Sorry chaps, I have no faith in Bazini - he hasn't earned any yet - but what exactly would you like him to say/do that he hasn't done already? Everybody bemoans the lack of comms but as soon as he says anything you're all over it. Is it feasible/prudent to say " we are going to try to buy Wiggins and Ing from Bounemouth and we are in negotiation with Kevin Phillips, Andrew Tailor and Derek Riordan" He has said that Sarries are coming back, he/the board considers that a good business decision; he has said there will be remedial works on the pitch, which appear to be going on; he has said there will be investment in lights and covers; he has said that there will be a new pitch for 2012-13. The club have come up with a very reasonable increase for adult ST holders, and an exceptional deal for young supporters. The southwest corner has to be sorted out before the East stand can be demolished (changing rooms etc) so this is first on the agenda, and there were indications that something is happeniing there (cranes at the Vic, architects active again). He has thanked JW for his contributions in an apparently very genuine fashion and stated that he will always be welcome. So far, as far as I can see, he has done nothing very wrong, and the communication over the player sales have been exceptionally clear (I'm surprised Brighton and Swansea OK'd such clarity). The jury is still out, but for a lot of people here - well, I hope some of you never get to sit on a jury!
Harrow, as anti-Dasani as I am, I have given him credit wherever credit has been due. The takeover document was far more revealing than I had expected, even if I did not like it. The financial details about Buckley and Graham's transfers have been transparent, even if I think they are terrible deals. He has effectively nailed his colours to the mast by saying that selling players early will allow us to bring players in early, and if that proves true, you again have to credit him for that. But the fact is that he has gotten a lot of things wrong as well. While confidentiality is one thing, he has refused to comment on whether the money is coming from him, from a previous shareholder of the club, both or neither of the above. He very much highlighted, in the full glare of the media, that we actively want to sell, which is a very weak negotiating tactic, and certainly not the done thing when clubs are having a look anyway. And in spite of the things in the previous paragraph, and whatever we think of them, he has paid little more than lip-service to the Wobby and WST, prompting both to take the sort of public, hostile stances that neither have taken for years. It's not often that I find myself in total agreement with Graham Sterry, but he's not wrong here. If he really does have a strategy, why would it be such a terrible thing to tell the fans? The only way his stock could fall any further would be if he publicly declared an intention to take us into the Conference, move us to Borehamwood, and build another block of flats.
Harrow, I don't think I have as yet come to a clear conclusion about the man. I was accused of sitting on the fence over him, probably correctly, and I still do not know where he is taking us. In my opinion he needs to be clearer about just what is intended. You mention the SW corner and yes there have been reports of activity. The last we actually heard was that they were looking to see what could be done there. If work has started it would be the sort of good news that he could pass on, but there has been nothing about it. Has he agreed a budget yet for incoming players? Again nothing. I do not expect for one moment that he will tell us where the money came from, indeed why should he. He could however give some idea about funding for players and ground works. Will these only happen when we have sold enough players, or does he have some additional resources that could be available. He employs a PR firm to advise him. So far they have not done a very good job from my point of view.
Give it a week or two and see if any players come in "early" If they do then credit to the man ,if not I wont be surprised! As H stated earlier I was prepared to give him a chance, Then I met the guy and if you have ever met an unsavoury character ,its him ! I`m sorry I dont trust him , Trust and respect have to be earnt and that takes time, but it would have helped him to start his tenure in a better less secretive manner!( which is why I like others am surprised at the public outing of the transfer details)!
The bit underlined I agree with. The bit in bold - if he is a front, it's because the backers want to remain anonymous, so what can he do? As for the Wobby, it was goaded by the neanderthals posting on the website into a ridiculously confrontational article to which Bazini gave the response it deserved. And as for WST the self-proclaimed 'critical friends of the club' - couldn't give a monkey's.
Harrow--your 7.09 post is about as good a case for the defence as could be mounted at the moment. You should get a job as a barrister, or a P.R man! You deserve credit for your fair minded argument, despite your obvious reservations about Mr B. However , this member of the jury is still "out" until more evidence comes "in", though on the evidence so far , plus his lack of candour on his own history, motives and intentions, I am tending towards a "guilty" verdict. The next 4 weeks or so will be critical. Re your last posting--the WO was quite justified in asking those questions and we are still waiting for the answers. It is not reprehensible that is was "goaded" into asking them by its readers, but that it HAD to be goaded into asking them.The WO is not coming out of this very well. And the WST are longstanding and sincere supporters of the club who deserve the same respect as any other concerned fan.
Perhaps the way I phrased the bolded bit was overly optimistic. But even Leeds were prepared to say that Ken Bates was not the primary money man (until they were forced to disclose who the real driver was, at which point Bates bought the anonymous parties out). If the Wobby had come out with all guns blazing earlier than this time three years ago, the relegation hangover might not have been as severe as it has been. They had good reason to fear the worst, and went public. As for the WST, I agree. But unless he publicly states that he does not consider WST to be representative of Watford fans as a whole (which would buy him a bit of short term privacy and win him a few brownie points), he should be engaging with them.
I'll take your first comment as a compliment, Roger - I had some dealings with the legal profession last year (a professional negligence case) must have honed my case-stating skills! I was as vociferous as any in slagging the guy off when it was revealed who our new owners would be; however until he does anything really wrong, I'm giving him, if not the benefit of the doubt, a stay of execution.
I can remember being asked on a number of occasions by journalists for a comment. It did not seem to be the right time to go public, so I simply said that it was too early and it would not be helpful if I gave them something. They went away without a story. Maybe I have been rather hard on the WO of late failing to provide more background, but if he refuses to say anything they cannot quote him.
I know people are not keen on the WST (although TBF they are long term fairly loyal supporters) and see them as a certain type but as you suggest he should either go and talk to them or as pointed out elsewhere hold a general forum where fans can ask questions like Malky and Julian Winter would do a lot. That helped build a relationship between them and us fans of sorts. Then again he might just come out with a load of PR spin trying to be positive....
Those meeting the fan nights were very popular ,I will be interested to see if they carry that on next season ! If so should be some good Q& A sessions!
well the way i see it is that we were always going to need to sell players and graham was bound to be snapped up by a prem club, buckley isn't worth a million so good deal and winter is a shame but taylor and that are still there so not too worried. If malky goes then thats an issue but even if that happens the wondering who's going to be next is super exciting so i kinda love that. as long as we get in a couple of players to replace the two already gone then there is no need to get flustered i reckon
I'd just luke to make a sign off comment on this now- i am just posting on the top topic so no bearing on above post. Generly i have found the users on this forum to be extremely biased- much further than the wobby guys. Plus it seems to be a social cliqhe for a certain group who are completly divorced from the realities at watford. So thanks for the chat but your boring old farts with no relevance to wfc
Roo - just like politics, and I suppose life in general, you can't please everybody. But that's no reason to be rude - especially when you yourself have given plenty of scope for others to be rude about you, yet they have desisted! No great loss, I suspect - but come back when you have matured a little
http://www.watfordfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~2374239,00.html Not exactly a ringing endorsement perhaps, but nonetheless looks like GT's sticking around.
Whooooooah Harrow ?? - meaning what exactly - that we would like some information about him makes us Neanderthal? You think the Wobby takes instruction from here? Were you a bit hung over when you made this post? It is not like you
Leo, I think that Harrow is referring to the WO website for comments. Some of the stuff that gets posted there is little more than a series of grunts. How many times have I read that a poster is not interested in how the club is run, he just wants a team on the pitch, preferably one costing millions, and expects it all to come out of the fresh air.
