Interesting article, the interview with Neerav

[pass_and_move]

The self harm at this club is off the charts Pass , I got to thinking this morning about how events outside your control can conspire against you if you haven't got the ownership nous to overcome setbacks .

When Windass scored in the last 30 seconds of the Play Off Final we most certainly didn't deserve to lose it ultimately unearthed and exposed the ownership for what they were , they enjoyed their piece of luck that season hiring Duff and were also thanking their lucky stars that Andersen , Kitching and then Thomas proved to be exceptional defenders to boot .

We've never really replaced anybody from the Duff season to any great effect , not even close .

Play Off Final events have conspired against this club before , Barnard's penalty miss , Hristov's header that somehow was kept out by the Ipswich keeper whose name escapes me .

Within 18 months we were relegated to league one and in administration but the difference was that the club had no control over the collapse of ITV Digital and unfortunately had a bank who pulled the plug on them when they should have worked with them instead .

John Dennis made mistakes certainly but he was done for by events rather than incompetence .

The situation today is purely down to incompetence because there's a huge difference between losing a Championship Play Off Final and a League One Play Off Final , to say the least .

There was absolutely no reason why we couldn't have emerged from the Windass kick in the teeth with a better squad of players the next season and won promotion last season , none what so ever .

We are here today because of incompetence and judging by Neerav's interview absolutely nothing is getting learned by the countless mistakes that have contributed to this sorry state of affairs .

I just can't get my head round it. As I alluded to in my last post, and other posts since Sormaz confirmed that the club was losing 7/8 million per year in running costs. Is it all a dream and will I wake up in a minute?

As I say, the solution to our financial affairs isn't even promotion to the championship although it would help. That's the catch 22. Having watched a lot of championship football and the level that the championship is at is way, way above where we're at and our current squad would struggle to get 25 points in that division which is no exaggeration. We're miles away, absolutely miles away in terms of even competing at that level. Should a minor miracle happen and we get promoted, we'd be cast iron certainties to go straight back to league 1 which would still leave us in the same financial predicament.

The club has been administered absolutely terribly. Shockingly in fact, especially for running costs to be that high.

Patrick Cryne kept the club on an even keel eventually by coming up with the statistics plan. He acknowledged that keeping our heads above water in the Championship was not financially viable because it was costing him over a million pounds a season out of his own pocket to keep the club going. A change of plan was needed and the statistic method was the best he and his son could come up with.

This situation however is not losing 1 million a season in the championship, but losing 8 million a season in league 1. It's totally unsustainable and the future of the club is in serious jeopardy. The worry is that the Chairman and board persist with a system that is totally unsustainable and failing badly.

It's time for the owners to acknowledge that things need to change because if they believe in only statistics, then they are seriously deluded. A big concern is to hear Parekh say that statistically, the squad are a top 4 league 1 club. Who gives a feck what player statistics say? Its purely a smokescreen to cover up their incompetence when fact is that the real statistics say that we currently lie 11th in league 1 having lost 15 games out of 38 with 53 points.

The league table never lies. Never ever. Especially at this stage of the season.

[Shadrack the Red]

I just can't get my head round it. As I alluded to in my last post, and other posts since Sormaz confirmed that the club was losing 7/8 million per year in running costs. Is it all a dream and will I wake up in a minute?

As I say, the solution to our financial affairs isn't even promotion to the championship although it would help. That's the catch 22. Having watched a lot of championship football and the level that the championship is at is way, way above where we're at and our current squad would struggle to get 25 points in that division which is no exaggeration. We're miles away, absolutely miles away in terms of even competing at that level. Should a minor miracle happen and we get promoted, we'd be cast iron certainties to go straight back to league 1 which would still leave us in the same financial predicament.

The club has been administered absolutely terribly. Shockingly in fact, especially for running costs to be that high.

Patrick Cryne kept the club on an even keel eventually by coming up with the statistics plan. He acknowledged that keeping our heads above water in the Championship was not financially viable because it was costing him over a million pounds a season out of his own pocket to keep the club going. A change of plan was needed and the statistic method was the best he and his son could come up with.

This situation however is not losing 1 million a season in the championship, but losing 8 million a season in league 1. It's totally unsustainable and the future of the club is in serious jeopardy. The worry is that the Chairman and board persist with a system that is totally unsustainable and failing badly.

It's time for the owners to acknowledge that things need to change because if they believe in only statistics, then they are seriously deluded. A big concern is to hear Parekh say that statistically, the squad are a top 4 league 1 club. Who gives a feck what player statistics say? Its purely a smokescreen to cover up their incompetence when fact is that the real statistics say that we currently lie 11th in league 1 having lost 15 games out of 38 with 53 points.

The league table never lies. Never ever. Especially at this stage of the season.

Great post and great analysis , I have been banging the drum for long enough about the incompetence within the stewardship of our club and finally Neerav has got the message out to the fan base in one interview , they have to try and sell , Cryne sold to them and surely with their business contacts they should be able to find a buyer otherwise the consequences for owners and fans look bleak .

