O'Kane to Bournemouth CONFIRMED

[brucie]

Bournemouth are a club going places? - I've got it on pretty good authority that their chairman has borrowed six million from a russian businessman to try and get promotion. The chairmans 22 year old son was made director of football and it was he who sanctioned the purchase of Tubbs for 800k (bearing in mind that Tubbs had twice been rejected by the club). The transfer was paid for with the russian money.
They have signed umpteen players and apparently the only missing piece of the jigsaw is a ball winning midfielder.
If they don't get promotion expect it all to go tits up.

[Wonderland]

I am naturally disappointed that Eunan has moved on and drink a toast to him for his work at the club and wish him well and many years of success. Who can forget those two goals at home against the Pilgrims last season?
Just by way of an aside, I am on Matt’s side in this argument
Having read this topic you would realise why should GB win the Olympics for moaning and negative vibes that seem to be inherent in our fair land?
Some 50% of it seems to be generated with illogical rationale. I realise that in football terms it is to our detriment – but then there is the club and players needs and development.
Naturally we all want promotion but then we need to examine the finances involved and the costs to develop the ground and new training facilities. We do not have a multimillionaire sugar daddy, an oil rich sultanate etc. with bottomless pockets. When we get – and that is when and not if –we will need new players attracting higher wages and signing on fees.
What percentage of our revenue is spent on wages? Manchester City spent last season 119% of the income on players’ salaries. Now that is a lot of money – before extortionate transfer values. How many Premier Clubs are solvent? Probably 2 or 3. In Company terms that is a small number who actually exist properly. At least 30% survive on enormous loans underwritten by land assets or pledges from Owners. We can’t quite simply do this.
We therefore need to trade players – not just to survive but to realise not only the obvious, but the latent potential of our players to improve and develop their careers. So we need to recognise the player’s personal development and wishes. Over the years we have been a development club improving players and selling on at a profit.
Consider Martin Ling’s plans and erudite development of the club? He seems to be in control and probably has a contingency plan in place. He has said that he would not stand in any player’s way to develop their career if he thought that the move was right.
But then we have the belligerent ‘people’ called agents. They profess to only work in the interests of their clients and their career. Of course there is no interest in their own personal financial development what so ever is there?
I read that they consider their actions in football terms for their clients – the players. They try initiate moves for players – with a contractual clause saying if a bid of ’ £x ’ came in then a player should be released. Is that not a financial gain for Mr Agent? If only football agents could be confined to room 101!!
We have to be realists and appreciate that we support a club which to a larger degree is well managed within the confines of our limited income. If only we could get some supporters out of their armchairs on Tuesday evenings / Saturday lunch times and watch live football – instead of indulging in fantasy football of millionaire players in Europe or in the Premier league etc. Just imagine 1,000 extra fans. That would generate some £312,800 on a 23 league game season. But that for a number of social and economic reasons does not happen. But if we drew a top 6 premier league team in the FA cup some 3.500 extra fans would come out of the wood work- all die hard never miss a home game brigade – to watch that match!!
Maybe Mr Ling will use some of £175K to bring in a new player. I do wonder what happened to the £300K from Bobby’s sale. More than likely used for some of the previously mentioned asset developments? Who knows except for the inner sanctum of the participants at board meetings at the Shangri-La known as Plainmoor?
I am personally look forward to the new season and will again do some 10,000 plus miles following the lads plus another few thousands following my wife’s team when the Gulls do not have a game. Last year that was 14,221 miles normally with my very good friends Pete, Chris, Mike and well known bard Matt – a.k.a - FerrariLover!


Den

[Southampton Gull]

Den, thank God for that, I was sweating on that one.

Relieved of Southampton

For those that wonder what the hell I'm on about I have to admit to finding that my young GSD pup somehow managed to jump on my laptop while I was dealing with a business call that came during reading the above post and deleted it. Fortunately for me Den had a saved copy........Phew !!!

[Dave]

Not long back from my holiday, no time to catch up on all the news as I am to Plainmoor in a minute, however this story some what grabbed my attention.

Firstly sorry to see Eunan go, also some what relieved aswell, think it would have hard for him to re-settle into the squad after so much speculatuion and I think in his mind it was time to move onwards and upwards, speculation about Eunan's future would have rolled on and on right through untill January and beyond which would not have helped our cause, we as a club can move now.

Is this the right move for Eunan, yes damn right it is, just the sort of stature of club I though he would end up at, a club that should be at the right end of league 1 and where Eunan can continue to be a genunie first team player, rather than sat in the reserves going out on loan here there and everywhere.

Best of luck Eunan and thanks for the memories.

