Are you happy with the direction the club is heading? : Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:12 pm  

Loud noises are being made by cheifs at Odsal in regards to the clubs future. Do you think they are getting it right, ie the first, academy teams, the financial situation, marketing etc etc = The whole package really.

Is the correct balance being struck?

: Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:38 pm  

Given the club is being rebuilt from the ground up, I think it's too early to comment. I think the real litmus test will be when ground is broken on the redevelopment. Because, given the way the long term planning seems to be heading, that will be the point where we should be seeing real results from the investment in the academy

: Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:52 pm  

Roofaldo wrote:

Given the club is being rebuilt from the ground up, I think it's too early to comment. I think the real litmus test will be when ground is broken on the redevelopment. Because, given the way the long term planning seems to be heading, that will be the point where we should be seeing real results from the investment in the academy

That's what is annoying me the most all this talk of building from the ground up. It didn't need doing all that needed to be done was carefull additions to the first team to keep momentum going.

: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:14 pm  

I know i'll get shot down by a few, but it seems like this building for the future line has been gaining more voice since it became apparent that this year we really aren't that good, or doing a fair bit worse than the team is on paper.

Can't imagine any Bulls fan is really happy with 11th place.

: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:14 pm  

redeverready wrote:

That's what is annoying me the most all this talk of building from the ground up. It didn't need doing all that needed to be done was carefull additions to the first team to keep momentum going.

You seem to be up on the academy and reserves, is there anything that is now different now under the stewardship of Macca to when it was when Noble was at the helm in regards to lower grades. There's been a lot of talk that there was a blatent disregard for the academy, is this true and is the academy now in a better position to produce players to the first team?

: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:15 pm  

I absolutely agree that the long term future and stability is the key to success in the future, but I am concerned at the moment. I do feel that they club have lost a lot of goodwill from the fans by the way the last few seasons have gone. They need to do a lot more right now to get that feel good factor back or there will be nothing left in the future.
How to do that? That's the key question isnt it? Start winning a few, make some quality signings next year, get moving on the Odsal development, get the match day experience back to where it used to be, start getting some positive press out there so the fans know that things are happening.
I we have to suffer 3 or 4 seasons of rebuilding (have we not already?)then fine, but why not let people know what's going on? Keep people informed of plans and progress and then maybe there will be more support.

: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:23 pm  

debaser wrote:

I absolutely agree that the long term future and stability is the key to success in the future, but I am concerned at the moment. I do feel that they club have lost a lot of goodwill from the fans by the way the last few seasons have gone. They need to do a lot more right now to get that feel good factor back or there will be nothing left in the future.
How to do that? That's the key question isnt it? Start winning a few, make some quality signings next year, get moving on the Odsal development, get the match day experience back to where it used to be, start getting some positive press out there so the fans know that things are happening.
I we have to suffer 3 or 4 seasons of rebuilding (have we not already?)then fine, but why not let people know what's going on? Keep people informed of plans and progress and then maybe there will be more support.

Exactly my feeling, if McNamara had come out when he took over and said "this is where the club is, we can't afford to continue as we've been going on so we're going back to basics and rebuild the club from the bottom up" then he might have had more in the way of support. It's just now, when his back is against the wall that it comes out at a fans forum. It's just poor comunication betwen club and fans. It's all very well for Stuart Duffy to say "if you've a question, come see me and I'll try and answer it", but why doesn't the club try and head off these questions? The best damage control is not letting the damage happen in the first place.
The club has a website, email updates, the match day programs. Use them. Get your points across clearly and conciesely. I hate to use the term "spin" but the club needs to get things in order.

: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:31 pm  

Roofaldo wrote:

Exactly my feeling, if McNamara had come out when he took over and said "this is where the club is, we can't afford to continue as we've been going on so we're going back to basics and rebuild the club from the bottom up" then he might have had more in the way of support. It's just now, when his back is against the wall that it comes out at a fans forum. It's just poor comunication betwen club and fans. It's all very well for Stuart Duffy to say "if you've a question, come see me and I'll try and answer it", but why doesn't the club try and head off these questions? The best damage control is not letting the damage happen in the first place.
The club has a website, email updates, the match day programs. Use them. Get your points across clearly and conciesely. I hate to use the term "spin" but the club needs to get things in order.

Indeed. the word "spin" came to mind when I was writing my post. The club should be getting their message out there. Be proactive, be positive, talk to the people. Don't wait til its too late, which is the feeling we seem to be getting.

: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:43 pm  

I agree that a lot of work need doing behind the scenes. However, I feel that the team we have should be able to hold it's own and be higher than 11th. If you watch the matches they have large periods where they seem incapable of hanging in when it's tough. I don't think that they have the fitness of other teams. I know we hear that they are fitter than they have ever been but it doesn't seem as though they are fit enough.

: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:50 pm  

If we don't sign a new half-back for next year it will definitely signal that the clubs plans don't involve challenging next year.