Forwarded by Flying Tiger - He's at work and can't post, so here it is verbatim:- I think, from reports this morning that I’m beginning to get a flavour of what happened. The Allams did offer to fund a striker for the half season after Jan transfer window but Barnby (and Pearson) didn’t want to “upset the dressing room” (you can read this on Not606 posts – HDM interview with Allams) Comments: 1. I guess if you had offered to fund a new striker in Jan, then you would be pissed off if someone then turned round and gave you a lecture on the need to bring players in, to boost the squad in the summer. 2. This would be doubled (at least) when you had spent the second half of the season watching your side (and I use the term “your” with full meaning), failing to score and consequently missing the play-off’s. One would feel, with some justification I think, that the manager was only protecting his mate’s interests, and that’s not what a manager is there for. 3. You may feel that this situation would continue over the summer with NB only replacing the players that wanted to (and did) leave. The shape of the side thus being driven by individual players wishes and the vagaries of the transfer market. 4. NB was therefore suspended due to 1 above but it was only the straw that broke the camels back 5. NB is, of course popular in the dressing room – he would be wouldn’t he, if he gave every player his unconditional support, no matter how they performed? 6. AP I have never rated, he is too focused on the money (and remember this comes from an accountant). He has, to my knowledge never been responsible for taking a club up to the Premiership and may have been in post for more relegations than promotions. He may actually not want city in the Premiership as it could affect Hull FC position at the KC, and may have a serious conflict of interest. The oldest trick in the book is to come in to a place and say “ooh this is even worse that I thought – but don’t worry I’ll sort it out for you – I’m the big hero”. After all what did he do when we went down? He sold as many players as he could and reduced the wage bill – not exactly rocket science is it? And he failed to get rid of JB – something that the Allams did within a few weeks of arriving. 7. In other words AP is expensive (I have no doubt about that), and is actually standing in the way of the club advancing. 8. There’s a lot of talk about the Allams not knowing about football on the chat rooms, and this is, I think a bit unfair. Brain surgery and quantum physics are complicated – football isn’t. You simply appoint a manager with the background and ambition to get to the top league and one who is not best mates with everyone in the dressing room. Football can’t be that complex – there appear to be 37 thousand people on the chat room who know just how to run a football club! Anyway, rant over. Be interesting to see what the Allams do next. Billy Davis or Mick McCarthy with NB as Assistant Manager till he learns the ropes?
A sensible post. I really do think the way forward is to bring in an experienced manager, who has a proven track record in the Championship. If that's what the Allams are going to do, then they have my support. I don't think Barmby has aquitted himself too well so far - in light of his media comments. We need a change of manager. As for Pearson - seems to me the Allams are sick of him. Fair enough. We move on.......
Very little else to be said or added until AP and NB have there say and we see who is in the squad on 18th August.
I agree with tyger tyger points 1 to 5 and 8. Disagree withsomeof what is said about AP. However, the main thing will be to appoint a manager who the Allams can work with and is able to bring the players back onside. I may be clutching at straws here but disciplinary hearings can result in demotion of individuals. May be the Allams will be magnaminous and say Barmby doesn't have the management skills they require but they recognise his committment and enthusiam for young players therefore there remains a role as a development coach or may be youth manager. AP always praised our youth management duo but few players have come through so may be time Manny & co were replaced ?
Interesting thoughts those from Flying. While I have watched `Tigergate` unfold before our very eyes I think the most telling part of the Allam`s statement is the part that suggests they were disappointed with finsihing outside of the top six, when they believed (no doubt through being told so often) that we had a squad/ team to achieve such a position. If it is correct that the ALLAM`s offered to fund the purchase of a striker, and this was dismissed by the management team, when it was blatantly obvious that this was what was needed to spice us up a bit ready for the run in, then certainly they have a degree of sympathy from me. Another anomoly which keeps smacking me in the face, is why having bank rolled us to the tune of £51m, would they then not fund the required purchases to give them a chance to recoup a large part of that investment. I suspect the Allam`s are not totally convicned by Nick`s skills as a manager at this time, and as has been eluded to, they may see Nick`s calls for the required funding as atempting to pass the buck a bit. I`m sure that in the fullness of time a large degree of what has taken place behind closed doors will out itself, but don`t hold your breath for immediate answers. Suffice to say that the next few weeks are sure going to be interesting.
I don't get it. Everyone keeps ignoring the reliable stuff we've got from OLM and PT claiming it's just 'speculation' yet when one person speculates on a thread that we might not have wanted Sharp because they didn't want to up set the dressing room - a claim with absolutely no substance behind it we're all happy to believe that? Barmby and AP have both said they never asked about Sharp in January. It was never even considered. He wanted to sign for us so he could stay in the North but our management thought it was safe to assume the owners wouldn't let them have a player on £20/week for £1.9m when they hadn't been allowed players for much less than that. For the Allams to come out and say they would have allowed the signing of Sharp is just a joke. They've picked that name because it's one of the few players the management never asked about so yes the Allams never said they couldn't have Sharp, but it's a pretty safe bet that they wouldn't have allowed it. In fact there's absolutely no ****ing chance and I can't believe anyone still really thinks they were happy to pay that.
That's what we all said in January. Their excuse is that they 'keep finding more and more expenses on the club's accounts' but that's bollocks if you ask me. It doesn't take 2 ****ing years to read through the accounts.
In regards to your last sentence all I can say is Cooper, Cullen, Cairney, Bradley, Oxley, Devitt, Atkinson, East, to name but some of the youth that have come through over the last couple of years. Not sure there are that many teams that can boast about that amount of youth players being named for the first team squad.
Cairney came from Leeds, Oxley from Rotherham is the most expensive City keeper of the last 10-15 years, and Atkinson is about 24 now I think. But the lack of our own youth products s hardly a surprise considering upto about 6 or 7 years Leeds were a better positioned club than we were so they were able to recruit the better players. Having overtaken them for a while we're just starting to see them come through with the likes of Cooper, and hopefully in the next couple of years Bradley and East amongst others making an impression.
Good post ! A new manager will be appointed, we will keep all our best players and sign some new ones. Get rid of the dross as well. We've got next season to look forward to ! All is good again !
fair point but still came into the youth set up and were developed enough to progress to the first team squad
I think they both went straight to the reserves, might be wrong about Cairney, but we're going off on a tangent now, we both think the youth setup is about to be better than it's seemed to be.
Good initial post, have sympathy with all the points made. In fact the more I read the more I sympathize with the Allams and buy into what they are saying (yes we have not heard the other side, nor are we likely to, but, cant think for one minute that the Allams are not telling it as it is)
theres no way barmby will be an assistant surely? it would be humilating for him especially after a suspension...as for the main point i agree it will probably be august before we will know who was telling the truth, if the sort of money quoted in todays mail is spent etc...
Fully agree with the original post, I've commented on a few threads now that the Allams are intelligent people. I sympathise fully with them, some of the emotional rants on here, on radio blunderside and in the Hull Daily fail are laughable! There are a lot of fans who needs to step back, take a deep breath and think about the big picture. I'll be renewing my season passes regardless of the price increase because I support Hull City.
