Alan Pace - an opinion.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Burnley fan John Simpson shared his thoughts on the impact Alan Pace has had on Burnley Football Club since his arrival. Thought provoking to say the least and comes on the back of yet another Clarets’ victory, this time 3-1 at the expense of Hull City.

When you think how much has been achieved at Turf Moor this season, the mind well and truly boggles. Vincent Kompany’s experience and connections coupled with Alan Pace’s introduction of new data-led technologies promoting Burnley to the wider football world by giving aspirational young players across the globe an opportunity is reaping dividends and at a relatively modest cost. Would we have fared any better had we retained McNeil, Tarkowski, Mee and Cornet, I somehow doubt it!

What excites me looking ahead is to see how much further this strategy will develop, have we found a system most other clubs can only dream about? However, foreign clubs aren’t daft and will expect higher transfer fees, but Kompany’s charisma is bound to appeal to top young players and will attract like a magnet. His rapport with his former manager Pep Guardiola is also a huge bonus. The Manchester City game will be a timely marker in terms of how we fare against the best and how big the gap in quality really is, but it has been proved many times before; anything goes in the FA Cup!

I still recall a few early quotes from Alan Pace when he took over Burnley Football Club “the club have great potential to grow commercially from shrewd recruitment of players, stadium improvements and wider marketing of the club”. We are now beginning to see what he means by that with celebrity investment etc. And rather immodestly claimed: “I don't think you have ever seen anyone like me, and you certainly haven't seen anyone like me come in and run a football club”.

How true that statement of intent was, let’s just hope this momentum continues, but all in all we are witnessing a refreshing change from the past as we never really moved with the times. Many like me I suspect simply thought that to survive in the Premier was the ultimate, but I think our new management team have bigger aspirations which might just upset the top six or am I getting too carried away?

An opinion posted on Clarets Mad with the kind permission of John Simpson and slightly edited for readers of Clarets Mad. (TEC.)

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[kritichris]

I'm amazed at our success and at first put it down to be lucky enough to get Kompany with his connections but now I'm not sure how much is down to Pace's scouting system in bringing in these excellent players. If the latter there is hope in the PL.

[Norder]

.

“the club have great potential to grow commercially....AP

I remember reading his bullish rant.....

and thinking - this...

[sinkov]

Vinni may be working wonders on the field, but our off-field achievements so far include turning £50 million in the bank into a debt of over £100 million, a relegation from the Premier League, the loss of our Academy status, a transfer embargo, and a threat from Companies House to close them down because they were six months overdue filing their accounts. It does give the impression that this lot couldn't run a piss up in a brewery.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Vinni may be working wonders on the field, but our off-field achievements so far include turning £50 million in the bank into a debt of over £100 million, a relegation from the Premier League, the loss of our Academy status, a transfer embargo, and a threat from Companies House to close them down because they were six months overdue filing their accounts. It does give the impression that this lot couldn't run a piss up in a brewery.

I knew you would come along soon to offer a different view to Mr Simpson mon ami.

I will give you your due you never, ever disappoint.

[sinkov]

I knew you would come along soon to offer a different view to Mr Simpson mon ami.

I will give you your due you never, ever disappoint.

But mon ami, I have simply stated the facts, draw whatever conclusions you like, but facts is facts.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

QUOTE=sinkov;40241595]But mon ami, I have simply stated the facts, draw whatever conclusions you like, but facts is facts.[/QUOTE]

I have been quietly imposing and connecting a lot of different views across social media forums who are dedicated solely to Clarets supporters sinkov, using Clarets Mad as the "Gold Standard".

It's great to see different views coming in from right across the globe and Alan Pace is generally getting exceptionally good press.

I offered the thoughts of Swissclaret and Claret Matelot and the response was really good, the explanations for the late filing of accounts generally accepted, indeed VK has just come out and more or less said exactly what are two highly esteemed contributors wrote.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/foot...219d93ac&ei=48

I have come to the conclusion that if results are going their way on the pitch most footy fans don't give a **** about what's going on in the accounts department.

Leveraged buyouts - it's the future.

[sinkov]

I have come to the conclusion that if results are going their way on the pitch most footy fans don't give a **** about what's going on in the accounts department.

This is very true I'm sure, most fans don't give a FF what's happening in the back office, as long as the team's winning. On this very subject a couple of months ago, I did mention the Pompey fans who were celebrating with Harry their Cup win at Wembley in 2008. Not a care in the world those fans, happy as pigs in ****, two years later they were in Admin, five years and three relegations later they were in D2. But that can't happen to us can it.

What is disconcerting about our new owners is that, while no one can expect them to know much about football, and credit to them, they've employed someone in that department who obviously does, they are allegedly experienced, astute businessmen. Most of the issues I've mentioned above appear to be fairly basic admin/accountancy failings, which given that this should be their area of expertise is worrying, for businessmen they just don't seem very good at.........er business really.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

This is very true I'm sure, most fans don't give a FF what's happening in the back office, as long as the team's winning. On this very subject a couple of months ago, I did mention the Pompey fans who were celebrating with Harry their Cup win at Wembley in 2008. Not a care in the world those fans, happy as pigs in ****, two years later they were in Admin, five years and three relegations later they were in D2. But that can't happen to us can it.

What is disconcerting about our new owners is that, while no one can expect them to know much about football, and credit to them, they've employed someone in that department who obviously does, they are allegedly experienced, astute businessmen. Most of the issues I've mentioned above appear to be fairly basic admin/accountancy failings, which given that this should be their area of expertise is worrying, for businessmen they just don't seem very good at.........er business really.

One more time just for you:

From Swissclaret who is a Swiss based international accountant and posted this on Clarets Mad:

“I have replaced auditors several times in my career. It was always because they did not understand the business, did not understand the transactions being undertaken, and misunderstood the risk associated with them. The worst example was auditors who wanted to treat off-balance sheet transactions as an on-balance sheet, thereby rendering the company insolvent!

With all due respect to any accountants reading this, in my experience, if they do not understand they qualify their report. An unnecessary qualification can hamper attempts to attract outside investment, part of the policy of ALK.

The account may have been moved to an audit firm with a better knowledge of the football business and financial aspects like leveraging. Their risk assessment capabilities may, therefore, be more accurate, leading to the removal of any unnecessary qualifications in the Report.”

Hope this helps to soothe the nerves of any Burnley supporter who may be fearing the worst.

[sinkov]

One more time just for you:

From Swissclaret who is a Swiss based international accountant and posted this on Clarets Mad:

“I have replaced auditors several times in my career. It was always because they did not understand the business, did not understand the transactions being undertaken, and misunderstood the risk associated with them. The worst example was auditors who wanted to treat off-balance sheet transactions as an on-balance sheet, thereby rendering the company insolvent!

With all due respect to any accountants reading this, in my experience, if they do not understand they qualify their report. An unnecessary qualification can hamper attempts to attract outside investment, part of the policy of ALK.

The account may have been moved to an audit firm with a better knowledge of the football business and financial aspects like leveraging. Their risk assessment capabilities may, therefore, be more accurate, leading to the removal of any unnecessary qualifications in the Report.”

Yes I know I've read it. Swiss says 'it MAY have been moved', for the reasons he states, but he doesn't know, it's just a possibility, it's also possible it MAY NOT have been moved for those reasons. It MAY have been moved because they didn't like the inferences the previous auditors were drawing. Or it MAY NOT, and we'll never know because they won't be telling.