Stephen Bettis speaks to local Media

[Sean Thornton]

You think I want to fight you over comments on the internet? Are you 11?

I'm Sparticus

no emptybrain. Just a retort to your latest use of a schoolboy internet cliche. I wonder if you are.

Spelling Timothy!

 

[Carlton Blade]

no emptybrain. Just a retort to your latest use of a schoolboy internet cliche. I wonder if you are.

Spelling Timothy!

I really did think it was Sparticus. Oh well

“Internet cliche”? You mean the bit where I think saying someone “isn’t all there” in the street to someone you don’t know wouldn’t go down well? Maybe that’s what you do in real life, if so fair enough. Doubt it though

 

[Nick Jansky]

Go on, I'll bite.

What's your actual argument? Mine is that United lack skills and experience in key areas that has led to not making full use of the resources available and operating extremely slowly. You say "you can't have Brighton or Brentford, they spend loads". They do now, initially they identified an underutilised area (statistical analysis) and they mined it. If you want clubs who punch above their weight financially then Luton, Norwich, Plymouth, Rotherham, Stevenage, Exeter, Lincoln, Stade Reims, Atalanta, Bolognga, Girona, Union Berlin, Hoffenheim, Freiburg and many others. Admittedly, there's always a ceiling to it. But I do think those sort of teams lead the way on ROI.

Funnily enough, the best example may well be United 16-19. Kind of disproves my theory I know But what there was was a repeatable strategy. Players known to Wilder or players who started at big clubs and had dropped down the leagues to find success. Things kind of fell off when that strategy was abandoned.

What United do well is recruit at academy level where that ex-big club strategy holds true. PH has a well deserved reputation for taking good care of development too. Bit that's another reason he needs more help. The higher up the leagues, the harder the job with the 1st team. Wilder ended up stretched too thin.

Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way and the key is consistency of strategy over the long term. My feelings are tgat Unitedhave been firefighting for too long and that more experience solves that. But maybe they are perfect and it's just money. Chances are it's something in-between

Thanks for the well reasoned post.

I agree that what you have cited as an example probably has a ceiling. Interestingly, every single English club in the list is currently below us, and some of them are in a completely different market.

Now let’s look at what we know of United’s strategy for transfers:

1. Raid the academies of other clubs for cast offs that we think have lots of development still in them. This includes the likes of David Brooks, Will Lankshear, Harry Boyes, Miguel Freckleton, Jili Buyabu, Ryan One and, given his age when he came to us, Ndiaye. I think we can say that’s working.

2. Bring in younger players on decent length contracts who, again, we have identified as having loads of development potential and the likelihood of a profit when sold. Archer, Anel, Traore, Souza, Trusty.

3. Loans with an option to purchase. Players with development potential but we get to hedge our bets.

4. We have our own very productive academy.

5. All of the above augmented by players who sit slightly apart from that strategy but for whom there is a very strong case. Hamer (although he could arguably fit into 2.), Davies.

That looks like a decent strategy for a club in our position. It got somewhat derailed for a year by the gamble to get promoted. But apart from that I’m pretty happy with it.

Could it be better. Yes. But I’m pretty sure that it is a constantly evolving thing and that there is learning from every transfer window. I think a DoF would help. Other than that, I think we are on the right track.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Thanks for the well reasoned post.

I agree that what you have cited as an example probably has a ceiling. Interestingly, every single English club in the list is currently below us, and some of them are in a completely different market.

Now let’s look at what we know of United’s strategy for transfers:

1. Raid the academies of other clubs for cast offs that we think have lots of development still in them. This includes the likes of David Brooks, Will Lankshear, Harry Boyes, Miguel Freckleton, Jili Buyabu, Ryan One and, given his age when he came to us, Ndiaye. I think we can say that’s working.

2. Bring in younger players on decent length contracts who, again, we have identified as having loads of development potential and the likelihood of a profit when sold. Archer, Anel, Traore, Souza, Trusty.

3. Loans with an option to purchase. Players with development potential but we get to hedge our bets.

4. We have our own very productive academy.

5. All of the above augmented by players who sit slightly apart from that strategy but for whom there is a very strong case. Hamer (although he could arguably fit into 2.), Davies.

That looks like a decent strategy for a club in our position. It got somewhat derailed for a year by the gamble to get promoted. But apart from that I’m pretty happy with it.

