[Archived] John Williams Leaves

[only2garners]

Venky's cut short their visit- they were supposed to be here for three days and there are reservations in their names for this evening.

That's interesting Philip. Not that it means anything really but I know for a fact that they flew out last night (Thursday), unless they are employing body doubles at Manchester Airport.

[BuckyRover]

I agree 100% with that Neil, the Rao's might well want to bring someone in from the outside to look at things with a fresh eye, but as I've previously opined the ideal successor to John Williams is already at the Club imo in the shape of the admirable Tom Finn.

I'm surprised people haven't picked up rather more on the fact that Tom issued the official statement paying tribute to John. This indicates to me :

1) Tom must be viewed favourably by the new owners.

2) Tom must not be too unhappy either with the fact of John's departure or the manner in which John was treated or he'd presumably have been offski himself.

Does this mean TF stabbed JW in the back?

[neekoy]

For al we know JW could have said that he had other focuses in his life and Tom Finn was the man who should fill his role. So much dramedy then?

[ben_the_beast]

What typifies Blackburn Rovers? Hard work, honesty, dignity, fighting against the odds, respect, passion, heart, Arte et Labore.

Arte et Labore has always represented what our club stood for magnificently which in recent times has been personified by one man. John Williams. I am sure that Venkys have a plan and in that sense I do not worry so much for the future of our club. I worry for its heart.

I have always felt that in some sense you do not chose the football club you wish to support. It chooses you based on the morals and beliefs developed and attached to the club over decades. It was not so much of a choice that attracted me to Rovers, it just happened and I am sure that is the case for many. John Williams leaving to me is the end of an era, not the trust selling as he was the man at the forefront, leading the club by the morals and ethics shared by the club, him and many fans.

I find myself viewing some other teams through gritted teeth at times as many others do also. Success on the pitch does not define a team as that is not where the substance lies. I would rather roar against us fighting off relegation than clap a club with no soul challenging for honors. I sincerely hope we do not lose what makes Blackburn Rovers our club. We may do, we may not. I will give my skeptical support and wait to see how things pan out. There is no more that can be done and as many have said Venkys paid the money which everyone acknowledges had to happen, so have every right to run the club as they see fit.

I simply hope we can hang onto the history which made Blackburn Rovers what it is today. Finally I am only 22. My time in comparison to other posters on here is rather minimal. But in that short time in my opinion John Williams comes only second to Jack Walker. That is the highest compliment I can pay to a fantastic servant of the club. So thank you John for steering Rovers through many dark days but more importantly providing us with some blumin bright ones as well. You did us proud. All the best for the future.

Edit :- apologies for the duplicated post. I posted it here first but then it developed into a thank you by the end hence pasting it in the appreciation thread also.

[Wiggy]

One of John Williams stated aims was to get the wages to turnover down from it's unsubstainable levels. One of the highest in the league. Ironically the last set of accounts saw this ratio coming down.

Our new owners Venky's are piling more wage commitments onto the club with new contracts for Nelson, Samba, Salgado, Robinson etc., and £90,000 per week for Roque, more for Jones, Formica and the Barca kid. Ok, a little has been clawed back for Spit and Chimbonda but it seems that all the good house keeping of JW has been thrown out of the window.

I'm sure JW would have loved to have chucked wages around with abandon but our club's reputation as a tight ship came from his financial prudence.

I wonder how the Raos' will feel when they realise that turnover hasn't gone up and the wages to turnover ratio has reached 100%, 120% ?

The new rules for European competition won't allow Rovers to compete in the tournaments and sustain this model. So another potential revenue stream will dry up.

They must have a plan for selling an awful lot of replica shirts in Asia. A feat that's been beyond United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Or maybe SEM/Kentaro have sold them a business model of bringing kids through and selling them for fortunes. It's all a little bizarre.

One thing's for sure, Jerome Anderson, already a very wealthy man, can only be ensconced UP at Brockhall because he envisages making a whole lot more money.

With only £60 odd million to go around, Blackburn Rovers Football Club doesn't want to be the one left holding this baby!

[RevidgeBlue]

One of John Williams stated aims was to get the wages to turnover down from it's unsubstainable levels. One of the highest in the league. Ironically the last set of accounts saw this ratio coming down.

Our new owners Venky's are piling more wage commitments onto the club with new contracts for Nelson, Samba, Salgado, Robinson etc., and £90,000 per week for Roque, more for Jones, Formica and the Barca kid. Ok, a little has been clawed back for Spit and Chimbonda but it seems that all the good house keeping of JW has been thrown out of the window.

I'm sure JW would have loved to have chucked wages around with abandon but our club's reputation as a tight ship came from his financial prudence.

I wonder how the Raos' will feel when they realise that turnover hasn't gone up and the wages to turnover ratio has reached 100%, 120% ?

The new rules for European competition won't allow Rovers to compete in the tournaments and sustain this model. So another potential revenue stream will dry up.

They must have a plan for selling an awful lot of replica shirts in Asia. A feat that's been beyond United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Or maybe SEM/Kentaro have sold them a business model of bringing kids through and selling them for fortunes. It's all a little bizarre.

