| Director of Football 17:40 - Mar 1 with 3398 views | Fruitbat |
We have appointed one and his name is Humes.
Interesting. |  | | |  |
| Director of Football on 17:02 - Mar 3 with 968 views | noah4x4 |
| Director of Football (n/t) on 16:45 - Mar 3 by TheOldOakTree |
[Post edited 28 Jun 2016 9:23]
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I believe that I once read that under Academy Two Status we needed a minimimun of 19 coaching staff and that at one stage we had a recruitment issue (which might explain why Doogie and others got jobs!). I am not 100% sure, but about this number would perhaps make sense given the very many levels of age group and the number of boys and youths now under development. Remember too that under the Disclosure and Barring (formerly CRB Checks) Rules one now has to have multiple approved adults to supervise any team of kids. You can't run youth activities like we did in the 1960's, notably after the Saville matter and more recent footballers in disgrace.
The club website then lists some specific senior coaches and then says;
Lead Foundation Coach: James McFarlane
Lead Youth Coaches: Liam Bailey and Adam Lewis
The fact that we have "Lead" coaches does suggest to me that there must be others more junior for them to 'lead'.
Whatever the number; having more than a dozen personnel reporting to Keen (or Cowling) was a ridiculous management/staff ratio when most activity is away from WHCS. BTW, if folk have not visited the Tiptree Traning and Academy set-up they should go. Be impressed! This has to pay dividends in future (it already has with some players making the First XI). |  | | |
| Director of Football on 17:28 - Mar 3 with 965 views | TheOldOakTree |
| Director of Football on 16:47 - Mar 3 by noah4x4 |
Why should Robbie Cowling DONATE a single penny more for OUR pleasure when many fans do nothing but moan about him and/or abuse him and/or criticise his decisions and appointments? Fair enough where the latter of these three is constructive criticism, but far too many overstep the mark and make it deeply personal.
I am sure that Cowling is firstly a fan and nobody will convince me he is any less disappointed than we that things have not gone as well as hoped. Secondly, he is an investor that is not seeing any return on his previous capital outlay. So why should he be stupid enough to GIFT away even more money? We hence also won't see any new investor as the 'reward to risk' ratio isn't sufficient; whilst the verbal abuse horrible. So chanting 'Cowling out' achieves nothing except further discourage him from 'donating'. This is not like at other ailing clubs where owners have drained the club of money. Here, there has been none available to milk; the flow has been in reverse; and we should be grateful to have an owner that has been as patient as we to await success and see it diminish.
Given that 80% of our previous history has been in even lower divisions; these past dozen or so years have (arguably) been the 'glory years'; punching above our weight; beating Ipswich in the Championship; Norwich 1-7 etc. I really think it is time to bite the bullet; accept relegation (if that is our destiny; not given up hope yet) and get on with life in a new era. Frankly, I will be happy to smell the roses at Accrington Stanley. I have never been there before and as St Augustine said "The world is a book, and those that don't travel (especially to away games) read only one page".
I have enjoyed my trips to Bramall Lane and Bradford to sit amongst 16,000 +; but will equally enjoy visiting new clubs with gates similar to our own where we have far more likelihood of winning; but wasn't it good when we beat both the Blades and Bradford; and sad but expected when we ran into Wigan (still enjoying Premier League Parachute payments!) and ghastly when we were downed by the Shrews. I love my football! |
You are right, he is a fan, a West Ham Fan, he made that very clear at day one.
He wanted the kudos of owning a football club, he couldn't afford West Ham.
Like most of the trappings that are attracted to new money, be they yachts, supercars, racehorses or football clubs they invariably end up costing far more than originally thought. Only an idiot would think a L1 or L2 football club would be self financing.
Anyone who wants the honour of owning Col U should DONATE in my opinion. I have donated a f###ing fortune to Col U over the last 45 years, not just in season tickets, shirts, programmes, but shed loads of money in other ways, supporting Col U doesn't come cheap it never has, why should Cowling get away lightly. If you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.
The previous board of directors who did donate vast sums of money, got us to the Championship and got us to the WHCS (with a lot of help from the Council).
