The Jaguars

[Moussa Dembele the 3rd]

I don't know what Shahid Khan paid for the Jaguars' franchise a few year ago, but I'll bet he got it fairly inexpensively, as it wasn't doing well when he bought it.  He has spent real money on the club since then, but, like that figurative oil tanker, it takes time to turn around a losing program.  You need stability in key positions and in coaching/managing.  A few teams get lucky and it happens quickly.  Others stumble along and build slowly.  A 3-13 season is followed by a 6-10 season which is followed by 8-8...  One day, they make the playoffs, and then everybody forgets the salad days and thinks of them as contenders.  The start of this season has looked pretty grim for the Jaguars.  The defense is constantly on the field because the offense is so horrible.  Pull one card away, and the whole house falls down.  But little by little they are drafting talented players and the promise of talent is looking better on paper than the year before.  But  that they aren't winners now has become a referendum on Khan, as if he wasn't doing enough, as if he was making key mistakes in greenlighting this draft or that trade, or this coach hiring, and so on.  I think such commentary is unfair and unjustified. 

I was a long time minor fan of the Detroit Lions (because I lived in the Detroit suburbs).  A long suffering fan.  I do blame the then-owner, William Clay Ford, because he didn't spend money to produce a winning team.  And he kept a tight fisted penny-pinching general manager, who in turned hired a series of at best mediocre coaches and assistant coaches.  Guys like Wayne Fontes.  One year, they went 0-16, I think, under a god-awful head coach.  A smug little twit who took no personal responsibility for all of the losses.  Who blamed you, you, and the man behind the tree.  Anybody but himself.  It was so bad that the greatest runner the game has ever seen--Barry Sanders--quit in disgust right as he was one easy season away from breaking the all-time rushing yardage record in the NFL.  Leaving it to a far lesser talent, Emmit Smith, to eventually break the record with the Dallas Cowboys, a team with a massive offensive line so good that one can only imagine what Barry would have done had he not played for the Lions.  So, yes, the owner makes a big difference.  The Lions were awful for decades.  The owner wouldn't spend.  Cheap skate tight wad.  Sitting on all of that Ford inheritance money...  Khan is self-made.  He brings the vitality of the immigrant.  He spends.  He has a reputation for being ruthless when he feels it's time to make a decision.  He has owned the Jags for only a few years.  As far as I can tell, no one has surfaced with a believable substantiated story that Khan has said 'no' to spending money for quality talent or managerial staff.  Someone advised him to get Magath.  Someone advised him to approve other questionable moves.  He's getting his sea legs on who he can trust on what issues, and why.  There are growing pains.  I see the man as a godsend.  He has Russian oligarch money.  Sheik money.  Big money.  He's accessible, friendly, has the common touch about him.  Isn't afraid to speak openly with fans and the press.  What's not to like about this man?  He gave Magath (and the persons who recommended him) enough rope, and they hung themselves with it.  Now he's listening to whoever recommended Kit Symons.  Sounds like he's improved on who he can trust for advice.  I thought we'd win last weekend.  But no one saw that red card coming.  Plus, now we've learned Magath ostracized players like Ruiz from the first team squad, that he would penalize anyone caught speaking with the out of favored ones.  Despicable.  Consequently, that group wasn't integrated into the first team in practices, wasn't in the kind of shape they needed to be in.  And their mental and emotional state was taxed from such mean spirited isolation.  So we continue to pay for Magath's megalomania and lunacy.  But this tanker is turning around.  I can feel it.  So can you.  Let's show patience.

Honestly I really hope you're right.

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

I bought a shop. It was tired and needed updating but it was amongst the top 20 in the town. I sacked the manager because we were doing awful business. I then sacked another and then invested heavily in a shop soiled item that sadly we could never use,

The manager who took over managed to make enemies everywhere. Wouldn't mind but the shop went from being a struggling top 20 shop to a struggling top 44 club. So I had to sack this manager too. I invested heavily in one item but fortunately didn't lose too much as i sold the entire stock that was on the shelves.

I own another huge mall in the states and that is doing appallingly in the sales department as well.

Thank goodness people laugh when others put part of the blame on me. After all as an owner I can hardly be held responsible for the sudden decline in fortunes.  :49:

What's your chain of shops called mate?

Metaphor

I remember in the 70's when you had just one shop and then expanded rapidly under the branding

Metamorphormosis Undertakers

So you're back to one shop then ?

[HatterDon]

Personally, I'm sick of all the 'experts' on this forum calling Mr. Khan all the names under the sun.  In the main, he's learning by others' mistakes . . . but of course he himself is the real villain.

