Stephen Bettis | Sheffield United CEO Interview

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Blade58 said:
Surprised that there’s some money in the pot to spend on players

He didn’t clarify his statement, as I thought Hecky had already said only loans and freebies, but for some reason I interpreted Bettis that money being spent could be on actual fees?

Maybe and I hope that’s the case if only purely to demonstrate that we aren’t totally potless
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From the noises being made, I suspect there is a little money to sign young lower league players. Don't think Liverpool though!
 

I thought he came across well and answered the questions well too.Thought he was straight talking.

Am I alone in becoming obsessed with his left ear? It seemed to have a weird split in it, about 3 inches long. Anyone else notice this???
 
SouthStandGBlock said:
I thought he came across well and answered the questions well too.Thought he was straight talking.

Am I alone in becoming obsessed with his left ear? It seemed to have a weird split in it, about 3 inches long. Anyone else notice this???
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3 inch?

How bigs ya dick out of interest?
 
Isn’t this the exact same interview he did 12 months ago?

It’s basically identical and he didn’t do anything in those 12 months?
 
Blade58 said:
Aye Sean, I forgot that loans also require fees

Still, if we strengthen and we fluke another MGW type in the process, I’ll be elated.

It will be just as important on who we keep as well who we sign. If we can keep the likes of Brewster, Ndjaye, Bogle and Berge and keep them fit, as well as keeping hold of most of the older experienced players, then hopefully we should remain competitive.

🤞🤞🤞
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Don't come on here spouting all that common sense bollocks.........it will never catch on. I've a feeling this forum is not for the likes of you.
 
Thought he spoke well and people have to remember that he's not the one writing the cheques. He's just the man between the manager and the board. He's a paid employee of the club.

He can ask the questions but if the answers aren't what the fans want to hear, then it's not his fault. He's probably stuck between a rock and a hard place at times. Not being more vocal? Fans say he's keeping his head down and he should speak to us more. Be more vocal and telling the fans there is sod all money (last season as we were still adjusting to the championship again after relegation) and he risks pissing off his paymasters. Perhaps he could be more visible at times to the fans but not sure that he can add any more to what he does when he is interviewed. Why does he need to add anything re O'Connell? What can he add that PH hasn't already covered off? Let's be right here, O'Connell is probably done and is be amazed if he come back at all. Too much time since thr original injury. About time fans faced what's staring them in the face with that one, we are probably keeping his wage on as we don't want any potential litigation being brought against us re trying to rush him back etc.

I think there are a few things where SUFC have been negligent. As soon as we got promoted after Ipswich we should have brought the training pitches / academy up to date with more state of the art facilities, and perhaps spent money on developing another site with larger footprint. The fact that we didn't was just plain daft. I liked the idea of McBurnie when he signed, but I didn't think it was a case of him or updating training facilities. If it was then the TFs should have been sorted no questions asked.

After Slav was sacked then the board where clear that the money earmarked for January was going into paying off Slav and his staff. They didn't lie to us. Now this is a new window a d j would expect there to be some monies made available for team strengthening and it seems that there is, either in transfer funds, signing on fees, and wages. I think we will be positive in the transfer market, but again its clear that we aren't in the market for players like Swift who will probably be on about £50k a week. Quite rightly too, as if we pay him that, then all of a sudden we have our other players asking where their pay rises are...

There are plenty of decent players knocking about and who are attainable for United without us having to spend a fortune. I'm confident PH and his team know who they want and I think we will go really well this season. Sorry to some on here if that sounds a bit too optimistic for them to stomach. Young hungry physical players, that's what we need to freshen us up.
 
The question about whether we are able to sign 'top championship players' was asked very clumsily and basically gave him a way to answer it politically.

It's not a bad interview though and at least he's said something from a business/commercial side of the club. I suspect he'd prefer the Chairman or Owner to have done so but he's the man on the ground so gets all the shitty jobs nowadays.

As ever will all of this, actions speak louder than words.
 
Weasel said:
Thought he spoke well and people have to remember that he's not the one writing the cheques. He's just the man between the manager and the board. He's a paid employee of the club.

He can ask the questions but if the answers aren't what the fans want to hear, then it's not his fault. He's probably stuck between a rock and a hard place at times. Not being more vocal? Fans say he's keeping his head down and he should speak to us more. Be more vocal and telling the fans there is sod all money (last season as we were still adjusting to the championship again after relegation) and he risks pissing off his paymasters. Perhaps he could be more visible at times to the fans but not sure that he can add any more to what he does when he is interviewed. Why does he need to add anything re O'Connell? What can he add that PH hasn't already covered off? Let's be right here, O'Connell is probably done and is be amazed if he come back at all. Too much time since thr original injury. About time fans faced what's staring them in the face with that one, we are probably keeping his wage on as we don't want any potential litigation being brought against us re trying to rush him back etc.

