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I hope khan realises quickly what he seemingly hasn't and what Fayed grew to...

Started by General, July 14, 2013, 11:47:26 AM

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General


Learn throughout his tenure here that whilst football clubs are businesses they are uniquely made and cannot be treated in the same manner as billion dollar Multi national companies...or at least not as quickly.

It seems to be from having observed everything that has gone on in the last couple of days that there are a few glaringly clear things about this...

One khan is a likeable guy but very successful... I have been priviledged enough to meet billionaires in my life time and no matter what their external personalities are the one thing that sets them aside is their persistent pursuit of excellence or wealth... It's very much a result based industry and if people don't get results they get fired. A lot in business is transferable knowledge, once you know the basic fundamentals you can transfer these to many different scenarios. There's also a much bigger pool of international talent at the top.

That said though football isn't and can't be like that. Whilst there is money to be made the market isn't as fickle as it is in business, people have football teams as a part of their lives and for much of the case, especially in the UK, this can be a very big part of their lives - wedding dates get moved.

What I've noticed is that his pursuit of excellence so quickly left the Jacksonville jaguars in a bad state of flux and in form that (without the security of not being relegated) would have definitely seen them relegated from their respective league and us from ours.

Football is much more organic, egos and their management take time and footballers are used to this... This needs to be taken into account before he makes any decisions with our club and be rest assured it is our club. If fans don't turn up we have the ability to pressurise him into leaving... I don't think it will get to that though, I hope it doesn't and I get the impression he will fit into the fulham family personality wise well.

All things considered though it'd be wise for him to just support those in place for at least a year before making any decisions. Put a bit more money into the coffers for jol and see what he can do when fully supported.

The other thing I've noticed is that fulham seems at the moment to be very much an organisation which he sees to help his jaguars franchise expand... Obviously this could just be the overwhelming view due to the fact he's just bought us and there's a lot of focus on that but I do get the impression it plays more into his way of thinking than we do, for now at least...

When everything has settled it will be interesting to see how much he meter grates the two and how much we benefit from it. Jaguars financially seem like a much more lucrative entity - he bought them for $750 million and we all know the prices for players and wages in the NFL far exceed the average wage here...

Anyway, I wanted to put this out there... I'm all for him taking over and he does seem to be a like for like replacement for maf in many ways but having seen how the first year went for jaguars, how he comes across but also his non committal 'this is the perfect club at the perfect time for me' response I want to encourage this discussion topic as I think it's important, if he does speak to the fans as much as he says he plans to, be able to encourage the steady development we've seen so expertly handled by maf but with maybe a bit more investment in the players.

Thoughts?

MasterHaynes

I think the 'perfect time' in part alludes to the new TV deal. He bought the Jaguars similarly just before a new TV deal came into force guaranteeing more income on what was a cheap price for an NFL franchise. Might be one of the reasons he feels he does not need to leverage the club like other owners, notably the Glazers

alexbishop

Can't disagree with what you have said here. I think Khan acknowledged that he has a hell of a lot to learn about how this crazy game is run in this country. I hope he has some damn good advisors in place. I hope he keeps most of the current board and listens to people who know better.
Fulham Fan Est. 1997

t: @alexmbishop


alexbishop

Quote from: MasterHaynes on July 14, 2013, 11:53:47 AM
I think the 'perfect time' in part alludes to the new TV deal. He bought the Jaguars similarly just before a new TV deal came into force guaranteeing more income on what was a cheap price for an NFL franchise. Might be one of the reasons he feels he does not need to leverage the club like other owners, notably the Glazers

I think timing also relates to the fact Al Fayed was looking to sell and he was looking to buy.
Fulham Fan Est. 1997

t: @alexmbishop

Lighthouse

Khan has just done a short interview on 5 Live. He has asked Jol and Brede to come over to Jacksonville this week to discuss things and meet him.

Now we will always have the same worrying questions when somebody takes over our club. We hate change and yet want change for the better. So far it appears that Fulham will stay at The Cottage and try and make the ground bigger, starting with the Riverside Stand. But I fully expect the same problems to arise. To improve and make Fulham a better club, we will need a bigger ground. Tradition will one day have to give way to making Fulham a club that can compete at a regular level in the top six of the Prem. That means another ground. Many supporters would prefer us go down to a lower league than lose our ground. I can't see us continuing at the Cottage if we want to improve, season in season out. But for now we are at the Cottage.

