The Webber thing is unforgivable I’m afraid

[Jim Smith 2,345]

1 hour ago, Dr Greenthumb said:

The training facilities, youth production, kit designs etc. it’s just on the pitch we haven’t and the lack of money isn’t Webbers fault

Kit designs is nothing to do with him and if question whether they’ve improved anyway.

Youth production also. All those who have broken through were already at the club.

training ground I will give you but then may well have happened anyway. As we heard yesterday the plans were supposedly already drawn up or being drawn up. 

[Dr Greenthumb 750]

44 minutes ago, Jim Smith said:

Kit designs is nothing to do with him and if question whether they’ve improved anyway.

Youth production also. All those who have broken through were already at the club.

training ground I will give you but then may well have happened anyway. As we heard yesterday the plans were supposedly already drawn up or being drawn up. 

Have you not seen the kits before Webber came in? Good grief they were atrocious 

Edited October 31, 2023 by Dr Greenthumb

[king canary 7,680]

39 minutes ago, Jim Smith said:

Kit designs is nothing to do with him and if question whether they’ve improved anyway.

Youth production also. All those who have broken through were already at the club.

training ground I will give you but then may well have happened anyway. As we heard yesterday the plans were supposedly already drawn up or being drawn up. 

I agree kit designs is a very odd thing to lay at the feet of an SD. He likely isn't involved but if he was I'd actually be concerned as why on earth would he be?

Youth though, he deserves credit. It isn't just about signing the players, it's about making sure they have a pathway to the first team. It is no coincidence since Webber joined that we've had a steady flow of players from the academy to the first team every year whereas previously we might get one every two or three years. I don't think under previous regimes all of Aarons, Lewis, Godfrey, Cantwell, Omobamidele, Rowe and Idah would have got the first team opportunities they have had. Based on previous track records maybe one or two would have.

[Dr Greenthumb 750]

2 hours ago, canarybubbles said:

'Just on the pitch?' Isn't that the whole point of a football club?

The problem with the argument about lack of money is that Webber generally recruited fairly well, at least in his early days, when he had little money. It's when he's had reasonable amounts to spend that he's spaffed it up the proverbial wall.

I also notice you don't mention the relationship with the fans or the local media.

The relationship with the fans and media was certainly a lot better than when Moxley was here. Curious question, how many sporting directors do you see giving interviews and justifying every decision to at other clubs? I’d say Webber certainly put more effort in. 

[Sheva 124]

Stuart Webber, needs to be out of the club asap.

The moment he talked about his 90% being what you’ll get from me, was the time to let him go.

What signal did that send out to the other staff, players not fully committed, giving 100%? Imagine Todd Cantwell saying ‘ I’ll sign that contract but I’m only giving 90% and that will be better than the rest’ !!

The majority share holders let him and his wife take full control, Webber’s ego grew even bigger. His comments and distain to the supporters is unforgivable. He brought pressure on himself and sowed the seeds of discord, ….a student going to school do his work but really not wanting to be there.

He is very flawed and nowhere near the great achiever he believes himself to be.

No one inside the club can effectively stand up to him, he needs to go and the OAP’s with the most shares need to hand over for the next generation.

I’m not going to go anti Delia, that is so easy to do, but her time and her 2 other family members need to be much less involved and influential.

 

 

 

[Midlands Yellow 4,107]

20 minutes ago, Dr Greenthumb said:

Have you not seen the kits before Webber came in? Good grief they were atrocious 

This season’s kits are truly awful so if Webber designed them it’s another reason for him to leave. 

[Dr Greenthumb 750]

2 hours ago, Midlands Yellow said:

This season’s kits are truly awful so if Webber designed them it’s another reason for him to leave. 

I’ve seen a lot worse, he didn’t change them, he changed the supplier 

[king canary 7,680]

41 minutes ago, Dr Greenthumb said:

I’ve seen a lot worse, he didn’t change them, he changed the supplier 

Did he though? Because if he did I've got to question why this is considered his remit.

[king canary 7,680]

3 hours ago, Dr Greenthumb said:

The relationship with the fans and media was certainly a lot better than when Moxley was here. Curious question, how many sporting directors do you see giving interviews and justifying every decision to at other clubs? I’d say Webber certainly put more effort in. 

I think media relations are one of the most frustrating parts of his spell here.

When he came in there was a real focus on transparency, engaging with local media and even fan led media, with key figures being available to do podcasts and similar that would never have happened under McNally. But once it started to go sour that was all walked back and now the relationship with fans and media is the worst I can remember it being. I certainly never expected to see the PinkUn/EDP guys being frozen out like they have been or Webber repeatedly shooting insults towards sections of the fanbase. 

It feels like the pendulum swung so far in both directions under Webber.

