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Post by gashead1981 on Mar 15, 2019 17:25:26 GMT
Decent interview, don’t understand the fuss. So Wael acts with tact and diplomacy rather than breach confidentiality in an unprofessional way. Some Gasheads are too used to the old guard with more leaks than a colander. Well, there is tact and diplomacy and politician like answers which contradict statements he and others employed by the club at the sharp end have made. For example: Hamer: Absolutely no truth in the rumours of a takeover. I would be the first to know. Wael today: We were talking with someone but they have since decided not to proceed. There were countless others in that interview too.
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Post by South Stand Ultra on Mar 15, 2019 17:51:11 GMT
It's quite funny how some people use the failings of previous boards as a way of putting value on the current incumbents. Oh this diarrhoea isn't as bad E. coli I had last year. Fact is we've still got an arsehole like a Japanese flag and there's sh** all over the bathroom. Good post!!
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Post by stapletongas on Mar 15, 2019 17:51:16 GMT
Decent interview, don’t understand the fuss. So Wael acts with tact and diplomacy rather than breach confidentiality in an unprofessional way. Some Gasheads are too used to the old guard with more leaks than a colander. Well, there is tact and diplomacy and politician like answers which contradict statements he and others employed by the club at the sharp end have made. For example: Hamer: Absolutely no truth in the rumours of a takeover. I would be the first to know. Wael today: We were talking with someone but they have since decided not to proceed. There were countless others in that interview too. Read it how you want, but I could read it that Hamer was right because "someone" decide "not to proceed" with talking, in which case nothing got beyond talking so there was no take over. Spin it how you like. It ain't me getting stressed 🙂
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2019 17:52:56 GMT
As an outsider to this conversation. Firstly new investors do not mean new owners, or even if it did it might mean that Wael and some of his family stay on the board. I hope they do. Secondly, you want Bristol Rovers to be self sufficient like Exeter. Not me. I don't want to be stuck at the Mem and probably in league 2 . We are a much bigger club than Exeter. Brentford were a fan trust owned when they were in division 2. they sold the club and have enjoyed the last few years in the Championship. Fan owned means small and given that no one on here can agree about anything it wouldn't bode well. If you think that tickets pay for much, then you are wrong. Rovers have never broken even on ticket sales alone, and I include food and drink with that. As for the Al Qadi investment, well losses of £1.75 million. the difference to the club? 27 first team squad. Development squad. U 21 squad. Coaches how many do we have? and this is not counting the bars or the shop. If this investment isn't to make us progress I don't know what is. The reality is no one who has been in charge of Rovers whilst at the Mem has looked at developing the Mem, and it wont be. Higgs did nothing except waste a lot of money on plans for the UWE and Sainsburys, but wait, I forgot we went out of the league when he was in charge. this time when Clarke had put us in to the relegation zone he gave the club money for 2 new recruits both of which are more or less responsible for giving us the last 12 points (I think that is investment don't you?). the Mem is the first ground we have owned since the 1940's. It took us over 50 years to get it. We will have a new ground but you just have to wait a little bit longer. Staying at the MEM will never give us the income to compete at the top of league one, let alone the Championship and that's where I want to see us, andI know Wael would like to see us there too. A few points from your post LPG: From the interview, it became very apparent that Wael or the ALQ's are prepared to give away some shareholding in return for investment capital to develop the stadium and training ground. That smacks of either not having the money themselves or not willing to risk the money themselves. But also he made it very clear that if the plans were in place and approved and much wealthier party came along that would be willing to do it all themselves then the family would sell. That also says to me that its another Higgs scenario...or that they don't have the outright capital to invest. This What the ALQs have done is what every other board, including the last one could have done, put all these extra staff in place and paid chairman etc, but the club can't afford it, and the ALQs haven't paid for it either, they have just increased the debt on the bottom line. Thats not good business practice especially when the business is in debt, naturally accrues more debt on base staff and you are starting to run close to your asset value. You think Higgs wasted a lot of money? With trying to get any project off the ground you always have to speculate some cash, and when its a £30m stadium that will be a few quid. If it wasn't for a combination of some tree hugging numpty starting TRASH and sainsbury's going back on their agreement it would have been built. Its also very possible to say that without the UWE, the ALQs would likely have never been interested in us at all. All I will say is wasting money is having an office in London and charging the club. That is the one thing that is boiling my urine. Yes Higgs ownership took us out of the league, but he also returned us to L1. Wael may have been carried down Gloucester Road as some sort of messiah but lets be honest, it was Higgs who installed DC as manager, stuck with him through the poor start of the conference and backed him through the L2 season until March when the take over was confirmed. The ALQs had little to do with our promotion push except promising a week in vegas to the players should we do it. Higgs got us back to L1? Behave. The only thing Higgs got was being incredibly lucky. Absolute incompetence throughout his reign and very nearly ruined us.
