[Archived] Messages For John Williams

[47er]

Dear Sir,

Please release the funds, or force the trustees to release the funds, for the manager to sign in the next 2 days a decent right back, dynamic midfield player, right-sided attacker and centre forward.

I point as evidence to the great improvement shown by Hull City when Bulllard came on as a substutute against West Ham United last night. At £5m he could be the difference between Hull staying up and going down.

Failure to carry out the above will be a dereliction of duty and could lead to loss of employment in the event of relegation.

Yours,

A right-sided attacker! Dion't you mean a right-winger Jim-------one who can skin the full-back and get a decent cross in? Emerton is a very good right-back as we saw yesterday, we only need a striker (centre-forward!--you're reverting to the old language!) if Roque goes so we need what we've needed all along----a clever midfielder and a right-winger to replace Bentley. Not an impossible ask you'd have thought.

[roversmum]

All very well, Jim, but have you actually sent this missive to Mr Williams or just posted it on here in the hope he might actually read it, or have you sent it to him direct?

[waggy]

I wouldn't be suprised. Hughes was p1ssed off last spring we don't want history repeating itself. Alternatively we don't want to take on silly debt.

oh please make this happen

[Mr. E]

I'd rather we kept Ince but at least got 1-2 new central midfielders. This is a disgrace, and if truly is out of Williams' hands, than he needs to expose the people who are suffocating the club, regardless of consequences.

[Jan]

I'd rather we kept Ince but at least got 1-2 new central midfielders. This is a disgrace, and if truly is out of Williams' hands, than he needs to expose the people who are suffocating the club, regardless of consequences.

Then you are truly stupid. With 2 new midfielders we'd still have gone down under that moron. In fact we could have bought the AC Milan team and been relegated by him.

With a decent manager and the new signings we've made, we have a chance. If you don't see that, you're not a Rovers fan.

[Billy Castell]

Were you looking at the midfield Mr. Williams? Emerton's injury was one of those things you can't expect, but we needed to strengthen all across the area before that. Please, if we stay up, badger and harrass the holders of the purse strings in the summer regardless of Roque Santa Cruz's future.

[den]

QUOTE (Exiled in Toronto @ Feb 2 2009, 19:50 ) *

Agreed. I think that Sam's good start has convinced them that the current squad plus Spit will keep us up, which might just be true.

We have been treading water with this squad for 2 years now; RSC being the last signing who made us stronger.

Everyone else is 2 years older or has declined for other reasons. Who out of the current squad will be dependably good enough in 12 months time? I get as far as Benni, Grella, Samba, Nelsen and Warnock. RSC/Ooijer will be gone; Tugay will be playing in a bathchair; Dunn/Reid/Emerton all knackered; MGP/Andrews/Robinson all dodgy at best. No young players coming up We are just putting off squad building to the point where we will be hit by a tsunami of replacement needs all at once. No doubt the Trust are hoping to have sold by then.

Very depressed.

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As, no doubt, is John Williams.

I've had the impression for quite a while now, that JW is just as frustrated as some of our fans are. His silence on all things financial, since the Bentley sale, might just be his way of saying that. He could have quite easily come out and explained the situation in order to quell some of the comments regarding the lack of investment in the squad. His silence could be his way of confirming those criticisms, - knowing that the trustees for sure wont comment on anything.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Den, thanks for moving it to the right thread. After a month away there is just too much dross to plod through to see what belongs where.

I feel sorry for JW and if I was him I'd be polishing up my CV. The orderly management of decline, which now seems to be his brief, is hardly something to put a spring in his step. IF he's as good as his cheeleader Philip would have us believe, he should walk into any job he likes...

[Bazzanotsogreat]

Den, thanks for moving it to the right thread. After a month away there is just too much dross to plod through to see what belongs where.

I feel sorry for JW and if I was him I'd be polishing up my CV. The orderly management of decline, which now seems to be his brief, is hardly something to put a spring in his step. IF he's as good as his cheeleader Philip would have us believe, he should walk into any job he likes...