[hogesar 9,766]

6 minutes ago, king canary said:

I think media relations are one of the most frustrating parts of his spell here.

When he came in there was a real focus on transparency, engaging with local media and even fan led media, with key figures being available to do podcasts and similar that would never have happened under McNally. But once it started to go sour that was all walked back and now the relationship with fans and media is the worst I can remember it being. I certainly never expected to see the PinkUn/EDP guys being frozen out like they have been or Webber repeatedly shooting insults towards sections of the fanbase. 

It feels like the pendulum swung so far in both directions under Webber.

I think we've learnt there's a reason it didn't happen under Mcnally, and possibly something Webber has learnt on the job. Being transparent, engaging with media and fans only works when you're doing well. When you're not, fans dont like it. It's a simple truth, the average football fan just wants to spit and shout and vent when things aren't going well. 

The whole fans insulting Webber and Webber insulting the fans is an immature side story (albeit slightly funny) to the greater picture which is that football clubs are generally not open and honest with their fans for a reason.

[king canary 7,680]

8 minutes ago, hogesar said:

I think we've learnt there's a reason it didn't happen under Mcnally, and possibly something Webber has learnt on the job. Being transparent, engaging with media and fans only works when you're doing well. When you're not, fans dont like it. It's a simple truth, the average football fan just wants to spit and shout and vent when things aren't going well. 

The whole fans insulting Webber and Webber insulting the fans is an immature side story (albeit slightly funny) to the greater picture which is that football clubs are generally not open and honest with their fans for a reason.

I agree and disagree to be honest. Yes when the chips are down fans generally just want to vent, as words are largely meaningless.

However I think you can still be open with fans when things aren't going well without being combative. Webber absolutely needed some proper media training as in these interviews he's his own worst enemy. It isn't hard to not insult the fans publically.

[Dr Greenthumb 750]

1 hour ago, king canary said:

Did he though? Because if he did I've got to question why this is considered his remit.

Gets blamed for everything else, may aswell get recognition too

[Dr Greenthumb 750]

1 hour ago, king canary said:

I think media relations are one of the most frustrating parts of his spell here.

When he came in there was a real focus on transparency, engaging with local media and even fan led media, with key figures being available to do podcasts and similar that would never have happened under McNally. But once it started to go sour that was all walked back and now the relationship with fans and media is the worst I can remember it being. I certainly never expected to see the PinkUn/EDP guys being frozen out like they have been or Webber repeatedly shooting insults towards sections of the fanbase. 

It feels like the pendulum swung so far in both directions under Webber.

Media relations from a sporting director at most clubs are none existent. Webber was riding off the unity and perhaps got a little too comfortable and made his comments.

But some one effing and jeffing at him when he’s leaving the ground seems a bit ott and I’d be peed if some one did that to me at work

[king canary 7,680]

1 hour ago, Dr Greenthumb said:

Media relations from a sporting director at most clubs are none existent. Webber was riding off the unity and perhaps got a little too comfortable and made his comments.

But some one effing and jeffing at him when he’s leaving the ground seems a bit ott and I’d be peed if some one did that to me at work

Yes and to be honest I think it is another example of his remit maybe being bigger than it needed to be. If I was Knapper I'd be taking the more common model of being seen but not heard.

1 hour ago, Dr Greenthumb said:

Gets blamed for everything else, may aswell get recognition too

This might make sense if he was being blamed for things like kit issues or the prices of scampi.

[hogesar 9,766]

3 hours ago, king canary said:

I agree and disagree to be honest. Yes when the chips are down fans generally just want to vent, as words are largely meaningless.

However I think you can still be open with fans when things aren't going well without being combative. Webber absolutely needed some proper media training as in these interviews he's his own worst enemy. It isn't hard to not insult the fans publically.

You make a good point that I reckon is shared by most.

Personally, I've never been offended by what Webber has said because it's never been in reference to me. Some are different of course and everyone's allowed to have an opinion on that. I suppose it differs slightly from the position, should a SD speak in such terms and generally most would say no. Again, I personally have no problem with it but I also had no problem with him telling people to go support someone else during Farke's first season.

What I do agree with is Webber could have been open without being combative. However I think ultimately it would have been completely pointless. Saying that, what he did end up saying was pretty pointless anyway. Apart from giving me a chance to laugh at the Snakepit.

[shefcanary 2,468]

We have long speculated on here that Webber isn't happy with being a spokesperson, that he has problems with communicating widely. Sure he might be able to manage one to ones but even then he appears to be uncomfortable with supposed "soft skills", witness Cantwell's recent musings on his relationship with him. A sporting director cannot afford to alienate even one player in a squad without making allowances.  As Parma has eloquently set out, it only takes one unhappy player to unbalance the sense of togetherness a good successful team needs. 

