When Sam signed on board one of the reasons he gave was Ellis Short's ambition for the club. My thought was....what is his ambition? Surely if he stated mid table mediocrity would that be enough to convince Sam? Would a nibble in the cup competition be enough too? Interested in getting peoples thoughts on this one. Surely these days of FFP makes it harder just to even survive in the EPL right? Must admit pleased Sam is on board whatever was said......
Mid table would be a vast improvement on the last three seasons. We have to learn to walk before we can run. As for the cups, from what I've read online from West Ham & Bolton fans he didn't pursue them with much gusto. I don't expect him to here. His one charge this season will be to keep us up.
Ellis ****ing shorts ambitions. Probably to one day sell the club for a profit. Hopefully he gets his wish sooner rather than later. Then he can piss off back to yank land.
ES has nowhere else to go again Bill. If Sam was given the remit just to keep us up and then stabilise us next season then that is right up his street and it will give ES more time to recruit a long term manager given the job of moving us on from there. Again, we live in hope.
Reading some extracts from Big Sam's book and other articles, it sounds like he was aiming big at Bolton, but didn't get the backing from the chairman to buy a few extra players. Apparently, when Bolton were sitting pretty in 3rd place, he asked the chairman to buy a player or 2 but got told he could only bring in loan players. He then said he would resign, was convinced to stay a bit longer but walked before the end of the season. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...derers-due-to-the-clubs-lack-of-ambition.html "Allardyce told the Mail on Sunday on 12 May 2007 that part of his reason for leaving Bolton was because he wanted to win silverware. Allardyce said, "I have had praise for what I've done, but there's nothing at the end of it. I want silverware. I'm determined to get it before my days are over.""
Ellis clearly has the clubs best interests at heart as he puts money and a lot of time into making bad decisions. When Sam was linked I was gutted but he may just take the club on like a dictator and start running it properly.
Ellis is a tight arse, no two ways about it, hes looks at the cash coming in not the love of the club and dont let anyone be fooled by the published word, he would drop us like a hot turd if the price is right.
Dick wanted 6 quality players, after the 6th singing Dick still wanted the quality as obviously some of them were squad players brought in for compertition but was told when he asked that he's had his six players. Can't find the article but I definitely read it, Dick's quotes. Reckon it could have been at that point Dick started to think about walking. If he did sell I wouldn't be fussed. We've spent so much time undoing repeated mistakes. He needed to some balls in the summer and break the bank for CB but he dropped short.
That worries me about the F A cup in January, which team will he play ?. Johnny evans could have been our choice left back , I said 2 seasons ago we should sign Huth from Stoke, big, strong gets in there what Kabul does is anyone's guess. The thing is we are better than Bournemouth, Watford, Norwich, Villa and WBA so why are we crap ?. Must win games the next 2.
This is maybe, but what is certain is that the squad is better than the performances have been, and the fitness levels are the main reason, shambolic. That falls at Dick's door for me, and Allardyce will certainly have that sorted.
He needs to mate, and sharpish. It`s never been right from the pre season. I know some came after that but they should have caught up by now.
Good point. But why are they unfit? Most hadn't played much football over the last 6 months(Though I think Ola has been eating lard pies over the summer). Dick bemoaned we only went for the players who were available. So that gave us two choices, average players who wouldn't improve us or players who would improve us but have had long spells out of a side. Lets face it, quality players who are getting game time aren't for sale. You've got to test teams to to make them part with their prize assets and that means over paying. What we spent would have got maybe got three of those types of players. I think the players we've singed improve us massively but I always knew they'd be playing catch up for months and months and there's about 3 or 4 of our best 11 doing that. I just think Ellis stopped short in not spashing out on a quality tong term center half. For me it was the mistake of the summer.
Lombaert & Fer failed medicals. What would those two have cost? I`m wondering funds must have been available to get them that far.
