Manager Kit Symons, Chief Football Officer Mike Rigg and Chief Executive Alistair Mackintosh give an insight into their roles in taking Fulham FC forward.
http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/may/27/moving-forwards (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/may/27/moving-forwards)
Ali Mac looks very interested in what Rigg said at the start of this piece, and also says nothing has really change din his role, so I ask is he still negotiating and not Rigg? interesting times ahead, but maybe more questions than answers from the first 2 and a half minutes of the video.
Quote from: westcliff white on May 27, 2015, 01:14:50 PM
Ali Mac looks very interested in what Rigg said at the start of this piece, and also says nothing has really change din his role, so I ask is he still negotiating and not Rigg? interesting times ahead, but maybe more questions than answers from the first 2 and a half minutes of the video.
Why the concern over Mackintosh still negotiating? I am sure that Kit and Rigg will agree the targets and set the parameters such as maximum fee, wages and length of contract and then Mackintosh will work on the fine detail with the agent and player within that.
For as far as we can tell he is good at closing these deals and has got in players like Berbatov and Ruiz, some in competitive situations.
No concern, I was confused. I have misunderstood Riggs role, I thought he was bought in for those aspects but it appears he hasn't been and will work with Kit on Identifying and bringing them in for Ali Mac to conclude.
overall thought it was a good piece, facial expressions say things sometimes and they all seemed to be paying attention to everything the others said.
Maybe Ali Mac will be doing the initial negotiation and Rigg will do the closing.
It makes sense because things at start is usually full of time wasting activities.
I actually thought Sarah asked alot of good questions. It was more aggressive than her normal interview style.
Good news about the stand, looks like thats pretty much going ahead now. I was slightly disappointed that they didn't share my urgency with getting promotion. Rigg seemed to come across as a bit annoyed (not sure if I interpreted his body language incorrectly). Good to hear that the owner is fully engaged. Hopefully that will put to bed the feeling by some that he isnt interested.
Very interesting comments on Ruiz aswell. Everyone acknowledging that he doesnt want to be here. It will be interesting to see if we can get a buyer.
Don't think we learnt much from this to be honest. Kit looks a bit scared sat there. When asked whether he had any reassurance for the fans who weren't happy with him sticking around he didn't really say anything to make me think - yea the club were right to stick with this guy
Obviously these things are stage-managed to some extent, but I thought this was an enormously informative piece.
Sarah asked some quite searching and pertinent questions, even one about a specific player's situation, and, despite some management-speak, elicited some fairly direct replies. There was certainly positive news about the stand development and the owner's involvement.
Rigg did a lot of talking and comes over as a major player.
Quote from: cmg on May 27, 2015, 01:41:48 PM
Obviously these things are stage-managed to some extent, but I thought this was an enormously informative piece.
Sarah asked some quite searching and pertinent questions, even one about a specific player's situation, and, despite some management-speak, elicited some fairly direct replies. There was certainly positive news about the stand development and the owner's involvement.
Rigg did a lot of talking and comes over as a major player.
What came out of that that we didn't really know before?
Finally!!!! This is EXACTLY the kind of thing that has been needed from the football club.....some communication about roles, strategies, visions, ongoing work, etc. I have believed that the root of much of the consternation from the supporters has been due to a lack of understanding of how the club works now under new ownership and how that new ownership/management are working to make the club "sustainable" but also more successful.
For me, even though most of what was said was what one would expect to hear, it was important to hear it from these specific individuals.
It's come as a relief to me and has me feeling far more positive about the intent of the club - short and long term.
Does it make me entirely comfortable in the notion that were going to find an additional 30-35 points that we'll need next season to be in the promotion reckoning? No. But, I do feel a little better about those prospects.
I hope now that the small "Khan out" contingent that still exists, at least on this board, will feel a bit more comfortable with his ownership, that he is committed to not only FFC but also to maintaining and improving The Cottage as well as the entire football ground experience.
Excellent effort from Sarah and the communications team at the club. Just what was needed in this lull between the end of a terrible season and the beginning of the transfer season.
Summary for those at work:
Official confirmation of Kit's place as manager for the meantime.
Rigg in charge of transfers, Ali Mac now just the finance-man for final signoff of player deals.
This year's target is top 6.
The club's ambition is to synchronise the footballing and business strategies of the club. Rigg is (basically) in charge of football off-pitch; Kit, on-pitch football; Ali Mac, business.
Stadium plan is still moving forward and will be completed regardless of whether or not we're in the Premiership. We now own a chunk of the Thames to build onto.
We have money to buy players, but Rigg won't be overspending and wants to be careful about the sorts of players we bring in, so will discuss with Kit who he thinks we should bring in, for Kit to confirm.
Some players were brought out of the academy to the first team too quickly, but the academy is seen vital to our future and our youth players will have more carefully strategised initiations into the first team, when they're ready.
Kit acknowledges the criticism of him from last season and vows to make amends and prove that he can be the one to front the chairman's vision of the club.
Ali Mac subtly sticks knife into Al Fayed for not investing for a while, suggesting Khan will bring new investment and is just at the beginning of his tenure (quite a lot of brown-nosing the new owner from Ali Mac, actually).