[animallittle3]

I just can't get my head round it. As I alluded to in my last post, and other posts since Sormaz confirmed that the club was losing 7/8 million per year in running costs. Is it all a dream and will I wake up in a minute?

As I say, the solution to our financial affairs isn't even promotion to the championship although it would help. That's the catch 22. Having watched a lot of championship football and the level that the championship is at is way, way above where we're at and our current squad would struggle to get 25 points in that division which is no exaggeration. We're miles away, absolutely miles away in terms of even competing at that level. Should a minor miracle happen and we get promoted, we'd be cast iron certainties to go straight back to league 1 which would still leave us in the same financial predicament.

The club has been administered absolutely terribly. Shockingly in fact, especially for running costs to be that high.

Patrick Cryne kept the club on an even keel eventually by coming up with the statistics plan. He acknowledged that keeping our heads above water in the Championship was not financially viable because it was costing him over a million pounds a season out of his own pocket to keep the club going. A change of plan was needed and the statistic method was the best he and his son could come up with.

This situation however is not losing 1 million a season in the championship, but losing 8 million a season in league 1. It's totally unsustainable and the future of the club is in serious jeopardy. The worry is that the Chairman and board persist with a system that is totally unsustainable and failing badly.

It's time for the owners to acknowledge that things need to change because if they believe in only statistics, then they are seriously deluded. A big concern is to hear Parekh say that statistically, the squad are a top 4 league 1 club. Who gives a feck what player statistics say? Its purely a smokescreen to cover up their incompetence when fact is that the real statistics say that we currently lie 11th in league 1 having lost 15 games out of 38 with 53 points.

The league table never lies. Never ever. Especially at this stage of the season.

I'm not against using data per se but in my opinion it should only be used as a tool to point you towards certain players , there shouldn't ever be a 100% reliance on it .

Wakefield Trinity use it to identify young talent in Australia in the levels below their top league the NRL , the same consensus as at Barnsley , rough young talent that can be polished and turned in to high quality Super League players .

However from the interviews Recruitment Manager Steve Mills has given there's way more to it than simply looking at the data , character is massively important , how hard do they work in training ? , lifestyle and loads of other things are checked out before an offer is made .

It's hugely important to get things right in Rugby League when you are bringing players over from Australia and New Zealand because you are only allowed 6 in your squad .

Steve Mills also works 12 months in front of where we are currently , he's well in to recruiting players for next season and we are only in to five rounds of Super League .

It may be an entirely different sport but the basic principles are the same and he's found some extraordinary high level talent at a young age who are already excelling in Super League .

The feeling I get is that one club takes a solid professional approach to recruitment whilst the other simply hopes for the best .

[pass_and_move]

I'm not against using data per se but in my opinion it should only be used as a tool to point you towards certain players , there shouldn't ever be a 100% reliance on it .

Wakefield Trinity use it to identify young talent in Australia in the levels below their top league the NRL , the same consensus as at Barnsley , rough young talent that can be polished and turned in to high quality Super League players .

However from the interviews Recruitment Manager Steve Mills has given there's way more to it than simply looking at the data , character is massively important , how hard do they work in training ? , lifestyle and loads of other things are checked out before an offer is made .

It's hugely important to get things right in Rugby League when you are bringing players over from Australia and New Zealand because you are only allowed 6 in your squad .

Steve Mills also works 12 months in front of where we are currently , he's well in to recruiting players for next season and we are only in to five rounds of Super League .

It may be an entirely different sport but the basic principles are the same and he's found some extraordinary high level talent at a young age who are already excelling in Super League .

The feeling I get is that one club takes a solid professional approach to recruitment whilst the other simply hopes for the best .

Absolutely. As in all sports, it's attitude and character that is also a massive factor in success. How many times do you see sportsmen with talent but not the correct attitudes. As you say, statistics are a guideline but we shouldn't be solely reliant on them. Parekh made the statement in his interview about the player statistics being Top 3/4 and that for me explains his mentality. However, I do take those words with a pinch of salt and will not be shoehorned by him from the real statistics, which is the current league One table.

Good on Trinity by the way. Our owners could learn a lot there.

[Young_Nudger]

I have a lot of time for Neerav. Given the right advice I believe he will get the club moving in the right direction.

His latest interviews on Radio Sheffield and the Yorkshire Post brought to mind something I read about Brian Clough when he was managing Notts Forest.
After a match Cloughie was laying down the law to some of the players in the dressing room - who should appear at the dressing room door but the chairman of the club.
Cloughie turns to him and shouts ?not now Mr Chairman !!!?
The Chairman quickly scuttles away.

This clearly indicating that there was a dividing line between the ownership of the club and the football side of the club.

That?s not what I heard in the recent interviews Neerav gave. It very much looks like our Chairman is embroiled in the everyday running of the club. He revealed that he knew all the stats on each of the players including the wages they were on.
In the Yorkshire Post he?s saying he didn?t realise how much time the running of Barnsley would take.

