SUFC: The Future COSU, Communications & Future

[Dubai]

Absolutely this and yet there are some on here berating COSU whilst ignoring the fact that they are having to clear and resolve aged debts - unbelievable how fickle we fans can be at times.

But also got a football club and a training ground for free…

I’m all for the sustainability, patience ect…

But let’s not pretend COSU didn’t do this deal as a business transaction. They aren’t here to **** money up the wall, they’ve done the deal coz they see a way of making some money…

Good people I’m sure. But shrud business people that haven’t spent their life building a business to **** it away on a football club.

And because of that. They should be held account - because that’s what the fans ****ed up last time, waiting too long to question motives and intentions.

 

[WillMay333]

100% the only way for this sustainability mentioned so often is to quite literally spend a lot of money getting out of this league. Being in NL costs clubs an absolute fortune and we desperately need EFL funding

 

[Holy Joe]

But that £3m was earmarked for other things and not what it needed to be spent on. They knew what the debts were, of course, but I'm sure they didn't bank on having to clear a huge chunk of them AND run the club AND pay the wages, all before they owned the club.

Do you think? I'm not sure. They were expecting to own the club early in the year. So they would've been expecting to fund the club fully, including paying off old debts, from then. Which is effectively what they did - they just didn't own the club. From a cashflow perspective it's gone almost to plan (subject to any hidden costs arising) - it was on the asset side that things were delayed, eg, shares being transferred to COSU and training ground to POSU.

 

[leeblue]

I don't get all the angst and mental gymnastics.
Takeover was delayed....this screwed our list of targets, 1st 2nd 3rd choices
Leaves the pool of 'right' players smaller thus more expensive as there will be competition thus pushing prices up.
Then there's the outlay of ground sorting, training pitches etc etc. Then we have been ridiculously unlucky with injuries in the striker dept. Chillax long season ahead with no transfer window.
The consortium have ******* millions on the club with no expectations of returns or mugging everyone off for an imaginary stadium.
We all.wanted an HMS pi$$ the league type scenario but I still think play offs are more than doable once we get over this striker hump.

 

[WillMay333]

Just to clarify, im in no way saying im unhappy with COSU, but I strongly disagree with the sustainability stance at NL level.

 

[rigsby]

I don't think anyone is ungrateful for the club being taken over. I'm certainly not.

But for the self sufficiency that Cosu crave, it will take more than a revamped north bank and easier beers on a matchday. Sure little things are important and will hopefully reap a financial reward, but let's not kid ourselves. A few years of midtable mediocrity in the national league is more of a threat to the long term success of this football club.

Any foundations that the consortium build will have to include league football. It's the blocks from which all future success hinges.

We could have a 16k capacity roots Hall that's been renovated to a thing of beauty. It will be completely irrelevant if we are just goign through the motions in the national league.

Get the club out of this league and back to were it belongs and then set about rejuvenating roots Hall. Neglecting the playing side to improve roots Hall at this level is complete folly. The fan base and the team are the club.

Before anyone jumps down my neck about budget. I realise Cosu have had a baptism of fire getting control and spent a fortune.

Without a successful team, it will be wasted money.

With respect Tommy your endless and repetitive posts contain a lot of tosh. I highlighted a few bits of your last post. Just incase someone missed the last 10.

Spending £4m and counting just saving the club from oblivion was an absolute no choice essential. Then spending more just to pass safety and fire will cost more than FGR spend on forwards this season.

Being successful business men they know that the only way forward is to improve the money generated by RH stadium. The first thing is to get it to level where it doesn't take a Mike Marsh transfer fee just to keep it open each year.

Your still stuck in the 'We have more fans than you" football economics. Its all about total income not how many season tickets. Money spent on RH is certainly not folly or a waste. To say so is from place to total ignorance.

There vast majority wanted to stay at RH so money has to be spent to make that happen. Yet it now seems clear that some on here want the cure but don't like the medicine. Its 5 year plan not 5 months that you want. If some can't handle that with their thinly disguised "I wont come any more threats". Then jog on they would be saying the same if we were middle of L2 or L1.......Even mid table Championship the same weak fans would find the next level of excuse not to attend......The truth is their Firestick and £40 dodgy connection rules their thinking

 

[Jack_23]

I definitely feel there is so much over reaction around the club atm. We are literally a few players off of being ready. Yes ideally we need another striker in asap but there’s more than enough quality in this squad to be picking up results in the next few games. Think everyone just needs to chill

 

[CrippsCorner]

Steady pace wins the race... yeah the current situation could improve, but if you want to feel better, just think about where we were this time last year!

 

[Smiffy]

So, it seems a number of fans are rightly or wrongly becoming a little concerned or even a touch agitated at the lack of communication from COSU, since takeover on 19th July.

A reminder of the last COSU comms received on that wonderful day - https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2024/july/19/club-statement/

We've moved a load of posts from the "Transfer" thread to here, as it is clearly a topic members wish to discuss. So please carry on the COSU, Comms & Future chat here and leave the transfer thread clear for actual transfer chat. Cheers.