Since then RC has alienated the fans time and time again, to the point where gate receipts are now a fraction of what they could have been. The club is a shadow of that handed over to him. We have lost numerous potential life long fans. He has decided to spend money, but on what?
I want to support a reasonably successful football team, my team, from where I was born, not an academy, especially one that isn't working.
It's only my opinion, but as far as I can see he is ruining the club and the appointment of TH to DoF is the latest PR disaster.
You say "many fans do nothing but moan about him and/or abuse him", well tough shit he started it from day one, when we arrived at the WHCS.
COWLING OUT [Post edited 3 Mar 2016 17:50]
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| Director of Football on 17:38 - Mar 3 with 959 views | Leadbelly |
| Director of Football on 16:47 - Mar 3 by noah4x4 |
Why should Robbie Cowling DONATE a single penny more for OUR pleasure when many fans do nothing but moan about him and/or abuse him and/or criticise his decisions and appointments? Fair enough where the latter of these three is constructive criticism, but far too many overstep the mark and make it deeply personal.
I am sure that Cowling is firstly a fan and nobody will convince me he is any less disappointed than we that things have not gone as well as hoped. Secondly, he is an investor that is not seeing any return on his previous capital outlay. So why should he be stupid enough to GIFT away even more money? We hence also won't see any new investor as the 'reward to risk' ratio isn't sufficient; whilst the verbal abuse horrible. So chanting 'Cowling out' achieves nothing except further discourage him from 'donating'. This is not like at other ailing clubs where owners have drained the club of money. Here, there has been none available to milk; the flow has been in reverse; and we should be grateful to have an owner that has been as patient as we to await success and see it diminish.
Given that 80% of our previous history has been in even lower divisions; these past dozen or so years have (arguably) been the 'glory years'; punching above our weight; beating Ipswich in the Championship; Norwich 1-7 etc. I really think it is time to bite the bullet; accept relegation (if that is our destiny; not given up hope yet) and get on with life in a new era. Frankly, I will be happy to smell the roses at Accrington Stanley. I have never been there before and as St Augustine said "The world is a book, and those that don't travel (especially to away games) read only one page".
I have enjoyed my trips to Bramall Lane and Bradford to sit amongst 16,000 +; but will equally enjoy visiting new clubs with gates similar to our own where we have far more likelihood of winning; but wasn't it good when we beat both the Blades and Bradford; and sad but expected when we ran into Wigan (still enjoying Premier League Parachute payments!) and ghastly when we were downed by the Shrews. I love my football! |
I agree...why should Robbie Cowling donate a single penny more for our pleasure?
I understand that the chairman wants the club to be self sustaining ie not relying on donations from one (or more) individuals to bolster income or, as I know only to well, borrowing heavily to fund the club's growth whilst gambling on future success to cover the repayments (Yes, Peter Ridsdale!). This is very laudable but it is, quite clearly, not the only option available to League 1 and 2 clubs.
Whilst Mr Cowling may not want to donate any more of his money there may be other wealthy potential investors who would do so, in full knowledge that they won't see a return. If I win one of the enormous Euromillions jackpots I certainly would donate. The problem may well be that Mr Cowling won't do business with other potential investors. There was a strong rumour around the time we moved from Layer Rd that one individual, with similar resources to Mr Cowling, wanted to get involved but gave up saying "can't do business with that man". I can't prove any of that but my source told me a very convincing back story as to why he knew this and why the potential investor wanted to help (I was involved with the campaign for the new ground and got to meet some interesting people that I would not normally have met)
Assuming the club is relegated and we stick to Mr Cowling's plan we will have 55% of what will probably be a reduced turnover to spend. This may work very well indeed if the Academy produces sufficient youngsters to fill the first XI (I think home grown players don't count against the spending limit, or not fully - it was discussed some time ago) and which will be sold, thereby raising turnover. But if it doesn't work like that those of a pessimistic persuasion, me included, may conclude that another relegation may follow.
Nightmare scenario - the Academy produces players only good enough for Conference football...but that's OK because that's where we are and it's self sustaining.
