Tightening Belts

[Kirishima]

Is anyone else worried about how the club will be able to maintain the status quo? Personally, I feel the 250,000 parachute payment is laughable, and that the club, by next season will be in quite a tough spot. Look at what has been lost:

Setanta/BBC TV/Radio money

SPL league position cash

Gate receipts (Old firm/Aberdeen)

To counter that the club have let go of a few players, none of whom were big earners and have to be replaced anyhow.

The 250,000 wont even cover non-playing staff for a year, never mind new players, existing players etc. Where else can costs be cut?

[martinskye]

You'd imagine the players like Djebi, McBain and Proctor are being offered reduced wages.

The two Highland derbies would generate a full house you'd think, however it doesn't make up for the SPL's 3 or so against the OF and our larger attendances against Aberdeen, but will our attendances for your average match in the SFL e.g. Morton generate a much lower attendace against an SPL side such as Motherwell? I wouldn't imagine so because even during our losing sequences we would have an attendance of 3,400 + so maybe that is our hardcore support and we can expect similar attendances in the SFL.

And about wages, well if Football Manager is anything to go by all playing staff will have their wages reduced by 25% :P

And above all lets hope we can go on a good cup run to help balance the books.

[WYNESS101]

Is anyone else worried about how the club will be able to maintain the status quo? Personally, I feel the 250,000 parachute payment is laughable, and that the club, by next season will be in quite a tough spot. Look at what has been lost:

Setanta/BBC TV/Radio money

SPL league position cash

Gate receipts (Old firm/Aberdeen)

We'll get the odd weekend of the 1st, 2nd & 3rd division on the radio. Maybe if we have a mid week game. Hopefully win the ALBA cup on BBC ALBA so tv money and winning the cup. How much do you get if you win the ALBA cup? Hopefully we'll do well in the Tennets and CIS cup and maybe get a big team at home so its on tv

[kencar]

Radio money?? :P

[forresjags]

We talk about trimming the playing staff, how about making cuts on the management side. Do we really need a 'Director of Football' We have a manager who has captained England and his assistant represented Scotland, what the feck do we need a 'Director of Football' for whose football experience was Highland League and SFL 3rd division. Nothing against the guy but I'm sure the wages could be freed for the playing side.

[kencar]

We talk about trimming the playing staff, how about making cuts on the management side. Do we really need a 'Director of Football' We have a manager who has captained England and his assistant represented Scotland, what the feck do we need a 'Director of Football' for whose football experience was Highland League and SFL 3rd division. Nothing against the guy but I'm sure the wages could be freed for the playing side.

It's something I've always wondered about as well.

[Yngwie]

How much do you get if you win the ALBA cup?

I think its in the region of ?25-30k.

[Yngwie]

Where else can costs be cut?

Don't suppose there's any chance David Sutherland will reduce the rent we pay on the stadium.

[Locutus]

I see no justification whatsoever for ICT to continue with a paid (directly or otherwise) Director of Football. In fact, I'm surprised that amid announcements of player and staff cuts that we've had no statement from our Board saying that the DoF position is to be abolished....or at the very least go back to being a non-paid position.

As far as I am concerned his head should be on the chopping block regardless, and if the club are serious about getting everyone working together then they have to stop with the "jobs for the boys" act and show that they are just as willing to make the sacrafices that are being asked of everyone else.

[Johnboy]

According to the Courier our DOF is presently pursuing possible transfer targets for next season. He has also indicated that he'll be looking at players who might be available on a loan basis.

He is doing this in Butcher's absence as he is on holiday now.

This might not be a good time to abolish his post!

Edited May 29, 2009 by Johnboy

[Kirishima]

Do many SFL clubs have a Chief Executive and a Director of Football? Nothing at all against them personally, however if we are hanging on to the hope that the 250,000 parachute payment is the only reason why we should go straight up, isnt it feasible to protect it? For example, I would imagine that a Chief Executive and Director of Football together represents a figure of somewhere in the region of 65,000 + a year. Add to that 20,000 for every "normal" staff member, say 7 of them, and hey presto - money gone. And thats before TB and MM are paid

I know well that a club doesnt run itself, however it cant just be the playing side that is reduced, imho.

[WYNESS101]

How much do you get if you win the ALBA cup?

I think its in the region of ?25-30k.

Its not alot but it would still help the club out

[CaleyD]

Do many SFL clubs have a Chief Executive and a Director of Football? Nothing at all against them personally, however if we are hanging on to the hope that the 250,000 parachute payment is the only reason why we should go straight up, isnt it feasible to protect it? For example, I would imagine that a Chief Executive and Director of Football together represents a figure of somewhere in the region of 65,000 + a year. Add to that 20,000 for every "normal" staff member, say 7 of them, and hey presto - money gone. And thats before TB and MM are paid

I know well that a club doesnt run itself, however it cant just be the playing side that is reduced, imho.

Directors "Emoluments" show on the accounts as being in the region of ?50k alone.

[Alex MacLeod]

The DoF was paid an emolument of ?50k last year. This was 'supposedly' in recognition of his services over the previous four years when he done the job for nothing.

