Jims Thoughts on SUFC's JTW 2016

[SwissBlade]

"....By my reckoning, counting JTW 2016, it will take at least three transfer windows to complete the work of addressing past recruiting errors and excesses....."

At least three transfer windows?

It's a ridiculous statement. He also talks up promotion still whilst also saying about past recruiting errors

Perhaps replacing or not selling Jamie Murphy and Harry we wouldn't need 6 transfer windows to get it right

 

[Booker4]

The worrying thing I picked up is Jim saying lots of players out of contract this summer, they are hardly going to be motivated to play for new ones now they've said they won't get new deals.

They've got to play for a deal somewhere else though still. I think many of the players out of contract will know this is their last season with us, they're not stupid. One or two like Baxter might be able to play himself into another deal, but I would say the likes of Kennedy, Collins, McGahey, Howard (One of the better wage earners, I would guess), Harris, Flynn JCR, McFad,and Cuvellier will be gone, because they're not featuring much if at all now, so presumably Adkins isn't that keen. Collo is the exception to this but I can't see him been retained either. McEveley might get another if he keeps playing well.

 

[Mancblade1889]

Guess what he means is we didn't sell Brayford or Adams

Yes if top talent means a right back who can't defend and a player who struggles to get on the pitch
If that's our top talent where all doomed

 

[Sean Thornton]

A pretty terrible statement by all accounts.

I expect season ticket sales to drop through the floor at the end of another season in L1.

It looks like even darker days are on the horizon unless some new owner comes in out of the blue to sort this all out.

Could KMCs ownership be the worst in our history?

Without a doubt they'll drop. And there's no doubt the board will be looking at that. Not much left to cut other than the playing staff.

Darker days indeed.

 

[puppet]

I actually feel sorry for him. He isn't the one refusing to put the money in and he isn't the reason why we are in such disarray. I'm glad he's come out as hopefully it shows his side are still interested. I personally would hate to see McCabe back in sole charge.


Very downbeat message in many ways though. 3 windows to sort everything out suggests that next season will be similar to this. I think the comment about not signing anyone being a "victory" is the most comical thing in the piece but fair play for coming out. He isn't really the one who should be answering the questions in my opinion

By Jim's standards that message is pretty bleak. Dark days are ahead

No he isnt the one putting his money up - hes getting paid a handsome wage to type out this bollocks though. Andy Pack being pushed out to face BUFA and SUISA meetings... now that was a thankless task!

 

[Dkc]

I though JP wasn't officially on a wage at the club and was paid directly by HRH as his advisor? Or did that change when he assumed the joint chairmanship?

 

[Sean Thornton]

No he isnt the one putting his money up - hes getting paid a handsome wage to type out this bollocks though. Andy Pack being pushed out to face BUFA and SUISA meetings... now that was a thankless task!

No he isn't. Not by the club anyway.

 

[SwissBlade]

I'll put the list of available transfers in a hat and guarantee to pull out a better player than Woolford.

Yeah but have you done the due diligence on that player...

 

[Smirth]

Having got to work and re-read Jim's thoughts it's made me even more pissed off than I was first thing this morning.

1 - Players will be out of contract in the summer but lots of the players we've shipped out now are only on loan and will be back in the summer. James Wallace has 1 year left, Freeman has 1 year left, McNulty has 1 year left. We're still going to have similar problems in getting rid of these players in the summer when they come back to us.

Also, whilst I acknowledge that the likes of McEveley, Collins, JCR, Baxter, Sammon are out of contract and leaving us in the summer, for the chairman to openly acknowledge in public that these current first team players will be leaving in the summer is simply idiotic. He's basically saying to these first team players that they are gone in summer when their contracts expire. Hardly giving them an incentive to help us achieve our goals this season is it. We all know as fans that they aren't good enough, but our chairman should not be acknowledging such things in public. Yet another naive move from Jim.

2 - I agree with him. No point bringing anybody in who we don't think will improve the side.

3 - Already been mentioned above by myself and lots of others. This really is nothing to harp on about. We're an under performing League 1 side, the only player who would be attracting any kind of interest is Sharp. And even then teams would be put off making a move for him since things are finally going well for him at SUFC.

4 - Seems to be a sly dig, again, at Clough. It's pretty embarassing and unprofessional to put all this blame at Clough's door when it's him and his fellow board members that allowed Clough all that control in the first place. It's him who was heavily involved in spending a ridiculously large sum of money on a right back he had a great fondness for. It's the board that allowed Clough to bring in so many of his ex players, and so many players with appalling injury records. It would be nice to see them accept some blame rather than deflect it constantly.

5 - The same team he has said isn't good enough (not in so many words) and players who by his own admission will be leaving the club in summer because they aren't good enough, he expects to be able to hopefully achieve promotion? Sheer madness.

 

[Treeton Blade]

 

[Slim Man]

I actually feel sorry for him. He isn't the one refusing to put the money in and he isn't the reason why we are in such disarray. I'm glad he's come out as hopefully it shows his side are still interested. I personally would hate to see McCabe back in sole charge.


