Championship 2018-19

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Just now, JHRover said:

Apparently Bassini, on his own steam, is going to come in and wipe out all their debts, and then fund them to get back to the Premier League in 3 years.

Given the length of time this has taken to get done, the desperation with which Anderson must have been trying to offload the club, and Bassini's background (bankrupt as recently as 2014) I'd say it's time for the alarm bells to go off.

All that stands in his way is EFL approval as Fit and Proper. No problem.

 

You just know it's all going to end in tears for them...it was Bassini or Administration by the looks of it.

Grim outlook.

[Stuart]

19 minutes ago, JHRover said:

All that stands in his way is EFL approval as Fit and Proper. No problem.

The EFL does not care about its members.

They are in good company though because neither do the PL, FA, UEFA, or FIFA.

[K-Hod]

Just read an article about Ken Anderson online, saying ‘interested parties simply didn’t have the funds’.

Coming from a man with experience!

[bazza]

7 hours ago, JHRover said:

One thing Ken Anderson is right on - to exist at this level you need a very rich investor pumping money in every year. Talk of self-sufficiency is dreamland stuff.

 

 

7 hours ago, Stuart said:

 

 All too late now and we are stuck with Venkys simply because of the millions we are in debt to them.

 

What is happening to Bolton and other clubs makes me thankful that we have Venkys as owners. They are mega rich. They seem to be decent, sincere people. They are still very naive with regard to football matters but they are funding us.

I think we should accept them. I hate to think where we could be or would be if we lost them.

(This is a serious post and not a wind-up).

[blueboy3333]

[K-Hod]

My sarcasm detector is currently going berserk, but if Bazza’s post is legitimate, then ?. 

(That’s an emoji of a fishing rod reeling someone in, for those without visibility).

Edited April 17, 2019 by K-Hod

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, bazza said:

 

What is happening to Bolton and other clubs makes me thankful that we have Venkys as owners. They are mega rich. They seem to be decent, sincere people. They are still very naive with regard to football matters but they are funding us.

I think we should accept them. I hate to think where we could be or would be if we lost them.

(This is a serious post and not a wind-up).

April the 1st was a few weeks ago.

[bazza]

We are better off than Bolton, Coventry, Charlton and many more, including Blackpool.

I would have preferred a UAE conglomerate as owners but, in the meantime, I'll string along with Venkys.

[Stuart]

Just now, bazza said:

What is happening to Bolton and other clubs makes me thankful that we have Venkys as owners. They are mega rich. They seem to be decent, sincere people. They are still very naive with regard to football matters but they are funding us.

I think we should accept them. I hate to think where we could be or would be if we lost them.

(This is a serious post and not a wind-up).

Disagree fundamentally, Bazza.

Venkys have turned this club into a zombie. We are the walking dead; Bolton-in-waiting and we are now in such a dire financial position that we are utterly beholden to them. I await the dawn when the Raos are no more.

They are not decent and sincere, they may be rich but they are arrogant and ignorant, and absent. I’m not even going to get into the naive bs. We are stuck with them. I for one am not grateful.

[bazza]

1 minute ago, Stuart said:

Disagree fundamentally, Bazza.

Venkys have turned this club into a zombie. We are the walking dead; Bolton-in-waiting and we are now in such a dire financial position that we are utterly beholden to them. I await the dawn when the Raos are no more.

They are not decent and sincere, they may be rich but they are arrogant and ignorant, and absent. I’m not even going to get into the naive bs. We are stuck with them. I for one am not grateful.

I'm not grateful to them Stuart. But think where this club could be without them at the present moment. Forget the past. Think of now.

[Stuart]

Just now, bazza said:

I'm not grateful to them Stuart. But think where this club could be without them at the present moment. Forget the past. Think of now.

Without them Bazza we would probably still be a PL side. Impossible to ignore the past until Venkys leave. It’s like having kidnappers up for a parent of the year award.

You’ve contracted Stockholm syndrome mate.

Get well soon.

[JHRover]

1 hour ago, bazza said:

We are better off than Bolton, Coventry, Charlton and many more, including Blackpool.

I would have preferred a UAE conglomerate as owners but, in the meantime, I'll string along with Venkys.

