Match Thread vs. Grimsby 05.02.22 [NL]

[Glad2BeAPie]

I share your thoughts on this !
I think the Radar (& sell on) aspect is, at least as important to them, as promotion.

Which isn't going to happen

[jackal2]

It’s not an experiment though is it as lots of clubs use it.

The method we had under Trew/Hardy was to sign lots of players, sack the manager sign lots more players of a different style.....it got us relegated twice.

The honeymoon seems to be over for our owners can sense people getting frustrated with them makes me wonder why anyone bothers buying clubs I mean they saved the club without them we’d have nothing or be AFC Notts County which in reality means we don’t exist.

I think the huge, often silent majority of Notts fans know what a good job the owners have done since arriving. After a couple of bad results you'll always get a few anonymous voices on social media trying to whip up a narrative that isn't really there, but I'd hope most people are sensible enough to ignore it. The owners are keeping the club financially stable while still bringing in a number of signings and trying to take the club forward on a sustainable basis. We'll continue to have our ups and downs on the football pitch, but that's better than having them in Companies Court!

[laddo]

It’s not an experiment though is it as lots of clubs use it.

The method we had under Trew/Hardy was to sign lots of players, sack the manager sign lots more players of a different style.....it got us relegated twice.

The honeymoon seems to be over for our owners can sense people getting frustrated with them makes me wonder why anyone bothers buying clubs I mean they saved the club without them we’d have nothing or be AFC Notts County which in reality means we don’t exist.

Very good point, it's an experiment at Notts and for the owners but it's widespread throughout the leagues.

The previous methods, as stated by Legs77, were ultimately disastrous on both occasions

Don't agree with the final bit regarding nothing or AFC Notts County but understand and agree with the sentiment.

[keldsyke]

The honeymoon seems to be over for our owners can sense people getting frustrated with them makes me wonder why anyone bothers buying clubs I mean they saved the club without them we’d have nothing or be AFC Notts County which in reality means we don’t exist.

I’m not sure it’s that the honeymoon period is over, I think some of the comments and peoples perceptions of what the owners want to achieve short term on the pitch have not been communicated across well, or at all.

There’s no doubt what they have done off the pitch in the running of our club is probably one of the best things that has happened in our recent history and has to be applauded massively, and for that I thank them beyond words.

However, I don’t think we have progressed as much on the pitch as off, and for me we are no further forward than a year ago. As someone mentioned the buying of the club being an ‘experiment’ , where others may see it differently. Whether this plan will work in the fifth tier of football is up for debate, but as a supporter I expect us to be challenging for promotion at the beginning of every season, that’s why I buy my season ticket on that assumption.

The recruitment this season has been a 5/10 at best IMO, and tbh I expected much better, as the glaring holes we could all see hasn’t been addressed. I think as others have said when we are good we are outstanding, and when we are bad we are very bad, and I guess the answer lies in between. Will we go up, I honestly don’t think we will but I hope I’m wrong, but if we don’t go up then perhaps a rethink is needed at the end of the season on philosophy, recruitment and communication.

[Elite_Pie]

So we are the guinea pig for their experiment?

I think that's a perfectly valid question. The Reedtz brothers haven't really put a foot wrong since taking ownership, but it's not out of order to ask whether their priority is playing a computer game in real life or moving the club forward. The ideal answer is that they can do both, but my priority as a Notts fan is to become the World's Oldest Football League Club again. I don't particularly care if we do it by playing pretty football or direct football, I just want us to do it.

[laddo]

Me too it's definitely a valid question, although it can be easily read as cynical or having negative connotations which maybe not the case in this instance.

Maybe they are just trying to copy the experiments of other owners before them at European clubs who have adopted a similar model.

If they are "playing a computer game in real life" then they surely want to be successful at it? It's certainly not a cheap experiment to have or computer game to play that's for sure.

It was suggested earlier that they were more interested in buying and selling players to make money than promotion which I find truly bizarre unless they don't like or don't understand football. And that's ignoring the fact they haven't actually sold anyone yet for profit yet lol.

If they want to make money then there is no better way than gaining promotions as every player that helps achieves the promotion is instantly worth considerably more not to mention the bigger gates and commercial income as you go up the pyramid. They will know this, they come across as very astute guys.

Naturally I do hope their approach and model evolves and adapts as they learn on the job. They need to get the right balance on so many elements of running the club but if one main aim is to buy players to sell for more and to then reinvest. Sounds great to me, unfamiliar as a Notts fan but great.

[uysapie]

Me too it's definitely a valid question, although it can be easily read as cynical or having negative connotations which maybe not the case in this instance.

Maybe they are just trying to copy the experiments of other owners before them at European clubs who have adopted a similar model.