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Post by gashead1981 on Mar 15, 2019 20:00:48 GMT
A few points from your post LPG: From the interview, it became very apparent that Wael or the ALQ's are prepared to give away some shareholding in return for investment capital to develop the stadium and training ground. That smacks of either not having the money themselves or not willing to risk the money themselves. But also he made it very clear that if the plans were in place and approved and much wealthier party came along that would be willing to do it all themselves then the family would sell. That also says to me that its another Higgs scenario...or that they don't have the outright capital to invest. This What the ALQs have done is what every other board, including the last one could have done, put all these extra staff in place and paid chairman etc, but the club can't afford it, and the ALQs haven't paid for it either, they have just increased the debt on the bottom line. Thats not good business practice especially when the business is in debt, naturally accrues more debt on base staff and you are starting to run close to your asset value. You think Higgs wasted a lot of money? With trying to get any project off the ground you always have to speculate some cash, and when its a £30m stadium that will be a few quid. If it wasn't for a combination of some tree hugging numpty starting TRASH and sainsbury's going back on their agreement it would have been built. Its also very possible to say that without the UWE, the ALQs would likely have never been interested in us at all. All I will say is wasting money is having an office in London and charging the club. That is the one thing that is boiling my urine. Yes Higgs ownership took us out of the league, but he also returned us to L1. Wael may have been carried down Gloucester Road as some sort of messiah but lets be honest, it was Higgs who installed DC as manager, stuck with him through the poor start of the conference and backed him through the L2 season until March when the take over was confirmed. The ALQs had little to do with our promotion push except promising a week in vegas to the players should we do it. Higgs got us back to L1? Behave. The only thing Higgs got was being incredibly lucky. Absolute incompetence throughout his reign and very nearly ruined us. Just like Ron Craig and Dunford got Lucky in 2007 after 17 years of being stuck in L2? Just like Denis Dunford got lucky by hiring Gerry Francis and employing a team of nobodies to get promoted to the championship? Give me a break. Selecting a manager is part luck but it’s also whether the manager is backed that what makes it a success. I can certainly criticise elements of Higgs reign but you have to acknowledge his successes too.
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Post by Icegas on Mar 15, 2019 20:53:14 GMT
Higgs got us back to L1? Behave. The only thing Higgs got was being incredibly lucky. Absolute incompetence throughout his reign and very nearly ruined us. Just like Ron Craig and Dunford got Lucky in 2007 after 17 years of being stuck in L2? Just like Denis Dunford got lucky by hiring Gerry Francis and employing a team of nobodies to get promoted to the championship? Give me a break. Selecting a manager is part luck but it’s also whether the manager is backed that what makes it a success. I can certainly criticise elements of Higgs reign but you have to acknowledge his successes too. We have never been stuck in L2 for 17 years in a row in our history! We haven't been ahead of City in about 17/18 years but not L2.We haven't even been a bottom level side for 17 years in our whole history. In 2007 we had been in L2 for about four seasons before PL and LL took over.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2019 22:05:51 GMT
Higgs got us back to L1? Behave. The only thing Higgs got was being incredibly lucky. Absolute incompetence throughout his reign and very nearly ruined us. Just like Ron Craig and Dunford got Lucky in 2007 after 17 years of being stuck in L2? Just like Denis Dunford got lucky by hiring Gerry Francis and employing a team of nobodies to get promoted to the championship? Give me a break. Selecting a manager is part luck but it’s also whether the manager is backed that what makes it a success. I can certainly criticise elements of Higgs reign but you have to acknowledge his successes too. The problem being is the 'elements' far outweighed the successes, which were largely due to luck rather than judgement. Ward brought Clarke to the club and things fell into place. Clarke was the obvious appointment when Ward left and was the obvious contender to manage us in the Conference with his experience at that level. Higgs' tenure was a disaster. The board seemed more interested in publicly picking fights with former board members than actually keeping their eye on the ball and moving the club forward. More interested in wheeling out pathetic t-shirts appealing to Sainsburys on an emotional level rather than doing the job properly in the first place. I'll never forget this official club statement in May 2014 which announced 'John Ward sacked from Bristol Rovers'. To use that kind of terminology against a decent man on an official club release was nothing short of a disgrace and no doubt came from the very top.
