Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

The Faustian pact comes unstuck.....



attila

1997 Club
Jul 17, 2003
2,244
South Central Southwick
The Faustian pact comes unstuck……

We all knew what we were fighting for: it took about 16 years, but we got it, and we celebrated. To do it we had to embrace the ‘money is everything and we’re customers now’ culture of modern football and replace the passion and hands-on commitment of Dick Knight with the money of Tony Bloom, another lifelong Albion fan, and a vast majority of Albion fans were happy to do that.

Even those of us who weren’t happy accepted that if our long fight to save the club we love was to have its final and glorious conclusion there was no alternative. We moved into the Amex, and apart from those who were priced out of the game or, like my wife, actually preferred the often sneered at ‘cottage industry’ of Withdean (she’s from Northwich, loves non league football and is an Albion fan by marriage, it’s different…) we relaxed, drank our Harveys, ate our pies - expensive to be sure, but the money is going to the club, what the hell - and trusted the shiny new corporate appointees to give us a shiny new future on the pitch to match our shiny new corporate stadium. Speaking personally, I was overjoyed to rediscover the simple pleasures of just being a football fan again and to leave everything else to the people paid lots of money to make sure it happened right. Yes, something is missing for me now in the age of modern football, but the wonderful trappings and the (until recently) on field success more than made up for that.

For a couple of years everything seemed fine: and it’s worth remembering that, compared to the war years, everything is still fine. The future of our club is secure: in the bad old days we used to DREAM about a time when moaning about the playing performance and management tactics was the only problem! But such comparisons are not enough. The fact is that the people in charge of our club are cocking up big time at the moment.

We need a manager with a clear understanding of the changes in tactics necessary to win matches, the ability to motivate the team and the obvious passion and commitment to inspire the fans to back him. And that manager should be in a position to employ the players he identifies as best suiting those tactics, rather than having to work with a squad brought in by an outsider whose current track record is nothing short of disastrous. Hyypia and Burke should go, and go now. A new manager should be in charge of squad recruitment. It’s not rocket science.

Albion fans most certainly are not ‘too nice’: we proved that over many years! What we most certainly have been is exhausted after the years of struggle, happy with our new surroundings and thoroughly prepared to give the new set up plenty of time to get things right. For a time that seemed to be the case but they are not getting things right any more. Relegation would be a disaster. In my opinion, it is time for us to combine 100% backing of the team with a strong show of opposition to Hyypia and Burke. A difficult balance but after all we’ve gone through I’m sure we can manage it! Yes, it’s modern corporate football but don’t underestimate the power of the fans – especially Albion fans - to change things. We ARE still listened to: in a different way to the old days, to be sure, but we are.

Burke OUT
Hyypia OUT
 












hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,094
Chandlers Ford
To do it we had to embrace the ‘money is everything and we’re customers now’ culture of modern football and replace the passion and commitment of Dick Knight with the money of Tony Bloom

I feel, having issued a thumbs down to your post, that I should clarify, that it was ONLY for THIS part. I agree with the rest, but detest this undercurrent from the old guard, that seeks to belittle Bloom's input as 'just' financial. Bloom is the guy with the carrier bag of snacks, standing on Northern railway platforms, waiting to get the train South with the Albion hard core, not just some detatched suit, with a bottomless pit of money.

That's all.

Sami OUT
Burke OUT
Bloom :bowdown:
 










attila

1997 Club
Jul 17, 2003
2,244
South Central Southwick
I feel, having issued a thumbs down to your post, that I should clarify, that it was ONLY for THIS part. I agree with the rest, but detest this undercurrent from the old guard, that seeks to belittle Bloom's input as 'just' financial. Bloom is the guy with the carrier bag of snacks, standing on Northern railway platforms, waiting to get the train South with the Albion hard core, not just some detatched suit, with a bottomless pit of money.

That's all.

Don't put words into my mouth: not my statement OR intention. The five words after the bit you quoted are 'another life-long Albion fan'. I have great respect for Tony.
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,094
Chandlers Ford
AND the 'Faustian Pact' bollocks.

Cardiff have protituted their heritage in pursuit of glory. That is a s close to a Faustian pact as you will find in British football.

The Albion fans, have given up some percieved personal affinity with the club, in return for allowing free reign to a third-generation Albion fanatic, working hard and spunking hundreds of millions of pounds, in nothing but the best interests of the club we all love.

Deal with the devil, my ****ing arse.
 




Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
. We ARE still listened to: in a different way to the old days, to be sure, but we are.

Burke OUT
Hyypia OUT

Shame the most important person, Tony Bloom, doesn't appear to be listening
 




hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,094
Chandlers Ford
Don't put words into my mouth: not my statement OR intention. The five words after the bit you quoted are 'another life-long Albion fan'. I have great respect for Tony.

Righto. So who exactly, plays the part of The Devil, in this Faustian pact, you refer to?
 






sydney

tinky ****in winky
Jul 11, 2003
17,736
town full of eejits
I feel, having issued a thumbs down to your post, that I should clarify, that it was ONLY for THIS part. I agree with the rest, but detest this undercurrent from the old guard, that seeks to belittle Bloom's input as 'just' financial. Bloom is the guy with the carrier bag of snacks, standing on Northern railway platforms, waiting to get the train South with the Albion hard core, not just some detatched suit, with a bottomless pit of money.

That's all.

Sami OUT
Burke OUT
Bloom :bowdown:

that is the worrying thing though isn't it...? TB has to be given hero status for giving to the club the way he has......he does appear , however , to have handed the running of the club/team to a bunch of pillocks....currently.
 


MattBackHome

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
11,689
Also "The future of our club is secure" doesn't square with "Relegation would be a disaster". Cause it wouldn't.
 


Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,110
Surrey
Haven't read them all. If the moderators want to delete this and stick it on one of the others that's fine by me.

Ah a game of attila bingo. "I'm just too busy to read them all".

Yes it must be REALLY tricky to find an existing thread that is pointing fingers of blame for the club's current state.
 




Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,110
Surrey
that is the worrying thing though isn't it...? TB has to be given hero status for giving to the club the way he has......he does appear , however , to have handed the running of the club/team to a bunch of pillocks....currently.
Exactly.

If only there was an existing 13 or 14 page thread blaming Tony Bloom on the first page of this forum that attila could have found to add this to - if only he could have spared ten seconds. But no, because he's far busier than everybody else.
 





Paying the bills

Latest Discussions

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here