SUFC: The Future COSU, Communications & Future

[PIERS]

What do we want ..Soap! when do we want it .....

If you are that bothered bring some hand sanitiser with you. if you want a club statement about soap then when you get it, I hope it is the right type of soap. heaven forbid.

 

[JB Shrimper]

The whole thing right from the start, when Stan started to get involved (just because I mentioned him does not mean this is a Stan post) was transparency amd communication. We were under the impression this would happen under new owners. The football we have played this season is below par and we have sold one and allegedly terminated the contract of another and yet we heard very little. Chris Phillips should not be used as the spokeman for the club which he does seem to be at the moment (again not a Phillips knock).

 

[Target man]

The way of modern day football is impatience, and that comes from fan bases also. When COSU were eventually confirmed, whilst it was great to feel some excitement at last, I really didn't like the 'HM **** the league' posts. In reality, it just doesn't work that way and we have no automatic right to smash the league and go straight up. We have got to stop thinking of ourselves as an elite club in this league. What we are is a club with a fantastic fan base, a club with huge potential not yet realised, with a consortium made of many skills trying their best to get us back to being a sustainable club, that is building again from rock bottom. They never said it's going to be easy, in fact, the opposite. A lot of work will be needed and it will take time. Time is not something they have had luxury of and small vital steps are being made.

A club isn't just about having the best squad in the league. That doesn't come cheap, easy or quickly. But foundations have to be built, and having to create good trusting relationships in the community will bring investment. Investment will advance our status, and advance our developing team. Our previous owner made that almost impossible and that's now one of the many difficult tasks they have to fulfill to bring us back to life.

Many judge success, wrongly, just by the shape of our squad. Right now, we're having some difficulties in that area. Losing Cards is a massive blow, and unfortunately, terrible timing with other injuries presently. It's not ideal. But we had faith in Kev and the lads when we were in a far worse position than now.

Have people forgotten having just 12 to pick from and seeing Gus end a game in goal?? We then beat a Chesterfield team massively against the odds, with the coaching team, players and supporters all pulling together.

Whatever the team, whatever the situation, let's not lose that unbelievable support and belief we had in the remaining lads, just because of over inflated expectation. And as for COSU, they saved us then, and they are trying to bring us back now. If you can't get behind them in the toughest periods (and they'll be plenty more for certain), then don't shout how great they are ONLY when we see brilliant glory days again .... which WILL arrive. Be patient and remember what we can achieve together when we stick together in the hardest times.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Love the way that some on here assume that in the absence of regular updates there are no clear plans in place to improve the stadium, the facilities, the squad.

How long until the sack the board posts start appearing?

I for one don’t need regular updates to have 100% confidence that the club is in safe hands and the requisite plans are in place to improve our club.

I think the consortium is missing an easy win by not having better communication.

If they’re doing stuff behind the scenes let us know - it will reinforce the idea that things are improving.

Fans are desperate for good news. Share the improvements and the plans with us. Let us feel part of that journey as we move from basket case club to properly run club. There’s been various mentions of the fan zones, redeveloping the West Stand/North Bank/eventually East Stand, there’s work getting the training ground up to scratch but we have no idea if these plans will be this season/next season/once Ron has built has Fossetts - help manage our expectations so people don’t get too carried away.

Well run businesses do communicate with their customers. It is part of running a business. I think it’s a constructive point to suggest that they could be doing this better and that the club would benefit from it (I.e. by having more engaged fans). I’m wanting to help and not intending to criticise.

Is there not a Q&A coming up? Including Tom?
Perfect forum based on questions asked- they can issue pre-prepared statements but will never tell people what they want to know it seems.
If really interested make the most of the Q&A ?

Is there? When/where is this? I’d like to attend.

 

[kentblues]

I think the consortium is missing an easy win by not having better communication.

If they’re doing stuff behind the scenes let us know - it will reinforce the idea that things are improving.

Fans are desperate for good news. Share the improvements and the plans with us. Let us feel part of that journey as we move from basket case club to properly run club. There’s been various mentions of the fan zones, redeveloping the West Stand/North Bank/eventually East Stand, there’s work getting the training ground up to scratch but we have no idea if these plans will be this season/next season/once Ron has built has Fossetts - help manage our expectations so people don’t get too carried away.

