: Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:57 pm  

Great post Adeybull. But we've all continued to go along and pay our money for the last two seasons and seen standards drop. Eventually the Board must recognise that this is not going to continue. If there is a long term plan then the supporters should be let in on it along with milestones. Otherwise, to paraphrase a certain film, when other loyal supporters ask 'What is to become of the club?' the answer will be a loud 'Frankly, I don't give a damn'.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:01 pm  

Adeybull wrote:

OK, as requested, etc....

The single most articulate, balanced, all-encompassing and yet concise post on this issue.

(I particularly think the all too real issue of people including Macca needing to earn to exit is a very good one - maybe a few people on here are too indoctrinated in a football world where top players and coaches earn as much in 2 months as many of us earn in a career and can afford to quit easily on points of principle.)

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:13 pm  

Unless the Club wants to keep the Fans informed the Fans will speculate. It's not for us to come up with answers, that's what the Club pays the Coaching Staff to do. Unfortunatly the Coaching Staff seem devoid of answers despite 2-3 years of learning lessons whilst getting worse. An losing quality Players is the only thing we seem to be any good at. Should the Fans say nothing? Just turn up every week and accept the poor and pathetic performances and excuses?
We pay our money and have a right to speak our minds and vent our anger. How bad have things got when Season ticket holders are seriously considering having a barbeque, party, day out, whatever instead of turning up for a match they have already paid for?

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:43 pm  

Spannerz wrote:

Unless the Club wants to keep the Fans informed the Fans will speculate. It's not for us to come up with answers, that's what the Club pays the Coaching Staff to do. Unfortunatly the Coaching Staff seem devoid of answers despite 2-3 years of learning lessons whilst getting worse. An losing quality Players is the only thing we seem to be any good at. Should the Fans say nothing? Just turn up every week and accept the poor and pathetic performances and excuses?
We pay our money and have a right to speak our minds and vent our anger. How bad have things got when Season ticket holders are seriously considering having a barbeque, party, day out, whatever instead of turning up for a match they have already paid for?

Rugbyreddog wrote:

But we've all continued to go along and pay our money for the last two seasons and seen standards drop. Eventually the Board must recognise that this is not going to continue. If there is a long term plan then the supporters should be let in on it along with milestones. Otherwise, to paraphrase a certain film, when other loyal supporters ask 'What is to become of the club?' the answer will be a loud 'Frankly, I don't give a damn'.

As a fan, hard to argue with any of that. I made the point about a bit more honesty with the fans (as I have done before), and I'm sure you can see from what I said that I am not in any way condoning the current debacle of a position. Of course fans are expected to want to vent their anger - I am no exception in wanting to find someone responsible to bray hell out of. Except, worryingly and like more and more on here, I'm finding I'm just increasingly numb to it all. Both of your last sentences are highly pertinent.

But my point is...what if there ARE no quick-fix answers that the club can realistically afford? All the anger in the world is not then going to fix the problem. What then? That is my real concern. There must BE solutions, but I struggle to that see bringing in an expensive replacement coach is amongst the practicable ones - even if in an ideal world its the one most people now seem to believe is the only solution. Maybe I'm being too pessimistic and we WILL see a new man soon. Or maybe its Catch 22. Only the club can know the answer to that, and they ain't telling.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:13 pm  

Adey I've made the point before and I'll make it again. Granted the club may not be able to afford to sack McNamara but the way things are going it will get to the stage tat we simply can't afford not too. The declining drop in gates should be worry enough but what sort have impact is this season going to have on season ticket sales I dread to think. IMO the only way to reengage the general attention of the AN Other fan is too replace the coach this would show that the club has still ambition.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:15 pm  

If the Club wants to keep the Fans happy they need to make some changes. Some transparency and honesty would go a long way. Why the reluctance to announce new signings? Other clubs don't have a problem making the announcements early. Announcing all the leavers and waiting until after the season ticket deadlines are over to announce players does nothing to inspire confidence in the Fans.
Maybe the Club should have Fans forums on a more regular basis? One thing's for sure announcing any increase in season ticket prices without offering substantial signings and changes is not going to do improve matters and that is what I think we may be looking at.
I would also really like to see some consequences for all under-performing players, yes Platty is having a run in the reserves but there are more than him taking money under false pretences. If they can't play for pride you'd think winning bonuses would inspire them ( I remember Graham Bradley making some similar statement when asked what inspired a win from a losing position) We have some promising youngsters, let a few of them play each week until the end of the season and not 3 minutes at the end of a losing game.
If all else fails I suggest we have a competition to see who can provide the best in game entertainment. My first suggestion is we all bring Beach Balls to amuse the sleeping masses. Quite a few years ago I did suggest we had a beach party, sand, parasols, barbeques, loud shirts and white legs. The Club seems to have forgotten how to do stuff like this. We used to be inovators as well as a good Team.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:29 pm  

Spannerz wrote:

...some sound and well-considered points

If only we could change some of the existing player contracts to make them more performance-related, eh?

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:32 pm  

redeverready wrote:

Adey I've made the point before and I'll make it again. Granted the club may not be able to afford to sack McNamara but the way things are going it will get to the stage tat we simply can't afford not too. The declining drop in gates should be worry enough but what sort have impact is this season going to have on season ticket sales I dread to think. IMO the only way to reengage the general attention of the AN Other fan is too replace the coach this would show that the club has still ambition.

I understand that POV entirely. But you yourself have acknowledged (what may be) the Catch-22: can't afford to do it and can't afford not to. What's the answer? I know you don't know, and I sure don't. Does anyone?

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:38 pm  

Hindsight is a marvelous thing!...... A lot of things have changed and we as a Club don't seem to have adapted very well...
As a very clever person one wrote "Always look on the bright side of life" Maybe that's one for the Band to try this weekend, and if apt at any time ;
"It's time to play the music
It's time to light the lights
It's time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight.

It's time to put on makeup
It's time to dress up right
It's time to raise the curtain on the Muppet Show tonight.

Why do we always come here
I guess we'll never know
It's like a kind of torture
To have to watch the show"

The last one seems very apt right now......Maybe I'm being harsh?

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:49 pm  

Adeybull wrote:

I understand that POV entirely. But you yourself have acknowledged (what may be) the Catch-22: can't afford to do it and can't afford not to. What's the answer? I know you don't know, and I sure don't. Does anyone?

Getting a new coach in would at least renew some spark of hope in the future, would generate interest and provide a good reason to renew a season ticket - possibility is a marketable commodity.

As you freely admit we don't know precisely which is the worst option financially, but I would suggest continued poor performance coupled with an unmarketable product next season - 'Come and see us fail again under McNamara', is likely to be of more detriment financially than paying his contract up, or alternatively moving him back to assistant coach, youth development etc on a reduced salary, therefore also securing his capacity to feed his family etc, whilst bringing in someone new. Still costly but worth the punt, particularly if we can get an established coach.

I think the argument that nobody of any calibre would want the post is and always has been completely bogus for reasons repeated ad nauseum across many threads on this forum.