As well as playing staff there may well be cuts in the backroom. I ask will we really need a Chief Executive and a Commercial Manager? Will we continue with a Head of Youth Development? There are staff members lower down the pecking order who are maybe fearful of losing their job. Those are the people who carry out the day to day business. What does a CE and CM do?

[CaleyD]

A Commercial Managers position is easy to "justify". They are, in essence, there to bring in money and so long as they are bringing in sufficient levels of business to justify the position they hold then you're better having one than not...the same goes for any of the commercial staff who's job entails bringing money through the door. They, of course, require admin support.

It's a bit of a catch 22....without these people working on commercial contacts/clients then you can lose income, but the there's little point in employing someone if they cost more than they take in.

I'm not totally up to speed on how many staff are in these departments, or what they bring in to the club, but I guess the club will be looking at any areas where they could move someone on and perhaps have others pick up the workload.

What I was encouraged to hear about was the fact that the Board and others would, where possible, try and absorb any staff the club were letting go into their own businesses.

[Alex MacLeod]

I agree that there is a need for a manager. It just seems to me that Commercial manager and Chief Exec should maybe be one job.

Good to know about the last part of your post Don.

[+Tree]

I agree that there is a need for a manager. It just seems to me that Commercial manager and Chief Exec should maybe be one job.

Good to know about the last part of your post Don.

The type of person who is good at being a Commercial Manager in a football club is generally different to that of a Chief Exec (or General Manager).

The Commercial Manager needs to have a bit of flair (in a commercial sense) and have excellent communication skills as they are 'customer facing'.

The Chief Execs role is to implent policy from the Board and in the terms of the football club minimise outgoings to deliver the Business Plan. In a traditional business the Cheif Exec is effectively there to maximise profit for the Shareholder - in a football club it is a slightly different situation for obvious reasons.

Ultimately CaleyD is correct in that it is a return versus outlay arguement.

Commercial Manager - Takes in more than he costs

Chief Exec - 'Saves' more than he costs

Some people can combine the two, however this is not the case in the majority of situations.

[Kirishima]

Ok, so, Directors - 50k, Chef Exec - 50k, DofF, - 30k, Commercial Manager, 30k, 10 other staff @ 15k. Thats all the money gone in one year. Now, the club still has to pay players, manager and asistant manager, stewarding, travel costs, upkeep of stadium, all this while having a fraction of the revenue.

Well, I am surprised that the club have not downsized considering. I think that ICT will be in debt by this time next year. Its all good and well people sticking their hands deeper in their pockets but charity begins at home.

[Kind of Blue]

The DoF was paid an emolument of ?50k last year. This was 'supposedly' in recognition of his services over the previous four years when he done the job for nothing.

The DoF received ?40k in the previous financial year, so the above justification for previous unpaid service is not valid. In my opinion, a paid DoF is a luxury we cannot afford in the 1st division.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Feck me - what a thread - some peeple are beginning to understand that we have been feckin led by a bunch of feckin amateur muppets fer years.

[WYNESS101]

Radio money?? :D

For having live games on the radio

[Kirishima]

Radio...its gonna be bigger than Setanta in a few years!

I heard that there have already been lay-offs amongst the rank and file staff.

[absent friend]

Talking about income, I see that Setanta are not in a position to pay out last year's money to the clubs, never mind the increased amount for this year coming. Maybe this is the year to be out of the SPL as far as Setanta income is concerned i.e. 100% loss of zero would not have payed many players!

I hope the clubs left in the SPL are not relaying on this potential income, past season amount plus the increased figure in their business plan, with their bankers, for the year to come to keep them afloat!!

Maybe, maybe, this is the year to spend as little and survive in the SFL and then make an effort to move into the SPL when the cashflow improves.

[Mike]

Feck me - what a thread - some peeple are beginning to understand that we have been feckin led by a bunch of feckin amateur muppets fer years.

Is that the same amateur muppets who got us to the SPL in 10 years? Got the stands built for SPL and kept us out of debt and in a position where relegation will not bury us? It's easy to point the finger when it goes wrong but you seem to forget that for a club so young we have surpassed anyone's wildest dreams to have even made the SPL. You seem to love to gloat about muppets making mistakes but for me I can only see one muppet on here!

[Mike]

The DoF was paid an emolument of ?50k last year. This was 'supposedly' in recognition of his services over the previous four years when he done the job for nothing.

As well as playing staff there may well be cuts in the backroom. I ask will we really need a Chief Executive and a Commercial Manager? Will we continue with a Head of Youth Development? There are staff members lower down the pecking order who are maybe fearful of losing their job. Those are the people who carry out the day to day business. What does a CE and CM do?

We had a Commercial Manager even in the Highland League, so don't see why they won't have one now. The Youth Development as far as I was aware was self funding, so why would you need to get rid of that. Not sure about CE or what he does and not sure when this was introduced, so don't know if we need it? I had heard DoF was going back to unpaid, so again do you need to get rid of this? There will not be the same amount of stewards and police at SFL games, so should be a saving there. The club must look at every cut on there own merits and whether it would be justified, but I think we should leave it to those who know to do the right thing!