Khan visits Motspur regularly and is completely engaged in the club.
EDIT: oh, and for those wondering, we're keeping Kit because the club needs some stability after a tough few years, morale amongst players and staff is high and - despite a disappointing season - Kit managed to keep us up, which was good enough (considering where the club was when he started).
Quote from: alexbishop on May 27, 2015, 01:41:03 PM
Don't think we learnt much from this to be honest. Kit looks a bit scared sat there. When asked whether he had any reassurance for the fans who weren't happy with him sticking around he didn't really say anything to make me think - yea the club were right to stick with this guy
I had the same feeling. And, from Sarah's questioning around his tenure, it certainly seemed that his continued involvement as manager was anything but secure until very recently.
All 4 come across well. Brookes asks probing questions for the most part. Rigg spoke well as did Mac.
The Ruiz question was a bit redundant. I would have liked to have seen a question regarding if Kit is getting some experience into help him ie Burton. Also would have liked if Jennings was there to find out what is happening in relation to u21's and u18's.
First, well done to Sarah and the comms team for getting the three key figures (Khan apart) to sit down and answer questions.
My take on it is as follows......
1 Riggs is clearly a powerful addition to the team. I suspect that he is Khan's appointed custodian to ensure that what happened this season never happens again.
2 Did the three guys look relaxed together? Absolutely not, and that may or may not be a good thing.
3 Given the talk about money, my guess is that we will not be paying more than £5m tops for any new players, and it will be more like £2-3m.
4 Is there genuinely a major role for both Riggs and Ali Mac - there must be some overlap between the two, which is not business-efficient.
5 Overall, did the interview deliver a positive message? Yes- just so long as the three develop mutual respect and understanding. And, ideally, that they get to like each other!
I wonder where curbs fits into all this. Is he still in contract? With him Rigg and kit all having input on the footballing side of things too many cooks come to mind.
Although I have not yet had time to watch this interview (and the Jim and Sean video) I don't remember similar end of season videos/interviews in previous years so well done indeed to the club as a whole for producing them. Indicative of the realisation of the need to get/keep fans onside.
(http://www.photoboothandmoustaches.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/moustache-and-circus_Photo-Booth-and-Moustaches.png)
Not sure what more they could have said. Seems everything is as it should be and the short and long term plans are going ahead. Our owner is said to be here for the long haul and we have a management team that reflects that.
Seems that the philosophy makes sense.
Thank god for all that, bow tie don't not have to answer a load of questions :-)
Good stuff by the club
Quote from: MJG on May 27, 2015, 03:52:19 PM
Thank god for all that, bow tie don't not have to answer a load of questions :-)
Good stuff by the club
I've often asked/wished that the club would be more communicative and argued that club PR would be well-served by it, especially where supporter relations are concerned.
You've asked me what I'd like that communication to be like and I've feebly tried to put it into words.
This is about it. No giving away of "trade secrets" but, expressing what it is the club are aiming for, describing roles and responsibilities, giving away a few nibbles of info that few were aware of (possible Hammersmith reno, purchase of Thames property), and clarifying misconceptions. Breath of fresh air for me and buoyed my confidence a bit for the transfer window and coming season.
Better from Sarah and I was impressed by Rigg. Sceptics might say that it's what we'd expect them to say but what else can they say if that is what they believe? Rigg seemed dominant and a good acquisition. AM a bit twitchy and Kit a bit nervous. Positive on the Riverside.
I was amused by AM's reference to Mr Fayed having "been at the end of his ownership cycle" - oblique phraseology after my own heart!
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 04:10:47 PM
Quote from: MJG on May 27, 2015, 03:52:19 PM
Thank god for all that, bow tie don't not have to answer a load of questions :-)
Good stuff by the club
I've often asked/wished that the club would be more communicative and argued that club PR would be well-served by it, especially where supporter relations are concerned.
You've asked me what I'd like that communication to be like and I've feebly tried to put it into words.
This is about it. No giving away of "trade secrets" but, expressing what it is the club are aiming for, describing roles and responsibilities, giving away a few nibbles of info that few were aware of (possible Hammersmith reno, purchase of Thames property), and clarifying misconceptions. Breath of fresh air for me and buoyed my confidence a bit for the transfer window and coming season.
We had certainly said to them in meetings they needed to do something like this and good to see it happen.
Quote from: MJG on May 27, 2015, 04:13:09 PM
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 04:10:47 PM
Quote from: MJG on May 27, 2015, 03:52:19 PM
Thank god for all that, bow tie don't not have to answer a load of questions :-)
Good stuff by the club
I've often asked/wished that the club would be more communicative and argued that club PR would be well-served by it, especially where supporter relations are concerned.
You've asked me what I'd like that communication to be like and I've feebly tried to put it into words.
This is about it. No giving away of "trade secrets" but, expressing what it is the club are aiming for, describing roles and responsibilities, giving away a few nibbles of info that few were aware of (possible Hammersmith reno, purchase of Thames property), and clarifying misconceptions. Breath of fresh air for me and buoyed my confidence a bit for the transfer window and coming season.
