Stephen Bettis speaks to local Media

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Selles is a crap manager, his agent a good salesman. He was the cheap option and as per that’s what we we gambled and lost on. Wilder ended up being the safe hands and available, we lost out so much on having a long term future but I don’t blame CW I blame the board/owners
 
AWetFlannel said:
I'd hoped the clarification wasn't needed, but he wasn't a failure before we hired him. He has failed since.
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Several people have pointed out to you, his long term 25% win rate.

By way of shit" comparison:
Billy McEwan 34% (albeit no great run at Reading)
Nigel Adkins 43% (36% at Reading)
Nigel Clough" 40% (again, sadly, no great Reading career)
Adrian Heath 42% (let;s just bin the Reading stuff)
Kevin Blackwell 37%
Bryan (mine's a double) Robson 36%

The above stats are from Wiki. I have to admit that I enjoed looking it up and I'm amazed that Heath and Robson are so 'good'.

Can you lplease admit that Selles wonderful 25% win record, does not make him a managerial genius,?


*A shit time at BDTBL, but Clougie wasn't shit, IMHO
 
I'd like to ask Bettis what the club's plans are for building up the fan base. We are currently haemorrhaging support and the current strategy of charging sky high match day prices, operating a Catch 22 where you can't buy a ticket without loyalty points and you can't get loyalty points without buying a ticket, demanding a registration and then saying you can't buy tickets for your mates doesn't seem to be cutting it.
We live in a world where young people expect to be able make entertainment choices with a click of their phones - we expect them to all come down to the ticket office, wait in a queue and beg the staff nicely to help them set up an account and add some 'free' loyalty points. Getting new fans through the door was one of the things McCabe was very good at.
 
Scoips said:
I'd like to ask Bettis what the club's plans are for building up the fan base. We are currently haemorrhaging support and the current strategy of charging sky high match day prices, operating a Catch 22 where you can't buy a ticket without loyalty points and you can't get loyalty points without buying a ticket, demanding a registration and then saying you can't buy tickets for your mates doesn't seem to be cutting it.
We live in a world where young people expect to be able make entertainment choices with a click of their phones - we expect them to all come down to the ticket office, wait in a queue and beg the staff nicely to help them set up an account and add some 'free' loyalty points. Getting new fans through the door was one of the things McCabe was very good at.
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We’re haemorrhaging support because the core product, the very USP. is crap. To sort that requires considerable investment in a modern management structure, better players and a coach who can coach them. Sort that Bettissss.
 
petcharlie said:
Spot on mate .Brentford are a good example. They also put a lot in to their Academy which they view as a very important part of the club . Expertly run "little" club but they do have rich owners which is a bonus but never the less well run .
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Brentford actually closed their academy for 6 years from 2016 to 2022 and only reopened it because PL rules mandated teams couldn't be members without an academy. They closed it as a lot of their better players were getting poached by bigger London clubs and it was more cost effective to take 16-17 yr olds released by those big London academies and put them into their B team.
 
I wouldn't expect too much from the interview.
Last time he sounded nervous and uncomfortable, fair play for doing it as its not in his comfort zone .

Id expect nothing in terms of revelations or genuine information about the direction of the club or the owners .

Lots of " working on it " and " full support of the owners " kind of statements.
 
Yep kudos fpr putting himself out there but he also knows Staton isnt going to ask the really searching questions.

Main one I want asking is what is the medium term plan assuming these owners stay and given that Wilders short term plan is bring in experience which is largely old, injury prone players on big wages. So how are we building a squad for the future when it appears that its all about the here and now and the limited resources we have are being wasted on the likes of Rothwell, Jairo, Doherty, Choudhury etc. What's next season going to look like following this plan?
 
FriethBlade said:
Yep kudos fpr putting himself out there but he also knows Staton isnt going to ask the really searching questions.

Main one I want asking is what is the medium term plan assuming these owners stay and given that Wilders short term plan is bring in experience which is largely old, injury prone players on big wages. So how are we building a squad for the future when it appears that its all about the here and now and the limited resources we have are being wasted on the likes of Rothwell, Jairo, Doherty, Choudhury etc. What's next season going to look like following this plan?
Click to expand...
Send your email ,I'm sure they will ask
 
FriethBlade said:
Yep kudos fpr putting himself out there but he also knows Staton isnt going to ask the really searching questions.

Main one I want asking is what is the medium term plan assuming these owners stay and given that Wilders short term plan is bring in experience which is largely old, injury prone players on big wages. So how are we building a squad for the future when it appears that its all about the here and now and the limited resources we have are being wasted on the likes of Rothwell, Jairo, Doherty, Choudhury etc. What's next season going to look like following this plan?
Click to expand...
Many of the more directly football ones aren't for him to really answer. The ethos he can maybe go into. But really that comes from the owners too.
 



FriethBlade said:
Yep kudos fpr putting himself out there but he also knows Staton isnt going to ask the really searching questions.

Main one I want asking is what is the medium term plan assuming these owners stay and given that Wilders short term plan is bring in experience which is largely old, injury prone players on big wages. So how are we building a squad for the future when it appears that its all about the here and now and the limited resources we have are being wasted on the likes of Rothwell, Jairo, Doherty, Choudhury etc. What's next season going to look like following this plan?
Click to expand...

