Paul Douglas to speak to press next week.

[Masbroughstreet]

Full interview here if anyone wants to listen.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0msdds3

[mellowmiller]

Dip your bread!

https://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.u...future-5465458

[Brin]

I'm not certain but I think the initial approach was made by Rob Staton from Radio Sheffield rather than Paul Davis.
Certainly he's been asking people to message him with questions they'd like answers to.
I think Radio Sheffield could be more forthright than Paul Davis would ever dare to be but the cynic in me still expects the questions to be heavily vetted.

Mellow, maybe my suggestion the other week that Tony Stewart should announce something, due to the current climate of uncertainty within the club, may have actually encouraged Rob Staton/Radio Sheffield to approach the club hoping Tony Stewart would give up an interview?

All the football heaven staff do read the local teams web sites and admit doing so, afterall they can't think all the things up they say .

[mellowmiller]

Mellow, maybe my suggestion the other week that Tony Stewart should announce something, due to the current climate of uncertainty within the club, may have actually encouraged Rob Staton/Radio Sheffield to approach the club hoping Tony Stewart would give up an interview?

All the football heaven staff do read the local teams web sites and admit doing so, afterall they can't think all the things up they say .

You're probably right Brin.
I know they definitely read the message boards of the local clubs and they were all over Owlstalk when their fans thought the club was doomed.......probably because Rob Staton is a Wednesday fan.

[CAMiller]

Dammed if they do,damned if they don't, club says nowt,people moan, club does something, people moan.
Send a question in if you're interested, see what happens.
At least they're trying to communicate with fans at this crucial time, if we were top 6 this wouldn't be happening.

Just listened to the interview with RobStaton,I am absolutely disgusted with this bumbling idiot Douglas.He should be in a lie detector chair.Staton asked him questions that needed answers but the Chairman's puppet answered none.This club is collapsing with these clueless idiots.I like many many more will not renew my season ticket if Tony Stewart is still in charge.I just feel like throwing up and TS is taking us all for mugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This could have been a platform to give the fans enthusiasm.IT'S DONE THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

QED as the Romans would say (plagiarised from the Greek).

[millersrus]

Just listened to the interview.
Thought Paul douglas came over well.
When I takeover the club, after I’ve won the lottery I would keep him on as COO
Disappointing as it?s been so far this season I believe We are where we are because we can?t put the same side out twice with players in the best positions.
I would say though that we should have, or be investigating already why we are having a bad time with injuries.
Let?s get behind the manager and the team.
UTM.

[NorthWestCorner]

Full interview here if anyone wants to listen.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0msdds3

It’s all in there. Stuck in 2013 with zero plan to move this club forward. The most disheartening thing for me was the bit about this transfer window. How can MH operate when he doesn’t now what budget is available? When Staton asked how it works, PDs response just confirmed that there is no strategy, plan or process on place. It’s all done by asking TS if they can have this player, or that player. It’s a shame he’s therefore on holiday at the moment.

[NorthWestCorner]

They have no obligations at all. People can (and often will) decide if they should, if it's correct, but they have no obligations. Customers will rationalise going/not going, spending/not spending based on results, who the manager is, who is playing regularly, what division we're in, and even (apparently) if payment methods are restricted to cash. There is no way to run any football club which leaves all fans happy, and most decisions will irk at least a good number, no matter what they do. For reasons like these, it's barely worth the effort to communicate knowing it leads to further criticism whatever is said. There is also a good amount they need to keep in-house. If we're utterly broke, that's leverage for others to buy our players cheaply, and if we broadcast that we've strengthened our finances, we're suddenly paying more for players. We'd be playing a zero sum game alone.

The brand is largely meaningless too. I don't think of TS as being part of the brand, nor anything other than the current name on the deeds. Many owners (ergo, would-be buyers) think they are the brand or at least control it, but the brand is a 148 year old club in a mid-sized northern town, supported by largely blue collar fans local to the area - aside from the age, that will remain the same irrespective of who owns it in 98% of cases.

Don't get me wrong, many of us want honesty or (maybe more likely) transparency, but it comes with risks to the club and although we may feel a little better about the flow of information, it's just more to pick fault at and there are no real benefits.

I think maybe you have just rewritten the definition of apathy. This is not the way to run ANY business or to create a strategy to attract customers. There is a position on the current board just waiting for you.

[millersrus]

It’s all in there. Stuck in 2013 with zero plan to move this club forward. The most disheartening thing for me was the bit about this transfer window. How can MH operate when he doesn’t now what budget is available? When Staton asked how it works, PDs response just confirmed that there is no strategy, plan or process on place. It’s all done by asking TS if they can have this player, or that player. It’s a shame he’s therefore on holiday at the moment.

I suppose it depends on the role details in Matt hamshaws contract as to whether he has budget responsibilities or not.
Separation of team management and transfer finances I wouldn?t think is a bad thing in the murky world of football.

[zouch]

Fair play to Paul for being open to answering the questions. I thought he was authentic and genuine. He recognised the concerns of the fans and didn't get overly defensive.

Take aways were
don't panic we all want this to work, its the same team that led RUFC to numerous promotions etc and the same level of commitment.
and, its the same infrastructure when we were being promoted.
League one is a experiencing a boom time for investment leaving RUFC behind.
Injuries is the primary reason for the current position and this is down to bad luck (mostly)

less convincing was the approach to, and lack of strategy about team investment it come across as Had hoc. I didn't feel he was pushed very hard on this issue.
There was l little to be encouraged about any immediate desire for team investment - the other part of this argument is the back room team are remaining calm and considered. ............time will tell
Additionally he acknowledged the back room medical team are short. I also note the regular job adverts for Physios on Linkedin.

it also struck me about the low level of seniority for a COO (not CEO). Paul was very supportive of TS (which is nice to see) but the questions on change of ownership and ground ownership left me questioning the level of authority Paul has.

overall - don't get sucked into the social media hype because it will leave you to believe in conspiracy theories but there wasn't enough in that interview to sleep easy