We had certainly said to them in meetings they needed to do something like this and good to see it happen.
Glad that you did and that they listened. It says a lot that they made this happen. In the grand scheme, I'm not all that important to the club but, I'm certainly a happier (a bit calmer as well) supporter after having seen that video. Hope that it settles the nerves of many others.
Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on May 27, 2015, 04:22:03 PM
On the face of it, I liked what I heard. Sarah posed a number of searching questions, which I would imagine we would all liked to have asked.
I was impressed with Mike Rigg, he was the most assertive, and was willing to say more than he needed to, to get his point across, and I liked that. Alistair answered as well as he could, he could not have said much more.
As for Kit, he looked a little overwhelmed, and slightly uncomfortable, with his grin, but I think that's his manner, and his persona.
It may have been a little rehearsed, but it has to be to a certain extent, to ensure all questions are answered fully, and to give the three of them an opportunity to state their case. Regarding on and off the pitch issues.
Still not convinced about Kits leadership skills, but hey, let's wait and see how it all pans out. I feel a little more comfortable with them, especially with what Mike Rigg had to say.
The next two months will be intriguing, and the activities will be watched very closely by all of us I am sure.
Kit looked a bit like someone who found out his job was safe about 5 minutes before the interview and hadn't quite got his head around it yet.
Old Rigg likes a bit of middle Management speak - I'm a bit concerned that there doesn't appear to be one leader....take a look at Wenger...he has control of everything including what colour the bogs are going to be....still, this is early days.... Kit's first full season, Riggs only been with us a few months and Ali is getting to grips with Mr Khans demands.....but glad they put it out there
This was a brilliant interview. You have to read between the lines a bit but here is what I picked up on.
1) kit has been told in no uncertain terms that a poor start will lead to him going. He has accepted this "good of the club comment" I think it's fair after the start of last season to at least give this club legend a chance with his team.
2) Riggs is in charge. He will run the football club he will pick the players and agree the fee before leaving mc to hash out a contract.
It looks like the club will make a real effort next season to improve and are mo one forwards. Brookes did brilliant and asked some challenging questions which I think the trio gave some honest answers to (considering it's a pr opportunity)
Thank you Fulham.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: H4usuallysitting on May 27, 2015, 04:32:21 PM
Old Rigg likes a bit of middle Management speak - I'm a bit concerned that there doesn't appear to be one leader....take a look at Wenger...he has control of everything including what colour the bogs are going to be....still, this is early days.... Kit's first full season, Riggs only been with us a few months and Ali is getting to grips with Mr Khans demands.....but glad they put it out there
Wenger has also been there for two decades.
They raised the issue of Ruiz not wanting to be at Fulham and trying to get some money back because of the fee paid but no mention of Mitroglou, wonder whats happening there. 049:gif
lol kit thinks we are getting better. and id love to know what the vision was that they sold riggs.
we really only learned two things.
1 the stand is going ahead
2 kit is in charge
both needed to be said
as for the rest it was what you would expect...
we have funds but will not over spend
we will try for top 6 and if possible promotion in top two (or similar)
we will not spend beyond our means and wait for the fair play regs
we will look after the long term and therefore not spend big sio as to jepordise the club.
They say much the same every year.
i am glad they put the item on line, the proof of the pudding so to speak will be who we bring in and where we finish next season.... reading between the lines, do not hold your breath, mid table mediocrity looks most likely.
What i wanted as an opening statement was... our number one ambition is promotion this season, kit will be backed 100%! They didn't say that. So we shall see.
does sound good about the new stand. we have bought part of the thames
there was a lot of talk about style of football from the first team running down through the academy but no mention of what Kit's vision is for that style. He is first team manager and I still don't know what his style and vision is for the way he wants his team to play. He looked like a rookie sat there and I don't mean this is in a horrible way. I wanted more from Kit in that interview but it was Mike Rigg that ran the show.
Quote from: alexbishop on May 27, 2015, 04:57:52 PM
there was a lot of talk about style of football from the first team running down through the academy but no mention of what Kit's vision is for that style. He is first team manager and I still don't know what his style and vision is for the way he wants his team to play. He looked like a rookie sat there and I don't mean this is in a horrible way. I wanted more from Kit in that interview but it was Mike Rigg that ran the show.
it was how we started under him. he openly said he had to drop his beliefs because they were not effective. so non effective football is his vision
My take resembles that of Nose, a few posts above. The positives were assurances about the stand specifically and the commitment/engagement of the owner in general. (For example, I would not have imagined he was 'often' at Motspur Park.)
Less convincing was the talk about football and business needing to go hand in hand, and not putting the club "at risk for short-term gain." That sounds suspiciously like a rationale for not spending much and expecting value then to be added by a manager who has been retained (they barely pretended otherwise) by the skin of his teeth.
As a matter of plain fact -- Rigg could be asking his boss to bear a personal loss of up to £13 million under the FFP rules next season and that would in no sense put the club at risk. One didn't get the impression he'd be making any such request.