Very downbeat message in many ways though. 3 windows to sort everything out suggests that next season will be similar to this. I think the comment about not signing anyone being a "victory" is the most comical thing in the piece but fair play for coming out. He isn't really the one who should be answering the questions in my opinion

By Jim's standards that message is pretty bleak. Dark days are ahead

Totally agree. Fuck McCabe, long live the Prince.

 

[Deaneandagana]

Disappointing news all round on the JTW front, once again the club guilty of issuing mixed messages and for not having a coherent plan in place, lots of fans frustrations being aired this morning – not surprisingly, but the Chairman did allude to this at his Company AGM in December – bloated squad size and references to players on contracts not commensurate with League 1 status etc.

I think that the club and its relationship with the fans is now at a tipping point, since relegation from the Prem the fanbase has remained incredibly loyal, loyalty which is now in severe danger of dissipating and as the club continues its seemingly downward trajectory there is a distinct possibility of a lengthy period of obscurity and of a lost generation of fans – note the goings on in S6.

Having read JP’s comments this morning couldn’t help feeling sorry for him, clearly mistakes have been made, some of which during his watch, but when the time was needed for leadership and a rallying call from those holding power, sadly none was forthcoming – perhaps JP’s comments re being 14 points off relegation were a veiled attack on the latest boardroom policy decision makers.

It remains to be seen if anything can be salvaged from the remainder of the season and if indeed the team manager is as capable as his previous track record suggests, the teams’ recent performances and results have been inconsistent and are not reflective of a team upwardly mobile neither do theygive the appearance of a team with the necessary momentum to deliver a top 6 finish.

 

[Geordie Blade]

"The resolve shown during JTW 2016 in not making panic or cosmetic acquisitions is an early victory in this process."

So proud of them. It's good that they can offset the negatives of the summer transfer window ('selling our best player') with a nice positive in the JTW ('not buying anyone'). Swings and roundabouts, really, so we can't possibly complain.

My only tiny concern is that some nitpickers might see this gallant act of hard-working restraint, and confuse it with 'doing absolutely fuck all and fleecing the fans'.

 

[IOM Blade]

I think the performances of Hammond, Woolford, Sammon and to a lesser extent Edgar may have played a part. Maybe they've accepted they are clueless when it comes to signing the right players, so why bother.

 

[BushBlade]

Has it ever occurred to Jim and the board that occasionally it might be more palatable to tell the truth? Would saying 'we think our chances of promotion this year are minimal and therefore we'd prefer to save our money until the new season, to make sure we can fully support our manager and give him the best possible opportunity to succeed' be any worse than the shit he's written?

Once again he points the finger at Clough and co without mentioning that he and the board sanctioned the spending spree that now seems to have put us in financial trouble. They allowed Clough to bring in an expensive array of signings in the last JTW and then sacked him only a few months later. It appears this wasn't part of a long term building strategy but another gamble to get us promoted. Another gamble that failed and has left us in a worse situation than we were in before.
How fucking apt that today is Groundhog Day.
Bunch of fucking charlatans.

 

[oldblade]

I thought this was the second of the transfer windows to clear up the mess and the final one would be this summer as we could actually recruit new players.

McCabe and the Prince are OK while they have Jim Phipps shaped shield in front of them. I wonder how long Jim will continue to put up with the flack for though.

He's a professional person and will do it for as long as they pay him enough money to do it, like everyone else in whatever job they're doing.

 

[Surrey Blade]

Bringing players in to a club in January is not necessarily a prequisite of success. Many clubs have bought unwisely at this time of year, wasting resources and disrupting team cohesion. NA has had the unenviable task of clearing the decks after several years of injudicious player recruitment and he does not deserve the abuse he is receiving from some quarters. Let's see what happens during the rest of this season, which is far from a write off, and allow the club to take measured steps in the transfer market during the summer.

 

[derryblade]

Most Yorkshire men can spot bull shit and as far as bull shit goes that's top drawer Jim. He actually wants fans views on the JTW and a flash vote is this guy wise. We referred to our neighbours across the city as the "Comedy Club" how times change Jim do us all a favour and say nothing you are embarrassing us.

 

[JJ Sefton]

Two and half years after Jim and his boss arrived we are being told that it will take another year to get things sorted. What a bunch of cunts.

 

[Basing Blade]

There is plenty of talent around. You can find them; we can all find them; our scouts should be able to find them.

It's about whether you are willing to pay for them.

SUFC are not willing to pay for them, even though Jim says that the resources are there (which I doubt).

Therefore, they are not ambitious to get out of this division. Therefore, they are sitting in control of a club that they don't want.

Therefore, McCabe clearly just wants out, but nobody is willing to pay for it.

 

[judge]

"The resolve shown during JTW 2016 in not making panic or cosmetic acquisitions is an early victory in this process."

So proud of them. It's good that they can offset the negatives of the summer transfer window ('selling our best player') with a nice positive in the JTW ('not buying anyone'). Swings and roundabouts, really, so we can't possibly complain.

My only tiny concern is that some nitpickers might see this gallant act of hard-working restraint, and confuse it with 'doing absolutely fuck all and fleecing the fans'.

