Paradox

I don't normally have much sympathy for how footballers are treated by their managers/clubs when they step out of line.

I'm interested to see how things are unravelling for Jadon Sancho at Manchester United.  From what I can gather, he has now been banned from using all United facilities, whether it be for training or otherwise.

Apparently Ten Haag is unhappy about the situation, and would prefer that Sancho made himself available by apologising so both parties can move on.  But Sancho seems to be sticking to his guns as well, and any apology now would be hollow IMO.

It looks like a 'lose-lose' situation at the moment - a talented player being denied playing time, by the very time who coveted him for several windows.

I get that the United boss is committed to improving standards, but the Club is an absolute laughing stock at present, along with Chelsea.

Is Sancho right to stick to his guns if he think he has been wrongly called out, or, given that he has history for similar things in the past, should he just apologise, and grin and bear it?

Peter Grant for United!

Two records in the same season for Jack Ross - record European defeat for a Scottish club and now today.

Arabs will be having him stoned in the morning

Thought it was a fair and well-written piece.

I think we are fortunate that he is staying on until the end of the season tbh.

I hope the moron(s) responsible for the shameful acts against Ross are proud of themselves.

They are certainly not Dunfermline supporters in my eyes, nor do they speak or act on my behalf.

Ross is a top guy, and we are very fortunate to have had him at the helm.

A lot of people naming Petrie as their preferred successor - curious to know why people think he would be the 'right man' at this point.  Appreciate that he is doing a decent job at Montrose, but we are in a dog-fight now, and need someone who can galvanise the Club from top to bottom, and reignite the fans.  Someone who can weed out the passengers, and hand out regular booting of baws to players if needed, or an arm round the shoulder if required.

Is Petrie that man?

If available, John Robertson.

2 minutes ago, Deutsche Par said:

He's gone.  Statement just posted. 

lol - I timed that well!

It's almost like the new owners gave a remit to find someone fairly unpopular in the Scottish game, who would have little to no chance of winning the league with us, and would be so completely ignorant and arrogant, that the abuse online and in the media would be like water off a ducks back..

PG was one of these players that I used to dislike immensely - was pretty underwhelmed that he got the job, but cannot believe how badly it's gone.

The longer this goes on, the more fans will find other things to do on a Saturday - I used to be a die-hard...now I'm just not that interested anymore.  My worry is that the hardcore that is left is now reducing and there won't be a new generation of fans coming through.

Guys that I used to go to games with as a teenager, had progressed to taking their kids to the games - COVID stopped that, but the current debacle means that they are not going back either.

Apathy towards the Club is becoming a real issue now imo, as much as the anger towards the BoD/owners

As the weeks go by, I am less interested by events on the field, but more concerned by those off it.

Everything that was put in place post-admin to safeguard the future of the Club seems to now be unravelling at a rather concerning rate.

The lack of sensible communication coming out of EEP is worrying.

It feels like the Club is imploding just now.

Agree with this - the sh!te that is coming out of the Club just now is embarrassing.  It would honestly be better if they said nothing than some of the stuff that they are putting out online and in the media at the moment.  Makes you really worry about who is running the show behind closed doors, and what their 'end game' actually is, because just now, it certainly doesn't seem to be anything that could be deemed to be progressive or positive.

2 minutes ago, scottyboy said:

Read the statement again. It definitely Meggle, talking about working on the defensive and offensive tactics, regarding winning games and not losing goals. Can't surely be telling PG how to set up the team, or is he?

The last bit, he says on behalf of the board about the abuse.

 

 

Several times within that statement, Meggle refers to himself as 'I', rather than indicating a team approach ('we' or 'us')...surely a coach is there to do just that?  And a Sporting Director/Director of Football does all the other stuff in the background to allow the head coach to concentrate directly on team matters, as far as I know?  If this is the case, then Grant is being made to look a fool imo

2 hours ago, DA-go Par Adonis said:

I don't think Grant wants out.  I doubt he wants to leave a managerial job without winning a league game.  

You might be right - I certainly don't think he'll resign, at least not at the moment.  But imagine the damage to his reputation if he is still in the job come Xmas, and we haven't won a league game yet?  Hugely damaging for his reputation as a manager, and would mean us all but relegated which would be catastrophic for us longer term.

Ultimately, if you don't score goals, you don't win football matches, and other than drawing a handful of games, not much else is changing - sadly, I can't think of anyone that would get me excited as the new gaffer if PG was to be given his jotters tomorrow either.  I'm not sure we are a 'big' club any more, and the prestige that we would have had for potential managers is rapidly disappearing imo

6 minutes ago, Piracy said:

Peter Grant is definitely now not the issue. It's past that now. 

100% mate...if he got sacked today, the damage has been done yesterday.

Never been a fan of Peter Grant as a player, coach or manager...but this situation cannot be good for him or his family. 

I think he expected to get punted yesterday, and might even have preferred it

After that statement yesterday, what self-respecting potential manager would want to be associated with our club in its current state.

Meggle has said on the one hand that everyone is backing PG, but then has churned out every excuse in the book for our current predicament, AND credited himself with sorting the defensive issues.

Where does that leave PG?

2 minutes ago, Secure Par said:

From my previous experience from gaining investors money they are not doing it to be nice but see a money making return… these German investors are wanting a return on their investment ASAP. EEP is their main aim of getting their money back and a lot more. Ross and the board will be gone soon and people come in. 

I think we are both saying the same thing, and I would be delighted if we were both wrong.

I have a horrible feeling about the situation we are now in.

The new owners can do whatever they like pretty much now while they are putting money in.

And if they decide to cut their losses and leave, who is there to save us this time?

4 minutes ago, Piracy said:

That's a pretty sobering post mate. 