Well done to Sarah Brookes for posing good questions.
But then you would not expect any figures to be mentioned either. So I don't think we can draw many conclusions from the actual finance side of things apart from they will not do a QPR.
Quote from: MJG on May 27, 2015, 05:13:26 PM
But then you would not expect any figures to be mentioned either. So I don't think we can draw many conclusions from the actual finance side of things apart from they will not do a QPR.
Yes, conclusions will only be possible when we see who arrives. For now one can only deal in impressions from a major strand of the interview. My factual point about FFP next season stands. Khan can take a £13 million personal hit within the rules, without endangering any more than his personal bank balance.
Quote from: b+w geezer on May 27, 2015, 05:20:52 PM
Quote from: MJG on May 27, 2015, 05:13:26 PM
But then you would not expect any figures to be mentioned either. So I don't think we can draw many conclusions from the actual finance side of things apart from they will not do a QPR.
Yes, conclusions will only be possible when we see who arrives. For now one can only deal in impressions from a major strand of the interview. My factual point about FFP next season stands. Khan can take a £13 million personal hit within the rules, without endangering any more than his personal bank balance.
And that's right, I'm sure we will go into the red for the coming season.
I'm not arguing that we're going to spend a fortune but, I'm curious. For those who believe the interview indicates that we intend to be relatively "cheap" again in the transfer window, wouldn't you think that FFP would have been a common theme in the interview if they were looking to explain away a "cheap" approach to transfers come the Summer?
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 05:29:30 PM
I'm not arguing that we're going to spend a fortune but, I'm curious. For those who believe the interview indicates that we intend to be relatively "cheap" again in the transfer window, wouldn't you think that FFP would have been a common theme in the interview if they were looking to explain away a "cheap" approach to transfers come the Summer?
sustainability ffp and not risking the long term future were mentioned. plus riggs said we wont pay inflated prices, which says to me he has gone all wenger and thinks he can value other teams players for them. it also suggets we will only be buying players that other teams are not desperate to keep, which never bodes well in my eyes
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 05:29:30 PM
wouldn't you think that FFP would have been a common theme in the interview if they were looking to explain away a "cheap" approach to transfers come the Summer?
Not really, bearing in mind the rules (£13m owner-funded licence. Annually). That's a lot of scope at Championship level. If used.
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 05:29:30 PM
I'm not arguing that we're going to spend a fortune but, I'm curious. For those who believe the interview indicates that we intend to be relatively "cheap" again in the transfer window, wouldn't you think that FFP would have been a common theme in the interview if they were looking to explain away a "cheap" approach to transfers come the Summer?
Surely it is about the right player rather than the expensive player, how many times do we see players that turn up at clubs and you think they will be rubbish because they are cheap and they turn out to be player of the season, Husband/turner/Richards came in on loan because they could not get in their own teams and they done alright, and of course as we well know an expensive player does not equal success.
Quote from: fulhamben on May 27, 2015, 05:34:56 PM
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 05:29:30 PM
I'm not arguing that we're going to spend a fortune but, I'm curious. For those who believe the interview indicates that we intend to be relatively "cheap" again in the transfer window, wouldn't you think that FFP would have been a common theme in the interview if they were looking to explain away a "cheap" approach to transfers come the Summer?
sustainability ffp and not risking the long term future were mentioned. plus riggs said we wont pay inflated prices, which says to me he has gone all wenger and thinks he can value other teams players for them. it also suggets we will only be buying players that other teams are not desperate to keep, which never bodes well in my eyes
I just felt that it would have been more obvious.....the FFP that is.
I think it's just as likely that they're trying to re-enforce the idea that they won't just throw money at the problem, hoping that it fixes itself.
Quote from: alfie on May 27, 2015, 05:43:47 PM
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 05:29:30 PM
I'm not arguing that we're going to spend a fortune but, I'm curious. For those who believe the interview indicates that we intend to be relatively "cheap" again in the transfer window, wouldn't you think that FFP would have been a common theme in the interview if they were looking to explain away a "cheap" approach to transfers come the Summer?
Surely it is about the right player rather than the expensive player, how many times do we see players that turn up at clubs and you think they will be rubbish because they are cheap and they turn out to be player of the season, Husband/turner/Richards came in on loan because they could not get in their own teams and they done alright, and of course as we well know an expensive player does not equal success.
I agree.
I thought it was an excellent video from a number of stand points, firstly we 'met' Mike Rigg for the first time, and he put himself across excellently; passionately discussing and analysing the plan and the strategy in place. I also can't recall hearing Alistair Mackintosh speak, so it was nice to see him very open as he spoke about the Riverside Expansion and his synergy/partnership with Mike Rigg for the greater good of the football team on the pitch. Sarah Brookes' pushing of questions was intriguing, and I was surprised about how 'aggressive' she was with her question, and the openness of the Bryan Ruiz situation, very much addressing that he doesn't want to be here - of which I found Kit Symons' returned the smash with a cool backhand.