Could it be better. Yes. But I’m pretty sure that it is a constantly evolving thing and that there is learning from every transfer window. I think a DoF would help. Other than that, I think we are on the right track.

Fair points. I don’t think the people involved at United do a bad job and I don’t hate the owner (I don’t like his links with the HoS but ). It just feels to me that recent success gave the club a real opportunity to build something semi-sustainable to make sure it stays in the top 30. I’m not sure that a whole lot has changed since Wilder arrived other than 2 very good managers and one of the best periods of recruitment any club has ever had in terms of ROI.

The sale of the club thing has been a farce which may well have coloured my judgement too.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Fair points. I don’t think the people involved at United do a bad job and I don’t hate the owner (I don’t like his links with the HoS but ). It just feels to me that recent success gave the club a real opportunity to build something semi-sustainable to make sure it stays in the top 30. I’m not sure that a whole lot has changed since Wilder arrived other than 2 very good managers and one of the best periods of recruitment any club has ever had in terms of ROI.

The sale of the club thing has been a farce which may well have coloured my judgement too.

The big change from the Wilder days is that we now venture overseas for signings (Berge was previously an outlier) which is a gamble, but long overdue in my view.

 

[bertieblade]

We have not been allowed to build something sustainable as we lack funds.
despite being in the premiership for what is now the third of five years, the costs incurred in these years have meant we have had to stand still or risk putting the future of the club in jeopardy.
Seems terrible that is the case but
buying the real estate for the club cost a significant amount of money
cost to upgrade the ground for premier league standards
loss of revenue from the Covid years
the loss of significant amounts of money wasted on transfers, (only Ramsdale made a profit)

hopefully stay up this year, some of our development players come good and you never know what the following years have in store. But no matter what we are in a much better position than most.

 

[8lade]

the loss of significant amounts of money wasted on transfers, (only Ramsdale made a profit)

Just a small point but I'd put McBurnie, & Berge as players we've had value for money and Bogle & Mousset as players where it could be argued we got our money's worth.
This does give us a better than 50% success rate on big fee players not ideal but not a total washout.

 

[bertieblade]

Just a small point but I'd put McBurnie, & Berge as players we've had value for money and Bogle & Mousset as players where it could be argued we got our money's worth.
This does give us a better than 50% success rate on big fee players not ideal but not a total washout.

Totally agree with your assessment I was talking from a balance sheet point of view, hopefully the recent signings will see us turn the corner in our club increasing the value of players on our asset sheet, subsequently giving the owners more confidence to invest for the longer term

 

[MagnifiqueShorehamStreet]

It’s heartbreaking that we aren’t Man City isn’t it. I struggle to accept it too.

Did you know there are 16 other teams between those relegated and `Man City.
Perhaps Derek was suggesting we try and make a better fist at being one of those.

 

[Frank the tank]

Did you know there are 16 other teams between those relegated and `Man City.
Perhaps Derek was suggesting we try and make a better fist at being one of those.

Most of those run at huge losses covered by billionaire owners

 

[8lade]

Did you know there are 16 other teams between those relegated and `Man City.
Perhaps Derek was suggesting we try and make a better fist at being one of those.

Only Brentford run on a theoretical shoestring and they have a scouting set up which costs £10m/year to run. My understanding is we have some of our scouting through United World which is a similar but smaller version and costs SUFC £1m/year. You are right we should aspire to be more like them and I think we are attempting this.
The EPL has become such a financial monster that having a billionaire owner isn't enough anymore 2 clubs with billionaire owners were relegated last season.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

 

[Houston_Blade]

It’s heartbreaking that we aren’t Man City isn’t it. I struggle to accept it too.

We don’t need to be Man City, I don’t think asking for a competent administrative function is wanting the moon on a stick.

Much easier just to accept where we are and not strive for better though.

 

[Frank the tank]

We don’t need to be Man City, I don’t think asking for a competent administrative function is wanting the moon on a stick.

Much easier just to accept where we are and not strive for better though.

Didn't we get promoted last season ?

 

[Sean Thornton]

El Accounto on Blades Ramble clearly shows the club was very busy in the transfer market and the difficulties they faced rather them sat playing Royal Match all day every day.

Mind you, if we’d filled all the vacant positions for “football men” we so desperately need, we could probably have done a Forest and had a squad of 40 plus.