Well run businesses do communicate with their customers. It is part of running a business. I think it’s a constructive point to suggest that they could be doing this better and that the club would benefit from it (I.e. by having more engaged fans). I’m wanting to help and not intending to criticise.



Is there? When/where is this? I’d like to attend.

“He and Tom Arnold are also due on Shrimperscast soon, hopefully we'll get some answers.”

I suggest the effort is made to engage and ensure the right questions are asked…

 

[PIERS]

If they say we will have fan zone in 3 months, people who use the car park will moan. if its 3 and a half months people will moan, if it causes a local boozer to close people will moan. if its a bit **** people will moan, if its too busy. etc etc etc. they are better off saying nothing and cracking on

 

[Blue Yonder]

What do we want ..Soap! when do we want it .....

If you are that bothered bring some hand sanitiser with you. if you want a club statement about soap then when you get it, I hope it is the right type of soap. heaven forbid.

The stadium is a decaying dump neglected for years. It will take years to put it right. You have to start somewhere though Piers so how does it help to shrug your shoulders and accept it and take the **** out of people asking for some modest improvement in return for their cash week in week out.

 

[stewart]

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 everythinget including lting 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.

they did not let JD go , he chose to go ,I do believe he was offered a contract .

 

[basilrobbie]

Being patient is an easy thing to talk about. It's also one of the hardest things to achieve. You've had a ****ty time for years and you are bound to be impatient to see better times.

However :

1) if your club is anything like mine, the new owners will be turning over rocks and finding creepy crawlies for months, if not longer. When you are firefighting, finely crafted statements are not necessarily the first thing on your mind.

2) your recovery does not take place in a vacuum. Getting out of this Division in the right direction is extremely tough, and there are plenty of sides who had a better summer than you, a more tranquil preceding period than you and started the season better prepared than you. It might take time to get going.

3) I know its a cliche, but it is a marathon, not a sprint. When we finally won promotion in 2007, we started that season with eight points from eleven games, culminating in a 2-0 defeat at Carlisle where we were fighting one another in the away end. We then hammered Orient at home, went to the Withdean and won 3-0 and ended up taking seventy five points from thirty five gams as the system clicked and confidence started to flood back. It's way too early to start muttering.

That's not to say that the new regime doesn't face challenges around fan engagement. The legislation that is coming is going to raise the bar for everyone. But everything I've seen, and you've talked about, since they came on the scene suggests to me that they will meet the challenge head on. Not every club will be that lucky.

 

[stewart]

voted not bothered either way , let them get on with the work they have to do , RM left them a legacy that will take a long time and much money to repair. 25 years of neglect and impossible to fix overnight., and without the supporters help almost impossible .Im sure they also realise the squad needs building also and are allowing JS ,Maher and co to do that. But as been said multiple times its senseless to bring in players that are not on a level with what we have at present . They have now got the new training facilities up to a level players can train on that to me is a big help,the stadium with help of volunteers has its safety certificate and looks a lot cleaner , im sure the food stalls will improve in due time plus the bogs and onions in the hotdogs etc , the shop is looking good now ,you have a new scoreboard for those thast cannot add past one ,but the biggest factor is we have a club, be patient ,this year was never ever going to be a promotion year. Players will come but they need to be off the right quality.

 

[wiggy]

League is slipping away already, start of September oh please!
Last year blamed the authorities for deducting us 10 points, this year it’s self inflicted. Way its looking is another relegation scrap, if you can’t score then you will not accumulate enough points….shambles and rat free

 

[* ORM *]

Maybe some supporters should switch their allegiances to Man City?

Years of utter dross, before the courts and **** scared about our future. Takeover finally goes through and fans are clamouring for action mere weeks in.

Get a reality grip and look at what has already been achieved. It’s actually a very long list most of which looks at sustainability and revenues.

 

[Cricko]

Maybe some supporters should switch their allegiances to Man City?

Years of utter dross, before the courts and **** scared about our future. Takeover finally goes through and fans are clamouring for action mere weeks in.