:022:

Never called him a villian. I just don't think he knows what he's doing.

The way the club has been run since he bought it has been disgraceful. I don't see how anyone can argue that fact. Hopefully things will improve, but so far there hasn't been any evidence that it will. The fact that his other sporting venture is also a disaster is quite relevant. 

The way the club has been run since Hughes was run off and Jol took over has been disgraceful. Do you really think the club was being run well up until last August? Really?

[Lighthouse]

I bought a shop. It was tired and needed updating but it was amongst the top 20 in the town. I sacked the manager because we were doing awful business. I then sacked another and then invested heavily in a shop soiled item that sadly we could never use,

The manager who took over managed to make enemies everywhere. Wouldn't mind but the shop went from being a struggling top 20 shop to a struggling top 44 club. So I had to sack this manager too. I invested heavily in one item but fortunately didn't lose too much as i sold the entire stock that was on the shelves.

I own another huge mall in the states and that is doing appallingly in the sales department as well.

Thank goodness people laugh when others put part of the blame on me. After all as an owner I can hardly be held responsible for the sudden decline in fortunes.  :49:

What's your chain of shops called mate?

Metaphor

I remember in the 70's when you had just one shop and then expanded rapidly under the branding

Metamorphormosis Undertakers

So you're back to one shop then ?

Well as my advert used to say. 'We can bury any mistake'. Usually with our accounts.

[Wimbledon_White]

There's a furniture shop in Northampton called Sofa King.

His slogan is "My prices are Sofa King Low".

:) haha :)

[Putney]

Love Fulham, hate Jags

[ToodlesMcToot]

Love Fulham, hate Jags

If you're a NFL fan, why are you wasting emotion on the Jags? They aren't traditionally good enough to be a rival for anyone, are they??

[ToodlesMcToot]

I don't know what Shahid Khan paid for the Jaguars' franchise a few year ago, but I'll bet he got it fairly inexpensively, as it wasn't doing well when he bought it.  He has spent real money on the club since then, but, like that figurative oil tanker, it takes time to turn around a losing program.  You need stability in key positions and in coaching/managing.  A few teams get lucky and it happens quickly.  Others stumble along and build slowly.  A 3-13 season is followed by a 6-10 season which is followed by 8-8...  One day, they make the playoffs, and then everybody forgets the salad days and thinks of them as contenders.  The start of this season has looked pretty grim for the Jaguars.  The defense is constantly on the field because the offense is so horrible.  Pull one card away, and the whole house falls down.  But little by little they are drafting talented players and the promise of talent is looking better on paper than the year before.  But  that they aren't winners now has become a referendum on Khan, as if he wasn't doing enough, as if he was making key mistakes in greenlighting this draft or that trade, or this coach hiring, and so on.  I think such commentary is unfair and unjustified. 

I was a long time minor fan of the Detroit Lions (because I lived in the Detroit suburbs).  A long suffering fan.  I do blame the then-owner, William Clay Ford, because he didn't spend money to produce a winning team.  And he kept a tight fisted penny-pinching general manager, who in turned hired a series of at best mediocre coaches and assistant coaches.  Guys like Wayne Fontes.  One year, they went 0-16, I think, under a god-awful head coach.  A smug little twit who took no personal responsibility for all of the losses.  Who blamed you, you, and the man behind the tree.  Anybody but himself.  It was so bad that the greatest runner the game has ever seen--Barry Sanders--quit in disgust right as he was one easy season away from breaking the all-time rushing yardage record in the NFL.  Leaving it to a far lesser talent, Emmit Smith, to eventually break the record with the Dallas Cowboys, a team with a massive offensive line so good that one can only imagine what Barry would have done had he not played for the Lions.  So, yes, the owner makes a big difference.  The Lions were awful for decades.  The owner wouldn't spend.  Cheap skate tight wad.  Sitting on all of that Ford inheritance money...  Khan is self-made.  He brings the vitality of the immigrant.  He spends.  He has a reputation for being ruthless when he feels it's time to make a decision.  He has owned the Jags for only a few years.  As far as I can tell, no one has surfaced with a believable substantiated story that Khan has said 'no' to spending money for quality talent or managerial staff.  Someone advised him to get Magath.  Someone advised him to approve other questionable moves.  He's getting his sea legs on who he can trust on what issues, and why.  There are growing pains.  I see the man as a godsend.  He has Russian oligarch money.  Sheik money.  Big money.  He's accessible, friendly, has the common touch about him.  Isn't afraid to speak openly with fans and the press.  What's not to like about this man?  He gave Magath (and the persons who recommended him) enough rope, and they hung themselves with it.  Now he's listening to whoever recommended Kit Symons.  Sounds like he's improved on who he can trust for advice.  I thought we'd win last weekend.  But no one saw that red card coming.  Plus, now we've learned Magath ostracized players like Ruiz from the first team squad, that he would penalize anyone caught speaking with the out of favored ones.  Despicable.  Consequently, that group wasn't integrated into the first team in practices, wasn't in the kind of shape they needed to be in.  And their mental and emotional state was taxed from such mean spirited isolation.  So we continue to pay for Magath's megalomania and lunacy.  But this tanker is turning around.  I can feel it.  So can you.  Let's show patience.