I think the football club is the right hands, but of course it'll take time for it to turn into a well oiled machine. An excellent video by the football club, and along the same lines the 'View from the Gantry' one. Nice and lengthy, in depth discussion that flows with interesting conversation. Compare that to the Marcus Bettinelli video, I think the bloke interviewing was dull which didn't had Marcus looking and sounding bored and awkward. The future of online content for football clubs is along the lines of this video, and the one with Sean Davis and Gentleman Jim; Fulham should look to pioneer in this. I've sidetracked again, you're lucky I stopped myself before going into the vision of 'Fulham FC Online.'
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 05:55:29 PM
Quote from: fulhamben on May 27, 2015, 05:34:56 PM
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 05:29:30 PM
I'm not arguing that we're going to spend a fortune but, I'm curious. For those who believe the interview indicates that we intend to be relatively "cheap" again in the transfer window, wouldn't you think that FFP would have been a common theme in the interview if they were looking to explain away a "cheap" approach to transfers come the Summer?
sustainability ffp and not risking the long term future were mentioned. plus riggs said we wont pay inflated prices, which says to me he has gone all wenger and thinks he can value other teams players for them. it also suggets we will only be buying players that other teams are not desperate to keep, which never bodes well in my eyes
I just felt that it would have been more obvious.....the FFP that is.
I think it's just as likely that they're trying to re-enforce the idea that they won't just throw money at the problem, hoping that it fixes itself.
thats the thing with football though, all the successful teams are normally the ones who spend the money. we tried the cheap options for the last few years and look where that got us. kit has said he will protect the youngsters so thats not an option, plus he is hardly the manager to get a team to over achieve. so pray tell just how are they planning a top 6 finish with no serious investment and a manager who struggled last season?
Quote from: fulhamben on May 27, 2015, 06:02:18 PM
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 05:55:29 PM
Quote from: fulhamben on May 27, 2015, 05:34:56 PM
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 05:29:30 PM
I'm not arguing that we're going to spend a fortune but, I'm curious. For those who believe the interview indicates that we intend to be relatively "cheap" again in the transfer window, wouldn't you think that FFP would have been a common theme in the interview if they were looking to explain away a "cheap" approach to transfers come the Summer?
sustainability ffp and not risking the long term future were mentioned. plus riggs said we wont pay inflated prices, which says to me he has gone all wenger and thinks he can value other teams players for them. it also suggets we will only be buying players that other teams are not desperate to keep, which never bodes well in my eyes
I just felt that it would have been more obvious.....the FFP that is.
I think it's just as likely that they're trying to re-enforce the idea that they won't just throw money at the problem, hoping that it fixes itself.
thats the thing with football though, all the successful teams are normally the ones who spend the money. we tried the cheap options for the last few years and look where that got us. kit has said he will protect the youngsters so thats not an option, plus he is hardly the manager to get a team to over achieve. so pray tell just how are they planning a top 6 finish with no serious investment and a manager who struggled last season?
I think we chose poorly on those cheap options but, that's just me.
As for how we achieve a promotion place, you got me. I'm waiting to see if the club can pull off something inspirational, either in the form of one or two signings or in the form of the collective group of signings. Kit's going to need a lot of help on and off the field.
This was a vey good move by the club and there has obviously been concern at the frustrations that we the fans have been feeling. I have been of the opinion since the end of the season that this was needed.
Now lets hope they can deliver . Its going to be very interesting .
COME ON YOU WHITES!!!
So the three of them are working hard on their master plan which is not yet fully in place. They need to get a move on to enable the next stage of putting a team together to commence, essential we sign three or four top notch players and have a team in place in the next two months.
There seemed no sense of urgency from the trio, rather the message was let's not panic, and I sense we could again be left to pick up left overs at the end of the transfer window.
Quote from: filham on May 27, 2015, 06:25:48 PM
So the three of them are working hard on their master plan which is not yet fully in place. They need to get a move on to enable the next stage of putting a team together to commence, essential we sign three or four top notch players and have a team in place in the next two months.
There seemed no sense of urgency from the trio, rather the message was let's not panic, and I sense we could again be left to pick up left overs at the end of the transfer window.
think we need more than 3 or four. of our remaining squad, ruling out our returning loaness, can you see anyone other thans betts lvc and ross as good enough to get us in the top 6?
I thought it was a good interview -- perhaps the best bit of video I've seen from the club.
I know many will not like the fact that Kit continues to be in charge. Those who do and who are hoping that a slow break out of the starting box will fulfill their fondest hopes -- Kit fired and Anybody Else But Kit hired. I don't think that's going to happen. What I saw was a firm commitment to establish stability in the club -- starting with ownership and the front office. Barring illness, the three gents in the video and the owner will all still be working as a team at the next of next may -- REGARDLESS of where we are in the table.
Will the club be better in defense and more varied in attack? YES. Why? Because Rigg isn't an idiot who will bring in players whose skill sets are counter to what we need to make the squad more complete. Also, because Kit isn't an idiot who doesn't know how to coach, motivate, plan. There will be acquisitions in the summer to make the club stronger and those acquisitions will help Kit put the kind of football he wants to play out there. Who will we sign? I haven't a clue. And, face it, neither does anyone else -- including the press.