I was initially taken in by the new board members. I trusted Ross and his judgement and shared his enthusiasm. I thought I also sensed a huge sigh of relief from Ross, understandably so. I think he's probably long since had enough of doing endless hours to the determent of his own quality of life. If nothing else the new board members should really take on the responsibility of leading this club out of the mess, starting right now. 

When we were invited to meet the new board members at EEP I said to 2 of them when leaving "you best make sure you run this club right, or we'll back", obviously I was smiling in jest, but I had real doubt at the back of my mind. I really don't want another board supporter debacle, none of us do. I still hope it's going to work out and that these guys are here for the duration like they promised. But at the end of the day if it goes tits up then we'll have roll up our sleeves again. 

Agree with you mate.

One of the biggest problems the Club has had to overcome in the last few decades has been increasing apathy from the people of Dunfermline and the surrounding area.  When was the last time East End was more than half full for a game?

Since the club was saved, it's been a continuing struggle to keep the Club going, for very little reward on the park.

I think some are growing tired of being told that should be grateful to still have a Club - while there is still truth in that, the fans deserve at least to be entertained or see some sustainable progress, rather than just existing one season to the next.

There doesn't appear to be any hint of what the plan is for the team.

Hopefully the Club can rise out of this, but if it doesn't I'm not sure so many would have the stomach for the fight or ability to pull off another miraculous escape like last time

1 minute ago, Secure Par said:

Do you think Ross will resign as chairman in the next week?

Iv got a feeling there will be board and Ross going… fek all this nonsense after what he has done.

imo the club is in free fall and the Germans have an agenda… let’s remember it’s only to make money and EEP is a massive money maker… god I hope I’m spouting crap but I see no other reason they would take us on…

I feel for Ross - the commitment he has given the Club is incredible.  He was one of the figureheads during a really dark period in our history, along with a number of unsung heroes

There are members of our Board who are there for their own ego, others are there for a genuine love for the Club.  I would place Ross firmly in the latter of those.  A really nice guy to talk to.  I think Ross and co have always been quite open about the challenges of running a football club compared to any other business.

As time goes on, this new ownership model begins to look like bad news - this statement today shows a total lack of understanding of the fans and what they want, and has infuriated 100 times as many as it will have appeased

I think Ross will want to leave and have some sort of positive legacy in place - and I hope that happens for him.  I'd hate for him to end up being regarded in the same way as Masterton and Yorkston.

I think the Board have run out of money, and run out of ideas.  The investment from DAFC Fussball GmbH was probably seen as an absolute gift at the time

On the face of it, the German investment/acquisition looked great, but when you dig a bit deeper - what is in it for them?

Surely if you are going to invest in Scottish football, a club like St Johnstone would be much more attractive proposition, given their progress in recent years - we are a club in decline, not even the best club in Fife any more.  Maybe not even the second best.

Many diehards will turn their back on the Club, temporarily at least.  The feelgood factor that existed after we rescued the Club has been replaced by negativity and contempt to almost toxic levels on and off the park.

I don't think the new owners are here for football.  I think they are here to buy EEP (eventually), so they can redevelop the site at a tidy profit.  Can't think why else they would invest in a club like ours which exists on handouts and a dwindling fanbase with deep pockets.

I'm sure the terms and conditions put in place mean that for every £3 invested in the Club, £1 has to be invested in shares for the company that owns the stadium.  The Germans have it within their power to purchase the stadium, and as long as they provide a 'suitable' replacement (probably on the outskirts of town) they can pretty much do what they like with the land that EEP sits on at present...hotel, flats, shops, the usual ideas.

I see a lot of people that I have known for a long time through the football using words like 'disconnected', 'disengaged', 'disenfranchised' - after the extended absence of fans because of COVID, the Club already had to do something to motivate the fans - this statement today is an absolute disaster in terms of PR, and has only deflected some of the attention away from Grant, on to the Board.

I thought the Pars Supporters Trust was supposed to hold a guaranteed minimum 25% of shares, to prevent us being taken over by one controlling party? 

Think it will be a really tough league this year. I expect Ayr to be challenging as well, based on their early season form.

I think we have a stronger squad than the ones that we had at the start and end of last season.

Happy to help out where I can too. 

Is it worthwhile the Supporters Council having its own presence on Facebook?

You could invite people directly to meetings, etc.

Perhaps a periodic newsletter as well?

I agree with this 100% @Stanza - I do think it's perhaps testament to how well our Club is run now that many of our number think that we are OK, and are able to take the foot off the gas in terms of the additional support (e.g. over and above attending games) that is required to make the Club sustainable longer-term.  Our BoD deserve huge credit for where the Club is now, compared to just a few years ago.  The fans have played their part too, by turning out in numbers, buying season tickets, and paying into the Lifeline.

Despite that fact that we are still regarded as a 'big' club, the reality is that in some respects we are no different to many of the better run junior clubs, in so much that we are almost entirely reliant on volunteers/goodwill to help out with many key operational aspects.

Not everybody wants to be involved in committees and so on, so perhaps there are other ways that we need to get people involved, but it's the same old problem - to get these things organised, you need volunteers to set them up!

This is in no way a criticism of you @scottyboy, but i think what you are referring to may be indicative of the mindset of a large section of the fanbase.  Whilst season ticket sales are good and other revenue streams allow the Club to function, the reality is that is it down to a very small hardcore of volunteers that the operational needs of the club are being met.  Almost all of the non-playing aspects of the Club rely heavily on volunteers, but this tends to the same faces most of the time.  In some respects, the volunteering is almost as important as the financial contributions made by so many.  Even things like match day buddying, offering to help in the shop, helping with stewarding at doors to Legends/Charlie Ds, stadium maintenance and helping out at the turnstiles go some way to easing the burden of extra costs.