The reason I am upset with it is not because they are building it for us, but the intentions it shows, there's a reason that this has precedence over anything first team related is obvious. It's a bit like your girlfriend buying you an expensive necklace, the amount spent and the thought is lovely.. but it's for her good not yours (unless you are that way inclined, of course). I don't think we'll get any good from this except a younger first team long term, and higher prices received for the players as they are homegrown.
I'm not saying every single move he does is bad, but the bigger picture to it all is quite obvious when you put the jigsaw pieces together. They also use this as an amount spent on us as a club and us fans should appreciate that, what I'm hinting it is it isn't really an amount spent on us, it's a side investment that we shouldn't be be so grateful of. I had my views very early on about his plan and it seems he is still going at it, so I'll stick by my views, this is just part of his plan - but viewed as a great move for our club by a lot of our fans, but his intentions paint the picture as to why he is doing things and it's not for us fans.
However you view it it does increase the value of the club. Not just his wealth. If he moves on, which he will, presumably, at some point, the players that he leaves are not as important as the potential conveyor belt of talent that the club can produce.
If you follow your logic through there is a chance that the answer is to close the academy and put all the investment into transfer fees that will, presumably give us a better first team, but for how long?
It's a bit like selling the ground and leasing it back all the while spending the money from the sale of The Valley on players. Sure we might have a great couple of years success on the pitch but when those players get too old and retire we will have to rent the ground and still replace the players.
I understand that there is a benefit to RD from this as well, but I think you are struggling to suggest that a great Academy is for hi and no benefit to the club or the desires of the fans.
Just because you don't like the way he is doing a lot of the things, and nor do I, doesn't mean that we have to look for reasons to rubbish the good things he is doing. At least I don't think we do.
The reason I am upset with it is not because they are building it for us, but the intentions it shows, there's a reason that this has precedence over anything first team related is obvious. It's a bit like your girlfriend buying you an expensive necklace, the amount spent and the thought is lovely.. but it's for her good not yours (unless you are that way inclined, of course). I don't think we'll get any good from this except a younger first team long term, and higher prices received for the players as they are homegrown.
I'm not saying every single move he does is bad, but the bigger picture to it all is quite obvious when you put the jigsaw pieces together. They also use this as an amount spent on us as a club and us fans should appreciate that, what I'm hinting it is it isn't really an amount spent on us, it's a side investment that we shouldn't be be so grateful of. I had my views very early on about his plan and it seems he is still going at it, so I'll stick by my views, this is just part of his plan - but viewed as a great move for our club by a lot of our fans, but his intentions paint the picture as to why he is doing things and it's not for us fans.
However you view it it does increase the value of the club. Not just his wealth. If he moves on, which he will, presumably, at some point, the players that he leaves are not as important as the potential conveyor belt of talent that the club can produce.
If you follow your logic through there is a chance that the answer is to close the academy and put all the investment into transfer fees that will, presumably give us a better first team, but for how long?
It's a bit like selling the ground and leasing it back all the while spending the money from the sale of The Valley on players. Sure we might have a great couple of years success on the pitch but when those players get too old and retire we will have to rent the ground and still replace the players.
I understand that there is a benefit to RD from this as well, but I think you are struggling to suggest that a great Academy is for hi and no benefit to the club or the desires of the fans.
Just because you don't like the way he is doing a lot of the things, and nor do I, doesn't mean that we have to look for reasons to rubbish the good things he is doing. At least I don't think we do.
"No point having an academy as the owner just lines his own pockets"
Close academy
"FFS all our players are foreign imports, why don't we buy players with championship experience"
Buys British players
"All British players are massively overpriced due to supply and demand, there's not enough descent youngsters out there and any one who's good enough gets hovered up by the big clubs"
Looks at alternatives
"We need to try and train and nurture our own players for the first team, in an academy or something"
Opens academy
"FFS all we ever do is bring a player through only for them to be sold on in 12 months time"
"No point having an academy as the owner just lines his own pockets"
Close academy
"FFS all our players are foreign imports, why don't we buy players with championship experience"
Buys British players
"All British players are massively overpriced due to supply and demand, there's not enough descent youngsters out there and any one who's good enough gets hovered up by the big clubs"
Looks at alternatives
"We need to try and train and nurture our own players for the first team, in an academy or something"
Opens academy
"FFS all we ever do is bring a player through only for them to be sold on in 12 months time"
And repeat
Nice try, but a bit of encouraging news does not outweigh all the other shit.