The Jags seem to believe they have their franchise QB in Blake Bortles. If true, that'd be a huge step in the right direction. If/when he gets his feet wet and plays with confidence, he'd make so many other parts of their team much better.

If Khan is anything close to the owner Arthur Blank has been for my Falcons, Jacksonville will be in good hands for the long term.

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

There's a furniture shop in Northampton called Sofa King.

His slogan is "My prices are Sofa King Low".

:) haha :)

I remember many years ago Milletts (do they still exist ?) having a sale of tents and equipment/
The slogan was

"Now is the winter of our discount tents"

[ToodlesMcToot]

There's a Stubb's Prosthetics in my hometown. I don't believe they need a slogan.

[RPhillips]

I don't know what Shahid Khan paid for the Jaguars' franchise a few year ago, but I'll bet he got it fairly inexpensively, as it wasn't doing well when he bought it.  He has spent real money on the club since then, but, like that figurative oil tanker, it takes time to turn around a losing program.  You need stability in key positions and in coaching/managing.  A few teams get lucky and it happens quickly.  Others stumble along and build slowly.  A 3-13 season is followed by a 6-10 season which is followed by 8-8...  One day, they make the playoffs, and then everybody forgets the salad days and thinks of them as contenders.  The start of this season has looked pretty grim for the Jaguars.  The defense is constantly on the field because the offense is so horrible.  Pull one card away, and the whole house falls down.  But little by little they are drafting talented players and the promise of talent is looking better on paper than the year before.  But  that they aren't winners now has become a referendum on Khan, as if he wasn't doing enough, as if he was making key mistakes in greenlighting this draft or that trade, or this coach hiring, and so on.  I think such commentary is unfair and unjustified.  

I was a long time minor fan of the Detroit Lions (because I lived in the Detroit suburbs).  A long suffering fan.  I do blame the then-owner, William Clay Ford, because he didn't spend money to produce a winning team.  And he kept a tight fisted penny-pinching general manager, who in turned hired a series of at best mediocre coaches and assistant coaches.  Guys like Wayne Fontes.  One year, they went 0-16, I think, under a god-awful head coach.  A smug little twit who took no personal responsibility for all of the losses.  Who blamed you, you, and the man behind the tree.  Anybody but himself.  It was so bad that the greatest runner the game has ever seen--Barry Sanders--quit in disgust right as he was one easy season away from breaking the all-time rushing yardage record in the NFL.  Leaving it to a far lesser talent, Emmit Smith, to eventually break the record with the Dallas Cowboys, a team with a massive offensive line so good that one can only imagine what Barry would have done had he not played for the Lions.  So, yes, the owner makes a big difference.  The Lions were awful for decades.  The owner wouldn't spend.  Cheap skate tight wad.  Sitting on all of that Ford inheritance money...  Khan is self-made.  He brings the vitality of the immigrant.  He spends.  He has a reputation for being ruthless when he feels it's time to make a decision.  He has owned the Jags for only a few years.  As far as I can tell, no one has surfaced with a believable substantiated story that Khan has said 'no' to spending money for quality talent or managerial staff.  Someone advised him to get Magath.  Someone advised him to approve other questionable moves.  He's getting his sea legs on who he can trust on what issues, and why.  There are growing pains.  I see the man as a godsend.  He has Russian oligarch money.  Sheik money.  Big money.  He's accessible, friendly, has the common touch about him.  Isn't afraid to speak openly with fans and the press.  What's not to like about this man?  He gave Magath (and the persons who recommended him) enough rope, and they hung themselves with it.  Now he's listening to whoever recommended Kit Symons.  Sounds like he's improved on who he can trust for advice.  I thought we'd win last weekend.  But no one saw that red card coming.  Plus, now we've learned Magath ostracized players like Ruiz from the first team squad, that he would penalize anyone caught speaking with the out of favored ones.  Despicable.  Consequently, that group wasn't integrated into the first team in practices, wasn't in the kind of shape they needed to be in.  And their mental and emotional state was taxed from such mean spirited isolation.  So we continue to pay for Magath's megalomania and lunacy.  But this tanker is turning around.  I can feel it.  So can you.  Let's show patience.

