Just been reading the beeb site and the reported interview with our James regarding his day to day involvement in the club. He says he isn't competent to run the club himself but basically knows a few that are and he has them in place. I certainly agree his involvement should be small in the day to day bit, like most Chairmen really if I'm honest, and he probably has his personal input about right on that score. The article also mentions he has other strings to his bow on the go and quotes his leading involvement in huge projects such as Olldway Mansion in Torquay and the Pavillions in Plymouth. Now I might just question that statement given sod all has happened that I can see on either front and in the case of Torquay in a very long time. He isn't going to set a date for the grandstand at Argyle either. What a shock that is.
Trouble is if he gives a date for the grandstand and misses it he will get hammered again, so to a certain extent he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. It seems to me that he is learning from his mistakes, especially when it comes to managing the expectations of football fans who as well as being totally fickle are also generally incapable of accepting any arguments contrary to their position, no matter how logical they may be! Don't know enough about his other building projects to make an informed comment but the amount of time he plans to spend at the Uni, working at the club, and as chair to the healthcare trust seem about normal.
Fingers all over all sorts of pies and never finishes any of them it seems to me. There cannot be a plan B and then there is a plan B, going to build this that and the other then builds nothing. What he is waiting for in my opinion is for somebody else to pay for it whatever it is hence cannot give a date. PCC anyone?? or in other words you and me. It has absolutely nothing to do with fickle supporters it is about his own track record lyndhurst. If he had ever done what he said in the building line then people wouldn't think the way they do so it's his own fault when people tut, shrug and don't believe him not their's. Oldway I believe has been on a promise for more than 2 years now and aint looking much like a brick being laid anytime soon.
Have you noticed that since plymborn became a Mod he has developed a vicious streak? If you look at the way he spends anyone's money but his own generally then he must be quite astute Mrs jools. My daughter went to the same school as him I think.
Two things: 1) If you imagine that because there's nothing happening on site, there's nothing happening in the project, you're wrong. I don't know the status of these specific projects but generally speaking the preparation stages are a whirlwind of meetings, lawyers, the whole 9 yards. 2) If Brent has the wit to understand he doesn't have the ability to micro-manage his businesses but instead appoints capable people and lets them get on with it, then I'll work for him anytime. Most CEO's or equivaent can confidently correct and contradict any proposal, large or small, in seconds, using their only giant intellects and wise judgement which outweigh any amount of research & planning that's gone into it. This will normally be depite having been asked for their opinions at the outset and repeatedly invited to project meetings they were far too busy to attend due to being otherwise occupied at essential PR events at top hotels. If the project fails, it is invariably due to below standard implementation rather than having taken decisions which were contrary to facts, which had anyway been hidden away from them in all those emails that their Executive PA didn't think worthy of their time. They can do all this whilst conducting mobile phone table tennis with someone far more important with their own staff, normally involving the sub-standard hire car or hotel room someone else arranged for them. Ideally they will demonstrate these superior abilities while walking on water.
Didn't say he was wrong notdistant. Said he doesn't do the rest of the article i.e. be a major player in something else. He signs up but doesn't go to work. If it was one of his employees he'd sack them.
My first point though was that just because you can't see hard-hats on site doesn't necessarily mean that there isn't a lot going on behind the scenes at Brent's level, especially if the projects have hit difficulties. I know someone who worked for a while in an organisation under Brent's leadership. His report was that rather than doing nothing, Brent was extremely thinly stretched - here there and everywhere between his various activities. It's true though that it's only achievement that counts, not effort and on that basis he's not delivering much at present. I'm not complaining about the situation at PAFC at present though where there are at least some signs of improvement, financially and on the pitch.
I'll give him that but only as far as the Team is concerned and probably the finances. I say probably because everyone was shouted down on here when criticising the accounts before due to it containing insufficient data to even begin to make a judgement. If there was insufficient to make that judgement then there is the same regarding it being rosy also as it works both ways. Sounds better is all I will say but still contains smoke and mirrors no doubt. That is the nail on the head right there notdistant, he hasn't achieved elsewhere and there is nothing at present to suggest he will. That's the criticism. He talks a good deal and has wonderful plans (except for the size of the Argyle build) but it never seems to get going. Because there is no evidence of his greatness and brilliance I think people can be forgiven for not believing he is great or has brilliance. If on a jury one would ask for the evidence and judgement can only be made on that and not on a perception of evidence.
