Steve Waggott

[Mattyblue]

‘An unbelievable new coach’ (no not the Head Coach, one of those with wheels).

It’s what you’d expect the chief of a non-league club to come out with.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Dan]

How long would he have lasted when Jack owned the club? He’d see right through his bullshit in a second. Silly question I guess as he wouldn’t have been appointed. 
 

How lucky were we with John Williams? 
 

What’s Burnley Bob up to these days, he’s still a director? 

[matt83]

Glutton for punishment. I listened to that smoggy toad rabbit on for 20 mins again. He kept referring to jdt as an ambitious young coach, if the progression of the club can match the ambition of the manager, etc. It confirms what I’ve always believed. The club and its officials have zero ambition but they’ve employed someone who has and it’s suddenly startling to them almost as if jdt needs reigning in.

[chaddyrovers]

20 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Please stop. I've just had my lunch 

don't read my posts then. No problems with me

14 minutes ago, JHRover said:

So a lengthy interview that actually tells us very little. I say interview because after the interviewer has set him off there are barely any questions, Waggott just goes off on one almost as through his is reading from a script.

It is amazing how he manages to make out as though the basics of operating as a professional football club - paying tax, paying wages, paying bills, relaying the pitch, getting ready to host games - is some sort of special achievement on his and his staff's part. It kind of sums up his mentality that on the eve of the new season one of the first things he talks about is how well we've done to pay our bills and tax.

The interview of a bloke panicking and throwing whatever he can out there in a bid to protect himself and his bosses from any criticism by having to remind everyone listening of just what a stellar job he's doing. No wonder the owners keep him on if they believe everything he comes out with.

The interview tells you plenty actually. The situation with the budget, budget changing cos of Indian Tax Law, Money being spend on STC, ATC plus new facilities at Brockhall, Ewood Park pitch being fully stitched.  Wages have been paid as normal, no problems with paying taxes despite the rumours going around which of course he and the club are aware. Venkys sponsoring the shirts for 4m pounds. 

Edited August 4, 2023 by chaddyrovers

[Mattyblue]

‘Never any pressure on the manager from me or the owners’.

Obviously that’s been the case for years, but good to hear it actually confirmed, the only club around where results don’t particular matter… some set up this.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Mattyblue

[JHRover]

11 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

don't read my posts then. No problems with me

The interview tells you plenty actually. The situation with the budget, budget changing cos of Indian Tax Law, Money being spend on STC, ATC plus new facilities at Brockhall, Ewood Park pitch being fully stitched.  Wages have been paid as normal, no problems with paying taxes despite the rumours going around which of course he and the club are aware. Venkys sponsoring the shirts for 4m pounds. 

Maybe I missed it but what did he say about 'Indian tax law'? I thought he conceded that the budgets had changed, but stopped short of actually specifying what the issue was.

Good grief, I hope you aren't falling for the old trick of confusing routine maintenance with investment in new facilities?

[matt83]

26 minutes ago, JHRover said:

It is amazing how he manages to make out as though the basics of operating as a professional football club - paying tax, paying wages, paying bills, relaying the pitch, getting ready to host games - is some sort of special achievement on his and his staff's part. It kind of sums up his mentality that on the eve of the new season one of the first things he talks about is how well we've done to pay our bills and tax

😂. So true. He wants to be lauded for doing the absolute bare minimum. The worrying thing is some will just lap it all up. 

[Dan]

16 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

‘Never any pressure on the manager from me or the owners’.

Obviously that’s been the case for years, but good to hear it actually confirmed, the only club around where results don’t particular matter… some set up this.

No pressure on the CEO either by the looks of it. 

[Dan]

4 minutes ago, matt83 said:

😂. So true. He wants to be lauded for doing the absolute bare minimum. The worrying thing is some will just lap it all up. 

Have a look on Twitter…. It’s quite embarrassing. 

[chaddyrovers]

2 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Maybe I missed it but what did he say about 'Indian tax law'? I thought he conceded that the budgets had changed, but stopped short of actually specifying what the issue was.

He mentions that why the budget changed. 

2 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Good grief, I hope you aren't falling for the old trick of confusing routine maintenance with investment in new facilities?

Well if you have actually listened to full interview properly it would answer your questions. New Facilities for academy, etc etc. The pitch has been fully stitched now. 

[JHRover]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

He mentions that why the budget changed. 

Well if you have actually listened to full interview properly it would answer your questions. New Facilities for academy, etc etc. The pitch has been fully stitched now. 

He mumbled something about getting money out of India. Don't think he said anything beyond the speculation already in the public domain.

What new facilities did he specify at the academy?

The stitched pitch still a long way short of the full pitch replacement he told us we were getting 2.5 years ago.

[Ewood Ace]

2 hours ago, matt83 said:

Haven’t got a striker. Losing players left right and centre. Never fear swag is here we’ve got a state of the art team bus. He’s also a believer in “great grass”. At least that answers many questions but frankly he needs to smoke a lot less of it.

He went very Donald Trump for a minute there everything was great from the bus, to the chefs, to the grass and the fans.

[matt83]

4 minutes ago, JHRover said:

He mumbled something about getting money out of India. Don't think he said anything beyond the speculation already in the public domain.

What new facilities did he specify at the academy?

The stitched pitch still a long way short of the full pitch replacement he told us we were getting 2.5 years ago.

He waffled on for 20 minutes but he didn’t say anything of note or anything I didn’t already know. Most of it I took for granted that was bloody obviously happening such as doing basic maintenance (not nearly enough), paying wages/bills/tax.

I tell a lie I didn’t know they had a new bus which frankly is about as interesting or relevant as whether he’s now going with the Windsor knot rather than his favoured half Windsor. 

[chaddyrovers]

13 minutes ago, JHRover said:

He mumbled something about getting money out of India. Don't think he said anything beyond the speculation already in the public domain.

But it answered the question

13 minutes ago, JHRover said:

What new facilities did he specify at the academy?

No he didn't. But do we really need to know everything. No we don't. 

13 minutes ago, JHRover said:

The stitched pitch still a long way short of the full pitch replacement he told us we were getting 2.5 years ago.

yet it the best pitch we had in 40 years according to our head groundsman. 

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, matt83 said:

Glutton for punishment. I listened to that smoggy toad rabbit on for 20 mins again. He kept referring to jdt as an ambitious young coach, if the progression of the club can match the ambition of the manager, etc. It confirms what I’ve always believed. The club and its officials have zero ambition but they’ve employed someone who has and it’s suddenly startling to them almost as if jdt needs reigning in.

I reckon they'd be delighted if some Euro club came in and offered compensation to ease the cash flow.

[ben_the_beast]

Venkys aren't selling us any time soon, but if they are only looking to put in a certain amount, which is now reduced, post Indian tax they should look to sell a portion of the club.

This would make up the shortfall, allow us to compete up to FFP limits and if the backer were UK based/attended games it would help to bridge a gap between the club/fans and ownership. 

 

I don't believe any of this will happen for a moment, but it could be a huge step in the right direction. Give the club a massive shot in the arm.

[Riversider28]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

He mentions that why the budget changed. 

Well if you have actually listened to full interview properly it would answer your questions. New Facilities for academy, etc etc. The pitch has been fully stitched now. 

A pair of my threadbare trousers have also been fully stitched, but they are still old and will need replacing with a new pair soon. 

[chaddyrovers]

https://twitter.com/BBCLancsSport/status/1687492508304003072?t=7CSlHa79tnD2z9GE1haFag&s=19

 

 

[RevidgeBlue]

Everyone has nailed it above with their comments on Waggott. What a con-artist he is. I'm surprised anyone falls for it but obviously many do.

[Sweaty Gussets]

4 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

No he didn't. But do we really need to know everything. No we don't. 

You were saying this when news came out about the financial problems. You were wrong then as well. It's not about 'knowing everything' it's about the club keeping the fans updated about major issues at the club. 

Waggott has bowed to pressure because speculation was getting out of hand on here and elsewhere. He kept quiet for too long. 

He is a poor operator. 

[Sweaty Gussets]

6 hours ago, sparky12 said:

Wouldn't surprise me if it was JDT, he said in a presser the club need to be open about whats going on & SW just admitted he needs to keep him happy.

I think you make a good point.

I'd also include GB in that. Transfers are his domain and the fans needed communication about what was going on. Fans have an absolute right to know what is going on when a national releases a financial story that all is not well at the club and transfers have ceased. I'd imagine pressure has been applied on Waggott by GB too. 

[J*B]

I can’t be arsed writing all my thoughts after watching the Waggott interviews today as I’ll only wind myself up even further. But Steve, you mentioned on your BBC Lancs interview reading “the boards”. I’ll assume that’s this one, so here’s a message to you:

I’m sure you’re working really hard and feel like you’re doing good work for your bosses. They’ve obviously put challenges in front of you. 

The way you’ve reacted to those challenges, the decisions you’ve made, the standards which you are setting are - in my humble opinion - nowhere near good enough. 

You have now put on record the expectation is to avoid relegation from the second tier. Success is judged “in different ways”. Disheartening but not surprising.

Jack Walker and later, John Williams, would have had you out on day one. That said, I hope you can leave this club by achieving some good, encouraging and negotiating the sale of the club to someone with either more ambition or higher standards. 

[JHRover]

One thing I think is abundantly clear and has been reinforced by his interview is that the owners have no expectations or targets when it comes to winning football matches. It is clear that by extension Waggott does not have any expectations or targets when it comes to winning football matches. His focus appears to be on the hand-to-mouth existence these owners have reduced us to and patting himself on the back when he manages to pay the bills on time, together with individual player development. I now suspect he's on some sort of bonus for raising funds in doing so reducing owner input. That won't do because it runs contrary to us achieving the best we can and building as strong a squad as possible.

He is a tin pot operator, essentially a box ticker who is in place to try and make ends meet with whatever cash the owners decide they are putting in each year. I'm embarrassed that he's the most senior staff member and representative of Blackburn Rovers.

I'm flabbergasted at the number of fans on here and Facebook / Twitter who are now hailing him as a great communicator and an important conduit between owners and fans, trusting in his every word as an accurate and true reflection of reality. Whilst he has spoken it doesn't seem to occur to people that what he says isn't necessarily the reality.

This is a bloke who has misled fans on multiple occasions in the past (example one being the Covid ticket refund fiasco). A bloke who has barely uttered a word in public (his last club interview being after the sneaky training ground plan was rumbled some considerable time ago?) and a bloke who has allowed confusion and speculation to run rampant all summer long, finally deciding to do an interview 24 hours before the new season starts. 

It seems to be that he is surprised and almost uncomfortable with JDT and his ambition. It is clear that JDT is not an operator content to go around in circles for years on end whilst the club meets whatever agenda the owners and cronies have in mind. It is clear that he wants promotion and that looks to me to be at complete odds with the amateur hour operation above him. Waggott is probably wishing he had his old mate Tony back and then we can go back to the good old days of putting up with whatever rubbish these owners make up each season. Thankfully, at least for the time being, we have JDT who clearly won't put up with that.

I'm pleased with JDTs comments about the interview and about expecting new signings before the end of the month. Not because I think we will get what he wants, but I think he is being slightly sarcastic and is directing pressure towards those above him. I think the onus is on them now and if they don't get done what he wants I think he'll walk, and they're aware of this.

Edited August 4, 2023 by JHRover

[philipl]

Having read so much about Steve Waggott on this board, I found the BBC interview a very pleasant surprise.

I would normally advise CEOs to keep answers shorter and simpler but he threaded complex replies together comprehensively, engagingly and with little repetition.

It is remarkable how little of the 30 minutes is being quoted out of context on here given how much talking he did.

100% absolutely right he should have been in Blackburn and nowhere near Birmingham on transfer deadline night. 100% right the buck stops with him and the O'Brien screw up is on his charge sheet.

[glen9mullan]

31 minutes ago, philipl said:

Having read so much about Steve Waggott on this board, I found the BBC interview a very pleasant surprise.

I would normally advise CEOs to keep answers shorter and simpler but he threaded complex replies together comprehensively, engagingly and with little repetition.

It is remarkable how little of the 30 minutes is being quoted out of context on here given how much talking he did.

100% absolutely right he should have been in Blackburn and nowhere near Birmingham on transfer deadline night. 100% right the buck stops with him and the O'Brien screw up is on his charge sheet.

The rovers interview was good,

The second one, was a Prince Andrew interview moment for me.