Re: Agar Out! : Mon Jul 25, 2011 6:44 am
Let's try and think logically. If you had just bought potentially one of the top clubs in SL, which let's face it its not the Premiership so I doesn't take too much to achieve in comparison, what would you do?Firstly run the gauntlet of the history of the club especially recent history. Cup finals and although a little distant now we have had silverware. What is the record in the league. Probably best summed up as average. I would say far worse.
Your first game is a cup 1/4 final at home against a team that is average at best at the moment. You would be hoping for two things. 1) a win to take us to the next round and 2) a big crowd. We got neither.
This basically leaves us with nothing left to play for this season. Yes we can dress it up and state we could make the play offs blah blah blah but we won't realistically do anything there. We have some bloody tough games left and frankly I don't see many points coming our way.
So what to do. Crowds will tail off. Holiday season is with us. Its a period when fans miss the odd game as a result. Kids off school so days out are on the agenda and saving £50 a family by not going to a game is a distinct possibility when we have nothing to play for.
So how do we address that if you are the owner.
Well if you know of apathy towards certain elements in your organisation and your customers refuse to return because of that element then you get rid. You then hope it appeases your customers and the problem hopefully diminishes.
If we wait until October to do it you leave your customers annoyed and apathetic. You create unease in the employment ranks and from a positive start you start battling and having to fight fires.
The only way to maintain crowds and get season pass sales back to the 9000 mark will be for decisive action and soon. AP's hands are somewhat tied in terms of signings for next season so I don't see exciting marquee signings coming in. So a exciting new coaching set up has to be the answer.
In the interim I would get Long off his arris and taking over along with Fitz. Look to get experience in from Oz / NZ to be here from Nov 1st and build towards a new era starting with a bang in February. We will not be champs next year or possibly in 2013 but we have to start to look for massive improvement week in week out Do that and his investment will pay dividends. Sit back and be indecisive and AP might struggle even this early to ever get his dividends.
