CBX1985

Portsmouth have finished 0-0

15 minutes ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

English football is going global, we’re trying to market ourselves like the NFL. Did I just see the EFL has just agreed an international deal for rights to EFL games?

It screws over the fans, who in the majority of cases are local to their team and therefore don’t care about the global aspect. The premier league has started all this, the biggest error in the history of English football is to allow the Premier League to happen, an independent organisation to football’s governing body whose only focus is on making it the richest league in the world attracting the best players and having 6 teams who are superpowers who can win champions leagues. The result is a league disconnected from the pyramid rigged in such a way that only the clubs who had established global fanbases (the big 6) can prosper unless you had a billionaire to make you one of the superpowers which now with the introduction of FFP they’re seemingly stopping/restricting.

Personally, I don’t care if an English team never wins the champions league again (unless it’s Derby). I don’t care if the worlds best players don’t play in the premier league, I don’t care if the premier league is labelled “best league in the world”, I want a top tier of English football that is attainable for 40-50 clubs and that the majority of those clubs have the chance to be competitive once in a while even if it’s not for a sustained period. If I had that, and an England national team that could win everything then that would do me fine and I think 90% of proper English football fans would say the same. 

Im not a socialist by any stretch but I do think some socialist principles need to be applied to English football to enable a proper reset of the game to make the whole league Pyramid more competitive. Without the playoffs the premier league would already be a closed shop by now and I still think this will be the season where the three promoted teams come back down and the three relegated teams go straight back up.

I watch the PL, but don't really care who wins either.  However, the experience of fans in general is much better thanks to those innovations.  Pre-SKY, they were treated like s***.  The Baseball Ground pitch was a mud patch.  Now we (or did) have all seaters, with hospitality. 

The parallel world you describe exists today. It is practically all those countries that don't have a top league.  Why watch Rhyl or Melbourne Utd or Tokyo Allstars when you can watch Man City, or Chelsea etc?  

The Premier League being that league would not have stopped that process, happening it would have just meant it was some other league that benefited (and their second and third tiers also, by extension).  The difference being that we can play Man City and may, with time and luck, be in that division. That gives us a reason to survive and a reason to attract new fans.  

5 hours ago, Simmo’s left foot said:

Unfortunately the EFL have sold their soul for Sky TV cash, in order to keep their heads above the water in the financial chaos of football. If the clubs stopped paying out the ridiculous levels of wages to players then this would not be necessary. 😞 Who do we complain about Sky TV for working to the contract the EFL have signed, or the clubs and the EFL for signing it?

I'd suggest halving the EFL wage bill in every division would be a good start?

Nice sentiment, but we live in a market economy and professional football is one of the most competitive work environments of in the world.

The Premier League sells for big money all over the world.  The leagues below, for which we belong, are all - in reality - in competition with those clubs (i.e. they can go down and we can go up).

Unless you have a wage cap, in which case everyone will want to be paid the cap regardless of ability, halving wages cannot feasibly happen.  Teams that want to get into the PL are always going to want to spend to get there.  Teams don't have to pay any wages they don't want to; we wouldn't want to become League Two so need to pay a going rate for a short career that may end any given week that of 100 talented footballers, 1 will break through into an established pro.  They are highly skilled and require fair remuneration of that fact.  

Sky TV money is the lifeblood of the game.  What some don't like is it's affects on their experience, as they are not the primary consumer: Sky are.  i would rather healthy balance sheets but crappy kick offs than the alternative.    

I don't know what alleged racist comments he may have made, but my concern is that - from listening to him on Saturday - his level of English is not overly strong (no, before anyone says, nor is my Italian).  It may be worth paying interpreters for a head coach, but he would only ever be in a lesser role and not sure it would be worth the cost.

Our team is practically all British (albeit some play for exotic countries to be an international).  Not sure we have the set up that more international teams have that could accommodate; but if we go up who knows. 

On 04/03/2024 at 10:00, NottsRam said:

With all due respect, i can't go either so I can watch it on Sky, however i have a lot of friends who do a lot of away games and this ridiculous change has really thrown a spanner in the works.

I was being slightly facetious. I agree moving fixtures is a nightmare and should be given more time.  My point was more that getting away tickets is so difficult these days that for more people than can actually attend.

There is a lot of criticism of broadcasters, but they put a lot of money in and they are going to want to have the best slots.  

On 29/02/2024 at 16:06, NottsRam said:

Absolute joke

Eye of the beholder.  Those of us who can't go can watch the match on Sky and get to get out of the house on Easter Monday.  Win win.

2 hours ago, Boycie said:

In my opinion, if he’s getting 5-10 minutes in the odd game, he might as well be playing in the u21 keeping his confidence up and getting the odd run out for us for 5-10 mins.

I assume they hoped Gateshead would play hIm more?

Why are Gateshead not playing him?  If he isn't good enough to be first team there, what chance here

On 24/01/2024 at 10:01, Ghost of Clough said:

Warne opted to use Mendez-Laing in the middle rather than playing John-Jules there. What hope does an academy player have?