I can see where you are coming from but there are different approaches to consider. Yes, fair enough, at the moment I'd certainly take our position over that of Bolton, Coventry or Blackpool.

But then you've to consider where those clubs were when Venkys arrived compared to where we were. Coventry, for example, were in pretty dire staits before the reviled SISU turned up - debt ridden and struggling in the Championship with no home of their own - SISU have just taken it one step further with their legal disputes and impending homelessness, Blackpool were also skint and playing in a dilapidated dump of a ground before Oyston went in so as hated as he is he did do some good. Charlton were also in League One BEFORE Duchatelet got hold of them. 

Difference here is that Venkys have taken us backwards arguably more than any of those owners. For all of the above's faults in terms of scale of deterioration Venkys take some beating given where we were when they arrived.

Also worth throwing into the mix clubs like Burnley, Preston, Bournemouth, Watford, Palace, Huddersfield etc. who have caught us up and now established years of leads over us in the last few years almost entirely because they have sensible owners whilst we have had Venkys calling the shots.

The fact they are loaded and appear to be prepared to pour money in every year just makes the whole thing more annoying, as if they were skint like Anderson at Bolton I could accept what has happened.

[DE.]

Venky's have been and continue to be a virus that has made this club extremely ill.

I've said this before, but it's like thanking somebody for giving you a bandage after repeatedly stabbing you in the chest. Thanks, but I'm still dying and it's your fault.

[Norbert Rassragr]

11 minutes ago, JHRover said:

I can see where you are coming from but there are different approaches to consider. Yes, fair enough, at the moment I'd certainly take our position over that of Bolton, Coventry or Blackpool.

But then you've to consider where those clubs were when Venkys arrived compared to where we were. Coventry, for example, were in pretty dire staits before the reviled SISU turned up - debt ridden and struggling in the Championship with no home of their own - SISU have just taken it one step further with their legal disputes and impending homelessness, Blackpool were also skint and playing in a dilapidated dump of a ground before Oyston went in so as hated as he is he did do some good. Charlton were also in League One BEFORE Duchatelet got hold of them. 

Difference here is that Venkys have taken us backwards arguably more than any of those owners. For all of the above's faults in terms of scale of deterioration Venkys take some beating given where we were when they arrived.

I call bullshit on SISU and Coventry City. At every turn they have taken money out of the club, completely sold off the squad and I don't think finishing in or near the play offs in our division is struggling. And Rovers didn't go to league 2 after several years in league 1. SISU tried to buy 50% of the Ricoh through the club's holding company, which was in receivership. They have almost killed the club completely, mismanaged the ground situation and have basically kept the club on life support whilst selling organs on the black market.

[JHRover]

Just now, Norbert Rassragr said:

I call bullshit on SISU and Coventry City. At every turn they have taken money out of the club, completely sold off the squad and I don't think finishing in or near the play offs in our division is struggling. And Rovers didn't go to league 2 after several years in league 1. SISU tried to buy 50% of the Ricoh through the club's holding company, which was in receivership. They have almost killed the club completely, mismanaged the ground situation and have basically kept the club on life support whilst selling organs on the black market.

Their starting point was a debt ridden 2nd division club with no stadium. 12 years on they are a debt ridden 3rd division club with no stadium, having had 1 season in the 4th division.

Our starting point was an established top half 1st division club who represented the benchmark for being well managed and astute. 8 years on we're a debt ridden 2nd division club completely and utterly reliant on them continuing to plug the gap between horrific losses and pitiful revenues (both a result of their inept management). 

Not saying for one minute I'd prefer SISU, because I wouldn't, but they started from a much lower level and have made them worse. Venkys started from a far better and more comfortable position. 

And Venkys completely sold off our squad, a few times actually. Net transfer receipts over their 8 years would be interesting to see.

[JHRover]

Just now, JHRover said:

Their starting point was a debt ridden 2nd division club with no stadium. 12 years on they are a debt ridden 3rd division club with no stadium, having had 1 season in the 4th division.

Our starting point was an established top half 1st division club who represented the benchmark for being well managed and astute. 8 years on we're a debt ridden 2nd division club completely and utterly reliant on them continuing to plug the gap between horrific losses and pitiful revenues (both a result of their inept management). 

