'll throw my toys everywhere at the first sign of it not going exactly how I want it to' attitude.

This is not a 'piss off to Meadowhall' or 'So Called Fans' finger pointing at my own here by any means but there's been a black cloud hanging over Bramall Lane for a while.
Nobody can argue with the numbers, nobody can argue with the loyalty we show, nobody can argue with the amount of shit we have flung at us and how somehow, and god knows why, we still keep going back for more... but the atmosphere stinks like shit at the moment and it certainly isn't helping anyone.

There's a very uncomfortable truth to this. I can remember during the Warnock era where we, in firm stability, could with seemingly endless amusement enjoy looking down on Wednesday, oscillating between the bottom of the Championship and League 1, squabbling among themselves over managers/owners whilst never shutting up about their attendances. I used to think it was hilarious – what on earth made them think they had some sort of entitlement to be lording it over clubs that regardless of size were doing much better than them? We are showing worrying signs of developing some of their worst character traits.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Not where NC was concerned no, nowhere near having the track record to warrant that kind of trust/autonomy IMO.

Does it matter if its Clough or Adkins, if they are the person who the board sees fit to manage, handing them the reins should be part and parcel of the employment?

 

[Bartleby]

Does it matter if its Clough or Adkins, if they are the person who the board sees fit to manage, handing them the reins should be part and parcel of the employment?

handing the reins to the technical board maybe - which includes finance director and MD as well as manager not to one man acting unchecked on his own no way. Think pigs have summat called the committee which is similar to our so called technical board?

 

[Ricky]

But is there not an argument that someone like McC should just sign the cheques and never have input concerning which players to sign?

Leave it to the football professionals?

Ideally, but if a point comes where it's obvious a manager is using his resources carelessly and ineffectively - and especially if he's doing a poor job overall, restrictions should be put in place and there should always be people at the club who have the knowledge to recognise such situations. Ideally the club will have its own policies any manager has to work within.

Hopefully they've learned from their mistakes with Clough but I'm still concerned they lack football knowledge and mistakes will be made again and again.

 

[Pedro Verde]

Hopefully they've learned from their mistakes with Clough but I'm still concerned they lack football knowledge and mistakes will be made again and again.

Thats what the technical board is supposedly there for
I would think Mal Brannigan has some responsiblity in all this but didnt he come on the say so of Clough

 

[longinthe toothblade]

So basically it's Clough's fault

No the fans!

 

[Ricky]

Thats what the technical board is supposedly there for
I would think Mal Brannigan has some responsiblity in all this but didnt he come on the say so of Clough

I thought that was the case but apparently not.

 

[Kev Gee]

Did you even read what he wrote?

If you have something positive to contribute then you have the means to do so.

Of course I read it. Im fed up of Jim Phipps' hot air.
Ive already said in the past that 13 million spent\invested in the first team amounts to gross incompetence. But over 20 million? Jesus.

Who the fuck are you anyway? Nearly every post ive seen from you on this forum is of a tone that suggests thay your opinion is better than everyone elses.

Heres a positive for you. If we stop selling out best players we might actually achieve our aim of promotion.

 

[raul]

A supplementary thought for James D-Did the structure spend vast amounts of time trying to tell NC to sign Ched?