If they are "playing a computer game in real life" then they surely want to be successful at it? It's certainly not a cheap experiment to have or computer game to play that's for sure.

It was suggested earlier that they were more interested in buying and selling players to make money than promotion which I find truly bizarre unless they don't like or don't understand football. And that's ignoring the fact they haven't actually sold anyone yet for profit yet lol.

If they want to make money then there is no better way than gaining promotions as every player that helps achieves the promotion is instantly worth considerably more not to mention the bigger gates and commercial income as you go up the pyramid. They will know this, they come across as very astute guys.

Naturally I do hope their approach and model evolves and adapts as they learn on the job. They need to get the right balance on so many elements of running the club but if one main aim is to buy players to sell for more and to then reinvest. Sounds great to me, unfamiliar as a Notts fan but great.

It was not meant as cynical or negative. The Brothers are new at owning a football club and probably still have to come terms with this particular league. What works in other leagues may not work in this league, given the disparity of clubs and styles of play.

[legs77]

I’m not sure it’s that the honeymoon period is over, I think some of the comments and peoples perceptions of what the owners want to achieve short term on the pitch have not been communicated across well, or at all.

There’s no doubt what they have done off the pitch in the running of our club is probably one of the best things that has happened in our recent history and has to be applauded massively, and for that I thank them beyond words.

However, I don’t think we have progressed as much on the pitch as off, and for me we are no further forward than a year ago. As someone mentioned the buying of the club being an ‘experiment’ , where others may see it differently. Whether this plan will work in the fifth tier of football is up for debate, but as a supporter I expect us to be challenging for promotion at the beginning of every season, that’s why I buy my season ticket on that assumption.

The recruitment this season has been a 5/10 at best IMO, and tbh I expected much better, as the glaring holes we could all see hasn’t been addressed. I think as others have said when we are good we are outstanding, and when we are bad we are very bad, and I guess the answer lies in between. Will we go up, I honestly don’t think we will but I hope I’m wrong, but if we don’t go up then perhaps a rethink is needed at the end of the season on philosophy, recruitment and communication.

I do myself think you need a few bishop types in midfield as well and a Strodder type CB.

It is also without doubt the hardest league to get out of with only one automatic spot up for grabs.

We probably spend less on wages this season now Dennis/Thomas have gone and its clear Sam/Mitchell arent of the same class but finances will play a part.

I think their idea is smart imo but it could do with a tweak in NL with as an example Bishop/Strodder types.

I also agree that we not go up and if we dont I hope its Stockport & Wrexham.

[matt_magpie]

It's hardly an experiment, basically they want to use all the data they have matched with references and other inputs to make their recruitment less likely to fail. They want to buy players hopefully for less than they believe is their market value and hope they improve to make us better and if they move on we actually make money, sounds to me like their trying to run the club properly. I doubt their against getting in a bishop type, they signed Ellis last year and didn’t they want to sign him this season, the models obviously flexible.
As for this league, people are making it out to be so different to any other. When we came down we were under the impression it was full of 7 footers that kick anything that moves, but from what I’ve seen it’s absolutely no different to L2, certainly no more physical and the standards not much different.
Whilst the brothers are in charge we have to accept they have strategy, they said promotion is the aim but at the same time they are not going to go Sh1t or bust to get it and that’s fine by me.

[jackal2]

It's hardly an experiment, basically they want to use all the data they have matched with references and other inputs to make their recruitment less likely to fail. They want to buy players hopefully for less than they believe is their market value and hope they improve to make us better and if they move on we actually make money, sounds to me like their trying to run the club properly. I doubt their against getting in a bishop type, they signed Ellis last year and didn’t they want to sign him this season, the models obviously flexible.
As for this league, people are making it out to be so different to any other. When we came down we were under the impression it was full of 7 footers that kick anything that moves, but from what I’ve seen it’s absolutely no different to L2, certainly no more physical and the standards not much different. Whilst the brothers are in charge we have to accept they have strategy, they said promotion is the aim but at the same time they are not going to go Sh1t or bust to get it and that’s fine by me.

Fair call.

I think our recruitment has improved since the current owners came in. Admittedly that's not saying much, because our recruitment under previous owners was terrible and it's why we ended up in this league, but I'd say players like Kyle Cameron, Kyle Wootton, Cal Roberts, Frank Vincent, Matt Palmer, Ruben Rodrigues, Connell Rawlinson, Alex Lacey, Richard Brindley, Joel Taylor and Adam Chicksen have all proven to be good value. Then there's second group like Aaron Nemane, Eli Sam, Ed Francis, Kairo Mitchell and Dion Kelly Evans who have been variable in their performances but still capable, at least as squad players. I don't see much 'dead wood' in the squad these days (i.e. players we sign and dare not play in virtually any circumstances) whereas in the past we regularly used to carry a number of planks.