Pune trip

[Paul]

Thats 100% not true, we've been told that we can say what we want about the trip.

I fully accept what you say but would ask why the FF have yet to report on the trip. I have asked the club about this, in fact suggested it should happen, and been told there will not be a report from the FF.

[Ste B]

Glen, if things don't change within the next home game which I'm sure they will.. Don't be afraid to throw the hat out as i, and I'm sure a lot more would be happy to help out and get you and Simon over there...

I doubt they would get near them. Tom has already mentioned that they have a large security contingent.

Even if they did, then they would only be saying what Venkys have already heard. I dont know Glen9 and Simons position on this, but based on previous posts, I would guess that they would want a more open meeting in Blackburn given the choice.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

I doubt they would get near them. Tom has already mentioned that they have a large security contingent.

Even if they did, then they would only be saying what Venkys have already heard. I dont know Glen9 and Simons position on this, but based on previous posts, I would guess that they would want a more open meeting in Blackburn given the choice.

Supporters making such a trip would get an audience-purely down to the press coverage it would receive both here and in India. It's on their doorstep and can't be made to go away quietly.

Re the second point any meeting would purely be lip service.

[Brad]

You would know better then me, but I really can't see them stepping out of there compfort zone with the current situation..

I'm sure your right, just stepping of the plane and getting a rickshaw to Pune might be hard work..

Though I'm sure they could get an audience if they lined up the BBC or such to help organize a meeting..

[Mike Graham]

Thats 100% not true, we've been told that we can say what we want about the trip.

Ste, when are we to get a written report on the trip please. I did listen to John on the podcast but that did not really give much detail and was not, I believe, on behalf of the FF.

[Stuart]

You would know better then me, but I really can't see them stepping out of there compfort zone with the current situation..

I'm sure your right, just stepping of the plane and getting a rickshaw to Pune might be hard work..

Though I'm sure they could get an audience if they lined up the BBC or such to help organize a meeting..

Judging by their (lack of) coverage of yesterday's events, I would say there's no chance of the BBC supporting us. In any way.

[Stuart]

I fully accept what you say but would ask why the FF have yet to report on the trip. I have asked the club about this, in fact suggested it should happen, and been told there will not be a report from the FF.

Ste, when are we to get a written report on the trip please. I did listen to John on the podcast but that did not really give much detail and was not, I believe, on behalf of the FF.

It would seem neither of you are going to get an answer to this one. Unless you get a PM.

Aside from Tom, it seems like everyone who went wants to forget it happened and move on. But then Ewood Spark has been very clear that it's none of our business anyway because they didn't / don't represent the fans.

Frustrating.

[Ste B]

Ste, when are we to get a written report on the trip please. I did listen to John on the podcast but that did not really give much detail and was not, I believe, on behalf of the FF.

Dont know, we will discuss this at the Forum meeting next week.

[Tom]

To be fair I'm not sure what the best way of reporting it would be, we prepared a statement although relatively brief but what amount of detail do people want?

I personally believe verbally is the best way to discuss it but getting that out to the majority is always going to be hard.

As for people not wanting to talk about it apart from me thats not true It just seems I talk more about most things currently as with having a 5 month old son i rarely have plans on a weekend and end up on here

As for Glen and Simon going out there then all power to them, I doubt it would do anything myself as they have heard the truth in no uncertain terms

[Glenn]

Supporters making such a trip would get an audience-purely down to the press coverage it would receive both here and in India. It's on their doorstep and can't be made to go away quietly.

Re the second point any meeting would purely be lip service.

They cancelled the meeting with the Mumbai supporters at the last minute, we had no warning of the first meeting (hence not everyone being present at first, though this was rectified quickly) and almost none of the second.

I'd imagine the chances of people flying out to India and getting a sit down simply because of their presence is zero (which is also what I was told months ago when we looked at doing this long before the FF invite).

Aside from Tom, it seems like everyone who went wants to forget it happened and move on.

That's pretty much how I feel. We did everything as we planned to get the meeting we hoped for, they listened liked we hoped and gave the responses we hoped for.

Sadly, at ground level, nothing seems to have changed, it may do in the future, or it may be changing and we can't see the results, but from my perspective, things don't seem to be improving. I'm still convinced their only strategy involves owning the club for a long time and I still believe they have people desperate to make it work. I do however believe their are vital bits of the organisation beyond influence.

[Stuart]

They cancelled the meeting with the Mumbai supporters at the last minute, we had no warning of the first meeting (hence not everyone being present at first, though this was rectified quickly) and almost none of the second.

I'd imagine the chances of people flying out to India and getting a sit down simply because of their presence is zero (which is also what I was told months ago when we looked at doing this long before the FF invite).

That's pretty much how I feel. We did everything as we planned to get the meeting we hoped for, they listened liked we hoped and gave the responses we hoped for.

Sadly, at ground level, nothing seems to have changed, it may do in the future, or it may be changing and we can't see the results, but from my perspective, things don't seem to be improving. I'm still convinced their only strategy involves owning the club for a long time and I still believe they have people desperate to make it work. I do however believe their are vital bits of the organisation beyond influence.

Cheers Glenn.

It does seem like Venkys (assuming they do have overall control) are going to stand firm whether it's a softly-softly approach aimed at building relations, or a more confrontational one, aimed at expressing larger scale dissatisfaction.

Whilst there is no support within the media, there is no impact on Venkys business.

We have two options at this point:

1) Do nothing, watch the football, cheer on the side regardless of what we feel inside and effectively approve (by default) of the current manager, owner, situation.

2) Refuse to give in and accept it but find some other way of highlighting the issue (engage the media directly), meanwhile watch the football, cheer on the side regardless of what we feel inside and pretend to approve of the current manager, owner, situation. This option is risky because it will give out a mixed message and reduce any attempt to convince the media that we do want a change.

Clearly Venkys do not want to be seen to lose face. Yet if the protesters continue to try to avoid loss of face, they will lose even more support from the "see what happens" crowd. Ultimately, it will create a massive divide between the club and two sets of fans which can be good for no-one so the question remains...

http://www.brfcs.co.uk/mb/index.php/topic/25677-where-do-we-go-from-here/page__view__findpost__p__1170843

[Mattyblue]

Bugger a report, the FF went with good intentions but apart from good PR for Venkatash Hatcheries it was a waste of time.

Saving face and not being dictated to by mere customers is a big part of Indian business culture and I fear the whole protest campaign (this speaking as someone who was at all events) has turned into a massive own goal.

[DE.]

Saving face and not being dictated to by mere customers is a big part of Indian business culture and I fear the whole protest campaign (this speaking as someone who was at all events) has turned into a massive own goal.

I don't think it's really a massive own goal Matty, only because protest or not, we'd be in the same situation now. Kean would still be manager, we'd still be in the position we're in now (maybe worse off, considering one of the protests coincided with our only win of the season!) and we'd still be destined for relegation.

I don't see the protests as an own goal, I just think ultimately they're not going to have any affect on those in Pune and might as well stop. The club under Venky's ownership is a lost cause, no amount of protesting is going to stop the Raos taking us down.