One thing's for sure, Jerome Anderson, already a very wealthy man, can only be ensconced UP at Brockhall because he envisages making a whole lot more money.

With only £60 odd million to go around, Blackburn Rovers Football Club doesn't want to be the one left holding this baby!

I doubt the wage bill went down in real terms under JW Wigs, just that the wages/turnover ratio improved as a result of the new improved TV deal.

Good points about the subsequent increases in wages though. One of the reasons why I could see the potential sense in trying for a player like Ronaldinho to open up potential revenue streams abroad.

[92er]

Not so. They are also used either to resolve mutually untenable situations or to engineer win-wins e.g. I want to leave but I'm not resigning and missing out on a package together with the employer needing to save money, streamline a structure or whatever. Both I and my employer benefitted from the latter arrangement.

But doesn't a resignation suggest a walking away from a situation without compensation?

I also have a question for you regarding the position taken regarding takeoers.

You have argued that in most cases the company taking over wants to use their own people to run the company, this being either people from their own organisation, or people who are on board with their perpectives.

However, I have read a number of articles suggesting that in the vast majority of takeovers, the company doing the takeover would have been far better investing their monies in their own business rather than in taking over some other organisation.

Would you agree that the taking over company might well fare better by working with the people in the new organisation who understand the business, and the industry, rather than jetisonning them, especially when they have no knowledge of that industry?

[XLM]

Does this mean TF stabbed JW in the back?

He must be a client of Kentaro's. He wouldn't still be here otherwise.

[Mr. E]

Not sure what to say anymore. We're at the mercy of the tide, whatever happens, happens.

But JW leaving really is the end of an era at Rovers.

[Exiled in Toronto]

But doesn't a resignation suggest a walking away from a situation without compensation?

I also have a question for you regarding the position taken regarding takeoers.

You have argued that in most cases the company taking over wants to use their own people to run the company, this being either people from their own organisation, or people who are on board with their perpectives.

However, I have read a number of articles suggesting that in the vast majority of takeovers, the company doing the takeover would have been far better investing their monies in their own business rather than in taking over some other organisation.

Would you agree that the taking over company might well fare better by working with the people in the new organisation who understand the business, and the industry, rather than jetisonning them, especially when they have no knowledge of that industry?

The majority of takeovers destroy value and one of the factors usually blamed is the situation you describe. I've been on both ends and, rightly or wrongly, a lot of key managers of the taken over entity were soon out of the door, either because they didn't like the new culture, or costs had to be saved, or it was felt that they didn't 'fit in'. 'FIFO' was a phrase I heard used quite often (fit in or **** off).In my experience, many execs seal their own fates in this situation by deliberately sitting on their hands, constantly grumbling or being deliberatly obstructive of the new owners agendas. As hasd been pointed out by others, Indian businesses are at one end of the spectrum when it comes to the perceived importance of all singing from the same hymnsheet, as, to be fair, are many US businesses. The UK tends to be at the other end of the spectrum with many businesses tolerant of or even welcoming a bit of creative friction. Virtually every senior Cadbury manager I know of could not stand the Kraft way of doing things and were lining up to get their payoffs. The few who stayed have had to fit in with the Kraft culture very quickly.

Again, others commented on here about why was Kean managing to get over to Pune while JW not. That could have created an unfavourable impression of the mountain waiting for Mohammed. But when when someone wants to shake things up and chart a new course, they sometimes feel it's worth losing the experience of the old-timers for the benefit of speeding things up. Nothing I have read gave me the slightest impression that JW wanted to get on the Venky bus, so it was inevitable he went sooner rather than later.

[saxo1man30]

We just have to hope the venkys way of doing things works out for us. I'll remain a hopeful sceptic.

[philipl]

Quite a few posts on here over night which include a lot of speculation which I know to be inaccurate.

Given Venky's read the message board I am not going to go further other than to say that much of what is on the last two or three pages is wide of the mark.

[Blueandwhitemike]

Without knowing what is really going on it is very difficult to judge.

But the way Sam was treated was bad.

The way John Williams, the most important person at the club since Jack's passing, seems really bad.

The fact that Venky's said they wouldn't change the management, and then they have removed the two most important people at the club after a couple of months seems really, really bad.

It stinks at the moment, time will tell the truth but they have a lot of bridges to mend.

I was proud to be a Rover, don't really feel like that now...

Hope to hear some john Williams chants at Wigan and then Ewood, we can't do much but we can show them what he meant to us.

[47er]

Not sure what to say anymore. We're at the mercy of the tide, whatever happens, happens.

But JW leaving really is the end of an era at Rovers.

Its the end of an era at Rovers, its not the end of Rovers. In fact its the start of a new era.

[American]

Quite a few posts on here over night which include a lot of speculation which I know to be inaccurate.

Given Venky's read the message board I am not going to go further other than to say that much of what is on the last two or three pages is wide of the mark.

Just like you knew 5 players were turning in transfer requests? Or that you knew the Trust knew best who to sell to?