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Post by glengas on Mar 15, 2019 22:14:37 GMT
Well, there is tact and diplomacy and politician like answers which contradict statements he and others employed by the club at the sharp end have made. For example: Hamer: Absolutely no truth in the rumours of a takeover. I would be the first to know. Wael today: We were talking with someone but they have since decided not to proceed. There were countless others in that interview too. Read it how you want, but I could read it that Hamer was right because "someone" decide "not to proceed" with talking, in which case nothing got beyond talking so there was no take over. Spin it how you like. It ain't me getting stressed 🙂 [br You can read it how you like, but listening to Hamer on the radio he made it clear that the club was not up for sale and it was discussed at length on these forums. Personally I no longer trust any of the stuff that comes out from these interviews. My only hope is we attract a new buyer.
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Post by poorblue on Mar 15, 2019 22:43:16 GMT
Just like Ron Craig and Dunford got Lucky in 2007 after 17 years of being stuck in L2? Just like Denis Dunford got lucky by hiring Gerry Francis and employing a team of nobodies to get promoted to the championship? Give me a break. Selecting a manager is part luck but it’s also whether the manager is backed that what makes it a success. I can certainly criticise elements of Higgs reign but you have to acknowledge his successes too. The problem being is the 'elements' far outweighed the successes, which were largely due to luck rather than judgement. Ward brought Clarke to the club and things fell into place. Clarke was the obvious appointment when Ward left and was the obvious contender to manage us in the Conference with his experience at that level. Higgs' tenure was a disaster. The board seemed more interested in publicly picking fights with former board members than actually keeping their eye on the ball and moving the club forward. More interested in wheeling out pathetic t-shirts appealing to Sainsburys on an emotional level rather than doing the job properly in the first place. I'll never forget this official club statement in May 2014 which announced 'John Ward sacked from Bristol Rovers'. To use that kind of terminology against a decent man on an official club release was nothing short of a disgrace and no doubt came from the very top.If like me you were at a question and answer session held by Higgs at the Mem a few years ago I don't recall Higgs slating too much regarding Ward. What I vividly recall is Clarke slagging off Ward very publicly, not his ability but his attitude. Not only Ward but one of the striker players he sacked again quoting attitude. Clarke often said what happened in the dressing room stayed there except when it suited him obviously.
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Post by stapletongas on Mar 15, 2019 22:56:28 GMT
Read it how you want, but I could read it that Hamer was right because "someone" decide "not to proceed" with talking, in which case nothing got beyond talking so there was no take over. Spin it how you like. It ain't me getting stressed 🙂 [br You can read it how you like, but listening to Hamer on the radio he made it clear that the club was not up for sale and it was discussed at length on these forums. Personally I no longer trust any of the stuff that comes out from these interviews. My only hope is we attract a new buyer. Ok...still not stressed though
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Post by aghast on Mar 15, 2019 23:10:10 GMT
The problem I have with the owners is their inactions, not their intentions, all of which has been revealed by this interview.
When they took us over they hit the ground running. We were not a basket case of a club that needed a total transformation.
We had a stadium designed, we had planning permission for that stadium, and we had planning permission for the supermarket development at the Mem.
We had just been promoted and were heading for the L2 playoffs. We had a great manager, a decent squad, and good attendances for L2.
At the time of the takeover, Shamesbury had pulled out of the deal, but that was a known fact at the time. We were told finance was not an issue.
Three years on, we've lost our best players, and felt the need to dump our most promising manager for decades.
Attendances are lower, prospects of a stadium happening are dismal, prospects of doing well in L1 are much lower. The chances of getting to the Championship are extremely remote.
They were handed a potential golden goose, which is why they bought the club, and they've managed to turn it into a bit of fried chicken.
It's all been a big disappointment really, even though Wael and co managed to keep us on tenterhooks about the prospect of things really happening behind the scenes.
At least until yesterday's interview, when Twentyman finally managed to get the truth out of Wael. He didn't want to admit it has all gone t*ts up, but I think Wael finally realised that pretending all was well was no longer tenable, and too many people had realised that not all was rosy in the Gas Garden.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2019 23:16:03 GMT
All this interview has done is bring negativity back as a focus for our supporters! Do one wael and come back when you actually have something to say!
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Post by hungdrawnandquarters on Mar 15, 2019 23:43:54 GMT
The only thing I heard was "nothing concrete" a lot, is the new stadium going to be built out of wood like forest green then?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2019 0:53:29 GMT
Deary me... when are people going to stop falling for this b.s.?
