Truckle

Help from the EFL?  That'll be the arsonist following the fire-engine with a watering can then.

Help from the EFL?  That'll be the arsonist following the fire-engine with a watering can then.

Help from the EFL?  That'll be the arsonist following the fire-engine with a watering can then.

Help from the EFL?  That'll be the arsonist following the fire-engine with a watering can then.

Help from the EFL?  That'll be the arsonist following the fire-engine with a watering can then.

Help from the EFL?  That'll be the arsonist following the fire-engine with a watering can then.

Help from the EFL?  That'll be the arsonist following the fire-engine with a watering can then.

I cannot believe how poor the standard of journalism is at Radio Derby.

Well then, it seems pretty clear that Mel, channelling his inner Greg Wallace, did indeed eat my hamster, served up on a buttery biscuit base.  I agree with most posters that he made loads of mistakes but I still stand by my original point that administration wouldn’t have happened without the EFL retrospectively changing the rules, and then actively trying everything from delaying tactics, constant appeals and spin to get us where we are.  That and Covid.  I am willing to bet the loses posted by Bristol City are the tip of the iceberg and I am expecting to spend the rest of the season watching the EFL busily extending a helping hand to 23 overspending clubs while casually keeping their foot on the throat of ours.  David mentioned Mel writing a book, which would be interesting, but I think a lot of the actions of the EFL are in the public domain already and I’d hope one of the journos who cover the club had a bash at it. 

I don’t understand why we are all so keen to blame Mel rather than the EFL. 
The problem with laying the blame at Mel’s door is that the logic just doesn’t add up.  It relies on 3 pillars:
Mel is as thick as mince He actively decided to ruin and devalue an asset he owns He is some kind of agent who intentionally bought Derby to ruin it. Let’s assume for a second that Mel Morris is neither stupid nor intent on ruining the club he supports, then you really have to ask – how does any of it make sense?
There is an alternative narrative to the ‘Mel ate my hamster’ view of the world. What he did during his time was try to get us promoted by sailing as close to the limit of FFP as possible, just like every other club with a reasonably minted owner.  Where he massively failed was in not having the foresight to build a time machine.
When we submitted the financial figures to the EFL on 30th June 2016 the EFL signed-off on those figures. As a result Mel based his future spending plans on how much he could put into the club while staying within FFP using that method. He funded the club on this basis for the next 3 years, without a murmur from the EFL.
Let’s say that the EFL had been even half-way competent – it’s a stretch I know, but bear with me – and had said on the 30th of June 2016.
“Mr Morris, we don’t think you should amortise in this way, can you resubmit using the previous method?”
What do you think he would have done? Given that he’s not stupid or intent on ruining the club I’m betting he’d have said:
“Right you are, I’ll change my plans accordingly”
And over the next couple of years sold Tom Laurence and not bought Krystian Beilik.  From the figures that have been quoted I think would have been enough to comply with FFP, and if it wasn’t he would have sold someone else, wouldn’t he?  Given the alternative was to destroy a really valuable asset he owned I don’t think that is an unreasonable assumption.  I would argue the EFL retrospectively moving the goal posts and a global pandemic that disproportionately hits the best supported teams are why we are where we are rather than the blame all laying at Mel’s door.

Well then, it seems pretty clear that Mel, channelling his inner Greg Wallace, did indeed eat my hamster, served up on a buttery biscuit base.  I agree with most posters that he made loads of mistakes but I still stand by my original point that administration wouldn’t have happened without the EFL retrospectively changing the rules, and then actively trying everything from delaying tactics, constant appeals and spin to get us where we are.  That and Covid.  I am willing to bet the loses posted by Bristol City are the tip of the iceberg and I am expecting to spend the rest of the season watching the EFL busily extending a helping hand to 23 overspending clubs while casually keeping their foot on the throat of ours.  David mentioned Mel writing a book, which would be interesting, but I think a lot of the actions of the EFL are in the public domain already and I’d hope one of the journos who cover the club had a bash at it. 

Well then, it seems pretty clear that Mel, channelling his inner Greg Wallace, did indeed eat my hamster, served up on a buttery biscuit base.  I agree with most posters that he made loads of mistakes but I still stand by my original point that administration wouldn’t have happened without the EFL retrospectively changing the rules, and then actively trying everything from delaying tactics, constant appeals and spin to get us where we are.  That and Covid.  I am willing to bet the loses posted by Bristol City are the tip of the iceberg and I am expecting to spend the rest of the season watching the EFL busily extending a helping hand to 23 overspending clubs while casually keeping their foot on the throat of ours.  David mentioned Mel writing a book, which would be interesting, but I think a lot of the actions of the EFL are in the public domain already and I’d hope one of the journos who cover the club had a bash at it. 

I don’t understand why we are all so keen to blame Mel rather than the EFL. 
The problem with laying the blame at Mel’s door is that the logic just doesn’t add up.  It relies on 3 pillars:
Mel is as thick as mince He actively decided to ruin and devalue an asset he owns He is some kind of agent who intentionally bought Derby to ruin it. Let’s assume for a second that Mel Morris is neither stupid nor intent on ruining the club he supports, then you really have to ask – how does any of it make sense?
There is an alternative narrative to the ‘Mel ate my hamster’ view of the world. What he did during his time was try to get us promoted by sailing as close to the limit of FFP as possible, just like every other club with a reasonably minted owner.  Where he massively failed was in not having the foresight to build a time machine.
When we submitted the financial figures to the EFL on 30th June 2016 the EFL signed-off on those figures. As a result Mel based his future spending plans on how much he could put into the club while staying within FFP using that method. He funded the club on this basis for the next 3 years, without a murmur from the EFL.
Let’s say that the EFL had been even half-way competent – it’s a stretch I know, but bear with me – and had said on the 30th of June 2016.
“Mr Morris, we don’t think you should amortise in this way, can you resubmit using the previous method?”
What do you think he would have done? Given that he’s not stupid or intent on ruining the club I’m betting he’d have said:
“Right you are, I’ll change my plans accordingly”
And over the next couple of years sold Tom Laurence and not bought Krystian Beilik.  From the figures that have been quoted I think would have been enough to comply with FFP, and if it wasn’t he would have sold someone else, wouldn’t he?  Given the alternative was to destroy a really valuable asset he owned I don’t think that is an unreasonable assumption.  I would argue the EFL retrospectively moving the goal posts and a global pandemic that disproportionately hits the best supported teams are why we are where we are rather than the blame all laying at Mel’s door.

I don’t understand why we are all so keen to blame Mel rather than the EFL. 
The problem with laying the blame at Mel’s door is that the logic just doesn’t add up.  It relies on 3 pillars:
Mel is as thick as mince He actively decided to ruin and devalue an asset he owns He is some kind of agent who intentionally bought Derby to ruin it. Let’s assume for a second that Mel Morris is neither stupid nor intent on ruining the club he supports, then you really have to ask – how does any of it make sense?
There is an alternative narrative to the ‘Mel ate my hamster’ view of the world. What he did during his time was try to get us promoted by sailing as close to the limit of FFP as possible, just like every other club with a reasonably minted owner.  Where he massively failed was in not having the foresight to build a time machine.
When we submitted the financial figures to the EFL on 30th June 2016 the EFL signed-off on those figures. As a result Mel based his future spending plans on how much he could put into the club while staying within FFP using that method. He funded the club on this basis for the next 3 years, without a murmur from the EFL.
Let’s say that the EFL had been even half-way competent – it’s a stretch I know, but bear with me – and had said on the 30th of June 2016.
“Mr Morris, we don’t think you should amortise in this way, can you resubmit using the previous method?”
What do you think he would have done? Given that he’s not stupid or intent on ruining the club I’m betting he’d have said:
“Right you are, I’ll change my plans accordingly”
And over the next couple of years sold Tom Laurence and not bought Krystian Beilik.  From the figures that have been quoted I think would have been enough to comply with FFP, and if it wasn’t he would have sold someone else, wouldn’t he?  Given the alternative was to destroy a really valuable asset he owned I don’t think that is an unreasonable assumption.  I would argue the EFL retrospectively moving the goal posts and a global pandemic that disproportionately hits the best supported teams are why we are where we are rather than the blame all laying at Mel’s door.

I tried to capture this sentiment in this a few weeks back, particularly the bit about other EFL clubs not being worried about their future:  https://ramsreviewpodcast.wixsite.com/home/post/the-wrong-coloured-shorts

Can these guys stay and run our club?

Can these guys stay and run our club?

Can these guys stay and run our club?

Can these guys stay and run our club?

Can these guys stay and run our club?

Can these guys stay and run our club?

Can these guys stay and run our club?

Can these guys stay and run our club?

Listening to the Administrators it did occur to me that Mel might not  have been talking out of his arse on radio Derby after all.  He said something to the effect that buyers were just sitting back and waiting and he felt that putting us into administration was the only way to get them to put up or shut up.  From the press conference with the Administrators today it does seem like he might have been right.  They were talking very positively about how a lot of interested parties, who had already carried out due diligence were now actively looking to buy us.

Can these guys stay and run our club?