By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
I'm sorry but, to me, your words comes across as rather elitist.
By your definition, I estimate that there are at least 10 "plastics" to 1 "non-plastic" supporter and that ratio is rapidly - and inevitably - expanding.
It's neither, its what you might call a logical response.
If you don't like what you're watching/eating/singing/playing/ praying/thinking/supporting/fill in the blank ....then stop doing it. Who is forcing you to watch the news? What do you expect to see - rollerskating nuns handing out ice-cream, Merkel and Putin playing blind man's buff?
I was taken to task on another forum about the poor man that got burnt alive in a cage. I questioned why someone would choose to exercise their morbid sense of curiosity perhaps and watch the whole gory scene. The response - from a highly intelligent person in my opinion - was that you have to know what's going on in the world. No thank you.
Its impossible not to know what's going on unless you live in a cave but I don't actively seek out the news because I've found that its usually upsetting.
Irrespective of opposition, I think any team that is both safe from relegation and highly unlikely to be making a run for the top four, must be very difficult to motivate. Aiming for the Europa seems more like a poisoned chalice to me but let GM continue to surprise me.
A doctor friend I once knew told me that at the graduation address, the dean mentioned that they couldn't be completely sure about 50% of the stuff they had taught. There was a hush and the hall burst into laughter as he added, "the problem is we don't know which 50% that is". Years later that same doctor confided that there was more truth in that statement than he originally thought.
I believe that Oliviera is a more intelligent player than Go Miss although his languid style is probably more suited to playing behind of - rather than instead - of a striker. We shall see.
Yes..bit of an enigma is Go-miss. He certainly puts in a shift but he really does need to get a goal on his account. The classic example was when, one on one with the Burnley GK, he smashed way over the top after a wonderful first touch. A little dink over the keeper would have done it or even taking it wide would possibly have drawn a penalty but he was looking for a goal of the month moment instead.
Great win but can't help thinking that the sight of a red faced and smokin' SAF stalking the sidelines would not have gone unnoticed by the red shirts on the pitch - and also by the referee and linesmen.
There is clearly an opportunity here for a savvy investor to get in on the ground floor of an expanding global market. Risks there always will be - that is the nature of any investment - yet those risks can be mitigated.
The obvious question follows - why then are these the only bods (irrespective of nationality) seriously interested in "investing" in Swansea City FC?
Incidentally, most football clubs don't "show" a profit but nevertheless they can still be profitable vehicles for the owners.
To make an analogy: The regular Joe investor would be pleased to see an annual ROI of anything above 5%. His money is always at risk though, he is usually ill informed and subject to loss whenever the market declines. The fund manager and associates however are paid handsomely with humungous bonuses irrespective of market direction. Why, because effectively they "own" the fund (control the capital)and bear little financial risk whereas the regular Joe investor does bear the risk and is simply padding the nest of someone else.
Substitute "owner" for "fund manager and associates", "position in league table" for "market direction" and "supporter" for "regular Joe".
Why are so many British clubs taken over by foreign owners? The figures being bandied around (30 mill even as an "initial investment") are peanuts in the grand scheme of fings. That's pocket change for any self respecting billionaire.
Surely there must be some local Welsh businessmen - or consortiums - who can see an opportunity here.
Would it make a difference if a local consortium, rather than a foreign one, fronted 30m? They might be able to follow the same game plan as the Americans (who, perhaps, can see something, as yet uncovered, that would be mutually beneficial to the club, supporters and investors). JMO
Well I think its an absolutely splendid idea. I'll be flying in red eye from Phoenix arriving Heathrow early Saturday which would give me time to switch to a local carrier. Obviously we'd (the missus doesn't really care for the game too much but we go everywhere together) include at least one night's accommodation as part of the package and throw in a couple of reasonably priced candlelit dinners. Its a win win for everyone. I'd get to buy a $500 Swansea season ticket as a guaranteed no show, the club could then make multiple repeat sales without even bothering to spend any money in order to increase the stadium capacity, The FA would look good by dispensing a small percentage of the TV megabucks to "international" grass roots supporters and everyone's happy.
I read somewhere that the Jordanian pilot who was killed might have been drugged beforehand. If that were also the case here then that would explain why no-one decided to made a run for it. Faced with certain beheading and seemingly not chained together, a bullet to the back of the head whilst trying to swim away would have seemed preferable to me.
Please say a prayer of peace for the families of these poor men. They won't be the last unfortunately.
Right now Swansea is the epitome of a mediocre mid table PL team...out of the cups, probably safe from relegation and seemingly going through the motions. GM can rattle on all day about overcoming complacency but unfortunately that's just human nature. Setting points totals for the team (and individuals) is like offering free coffees at Starbucks to a multi millionaire. No player wants to lose a game and most professionals will try their best but its the rare individual - or team - that gives their all under all circumstances. At the end of the day these players receive a very nice pay packet, win or lose. Imagine what might happen if there were no such thing as a guaranteed contract and their income (or at least a sizable chunk of it) was directly related to their performance. Imagine if the fans who pay their money to "support " these players actually did get a say in how they were rewarded? How long do you think Gomis would be taking home 70,000 pounds each week?
Rant over...but to answer the OP's question, I think a lack of motivation is at the root of the problem - and that's not easily addressed by a rookie manager. No criticism of GM...JMO.
The PL is a product, an excellent product, with an ever expanding global market. The ratio of TV rights money to actual gate receipts for a club like Swansea is probably close to 10-1. Of course the FA, and anyone involved in the business (players, managers, agents, media etc etc), will continue to defend the "traditions of the game" but increasingly it appears to be merely lip service. It's still the beautiful game and we'll all continue to enjoy and debate our favorite players but even a well run provincial team like Swansea eventually will become more and more identified with the real "club" (ie membership of the PL).
As you can see from the numerous empathetic responses to this thread, most folk have a hard time talking coherently to a large bunch of complete strangers. It seems counter intuitive but, in my experience, sometimes its best to be authentic and just say how nervous you're feeling. On one occasion, I just stopped what I was babbling on about, took a deep breath and said honestly, "My God, I'm shaking like a leaf and I must look like a complete fool up here. Please bear with me guys....let me take a quick sip of whisky here...oops I meant water....and I'll try to pull myself together". Cue laughter and relief. It worked. It probably went over much better than if I'd just pretended to be in control of myself and actually it was all rather exhilarating.
As the late n great Tommy Cooper was reputed to have said - on numerous occasions, "Its not about the principle, its about the money".
But seriously, I always complain if the product or service is less than promised. The key is to complain to the right person in the right way (the facts sans verbal abuse). You don't get if you don't ask.
Having previously run a successful retail business, it always amazed me to see how deferential customers are (especially in the UK). In my experience, I'd encourage feedback and complaints about my service because in the long run you develop better products/service and more loyal customers.
Look at it this way. If, for the next thirty years, you decided to track and spend exactly the same amount of money, dollar for dollar, on buying plane tickets and lottery tickets. For arguments sake, pick a number...lets say $10K per annum:
Chance of winning the lottery within this time period = 30 - 1. Chance of dying in a plane crash within this period = approx 100,000 - 1
Your "death lottery" insurance wouldn't look too good in that light would it? ;-)
Between 500 and 2000 people die each year in a plane crash. According to the Bureau of Transport Statistics approx 631 million people per year are whizzing around the skies in pressurized cans - and that figure includes only domestic flights within the US. Do the math.....the odds of anyone dying in a plane crash are astronomical.
My guess is that most people would lose consciousness before the plane hit the deck anyway so I wouldn't worry about it.
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