Get a reality grip and look at what has already been achieved. It’s actually a very long list most of which looks at sustainability and revenues.

I don't think anybody is criticising any of the fantastic work The Consortium and staff at the club have achieved so far, far from it i would say, this thread is about onging communication with the fans and keeping us up to date with progress and the way forward.

If we as a fan base can help towards any of their goals that must be seen as a positive thing. All we ask is that we are kept in the loop where possible.

I get we need to be patient but we all want what's best for the club and i for one see little or no reason why we seem to be or are a not kept in the picture. I agree it is only a short time they have been in charge but as stated at the Cliffs Pavilion they had already made plans, the best way foward IMO is to share any positives or infact negatives /stumbling blocks with us on a regular basis. Then we all know where we stand.

But as i said, that is just my opinion.

 

[rigsby]

Being patient is an easy thing to talk about. It's also one of the hardest things to achieve. You've had a ****ty time for years and you are bound to be impatient to see better times.

However :

1) if your club is anything like mine, the new owners will be turning over rocks and finding creepy crawlies for months, if not longer. When you are firefighting, finely crafted statements are not necessarily the first thing on your mind.

2) your recovery does not take place in a vacuum. Getting out of this Division in the right direction is extremely tough, and there are plenty of sides who had a better summer than you, a more tranquil preceding period than you and started the season better prepared than you. It might take time to get going.

3) I know its a cliche, but it is a marathon, not a sprint. When we finally won promotion in 2007, we started that season with eight points from eleven games, culminating in a 2-0 defeat at Carlisle where we were fighting one another in the away end. We then hammered Orient at home, went to the Withdean and won 3-0 and ended up taking seventy five points from thirty five gams as the system clicked and confidence started to flood back. It's way too early to start muttering.

That's not to say that the new regime doesn't face challenges around fan engagement. The legislation that is coming is going to raise the bar for everyone. But everything I've seen, and you're talked about, since they came on the scene suggests to me that the they will meet the challenge head on. Not every club will be that lucky.

Unfortunately some of our fans can't understand that. However they have had updates via our manger KM.

"We are behind were we want to be"......Due to delays added on by or local council over the type of houses at FF everyone knows COSU did not have control early enough this summer. One of the worse things has been our quality of training pitches. We have only just made the switch to the new facilities....We missed out on our top targets back in June and no-one will loan you their most promising talent if your training ground is worse than Sunday league.

Then Kev mentions his worst ever week......We had already lost two of our 3 strikers and a CM with lengthy injuries and then HC departs for FGR.
More concerning is also losing a highly rated (to much in my opinion) CB for several discipline reasons. Possibly some other potential signing didn't happen.

If Kev was Firefighting this was the equivalent of a flashover........All focus should be getting the situation under control and everyone accounted for. There's no time to speak to that member of public who's whinging about the fire appliance blocking his drive......He can easily park down the road, he knows that but just wants attention.

There will be a statement....By senior management once everyone is accounted for and the hose is being made up. I've no doubt it will reassure those concerned residents and business owners. Until then please stand back and allow to guys to get on with the job.

 

[Barry.C]

Its important to remember that constructive criticism, at any time, is NOT negative and should not be interpreted that way. Its centred around helping things improve, its often the most positive spark for change
Undoubtedly maybe some in their passion get off on more constant negative criticism. Not good for them or anybody else
To be contrasted by the perhaps far more waring , Holier than though , you cant criticize types .

Positive criticism should be truly welcomed as it aims to provide a better orientation ,, even for the moaners who constantly complain about it. It helps frame our references and ideas to act on to improve things. Most of the criticism of COSU seems to me to have been delivered in a positive way. To be keep being told to calm down dear and be patient is far more irritating as it stifles Many who dont like the odd passionate moan or criticism have tended to show signs themselves of far more unpleasant characteristics

 

[Tommy2holes]

I'm not saying that Cosu aren't doing anything around the ground.

But the noticeable differences are:

The D2 lounge. I believe this was done as part of the sponsorship.
The score board. Paid for by a car firm
The new Southend sign. Paid for by another firm
The west stand not doing half times and staying open all game. Can't get a beer for love or money. Better options though!
Food and drink prices increased but quality unchanged. Still awful.
Club shop. Painted by fans and outside tidied by fans.