Mr Khan will be following the business plan that is already in place. I have no doubt some money will be available for transfers. But doubt very much we will see HUGE amounts invested in the team this season.

As for any connection between The Jags and Fulham FC. Well Mr Khan is a business man and will be happy for the chance to spread the word of both clubs. But that is as far as any real connection will go.


The bottom line is if we have a sensible investment in the team then Jol will be given a chance to put the team into the top half of the Prem. No great leap there. If he can do this he will be given a chance to push us on. But the same problems of the ground will raise their heads again one day. But for today expect a softly softly approach. If it fails then heads will role. If not a steady progress and sustainability will be the order of the day.
The above IS NOT A LEGAL DOCUMENT. It is an opinion.

We may yet hear the horse talk.

I can stand my own despair but not others hope

Holders

He wisely didn't say anything to provoke the residents like "the Riverside expansion is a priority and we'll push on from there..." but a similar expansion of Hammersmith and Putney ends to say 40,000 might be possible. That'll be about the physical limit, and unless anyone has the aspirations and money to push for top-4, that's probably about our organic limit as well so no move necessary. Although I've always thought the dreadful public transport links and river on one side, pretty though it is, is a limitation for us for getting to the ground and potential fan-base.

He talks of synergies and maybe there's some marketing/financial things that we can benefit from learning from. Perhaps he expects people in London to take to NFL when his team play at Wembley but I see a greater prospect in advancing football the other side of the atlantic and maybe we can take advantage of that in some way. NFL is a US-only game as far as I'm aware but football is worldwide and the US is the biggest gap in its market, where it isn't the number 1 game. That will doubtless come (and we'd better watch out when it does). I think it's a question of when not if.
Non sumus statione ferriviaria


jarv

I posted on another thread, nobody spends the likes of 150 to 200 mill (rumoured) unless they expect to succeed. If Fulham are relegated, he loses most of his money at a stroke. I am sure he is aware of that. What is success though? Everything  has already been said on this thread. How can a football team like Fulham actually give him much of a return on investment?

After the meeting with Jol, I expect (hope) we will see a couple of signings but nothing mind blowing.

Holders

Quote from: jarv on July 14, 2013, 01:14:47 PM
What is success though? Everything  has already been said on this thread. How can a football team like Fulham actually give him much of a return on investment?

For a rich man, it's just a hobby "coffins don't have saddlebags" and success would be seeing progress against the criteria he sets.
Non sumus statione ferriviaria

General

Quote from: Lighthouse on July 14, 2013, 12:17:26 PM
Khan has just done a short interview on 5 Live. He has asked Jol and Brede to come over to Jacksonville this week to discuss things and meet him.


See now that worries me, it's like when Steve lean had to go to India to meet up with the venky's half way through the season just to have a meeting... I understand things are better said in person but I don't like the fact that he's taking our manager and captain away from the squad during pre season, in fact I don't like the fact he's not making the effort at all... I understand he's now the boss, but that never happened knowingly under maf and it detracts from our pre season preparations. If he genuinely has the best interests of the team and club in mind he would fly out to see the team like he originally said he would and talk to jol and if need be hangeland there. Disappointing start in that regards.


Holders

Maybe there's things he wants to show them in Jacksonville while they're "in the area"? Certainly interesting that Hangeland's doing as well.
Non sumus statione ferriviaria

b+w geezer

On the `get what you pay for' basis, Mr Khan's expectations will differ from those of a purchaser of Arsenal, Chelsea or Spurs. He will know that we compete with those teams over 90 minutes and occasionally beat them; but that they are in a different category financially as clubs -- within a group of six that's distinct from the rest of us.

The latest accounts (2011-2) show incomes for that top six ranging from £320m (ManU) down to £169m (Liverpool) and £144m (Spurs). Then a plunge to the next highest, Newcastle at £93m, with six others in the 70-80,000s: in descending order: Everton, Villa, Fulham, Sunderland, Norwich and Stoke.