Finally, we have a club that has a long-term vision. Under MAF, everything was about cutting down long-term expenditures to make the club more financially accessible for foreign billionaires. It was his club and our history is totally different without him, so good for him. Khan bought low to build something significant. Everything he will do from this time forward -- from hiring Rigg, actually -- will be about making the club stronger and more successful. Will it work? Perhaps. There's SO many more obstacles now that we're no longer in the Prem. Will it happen well enough to satisfy "the majority on this site?" Naw.
I predict that regardless of how many and how talented plaers we sign, how attractive or effective our performances on the pitch turn out to be, we'll still be inundated with "Khan doesn't know anything about football/doesn't care about Fulham/doesn't care about the fans," and "Kit is incapable/could be replaced by anybody's granny" all season long. This I'm sure of. Because whether the team has made a significant turn down the road, Friends of Fulham certainly has. The negatives are in the drivers seat -- perhaps forever. Thankfully, Friends of Fulham isn't Fulham. I LIKE the way Fulham are looking at the future.
Come on hatter ,get off your soapbox for gods sake , its not only incorrect what you are saying ,it is also pretty boring . Most fans on her want ,like you ,the best for the club .I for one would much rather be wrong and it go well for the club that the other way round . If Kit doesn't get the results our aims and expectations demand then he will go . Hopefully he will get things right , sort out our problem defense and we will take the championship by storm next year. Time to be positive even when it comes to your fellow Fulham fans on this forum or otherwise .
I liked the part where Alistair Mackintosh made his current itinerary sound more important, " I have a system to catergorise different sizes of paper clips into the correct cubbyhole, which will save time in the long run when I ask Dorothy for a number 2."
A very good 'interview' no doubt the questions were approved prior to the chat, but I'm more comfortable with a few things.
One thing I would have liked Kit to say would have been.
"The diamond has gone, we'll have winger/s and play at good tempo, a bit of inter-passing, the occasional hump up field, mix it up a bit dependent upon who we're playing........but, definitely
no diamond"
One thing about buying a bit of the Thames. which part ?
By the time that interview was over, that bit could well be in Maidenhead or Southend
Plus, what to do about the old fridge freezers, Tesco shopping carts and the odd "floater" ?
Having sat in many a meeting, I learned to see who had their tail in the air. Like dogs or cats, the boss has the highest tail. The fact that Rigg on several occasions spoke up and added to what both Kit & Ali had to say, gave me the impression that Rigg is in charge & will have the final say among these three. Kit looked nervous and as if he was looking for approval. He did this by leaning back and grinning a lot. Ali Mack seemed a bit chastised. He kept hitting the table and looked down a lot.
So:
Good news about the new stand.
Expected comments about spending. They could hardly say we'll spend a lot, now could they?
Khan is involved & in charge.
If we lose money, Ali Mack is gone.
If we get far from the top six, Kit is gone.
Also, is it just me or does Rigg look like he's got a finger stuck in a wall socket? That wide eyed look was a bit odd. :005:
I think Rigg is very clearly the biggest cheese amongst those 3. I would not want to cross him. Probably is just the kind of mean so and so that we need right now.
i just watched the interview again and i am now far less confident than before...this was an excersise in saying kit is the man...a vote of confidence so to speak
all the 'this is a joint effort' rubbish means that apparently nobody is in sole charge of deciding who comes and who goes
it is a 'process' driven bit of PR that suggests to me we have a long wait in the championship before being relegated again.... we could go down sooner
i know come the first day of the season i will believe we can do well but the truth is they said we will not be getting any decent players of the correct quality..... and i suspect come november we will have a new manager because kit will be managing with one hand tied behind his back
Apparently, according to the intertview, the chairman is always at motspur park, you could be forgiven for believing the players training was regularly interupted by falling over him ..... shame he never made it to the game more than a couple of times and then didn't stay to the end.
and foir my fans that say there are many succesful organisations with stay away owners, i agree there are, but i never heard of an unsuccesful business being turned around unless the head man showed up occasionaly!
We are in big trouble and i will wait to be amazed to be proved wrong.... i am sorry to be so negative so close to my 3000 post which i am hoping will be a rip roaring firecracker..... i am certain kit is not the problem, i think it is genuinely lack of leadership that is at issue.
I've read a lot about this interview from the overly positive to the glass still empty view.
Having just seen it myself, I am more optimistic than this time yesterday.
Yes, I would have preferred to have a new manager in to take us forward in a different way to last season, but now Kit is staying, nothing would make me happier for him to make steady improvements throughout the season (not expecting to win every game), and end up in the top 6.
I am looking on the bright side and hope that with a better structure in place, better players (by far hopefully), and time to prepare for a new season he might just turn it around. Not saying he will, but really hoping he does, as a new manager 10 games in would mean we are back in the doo doo.
The real good thing I got from it though was the over-riding sense of unity, and the indication of long term commitment from the owner in relation to the club as a whole and the ground.
It is good to know that we have the financial backing to support whatever short and long term playing decisions are made by Rigg, without the hype of saying we'll spend whatever it takes to get 'so and so' player.