 

[Blue Yonder]

Its not unreasonable for a fan to hope for a splash out on a match winning player whether its realistic or not. What's a bit disappointing is that not only have we apparently shot the budget on an unbalanced squad but we have a list elsewhere on SZ of small things to improve Roots Hall including 'pocket money' tasks like toilet roll, soap and replacing a few rubber washers in the plumbing and there is no progress. How patient does a fan (customer) have to be ?

 

[overseas shrimper]

Its not unreasonable for a fan to hope for a splash out on a match winning player whether its realistic or not. What's a bit disappointing is that not only have we apparently shot the budget on an unbalanced squad but we have a list elsewhere on SZ of small things to improve Roots Hall including 'pocket money' tasks like toilet roll, soap and replacing a few rubber washers in the plumbing and there is no progress. How patient does a fan (customer) have to be ?

More than you, it seems.

And who said the budget has been shot? Just some speculative posters on here who don't actually know. But the keyword here is 'budget'. I have np doubts they are looking for the best possible players for the 'budget' available and that isn't a quick process. Getting somebody in, regardless of them being the best we can get would be quicker, but that's not what we're about now.

 

[edwardss2]

Being successful business men they know that the only way forward is to improve the money generated by RH stadium. The first thing is to get it to level where it doesn't take a Mike Marsh transfer fee just to keep it open each year.

I think that this is exactly right. Not developing RH is not an option, how much long can it be before it does not get a safety certificate or falls down? If either of these occur then it does not matter how many fans we have, no one will be able to go.
While we must put our trust in the consortium, a little more communication would be a good thing.
They also need to build on the tremendous goodwill and reconnect SUFC with the city and community. Maybe a float at the Halloween Parade? (this is a serious suggestion btw).

 

[Blue Yonder]

More than you, it seems.

And who said the budget has been shot? Just some speculative posters on here who don't actually know. But the keyword here is 'budget'. I have np doubts they are looking for the best possible players for the 'budget' available and that isn't a quick process. Getting somebody in, regardless of them being the best we can get would be quicker, but that's not what we're about now.

I know you have to be more patient than me but that wasn't the question. Personally I think if you've had months and months to plan for what you do after the takeover the low cost to provide clean facilities with toilet paper, soap and fixed leaks is providing the very basics of dignity to your customers and should have been sorted by now. How long are you prepared to wait ? How long is it reasonable to ask fans to wait ?

I don't know the playing budget is shot (I said apparently it is) but everything including letting JD go suggests it is along with the fact that we seem to have signed a number of players that have not been any better than those we had already. Maybe I'm wrong. I often am. It's just an opinion.

 

[Tommy2holes]

With respect Tommy your endless and repetitive posts contain a lot of tosh. I highlighted a few bits of your last post. Just incase someone missed the last 10.

Spending £4m and counting just saving the club from oblivion was an absolute no choice essential. Then spending more just to pass safety and fire will cost more than FGR spend on forwards this season.

Being successful business men they know that the only way forward is to improve the money generated by RH stadium. The first thing is to get it to level where it doesn't take a Mike Marsh transfer fee just to keep it open each year.

Your still stuck in the 'We have more fans than you" football economics. Its all about total income not how many season tickets. Money spent on RH is certainly not folly or a waste. To say so is from place to total ignorance.

There vast majority wanted to stay at RH so money has to be spent to make that happen. Yet it now seems clear that some on here want the cure but don't like the medicine. Its 5 year plan not 5 months that you want. If some can't handle that with their thinly disguised "I wont come any more threats". Then jog on they would be saying the same if we were middle of L2 or L1.......Even mid table Championship the same weak fans would find the next level of excuse not to attend......The truth is their Firestick and £40 dodgy connection rules their thinking

Tbf Rigsby, from what I can gather you were one of the diminishing few that backed Ron or at least were not overly critical. Each to there own but I'm certainly not at all bothered by your veiled snipes.

You are entitled to your opinion and me mine.

The difference in financial income from national league to football league is night and day. That's a fact.

Football fans are fickle. That's also a fact. 2 or 3 seasons of midtable national league will see crowds drop. Oldham are a guage of that.

Spend money on roots Hall by all means but the money should be invested on getting the club out of the national league.

Thats roughly 1.5 to 2 million extra straight away for being EFL.

Stay in the national league and you always run at a loss. In fact it would take crowds of 10k plus spending plenty of money on a matchday to even think of breaking even.

The football league is the priority. End of.

 

[blues exile]

Tbf Rigsby, from what I can gather you were one of the diminishing few that backed Ron or at least were not overly critical. Each to there own but I'm certainly not at all bothered by your veiled snipes.

You are entitled to your opinion and me mine.

The difference in financial income from national league to football league is night and day. That's a fact.

Football fans are fickle. That's also a fact. 2 or 3 seasons of midtable national league will see crowds drop. Oldham are a guage of that.

Spend money on roots Hall by all means but the money should be invested on getting the club out of the national league.

Thats roughly 1.5 to 2 million extra straight away for being EFL.