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Post by gashead1981 on Mar 16, 2019 1:15:58 GMT
Just like Ron Craig and Dunford got Lucky in 2007 after 17 years of being stuck in L2? Just like Denis Dunford got lucky by hiring Gerry Francis and employing a team of nobodies to get promoted to the championship? Give me a break. Selecting a manager is part luck but it’s also whether the manager is backed that what makes it a success. I can certainly criticise elements of Higgs reign but you have to acknowledge his successes too. We have never been stuck in L2 for 17 years in a row in our history! We haven't been ahead of City in about 17/18 years but not L2.We haven't even been a bottom level side for 17 years in our whole history. In 2007 we had been in L2 for about four seasons before PL and LL took over. Sausage finger moment when typing on a phone. Clearly meant 7. But it was actually 6 I think. Anyway.
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Post by gashead1981 on Mar 16, 2019 1:18:31 GMT
Just like Ron Craig and Dunford got Lucky in 2007 after 17 years of being stuck in L2? Just like Denis Dunford got lucky by hiring Gerry Francis and employing a team of nobodies to get promoted to the championship? Give me a break. Selecting a manager is part luck but it’s also whether the manager is backed that what makes it a success. I can certainly criticise elements of Higgs reign but you have to acknowledge his successes too. The problem being is the 'elements' far outweighed the successes, which were largely due to luck rather than judgement. Ward brought Clarke to the club and things fell into place. Clarke was the obvious appointment when Ward left and was the obvious contender to manage us in the Conference with his experience at that level. Higgs' tenure was a disaster. The board seemed more interested in publicly picking fights with former board members than actually keeping their eye on the ball and moving the club forward. More interested in wheeling out pathetic t-shirts appealing to Sainsburys on an emotional level rather than doing the job properly in the first place. I'll never forget this official club statement in May 2014 which announced 'John Ward sacked from Bristol Rovers'. To use that kind of terminology against a decent man on an official club release was nothing short of a disgrace and no doubt came from the very top. Oh so what you are saying is that we should berate individuals when it goes wrong but ignore their successes when they put it right? Higgs was driving the ambition and the plan for the stadium forward. He was an emotional, heart on his sleeve kind of guy I will admit and sometimes that can also work in your favour. I will admit there were times it worked against him too. John Ward has a contract as a DOF. We couldn’t afford a DOF in the conference. His poorly assembled squad which had holes in it since September were also part of the reason we went down. Now if that didn’t deserve to be sacked I don’t know what does.
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Post by Gassy on Mar 16, 2019 7:44:58 GMT
All this interview has done is bring negativity back as a focus for our supporters! Do one wael and come back when you actually have something to say! I don’t really understand your post tbh. He gets slated for no communication but when he speaks openly in an interview he should only come out when he has something to say? Lose, lose situation I guess
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Post by BishopstonBRFC on Mar 16, 2019 8:15:01 GMT
That the season ticket prices are going up Again? What on earth are they doing with my money? Using it to be slightly less in the red at the end of next season than they will be at the end of this one I imagine.
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Post by Icegas on Mar 16, 2019 9:23:09 GMT
We have never been stuck in L2 for 17 years in a row in our history! We haven't been ahead of City in about 17/18 years but not L2.We haven't even been a bottom level side for 17 years in our whole history. In 2007 we had been in L2 for about four seasons before PL and LL took over. Sausage finger moment when typing on a phone. Clearly meant 7. But it was actually 6 I think. Anyway. Sausage finger moment...😄 I get that all the time while tying. It didnt look like you meant 7 as Im not a twat and wouldnt had just brought it up if I thought it was a tying error.Not a biggy anyway.👍
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Post by paulpirate on Mar 16, 2019 9:24:18 GMT
The problem I have with the owners is their inactions, not their intentions, all of which has been revealed by this interview. When they took us over they hit the ground running. We were not a basket case of a club that needed a total transformation. We had a stadium designed, we had planning permission for that stadium, and we had planning permission for the supermarket development at the Mem. We had just been promoted and were heading for the L2 playoffs. We had a great manager, a decent squad, and good attendances for L2. At the time of the takeover, Shamesbury had pulled out of the deal, but that was a known fact at the time. We were told finance was not an issue. Three years on, we've lost our best players, and felt the need to dump our most promising manager for decades. Attendances are lower, prospects of a stadium happening are dismal, prospects of doing well in L1 are much lower. The chances of getting to the Championship are extremely remote. They were handed a potential golden goose, which is why they bought the club, and they've managed to turn it into a bit of fried chicken. It's all been a big disappointment really, even though Wael and co managed to keep us on tenterhooks about the prospect of things really happening behind the scenes. At least until yesterday's interview, when Twentyman finally managed to get the truth out of Wael. He didn't want to admit it has all gone t*ts up, but I think Wael finally realised that pretending all was well was no longer tenable, and too many people had realised that not all was rosy in the Gas Garden. heeeeeeeere
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