In a way it's good to have the manager speculation put to bed one way or the other, and I look forward to a summer of building this club back up again from a solid, unified base.
:wine: 049:gif 082.gif
If this were a job interview:
Riggs: Confident, sounds like he knows what he's doing, clearly the guy in charge but also respectful of the others. You're hired.
Kit: Glaring at Riggs with obvious contempt and leaning back in his chair as if he's above this - body language completely at odds with his accommodating friendly talk. Starts to bray when Sarah asks about why many fans want to him to step down. Not impressed, wouldn't ask him back.
Ali Mac: Very nervous, can't see him in a leadership role. This may be unfair as he has big shoes to fill - David McNally hired Roy and then went off to save Norwich with the gutsy hire of Alex Neil while Ali hired Magath. What are you doing here?!
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on May 27, 2015, 04:26:52 PM
Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on May 27, 2015, 04:22:03 PM
On the face of it, I liked what I heard. Sarah posed a number of searching questions, which I would imagine we would all liked to have asked.
I was impressed with Mike Rigg, he was the most assertive, and was willing to say more than he needed to, to get his point across, and I liked that. Alistair answered as well as he could, he could not have said much more.
As for Kit, he looked a little overwhelmed, and slightly uncomfortable, with his grin, but I think that's his manner, and his persona.
It may have been a little rehearsed, but it has to be to a certain extent, to ensure all questions are answered fully, and to give the three of them an opportunity to state their case. Regarding on and off the pitch issues.
Still not convinced about Kits leadership skills, but hey, let's wait and see how it all pans out. I feel a little more comfortable with them, especially with what Mike Rigg had to say.
The next two months will be intriguing, and the activities will be watched very closely by all of us I am sure.
Kit looked a bit like someone who found out his job was safe about 5 minutes before the interview and hadn't quite got his head around it yet.
Yes your right he did look a little like that. I hope he is still grinning for the right reasons this time next year, for both his sake and ours.
Quote from: colinwhite on May 27, 2015, 07:14:51 PM
Come on hatter ,get off your soapbox for gods sake , its not only incorrect what you are saying ,it is also pretty boring . Most fans on her want ,like you ,the best for the club .I for one would much rather be wrong and it go well for the club that the other way round . If Kit doesn't get the results our aims and expectations demand then he will go . Hopefully he will get things right , sort out our problem defense and we will take the championship by storm next year. Time to be positive even when it comes to your fellow Fulham fans on this forum or otherwise .
Oh Colin, so wrong to tell anyone to get off an imaginary soapbox after the hundreds of over wordy aggressive posts by yourself and others. The procession of boring posts repeating the same mantra with incredible belief your view is so much more valid than any other has changed the nature of this message board.
This video seems to have unsettled you and your fellow naysayers by not leaving enough room to get negative about.
Refreshing,uplifting and truthful, and to true fans of Fulham a verification of trust in the way forward.
We all want a successful club (and nobody has to point out the ramifications of a poor start) but if the openness and cooperation demonstrated continues then we can all look forward to next season.
Quote from: Fernhurst on May 27, 2015, 10:05:57 PM
Quote from: colinwhite on May 27, 2015, 07:14:51 PM
Come on hatter ,get off your soapbox for gods sake , its not only incorrect what you are saying ,it is also pretty boring . Most fans on her want ,like you ,the best for the club .I for one would much rather be wrong and it go well for the club that the other way round . If Kit doesn't get the results our aims and expectations demand then he will go . Hopefully he will get things right , sort out our problem defense and we will take the championship by storm next year. Time to be positive even when it comes to your fellow Fulham fans on this forum or otherwise .
Oh Colin, so wrong to tell anyone to get off an imaginary soapbox after the hundreds of over wordy aggressive posts by yourself and others. The procession of boring posts repeating the same mantra with incredible belief your view is so much more valid than any other has changed the nature of this message board.
This video seems to have unsettled you and your fellow naysayers by not leaving enough room to get negative about.
Refreshing,uplifting and truthful, and to true fans of Fulham a verification of trust in the way forward.
We all want a successful club (and nobody has to point out the ramifications of a poor start) but if the openness and cooperation demonstrated continues then we can all look forward to next season.
:plus one:
Old Sod's Army to the rescue. Great and accurate post my friend! 082.gif
Quote from: Fernhurst on May 27, 2015, 10:05:57 PM
Quote from: colinwhite on May 27, 2015, 07:14:51 PM
Come on hatter ,get off your soapbox for gods sake , its not only incorrect what you are saying ,it is also pretty boring . Most fans on her want ,like you ,the best for the club .I for one would much rather be wrong and it go well for the club that the other way round . If Kit doesn't get the results our aims and expectations demand then he will go . Hopefully he will get things right , sort out our problem defense and we will take the championship by storm next year. Time to be positive even when it comes to your fellow Fulham fans on this forum or otherwise .
Oh Colin, so wrong to tell anyone to get off an imaginary soapbox after the hundreds of over wordy aggressive posts by yourself and others. The procession of boring posts repeating the same mantra with incredible belief your view is so much more valid than any other has changed the nature of this message board.