Not saying for one minute I'd prefer SISU, because I wouldn't, but they started from a much lower level and have made them worse. Venkys started from a far better and more comfortable position and have managed to set us back many many years.

And Venkys completely sold off our squad, a few times actually. Net transfer receipts over their 8 years would be interesting to see.

 

[old darwen blue]

Never forgive, never forget. 

[blueboy3333]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11696595/efl-fixtures-release-date-opening-weekend-carabao-cup-and-play-off-final-dates-confirmed-for-201920

Fixtures out June 20th, new season starts August 3rd.

[philipl]

Not following very closely but cannot see any business logic in Bassini.

I have learnt in life that successful people are those who can coolly assess the situation as it exists in the moment now and put past emotions to one side. History is used as a minor source of evidence but if you can make a cold blooded immediate situation analysis of power and resources, behaviours and motivation risks and rewards then you hold the advantage over 99% of the population no matter how bright they are or their status 

At Rovers far worse things have happened than fans wanted to believe or make the mental and emotional effort to understand and I got huge flak for alluding to it at the time.

But.

Coldly looking at the facts right now where we are on 16 April 2019, I would submit to equal flak that Venkys are among the best owners in the Football League IN TODAY'S SITUATION. 

 

[JHRover]

4 hours ago, philipl said:

 

Coldly looking at the facts right now where we are on 16 April 2019, I would submit to equal flak that Venkys are among the best owners in the Football League IN TODAY'S SITUATION. 

 

On what basis are Venkys any better than most Championship owners? With the exception of Ken Anderson which other owners have failed to honour contracts and pay bills?

Gibson at Middlesbrough, Morris at Derby, Marinakis at Forest, Chansiri at Wednesday, Lansdown at Bristol City - just a few examples of owners who pour similar if not greater amounts of cash into their clubs each year and have made their clubs better than when they took over.

Those people also take some pride in their clubs and invest their time and money into things like improving their club's image, facilities, profile - none of which Venkys have ever invested in - you only have to look at the state of Ewood these days to see how little pride there is.

Edited April 18, 2019 by JHRover

[philipl]

Just now, JHRover said:

On what basis are Venkys any better than most Championship owners? With the exception of Ken Anderson which other owners have failed to honour contracts and pay bills?

Gibson at Middlesbrough, Morris at Derby, Marinakis at Forest, Chansiri at Wednesday, Lansdown at Bristol City - just a few examples of owners who pour similar if not greater amounts of cash into their clubs each year and have made their clubs better than when they took over.

Those people also take some pride in their clubs and invest their time and money into things like improving their club's image, facilities, profile - none of which Venkys have ever invested in - you only have to look at the state of Ewood these days to see how little pride there is.

You overlooked my use of the word AMONG

[JHRover]

Just now, philipl said:

You overlooked my use of the word AMONG

Other way round then, which of the 71 other owners in the Football League would you describe as worse?

 

[Mattyblue]

The state of Ewood is something that really annoys me. We have discussed at the length the total lack of initiatives when it comes to fan experience.

However, at a more basic level the place looks like it hasn't had a deep clean or a lick of paint for a decade plus, yet is that solely the fault of the owners? 

I think I've said before that I used to use the gym built into PNEs away end and it always struck me how there were always people jet washing the stands, painting and generally sprucing the place up. Does Trevor Hemmings insist on this? Does he put more cash in than Venky's? i would say probably not on the first and definitely not on the second, yet they still seem to have maintained a professional pride at the club that we have lost.

This can come down to constantly changing execs on the ground - and that comes back to the owners again ultimately.

Edited April 18, 2019 by Mattyblue

[philipl]

Just now, JHRover said:

Other way round then, which of the 71 other owners in the Football League would you describe as worse?

 

Most- if you simply look at the world as it stands on 18 April 2019.

[Stuart]

Love it: “in today’s situation”! As though Venkys aren’t responsible for today’s situation.

Given the debt situation and lack of ability of, or desire from, our CEO to sustainably increase our revenue through fanbase growth, what does “tomorrow’s situation” look like?

All of this “best option” thinking is very short term in terms of avoiding imminent implosion, yet we have employed a manager who sees promotion as a long term goal. Let’s hope the bubble doesn’t burst before we get there - if we ever do.

Venkys are the worst thing to ever happen to this football club.