Admittedly when someone is putting that amount of money into the club then there needs to be a keen interest - but not to that extent.
He should set the budget and let the football people get on with the job.
It?s clear that he is listening to only one piece of advice and that?s coming from the DoF. Neerav should stand back and see a wider picture.
And if 99.9% of supporters are saying that we haven?t enough goalscorers in the team then he should listen to that - and not rely on stats that says we have.

My advice to Neerav is to create a small group of people he can go to for advice - and not be reliant on one or two employees within the club.
Sormaz failed with the last appointment of an HC.

As the next appointment of an HC is going to be ***** to the fortunes of the club Sormaz should not be the only voice allowed in the decision making about that appointment.
We used to be excellent at hiring HCs.
So what happened ???
Whatever happened it needs repairing urgently.

The next HC has to clearly understand how the club wants to play - and be capable of moulding the players (back) into that system of playing.

[animallittle3]

You can go on forever and a day dismissing the obvious whilst desperately hoping that things will eventually work themselves out .

Everyone is entitled to make errors but there comes a point when they can no longer be accepted and neither should they be tolerated .

It would appear from the car crash interview that Neerav gave that's he's run out of road and reached the end of the line with the vast majority of paying Barnsley supporters .

The stay away supporters will ultimately decide Neerav's fate with regards to his future ownership at Oakwell .

You can start as many different threads as you like YN , you can carry on defending him for ever and a day but unfortunately it will be the 16k empty seats at Oakwell next season that seal the Indian fellas fate .

His sealed fate will be the day he wakes up one morning and decides that it's just not worth the money he's having to pour in when a vast majority of fans no longer want him owning the club .

[pass_and_move]

Cloughie heavily disliked the people running football clubs- ie the Chairman, directors etc.
He said they knew nothing and he was/is right. Sormaz has a budget to work to which restricts his options too remember. However, another easy target for fans like yourself.

Why did we used to bring in decent head coaches? Both luck and a bigger recruitment budget to pay any prospective HC would be my bet. Also being a Championship club helped, it must be said.

Let's be honest and look at the Head Coach statistics since the consortium took over from Patrick Cryne Nudger-

2018 Morais- miss-Relegated
2018 Stendel- hit-Promoted
2019 Struber- hit-Survived
2020 Ismael- hit-Playoffs
2021 Schopp- miss- combined relegated
2021 Ashbaghi- miss- combined relegated
2022 Duff- hit-Play Off final
2023 Collins- miss (debateable imo)-Play offs
2024 Clarke- miss- Mid table




Out of 9 Head coaches we have 4 hits and 5 misses.

With Collins being a debatable miss I'd say it is almost 50/50 in HC recruitment success.

Interesting that out of the 9 Head Coaches, more played in a style which was not the 'Barnsley way' a type of football that the people such as Conway recommended.

As Cloughie correctly said once. "Football chairmen know sod all about the game, but they think they do. They should leave the running of a football club to the professionals"

[Jules88]

If Neerev has any white in his eye, he will bring a few well respected football men on board to oversee the football operations, and steer the direction and strategy.
Let them use his millions wiseley in the running of the club, rather than have ?data gamblers? waste his (and our) brass.
There is only one way this is ending if he and the now ?silent few? persist in this foolish waste of money and hope.

[Acido]

I don't understand why we have to bring in a Head Coach anyway these days, and not an old fashioned Manager!.
Maybe it's because these lot think they are entitled to get involved more and more now. With both the day to day running of the squad, and of the club as well. 👎
The only thing Neerav has on his side here btw, is the idea of him being diplomatic with his comments, rather than him being honest.
I mean, just think of what he might have said, if he was trying to be brutally honest.
It worries me though, that maybe he means it, because he actually believes it. 😱

[Young_Nudger]

A few observations relating to comments about my post.

First and foremost.
Be careful of what you wish for.
If the owners walk - Oakwell is boarded up - and Barnsley hasn?t a football club.

As for the HCs.

It was Patrick that changed the system from manager to HC.
The reasons behind that have been explained previously.

If you take Morais out of the equation - who in my opinion was given the impossible task of converting the old system into the new one - at a time when a new ownership was taking over.
And also you take the Conway Season HCs out of the equation.
Then over the last few years the HCs have been impressively successful - to the extent that I can?t think of any other club that?s had their HCs poached more than Barnsley.

What the focus should be on is the last 3 seasons of this ownership.
Out of the last 3 seasons we have reached the playoffs twice.
Most clubs in this league would snatch yer hand off if you offered them that level of success.
But there has been a glaring mistake that the last two HCs have not been able to adapt to how the club is set up and wants to play.
(Although Hourihane is a stop gap he?s continued in that vein)
So the question has to be - what has changed that the club suddenly is appointing poor HCs ???

During my lifetime - these owners have by far the biggest potential to be successful.
But to do that they need the right advisors.

And no - I don?t want recruitment to go back to an old guy stood on the touchline of a school playing field in the pouring rain, wearing a flashing mac, flat cap and smoking a tab end while patting his whippet.

I?ll stay with the stats, thanks.