Have a like for making me lol

 

[Rodders]

There is plenty of talent around. You can find them; we can all find them; our scouts should be able to find them.

It's about whether you are willing to pay for them.

SUFC are not willing to pay for them, even though Jim says that the resources are there (which I doubt).

Therefore, they are not ambitious to get out of this division. Therefore, they are sitting in control of a club that they don't want.

Therefore, McCabe clearly just wants out, but nobody is willing to pay for it.

I don't agree they (Princey) want out; I think they were enthralled by Clough then gave him what he wanted. When it all went tits up, I get the feeling from Jims earlier musings they feel like theyve had the wool pulled over their eyes by a "football" man, so are raising the drawbridges and not getting done over like that again. I presume that NA will have been told to get the wage bill right down before thinking about new additions.

 

[Basing Blade]

That still leaves us with half a dozen out and none in.

 

[Ecco1889]

They will be starting next season without my season ticket money and no amount of hot air blown up my arse will change that. The garden gnome Jim is full of shit ,actions speak louder than words.

1st time in 14 years im seriously considering not renewing our season tickets
Utter bullshit Jim

 

[Esablade]

Two and half years after Jim and his boss arrived we are being told that it will take another year to get things sorted. What a bunch of cunts.

Sounds just like your beloved Tories!
Lol...

 

[Balham]

Transfers out in January 2016:

Permanent:
Alcock - signed by Clough in the JP/HRH Prince Abdullah era

Loans:
Wallace - signed by Clough in the JP/HRH Prince Abdullah era
Freeman - signed by Clough in the JP/HRH Prince Abdullah era
McNulty - signed by Clough in the JP/HRH Prince Abdullah era

Contract cancelled:
Higdon - signed by Clough in the JP/HRH Prince Abdullah era
Dimaio - signed a pro deal in the JP/HRH Prince Abdullah era [now at Chesterfield]
Khan - signed a pro deal in the JP/HRH Prince Abdullah era [now at Barnsley]

Deals which fell through:
Scougall (loan to Doncaster/Hibs) - signed by Clough in the JP/HRH Prince Abdullah era

Anyone spot a theme there?

In addition - why did we cancel Dimaio and Khan's contracts rather than letting them move on free transfers with sell on clauses etc?

 

[Bladepicker]

Two and half years after Jim and his boss arrived we are being told that it will take another year to get things sorted. What a bunch of cunts.

This is the correct context in which to use that collective noun

 

[Esablade]

If we're doing a bit of 'Jim bashing' I'd just like to say his description on LinkedIn reads:

"Entrepreneur, Strategic Advisor, Co-Chair, Sheffield United F.C."

I'd certainly like to see 'Co-Chair, Sheffield United F.C' come before 'Entrepreneur'...

Just my two-penneth...

 

[longinthe toothblade]

IF, all or any of this was true then this should have been the stated intention from the go, before the window opened.

Of course it wasn't.

NA, Phipps and co. have led most of us by the nose and let us believe that there would be a clear out as well as some investment, some strengthening during the JTW. All in an effort to bolster our run up to the end of the season. Only last week, NA was quoted in the "Star" and it was picked up on radio Sheffield, that with no game at the weekend, "he could devote 100% of his attention at TW". Once again he repeated the claim that he and the club was "looking at bringing in two players to improve the squad". If we never intended bringing new players in, why tell folk that we had tabled six figure bids

Having supported this lot from the terraces since the 60's, I can't say I am that surprised that we haven't completed any business (apart from outing a couple or three and securing the services of Hammond until the end of the season). That said, I think this time the club's PR machine has been particularly misleading and even deceitful. Whatever positive spin the club (and the lifelong clappers) attempt to put on this sorry affair, as fans, we have been treated disrespectfully and on any such occasion as this, it is well within your gift to feel badly let down. Might not get you anywhere but if it helps, feel free to air your frustrations.

Perhaps, we did have targets who simply didn't want to join the 'mighty Blades'.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

IF, all or any of this was true then this should have been the stated intention from the go, before the window opened.

Of course it wasn't.

NA, Phipps and co. have led most of us by the nose and let us believe that there would be a clear out as well as some investment, some strengthening during the JTW. All in an effort to bolster our run up to the end of the season. Only last week, NA was quoted in the "Star" and it was picked up on radio Sheffield, that with no game at the weekend, "he could devote 100% of his attention at TW". Once again he repeated the claim that he and the club was "looking at bringing in two players to improve the squad". If we never intended bringing new players in, why tell folk that we had tabled six figure bids

Having supported this lot from the terraces since the 60's, I can't say I am that surprised that we haven't completed any business (apart from outing a couple or three and securing the services of Hammond until the end of the season). That said, I think this time the club's PR machine has been particularly misleading and even deceitful. Whatever positive spin the club (and the lifelong clappers) attempt to put on this sorry affair, as fans, we have been treated disrespectfully and on any such occasion as this, it is well within your gift to feel badly let down. Might not get you anywhere but if it helps, feel free to air your frustrations.

Perhaps, we did have targets who simply didn't want to join the 'mighty Blades'.