The Vietnamese player

[Kev Gee]

That won Soccer prince. get him in the team. he cant be any worse than that shower!!

On a serious note. MCcabe. quit fannying around with projects like this and get some support to Speed because he really needs it.

 

[Kenilworth]

Yeah, push the boat out!

 

[Bladesway]

On a serious note. MCcabe. quit

The only thing that will get us out of the shit I'm afraid.

 

[raul]

"Best thing that ever happened to this club." You don't hear that as much these days do you?

 

[Vancouver]

Please tell me the name of a chairman who's been more supportive than McCabe?

 

[alcoblade]

Please tell me the name of a chairman who's been more supportive than McCabe?

He's the best of a bad bunch. He's well intentioned but has put too much focus on off the field interests and sadly they aren't delivering. He's delivered a huge debt and the on field quality is no better than when he came.

There's a big risk that McCabe's policies will be judged as taking us backwards, if not to the brink.

UTB

 

[Ecco_Blade]

Please tell me the name of a chairman who's been more supportive than McCabe?

Presuming you just mean Blades Chairmen then I'd agree with your point.

However if you include other clubs, then off the top of my head ... Steve Gibson, Phil Gartside, Dave Whelan all at similar / smaller size clubs and all have done a better job for their clubs than McCabe has done for us I would say.

 

[Santos]

Presuming you just mean Blades Chairmen then I'd agree with your point.

However if you include other clubs, then off the top of my head ... Steve Gibson, Phil Gartside, Dave Whelan all at similar / smaller size clubs and all have done a better job for their clubs than McCabe has done for us I would say.

Football's weird though, if Bolton lose their final day do or die match against Boro then their relegated and perhaps never seen again in the top flight, just like if the ref blows for a penalty on Jagielka, we score and beat Wigan 2-1 it might be Wigan who are pissing around playing Watford and Scunny.

I do feel that McCabe isn't as passionate since the World Cup bid but i'd still rather he was here, better the devil you know.

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

That vietnamese player that was going home must have been thanking his lucky stars!

 

[Bladesway]

Please tell me the name of a chairman who's been more supportive than McCabe?

Right now McCabes policies are killing the club. Its a bit like building a shit load of shops but depriving your managers of staff and stock. The shops look lovely but thats about it. BDTBL has probably never looked better but whats going on inside has rarely been worse. OK, it has been worse but right now we are in deep, deep shit.

As for penalties and winning games on the last day of the season, we didn't so we should have adjusted our sights there and then. We are 4 seasons down the line and still mumping about it.

 

[Linz]

That won Soccer prince. get him in the team. he cant be any worse than that shower!!

The one that won actually went to Liverpool as far as I know... we got the runner up. So those lads were second and third choices.

EDIT: Yeah... http://itsthefinalword.blogspot.com/2010/05/vietnam-soccer-prince.html

Last night saw the live final of the 'Vietnam Soccer Prince' reality TV show. The show's winner received a year at the Liverpool FC Academy in England, whilst two runners up will go to Sheffield United, a Championship side (meaning the second professional division in England).

 

[Bergen Blade]

I'm happy with the chairman if he provides the management with a decent transfer and wage budget, I expect little more. We don't seem to pay transfer fees any more, but it seems accepted that we're among the highest spenders when it comes to wages.

So, I don't think it's a good idea getting on McCabe's back. If we're not happy with our squad (and I'm certainly not), shouldn't we criticise HOW we've spent our money, not McCabe's reluctance to splash out more on top of what's already been wasted?

 

[alcoblade]

I'm happy with the chairman if he provides the management with a decent transfer and wage budget, I expect little more. We don't seem to pay transfer fees any more, but it seems accepted that we're among the highest spenders when it comes to wages.

So, I don't think it's a good idea getting on McCabe's back. If we're not happy with our squad (and I'm certainly not), shouldn't we criticise HOW we've spent our money, not McCabe's reluctance to splash out more on top of what's already been wasted?

Agreed, but we measure McCabe on who he put in charge if the till. The real damage was done by Robson. McCabe appointed him. But it's spilt milk now. Now the club has to decide if it's latest frugal policy is the right one now we;re faced with the possibility of relegation battle. It's crystal clear we need another striker and some creativity from midfiled to support Britton. Without one we're in big trouble.

UTB

 

[raul]

Would you also not question why he allowed Blackwell to spend all this transfer and wage money ( I'd dispute the premise anyway, but that's by-the-by) only to punt him on day 1 of a new season Bergs?

