PH - Open and frank interview

[robbiez666]

I

don’t disagree with anything you have both said. I just think you are looking too far ahead, before a ball has Ben kicked in the PL.

Worth remembering that PH, Illiman and Anel have never been there before, but everyone expects those two players to make a good fist of it. That’s not unreasonable, so why not apply the same hopes for PH?

Give everyone the same chance for a start, then start looking beyond a season, that hasn’t got off the ground yet?

Just sayin’.

Oh, I think he will, but we don't have the luxury of being able to just focus on this season because if we don't do future planning the club could be in real trouble next season.

As things stand, at the start of next season we have 2 contracted senior players and no money or assets to sell. We need to tie players down we want to keep and bring players in on a permanent basis.

As I said, I expect loans to largely fill out the first team. They come at a cost without the obligation. Then you bring in frees and a couple of players you look to develop.

Obviously, if there's a takeover that changes.

 

[Charlieblade]

Oh, I think he will, but we don't have the luxury of being able to just focus on this season because if we don't do future planning the club could be in real trouble next season.

As things stand, at the start of next season we have 2 contracted senior players and no money or assets to sell. We need to tie players down we want to keep and bring players in on a permanent basis.

As I said, I expect loans to largely fill out the first team. They come at a cost without the obligation. Then you bring in frees and a couple of players you look to develop.

Obviously, if there's a takeover that changes.

I accept the need for some succession planning, but we should wait and see how the new season develops.

I call a certain John Lundstram coming to prominence in our last time back in the PL. (then he turned to shit)

I was worried about a replacement for Bash for 2 year before Ahmedhodzic arrived. Just a few examples of the unexpected.

My gripe is the number of fans writing this season off as a relegation certainty, before a ball is kicked. A lot of good, and bad shit could happen next, but it hasn't yet, and we definitely do not need the mindset of spending our limited budget on players who might perform in the championship when we get relegated. That is just plain wrong!

 

[Bladeinleeds]

Nothing ground breaking about this opinion but our survival is going to be dependant on the quality of the 2-4 loan signings we bring in - these are likely to signings we couldn’t afford to do permanently… even with a decent transfer kitty.

If we brought in MGW/Doyle/Mcatee level of loan signings and add them to the quality already in the squad like Ndaiye / Berge / Egan / Anel. There’s absolutely no reason to feel we can’t complete and stand a good chance of staying up.

If in the other hand they are Clark /khadra level contributors it’s all going to be a lot more difficult.

Some injury luck and 3/4 upgrades and we have a nice looking squad and one that on paper certainly has more quality than the one finishing 9th.

 

[Bell4]

Nothing ground breaking about this opinion but our survival is going to be dependant on the quality of the 2-4 loan signings we bring in - these are likely to signings we couldn’t afford to do permanently… even with a decent transfer kitty.

If we brought in MGW/Doyle/Mcatee level of loan signings and add them to the quality already in the squad like Ndaiye / Berge / Egan / Anel. There’s absolutely no reason to feel we can’t complete and stand a good chance of staying up.

If in the other hand they are Clark /khadra level contributors it’s all going to be a lot more difficult.

Some injury luck and 3/4 upgrades and we have a nice looking squad and one that on paper certainly has more quality than the one finishing 9th.

Nice post

Agree

 

[robbiez666]

I accept the need for some succession planning, but we should wait and see how the new season develops.

I call a certain John Lundstram coming to prominence in our last time back in the PL. (then he turned to shit)

I was worried about a replacement for Bash for 2 year before Ahmedhodzic arrived. Just a few examples of the unexpected.

My gripe is the number of fans writing this season off as a relegation certainty, before a ball is kicked. A lot of good, and bad shit could happen next, but it hasn't yet, and we definitely do not need the mindset of spending our limited budget on players who might perform in the championship when we get relegated. That is just plain wrong!

It's a balance. We certainly don't want to waste out money on overpriced old players on high wages. We need to bring in players for this season with an eye for next season.

I don't think anyone is writing this season off but we'll be favourites for relegation. Think of it more of backs to the wall underdogs than having high expectations. We'll be in a relegations crap and there's always a chance to pull it off.

It's not really a sense of writing the season off it's just being realistic going into it.

 

[St Annington]

Something that seems clear from the interview is that the transfer budget is nowhere near what Hecky was expecting. He has always spoken last couple of seasons about there being 2 budgets depending upon which league we're in. Mitchell's job has been to identify players based upon those 2 projected scenarios and having 2 'lists'. However, around about 3 minutes in to the video interview Hecky starts talking about having a lot of videos to watch and unearthing players other clubs know nothing about which suggests that players they had identified previously must now be out of reach - or he's playing a really good bluff.

 

[billyblademan]

Something that seems clear from the interview is that the transfer budget is nowhere near what Hecky was expecting. He has always spoken last couple of seasons about there being 2 budgets depending upon which league we're in. Mitchell's job has been to identify players based upon those 2 projected scenarios and having 2 'lists'. However, around about 3 minutes in to the video interview Hecky starts talking about having a lot of videos to watch and unearthing players other clubs know nothing about which suggests that players they had identified previously must now be out of reach - or he's playing a really good bluff.

