Exclusive: Paul Barber ANSWERS the questions every Brighton fan wanted to ask.

[Beach Hut]

What a load of ballshit.

Pre season planning started before the season ended yet players contracts were not discussed? How on earth can you plan a season with no manager, only means the style of football will 100% be the same as what poyet played otherwise it is more or less impossible.

Isn't barnes out of contract too?

No he isn't and also a Director of Football has quite a lot of say on what we do.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think you may be right there and perhaps he will find this out when he has these representation meetings which may be when the penny drops but I suspect he has breezed in and started at the Amex as he means to go on and the way he talks.

And I have generally been supportive of him but I have found the past few weeks he's gone a bit too far in my mind. Maybe things will change when he is mixing with the rank and file supporters more.

 

[Bob!]

It certainly would have. However, as just a bloke doing a blog, in this instance I wouldn't have the necessary clout to get any answers which Mr Barber was not willing to give. Frustrating, but true. As far as a blog goes, I've got as much information as I can.

Someone like The Argus though should be in a position to be far more demanding in its questions. For example, if no details are given, they just run a story saying "The club refused to put a deadline on the long-running managerial investigation..." type thing which ends up with worse PR than if the club was up front. Far more threatening when the CITY'S paper tries that than me doing my blog.

Why wasn't my question about Boxing Day asked

Are you going back with some follow-ups?

Will there be card readers with all the stewards for the membership scheme smart cards? Or do they also have to carry an email or receipt with the number of the seat they have bought?

'The membership scheme will allow these people to buy the best seats'. Who decides which are the best seats, will more than one area of the ground be on sale?

Will extra blocks go on sale in a more timely fashion, rather than when there are only odd seats dotted around the blocks currently on sale?


edit: When do the new kits, home & away, become physically available, rather than just the home being available to pre-order?

 

[Beach Hut]

And I have generally been supportive of him but I have found the past few weeks he's gone a bit too far in my mind.

Seriously I don't disagree with you for one minute. All I am saying is that as I work for a vast multi-national corporate company this type of language is used all the time, in fact some of us play buzz words bingo on conference calls for a laugh and I usually score quite high points. It is, in my view just a more business type way to talk but the general drift is just the same, what is interesting is that I think Barber does grasp the difference between a profit and a loss that I am sad to say few seem to understand where I work.

 

[GoingUp]

Thanks for the effort mate...

He didnt really answer though...

Seems like Upson could be off...

 

[Eksman]

Most importantly, will there be pre season BOGOF offers again ?

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Nothing new to see there

Apart from we won't be getting Upson either.

 

[Lethargic]

I think you may be right there and perhaps he will find this out when he has these representation meetings which may be when the penny drops but I suspect he has breezed in and started at the Amex as he means to go on and the way he talks.

I have attended 2 fans meeting where Barber has been present for Q&A and his verbal responses were far more human and normal than the language used in his written responses. Personally I think it is a state of mind for people in his sort of position that they use this corporate bullshite for all their written communications as the majority will be with other business people not us fans, I don't think it is a conscious decision to piss us off.

 

[Jack Daniels]

Was disappointed not to get an answer about the time-frame of Poyet's suspension and when the club expects it to be concluded. But, as I said above, I am just a bloke writing a blog so can't carry the same demand for answers that The Argus can.

Also, I agreed to print the responses in full, otherwise the information could have been written in the style of stories. Therefore a quick non-response about a club deadline would become "Brighton have refused to say when they expect the on-going saga over Gus Poyet's suspension to be concluded, leading to fears among supporters it could drag on and derail pre-season plans..." type piece.

The most frustrating aspect is that I doubt very much many of the actual details will come to light in public. Any agreement between the club and Poyet is likely to include a gagging order type aspect I would imagine to protect both party's integrity.

I think the most interesting aspect for fans would be confirmation of WHEN the alleged breaches of contract took place because I don't think all the dates would necessarily be what people expect...

I don't think it's frustrating at all that the details won't become public. That's exactly how it should be. Just because people buy knitwear from the company I work for. Doesn't mean they have the right to the disciplinary procedures of the staff that work there. Why should a football club be any different? It would make us look very unprofessional.

I think we all want a resolution as quickly as possible. But the only real questions are:-

Staying or Going?