This video seems to have unsettled you and your fellow naysayers by not leaving enough room to get negative about.
Refreshing,uplifting and truthful, and to true fans of Fulham a verification of trust in the way forward.
We all want a successful club (and nobody has to point out the ramifications of a poor start) but if the openness and cooperation demonstrated continues then we can all look forward to next season.
retaining the services of an under achieving manager is more than enough room to get negative, thank you very much. lets just pray for some good signings
Having watched it can't see anything wrong with it. In fact it's actually nice that we are being a little bit more transparent because after all they don't need to tell us.
I think if anyone wanted anymore proof that kits staying need look no further
Just to set the record straight I am no "nay sayer" and if any of My posts are over -worded then I apologise .
I want the best for the club , and I would love to see a successful Kit Symons . I have no prestige ( unlike the tone of Hatter dons post ) involved in any stand points I take and no desire to put anyone down .
I thought the video was excellent and wrote as much on this thread and if you had taken the time to read it you would have understood my viewpoint .
What I find hard to understand is the lack of willingness to debate the point, just writing off someones valid point of veiw as a " no - sayer" , and repeating the "just another kit out " phrase is ridiculous and insulting .
By the way , the idea of "true Fulham fans " only sharing the same point of view as yourself is a bit worrying . I think you need to rethink that one .
Quote from: colinwhite on May 28, 2015, 10:34:00 AM
Just to set the record straight I am no nay sayer and any of My posts are over -worded then I apologise .
I want the best for the club , and I would love to see a successful Kit Symons . I have no prestige ( unlike the tone of Hatter dons post ) involved in any stand points I take and no desire to put anyone down .
I thought the video was excellent and wrote as much on this thread and if you had taken the time to read it you would have understood my viewpoint .
What I find hard to understand is the lack of willingness to debate the point, just writing off someones valid point of veiw as a " no - sayer" , and repeating the "just another kit out " phrase is ridiculous and insulting .
Sadly the insults were started by those objecting to a minority view of support for Symons. So the days of debate have long gone from these pages which is sad. Too many trolls.
Good to see many positive responses to this video. I had previously written to the club and asked to hear from Rigg and this was a good way to get to see his influence.
I thought the messages were clear. Rigg is in charge of football and Mackintosh in charge of the 'business' ie need to keep the financials in order. This makes perfect sense and allows the football people to concentrate on that within a realistic financial model. There was good comment about not risking the football club but also that of investment and a goal (Promotion) that will clearly require significant money to be spent. This does not mean you need to waste it on Ruiz or even worse Mitroglue type players.
The big debate remains Kit Symons. Kits interview style is awkward, he is anything but a polished performer like Rigg or even Mackintosh, and does tend to waffle. Rigg recognised Kit inherited a bad situation, did well enough results wise and turned the 'behind the scenes' atcmosphere around. A good dressing room is important. It was also clear to me however that Kit will need to do a lot better and if results are not consistantly decent, he will be gone quite quickly. I totally accept that making lots of changes to managers does nothing for the long term success of most football teams. I remain however anything other then convinced Kit has what it takes. He will be given a bit more time by the club for reasons given and I understand why, I would personally have moved him on now, time will tell if this was a bad decision or not.
In the meantime, I have more confidence that things will improve, I have stated many time that the Rigg appointment was huge and this interview only confirms those views. Keeping Kit on is the big issue, it may mean we have to wait longer for the team to get to the level needed for promotion.
Having now watched the interview one feels clearer about several issues surrounding the club and the direction the hierachy wishes to go.
I thought Alistair Mackintosh was a little evasive but diplomatic in his answers, for example, Khan and Al Fayed have similarities AND differences, he answered, hardly committing himself either way (as Khan is the only one who can sack him now). But watching AM, he did look as though the pressure was on him and one felt a little sympathy for the chap.
Perhaps I've made my points on the fellow, and although he made major errors, I always believe he meant to do what he thought was best for the club.
It seems clear that Mike "Rigsby" Rigg will choose the players, based upon input from Kit Symons. The details of the contracts will be finalized by Mackintosh, as he said, was mainly a finance man/
One also sees why they chose to keep Symons - can one imagine "Big" Sam Allardyce being told he has to report to a committee to sign certain players!?? Symons accepts his role and Rigsby's experience in the FA is another bonus.
All means little until we see what transfer developments occur in the coming summer, but was an interesting insight.
Yes it was good to hear from the Club at long last.
Although they tried hard to present a unified front it is clear to me that Rigg holds the aces.
I think both Kit and Ali Mac are on borrowed time and would be astonished if Rigg didnt already have replacement manager in mind.
Personally I just cant see players being convinced to join with Kit as manager. We'll soon find out over the next few months.
Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on May 28, 2015, 02:10:22 PM
Why wasn't Sepp Blatter invited.
He was too busy trying to coax one last golden egg out of the FIFA goose.
Sepp was invited to present the trophy, but decided that the bidding process to hold the tournament hadn't been done correctly, so he was staying away as a sign of protest at the transparency of the decision.