Someone else said that Cowling wants the club to thrive rather than just survive. I hope that is true but I just wish his occasional public statements were made in a way that convinced me, rather than make me feel like I've been told to Foxtrot Oscar, "it's my club and I'll do what I want, regardless of what you lot think".
Enough doom mongering. I told a work colleague, a committed Leeds fan, of this week's developments at Col U, primarily the return of ex-manager Humes. His reply "Bloody Hell! Even Leeds wouldn't do that" did make me smile. | |
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| Director of Football on 23:07 - Mar 3 with 912 views | mfb_cufc |
| Director of Football on 17:28 - Mar 3 by TheOldOakTree |
You are right, he is a fan, a West Ham Fan, he made that very clear at day one.
He wanted the kudos of owning a football club, he couldn't afford West Ham.
Like most of the trappings that are attracted to new money, be they yachts, supercars, racehorses or football clubs they invariably end up costing far more than originally thought. Only an idiot would think a L1 or L2 football club would be self financing.
Anyone who wants the honour of owning Col U should DONATE in my opinion. I have donated a f###ing fortune to Col U over the last 45 years, not just in season tickets, shirts, programmes, but shed loads of money in other ways, supporting Col U doesn't come cheap it never has, why should Cowling get away lightly. If you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.
The previous board of directors who did donate vast sums of money, got us to the Championship and got us to the WHCS (with a lot of help from the Council).
Since then RC has alienated the fans time and time again, to the point where gate receipts are now a fraction of what they could have been. The club is a shadow of that handed over to him. We have lost numerous potential life long fans. He has decided to spend money, but on what?
I want to support a reasonably successful football team, my team, from where I was born, not an academy, especially one that isn't working.
It's only my opinion, but as far as I can see he is ruining the club and the appointment of TH to DoF is the latest PR disaster.
You say "many fans do nothing but moan about him and/or abuse him", well tough shit he started it from day one, when we arrived at the WHCS.
COWLING OUT [Post edited 3 Mar 2016 17:50]
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| Director of Football on 09:34 - Mar 5 with 868 views | burnsieespana |
So good stuff here and thought provoking.
Where do I sit?
In the first place I was disgusted and shocked at the abuse Tony Humes received during the time he was Manager as thought he did a reasonable given the circumstances and did not want him to leave as I crave for some stability.
So in short I think this appointment is good for KK, RC and the club as a whole and not disimilar to Les Reed at Southampton who didn't make it as a Manager but has superbly performed a similar role.
The hatred shown by a section of our supporters to TH and RC in particular is irrational as without RC I ask myself where would we be? We are constrained by the so called fareplay rules but at least we have a future. |  | | |
| Director of Football on 10:26 - Mar 5 with 861 views | Leadbelly |
| Director of Football on 09:34 - Mar 5 by burnsieespana |
So good stuff here and thought provoking.
Where do I sit?
In the first place I was disgusted and shocked at the abuse Tony Humes received during the time he was Manager as thought he did a reasonable given the circumstances and did not want him to leave as I crave for some stability.
So in short I think this appointment is good for KK, RC and the club as a whole and not disimilar to Les Reed at Southampton who didn't make it as a Manager but has superbly performed a similar role.
The hatred shown by a section of our supporters to TH and RC in particular is irrational as without RC I ask myself where would we be? We are constrained by the so called fareplay rules but at least we have a future. |
I don't hate Cowling or Humes but neither do I think they have been great for the club. Current league position supports that view.
Where would we be without Cowling? At Cuckoo Farm, as we are now. He wasn't chairman while we were still fighting to get the new ground built.
Are we constrained by FFP regulations? Whilst Cowling wants the club to be self sustaining and not make donations to the club then I'm afraid we are. But we don't have to be.
Cowling said this season we would see his long term vision start to bear fruit and we wouldn't be avoiding relegation in the last game or two. Sadly, it looks like he'll be proved right, though not as he expected.
And why do some people seem to think that if Cowling sold the club we would never find another person or people willing to be involved? Even in my relatively short time following the club there have been at least two other chairman and I'm certain there will be people willing to become involved when Cowling departs. | |
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