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Up the Creek ?

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posted on 22/1/21

It's hard I feel for him even though I was probably leading the hating when he first came in.

I don't think he wanted us to be in this position. I feel like most of his mistakes were early on in his ownership. I said then and still feel now he was too autocratic and had he devolved a bit more power to those in the know we would have been in a better position,

I wish he'd let GSE get on with the running of the club but with the caveat that they loosen the purse strings with his injection of cash.

Sam Rush and him I don't think we'll ever know the whole truth, those signings were awful though.

I feel the last 2 years he's pulled off some impressive coup's, and raised the profile of the club and seems to be getting the hang of it. However, most of his genius accountancy was to repair the damage of his earlier spending.

I feel for him, I've no idea what it's like to be a billionaire and suddenly able to buy your club. I think he had great dreams for us but lead boots. He wanted to be the hero but has now ended up looking like the villain....maybe a play or a movie there.

It's sad more than anything, but this is the state of football we're at the hands of billionaire's mistakes, success or luck.

I still dream of a grassroots community owned football club (and stadium and training ground) with investors chipping in but not taking control. Not sure that's financially possible in the current climate, unless we adopt an academy to first team pipeline like Ajax.

Ironically that might be one of Mel's legacies and think he realised the value of this in the end.

posted on 22/1/21

Fair comments Peeder but looking back is easy.

Yes, there have been mistakes, yes it's embarrassing at times but for the majority of the time Mel was a hero to the Faithful and even though I don't know the blue, I genuinely believe he had the welfare of DCFC at the heart of his decisions. Looks like we're living through a fnck up but all this talk of the take-over and how somehow that is the salvation, what happens if the new owner returns out to be Fawaz MK II?

At least Mel's fnck-ups look vaguely retrievable.

posted on 22/1/21

“Interfering with team selections”? When did this happen?

posted on 22/1/21

Mel wants out.
Arabs want nowt to do with a league 1 team.
Rock n a hard place

comment by Peeder (U1684)

posted on 22/1/21

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 1 hour, 2 minutes ago
“Interfering with team selections”? When did this happen?
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It was widely reported that he was getting involved with team selections under a couple of managers. Clement was one of them I think.

posted on 22/1/21

“Widely reported”? Where exactly?

posted on 22/1/21

When he wanted 6 kids(academy) In squad/starting

posted on 22/1/21

That was a general aim for the strategy of the club. You can’t legitimately call that “interfering with selection”. Morris has made mistakes and I agree we are currently looking deep in the mire but there is no need to make stuff up.

posted on 22/1/21

It was a cost cutting exercise and it failed.
Not only thing that failed. Expensive flops also.
Love to know what Rush cost us?

comment by Peeder (U1684)

posted on 22/1/21

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 1 hour, 36 minutes ago
“Widely reported”? Where exactly?
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National press/talksport/BBC ... Basically every football outlet.

posted on 23/1/21

comment by ViewFromCroxteth (U1581)
posted 14 hours, 51 minutes ago
Fair comments Peeder but looking back is easy.

Yes, there have been mistakes, yes it's embarrassing at times but for the majority of the time Mel was a hero to the Faithful and even though I don't know the blue, I genuinely believe he had the welfare of DCFC at the heart of his decisions. Looks like we're living through a fnck up but all this talk of the take-over and how somehow that is the salvation, what happens if the new owner returns out to be Fawaz MK II?

At least Mel's fnck-ups look vaguely retrievable.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Got to say I'm with you. Mel's decisions (for me) always were of the best intentions. You have a vacancy (ie manager) you have applicants, you interview them and appoint the one you think is best and back him (if you didn't there would be no point in appointing him/her in the first place). Mel has made mistakes - as we all do in life but he's always backed Managers to the point that they have bought/sold players....and to the club's general detriment in the long term. ...but I feel that Mel's always had the clubs best interest at heart.
As I said the other day he feels as though he's taken the club as far as he can - but unfortunately the Sheik needs kicking into touch....Mel needs to take back control and go the extra mile by paying those that need paying and give Wayne a bit of leeway in the transfer market. If Holmes does go then that'll be 3 players off the books this window. So C'mon Mel, do the right thing. You cant take all that money with you so use it for good purpose....

posted on 23/1/21

I read a article about Mel Morris in the Athletic and the author was full of praise for the bloke. Recounted how he had time for everybody at the club, you know having a chat with the tea lady, sort of thing.

The experiences and mistakes of Mel Morris & Nigel Doughty both demonstrate how difficult it is to own a Championship football club and make a success of it.

It might be better not to have a owner who demands instant success, because they're looking at the wealth in the Premiership. But doesn't carry out due diligence on a successful business model to get there.

There are lot's of examples of how to spend money & get nowhere, Randy Learner at Aston Villa, Nigel Doughty Fawaz & Marinakis, various Italians at Leeds etc.

posted on 23/1/21

I tend to agree with View and Terry. I always thought that Mel had the club's best interests at heart and would be a better owner than folk who had never been to a Derby game.

When we were top of the league under Clement we were all rejoicing and when every manager was appointed most fans were pleased, until after a few matches we realised that they weren't as good as we had been told.

It's a terrible mess up ATM but if we can get some more good results things will look better.

posted on 23/1/21

Peeder can you provide a single reliable reference to Morris "interfering" in team selection?

comment by Peeder (U1684)

posted on 23/1/21

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 1 hour, 40 minutes ago
Peeder can you provide a single reliable reference to Morris "interfering" in team selection?
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Reliable is a tough word but Alan Brazil talked about it fairly regularly 😉

comment by Peeder (U1684)

posted on 23/1/21

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 1 hour, 44 minutes ago
Peeder can you provide a single reliable reference to Morris "interfering" in team selection?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
BBC article from 2016 just after Clement was sacked where he denied picking the team having been accused of it regularly in the preceding months.

'I have never picked the team'
Morris denied rumours he had interfered in team selection and said he had no regrets about going into the dressing room after the 1-1 draw with Reading on 12 January.

"I see the team sheet just as I am about to sit down to lunch on a matchday," Morris said.

"There has never been any chance of me trying to say 'here's who you should play or how you should play'. That was always Paul's domain.

posted on 23/1/21

So what you saying is that there isn’t any evidence at all that what you say is true, other than Alan Brazil speculated about it on the radio. Brilliant.

comment by Peeder (U1684)

posted on 23/1/21

comment by lastapostleofvidal (U1491)
posted 1 hour, 11 minutes ago
So what you saying is that there isn’t any evidence at all that what you say is true, other than Alan Brazil speculated about it on the radio. Brilliant.
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Not just Brazil Vidal ... it was a common theme under Clement. Like most stories, we'll never know if it had any truth behind it but smoke and fire etc?

posted on 23/1/21

I’m sure that because of the dressing room incident (which WAS true) it became convenient to say that Morris was meddling on the playing side. There has never been anything to suggest that the latter was true. There is enough to criticise Morris for without lobbing in lazy gossip and passing it off as fact.

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