A bit of both I imagine. I think we’ll make 2-3 purchases with a reasonable spend, and then we’ll need 2-3 free transfers or cheap buys, along with 2 loans. Not all our purchases will be able to be proven players, either of Doyle, or O’Brien mould - so we’ll need to try and uncover some gems as well.

 

[Charlieblade]

It's a balance. We certainly don't want to waste out money on overpriced old players on high wages. We need to bring in players for this season with an eye for next season.

I don't think anyone is writing this season off but we'll be favourites for relegation. Think of it more of backs to the wall underdogs than having high expectations. We'll be in a relegations crap and there's always a chance to pull it off.

It's not really a sense of writing the season off it's just being realistic going into it.

You seem to have accepted that our club will be relegation favourites in the EPL, and your solution, along with many other supporters, is to acquire another 7 or 8 players, in order to rectify that.

In an ideal world I might agree with that. The fact is, our player budget does not allow for that. Nor does it allow for any infrastructure improvements for the ground, the training facilities, or the academy.

The player budget reflects a desire to get the club back to a sustainable financial situation. This is to avoid the kind of sanctions we had back in January, including the prospect of going into administration.

Even a new owner would have to have these priorities, before spending anything on players. I hope that PH is allowed to manage the football side of life at the club. He has proved pretty good at that so far. Anything else is just a pipe dream.

The best support this club ever enjoyed was probably in the old 4th Division. But does anyone really want to go back to those days?

Hotel? What hotel?

 

[Jan Age]

You seem to have accepted that our club will be relegation favourites in the EPL, and your solution, along with many other supporters, is to acquire another 7 or 8 players, in order to rectify that.

In an ideal world I might agree with that. The fact is, our player budget does not allow for that. Nor does it allow for any infrastructure improvements for the ground, the training facilities, or the academy.

The player budget reflects a desire to get the club back to a sustainable financial situation. This is to avoid the kind of sanctions we had back in January, including the prospect of going into administration.

Even a new owner would have to have these priorities, before spending anything on players. I hope that PH is allowed to manage the football side of life at the club. He has proved pretty good at that so far. Anything else is just a pipe dream.

The best support this club ever enjoyed was probably in the old 4th Division. But does anyone really want to go back to those days?

Hotel? What hotel?

I’m not panicking just yet about signings … quite often every supporter of any team overlooks the quality they already have:

Anel - Bosnian CB
Egan - ROI CB
Baldock - Greek RB
Berge - Norway CM
Illy - Senegal Att

That’s 5 high quality international players we already have in our ranks.

 

[SouthportBlade]

It all depends on who we bring in

First season we got promoted we signed I think 15 players with an outlay of over £75m quid

Combined appearances was about 160 in total, including cup.

Let’s say it’s as an EXAMPLE, for illustrative purposes only

Manning, Pukki, Naitland Miles and Tuanzebe and on frees
Cole Palmer and Casey Chukwuemeka
on loans

We could end up with 250 appearances for 6 players, which would really strengthen our first 11

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

I’m not panicking just yet about signings … quite often every supporter of any team overlooks the quality they already have:

Anel - Bosnian CB
Egan - ROI CB
Baldock - Greek RB
Berge - Norway CM
Illy - Senegal Att

That’s 5 high quality international players we already have in our ranks.

In 19/20 we scored 39 goals, in 20/21 we scored 20.

To have a fighting chance of staying up this season, we need to score 40 goals, split something like 22:12:6 between forwards, midfield and defence.

Until we have players capable of hitting those numbers, don’t waste your time thinking about staying up. Because we won’t be doing so.

 

[jt64]

However, around about 3 minutes in to the video interview Hecky starts talking about having a lot of videos to watch and unearthing players other clubs know nothing about which suggests that players they had identified previously must now be out of reach - or he's playing a really good bluff.

I'm not sure it suggests anything. This is something that all clubs should be doing regardless of transfer budget anyway. City might have dropped £100m on Grealish last season, but do you think they're just sitting on their arses and not looking at other attacking midfielders they can bring in which they perceive to be undervalued?

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

It's the only way to do things, unless we get a wealthy benefactor.
We've already rolled the dice big time on getting up from the Championship.
That gives us the ability to get the club back on its feet financially.
We can't currently risk another big cash splurge.

 

[robbiez666]

In 19/20 we scored 39 goals, in 20/21 we scored 20.

To have a fighting chance of staying up this season, we need to score 40 goals, split something like 22:12:6 between forwards, midfield and defence.

Until we have players capable of hitting those numbers, don’t waste your time thinking about staying up. Because we won’t be doing so.

I think one of the areas which can be exploited in the EPL is set pieces. Get a really good set piece taker, someone who can win them and a couple of big lads good in the air and you can get goals. I reckon Luton might scare a few early days before they're sussed out.

 

[JJBlade]

Only us could get promoted to the supposed richest league in the world and still be broke

Of course we're skint.
We are always skint, United invented the term football and skint.