100% agreed, Whilst Williams must take an apportioned amount of blame for the dismal appointment of Ince; it is the Trust that should be held accountable for Rovers rapid demise. Hughes left because of a lack of backing- how before JW decides that the current ‘halfway house’ stance taken by the Trust; is simply untenable and also leaves?

It is holey clear that they have no interest in seeing Rovers succeed on the pitch. However, relegation will cost them a large chunk of the fortune that Jack bestowed onto them to look after. Surely it would be more ‘cost effective’ to release 10 million a season, to our experienced manager to ‘wheel & deal’ with. Rather than be faced with the financial cataclysmic situation that relegation would bring.

[BuckyRover]

Some Doug Ellis style protests??

Not during a relegation battle but when (if?) we are safe!

[Billy Castell]

Mr. Williams, encourage the trust to sell up to someone who is willing and able to put up money for transfers.

[thenodrog]

Mr. Williams, encourage the trust to sell up to someone who is willing and able to put up money for transfers.

Have you been to Mars? They have been trying to do just that for a couple of years now.

You need to be careful what you wish for.

[The Prof.]

John - I remember asking you how it felt to sign the cheque that bought Roque. You shook your hand and said you hoped it all worked out. I hope you havn't lost your bottle because right now we have the following midfield for the forseeable future with Emertons knee giving up the cruciates.

Grella - not really tested and creaky

Dunn- Creaky at best. Can do it but must be 50/50 for every game.

Tugay - Must be 38 now - been 37 for 3 years. Surely he's be at stud if he was a horse.

The lack of a midfield will be the biggest problem in our survival battle.

I recommend that you shake the trust out of it's complacency and start generating a few out of contract midfield names if you want us to stay up.

And remember how good it felt AFTER Benni and Roque started hitting the net.

[jim mk2]

I feel sorry for JW and if I was him I'd be polishing up my CV.

Eh ? In case you had forgotten it was Williams who handed Ince the manager's job and crucially delayed his sacking for far too long.

And if Williams were a strong CE he would have forced the Jersey boys to invest in the squad ..... or resigned on a point of principle.

No Rovers fan should feel "sorry" for Williams - he's in charge and he is directly responsible for the club's current plight. Relegation ain't going to look too good on his CV is it ?

[Tris]

Mr. Williams, encourage the trust to sell up to someone who is willing and able to put up money for transfers.

The following have taken ownership of PL clubs recently - which new owner would you choose?

Newcastle - Mike Ashley?

Portsmouth - Alexandre Gaydamak?

Sunderland - Quinn and his Irish mates?

Man City - The richest people in football?

West Ham - The former richest people in Iceland?

Aston Villa - Randy Lerner?

Liverpool - The Hicks and Gillett comedy duo?

Chelsea - Roman Abramovich?

Man Utd - The Glazers?

That's half of the Premier League. The only person on that list I'd want near Rovers is Randy Lerner.

Four of those are openly up for offloading, along with three or four more including ourselves. But no-one is buying ... and even if buyers were lining up - I maintain that on the above evidence, there is roughly a 1 in 10 chance of getting a suitable owner in for the long term good of our club.

The trustees have to protect the long term future of our club. Why do people want to kick them out just for a quick tilt at the UEFA cup - which recent history says we'll manage quite soon anyway, under the current ownership.

[Hughesy]

Jim the dingle is back again!!

Williams was a member of the board that decided the Ince appointment and sacking. He was one of 4 or 5 so you cant just blame him. Im pretty sure his 1st choice was allardyce, however some others were not too keen.

Get back in your box Jim. What would you rather have a club riddled with debts and facing certain collapse - like leeds, sheff weds, charlton, pompey?

[Exiled in Toronto]

Eh ? In case you had forgotten it was Williams who handed Ince the manager's job and crucially delayed his sacking for far too long.

And if Williams were a strong CE he would have forced the Jersey boys to invest in the squad ..... or resigned on a point of principle.