Actually, after being gazumped by Stan Kroencke (Arsenal's controlling shareholder) in the sale of the St. Louis Rams NFL franchise, Khan paid a rich price -- $760 million -- for a poorly performing franchise in one of the smallest regional media markets in the U.S.

[The Rock]

I remember reading that about Stan.

I am sure it can take a long time to turn a team around.

But he just hasn't a clue of how to do it efficiently in a UK football league. The choices that have been made under his ownership have been shocking. An 8 year old playing FIFA 2014 can do a better job. Yes it takes time to turn a ship around, but if you go and blow that ship up, it will take forever to rebuild.

[Forever Fulham]

From the September 24, 2012 issue of Forbes magazine:

He had been a football fan since his college days—his NFL team was, naturally, the Bears. As his wealth soared, he began studying FORBES' NFL valuation list annually to see how close he was to being able to afford a franchise. "
As a fan there are times you get frustrated as to what you think a team ought to be doing," Khan says. "Then there's an inflection point where, financially, maybe it's a possibility."

In 2010 he won the bidding for 60% of the St. Louis Rams. But fellow billionaire Stan Kroenke held a minority stake and the right to match any offer for the rest of the franchise. Only hours before that right was set to expire, he exercised it, spoiling Khan's chance to buy the Rams and putting to waste two years of negotiations. "You have to take your lumps and face reality," he shrugs. "There's always some good in something bad happening to you, and you look for that," he says.

That good was the Jaguars. Shortly after Kroenke's purchase was approved, Jags owner Wayne Weaver let Khan know that he was considering a sale. Weaver, co-founder of shoe retailer Nine West, was a formidable businessman who had nonetheless tired of tilting at Jacksonville's demographic and structural deficiencies. The Jaguars, by many accounts, was the franchise most likely to relocate to Los Angeles, filling in the biggest hole—America's second-largest metro area is without an NFL team—in professional sports.

Educated by the Rams deal, Khan moved fast. In October 2011 he met Weaver at a bar in the Omni Jacksonville Hotel and hammered out the final price on a cocktail napkin. Taking out $300 million in loans against Flex-N-Gate, Khan agreed to an all-cash deal of $620 million in which he also assumed the Jaguars' $150 million in debt. "I knew he was going to be an owner," says Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owner. "He wasn't just a tire-kicker."

[Fulhamerica23]

Lost 44-17 to the 0-2 Colts at home today.

Kahn is an inept sports team owner. Obviously he hasn't brought in the right people to run the Jaguars organization either. I was skeptical when he bought Fulham and I hope that he can get his act together but I'm becoming more and more concerned.

Sorry to moan, but this guy really is trouble in my opinion. Not that he has any unsavory motives, just that he hasn't a clue about sports or running sports franchises.

Hey guys. I've been reading the fourms for awhile now, but this post finally made me get an account to clarify a few things. First, I'm a Jags fan and Fulham fan. Watch every game from both teams, unless I can't find a Fulham stream.

Just want to clarify the OP.

The Colts are a good team. Yes they're 1-2 now, but they had two close losses to two of the top five teams in the game. It's like saying Burnley lost to bottom of the table Cheslea after successive defeats to City and Arsenal.

Khan absolute brought in the RIGHT people, or person I should say, in Jacksonville. He hired GM Dave Caldwell and gave him basically complete control in personnel. Caldwell then hired Gus Bradley as the HC and while the record has been terrible, they essentially gutted the entire regime and started over from scratch. They just started their franchise quarterback this week, so that will get the offense going a little bit. But Khan has little to do with the Jags success on the field. He supplies the money. He renovated the stadium. He doesn't draft the players nor hire the coaches. The times are dark right now, but believe me, no one will want to play Jacksonville in two season.

When Khan bought the Jags, they were far more dire than they are now. It's not a two year fix, especially in the NFL. It's a six, seven year fix.

What most people don't realize with Jacksonville, is that Khan inherited a head coach in Mike Mularkey. He wasn't the right man for the job, he finished the season and was fired when the new GM came in. So Khan knows when to make changes.