You wouldn't mind being skint if we had something to show for our three years out of the last five as a Premier League club, but no, nothing

We haven't got a player worth more than we paid for him, the stadium is still the same, the academy is worse, the debts are higher, and all this despite being the embarrassing paupers of the League

 

[finlaytheblade]

Of course we're skint.
We are always skint, United invented the term football and skint.

You wouldn't mind being skint if we had something to show for our three years out of the last five as a Premier League club, but no, nothing

We haven't got a player worth more than we paid for him, the stadium is still the same, the academy is worse, the debts are higher, and all this despite being the embarrassing paupers of the League

Gas oven time then !!!!

 

[Nick Jansky]

Of course we're skint.
We are always skint, United invented the term football and skint.

You wouldn't mind being skint if we had something to show for our three years out of the last five as a Premier League club, but no, nothing

We haven't got a player worth more than we paid for him, the stadium is still the same, the academy is worse, the debts are higher, and all this despite being the embarrassing paupers of the League

We have been in the PL for 2 years out of the last 5.

Players who are worth more than we paid for them include Anel, Egan, Baldock, Wes & Ndiaye.

Does it get exhausting being consistently wrong about everything?

 

[Frank the tank]

Of course we're skint.
We are always skint, United invented the term football and skint.

You wouldn't mind being skint if we had something to show for our three years out of the last five as a Premier League club, but no, nothing

We haven't got a player worth more than we paid for him, the stadium is still the same, the academy is worse, the debts are higher, and all this despite being the embarrassing paupers of the League

Is this a cry for help ?

 

[Jan Age]

In 19/20 we scored 39 goals, in 20/21 we scored 20.

To have a fighting chance of staying up this season, we need to score 40 goals, split something like 22:12:6 between forwards, midfield and defence.

Until we have players capable of hitting those numbers, don’t waste your time thinking about staying up. Because we won’t be doing so.

I didn’t say we would stay up I was merely pointing out that it’s not all doom and gloom

 

[mancunianblade]

Just listened to this again and he distance himself from the decision to not offer Billy a new contract. Who does make that call and overrides PH? Bettis?

 

[Carlton Blade]

Of course we're skint.
We are always skint, United invented the term football and skint.

You wouldn't mind being skint if we had something to show for our three years out of the last five as a Premier League club, but no, nothing

We haven't got a player worth more than we paid for him, the stadium is still the same, the academy is worse, the debts are higher, and all this despite being the embarrassing paupers of the League

Multiple players worth more than we paid
Stadium had £5m spent on it
Academy has minor upgrades
Debts are significantly lower and about to be mostly cleared
Only people like you who care about crap like this are embarrassed

 

[I should coco]

Of course we're skint.
We are always skint, United invented the term football and skint.

You wouldn't mind being skint if we had something to show for our three years out of the last five as a Premier League club, but no, nothing

We haven't got a player worth more than we paid for him, the stadium is still the same, the academy is worse, the debts are higher, and all this despite being the embarrassing paupers of the League

Haven't been on here much this season and this post sums up why.
Sadly the board is now polluted by a collection of woe-is-me, pigs, Wums and attention seekers.

All the best to the proper Blades on here and 'nuff respect for wading through the shite.

 

[JJBlade]

Multiple players worth more than we paid
Stadium had £5m spent on it
Academy has minor upgrades
Debts are significantly lower and about to be mostly cleared
Only people like you who care about crap like this are embarrassed

Yes
We've reduced our debts by borrowing more to pay them off, they've called it debt restructuring.

We've got Anel and Iliman who are worth more money than we paid and Iliman will be worth nowt soon, if he doesn't leave soon it will be for peanuts in January.

Berge, Brewster, McBurnie are worth massively less, and the entire rest of the squad aren't worth what an average single Brentford or Bournemouth player is.

 

[jt64]

Just listened to this again and he distance himself from the decision to not offer Billy a new contract. Who does make that call and overrides PH? Bettis?

As long as somebody did, does it matter?

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

We've reduced our debts by borrowing more to pay them off, they've called it debt restructuring.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

If we wait a fortnight do you think he’d work out that all his posts are plainly not true. No players to two in a matter of weeks.

You wouldn't mind being skint if we had something to show for our three years out of the last five as a Premier League club, but no, nothing

We haven't got a player worth more than we paid for him.

We've got Anel and Iliman who are worth more money than we paid and Iliman will be worth nowt soon, if he doesn't leave soon it will be for peanuts in January.

 

[Frank the tank]

If we wait a fortnight do you think he’d work out that all his posts are plainly not true. No players to two in a matter of weeks.

Cant work out if he is a wum or a pig
If he is neither his outlook on life is heartbreaking

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Cant work out if he is a wum or a pig
If he is neither his outlook on life is heartbreaking

Eitherway he’s a fucking moron as he clearly doesn’t believe what he posts.

 

[JJBlade]

View attachment 163716

It's quite simple
If you have a £100,000 mortgage and decide to remortgage, the first debt is paid off

But you still owe the same £100,000

 

[Frank the tank]

It's quite simple
If you have a £100,000 mortgage and decide to remortgage, the first debt is paid off

But you still owe the same £100,000

Oh dear !