CirclePoint

Ahhhh, to watch football? From the side of the fans, of course the Premier League is the place to be. To have an established top half squad that can make a couple of decent cup runs and possibly have a good go of it in the European cups would be awesome to experience. From the business side of things....the club just made some really easy money being in the Premier League and with the parachute payments to cover the sensible wages and not having to sell the best players, the club is poised for a return. All that had to be sacrificed in return was watching a season that was plagued with a biblical level of injuries and a derailing caused by a virus. All things considered, I’d say we’re actually doing quite well as a club and if we go up and stay up - which I hope - it’ll be awesome.

It does indeed!

Heart says 1st Head says 2nd 😉

I agree. The timing of Webber’s plan ( determined by the expiration date on the current contracts) requires we gain promotion this season. Doing so will give the club the position to extend attractive contracts to players who wish to stay. Failing to gain promotion will probably see a major team sell-off, since the players will more than likely only have one season remaining on their contracts and the club will want to cash in and........ the rebuild begins........ again.

I'm honestly expecting an automatic spot. I think we're in really good shape.

Absolutely agree with this. Given the current climate, I very much prefer the club's approach to financial responsibility. I can see the club building a strong, well founded financial model where we are not in the balance between administration and reckless spending every-other-season. Promotion and immediate relegation was actually a really good thing for the club. We didn't spend stupid money when promoted. Webber negotiated and shored up all the contracts for the younger players to ensure the club had negotiating power, and once relegated, the parachute payments will not be spent on covering ridiculous journeymen wages to players who are looking elsewhere. The young players know they will get their game time at NCFC, if they are good enough. This creates an excellent youth development system that either produces quality players who play for NCFC, or they are sold for good money. Those who are not happy with how the club is being run are probably financially unstable in their own personal lives. While, those who believe that the club lacks ambition because Deilia & Co. are not spending ten of millions to get back into the Premier League are either naive or simply lack the intelligence to understand what Webber and Co. are working towards. For me, on and off the field, this is probably the strongest position the club has ever been in. I for one am extremely excited for the coming season and believe we will bounce straight back. My one concern is that Webber has set a timeline for his departure. I hope Delia & Co. can convince him to stay longer.

Amen to that!

It’s called ‘tough love’. When you’ve worked with as many business owners and behavioral types as I have, you learn when someone needs a direct head-on response and where others need a softer, more empathetic approach.

Sad? No. Jumping to the defense of the owners? No. And by all means, question the decision makers! But to do so with a solution based, reality-checked idea that, if given the chance to sit down with Delia & Webber, you could compel them to make a few positive changes. Not some spazzed out response that is fueled by an emotional void that needs a football team to win every week so as not to cry yourself to sleep! Further, your response probably explains why you collect a paycheck? And I do look forward to your paper outlining how NCFC does not operate at a fundamental level, as any other business in the entertainment industry. And one final thing, Delia & Co. could strip this team clean and walk away with her pockets full of cash, because she can. Get over it. It is the prerogative of any business owner to do whatever they like with THEIR business. If you don't like it......go wipe your ar5e somewhere else.

Mr. Yellow. When you type: "Agree with you Dean 100%!" Then don't act surprised when someone holds you to what you have agreed with. So no, you are correct that YOU did not say that the club should spend tens-of-millions, but you 100% agreed with the person who is b1tching about not 'investing wisely' - which we all know what that implies. Further, I never said that YOU said the fans own the club. I said that since you quoted Delia as saying as such to prove your point, then you must AGREE with her. Do put your reading glasses on before your panties get too tight. Also, I sense a little backtracking with your use of the word 'inferred'. You 'inferred' nothing. You quoted Delia Smith. For example: "The Cook has always said that she is 'merely' a custodian of the club...." So she either did or did not say as such. Which is it? No matter. Either way you're looking foolish.

I truly enjoy listening to ignorance attempting to defend stupid. This has nothing to do with with being subservient to the owners. This has nothing to do with even who the owners are. This has nothing to do with league position. This has everything to do with people who actually believe, for whatever reason, that they have the right to tell a business owner, uninvitedly, how they should be running their business and what success looks like and then have the audacity to complain when they aren’t listened to. Telling a business owner to spend tens-of-millions of pounds that they don’t have, just to make you happier, is ludicrous. Minimizing the foundational achievements the club have actually made (Upgrading the training grounds, Producing MULTIPLE HIGHLY talented youth players, Webber’s business acumen to correct the financial struggles, Farke’s man management abilities) in order to promote your frustration is unhealthy and extremely short sighted. And to actually believe Delia when she says that the club is owned by the fans is the same as believing your boss when she says “We’re all a family here”. It’s called PR. Businesses say things so their customers feel a part of what they’re doing and spend more money. Simple enough? If you actually believe that ‘the fans own the club’, (which you must do since you used it as a quote to support your position) then walk into the next board meeting and take a seat. Also, please let me know when you’re planning to do this so I can come and watch you be arrested as you fight to stay in the ‘owners’ seat. In fact, have you even tried to approach Delia & Co with a viable, actionable and financially sound business model for NCFC? I thought so.... Instead you’ve chosen to take that time and energy and dissipate it through complaining. Now please, take a breath and recognize that if your opinion on how NCFC should operate was actually worth listening to, you would be sitting in those meetings. But...you’re not. So, go back to doing what your pay grade requires of you; that of being a fan. In fact, I’m going to be arrogant enough to tell you to take your money, your ‘ownership’ rights and your b1tching to a club that, in your eyes, is doing it ‘right’. It’ll make you happier.