Give Khan time guys. He inherited a mess of a team going downhill quickly. Much like the Jags, he's gutting the team and starting over new. Luckily for the Jags they can't get relegated so he can wait it out a little longer.

The reality is we were never staying up last season.  I think Khan liked what Magath had to offer in pedigree and was blinded by the off the field stuff if the results came through in the Championship. The results didn't come and he swiftly moved in while there is still time to salvage this season.

If his hire this time is anything like the Jags, he'll get his guy and give him complete control.

[Forever Fulham]

I think you're right, Fulhamerica23. 

[aconnecticutyankee]

Lost 44-17 to the 0-2 Colts at home today.

Kahn is an inept sports team owner. Obviously he hasn't brought in the right people to run the Jaguars organization either. I was skeptical when he bought Fulham and I hope that he can get his act together but I'm becoming more and more concerned.

Sorry to moan, but this guy really is trouble in my opinion. Not that he has any unsavory motives, just that he hasn't a clue about sports or running sports franchises.

Hey guys. I've been reading the fourms for awhile now, but this post finally made me get an account to clarify a few things. First, I'm a Jags fan and Fulham fan. Watch every game from both teams, unless I can't find a Fulham stream.

Just want to clarify the OP.

The Colts are a good team. Yes they're 1-2 now, but they had two close losses to two of the top five teams in the game. It's like saying Burnley lost to bottom of the table Cheslea after successive defeats to City and Arsenal.

Khan absolute brought in the RIGHT people, or person I should say, in Jacksonville. He hired GM Dave Caldwell and gave him basically complete control in personnel. Caldwell then hired Gus Bradley as the HC and while the record has been terrible, they essentially gutted the entire regime and started over from scratch. They just started their franchise quarterback this week, so that will get the offense going a little bit. But Khan has little to do with the Jags success on the field. He supplies the money. He renovated the stadium. He doesn't draft the players nor hire the coaches. The times are dark right now, but believe me, no one will want to play Jacksonville in two season.

When Khan bought the Jags, they were far more dire than they are now. It's not a two year fix, especially in the NFL. It's a six, seven year fix.

What most people don't realize with Jacksonville, is that Khan inherited a head coach in Mike Mularkey. He wasn't the right man for the job, he finished the season and was fired when the new GM came in. So Khan knows when to make changes.

Give Khan time guys. He inherited a mess of a team going downhill quickly. Much like the Jags, he's gutting the team and starting over new. Luckily for the Jags they can't get relegated so he can wait it out a little longer.

The reality is we were never staying up last season.  I think Khan liked what Magath had to offer in pedigree and was blinded by the off the field stuff if the results came through in the Championship. The results didn't come and he swiftly moved in while there is still time to salvage this season.

If his hire this time is anything like the Jags, he'll get his guy and give him complete control.

Jags D is bad. QB of the future? 2 scores and a pick in garbage time this week, but does look good.

Kahn should build the new Riverside Stand, now.

Pedigree is ok for managers and racehorses, but it shouldn't be the sole determining factor. Felix was a miscalculation but on paper he looked good. Kahn needs a guy he can trust to get Fulham back on track like the GM he's got in Jacksonville. Problem is who's going to help him find that guy?

[crazycottager]

When Kahn came in, it was either going to send us soaring, or send us crashing, there was no middle ground, and unfortunately, we had the latter occur. but he's listened well, he hasn't hung about sacking Magath, and he invested well on signings, with longevity clearly in mind. That's very smart business sense, amd despite how painful it looks, it will get better as time goes on, like our players. we'll be in the PL soon, and although it's been rough, we can't always point at Kahn because: "He's American." that's just stupid and very foul play.

[HatterDon]

I'm sorry, Mr. Rock. All I CAN do is laugh when I see this sort of post.

Thanks. I really needed a good chuckle.

Oh so you're happy Kahn sat back and let Magath destroy our club for the past 8 months. I get it.

Yes, of course. This is exactly what I said and meant.  fp.gif

[Martinsback]

There's a furniture shop in Northampton called Sofa King.

His slogan is "My prices are Sofa King Low".

:) haha :)

There is a shop in the Pavilion shopping mail in Durban which is a Christian book shop...its name? Cum Books.

[Martinsback]

Hi everyone, I agree with all the Kahn moaners. He is just like the glazers at Manure, he has come in saddled us with loads of debt and used the money to make himself rich....

Why oh why can't we be bought by one of the billionaires that are lining up to take over and whose names the anti Kahn brigade on here can tell us if only we ask...