"Everything this man does is not good for our football club"
"I'm not saying every single move he does is bad"
You sound confused. As do the protests.
Why do the protests sound confused? And yes a slight contradiction, but what I meant was I'm not just picking on this because I like to pick on everything he does, but I think it's a prime example of his goals and aims owning our football club. I can't pick holes in stuff like signing JJ up to a longer contract, but everything this man does in terms of the bigger picture is not good for our football club.
A top class training ground benefits the first team as well...
You're right, but a lot lot more important is good coaches and good experienced heads around. Something which is being overlooked while they concentrate on what is important to them, the cash cow in the training facilities.
Good news for the long term of the club, whether it gives RD a ROE is irrelevant. RD is to be applauded for this. Just hope he does not leave KM to negotiate the contract price or he may find the cost doubles and after 6 months we find out the contractor actually isn't that good so we need to bring in a new one.
"No point having an academy as the owner just lines his own pockets"If the owner sells all our players before they get any real value.
Close academy
"FFS all our players are sub standard foreign imports, why don't we buy players with championship experience" Good players
Buys British players
"All British players are massively overpriced due to supply and demand, there's not enough descent youngsters out there and any one who's good enough gets hovered up by the big clubs" meaning there are young players with potential discarded from the PL every year but you need people at the club who are well connected in English football to find them and persuade them CAFC is the place to come
Looks at alternatives
"We need to try and train and nurture our own players for the first team, in an academy or something" and then keep them for long enough for them to make a real difference to the way the club is headed.
Opens academy
"FFS all we ever do is bring a player through only for them to be sold on in 12 months time" you're right there
"No point having an academy as the owner just lines his own pockets"
Close academy
"FFS all our players are foreign imports, why don't we buy players with championship experience"
Buys British players
"All British players are massively overpriced due to supply and demand, there's not enough descent youngsters out there and any one who's good enough gets hovered up by the big clubs"
Looks at alternatives
"We need to try and train and nurture our own players for the first team, in an academy or something"
Opens academy
"FFS all we ever do is bring a player through only for them to be sold on in 12 months time"
I agree with Lookout regarding the finance and attendant risks/millstone aspects of this. However if the thing can be afforded then I am delighted with Sparrows Lane development because it can't be packed up and shipped off to Belgium or anywhere else. However it also indicates that Roland is not getting out of our club anytime soon. The experiment is simply going to continue as it has been so far. I am angry and upset by the way this club is being run, but in the light of this medium to long term stuff the only hope is to try to influence Roland to change. That is probably why I support the effort of the Trust to engage, although it might prove completely fruitless. If there is no significant change however by next Christmas, and we're languishing in the lower reaches of division one then I suggest all bets are off and a real and meaningful war of attrition ought to begin, Trust or no Trust. There are a wide range of subversive options available to the imaginative and creative protesters still to be employed.
The reason I am upset with it is not because they are building it for us, but the intentions it shows, there's a reason that this has precedence over anything first team related is obvious. It's a bit like your girlfriend buying you an expensive necklace, the amount spent and the thought is lovely.. but it's for her good not yours (unless you are that way inclined, of course). I don't think we'll get any good from this except a younger first team long term, and higher prices received for the players as they are homegrown.
I'm not saying every single move he does is bad, but the bigger picture to it all is quite obvious when you put the jigsaw pieces together. They also use this as an amount spent on us as a club and us fans should appreciate that, what I'm hinting it is it isn't really an amount spent on us, it's a side investment that we shouldn't be be so grateful of. I had my views very early on about his plan and it seems he is still going at it, so I'll stick by my views, this is just part of his plan - but viewed as a great move for our club by a lot of our fans, but his intentions paint the picture as to why he is doing things and it's not for us fans.