The Academy was decimated by administration.  Their performance has been dreadful.  It will take a "footballing" generation (i.e. time from scouting to playing) to get back to 2021/22 levels.

It is ok saying "let's get academy payers in", but what if the academy players are realistically only Gateshead Utd level players?  If there was someone in the academy today, I put it that Warne would have been having them training with 1sts pretty pronto  He hasn't, so he doesn't rate any of them at this stage highly enough - or even at all.

What hope does an academy player have?  If they are good enough: lots, probably due to circumstances better than elsewhere.  If they aren't, do we really want second rate 18 year olds in the team  Better off getting some/any 35 year old from any of four top divisions - at least they have experience.  

11 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

Does it cover pre-existing conditions (unlike a lot of insurance)? If not, we may need to rethink recruitment policy given the number of crocks we seem to sign. 😊

I'm an IFA and have arranged a number of policies for players over the years, but also for professional sports clubs (not DCFC).

Players can take out a type of enhanced income protection plan.  Clubs can take out plans which pay salary or pay a lump sum.  You can insure against known injuries; you could even insure a player that has gone off with an injury.  You could even insure Collins.  It is called after the event insurance, so costs a hell of a lot - and would have a lead in time.  So if doctors said he should be fit in a month, you could insure if he isn't back in two, say.

What is to know is that clubs can go to market (i.e. Lloyds of London) and can request any cover they want.  The options available to them are far far far more than ordinary Joes, but you have to be willing to pay the Premium.  The cost of which is determined by the risk level of something happening against the cost it does. 

Plans for players are always expensive, due to salary and risk; but not insuring is often more expensive.   

12 hours ago, Bob The Badger said:

Yep.

Lots of doctors work short weeks for the NHS now so they can do private work.

That is accentuated with specialists, of which, in most areas, there is a desperate shortage. 

I'm married to one (consultant anaesthetist) and... that isn't the panacea it appears.

Consultants sign up for a number of blocks - a right they have had since the founding of the NHS.  My wife works four 8 am to 8pm shifts per week.  Twice a month she does an extra day which pretty much doubles her pay.

However, due to the way tax/pension is deducted doing five days for the NHS actually results in lower pay than doing four over those hours.  There needs to be a drastic uptick in earnings to justify doing anymore.  

I am an IFA and many of my clients are doctors.  The above is the standard approach; some do a more balanced approach - but 4 and 1 give or take is the norm.  Get rid of the private work, most will just not do the extra day.

Just now, Caerphilly Ram said:

5 mins 

Cheers - following this thread as can't watch game.

How much injury time is there in the Derby game?

35 minutes ago, Gee SCREAMER !! said:

Real world point.  If your s**** at your job and miss key targets, do you get to sit on your arse for 4 years getting splinters at 25x the average salary.  Swings and roundabouts.

We wouldn't be asking him to, in effect, work his notice if what you are saying is correct - easiest thing in the world would be to say "thanks, security will escort you to the door".  We want him to stay until the summer.

His salary is what we have offered.  We have offered (probably insisted!) that he stay until EoS.  

4 hours ago, DiggerB said:

https://youtube.com/shorts/mdMrE-gViok?si=jvh0ZZn06tSoytb5

Just popped up on my YouTube club feed. Feels like a very poor attempt at late PR to try and smooth fan unrest! “Look what Max can do, and haven’t we been brilliant in negotiating him to stay until summer?” 

Real world point.  How many times do we reach a point, in any job, where we want to move on - no difference for footballers than the rest of us.  His contract is up in the summer and we'd get nothing.  If he wants out at which point he'd have just left; as things stand, he is staying until end of the season (as he would have anyway), we get paid for him.  BC get to know they have their man next year.  Everyone is a winner - so yes this is a win for all sides.

Footballers are employees and we'd drop them as quick as you like, so them wanting what's best for themselves seems perfectly fair enough. 

On 29/12/2023 at 22:34, YouRams said:

It's simple for me does £2-3m drastically change anything to our team this season? Or does losing Cash drastically change our team this season? 

Extend for a year with a guarantee in his contract, we don't make it this season we'll let you go in the summer. 

They won't do that as his value would plummet - if we are going to be required to sell on his wishes, there would be no point bidding high.  
 

I don't think the club could fairly keep him if we miss out this year, so would happen organically.   

On 23/11/2023 at 08:28, The Scarlet Pimpernel said:

The club went into administration because the owner stopped funding the club. Nothing to do with Stephen Pearce. 

Indeed.  He is an accountant.  If he is given a business plan that says cash injection here here and here, and there is no such injection - books will not balance.

I have little opinion on Pearce, but I have been in positions where there is someone overrbearing that has "their own ideas", and in all conscience you should walk away but sometimes you think "I can dilute what they are doing by working with them rather than letting someone with fewer scruples be the go-to".  I think there was an interview with Clowes where he said he thought Pearce had been honourable when everyone around him hadn't, or words to that effect.

3 hours ago, DCFC1388 said:

We did agree to sell though but it just fell through as it was too late

I believe it was too late to arrange a loan back option or another suitable replacement (hat tip: post match reaction Dominic Dietrich on BBC RD post Lincoln).