No Rovers fan should feel "sorry" for Williams - he's in charge and he is directly responsible for the club's current plight. Relegation ain't going to look too good on his CV is it ?

I don't disagree; Williams should be held accountable for the two Ince debacles (appointing him and keeping him 4 games too long); my last boss before I left the corporate world lost his job for less.

But I think the manner of Ince's demise showed that Williams clearly plays second fiddle to Jersey and is unable to act like a proper Chairman and/or CEO, which begs the question as to why he gets paid as though he were actually in charge. The longer term lack of maintenance investment in the squad, which will kill us in the end as surely as Ince would have done, is down to the Trustees though.

[RevidgeBlue]

The longer term lack of maintenance investment in the squad, which will kill us in the end as surely as Ince would have done, is down to the Trustees though.

Indeed. This transfer window has at least nailed one previously popular myth:

i.e. "The trustees will dig deep if we're in danger of going down."

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Who did Sam ask them to dig deep for? Who was worth splashing £10m on that would've come?

[jim mk2]

Ink the manner of Ince's demise showed that Williams clearly plays second fiddle to Jersey and is unable to act like a proper Chairman and/or CEO,.

My understanding is that the Jersey people were agitating for change earlier but Williams actually wanted to give Ince more time to turn Rovers' fortunes around.

. Why do people want to kick them out just for a quick tilt at the UEFA cup - which recent history says we'll manage quite soon anyway, under the current ownership.

Astonishing statement considering Rovers' parlous position in the bottom 3.

Who did Sam ask them to dig deep for? Who was worth splashing £10m on that would've come?

Probably no one - the problem is the lack of ongoing investment in the squad over the past 2 years.

[thenodrog]

Probably no one - the problem is the lack of ongoing investment in the squad over the past 2 years.

Really? So whats the problem at the likes of Man City, Portsmouth, Spurs, Sunderland then? Masses of investment no doubt helps but actually guarantees nowt.

Our main problem was the unbelievably suicidal appointment of a manager who quite simply was way way out of his depth and imo was never managerial material.

[American]

Who was worth splashing £10m on that would've come?

Xabi Alonso

[philipl]

Xabi Alonso

Liverpool were trying to offload Alonso in the summer but not now. Their cash issues manifested themselves in the sale of Keane this window.

However, Rovers were rung up and offered Arshavin yesterday if we could beat the £10+2m Arsenal screwed them down to. So was every other Premier League football club!

[American]

You missed the whole "and would have come" part (on both players mentioned).

[Majiball]

My understanding is that the Jersey people were agitating for change earlier but Williams actually wanted to give Ince more time to turn Rovers' fortunes around.

And the choice reduced our fortunes massively.

Williams only real mistake was using the Hughes profile, as at the time we appointed Hughes we could really only go one way. We'd moved forward significantly a new profile was required.

What a choice he had really, finally we had some dollar to strengthen a squad thats been slowly depleted over the last couple of seasons. Or next to No funds as normal in a transfer market that is ever increasing in price. Whilst it was the right choice I'm not sure its one any amount of money could compensate me for having to make it. I'm sure Williams loves this club as much as any of us, I too would have waited till the last possible moment, that extra money or say two players would have made a big difference.

He got Sam in quickly, they've resisted City and we've signing two full internationals (Once you add up their wages and fees they'll have cost over 5M), our form is good we can finally defend and we're creating clearer opportunities up top. I'm not worried we're in the bottom three not since Newcastle sold Given, I believe its their time (we'll sign Nolan in the summer once they go down) they are in free-fall. Theres light at the end of the tunnel now he's rectified the mistake provided we stay up (I believe we will) we can put it behind us, but even if we go down who else would you have?

Jersey may have been pushing for Ince to go, but Inces/coaches compo comes out of the clubs budget not their's. Perhaps if they had covered his compo the choice would have been made sooner. Who knows?? As long as we learn from it we can move forward and thats the direction we seem to be headed in, its time to move on.