However you view it it does increase the value of the club. Not just his wealth. If he moves on, which he will, presumably, at some point, the players that he leaves are not as important as the potential conveyor belt of talent that the club can produce.
If you follow your logic through there is a chance that the answer is to close the academy and put all the investment into transfer fees that will, presumably give us a better first team, but for how long?
It's a bit like selling the ground and leasing it back all the while spending the money from the sale of The Valley on players. Sure we might have a great couple of years success on the pitch but when those players get too old and retire we will have to rent the ground and still replace the players.
I understand that there is a benefit to RD from this as well, but I think you are struggling to suggest that a great Academy is for hi and no benefit to the club or the desires of the fans.
Just because you don't like the way he is doing a lot of the things, and nor do I, doesn't mean that we have to look for reasons to rubbish the good things he is doing. At least I don't think we do.
This break even obsession, admirable though it maybe, is at the root of discontent here. It seems as if this is the priority objective, way ahead of footballing ambition, and that means that such a good thing will be used for purposes other than they would normally at a club of our size.
Unless the football ambition changes, it will be a future ownership who reaps the benefits of the Academy in a true footballing sense. And possibly a long wait before supporters feel the benefit.
I was speaking to my cousin who works for centre circle security, hes normally at the matches but for the past few weeks had been doing 12 hour nightshifts at the training ground where there have been a number of reported attempted burglaries. They are also worried about protesters at the training ground
Comments
If you follow your logic through there is a chance that the answer is to close the academy and put all the investment into transfer fees that will, presumably give us a better first team, but for how long?
It's a bit like selling the ground and leasing it back all the while spending the money from the sale of The Valley on players. Sure we might have a great couple of years success on the pitch but when those players get too old and retire we will have to rent the ground and still replace the players.
I understand that there is a benefit to RD from this as well, but I think you are struggling to suggest that a great Academy is for hi and no benefit to the club or the desires of the fans.
Just because you don't like the way he is doing a lot of the things, and nor do I, doesn't mean that we have to look for reasons to rubbish the good things he is doing. At least I don't think we do.
Close academy
"FFS all our players are foreign imports, why don't we buy players with championship experience"
Buys British players
"All British players are massively overpriced due to supply and demand, there's not enough descent youngsters out there and any one who's good enough gets hovered up by the big clubs"
Looks at alternatives
"We need to try and train and nurture our own players for the first team, in an academy or something"
Opens academy
"FFS all we ever do is bring a player through only for them to be sold on in 12 months time"
And repeat
The new plan is bigger no doubt although it's not clear what the community use will be or how the community trust will be integrated.
And there is the question of where the debt will sit.
But a new and better training ground is a good thing for the first team and the academy. Well done Roland.
This is good news but also a great example of where some open, honest and adult to adult communication would help.
Spell out (in black and white) what this all means rather then focusing on water use.
Make fans your advocates not your adverseries.
However it also indicates that Roland is not getting out of our club anytime soon. The experiment is simply going to continue as it has been so far.
I am angry and upset by the way this club is being run, but in the light of this medium to long term stuff the only hope is to try to influence Roland to change. That is probably why I support the effort of the Trust to engage, although it might prove completely fruitless.
If there is no significant change however by next Christmas, and we're languishing in the lower reaches of division one then I suggest all bets are off and a real and meaningful war of attrition ought to begin, Trust or no Trust. There are a wide range of subversive options available to the imaginative and creative protesters still to be employed.
Not heard anything about the main buildings but don't know if that is because that is not scheduled to have started yet.
So, it seems a builder is on board. Presumably that means a tender has been accepted, contracts have been signed and money committed?
Mr B Fawlty
Fawlty Towers.
Unless the football ambition changes, it will be a future ownership who reaps the benefits of the Academy in a true footballing sense. And possibly a long wait before supporters feel the benefit.
Whatever you say about this regime, this is excellent news and a massive commitment into developing the future of the Club.
With a main Contractor in place, this work will commence sooner rather than later.
Great news, well pleased, but will still be protesting this weekend and continue to until they listen, understand and involve us.
Nearly...
Interesting perspective from the other lot
He may be a total C-bomb, but it can't be denied that this was a great move by the Rat.