Statement - Orion Group

[Johnboy]

Good post, Scarlet... agree with all of that... :022:

It would surely have made more sense to announce that Marius is available for transfer AFTER the forthcoming Euros, which could see his value rise dramatically..

[L_G]

More revelations from Alan Savage on the back page of the P & J.  Watch out for it online later.  Not sure if it's been written by IHE though as it does refer to links with Gheorghe Popescu's football academy in Romania to blood some of the young Romanian talent at ICT as well as major improvements to the stadium.  He also says that he will continue to support the club, but only if Sutherland leaves him alone.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Yes - Popescu and Hagi - Romaninan yoof - was I not ridiculed.  :009:

:029: ROUND SIX - Lets hope Sutherland and Savage knock each other spark feckin out.

[Johnboy]

:029: ROUND SIX - Lets hope Sutherland and Savage knock each other spark feckin out.

Exactly... It's time we had people in control with ICT's interests at heart... Not their own feckin egos...

[Kingsmills]

It appears that David Sutherland wants to run the club his way. That's fine by me. He's demonstrated in the past that he can do so more than competently and appeasrs, generally speaking, to have the interests of the club and the supporters at heart.

hat's not acceptable, however, is having another well meaning individual with different ideas being the nominal Chairman but having his plans undermined or thwarted at every turn.

If Mr Sutherland wants to run th club he should return as Chairman and do so openly in the future.

[Guest stevico64]

Yes - Popescu and Hagi - Romaninan yoof - was I not ridiculed.  :009:

You were 50% right  :004: Hagi was never involved

[caleyboy]

It appears that David Sutherland wants to run the club his way. That's fine by me. He's demonstrated in the past that he can do so more than competently and appeasrs, generally speaking, to have the interests of the club and the supporters at heart.

hat's not acceptable, however, is having another well meaning individual with different ideas being the nominal Chairman but having his plans undermined or thwarted at every turn.

If Mr Sutherland wants to run th club he should return as Chairman and do so openly in the future.

You are spot on here Kingsmills. In the old days, John Fraser was always very critical of the way the club was run, right or wrong, but always refused to sit on the board where he would have had a major influence in the decision making process. Instead, he decided to voice his opinions outside the boardroom which did more harm than good. This situation regarding Sutherland is becoming a mirror image of how things used to be and it is a recipe for disaster. I think it is deplorable that Savage was denied the opportunity to rid us of that hut in front of the stand (erected in Sutherland's time) just because of politics. Both Sutherland and Savage obviously have substantial egos to fuel and they should air their views at General Meetings instead of trying to score points in the press!

[caley100]

:029: ROUND SIX - Lets hope Sutherland and Savage knock each other spark feckin out.

Exactly... It's time we had people in control with ICT's interests at heart... Not their own feckin egos...

Trouble is John that most powerful businessmen with money have ego's to match, kind of goes hand in hand.

See George Fraser interview in the Record has him claiming that keeping Marius for next season would not be a problem !

Conflicting stuff again eh

[Johnboy]

See George Fraser interview in the Record has him claiming that keeping Marius for next season would not be a problem !

Conflicting stuff again eh

He's saying the same thing in the Courier claming that :

"Niculae's wages have been factored into the budget for next season"

According to the article this statement quashes the rumours they cannot afford to keep the Romanian....

I'd be happy if the above was true... They should not consider a single offer for Marius until after the Euros, when his value is bound to rise...  With any luck the club may then receive an offer they simply can't refuse.

[L_G]

Marius is on a 2 year contract so the money has to be in the budget for next season.  I think what David Sutherland is trying to say is that if we sell him on we might be able to bring in 2 or 3 good players to replace him by freeing up his wages as well as whatever fee he might attract.  Not so sure we'll have done his transfer value any good with this public display of financial problems.  David Sutherland has also alluded to the fact that ICT look to make a loss this year, but that is definitely not down to Marius's wages alone as the Orion investment would have been enough to top it up for 2 years, even although it was paid in this financial year.

[Alex MacLeod]

Todays P & J

Why do I get the feeling the Sutherland Empire has no ambition nor thought for the paying public?

[Scotty]

That statement does not miss and hit the wall !!!!!

[L_G]

That statement does not miss and hit the wall !!!!!

And I don't think it's over just yet.  :003:

[maimie]

That statement does not miss and hit the wall !!!!!

And I don't think it's over just yet.  :003:

oh it's getting soooo exciting!!! :001: :001:

[Jay_7]

Though he has served us well in the past... (note I am giving praise for this)

But could it be that Sutherland has been all that is wrong with the club this whole time?  :024:

[Scotty]

IF the article is true and Savage has legitimately tried to do things that would bring the club forward but been blocked at every turn then that is scandalous. What comes across is extremely plausible but the one niggle that keeps popping into my head is the comment made to Caley100 in the Heathmount that fans should be greatful just to be in the SPL.