 

[I should coco]

El Accounto on Blades Ramble clearly shows the club was very busy in the transfer market and the difficulties they faced rather them sat playing Royal Match all day every day.

Mind you, if we’d filled all the vacant positions for “football men” we so desperately need, we could probably have done a Forest and had a squad of 40 plus.

We've had plenty of 'football men' at the club.
Robson
Julian Winter
Jason Rocket
Kevin Blackwell
Mickey Adams
David Weir

Be careful what you wish for...

 

[Sean Thornton]

Didn't we get promoted last season ?

Despite having no competent senior management and an owner intent on wrecking the season (cAndy67) yes. Yes we did.

 

[Frank the tank]

Despite having no competent senior management and an owner intent on wrecking the season (cAndy67) yes. Yes we did.

Incredible !

 

[Nick Jansky]

We don’t need to be Man City, I don’t think asking for a competent administrative function is wanting the moon on a stick.

Much easier just to accept where we are and not strive for better though.

Yes, it’s shit being in the PL. How we all hanker after those years in L1. But the recent signings clearly show that we are trying to go back there, so that’s a relief.

What actual evidence would you like to present that the administrative function is incompetent?

 

[Foxy]

What actual evidence would you like to present that the administrative function is incompetent?

Have you ever seen a trying to use a laminator?

 

[Houston_Blade]

Yes, it’s shit being in the PL. How we all hanker after those years in L1. But the recent signings clearly show that we are trying to go back there, so that’s a relief.

What actual evidence would you like to present that the administrative function is incompetent?

Kits released after the start of the season 2 years running, lack of communication around season tickets for new purchases , Matchday ticket inefficiencies, slow transfer dealings, lack of due diligence on Dozy/Mauriss and a recent transfer embargo are all examples of our really well functioning administration.

 

[Rodley]

Yes, it’s shit being in the PL. How we all hanker after those years in L1. But the recent signings clearly show that we are trying to go back there, so that’s a relief.

What actual evidence would you like to present that the administrative function is incompetent?

Someone wasn’t supping diesel

 

[Frank the tank]

Kits released after the start of the season 2 years running, lack of communication around season tickets for new purchases , Matchday ticket inefficiencies, slow transfer dealings, lack of due diligence on Dozy/Mauriss and a recent transfer embargo are all examples of our really well functioning administration.

Cold pies

 

[Nick Jansky]

Kits released after the start of the season 2 years running, lack of communication around season tickets for new purchases , Matchday ticket inefficiencies, slow transfer dealings, lack of due diligence on Dozy/Mauriss and a recent transfer embargo are all examples of our really well functioning administration.

Transfer dealings and probably kit release are largely dependent on other parties & not down to the club administration.

Due diligence definitely isn’t. That’s on the Prince’s (not the club’s) advisers.

The transfer embargo was down to a decision at the top to take a gamble on promotion. Nothing to do with the administrative function.

Not sure what you mean by matchday ticket inefficiencies?

But yes, communication around season tickets could be better. Damn them all to hell!

 

[Nick Jansky]

Someone wasn’t supping diesel

View attachment 170739

Can’t be bothered. See exchange with Carlton Blade above, then try again.

 

[Rodley]

Can’t be bothered. See exchange with Carlton Blade above, then try again.

Thread closed then.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Thread closed then.

It’s already been done to death. You aren’t coming up with anything new. Just repeating the same old stuff. It gets very boring.

 

[Rodley]

It’s already been done to death. You aren’t coming up with anything new. Just repeating the same old stuff. It gets very boring.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Transfer dealings and probably kit release are largely dependent on other parties & not down to the club administration.

Due diligence definitely isn’t. That’s on the Prince’s (not the club’s) advisers.

The transfer embargo was down to a decision at the top to take a gamble on promotion. Nothing to do with the administrative function.

Not sure what you mean by matchday ticket inefficiencies?

But yes, communication around season tickets could be better. Damn them all to hell!

The administration is headed up by the Board of Directors and ultimately the owner.

If I pick a shit subject matter expert at work and I own the business it’s ultimately my fault.

Matchday ticket inefficiencies relates to how we sell them in a way that never seems to allow us to sell out. See the FA Cup semi for another example.

 

[Jan Age]

I don’t know how the finances of a football club work but I’m pretty sure the Prince doesn’t “bank“ the incentive payments the club earns either by relegation or staying up.

There’s ways and means it’s all figures on a piece of paper