So we're in with that second lot, Newcastle downwards. And lo and behold, these are also the clubs we tend to jostle with for league position. Last season most of us could have finished in any old order, and we'll commence in August anticipating similarly. But we shan't anticipate bettering the financial top six over a full season. No spending that doesn't bridge much of the £50 million gap between Newcastle and Spurs has a right to expect that -- and supporters don't have a right to expect such spending. Nor do we.

Shahid Khan, Mike Ashley, Delia Smith, Randy Lerner, etc, will be aiming to finish above each other and maybe win a cup (which isn't so tied to spend -- ask Wigan and Swansea); but they won't be expecting their management to deliver a top six finish. That would be an unexpected bonus.

Would it help if they expanded their stadia and filled them? Yes it would a bit. But matchday income is only part of the reason for that financial top six being so far ahead. What's more attendance stats are only one aspect of matchday income. Spurs, after all, fill a 36k stadium, Chelsea a 40k one and Newcastle much the largest, at 50k. A stadium moreover slap-bang in the midst of that city.

Signs are that Shahid Khan will proceed with a Riverside development that not only adds 5k capacity, but facilities to generate much more spend from food, drink and hospitality.

Beyond that, proper rebuilds of the two ends, even if barely larger (hence uncontroversial) could also add restaurants, bars and lounges usable as meeting and function rooms at other times. This would probably be as lucrative as busting a gut to maximise seats, and would certainly have a better fit -- in all senses -- with the CC environs.

With capacity at 30k we'd stay in competition with the Sunderlands rather than the Chelseas, meaning a chance of Cups and Europa League participation, rather than Champions League. That is a better fate than 90% of other clubs'. All taking place in a distinctive and attractive environment that not only generates pride, but may also, with cards played right, yield income that Brittania Stadium etc.  can't aspire to.

I would hope Mr Khan appreciates all this -- and imagine that he either does or soon will.

MJG

Quote from: General on July 14, 2013, 02:16:58 PM
Quote from: Lighthouse on July 14, 2013, 12:17:26 PM
Khan has just done a short interview on 5 Live. He has asked Jol and Brede to come over to Jacksonville this week to discuss things and meet him.


See now that worries me, it's like when Steve lean had to go to India to meet up with the venky's half way through the season just to have a meeting... I understand things are better said in person but I don't like the fact that he's taking our manager and captain away from the squad during pre season, in fact I don't like the fact he's not making the effort at all... I understand he's now the boss, but that never happened knowingly under maf and it detracts from our pre season preparations. If he genuinely has the best interests of the team and club in mind he would fly out to see the team like he originally said he would and talk to jol and if need be hangeland there. Disappointing start in that regards.
think your reading too much into him asking them to go there.
You don't when that would be for starters. It could be at the end of tour, private plane, meet, back to England and they may miss one day or two. Rest days after a tour for the rest.

He also said he might try and go there. I would not say that's anything like the Blackburn situation.


valdeingruo

Quote from: MJG on July 14, 2013, 05:29:16 PM
Quote from: General on July 14, 2013, 02:16:58 PM
Quote from: Lighthouse on July 14, 2013, 12:17:26 PM
Khan has just done a short interview on 5 Live. He has asked Jol and Brede to come over to Jacksonville this week to discuss things and meet him.


See now that worries me, it's like when Steve lean had to go to India to meet up with the venky's half way through the season just to have a meeting... I understand things are better said in person but I don't like the fact that he's taking our manager and captain away from the squad during pre season, in fact I don't like the fact he's not making the effort at all... I understand he's now the boss, but that never happened knowingly under maf and it detracts from our pre season preparations. If he genuinely has the best interests of the team and club in mind he would fly out to see the team like he originally said he would and talk to jol and if need be hangeland there. Disappointing start in that regards.
think your reading too much into him asking them to go there.
You don't when that would be for starters. It could be at the end of tour, private plane, meet, back to England and they may miss one day or two. Rest days after a tour for the rest.

He also said he might try and go there. I would not say that's anything like the Blackburn situation.

Plus the fact that Costa Rica and Florida are fairly close in the grand scheme of things. What man wouldnt want to meet the Manager and Captain of a very expensive team he just bought?
Self proclaimed tactical genius, football manager approved.



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