In fairness, Staton did ask searching questions to Wilder in the pre Stoke conference. I think Radio Sheffield are as hacked off as anyone about the current regime, given their lack of transparency and access so I don't imagine he'll hold back on the difficult ones.

Difficult ones being 1) Are SUFC at risk of a points deduction. Answer = Can't talk much about that as ongoing process, but confident of no wrongdoing. 2) Lack of budget this window/CW saying goalposts moved. Answer = No parachute payments for the first time in X years, have to cut cloth accordingly, won't jeopordise long time finances of the club.
 
Nothing appears to have changed regarding the COH move since the interview below. I’d be surprised if anything new came out but who knows?

Rob Staton
@robstaton
Here's what Steven Rosen, co-Chairman at Sheffield United, said to Nathan Zegura, about the financial situation at the club, and the dispute with former owners United World:

Rosen: "You know, there's been some noise about us net spending or selling players and getting £15 million pounds and not reinvesting it. Keep in mind, we're already £30-plus-million, you know, funding loss this year, and we inherited a club that had some obligations and whatnot.

"So, you know, when you look at the patient, the patient(s) struggling. At some point, you need to restructure. We wanted to move away from COH, and because of the, you know, dispute with one of the individuals who was looking at the club initially with us, and that's been reported on in Delaware, and we wanted Prince Abdullah and United World still wanted to look at the past, they didn't want to go with us into the future, and we couldn't couldn't make an arrangement with them.

"So that's how that came together. We're unhappy, I believe, him to be unhappy at this point as well. But what was in the best interest of the supporters, the employees, the footballers, the, you know, the whole club, was to to re-organise and restructure.

"Now, there's been some comment on the, you know, what's going to be the, you know, fallout with the EFL. You know, let me just comment on this. At no point there's only one real, you know, noise around points deductions, sporting sanctions, yeah, and that Prince Abdullah put that out. Prince Abdullah and United World don't have power over the EFL to issue a points deduction. A former owner can't tell the EFL what to do..."

Interviewer: "Right"

Rosen: "As much as he'd like to, that threat tactic, you know, he doesn't have that power. Other clubs, competitive clubs, self-servingly, I'm sure would love to see us or like to see us or enjoy us getting a points deduction, put us further..."

Interviewer: "Down, make it harder, right?"

Rosen: "Make it harder for us to compete. But clubs don't have power over the EFL. At no point was the club, the football club insolvent. We pay our creditors on time. We pay our bills on time. No, like the club itself. There's a little technicality there on whether or not a group company. So they look at group companies. Well, COH is not a group company. That's not a group company of Sheffield. It does not not the holder of Sheffield. It's not the holding company, so I I can't see in any scenario where the club gets a points deduction because of that insolvency rule. It wasn't like Sheffield Wednesday where they had an administrator and it went into insolvency, couldn't pay their bills and all that. That's that's not our situation."

Interviewer: "Well, good."

Rosen: "Yeah, really good, right?"

Interviewer: "Because all this is all about winning. Yeah?"

Rosen: "That's all about winning. And so, you know, when I look to the future, which is really, really, really where I want to go, and look to the future and not the past, I look to a much brighter future. We moved on from COH. We moved into this, you know, new world. We're bringing in some new investment partners, which I think many clubs are trying to do. I know, as you've read over, you know, recently, there's you know many a club who have brought in new investment partners to try to get better and bigger and you know build the academy. So that's our that's our goal."

Interviewer: "Well, thanks for sharing that. I'm glad to hear that it sounds like sanctions. There will be no point deductions, so that this Sheffield United can get back to doing what it's wanting to do, as you said, the state of Goldman to get to the Premier League and stay there because this is an exciting time. Season's about to start. I know you got to get through this kind of this transfer window period, and then, let's go. Good luck."

Rosen: "Watch football. Thank you."
 
Sean Thornton said:
Nothing appears to have changed regarding the COH move since the interview below. I’d be surprised if anything new came out but who knows?

Rob Staton
@robstaton
Here's what Steven Rosen, co-Chairman at Sheffield United, said to Nathan Zegura, about the financial situation at the club, and the dispute with former owners United World:

Rosen: "You know, there's been some noise about us net spending or selling players and getting £15 million pounds and not reinvesting it. Keep in mind, we're already £30-plus-million, you know, funding loss this year, and we inherited a club that had some obligations and whatnot.

"So, you know, when you look at the patient, the patient(s) struggling. At some point, you need to restructure. We wanted to move away from COH, and because of the, you know, dispute with one of the individuals who was looking at the club initially with us, and that's been reported on in Delaware, and we wanted Prince Abdullah and United World still wanted to look at the past, they didn't want to go with us into the future, and we couldn't couldn't make an arrangement with them.

"So that's how that came together. We're unhappy, I believe, him to be unhappy at this point as well. But what was in the best interest of the supporters, the employees, the footballers, the, you know, the whole club, was to to re-organise and restructure.