They have paid debts and financed the football side of things.
Bought in much needed sponsorship.
Got the new training pitch up and running.

The playing budget seems lower. We are still massively short of players, but seemingly unable or unwilling to find better replacements.

May seem a black and white view but it's how I see it.

I still maintain that the consortiums main goal is a financially stable club.

That does not happen in the national league. End of.

Get back to the EFL and it's doable. Flounder for several seasons and it won't be achieved.

 

[fbm]

I still maintain that the consortiums main goal is a financially stable club.

That does not happen in the national league. End of.

Get back to the EFL and it's doable. Flounder for several seasons and it won't be achieved.

I don't disagree with this bit. However, we can't be eternally loss making by splashing out on players, marquee signings, etc., otherwise we will be back where we were and with no cavalry coming in.

A big advantage in the NL is that there is no transfer window. We can bring in players whenever we like. However, one of the biggest disadvantages in the NL is that there is no transfer window. That means other clubs can match buy out clauses and we lose our best players.

So the "Buy low, sell high" approach actually can make the club nearly, if not totally sustainable in the NL for a period of time. This isn't however the best way of getting out the division upwards either.

 

[Rock Lobster]

Its important to remember that constructive criticism, at any time, is NOT negative and should not be interpreted that way. Its centred around helping things improve, its often the most positive spark for change
Undoubtedly maybe some in their passion get off on more constant negative criticism. Not good for them or anybody else
To be contrasted by the perhaps far more waring , Holier than though , you cant criticize types .

Positive criticism should be truly welcomed as it aims to provide a better orientation ,, even for the moaners who constantly complain about it. It helps frame our references and ideas to act on to improve things. Most of the criticism of COSU seems to me to have been delivered in a positive way. To be keep being told to calm down dear and be patient is far more irritating as it stifles Many who dont like the odd passionate moan or criticism have tended to show signs themselves of far more unpleasant characteristics

I agree constructive criticism can be a good thing but the person offering it needs to accept others may disagree. It doesn't mean they are trying to shut you down.
Whilst there are obviously some long running personal battles between posters on here, I'm not sure that comments about 'holier than thou types' or 'showing signs of far more unpleasant characteristics' are especially constructive.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Jeez......here we go again. "As consumers, we demand to know what's going on, we have the right to know what's going on".....that's exactly the same stance as many had under Ron.

We don't. We might like to, but we don't.

If COSU /the Club decide to put out a statement at some point, yes, I would absolutely welcome it, it would be nice to have an update as to how they think things are going with plans and short term fixes before looking to the longer term.

But we don't have to have it. Can't we just get out there and support the team without stressing about the backroom stuff?

 

[Rock Lobster]

I'm not saying that Cosu aren't doing anything around the ground.

But the noticeable differences are:

The D2 lounge. I believe this was done as part of the sponsorship.
The score board. Paid for by a car firm
The new Southend sign. Paid for by another firm
The west stand not doing half times and staying open all game. Can't get a beer for love or money. Better options though!
Food and drink prices increased but quality unchanged. Still awful.
Club shop. Painted by fans and outside tidied by fans.


They have paid debts and financed the football side of things.
Bought in much needed sponsorship.
Got the new training pitch up and running.

The playing budget seems lower. We are still massively short of players, but seemingly unable or unwilling to find better replacements.

May seem a black and white view but it's how I see it.

I still maintain that the consortiums main goal is a financially stable club.

That does not happen in the national league. End of.

Get back to the EFL and it's doable. Flounder for several seasons and it won't be achieved.

I suspect that getting back to the FL is a big part of the COSU plan to make the club sustainable.
What I don't know is how much funding they have and how much of that funding it would take to make us financially competitive with the likes of Barnet and FGR .
What if they threw everything they have at it for a few seasons and we were still in the NL?
If we're then back to struggling to pay bills, Roots Hall is still decrepit and the training ground is still half finished, I don't honestly see many of us saying 'at least they gave it a go'. I think it's far more likely people would be saying 'where's the money gone?'
Fortunately for me I'm not putting a shed load of money in the club and having to make those considerations.