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Post by tenacres on May 25, 2018 20:50:53 GMT
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Post by boyatthood on May 25, 2018 22:30:10 GMT
'Happy with a top ten finish'. 'Get the club on a sound financial footing.' 'Run like a regular business' 'Prudent' 'The budget will need to be adhered to' Quite simply the gravy train has completely gone and there is absolutely no aspiration for league football. Its down to the community to back the club to keep it in the national league seems to be the message. The big dreams are all over. If we start badly next season we're going down end of. Sorry Mark but you already sound like you are shifting deck chairs, not inspiring...
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Post by owen2929 on May 25, 2018 23:06:58 GMT
Sounds like this season is going to be awful to watch. The same team minus Sam Matthews who looked like the only half decent player. Will have to wait to see who Hess brings in but at the moment it’s looking extremely bleak
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Post by back4more on May 26, 2018 0:13:33 GMT
Well done BBC Radio Solent on a strong and highly relevant interview.
I'm trying hard to remember the reassurances Stewart gave us regarding the playing budget he had left for next season.
I suppose we have to remember the high cost contracts that still have to be paid for another season or two though, and the residual pickings might not leave much for building a new team.
What if we end up in the doldrums and with diminishing crowds?
Will there be a future in Eastleigh for a 5000 plus capacity stadium?
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Post by merlin on May 26, 2018 6:08:07 GMT
There is no real change at the top level of the club and for me I fear for our future. The “new” owners will no doubt have a master to report back to and I’m sure that there will be someone in the background setting the rules. No mention of who owns the ground?
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2018 6:58:34 GMT
Mark said nothing we already knew about the way the club will move forward. Fair comments all through.
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Post by michaelefc on May 26, 2018 8:13:37 GMT
Very impressive interview. Welcome to the real world EFC. Pleased to hear this. Next season will be a challenge; now time to meet that challenge. Lets all roll our sleeves up and see what we can do.
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Post by taylov on May 26, 2018 9:30:37 GMT
"Sorry Mark but you already sound like you are shifting deck chairs, not inspiring..."
I listened and thought the exact opposite. It is what I wanted to hear - a sensible and realistic assessment. No trying to buy our way to the FL, no plans to rebuild the ground to a level we could never hope to fill unless we pulled Saints or Pompey in the FA Cup. The immediate priority is to stay in this league rather than have dreams of more at this stage.
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Post by upthespitfires on May 26, 2018 10:01:00 GMT
"Sorry Mark but you already sound like you are shifting deck chairs, not inspiring..." I listened and thought the exact opposite. It is what I wanted to hear - a sensible and realistic assessment. No trying to buy our way to the FL, no plans to rebuild the ground to a level we could never hope to fill unless we pulled Saints or Pompey in the FA Cup. The immediate priority is to stay in this league rather than have dreams of more at this stage. Agree with you there Tony. At the end of each season, we heard SD aspiring to get into the football league and to be playing at Championship football within five seasons. As a result of these (IMHO) unrealistic ambitions, fans are expecting us to be winning every match and winning the league. We still have ambition and I believe a top ten finish will be a more realistic aim for next season. Let’s give the new board a chance and see what happens once the season is underway. Hopefully the fans’ forum will provide the opportunity to air views/opinions and ideas. In the meantime we can only hope that Hessy makes some good positive signings and be given the freedom and the budget to fully carry out his role as first team manager. |
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Post by martfergie on May 27, 2018 9:37:55 GMT
I actually think it’s a very good interview, and fairly clever too!
SD put a lot of pressure on the club talking about money, budgets, etc etc which must have transferred down to the players too. Lovely as fans to hear but the pressure on the club would have been huge because of it. Yes it may have attracted more fans but I think the pressure from within the club was too much. He’s already done exactly the same thing at Sunderland saying they have a championship budget etc etc and season tickets have been flooding in according to the Sunderland social media channels.
Mark has lowered expectations, which I think is a very good idea. Means the fans might not be there to start with but if the players can play with less pressure are we likely to perform better? A top 10 finish is the target this season, no miracles, just got out and do a job this year. Macclesfield had a mid table target last season and they won the league by 10 points! So I think Marks interview was brilliant. Talks inside the club may be different and be all about promotion, but he’s being sensible.
On thing in my job is to over perform and over deliver. Maybe Mark is making the same approach?
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Post by tenacres on May 27, 2018 9:56:20 GMT
Think he is mainly trying to manage expectations.
I think it’s a good sensible interview. We’ve finished 16th and 14th last couple of seasons so I don’t think it’s too relevant that we were “going for promotion” in those two seasons.
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Post by droewors on May 27, 2018 10:20:05 GMT
There is no real change at the top level of the club and for me I fear for our future. The “new” owners will no doubt have a master to report back to and I’m sure that there will be someone in the background setting the rules. No mention of who owns the ground? You hit the nail on the head there Merlin, lets not kid ourselves, there is still a "Master" holding the strings and the puppets will dance to his jig. I can't help thinking that Eastleigh have been set to tick over should it be required again, with a thinly disguised "new set of owners". I have no issue with living within our means, in fact I welcome the return to reality, my issue is the possibility of having a puppet master who has mothballed our club in the event that his new toy does not work out. Whilst I will always be thankful that Stewart came along and gave our club a massive boost, I have never felt that our club was anything more to him than rich man's toy. He has now found a bigger and better one and therefore has transferred all his dreams and aspirations and left many with empty promises. I would have felt better if I knew he had made a clean break but I cannot get it out of my mind that we are still controlled by SD and he is happy for us to be left on chill. |
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Post by ajc on May 27, 2018 10:34:55 GMT
Surely it’s best to just wait and see how we get on next season before getting all worked up about things that are totally out of the supporters hands , and why do so many people think everything has a sinister twist ! We have a good ground , good manager and good facilities and hopefully a good team on and off the pitch is that not enough .
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Post by droewors on May 27, 2018 13:23:14 GMT
I agree with most of the above ajs, hopefully we actually have a more sensible management team in place and they can grow the club generically.
I hope of course that I am completely wrong, but for SD's right hand man and others who were employed to take control without SD getting a return, something does not feel right. (I must stress that this is pure speculation on my part and he may just like giving money away)
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Post by stew5018 on May 27, 2018 19:35:53 GMT
Mr Donald had a once in a lifetime opportunity to get near to where he wanted to be. Yes he has the means to move onwards but its his money he can do what he likes with it. I am a committed supporter who came to the club 2 seasons ago. I came because of Mr Donald because of his ambitions. However I soon realised that ambitions often count for nothing--only success. Though Mr Donald has gone I will still be there. I am now here long term. I enjoy the atmosphere, the clubhouse, the parking the food. I don't need anything other than that other than to watch a game of football-sometimes good often bad. But its still local football at a reasonable level and affordable. Only success will bring a bigger crowd--those already here will stay--and the number of STH exceeds some grounds matchday crowds.His shares are being transferred as is the rest of his families.That takes a special resolution as they are non-transferable. It would take a special resolution for him to get them back. So there is no conspiracy theory just wild speculation. Lets just be grateful for what has been achieved and move on. Lets see just how the team can manage as a properly financed club with no golden pot in the background. Live within our means. And remember nothings for ever-especially in football
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