Much as I would love for Nicola to return to us with a big money backer, there is an old saying in football about never going back. As painful as it is I think were going to have to start to look forward rather than backwards?
Ill decline the invitation to list Nicola's flaws as I actually dont know the man (any more than those who worship at his feet know him). Ill just remind you that he walked out on saints in the middle of a transfer window. Thats unforgiveable in my eyes, whatever the reason Its pretty clear from this one action that the only thing important to Cortese is Cortese.
His position may have become untenable to him...everyone has a breaking point with a job. We are in a good position at the moment, so he wasn't leaving a sinking ship.
Do you think Cortese left purely out of the principle of KL going back on their agreement that he had sole control, ie. because that's how he believes a vision is best achieved? Or because he knew others had different ideas and plans to him, and that if the process became more democratic, some of his plans would certainly become diluted, ie. there was a differing view on what direction things should be taken, and he knew the direction others wanted to take it (eg. be a selling club, aim for safety first) and unless he had sole control, the club would take steps towards that path? If it's the latter, that's more worrying to me. I would love nothing more than to be in his head for a while.
We trust Nicola so much as far as the club goes that we feel it must be bad if he didn't like something, but his reasons for leaving may have nothing to do directly with the club, but more to do with his working role. I'm sure most of us have been cross because we feel undermined at work...how much worse must it feel for a super-alpha individual.
Archers, that's a cop-out mate. You have openly not been keen on him since last January. This current event is nothing to do with it. Come on, give it a go. What has been so bad about him that it appears to cloud your view of the good he has done?
I have to say that Cortese just walking away doesn't really fit with what we know of him. The last 5 years or so of his life have been obsessively dedicated to this project and then he just walks away? Seems a bit out of character to me.
Just re-read this. Sounds like you are in the playground now. I always think you have pretty good posts and views and so I was asking what the real issue is. I don't worship at his feet, but can clearly see with a level head that the good he has done outweighs any small negatives by a long, long way. I have met the man too, and although in his 'back yard'/his environment and could see the presence he had, I also saw some of that 'nasty' style in his management and his reactions that evening. You are not talking to a worshipper.
The refusal to accept working conditions that don't suit him is completely in character. What I meant is just walking away from the club completely seems a bit too much like giving up for Cortese.
I've dealt with him through my business in relation to his personal life and I found him to be direct and straight. Sorry if the following is vague on what I did but it's between him and me. We agreed what needed to be done and when I did it I was paid very promptly. When I wasn't able to do what he needed when he needed it doing, we parted our ways. Small sample (one person, me) but hopefully it points out that, as with every single person I've ever met, his behaviour is not black or white but a shade between. I think he did a great job for the club and, at the same time, I see that he had faults. For example, I was told many years ago to make decisions ruthlessly but carry them out compassionately; from all accounts he never heard the second part of that advice from anyone, which I see as a fault. Others might not. To paint him as black or white is to do him a disservice whichever direction you come from. Vin
Yeah it confuses me this one. I think the Ferguson comparison is valid. For some reason some people seem determined to stare at Cortese's perceived 'faults' and defects in character, and allow those to outweigh the massive benefits he's brought to this club. If you had a pie-chart of good vs bad in terms of his impact, I honestly think it would be at minimum 90:10, so why obsess about the 10. It's like a fan from Old Trafford ignoring Ferguson's countless title wins for Manchester United, and rejoicing that he's retired because they don't like people who chew gum. (By the way, he also refused to talk to the BBC because of a perceived slight, much like Cortese and the Echo - do you think United fans worry about that?) As I said before, give me a tough, single minded, somewhat egotistical bastard in charge over a fluffy, friendly type any day of the week.
Being really evil I should point out that you have to learn how to post photographs of three dots first. please log in to view this image
I met Margaret Thatcher once. Enormously charismatic person, and undoubtedly a most effective leader. On balance though, I'd have preferred it if she'd remained a lab technician. Back to Nicola. I'm genuinely not in the anti camp, if such a thing exists. But I've always had some doubts about the guy - both his methods and his motives. The plus side of the ledger does outweigh the minus, but I repeat; he has walked out on the club and his timing in so doing couldn't have been much worse. Pochettino has remained, for the time being at least. That strikes me as the honourable thing to do.
I'll just have to take this as the closest you'll go to saying he was good for the club. I still will point out that your posts have come across as anti-Cortese (as mentioned by others) long, long before Wednesdays events. Not sure why you would question his motives. He probably wants to do really well for himself and in doing so, needed to make a success of the club. I try to make a success of my job, not because I like the owner but because of what it will bring for me. I hope no one is suspicious of my motives at work.
Not in football. Notorious in the football industry for being a tosser and laughable to suggest he would get a job at another football club.