Being willing to sell because we can loan him back, or have time to buy someone else, is very different to being willing to sell.  His value to us is greater and the urgency to 'go now' for him is reduced if he can go in a few short months.   

5 hours ago, Ram-Alf said:

It's a stick or twist scenario, Has EC been promised a move after the near move in the summer?, Will the "buying" club be prepared to loan him back to us?, EC is more than a capable CH in the championship, But not the EPL...imo...yet, Would you want to keep an unhappy EC if Derby activate the extra year in his contract?

There is a post from someone who noticed EC doing a lap applauding the Derby fans after the Lincoln game...hhmmm, What does this mean...a move or just a long thank you.

The best outcome for me would be a sale and a loan back until the seasons end, Hopefully spend the fee wisely to strengthen the squad and secure a top 2 place 

I think the difference in money between the two divisions makes twisting the obvious choice here. 

I agree with you on the extra year.  I think it makes it less likely, paradoxically, he stays until end of the season.  No need for loan backs and the like which realistically will lower his price.

I would make an agreement with him that he can leave with blessings, but stay until June. 

8 hours ago, Gee SCREAMER !! said:

I believe the club must activate contract option within 6 months of a contract running out, or said player can then sign pre contract terms elsewhere.

I'd assume the club must do it by Jan 30th if that's the case, if his contract runs out end of June.  If someone offers  4 million quid like they did in September however, I'd expect Derby to have his taxi booked.  

He is worth more now to us than he was then.  The new TV deal is much more generous and far far far more generous to Championship rather than League One teams.  

If we wouldn't sell in September, we sure as hell wouldn't now.  

56 minutes ago, rammieib said:

Anyone know the rule that if we have NOT yet activated his extension, can he sign elsewhere on a pre-contract on the 1st Jan?

Surely therefore we must have protected our assets and therefore already triggered the extension?

As @Carnero clearly put it: we don't know whether he has or not.

28 minutes ago, rammieib said:

Extend his one year deal which appears to be in OUR control - he will be worth £3m in the summer if we are in League One still.

He will be worth £4m if we are in the Championship.

I see zero point in letting him go in January, absolutely zero point.

Someone tell me why we should? 

The only way I can think we have not activated it yet is because we are discussing longer terms with him. He could be countering this with a get out clause and more money etc

I see where you are coming from.  If I were David Clowes I might take a slightly different tact. 

If we were not in a high play off spot we would probably be willing to sell him now - we would activate and paradoxically sell.  The issue we have is we would want him to think the end of the season is not too far away, so why not give DCFC the time.  If he has a longer contract, it might feel the carrot is being dangled which removes his incentive to stay.  

The fact the option has not been activated yet signifies to me that some horse-trading is ongoing.  Stay until the end of the season with us and give your all, but we will not stand in your way if you want to leave in June (or, happily, sign a new better contract with us if you get us promoted.)

On 12/12/2023 at 15:11, Ambitious said:

I think it's a nod towards George Clooney who is a self-confessed Derby County fan. Imagine both Timothy Dalton and George Clooney at the helm, rather than stir the pot, we would definitely shake things up. 

They would be after a licence to (make a) killing .  It would scare the living daylights out of me.

36 minutes ago, Gabby'sThighs said:

I'm I alone in not being too bothered about getting into the Premier League? As it stands, you can't challenge for the title without billions, and the idea of every season being a relegation battle doesn't fill me with joy. Brighton have an appealing model, focussing on buying young talent, developing them and selling on, but Southampton have shown how hard that plan is to maintain.  And the idea of becoming a consortium club making money for some faceless investment group fills me with dread.

For the time being, I just want to see sustainability, a thriving academy, and a strong community presence, and I get the impression that's the current focus. Championship football will come sooner or later.

I like the idea of going back to the 1997 season.  The idea of watching Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal in meaningful games every week is appealing.  But I hated the 2007/08 season with a passion and would rather the Championship to that.

If we were in the running to go to EPL I'd be dead in favour, but where we are now - as it is a world away - I'm with you.

7 hours ago, Ambitious said:

To be successful, long-term, you need money to compete. We’re a bit of a unicorn at this level so we can more than compete with our revenue. The Championship is a different ball game, of course you can beat all the odds with excellent coaching and recruitment. Usually, though, it’s the teams who spend the most money and have the biggest wage bill at the top. I think under Clowes, with all due respect to him and us, we would only be treading water at the next level. 

He would be looking at a long term push.  We would probably look for two or three years in Championship to solidify.  

This strategy is all or nothing; it is exactly Mel's thinking.  If you go up, it is inspired.  It would have been inspired had Mel succeeded.  But he didn't.  We are where we are because he didn't. 

The play off final: had we won that, Mel would probably be up their with Pickering as a great owner.  It is nicer having a club that will definitely exist to that lottery.    

23 hours ago, Tyler Durden said:

I heard that Chris Kirchener is a pretty shrewd businessman 

He's the best type - an alchemist.