If he's worried about the idea that he will be judged on performance then we're in trouble. There is nothing in there saying he won't be supported, in fact it reiterates that very point multiple times. Not a chance has he taken that statement as a demand to do as he's told like this forum has implied, he's already been quoted as saying the passion of the fans was a driving factor in his decision to buy us.
Ditto. They may well have said "us 5 would like to say...". I'm guessing at 5 but I won't be far off that it's a handful of people who have pulled this together, at least one other RAWA member on here has said he knew nothing about the statement and doesn't agree with it.
I don’t blame the fan groups for doing what they do. They’re Sunderland fans that wanted to have their opinions heard by a wider audience. And some of the content created by RR and WMS etc has been great and is a great thing to consume as a fan between games. The issues with opinions and positions becomes more prevalent due to social media. Fan groups start liking and retweeting people praising them or agreeing with them, and arguing with and often belittling anybody who comments to argue against their points. It’s a viscious cycle and at some point their opinions stop coming across as opinions and start coming across as their version of the truth, which they and their ardent followers wholeheartedly believe. These fan groups can then sometimes forget that their opinions are still just opinions, and getting 2000 likes from people who follow you as they’ve agreed with your past opinions, doesn’t mean that your opinions are right. None of the groups will then claim to speak for all Sunderland fans, and all will deny they’re trying to. But there’s an element of responsibility once you start trying to get your point of view out across as global fan base for an institution which is far bigger than the fairly insular world of social media would portray. Anyway rant over. In a nutshell I don’t blame the fan groups one bit - and I love that they exist. I just think we all need to remember in the world of social media that out opinions are just opinions and not facts. And somebody liking a post / tweet and agreeing with us doesn’t suddenly make our opinion “more right”.
Perhaps you can answer one of my concerns. RAWA are asking to see the plans for the club. What happens if RAWA aren't happy with them?
From his initial comments KLD comes across as being very switched on and has already mentioned that he has access to good support who will keep him right if needs be. Don’t think he will need to be told about the fan base expectations, he’s directly mentioned it in the comments. Also don’t think he needs to have pressure put on him from the outset. Let the lad get through the door first eh. I’d rather we got this right first time and he’s clearly trying to put in place a structure to facilitate that. It’s something we have been crying out for over a number of years He and his team have my backing 100%. Let them get on with the job.
RAWA aren't asking to see plans for the club. They're looking to see "evidence of an assured plan of long-term progression", in other words they want to see a successful long term plan in action.
Firstly you'll have to explain the difference between those two things, I can't see any. Secondly, what gives RAWA the right to ask for evidence. Thirdly, what kind of evidence could that possibly be, a sworn statement?
Good points mate but some on here are going way over.....people are saying KLD should walk away from the deal after been greeted with the statement and 99% of people on here saying that they don't speak for me. Thing is we have seen in the last few weeks a sea change of structure happening at the club and then KLD been revealed as the new owner. RAWA have plain and simple laid it down on his door that we are happy hes investing his money in us but all we want in return is honesty and ambition shown to get us back up to the Premier, and yes he did say that is what he's setting out to achieve in his statement. What I'm not getting on here is tho, do you want our fans group to be all starry eyed and welcome him with an unconditional love and support, no matter what or there is conditions attached to buying this club? Im quite happy with conditions attached because if we are still sitting 11th in league 1 this time next season a loving welcome statement by the RAWA will be drudged up and put out there that they are walkover and do nothing for the supporters....... We have been rinsed for nearly 2 years and there is a definate light at the end of the tunnel but do you want the RAWA to take their foot off the pedal? People saying they don't speak for me....they do tho, I was in that mindset with the statement they all put out last year with Donald out but quickly after thinking about it they echo what most of us think. You, me and whoever else hasnt got a seat to talk to the club but they have so they do speak for us and the open nights etc is always open for everyone to voice there concerns to take to the club. Everybody should be getting behind our fans group in my opinion....and all this magesque behaviour is embarrassing saying it, its just a forthright straight and hard statement that KLD should embrace
The difference is the word "evidence", if they see KLD set up long term plans, a proper recruitment structure, a prioritisation of the AOL, not selling our best young players for peanuts, buying players for their potential, backing Speakman etc. Then that will constitute evidence of a long term plan. RAWA are the group that gets to meet with the club on a regular basis, they're free for any of us to join and take as many opinions as possible on board when in dialogue with the club. They are more "us" than "them", it's not a group of fans looking for favourable treatment, they are there to convey to the club what we as fans want to see.
The only times I've noticed rawa is when they've been criticised, either for not opening their mouths when they should have, or opening their mouths then putting their feet in them. Glad I'm not a member.
You're talking about people going OTT then start your post with that ... ... who's actually said that?
"Nevertheless, we hope to meet with him soon, where we will do our bit to help him understand the passion and demands of our fans." That's not sitting back and waiting to see if all the things you've listed materialises ... ... that's now and couldn't be any clearer.
Totally agree with everything your saying mate, if supporters groups start putting demands on the owners then all we do is become mags and look like complete cockwombles. Let's all just get behind the lad and our club, for once in a long time we might have something positive to shout about. From what is already happening at the club it seems the plan he has looks good enough for me. So why don't RAWA shut the **** up and let the lad do what he needs to do . They need to remember this is not dumb **** SD they are dealing with anymore.
If there was the slightest doubt about the intentions of the new owner then, perhaps, I could understand this statement. But this man is using his own money, coming without the slightest stain on his character and has already shown, with Speakman, that he has already planned the whole thing. FFS, why start digging at him when he hasn't even arrived. We could've ended up with a chancer like Campbell, fantasist like Storey or bankrupt like Gray .... .... but we have someone steeped in football, at a much higher level than Sunderland, and respected throughout the world. Yet half a dozen blokes who aren't in the same sport, never mind the same league, think they can demand evidence of his intentions. Sometimes, in life, you have to step back and realise you've made a mistake ... ... I just hope they learn from theirs.
Very very poor statement by RAWA and it should have stated it was a statement by the individuals concerned, not from a formal collective of Sunderland supporters. No statement was really needed, but if they did feel the need to get involved, simply welcoming KLD to our club and saying that they would be more than happy to work with him at some point in the future, would have sufficed. All a bit amateurish.
Somebody said it somewhere, thats why I have said it, im not trawling through the thread for to prove my point