If he is spreading himself around the projects surely that is a sign that he hasn't employed the right people at the top, and also if his time management is thinly stretched why does he take on more ie the Uni ? Doesn't make sense to me as there is no sign that he has started one project that he is associated with ! In business you are judged on your performance not what you say you are going to do. The only thing that is showing signs of improvement is the football team which he has already admitted he doesn't know much about football so that is obviously down to somebody else's expertise !
James Brent must have other parts of his empire ticking over successfully......of course we only hear of the more high profile sections such as PAFC,HHP and his other construction enterprises which are all stalling.....but as notDistant has said that doesn't mean that there are not lots happening that we cannot see. On holiday this year at Newquay.....Mrs Plym and I must have visited at least seven beach areas around the resort.....and I couldn't help but notice that most of the surfing/sports gear shops on the beaches had a link up with Saltrock. I have no idea how widespread Saltrock is nationwide....or is it just the west country that they major on I have no idea......he must be earning cash from somewhere.....we just do not know the full story of his success/or failure......lets hope plan B will give us a more successful Grandstand build... than what the defunct plan A had proposed....that wouldn't be too hard to achieve.
My somewhat jaundiced view of CEO's was meant to convey that a good leader doesn't dabble. He or she appoints good people, supports them, sets the culture and targets and manages strategically. He admitted from the start to not being a football man but he's appointed Starnes and Sheridan and let them get on with it within a clear financial structure. He perhaps ran with Fletcher too long but an excess of loyalty to your people is not the worst character fault, especially when the individual concerned had given a lot as player, captain & manager. In my experience, business leaders who stick by their staff when times get tough have a huge inspirational effect on everyone in the organisation. Unfortunately, those are outnumbered 10:1 by individuals put their own egos first. Since the change, Sheridan does seem to have been able to bring players in and we all agree the squad has improved and the finances, although not yet strong are improving too so something's working right somewhere. So notwithstanding hanging onto Fletcher, I think he can take some credit for the improvement at PAFC even though he's not there day by day. Just on the accounts, you must understand that every company in the land tries to obscure all information they are not legally obliged to reveal. Directors may say nothing else if they wish, but if they do, then they have to be mighty careful it's not knowingly wrong, as we've seen with Tesco recently. Therefore, when Brent says that finances are improving and he expects break-even shortly, you can rest assured it was true when he said it otherwise he'd have said nothing. Terms & conditions apply. The value of your investment may go down as well as up.
What is Brent Studying at Uni? or does he have a different role their? i have not been keeping up with all this. He may well be studying Business?
I think the improvement in the team was acknowledged and accepted notdistant so you sort of wasted a couple of paragraphes above defending what had already been conceded. It was the rest of the article that begs a few questions on him a) being a big player in projects and b) being successful at it. There just isn't any sign of b. and all I hear is him possibly losing some or most of the projects he is such a big player in because he ain't doing much with them (that's novice speak for him doing bugger all really) and having announced with a fanfare the grandstand project us witnessing bugger all happening with that also. Not the greatest recommendation to shout about his success is it.
Have you seen the latest .... he has asked the council to help fund the building of the stadium .... think the council have bent over backwards for Argyle already .... isn't it about time Brent put his OWN money where his mouth is !
The council have no money, well that is what they told me today in a meeting? I have to fight like hell to get some respite for the family.. i even offer to pay for it and the equipment.. i could save them thousands on wastage what we have had in the last 4 years for our son.. They need to spent the money properly i have nothing against a new stand or what ever.. but at the moment its not needed.. it looks terrible but.. don't warrant the money being spent from the council purse..
It is difficult, and I ain't going to start a row. However, it is clear that JB doesn't have the cash to build a stand so has to explore all alternatives. HHP still looks dead in the water (at the moment) so what are the options? The obvious one IMHO is for PCC to provide a LOAN to build it (after all they own the land). Whether they have the reserves to do this I have no idea. I don't think the council will/should finance the build out of working capital nor should it be financed for free out of the reserve. A loan would work , but would JB go for that? I don't know. I agree Joe that there are many more pressing demands on the council budget than building a stand. Whatever happens, it cant be at the expense of other services. Still hoping for a lottery win, will happily give the first £10 million to the club for a new stand/seat on the board/season ticket for life etc.
P.S. JB has always been and will always be someone who uses other's private money/ public money to turn a profit. This normally works for all concerned but if no one is willing to take the risk then the scheme will never get off the ground.
