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Open letter to supporters of Southampton Football Club from Katharina Liebherr

Discussion in 'Southampton' started by - Doing The Lambert Walk, Jan 21, 2014.

  1. fatletiss

    fatletiss Well-Known Member

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    I've not seen what that is.. what is your opinion, or is it too early to say (which of course it is)? I'm not getting carried away, but a simple statement of fact for me is that putting that letter out there, is better than not doing it; PR or not.
     
    #61
  2. - Doing The Lambert Walk

    - Doing The Lambert Walk Well-Known Member

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    Interaction can be PR and PR can be interaction. The two are not mutually exclusive. But yes, this is good PR.

    I would suggest she has good advisors, in any case.
     
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  3. Joe!

    Joe! Well-Known Member

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    I have no opinion. I seem to be one of few people withholding judgement until she actually does something and we see some effects.
     
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  4. fatletiss

    fatletiss Well-Known Member

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    Which is what I said in my post; actions speak louder than words. The start is encouraging.
     
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  5. Jose Fonte baby

    Jose Fonte baby Well-Known Member

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    It's not just what she does so, it's what she doesn't do. If she doesn't sell our best players, I'll be happy.
     
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  6. fran-MLs little camera

    fran-MLs little camera Well-Known Member

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    I think everyone was so worried when we lost Nicola as we thought some faceless person was going to come and clear everything out and not care about our style and the progress that we had made. KL seems to want to leave things as they are on the playing field, the team are happy because they have kept their manager, and she has some positive personality traits compared to Nicola. Think we are quite relieved and realise there may be life after Nicola. We don't know yet what investment there will be or what the plans are, but as Katharina holds the purse strings that probably hasn't changed with/without NC.
     
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  7. Joe!

    Joe! Well-Known Member

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    It is what you said, but the prevailing attitude I see from the majority of posts in this thread is "phew, I was worried about her, but now she's said this I feel like she's going to be good for us". This is indicative of people buying into a rather empty bit of PR, which is something I don't intend to be doing.

    The start may or may not be encouraging. We don't know what it involves yet. I'm sure the worst of football chairmen have said encouraging-sounding things to the fans upon their arrival.
     
    #67
  8. - Doing The Lambert Walk

    - Doing The Lambert Walk Well-Known Member

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    I feel a lot more positive than I did last week and even a day or so ago, but there's a lot to be done here.

    If and when she puts her own management team into the boardroom, and the club starts making actions, shall we really see.


    There's plenty to do...

    - Appoint the new CEO
    - Clarify the structure of the club
    - Talk over Mauricio's future (maybe a new deal?)
    - Convince players their long-term futures stay here
    - Ensure we do not sell the key men in the summer either (would not be ideal if they left)
    - Agree a new sponsorship deal (aap3 are out at the end of the season)
    - Sort out corporate deals etc.
    - Arrange pre-season
    - Make decisions in the summer transfer windows re: incomings (will there be any? how much can Mauricio spend?)


    I've probably missed a few. Once she and her team start addressing the above points, can we really judge her intent.
     
    #68
  9. fran-MLs little camera

    fran-MLs little camera Well-Known Member

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    Clubs cannot stand still...there has to be incoming players in the summer. Our results with a few injuries proves that. I'm sure there will be some spending, unless a sale is imminent.
     
    #69
  10. - Doing The Lambert Walk

    - Doing The Lambert Walk Well-Known Member

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    Oh and as much as I like the letter, Joe is right - it is PR. But, I think it's a nice touch.

    I worked in a press office for a pretty high-profile rail operator. There was a big event going on for the community, it was a real big deal to the people with an affiliation to the project, the area and the event that had been organised. I had to write up the letters to the community leaders, the local press and the MP, as well as the formal press release and website announcements. Did the MD write up his quote? Did he heck, I did it. A student... on an unpaid placement.

    He gave me just one key point to mention, I did so. Took it into his desk, 20 minutes later it appeared with his signature and a tick.