I've said it before and I'll repeat it here. A good independent football person on the Board with good communication skills has been missing for years at the Carra. Such a person could have acted as the figurehead for the media and being the "honest John" connection with the supporters. Sure, they needn't always have to be 100% truthful, they just need to face the press and fans on a regular basis to let them know what the Board views on progress and future direction are. Recent communication from the club has been infrequent at best, unfortunately restricted by Takeover Panel regulations in the absence of a true independent figurehead from the Board. Wagner might not be facing such a hard time at present if someone else was there to field the criticism, but currently he is all we get. I'm sure he didn't sign up to the main club voice.

Still, the AGM in 30 days is lining up to be a true sliding doors moment for the club - let's hope they get it right.

[king canary 7,680]

10 minutes ago, hogesar said:

You make a good point that I reckon is shared by most.

Personally, I've never been offended by what Webber has said because it's never been in reference to me. Some are different of course and everyone's allowed to have an opinion on that. I suppose it differs slightly from the position, should a SD speak in such terms and generally most would say no. Again, I personally have no problem with it but I also had no problem with him telling people to go support someone else during Farke's first season.

What I do agree with is Webber could have been open without being combative. However I think ultimately it would have been completely pointless. Saying that, what he did end up saying was pretty pointless anyway. Apart from giving me a chance to laugh at the Snakepit.

I wouldn't say I was ever offended by Webber's comments- like you they aren't directed at me (I've never sat in the Snakepit and I'm still happily married!). However I've always understood why they pissed so many off.

The 'go and support someone else' comment at least had some context around our style of play. But when they started getting more personal towards groups of fans it was always going to end badly.

In my view fans should be treated by employees of the club with something between deference and reverence. Many fans were here long before Webber and will be here long after. They are the reason the club exists and the reason people like Webber get to have jobs like this. That should be respected to the highest degree.

I know people like to moan about our fans but the club should look around and recognise just how lucky they are to have them. You only have to look at the huge swathes of empty seats at clubs who we'd consider rivals like Watford or West Brom to realise that a loyal fanbase who show up week in week out shouldn't be taken for granted and shouldn't be insulted by employees who'll likely be gone in the not too distant future. 

[ridgeman 135]

1 hour ago, king canary said:

I wouldn't say I was ever offended by Webber's comments- like you they aren't directed at me (I've never sat in the Snakepit and I'm still happily married!). However I've always understood why they pissed so many off.

The 'go and support someone else' comment at least had some context around our style of play. But when they started getting more personal towards groups of fans it was always going to end badly.

In my view fans should be treated by employees of the club with something between deference and reverence. Many fans were here long before Webber and will be here long after. They are the reason the club exists and the reason people like Webber get to have jobs like this. That should be respected to the highest degree.

I know people like to moan about our fans but the club should look around and recognise just how lucky they are to have them. You only have to look at the huge swathes of empty seats at clubs who we'd consider rivals like Watford or West Brom to realise that a loyal fanbase who show up week in week out shouldn't be taken for granted and shouldn't be insulted by employees who'll likely be gone in the not too distant future. 

After sixty years of supporting I didn’t like what Webber said about watching someone else if we didn’t like what we were seeing. Well after six years Webber has had enough but the fans are still there and engage brain before opening mouth comes to mind but Webber is more important than Norwich City he thinks.

[Sufyellow 225]

8 hours ago, Dr Greenthumb said:

Media relations from a sporting director at most clubs are none existent. Webber was riding off the unity and perhaps got a little too comfortable and made his comments.

But some one effing and jeffing at him when he’s leaving the ground seems a bit ott and I’d be peed if some one did that to me at work

He wasn't leaving the ground he came out for an argument. At least get the facts right. 

[Tommo 51]

Webber spotted at Old Trafford tonight - surely not in the frame for their SD role 

[Ken Hairy 3,782]

This is the most damming part of the last 12 months at the club. Webber being allowed to remain in situ is more than just shambolic, its disgraceful. 

[Indy 3,323]

1 minute ago, Ken Hairy said:

This is the most damming part of the last 12 months at the club. Webber being allowed to remain in situ is more than just shambolic, its disgraceful. 

Been saying this for months! He’s a total charlatan! Wasn’t even there today, he knew if we lost today he’d get lynched! Hopefully we’ll never see him again!

[Cowboy 205]

Bridget for manager!

[The Real Buh 3,486]

24 minutes ago, Ken Hairy said:

This is the most damming part of the last 12 months at the club. Webber being allowed to remain in situ is more than just shambolic, its disgraceful. 

It’s unforgivable, they all need to go as a result. The whole leadership team.

[Disco Dales Jockstrap 1,899]

1 minute ago, The Real Buh said:

It’s unforgivable, they all need to go as a result. The whole leadership team.

OTBC