I think there are a few things where SUFC have been negligent. As soon as we got promoted after Ipswich we should have brought the training pitches / academy up to date with more state of the art facilities, and perhaps spent money on developing another site with larger footprint. The fact that we didn't was just plain daft. I liked the idea of McBurnie when he signed, but I didn't think it was a case of him or updating training facilities. If it was then the TFs should have been sorted no questions asked.

After Slav was sacked then the board where clear that the money earmarked for January was going into paying off Slav and his staff. They didn't lie to us. Now this is a new window a d j would expect there to be some monies made available for team strengthening and it seems that there is, either in transfer funds, signing on fees, and wages. I think we will be positive in the transfer market, but again its clear that we aren't in the market for players like Swift who will probably be on about £50k a week. Quite rightly too, as if we pay him that, then all of a sudden we have our other players asking where their pay rises are...

There are plenty of decent players knocking about and who are attainable for United without us having to spend a fortune. I'm confident PH and his team know who they want and I think we will go really well this season. Sorry to some on here if that sounds a bit too optimistic for them to stomach. Young hungry physical players, that's what we need to freshen us up.
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Not too optimistic at all. A realistic and positive post which I think is spot on.
 
I don't think Bettis will tell us anything other than all is rosy. He never has. Whether that's a personal decision or instruction from the top, who knows, but I think you have to read between the lines. "No blank cheques, but we'll spend money this summer" could easily still allude to free transfers and loans as neither of these are actually free as we all know. Or it could allude to spending some of what we generate in sales. We don't know.

It would be nice to be told plainly if there's nothing in the coffers, but season tickets are on sale so that's never gonna happen.
 
I got the impression that any funds generated from sales could be reinvested and we had a small budget for other signings be they, transfers or signing on fees.
i Would assume that they are hopeful of monies from the possible add ones to a potential DCL sale which could be mortgaged to provide immediate access
 
bladesmanluke said:
I don't think Bettis will tell us anything other than all is rosy. He never has. Whether that's a personal decision or instruction from the top, who knows, but I think you have to read between the lines. "No blank cheques, but we'll spend money this summer" could easily still allude to free transfers and loans as neither of these are actually free as we all know. Or it could allude to spending some of what we generate in sales. We don't know.

It would be nice to be told plainly if there's nothing in the coffers, but season tickets are on sale so that's never gonna happen.
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Good recruitment is good recruitment regardless of whether frees, fees or loans. The issue being it’s not easy or simple to be consistently good…

Few examples

Good Loan - MGW
Bad Loan - Olsen
Good Free - McG
Bad Free - Rodwell
Good Fee - Egan
Bad Fee - McB

Obviously fans want to see money spent, but no guarantees of success.

I’m hoping a manager who knows the squad and system, knows the areas needing improving, paired with early business and a proper pre-seasons sees more good than bad - regardless of where the players come from
 

Addison said:
8. Finishes with a bizarre statement that PA told him following relegation he didn't want to sell any of the players. If thats true why did we spend all summer trying to get the best price for Ramsdale and delay funds for SJ until the last minute resulting in two wingers not coming in.
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Everybody has a price. It is not ridiculous to say that he didn't want to sell Ramsdale up until the point Arsenal stopped fucking around and made an offer we would be daft to refuse.
 
SouthStandGBlock said:
I thought he came across well and answered the questions well too.Thought he was straight talking.

Am I alone in becoming obsessed with his left ear? It seemed to have a weird split in it, about 3 inches long. Anyone else notice this???
Click to expand...

I noticed that he didn't have a tie on and looked generally scruffy, sorry guys, presentation is a big thing for me, he is our CEO ffs!

Other than that, he mentioned we had already put bids on the table for a couple of players, does that mean the usual "ten bob" knowing it will be rejected out of hand ? CW always said he likes to get his transfer business done early, but he never got his way! nor will Heck'y

On a positive note, I think we will be fine next season complete with a few last minute signings/loans.
 
bladesmanluke said:
I don't think Bettis will tell us anything other than all is rosy. He never has. Whether that's a personal decision or instruction from the top, who knows, but I think you have to read between the lines. "No blank cheques, but we'll spend money this summer" could easily still allude to free transfers and loans as neither of these are actually free as we all know. Or it could allude to spending some of what we generate in sales. We don't know.