 

[alcoblade]

Would you also not question why he allowed Blackwell to spend all this transfer and wage money ( I'd dispute the premise anyway, but that's by-the-by) only to punt him on day 1 of a new season Bergs?

I think this blunder is almost up there with the appointment of Robson. It both robbed us of several thousand season ticket holders and the chance for the new manager to have time and resources to spend on his squad.

UTB

 

[Foxy]

On a serious note. MCcabe. quit fannying around with projects like this and get some support to Speed because he really needs it.

Just how much time do you think Kevin McCabe spends co-ordinating Vietnamese Soccer Price?

I'd hazard a guess myself that it's zero.

People were screaming for us to be scouting/picking up good young players from abroad, why not try something different, how can it hurt to give the lad a look and get increased exposure in another country as a bonus?

 

[Bergen Blade]

Would you also not question why he allowed Blackwell to spend all this transfer and wage money ( I'd dispute the premise anyway, but that's by-the-by) only to punt him on day 1 of a new season Bergs?

I don't think that's for him to interfere with. When Robson went crazy I thought we missed a Director of Football to evaluate the actions of the manager and to establish some sort of long term plan and club identity when it came to playing style, someone to make sure we maintain some sort of consistency when managers come and go. I reckon Trevor Birch has some of this responsibility now, though I know nothing about his views on football, or how much he interfers with the manager's decisions. I think that Blackwell was allowed to let things go horribly bad, and there should have been someone to redirect, stop or sack him at a much earlier stage.

I think the appointment of Robson and the baffling extension of Blackwell's contract are proof that McCabe should leave the football decision to football people, and if it's not Birch's responsibility to interfere then maybe we should still be looking for someone to do this.

 

[alcoblade]

I don't think that's for him to interfere with. When Robson went crazy I thought we missed a Director of Football to evaluate the actions of the manager and to establish some sort of long term plan and club identity when it came to playing style, someone to make sure we maintain some sort of consistency when managers come and go. I reckon Trevor Birch has some of this responsibility now, though I know nothing about his views on football, or how much he interfers with the manager's decisions. I think that Blackwell was allowed to let things go horribly bad, and there should have been someone to redirect, stop or sack him at a much earlier stage.

I think the appointment of Robson and the baffling extension of Blackwell's contract are proof that McCabe should leave the football decision to football people, and if it's not Birch's responsibility to interfere then maybe we should still be looking for someone to do this.

It didn't take a director of football person to know that Bryan Robson was a rubbish appointment and that we were over paying players. It didn't need a football person to know that extending Blackwell's contract was daft. That director of football would cost another £500K per year. Surely we need players more than off field managers. Surely our off field managers should get their own house in order, not employ more?

 

[Bergen Blade]

It didn't take a director of football person to know that Bryan Robson was a rubbish appointment and that we were over paying players. It didn't need a football person to know that extending Blackwell's contract was daft. That director of football would cost another £500K per year. Surely we need players more than off field managers. Surely our off field managers should get their own house in order, not employ more?

Cost of Director of Football: £500k
Cost of signing Sun Jihai on 20k a week despite having Kyle Naughton coming through: £1m +

I agree it's frustrating to even consider it, but we've seen so many abysmal decisions the last few years, so much money wasted that it seems more expensive to let managers spend their budget as they want. Maybe Birch can do it though. He is a former top player, and for example, as we negotiated with Naysmith I assume Blackwell wanted to keep him, but Birch must have realised his demands were too high. I see Naysmith has managed four games this season by the way, none after August.

However, what about the new, long contracts for Monty, Quinn, Morgan and Cresswell?

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Cost of Director of Football: £500k
Cost of signing Sun Jihai on 20k a week despite having Kyle Naughton coming through: £1m +

I agree it's frustrating to even consider it, but we've seen so many abysmal decisions the last few years, so much money wasted that it seems more expensive to let managers spend their budget as they want. Maybe Birch can do it though. He is a former top player, and for example, as we negotiated with Naysmith I assume Blackwell wanted to keep him, but Birch must have realised his demands were too high. I see Naysmith has managed four games this season by the way, none after August.

However, what about the new, long contracts for Monty, Quinn, Morgan and Cresswell?

Goes back to what others have said though Bergs, why go through the Summer (with Birch at the helm), letting Blackwell arrange all these deals and spend most, if not all, of the budget and then change managers ?

I agree with Len that Speed must have been given some assurances when he took the job on, in fact there were some at the 11th hour suggesting that this was potentially stopping his appointment. Maybe he has, maybe there's other issues stopping us bringing players in but if he hasn't got funds available then it makes the timing of the sacking of Blackwell even more bizarre.