If going, who is the replacement?

Why anyone thinks they have a right to more than that is beyond me.

I really don't care when, why or who was to blame.

All I need to know is who is steering the ship going forward.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Seriously I don't disagree with you for one minute. All I am saying is that as I work for a vast multi-national corporate company this type of language is used all the time, in fact some of us play buzz words bingo on conference calls for a laugh and I usually score quite high points. It is, in my view just a more business type way to talk but the general drift is just the same, what is interesting is that I think Barber does grasp the difference between a profit and a loss that I am sad to say few seem to understand where I work.

 

[portslade seagull]

Limbo united for the foreseeable then, be interesting to see if we do make any signings

 

[KJP]

Official site - they won't be "lost" as such, but they're not "activated" until you are in the membership scheme.

& when you're paying £38 for a ticket - there is definitely such thing as a poor seat in the stadium.

Oh, did not see that, disappointing that

 

[Giraffe]

It does strike me from his responses that this could be going on for some time yet.

To quote a friend of mine who is not a Brighton fan:

"So basically, your team is already going to be weaker next season than last. I can't believe that the owners / chairman have allowed this situation to start, let alone go on for this long. You're a premier league side in waiting but 3 years of hard work are being thrown away!"

That is what the non Albion footballing world is thinking.

 

[portlock seagull]

It does strike me from his responses that this could be going on for some time yet.

To quote a friend of mine who is not a Brighton fan:

"So basically, your team is already going to be weaker next season than last. I can't believe that the owners / chairman have allowed this situation to start, let alone go on for this long. You're a premier league side in waiting but 3 years of hard work are being thrown away!"

That is what the non Albion footballing world is thinking.

No the vast majority of the non Albion footballing world know Gus is suspended and really don't give it much thought beyond that. Some have forgotten he's even suspended. And nobody knows who Charlie Oatway is. Calm down dear.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Barber is very pragmatic in his response. The speed of reply and answers does not smack of someone who isn't engaging the supporters. He is right. Football HAS changed since we fought for Falmer and we need too accept it and all pull in the same direction if we are to get to the premiership and stay there.

Ps: well done Walt on getting such swift responses to very poignant questions. This line of communication will, I am sure, prove invaluable.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I'd venture to suggest that, although Paul Barber has replied to the questions asked, he hasn't actually answered many ...

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

It does strike me from his responses that this could be going on for some time yet.

To quote a friend of mine who is not a Brighton fan:

"So basically, your team is already going to be weaker next season than last. I can't believe that the owners / chairman have allowed this situation to start, let alone go on for this long. You're a premier league side in waiting but 3 years of hard work are being thrown away!"

That is what the non Albion footballing world is thinking.

No that is what your friend is thinking.

 

[Grombleton]

It does strike me from his responses that this could be going on for some time yet.

To quote a friend of mine who is not a Brighton fan:

"So basically, your team is already going to be weaker next season than last. I can't believe that the owners / chairman have allowed this situation to start, let alone go on for this long. You're a premier league side in waiting but 3 years of hard work are being thrown away!"

That is what the non Albion footballing world is thinking.

And to quote a non- Brighton fan friend of mine: "Is Gus still suspended? Do you think you'll keep Bridcutt?"

Non-Albion fans don't care as much about us as we think they do.

 

[luge]

I'd venture to suggest that, although Paul Barber has replied to the questions asked, he hasn't actually answered many ...

Because he can't. And won't. What do people expect? Why would a CEO jeopardise an ongoing high profile suspension HR issue?

The rest is, again, what you would expect a CEO to say. I'm reassured that Burke is in control of player recruitment - i knew it anyway - but essentially Barber is saying that he's got it covered regardless of manager.

Most wouldn't even bother to reply. I think we should be appreciative that he does interact with the fans. Expecting him to spill the beans on everything is rather silly, and would be very irresponsible on his part.

Until the Poyet saga is sorted, nothing is going to change in terms of the clubs stance and fans reaction to it. How about everyone chills the hell out and enjoy the summer for a bit?

 

[jamie the seagull]

edit: When do the new kits, home & away, become physically available, rather than just the home being available to pre-order?[/QUOTE]


The official website for the club shop now states "This is a pre-order only and your 2013-14 kit will be dispatched early July."