Stay in the national league and you always run at a loss. In fact it would take crowds of 10k plus spending plenty of money on a matchday to even think of breaking even.

The football league is the priority. End of.

Couldn't agree more. Sustainability and staying in the National League for the foreseeable future are two irreconcilable concepts, you simply can't have both. Even a place in EFL2 far from guarantees 'sustainability' but at least would afford a chance of it. The longer we stay in the purgatory that is the NL the worse the situation will be with a drop in attendances, decline in quality of signings to fall in line with our diminished status and financial clout inevitably leading to a slow lingering death.

 

[overseas shrimper]

I know you have to be more patient than me but that wasn't the question. Personally I think if you've had months and months to plan for what you do after the takeover the low cost to provide clean facilities with toilet paper, soap and fixed leaks is providing the very basics of dignity to your customers and should have been sorted by now. How long are you prepared to wait ? How long is it reasonable to ask fans to wait ?

I don't know the playing budget is shot (I said apparently it is) but everything including letting JD go suggests it is along with the fact that we seem to have signed a number of players that have not been any better than those we had already. Maybe I'm wrong. I often am. It's just an opinion.

I think the months they were waiting to take ownership of the club were spent worrying about spending millions on something they didn't own and trying to get the deal done, rather than stocking up on bog roll and hand soap (although I do agree the facilities sound horrendous at the Hall).

Parting ways with JD, for example, was nothing to do with the playing budget. In fact, the club wanted him to remain as a player (and maybe a bit of coaching), but it was JD that didn't want to continue with full-time football. He wanted a coaching role, but the club just don't have such an opening for him at this point.

Whether new signings are better than what we had is yet to be confirmed I guess, but in my opinion, Walker is potentially better than Powell and Moncur is better than Wes. Gubbins looks like he has potential to improve us and Wind is a wait and see.

 

[CC51DAS]

Once the Rat realised he was out of his depth he turned his plan to running the club into the ground with a view to building on BOTH RH and FF. But he hadn't reckoned on the determination of AF, DC and COSU who combined to call him out.

25 years of total mismanagement, some of it deliberate.

No-one turns that round in a couple of months .

 

[Tommy2holes]

Once the Rat realised he was out of his depth he turned his plan to running the club into the ground with a view to building on BOTH RH and FF. But he hadn't reckoned on the determination of AF, DC and COSU who combined to call him out.

25 years of total mismanagement, some of it deliberate.

No-one turns that round in a couple of months .

Agreed. All I'm saying is to focus on sustainability in the national league is complete folly.

It won't happen.

Get out of the national league and then rebuild roots Hall. Diminishing the playing budget to renovate roots Hall in the national league is financially counter productive

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Agreed. All I'm saying is to focus on sustainability in the national league is complete folly.

It won't happen.

Get out of the national league and then rebuild roots Hall. Diminishing the playing budget to renovate roots Hall in the national league is financially counter productive

Roots Hall is a **** tip and a lot of it isn’t useable, or is a danger. I’d say that’s more of a priority to be honest. We have a decent side, ok we lost Cards but we can still get someone in ..(a loan maybe?) ..we can have a shot at the playoffs like we did last season.

I personally know people who won’t go or won’t spend a penny in the ground due to the state of RH.

Besides what if we spend fortunes on players who turn out to be **** or get injured. What then??

 

[Blue Yonder]

I think the months they were waiting to take ownership of the club were spent worrying about spending millions on something they didn't own and trying to get the deal done, rather than stocking up on bog roll and hand soap (although I do agree the facilities sound horrendous at the Hall).

Parting ways with JD, for example, was nothing to do with the playing budget. In fact, the club wanted him to remain as a player (and maybe a bit of coaching), but it was JD that didn't want to continue with full-time football. He wanted a coaching role, but the club just don't have such an opening for him at this point.

Whether new signings are better than what we had is yet to be confirmed I guess, but in my opinion, Walker is potentially better than Powell and Moncur is better than Wes. Gubbins looks like he has potential to improve us and Wind is a wait and see.

I really wasn't expecting Justin or any of the consortium to be down ASDA filling a shopping trolley but I think you know that. I would have expected an action plan though for first two weeks, first month, by Christmas, by end of season 1 ..... I'm sure there will be one. Justin is a Project Manager. We haven't been told and maybe we have no right to know. There are a few things you should communicate with customers about and improving things for them would seem to be right up there. The state of Roots Hall is an absolute disgrace. We don't seem to have a stadium manager so maybe there was no snagging list for RH prepared.

I agree that Walker and Moncur look like upgrades and I'm really not in despair like some but would love it if we could find a few bob for a fortunes changing striker. We look pretty competent everywhere else.

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but reaching for my tin foil hat I find it odd how onside fans were kept for months when the consortium wanted support and pressure applied to the previous owner and the council. Now the deal is done we don't hear a dam thing. I suspect you're right and that all energy was put into the deal and not much thought into what comes after and who is responsible for what and it's a steep learning process.

Anyway, nice chatting. It's Friday and I'm off to the pub.