Hello Southampton Football Club Supporters, You will be aware of the unusual circumstances that have engulfed your club this week. I write this to outline the various ways the club might progress in the short to medium term. All 3 of these scenarios would I believe allow my father to 'rest easy'. Firstly. From my background I have an understanding of why German Club Football has evolved to where it is presently. The idea that a sporting club can be democratic wherein supporters have a direct involvement in the direction of the club, reap the reward of having invested in the club and a say in its future course seems to me to be the ideal way to progress. As the owner and potentially the ongoing major shareholder I would undertake to ensure that in terms of the capital budgets that ensure structural growth would be maintained. Revenue budgets would be dependant on both yours and mine commitment whereby the degree of trust needed to sustain a way forward would be examined independently and annually appraised. Secondly. The above, but wherein there is no opportunity to participate, but where I ensure that revenue budgets are maintained in profit, and all profits are transferred into capital budgets that enhance either the playing staff or the structural elements of the club. Thirdly. I will ensure that the club will continue to grow and at a point where the sale of the club will both benefit my personal port folio and the future of the club I will relinquish control knowing my father's personal vision has been honoured. These are the possibilities and I would suggest that all season ticket holders have opportunity to vote on which course we should take.. I'd be well happy..
I'd rather not let the fanbase vote on a decision thanks, have you ever ventured beyond this fine forum?
Interesting response from one who purports to be a journalist. We would probably agree that democracy as practiced in this country is flawed. However forums beyond this limited but esteemed conference do not in any shape or form reflect the overall make up of the season ticket constituency. I can only deduce from your response that you are uneasy at the thought that a cross section of Saints fans might have different preferences to your own..
It's not that people have different opinions, it's more that when it comes to making decisions on something they hold dear they make a lot of ill advised decisions. But yes even some Saints fans are completely insane you only have to look at Saintsweb for that and Redstripe.
Democracy is not a good way to run a business...the fans would have selected a team no earlier than 3 days after the game was over. I read somewhere that the most efficient form of government is a benign autocracy...sadly, that has never happened as power corrupts.
Too many fans would think with their heart and not with their head. Remember Wilde and Crouch? Both fans who ran the club as fans but in hindsight (although their intentions were good) probably didn't help our situation which ended up with us in administration. I know Crouch saved the club by putting his own money into it to keep it going before Markus came along but their spending was that of fans not astute business men. IMO
I just don't think following popular opinion is always in the best interests of a business. Whether we like it or not, SFC is a business. It must act like one in order to survive and compete at the highest level in all areas. As Big_Si has stated, whilst it is not always good to have someone detached from the club who feels no affection or passion for the club beyond the stay of their tenure, it works the other way too. Saints fans would perhaps be too engrossed and too emotionally invested to always make the right decision. If we did just follow public opinion, we'd certainly not have Mauricio today. One of Cortese's strengths was that he was willing to go against the flow, stick his neck out and say... Wait and see, then judge me. "A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows popular opinion." - Chinese proverb
Just remember the world would be a mighty fine place if I was in total control. Portsmouth would be raised to the ground. People who say gotten or should off would be decapitated. Saints would win the FA, League and World Cup every time as well as being the top club in England, Europe and the World every year. Morgan dressed only in a tight thong would have to serve tea for the very lovely Mrs Godders. Anyone voting Tory would have their balls shot off. The country would be littered with Bankers hanging naked upside down from trees with little boys throwing stones at them. Anyone dropping litter would be shot on sight. Anyone letting their dog **** and not cleaning it up would have to live on dog **** for the rest of their lives. All that will happen on my first day. I am now working on the tasks for day two. That is what you call benign autocracy.
Unless Fran, he was being very astute and suggesting that Portsmouth is in fact hell and therefore below ground level and he is doing the decent thing and 'raising' it up to the ground level!
You two are top of my list for day two and lets just say that what I have in store for you both involves boiling oil and sharp knives and that is just for starters. I am already starting to feel as powerful as that Unwell Sonny Jim fellow who runs North Korea.