It would be nice to be told plainly if there's nothing in the coffers, but season tickets are on sale so that's never gonna happen.
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Why are people so obsessed with our bank balance?

We're supposed to be playing football, not Monopoly.

We can't buy promotion, we have to win it.
 
Dkc said:
I was hoping he'd be asked about the logic of moving season ticket holders and giving Forest the upper tier in the Play Off semi. Has there been any official explaination from the club?
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Stops them invading the pitch? 🤣
 
Working Class Hero said:
This worries me a bit. Our record with loan signings is pretty piss poor (all clubs probably get more bad than good). Even this season only one of our six loan signings really even got in to the first team. OK he was one of the best ever, but that will be pretty much impossible to repeat.

Nothing wrong with the odd loan signings in general, to compliment the squad, but as a transfer strategy it doesn't fill me with confidence.
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Forest did well with there's

This will Heckis first chance to stamp his own identity on the squad ! Going to be interesting what he comes up with.
I like him and his interviews are always worth listening to.
 
Millhousesblade1889 said:
People call him a snake & then when you ask why they have no answer.....'he didn't back Wilder'. I'm not sure he's the person to back Wilder!!

Is he a snake because he stayed when Wilder left? Presume Hecky is too if that's the case
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Wilder gave me many of the very best times I've ever had watching this club. I stayed after he left. Am I a snake too.

1653992887797.png

#snakearmy
 
I wonder if the reported poor training pitches are part cause of number of injuries we had. At least contributing to it?

As for hotel - never understood why it was needed. Hardly in a prime spot for city visitors and feels like a vanity project - trying to make us into Chelsea Village….
 
Interview came across fine to me.
Bettis gets called a snake (weirdly because of Wilders departure but some of the same lot also now don't like Wilder!?) but Bettis is employed by the club.
Wilder I believe got on fine with him, as does Heckingbottom. Bettis is there to facilitate the wishes of the board and owners that's his job as CEO.
When Bettis leaves here one day he will work at another club or business, he's not a fan but an employee.

Main takeaways are the updates on the training pitches and the hotel, everything else is kind of unclear because the club always plays it coy with ins and outs of transfers.

I think the club's position (Financially) and the boards is that once the squad is fit again if we don't sell the likes of Berge, Egan, etc. They see it that the majority of this squad should be challenging and I do get that. My issue with that thinking last season was we clearly needed some fresh impetus in the squad too and it came late in the window and clearly frustrated SJ.
Low and behold signing MGW and even Ben Davies helped move us on a bit.
No team should stand still with their squad even if it's just one or two in because it means squads can become a bit stagnant especially when you've come off the back of a relegation season.

I hope we have learnt some lessons for this season but I won't hold my breath too much!
 
Hockey'sBeard said:
I wonder if the reported poor training pitches are part cause of number of injuries we had. At least contributing to it?

As for hotel - never understood why it was needed. Hardly in a prime spot for city visitors and feels like a vanity project - trying to make us into Chelsea Village….
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Heckingbottom has alluded to this a bit already.

Hotel was a McCabe project, this said it's proximity to the ground and the city centre is pretty good. There is actually a need for more hotels in Sheffield generally speaking.
Sounds like not only does it need investing, when Bettis mentions the cladding I'm presuming it's not just that it looks a bit worn. It's quite probably in the not safe category after Grenfell.
 
Not sure I agree with his sentiments at all.

For the past three seasons our biggest problem is scoring goals. We have young Billy, who draws his pension next season and who is on half the money wonder kid Brewster is and has been well a tad of a flop and McPub who has been well err 'crap'.

This season just over if it hadn't been for MGW providing the energy we'd have got nowhere near the play offs.

I suspect if this continues then it will be lower position next year say 15th. I expect Egan to go and possibly Berger.
 

Espania blade said:
I noticed that he didn't have a tie on and looked generally scruffy, sorry guys, presentation is a big thing for me, he is our CEO ffs!

Other than that, he mentioned we had already put bids on the table for a couple of players, does that mean the usual "ten bob" knowing it will be rejected out of hand ? CW always said he likes to get his transfer business done early, but he never got his way! nor will Heck'y

On a positive note, I think we will be fine next season complete with a few last minute signings/loans.
Click to expand...
Presentation depends on the audience.
I would wear a suit and tie for some clients and professionals, but not always for others.
As that was an interview for the benefit of supporters generally then I think he got it spot on: casual but not scruffy.
 
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