[imy9]

I also know the speculation over the last couple of pages to be correct, I will be making everyone aware of the inner thoughts of Mrs Desai after the LET interview as I am bound to secrecy by my sources lol

[Parsonblue]

Having read Mrs. Desai's comments in the LT today, I must say that I remain unconvinced by her reasons for John's departure. Anyone who knows John Williams knows full well that he would never lose interest in the club as Mrs. Desai seems to imply. What he might well have lost interest in is being a Chairman who was not included in the loop when it came to decision making. She states that he didn't get on with the manager and worried about the role of Jerome Anderson. Given the manner of the appointment of the manager, with the Chairman not being involved in the decision making process, I think it's understandable that relations between the two might have become strained. As for his concerns over the role of Anderson, again I would think that only natural for a guy who had guided the club so successfully through difficult times.

Once again, I am very disappointed that Mrs. Desai failed to acknowledge the excellent job that John has done over the past 14 years. The interview with the LT was a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to John but, once again, she failed to do so. In fairness, Steve Kean was full of praise for the work that John has done at the club and I must admit that I thought he showed a great deal of class with the comments he made.

Her comments about the future of the club were interesting in that she acknowledged that they couldn't compete with the levels of spending of the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool. However, she believes that a position of between fifth and seventh is possible within the next three years. She played down the role of Jerome Anderson and she also dismissed any ideas that Maradona would appear at Ewood Park as director of football.

What is clear, reading her comments, is that the Rao family want to be "hands on owners". I think her comments show the realisation that challenging for the title is not within their financial capabilities but that challenging for European football - clearly the Europa League rather than the Champions League - is still an aim. Personally, I believe that those comments are a step in the right direction. In acknowledging that the present top five are out of reach, in terms of spending power, it allows her to set more achieveable goals for the manager and the players. With prudent financial support and good management the club might well achieve the aim of finishing in the top seven on a regular basis. Certainly it would appear a far more realistic aim than trying to chase a top four spot.

[chaddyrovers]

I have just read the LT article with Mrs D. very interesting!

1) JW lost interest when Sam Allardyce left

2) JW didn't get on with Steve Kean and he struggled to accept JA role at the club

3) The family did not want him to go

4) No decision has yet been made on a successor but Jerome Anderson is not an option

5) she also says JA has helped us but I want to be very clear that He does not run the club. We will be working with anybody and any agents to make this club successful but we are not controlled by his company and his role will now DIMINISH!!!

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Just like you knew 5 players were turning in transfer requests? Or that you knew the Trust knew best who to sell to?

For me it was when Robinson left for Spurs and Samba for Arsenal that I started to realise how accurate Philipl had been with his information.

Williams going is a shame. But we have new owners with new ambitions. You had to be fairly naive not to see this occurring. JW stayed when it looked like things were falling off the rails and he's now left the club in relative stability.

With the investment in this transfer window and the backing of Steve Kean I'm not particularly concerned about Venky's. They've put money in and clearly have ambition without promising the earth. JW leaving is sad but he was there when we needed him. We have entered a different era.

[John]

Mrs Desai's comments confirm what Neil Macdonald's view that JW had reservations over appointing Kean as manager. Hardly a surprise he is/was worried about the role of Jerome Anderson, I think a lot of Rovers and non Rovers fans have raised their concerns.

[chaddyrovers]

Mrs Desai also says that we're here for the long run.

She also DISMISSED the idea that Diego Maradona could be on his way to rovers as a director of football as 'STUPID'

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

In fairness, Steve Kean was full of praise for the work that John has done at the club and I must admit that I thought he showed a great deal of class with the comments he made.

I remain to be convinced on Steve Kean - but only because of his lack of a track record. I think if he had come from another club with a few years under his belt - we would all be impressed by his apparent integrity, ease at handling the media, and his apparent beliefs in the way football should be played (and promotion of youth).

The obvious cloud is the way he got the job - and his links with the dark side. However, I think now is the time for Rovers fans to put all that behind them and judge him on results and how the team plays. At the moment - I think he is doing a good job - obviously not great - but more reasons to be optimistic than we have had for a while.

[Mattyblue]

Life goes on but to say JW 'lost interest' is utter rubbish.

[Kelbo]

Samba fears for Rovers headline in the Daily star, says JW was a rock and all the players could go to him with problems, he was Samba says a big figure at the club and hopes he has now made the right decision in signing!!

[Parsonblue]

I remain to be convinced on Steve Kean - but only because of his lack of a track record. I think if he had come from another club with a few years under his belt - we would all be impressed by his apparent integrity, ease at handling the media, and his apparent beliefs in the way football should be played (and promotion of youth).

The obvious cloud is the way he got the job - and his links with the dark side. However, I think now is the time for Rovers fans to put all that behind them and judge him on results and how the team plays. At the moment - I think he is doing a good job - obviously not great - but more reasons to be optimistic than we have had for a while.

Couldn't agree more with all that you say. My comments about him showing some class were simply with regard to his acknowledgement that John Williams had done a fantastic job at the club which is in stark contrast to the comments of the owner.