    ...and off it went, into the community. As far as they were concerned, the MD had written it. They even thanked him for the kind words and support in his statement, when I was with him at the event.

    I've written up a fair few releases and pieces with comments from the directors of companies when they have simply given a check-list of key things, as basic as "reference efficiency" and "mention staff absences". Then again... off to the desk, back with a correction or two... and send.


    Now remember, she is employing some of the best PR firms, advisors and legal associates. They will be all over this stuff.
     
    #70

  11. saintlyhero

    saintlyhero Well-Known Member

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    I have to echo the majority of sentiments on here about a very impressive 1st week from Ms Liebherr.

    After the departure of Cortese and the scaremongering from the national rags we could have been in a very different situation. Everything as a supporter that I wanted from this 1st week has been delivered and that's the immediate future of Pochettino & no players sold.

    The appointment of John Williams seems a sound one and now my next wish would be for Pochettino to sign a contract extension between now and the end of the season which will show a belief in the new regime.

    Those who think this statement is just fluff and PR are being deliberately obtuse
     
    #71
  12. AberdeenSaint

    AberdeenSaint Well-Known Member

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    Good for her - she could have left a vacuum, leaving others to fill it with theories. She has made her position quite clear, for the immediate future, and deserves credit for doing so.
     
    #72
  13. - Doing The Lambert Walk

    - Doing The Lambert Walk Well-Known Member

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    Agree. It does reflect quite well on her during the initial transition period.
     
    #73
  14. AL.

    AL. Well-Known Member

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    Really like that Katharina. Thanks very much, very optimistic and reassured now. Up the Saints!
     
    #74
  15. I Sorry I Ruined The Party

    I Sorry I Ruined The Party Well-Known Member

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    Wrong. She DID do something. She did a piece of PR, which Cortese likely wouldn't have bothered with. You can go on all you want about how PR is "empty" and maybe it should be meaningless but the fact is, it isn't.
     
    #75
  16. Joe!

    Joe! Well-Known Member

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    Well I'm convinced. I guess it was the way you supported your "fact" with all that reasoning.
     
    #76
  17. Puck

    Puck Well-Known Member

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    Words are wind.
     
    #77
  18. I Sorry I Ruined The Party

    I Sorry I Ruined The Party Well-Known Member

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    See, now you put me in an awkward position. Because I was assuming we could speak like intelligent people, and being intelligent you wouldn't require an explanation.

    So I now I have to ask you-- Are you really so ignorant that you need me to explain the concept of "goodwill" to you? Or is it just that you're such a huge douche you're going to pretend to be ignorant?
     
    #78
  19. ----HistoryRepeating----

    ----HistoryRepeating---- Well-Known Member

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  20. olddellboy

    olddellboy Well-Known Member

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    for what its worth, I think Katharina has behaved impeccably in her first week as Chair. She has moved to reassure the staff, the players and the manager. MP has committed his near term future to the club, and she has made the statement that no player will be sold in the January window. What could have been a complete melt down with no manager and our key players angling for a move in January has been averted - so far.

    She has stated that we will shortly appoint a new executive CEO, and the current favourite appears to be someone who will fit in with the "project"

    This open letter to the fans has gone further to reassure us about the vision being alive and well. She has clearly bought into her father's vision for the club, which was of course engineered by Nicola. I think the letter shows warmth and an understanding that a football club is more than a business, it has a history and a heritage which needs to be taken into account.

    I cannot believe the degree of negativity to this statement, calling it a PR stunt. People who were willing to take everything Nicola said at face value seem to think KL's statement is somehow false.

    Maybe if it was Kevin Liebherr and not Katharina Liebherr making the statement people would have a different view??

    I was sad when Pardew left, but gave Adkins the support he deserved. I was angry when Adkins was dismissed, but trusted NC and gave MP the support he deserved, and now think MP could be one of the great managers at SFC. I was disappointed that NC left, but will give the new Chair the support he deserves, and will also give KL the support she deserves - she owns the club, and bankrolls the transfer kitty.

    1 week into the job - 10 out of 10 from me.
     
    #80

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