If he is indeed in a stressed state of mind, then the barrage of hostile comment and speculation in various media--which he must be aware of-- cannot be helping matters. A clear statement from a spokesman would be helpful. A practiced politician or businessman might shrug off much of this criticism, but some of the comments I have seen would be hurtful even to a robust personality. We want him fit to manage, not developing a siege mentality. Even at this stage it is within his power to get the fans back on-side, if he is open and honest in his communications.
Jim Bonser actually saved Watford FC from going under in the early 50's - we might well have folded as a club and been where, say, Chelmsford or Slough Town are now in the football world. He presided over the first 2 promotions that Watford ever achieved in the Football League (unfortunately then presiding over the subsequent matching relegations!). It was only in the last 4 or 5 years of his ownership that he attracted the hate of Watford fans by his inate conservativism in financing the club and the lack of ambition he showed. He would rather have had Watford as a profitable 4th Division club than have to put money in to keep them in Division 2 (or even 3). Having said that, we never looked remotely like going out of business under him which is something that cannot be said about a number of recent regimes.........and he ultimately sold the club to a certain SEJ (just plain EJ then) after having made certain that EJ wasn't simply going to use the club as a rich man's plaything for a couple of seasons and then discard it. He made EJ serve his apprenticeship by being a VP then a Director first before owning the club. So he wasn't all bad, was Gentleman Jim - just somewhat misguided in the later years.
Just adding my name to the list of complaints about how this man is treating the fans...... out of his depth or what this is not the way for an owner to behave....
Doesn't want to give away details about ground re-location? With Vicarage Road becoming a housing development?
Whereas Baz has more faces than Big Ben. What is the point of the league having a fit and proper person's test when someone with an at best unsuccessful and dubious background can take over as he has. I would mind less if the league at least went on record saying they had investigated and he had satisfied them that his funding was there. INstead as fans we are left knowing nothing - and it is OUR club in the long term
It's obvious to me that he is a front man for the people that are financing the club (IE; The Russo's), and so as someone said earlier, if pressed to much he'll spill the beans, so rather put himself in a position that will put him at risk, he'll rather make a fool of himself to all and sunder, then tell all. Hope he's being paid well to take all this s**t
If that was the case, why on earth would he promise to do the fans forum, and the interview yesterday? If he doesn't want to spill any beans, he'd just say he won't do it. I don't think there's anyone behind him..but then...i was told that early on by someone who knows him..i can only go on his word.
Sorry, do you have any evidence of this? Surely no-one in their right mind would put in motion the ground improvements (they are talking about £2m for the SW corner alone) in order to bulldoze it 12 months later? The sort of unfounded nonsense that quickly becomes 'fact' thanks to the joys of the interweb. Unless you do indeed have evidence, in which case I unreservedly apologise.....
Hmmm, it could be worse; http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/p...joint_pompey_owner_vladimir_antonov_1_3273712 I personally am still giving him the benefit of the doubt. Until he doesn't come through with his promises, then I still believe he will go ahead with the improvements. Up until now, he has mainly been guilty of bad PR and being ill. Not reason enough to string him up just yet! He might not be the Knight in shining armour we want, but then there is no-one else willing to put money into the club either! If we get on his back too much, then he will just up and leave, and we are back to square one!
Seems to have gone back to his early days position of poor PR. His problem appears to be that he's a one man band and doesn't know how to build a support structure around himself. As such he will be open to stress. He needs to take counsel from a team of decent advisors, step up fransen and taylor....
If I didn't know otherwise I'd swear Baz was Catholic the number of times he pulls out..... I'll get my coat then I.