I have a feeling that this one is going to give us a lot of close season talking points !!!

[Caley Stan]

"I certainly wouldn't say we are about to go through a big transitional period in terms of the playing staff. I think it will just be about the normal change over of personnel"

George Fraser

It could be a slightly busier summer than normal in terms of players arriving.

Craig Brewster

Two quotes in the same paper on the same day. Looks like we still have a few communication problems. Get a grip.

[Alex MacLeod]

AND GRANTY'S SLANT ON IT

[Ronaldo]

I think if half of what Alan Savage claims is the case it's all a very sad state of affairs

 

[Caley Stan]

IF the article is true and Savage has legitimately tried to do things that would bring the club forward but been blocked at every turn then that is scandalous.

Why? We shouldn't assume that just because the man has ideas that they are neccessarily good for the club.

Savage wanted to develop the current stadium while the rest of the board (under the influence of Sutherland) felt that a community stadium in the Bught is the best thing to look at in the long term.

Savage wanted to "introduce boutique football to showcase other players", whatever the feck that means, but the board rejected the plan.

That's why we have a board. I'd be more concerned if they just went along with whatever Savage was suggesting without questioning it.

[CaleyD]

That article with Savage mentions a few of the "bigger" things he wanted to do, but if it had gone in to a lot of the smaller stuff then you could probably write a short novel on it.  He wanted to do so much to try and improve the match day experience and was blocked, not just at boardroom level but by the outright refusal of certain members of the staff at the club to take his ideas on board.

There's a few people out there (not just at the club) who are in positions of responsibility who could, and should, be speaking out to let the fans know exactly what has been going on, and the sooner they do so the better.

[gordyfromsneck]

Todays P & J

Why do I get the feeling the Sutherland Empire has no ambition nor thought for the paying public?

Fascinating. Sounds to be pretty hard done by, but why did he enter into the Marius debate without getting assurances in writing. As a fan, I will want to know if these accusations are true and no doubt Mr S. is now working up his responses - he obviously cant say that they were political.

Savage is stating the obvious, however, when he talks about Marius. If he does well in the Summer he will be off for big bucks and kerching, Savage is a hero. If he fails to shine, he will still be off and the club will have recouped the investment. Either way, and mark this, he will be off. His wage, as it stands is beyond our means, and any bid to pay it will cost us dear. He will never win us big for us.

The bottom line, however, is that a football club is not a charity, nor a community resource - it is a results driven business. We are only paying customers, and like buying a house, or shopping for groceries, the big boys will fight it out, and we will get what we will get - the rest is hot air.

As for the stadium at the Bught!!! I was wondering what happened to that one!!

[CaleyD]

If you check back the forums you will see that I have been saying for the last 2 or 3 years that the club would not be where it is in the next few years.

Sutherland has been buying up all the land which will border the new Western Distributor road (including Dunain Park Hotel and all the outlying farmland/fields) for some time now, and with the value of the land the stadium currently sits on poised to go through the roof with the advent of the new Harbour development and Sutherland best positioned to better develop that area for higher return then it's no coincidence that he is championing a stadium move.

[Scotty]

IF the article is true and Savage has legitimately tried to do things that would bring the club forward but been blocked at every turn then that is scandalous.

Why? We shouldn't assume that just because the man has ideas that they are neccessarily good for the club.

Savage wanted to develop the current stadium while the rest of the board (under the influence of Sutherland) felt that a community stadium in the Bught is the best thing to look at in the long term.

Savage wanted to "introduce boutique football to showcase other players", whatever the feck that means, but the board rejected the plan.

That's why we have a board. I'd be more concerned if they just went along with whatever Savage was suggesting without questioning it.

I never said all his ideas were good for the club, nor do I think the board should merely rubber stamp the ideas of ANY chairman (or for that matter any "major shareholder"). They should discuss things, come to a consensus and do what is best FOR THE CLUB. That is what we as shareholders (irrespective of whether you have 250 shares or 43% of the shares) have elected them to do.

However, what I am saying is that it appears that some of his "no-brainer" good ideas - such as getting rid of the eyesore we call a club shop appear to have been blocked for no good reason (some might even say for spite). Can anyone seriously say that this big blue box looks good or even professional ? As CaleyD mentioned, there were also quite a few 'smaller' things he wanted to do which would have improved the whole environment for fans and he more or less said as much in the Q&A session we did a while back. However, for whatever reason these were blocked/resisted at various levels within the club and enough appears to have been enough for the man.

I like David Sutherland, I think he was good for the club in both his terms as chairman and he certainly did bring us back from the brink but this spat with Savage does neither one of them or the club any favours.

There will be a lot more mileage in this story before it finishes ..... unfortunately.

[Johnboy]

If you check back the forums you will see that I have been saying for the last 2 or 3 years that the club would not be where it is in the next few years.

I might not be on here for a few weeks as I'll be busy checking out CD's posts over the last 3 years...  :023: