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Post by Macmoish on Jul 28, 2016 13:33:16 GMT
Better or Worse Off after 5 Years of Tony Fernandes et al?
And it's certainly not a question: Who do you like more: Flavio Briatore or Tony Fernandes? (I presume no one would prefer Briatore as a person)
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Post by terryb on Jul 28, 2016 16:58:20 GMT
Better off than five years ago? I think so, but this is swayed by my feelings towards his predecessors.
Worse off than twenty/twenty five years ago? A yes from me!
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Post by RoryTheRanger on Jul 28, 2016 18:32:30 GMT
Better in some ways (new badge, owners who aren't genuinely horrific people, some amazing memories from Wembley/Prem etc) Worse in some ways (ridiculous debt, fanbase ruined, throwing money at mercenaries etc)
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Post by sharky on Jul 28, 2016 23:03:14 GMT
Under Briatore we had an interfering owner with one wonderful year. Under TF a roller-coaster ride with an owner who was taken for a ride by many agents and three years in the Prem.
I prefer TF and would say we're marginally better off now
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Post by bowranger on Aug 1, 2016 10:34:19 GMT
Better in some ways (new badge, owners who aren't genuinely horrific people, some amazing memories from Wembley/Prem etc) Worse in some ways (ridiculous debt, fanbase ruined, throwing money at mercenaries etc) Yeah, pretty much this. I think the core difference from me is the sense of hope. With Briatore and Co., you knew where you were as a fan - they couldn't care less and that was never going to change. With TF, I think he's also presided over a lot of things that have made me feel really alienated from the club, for the reasons Rory said above, but it at least feels like there's hope of change and he's capable of listening. There's stuff he's certainly pig-headed about (see his view on social media interaction for example - openly admits that the press team have told him to rein it in and he openly refuses), though. At a push, I think we are better off, but really not by very much. This pre-season and the roles of Hoos, Sir Les and JFH have done a lot to make me feel more optimistic about the future though. TF deserves to carry a large share of the blame for the previous failures and miss-steps, but also deserves credit for delegating and hiring those people as an acceptance that things weren't working - I strongly doubt that Briatore etc. would have done the same. As a sidenote, not that it will change any time soon, it just seems depressing that we as fans have to surrender the running of the club to the whims of whichever multi-millionaire happens to walk through the door when it comes to the top few divisions of football.
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Post by marshbowles10 on Aug 1, 2016 11:02:12 GMT
What a great question!
Would you rather be killed by firing squad or hung?
At first Briatore with Ecclestone was interesting and we had some top totty at Loftus Road. Did he matter he didn't understand football. Initially no and then he proved to be a bit of an arse so I'm glad he went. But I feel pretty sure had he remained we'd not be in the financial mess we are now.
We know that we are a mid table Championship side under Fernandez having spent funds that should have guaranteed a much higher place in English football.
Under Briatore I somehow feel we'd be in the same sort of position but wouldn't have wasted so much money.
Fernandez was frankly deluded when he joined thinking he could run a football club with no experience and employing imbecilic people like Phil Beard who single handedly gave contracts that were ridiculous beyond all measure of reason.
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Post by bowranger on Aug 1, 2016 12:18:35 GMT
...Fernandez was frankly deluded when he joined thinking he could run a football club with no experience and employing imbecilic people like Phil Beard who single handedly gave contracts that were ridiculous beyond all measure of reason. I agree. Feel like hiring Beard was symbolic of the fact that the purchase of QPR was not so much for the good custodianship of the club, but more in terms of how QPR could be used as a commercial vehicle for other Fernandes brands and commercial projects. That doesn't always work out badly (it's just bloody depressing to me, though), but in this case it was massively naive and short-sighted.
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Post by sharky on Aug 1, 2016 12:19:30 GMT
....oh yes one other thing. Where we finished this year is the worst we've finished under TF and except for our promotion year is (I think) better than where we ended up ever under Briatore.
Not saying we're now better off, but if this question had been asked in any other summer over the past five years it may have got different answers. I'd be interested to see what the answer to this same question will be in a years time.
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Post by Ashdown_Ranger on Aug 1, 2016 12:39:22 GMT
Better off how?
Financially? The balance sheet is worse today. But if Briatore had stayed, who's to say we wouldn't be just as bad off - or even be bankrupt? But current board have been as good as their word and covered the clubs debts out of personal funds. My guess... BETTER
League position? Well, I imagine we'd be about the same under Flav - unless he turned into Owen Royston and we did a Blackpool... SAME
Engagement/alienation of fans? There've been ups and downs, but Briatore never got over his 'They only pay £20' and 'Give me their names...' comments/threats against loyal, long-serving (suffering?) fans. Oh, and £10,000 on a posh lamp shade...?? BETTER
Team and manager? Blimey, what a turnover since Flav took over until today. Despite massive disruption, poor advice and some calamitous signings, I think we're settling into something decent and sustainable. BETTER
Future prospects? New training ground almost over the line, possibility of new ground, investment in youth; in people in key roles who seem to know what they're doing; in the community. A feeling that TF, despite some failings, has the club's best interests at heart. BETTER
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Post by blatantfowl on Aug 1, 2016 18:20:55 GMT
We are better off now than 5 years ago. It's been 5 years of waving our knackers perilously close to the bacon-slicer though.
Promotion under Briatore was achieved as a chance outcome of their scattergun policies. It happened. We enjoyed it. Briatore deserved no medals for the success. His reward came when TF paid him a big cheque.
TF has been a hapless dolt, lured into criminally awful decisions by the ever-growing crowd of fluffers and yes-people who were willing to perpetuate his dream of a massive hoop-flavoured West London redevelopment scheme. TF passed his brainless optimism on to me as for a while as I too was convinced that everything was awesome. The prize was soooo big; so we all wanted to ride this wave of euphoria until the Champion's League trophy was adorned with blue and white and we were all allowed to borrow occasionally so we could show our mates.
But the wave petered out and TF face-palmed slap bang right back in Shepherd's Bush where he started. The shock must have had an effect because we started paying attention to financial fair-play, wrote off the debt and made infrastructure decisions that might have an effect for more than 6 weeks.
I am pleased to say our knackers are now safely zipped away and we can face a future where we operate within our means. We might be successful on the pitch or we might not but at least we will compete and the club will still be there afterwards. Here's to life beyond the bacon-slicer!
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Post by londonranger on Aug 1, 2016 18:55:53 GMT
For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, we will take these Rs till death do us part. Fans Oath.
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Post by bowranger on Aug 2, 2016 12:17:33 GMT
We are better off now than 5 years ago. It's been 5 years of waving our knackers perilously close to the bacon-slicer though. Promotion under Briatore was achieved as a chance outcome of their scattergun policies. It happened. We enjoyed it. Briatore deserved no medals for the success. His reward came when TF paid him a big cheque. TF has been a hapless dolt, lured into criminally awful decisions by the ever-growing crowd of fluffers and yes-people who were willing to perpetuate his dream of a massive hoop-flavoured West London redevelopment scheme. TF passed his brainless optimism on to me as for a while as I too was convinced that everything was awesome. The prize was soooo big; so we all wanted to ride this wave of euphoria until the Champion's League trophy was adorned with blue and white and we were all allowed to borrow occasionally so we could show our mates. But the wave petered out and TF face-palmed slap bang right back in Shepherd's Bush where he started. The shock must have had an effect because we started paying attention to financial fair-play, wrote off the debt and made infrastructure decisions that might have an effect for more than 6 weeks. I am pleased to say our knackers are now safely zipped away and we can face a future where we operate within our means. We might be successful on the pitch or we might not but at least we will compete and the club will still be there afterwards. Here's to life beyond the bacon-slicer! ![:-*](http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/aktion/action-smiley-033.gif)
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Post by canadaranger on Aug 2, 2016 21:05:54 GMT
Paladini was a disaster. Under Briatore, I felt the club was never about the fans...
It's coming back, thanks to Tony... and his supporters and staff. Great to see the new crest. (I will add the apostrophe to mine... Rebel...) Great to see smart signings of players who (win or lose) care more about playing football than polishing their egos. Great to see no more signings of ageing Chel$ea rejects.
What more of the pre-TF damage could be undone?
- Remember all the small shareholders that were "encouraged" to sell their shares?... If people wanted to make it a fans club again, offer every season ticket holder the right to buy a share. I can say this without being in a conflict as I am out of country and not a season ticket holder.
- Also what about the banning orders allegedly made against former employees and supporters, five or more years ago. Are there still good people who had run-ins with previous management who are still banned from the ground? There will also be cases of people banned for rowdy behaviour at a game. Five years is a long time for people to grow up. Banning of rowdies should stand unless the formerly rowdy supporter can give assurances (bond?) of reformed behaviour.
- What about setting aside a box where employees who have given 25 years service to the club (from Janitor to Director) can bring a friend a few times a year in recognition of their service?
- How about having kids from local schools play a 10-minute game during half-time, or before or after the game. This happens regularly with Under-8's here in ice hockey. Obviously, you use just a small part of the pitch. If after a game, (unheard of?) it might reduce congestion at local tube stations, and allow a few more concessions sales in the ground.
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maude
Dave Mangnall
Posts: 142
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Post by maude on Aug 12, 2016 16:08:03 GMT
Fernandes out. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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