 

[lenners]

The prospect of McCabe taking us to the third division with £50m of debt is looming large.
A pretty spectacular failure, even by our standards.

 

[Worksop II]

bizarro blades

I think its got a ring to it

 

[Bergen Blade]

Goes back to what others have said though Bergs, why go through the Summer (with Birch at the helm), letting Blackwell arrange all these deals and spend most, if not all, of the budget and then change managers ?

I agree with Len that Speed must have been given some assurances when he took the job on, in fact there were some at the 11th hour suggesting that this was potentially stopping his appointment. Maybe he has, maybe there's other issues stopping us bringing players in but if he hasn't got funds available then it makes the timing of the sacking of Blackwell even more bizarre.

I don't think there was enough pressure from fans, media, etc who bought into the excuse of being unlucky with injuries last season. I think everybody were hoping that we'd manage to rebuild over the summer and have an exciting squad come the new season. However we spent the money on new contracts for existing players and as the season started we still lacked quality AND quantity, and embarrasingly had to name coaching staff on the bench for first team games. The board probably realised we were going nowhere under Blackwell and sacked him after the 0-3 defeat to QPR.

 

[raul]

Bergs - there isn't a person alive on any message board who didn't agree that we'd over egged it on loans last season. It was indeed one of the main reasons I said bollocks to renewing. There was even sufficient pressure that TB came out and acknowledged the fact and that the same mistakes would not be repeated. At what point does the man in charge be at least culpapble in finding ourselves in the current situation?

 

[Bergen Blade]

Bergs - there isn't a person alive on any message board who didn't agree that we'd over egged it on loans last season. It was indeed one of the main reasons I said bollocks to renewing. There was even sufficient pressure that TB came out and acknowledged the fact and that the same mistakes would not be repeated. At what point does the man in charge be at least culpapble in finding ourselves in the current situation?

Maybe I'm not making my point clear enough. I'm not at all suggesting that McCabe hasn't made mistakes. When I mentioned two of his cock ups was proof that he should leave football decisions to football people, it's as harsh a criticism as anyone have posted.

But he has brought in a new Chief Executive, and at least wasn't alone in deciding the recent managerial change - which suggests that he may be doing what I suggested. If that's in place I think his primary task is to provide the management with a budget that allows us to be competetive - and the quotes saying that we remain one of the highest spending clubs in this division are pretty much unquestioned.

When people then suggest that he should spend more money on top of what's already decent I think they are asking a little much, and I don't think that would impove if he buggered off either.

 

[alcoblade]

Maybe I'm not making my point clear enough. I'm not at all suggesting that McCabe hasn't made mistakes. When I mentioned two of his cock ups was proof that he should leave football decisions to football people, it's as harsh a criticism as anyone have posted.

But he has brought in a new Chief Executive, and at least wasn't alone in deciding the recent managerial change - which suggests that he may be doing what I suggested. If that's in place I think his primary task is to provide the management with a budget that allows us to be competitive - and the quotes saying that we remain one of the highest spending clubs in this division are pretty much unquestioned.

When people then suggest that he should spend more money on top of what's already decent I think they are asking a little much, and I don't think that would impove if he buggered off either.

You make a good point Bergen but none the less, the side as is might well be relegated. I've argued against getting into more debt, but we need to weigh up acquisitions against the cost of relegation which many think is highly likely if we remain as is. Maybe the club are confident? Maybe there's just no cash anywhere? Maybe investment is imminent. What's for sure is McCabe's reign will be judged as disastrous if we end up a League one club with £50M of debt. Has any club carried such a burden into the lower reaches of English football?

UTB

 

[lenners]

I think Leeds were carrying something along those lines but went into administration.
Pretty clear though that McCabe's reign will be judged as disastrous if he allows us to go down to the third tier with that level of debt.
Anyone chortling about the predicament at S6 should have a think about the position we're in both on and off the field.

 

[Bramley]

Cost of Director of Football: £500k
Cost of signing Sun Jihai on 20k a week despite having Kyle Naughton coming through: £1m +

I agree it's frustrating to even consider it, but we've seen so many abysmal decisions the last few years, so much money wasted that it seems more expensive to let managers spend their budget as they want. Maybe Birch can do it though. He is a former top player, and for example, as we negotiated with Naysmith I assume Blackwell wanted to keep him, but Birch must have realised his demands were too high. I see Naysmith has managed four games this season by the way, none after August.

However, what about the new, long contracts for Monty, Quinn, Morgan and Cresswell?

They tried to get Graham Taylor for the role at one point.