[ferrarilover]

Not quite sure how I managed to miss this post first time round, Den.

Well said that man, a thoroughly decent summary of the state of affairs at the club and a salient message to all those who would strike down upon the club with great vengeance and furious anger at those who would attempt to run the club within its humble means.

See you on the road, soon.

Matt.

[Gullscorer]

Den makes some good points. However, the one that needs to be borne in mind is that our area is one of the country's blackspots for unemployment and poverty. Many people are not in the fortunate position of being able to attend every home game, nor to travel to away games. They simply do not have the money. They have to make hard choices about how they spend the little money they do have. Our average crowd is around 3000, but this does not mean that it is the same 3000 at every game. Many of these can afford only a few games in a season. Naturally every supporter, whether regular or occasional, wants to attend the big important games. It is not a question of fans 'coming out of the woodwork'. We should not denigrate those occasional fans who want to see a big match, simply because we are fortunate enough financially to be able to attend more games than them.

[Kernowgull]

Agreed Gullscorer. Also, there are a lot of us living away. I always tie in a visit to the old dears with a home game, even though its still an hour from Cornwall to Plainmoor, but I cant justify the travel, time and money as often as Id like. However when a big game comes around, I can justify the time and money moreso. Macclesfield at home on a February Tuesday will cost me the same as a play off semi final, I have to be selective!

[Wonderland]

Hi to Gullscorer and Kernowgull.
It was not a dig and I take the point on our lack of employment opportunities.I reiterate It was not a dig at anybody but merely an observation.
Isn’t the the UK generally in the doldrums with job opportunities with the cutbacks?
But that is another argument. The point was just underlining the raison d'etre ( how I wish there was an 'e circumflex' on this keyboard) -and the facts of life for a Davison 2 club. I applaud anyone who comes along to watch -but it was only an 'what if' scenario. In fact when I lived away in my youth I watched the Gulls when they were playing at any club near to where I lived in that time. Namely London and Salisbury.

We all spend our money as we want. There are many high unemployment areas in our fair land and they still support their local football clubs.

Even when I left school in the 60's Torbay suffered. We have always been an area lacking employment. But our gates were then 5,000 average going down gradually to 4,500 before the advent of Frank O' Farrell when we actually at just under 17,000 against the Orguile o boxing day.

My first match in 1959 cost me 1sh-3p. That is 6p in real money for a kid. When I left school in 1967 and I had to pay an adult figure. It was 2s-6p - 12.5p in modern dosh. My first wage packet was £27,67p in modern terms for a month's salary. How times change.

But today the spending patterns are different with the almost compulsory need for a mobile telephone / sky television / and other distractions for our money. We all have a certain amount of disposable income and we all have different levels of what is important for us. It is a matter of that old adage - ' You spends your money, you makes your choice.'.

In my case I am very fortunate that I am semi-retired and have rid myself of debts and mortgage - which limited me in the past. I now choose United to spend my money and savings on. I will continue in this vane while I am physically able to do so within the confines of my physical disability. When you reach my old age, I hope that you will be able to follow my dreams.

Quite soon I will be limited to home games only and then not so far in the distant I will become a fair weather supporter only when it will become a real effort and I join the TV armchair fans.

I am now getting ready to pick up my friend for this evening’s jaunt to St James’ Park.


Den
E. & O.E.

[Gullscorer]

Hi Den; fair enough. Had a feeling you weren't really intending to have a dig at the less fortunate, but I thought it should be clarified that some people don't have a choice, don't have the money, and we should welcome all who want to come to matches, be it every game or occasionally to a big game. After all, there's always room for them..!! Anyway, here's hoping for a good evening at St James Park, and a good showing from Gulls supporters..

[diamondgirl]

Good post Den. (Wonderland). All makes sense to me.

See you tonight at Sid James. Look forward to it.

Chris

[gillygull]

Not in team or on bench for Bournemouth tonight. What a waste!

[gillygull]

Ooops. On duty with Rep of Ireland U-21s.

[Richinns]

I see Bournemouth have sacked their managerial team today. With Eunan only playing 3 games thus far for them (according to wiki anyway!) and a new Manager soon to be arriving I wonder if Mr Ling is keeping tabs on the situation with the possibility of a cheeky loan request?

Long shot but worth asking?

[Richinns]

EDIT - on further investigation I see he has started 8 games for them this season and missed a couple through Under 21 duty but might be worth keeping an eye on to see what direction the new Manager takes the team and whether he thinks Eunan is part of that.

[AlexGulls]

Good. He might be played in the right position for them now then. He was played mainly on the left wing for them.