Stupidest post of 2020 so far. It may be an uncomfortable pill to swallow, but to put it simply, it’s not your place -and in fact it’s extremely arrogant of you - to gauge what is and what is not defined as success for someone else’s business. Have you ever tried to stop your inner negative chatter and consider that maybe this is exactly as Delia & Co have planned? You are free to like it, or dislike it. But to talk as if you understand the inner operations and the future vision of the club, as though you sit shoulder to shoulder with the owners, qualifies you as stupid. Please take your in-flight vomit bag somewhere else.

Not that LDC needs me to step in, but I must say, just because you don’t agree with him, doesn’t make it a ‘stupid’ comment. What is rather hypocritical is assuming that LDC’s comment is ‘stupid’, while at the same time yours isn’t? Both are equally viable perspectives of a situation that I find extremely exciting, although also tremendously nerve racking! Strap in CDM and enjoy the ride! Up or down, I believe the boys have it in them to make one helluva run at it!

Agreed. Any of the big teams will be more focused on winning trophies in whichever competition they may still be in. Only a few will be focused on league position by the final few weeks.

Amen to that!

I’ll take a pint of that! The non-sense that NCFC have experienced so far this season wants to turn into the prefect storm and knock a good team back into the Championship, but I whole-heartedly believe we can make at least 16th! OTBC!!

*** THIS RESPONSE HAS BEEN REMOVED BY THE MODERATOR FOR INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE *** With that said, we feel that CP’s response to the OP was in the right when saying - and we paraphrase for the sake of the children - that this speculative topic warrants no interest, as the topic lends itself to the idea that NCFC are on a path of failure and will need to sell off their prize assets to survive. NCFC wish to go unofficially on record and say that the topic addressed by the OP is categorically and unequivocally nonsense. Nothing against the OP personally, we simply don’t understand why a negative outcome needs to be fortified. As many have noticed over the last 18 months, we have moved into a new mindset and model, and although we recognize that many fans have been emotionally abused and mentally scared throughout the decades, we are here to tell you that this is no longer the case. For some the changes are incrementally too small to notice and, combined with the habitual victim-based response, there is nothing we can do for them. Others of you, however, recognize how the small changes that have been made are gradually permeating the club and team and we are excited to continue to watch and enjoy the evolution of our wonderful club. Nobody ever said this journey was going to be easy. Nobody said we were going to succeed. Nobody is responsible for how you feel about it, but you. What was said was that, if you have the stomach for it, strap-in and enjoy the ride. If the ride becomes too stressful, too worrisome, too demanding upon your bladder and bowels, then simply step off, pull yourself together, and get back on, if you wish. We share this in the utmost good faith of fandom and in the hopes that those of you who live in the pessimistic ‘what if’ bubble, would stop feeding that negativity energetic thought pattern and reengineer your perspective to a more positive tone and begin believing that we are Premeir League! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I agree. Nothing is more frustrating!

Well said! Some people simply don’t know how to accept a compliment and say thank you. I for one have to admit that it’s been a long time since a fan from an opposing team came on here and shared such praise. It is such a relief. Truly appreciated LCFC85! I hope you guys keep disrupting the top of the table!

Agreed. And, being honest......for all of you crying yourself to sleep at night over something you have no control over.....just keep in mind that your pillow is wet -for some of you it will be your mattress- over what is truly a first-world problem. Put things in perspective and enjoy the ride. Yes, it will suck on occasion and other times, it will bring you great joy. Kinda like marriage really. But, being honest....get over yourselves. I heard a story today from a six year old girl about how her and her mother had to hide behind a sofa while the mother called the police on her father who was drunk and destroying the house. And that was one of the better stories. So please, for all of you just moaning because you have nothing better to do in your life than act like NCFC is literally the life blood of your existence.....get real. Be grateful that you have a team to support and that you are actually able to support them! Be grateful for the time you have to feel the ups and downs of such an amazing club! And for all of you sad losers and quitters who lack the fortitude and gratitude and have nothing better to do than moan about the ownership, or lack of spending, or the lack of ambition, or what ever it is that feeds your bottomless well of self-pity, go find a large empty space and stay there. I for one whole heartedly support the one and only team I have ever known; NCFC! Through thick AND thin; good AND bad. ZERO exceptions. And, personally, I’m loving every minute of it! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND COME ON YOU YELLOWS!!!!

I’m leaning more to the ‘must win’ category rather than ‘mustn’t lose’. Points over relegation rivals, psychological boost & momentum.

I absolutely agree. My grandmother is 94 and would turn me on a dime in a conversation!

I completely agree. I’m just saying that simply quoting a person’s age does not, nor should it, automatically constitute ageism.

Lakey, normally I agree with 80% of what you say, however I can’t agree with this comment. Simply stating that someone is old, which in today’s world, 78 is considered ‘old’ with regards the succession plan of NCFC, does not qualify as ageism.