"Now, there's been some comment on the, you know, what's going to be the, you know, fallout with the EFL. You know, let me just comment on this. At no point there's only one real, you know, noise around points deductions, sporting sanctions, yeah, and that Prince Abdullah put that out. Prince Abdullah and United World don't have power over the EFL to issue a points deduction. A former owner can't tell the EFL what to do..."

Interviewer: "Right"

Rosen: "As much as he'd like to, that threat tactic, you know, he doesn't have that power. Other clubs, competitive clubs, self-servingly, I'm sure would love to see us or like to see us or enjoy us getting a points deduction, put us further..."

Interviewer: "Down, make it harder, right?"

Rosen: "Make it harder for us to compete. But clubs don't have power over the EFL. At no point was the club, the football club insolvent. We pay our creditors on time. We pay our bills on time. No, like the club itself. There's a little technicality there on whether or not a group company. So they look at group companies. Well, COH is not a group company. That's not a group company of Sheffield. It does not not the holder of Sheffield. It's not the holding company, so I I can't see in any scenario where the club gets a points deduction because of that insolvency rule. It wasn't like Sheffield Wednesday where they had an administrator and it went into insolvency, couldn't pay their bills and all that. That's that's not our situation."

Interviewer: "Well, good."

Rosen: "Yeah, really good, right?"

Interviewer: "Because all this is all about winning. Yeah?"

Rosen: "That's all about winning. And so, you know, when I look to the future, which is really, really, really where I want to go, and look to the future and not the past, I look to a much brighter future. We moved on from COH. We moved into this, you know, new world. We're bringing in some new investment partners, which I think many clubs are trying to do. I know, as you've read over, you know, recently, there's you know many a club who have brought in new investment partners to try to get better and bigger and you know build the academy. So that's our that's our goal."

Interviewer: "Well, thanks for sharing that. I'm glad to hear that it sounds like sanctions. There will be no point deductions, so that this Sheffield United can get back to doing what it's wanting to do, as you said, the state of Goldman to get to the Premier League and stay there because this is an exciting time. Season's about to start. I know you got to get through this kind of this transfer window period, and then, let's go. Good luck."

Rosen: "Watch football. Thank you."
Click to expand...
He "wants to look to the future" which he said is much brighter. Thats all well and good but to a lot of us the current transfer strategy doesnt seem to have a "future"its all about signing experienced players on short term rentals or contracts. He needs to let us know what that "future" looks like, is it more of the same or can we look forward to some longer term team building?
 
FriethBlade said:
He "wants to look to the future" which he said is much brighter. Thats all well and good but to a lot of us the current transfer strategy doesnt seem to have a "future"its all about signing experienced players on short term rentals or contracts. He needs to let us know what that "future" looks like, is it more of the same or can we look forward to some longer term team building?
Click to expand...


It wasn’t a defence. I suggested it was unlikely that anything new would be announced. Certainly about the ongoing issues.
 
The questions I’d really like Bettis to answer are:

1. What makes him as an accountant suitable to be the club’s de facto Director of Football and does he think he’s currently operating way above his talents and ability at the moment? And…

2. Who’s idea was it to sack Alan Knill, was it Wilder’s idea, or was Wilder consulted about this before Knill was dismissed?

If someone is going to call in I’d appreciate it if these could be asked.
 
FriethBlade said:
Yep kudos fpr putting himself out there but he also knows Staton isnt going to ask the really searching questions.

Main one I want asking is what is the medium term plan assuming these owners stay and given that Wilders short term plan is bring in experience which is largely old, injury prone players on big wages. So how are we building a squad for the future when it appears that its all about the here and now and the limited resources we have are being wasted on the likes of Rothwell, Jairo, Doherty, Choudhury etc. What's next season going to look like following this plan?
Click to expand...
This is the crucial line of cross-examination ,
which dovetails nicely with Rosen's insistence on focussing on the future.

If his focus is there , how come he's letting Wilder bring in a load of old short-term players ?

Where's the "building for the future" with younger players to develop ?

(Subtext - do you & the board still know feck-all about football ?
Is that why the squad now falls off a cliff in June '27 ?)
 
Sean Thornton said:
It wasn’t a defence. I suggested it was unlikely that anything new would be announced. Certainly about the ongoing issues.
Click to expand...
I wasnt knocking you just interested how this bright future tallies with a squad that will be decimated come the summer when all the loans go back amd other contracts end. I think i saw somewhere we will barely a squad of 15 left on full time contracts after the end of the season!
 
Let's hope they go full pelt at him as if it's our owners sat there. PA money, training ground, how interested owners are in still having us, crap signings if over the hill injured players, taking football decisions off CW and cronies to someone else, Alan Knill ...... unfortunately will get same shit answers about he's just an accountant .
 



Kenworthy’s Tash said:
The questions I’d really like Bettis to answer are:

1. What makes him as an accountant suitable to be the club’s de facto Director of Football and does he think he’s currently operating way above his talents and ability at the moment? And…

2. Who’s idea was it to sack Alan Knill, was it Wilder’s idea, or was Wilder consulted about this before Knill was dismissed?

If someone is going to call in I’d appreciate it if these could be asked.
Click to expand...
Email them yourself that's what they have asked...
 
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