Tommy Smith - Gazumped by Pompey - Thread

[Dorset-Knob]

In most of businesses the purchasing manager would have a maximum budget and terms of reference, within which to operate.

Their job however, is to secure the right product, at the right time, for the best possible price and conditions.

I struggle to believe that RFC is any different, but de facto, between the end of last season and the begining of this, our purchasing manager appears to have failed to provide the manager with the tools to do the job properly.

I don't care why or who's to blame, but the team is not ready or fit for purpose. NH must bear some of the responsibility for this and we as customers are entitled to complain and enquire as to how and why this came about.

Whether we receive answers or believe what we're told is another matter!

[Gordons Cumming]

All this wont matter if we win the next 3 games.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

In most of businesses the purchasing manager would have a maximum budget and terms of reference, within which to operate.

Their job however, is to secure the right product, at the right time, for the best possible price and conditions.

I struggle to believe that RFC is any different, but de facto, between the end of last season and the begining of this, our purchasing manager appears to have failed to provide the manager with the tools to do the job properly.

I don't care why or who's to blame, but the team is not ready or fit for purpose. NH must bear some of the responsibility for this and we as customers are entitled to complain and enquire as to how and why this came about.

Whether we receive answers or believe what we're told is another matter!

Football is totally different to the real world. Trying to compare normal business practices to football is imposible.

We've been told again and again that no budget is set and that JM decides on an individual cases.

Which is why we tend to build up bids rather than just going straight in with a large bid. It's what we've always done. We've got a Chairman who wants to do things a certain way, rightly or wrongly it's the way it is and nothing will change that...

[Agent Balti]

In most of businesses the purchasing manager would have a maximum budget and terms of reference, within which to operate.

Their job however, is to secure the right product, at the right time, for the best possible price and conditions.

I struggle to believe that RFC is any different, but de facto, between the end of last season and the begining of this, our purchasing manager appears to have failed to provide the manager with the tools to do the job properly.

I don't care why or who's to blame, but the team is not ready or fit for purpose. NH must bear some of the responsibility for this and we as customers are entitled to complain and enquire as to how and why this came about.

Whether we receive answers or believe what we're told is another matter!

We will never be told 'the truth' no matter how much we would try to ask, protest, chuck season tickets on the pitch etc. All we will get is the usual diatribe of 'cutting cloth' yet at the same time give (un-realistic) ambitions of striving for higher climes as that is the done thing, regardless if it's achievable.

It's something the club should do, no doubt - but they won't as they do not like the perception that we are a struggling club. We are always a 'well run club that is all set for the Premiership in all aspects" not a club that "failed in staying in the top flight and now has to re-align its ambitions." At least that's what we are told. However, actions are speaking much louder than words at the moment with any professional who seems to be on any kind of decent wage being touted to leave the club.

Whilst on the football side, I can see what is trying to be done. On the financial side, I can see why it's happening. What I don't 'like' is the lack of the club being up front about it and letting the followers of the club know and FULLY understand why and not in some coded half-arsed worn out and tired spin.

[johnnym]

so...who does tommy smith play for these days???

watford??
pompey??
us???

an other??

anyone?
anyone?
bueller?

[rabidbee]

How is "cutting cloth" a diatribe?

And LOL at anyone complaining about marketing not being wholly accurate.

[eleventh earl of mar]

[quote="Agent Balti"}
We will never be told 'the truth' no matter how much we would try to ask, protest, chuck season tickets on the pitch etc. All we will get is the usual diatribe of 'cutting cloth' yet at the same time give (un-realistic) ambitions of striving for higher climes as that is the done thing, regardless if it's achievable.
It's something the club should do, no doubt - but they won't as they do not like the perception that we are a struggling club. We are always a 'well run club that is all set for the Premiership in all aspects" not a club that "failed in staying in the top flight and now has to re-align its ambitions." At least that's what we are told. However, actions are speaking much louder than words at the moment with any professional who seems to be on any kind of decent wage being touted to leave the club.

Whilst on the football side, I can see what is trying to be done. On the financial side, I can see why it's happening. What I don't 'like' is the lack of the club being up front about it and letting the followers of the club know and FULLY understand why and not in some coded half-arsed worn out and tired spin.[/quote]

I agree about not being told the truth, but I suspect the way we have been dealing with this transfer is the same as we have done for years. Are you suggesting that our ambitions have always been un-realistic, bearing in mind that we did actually win promotion to the premiership? That would suggest that it is achievable doing things they way they are doing them. What signings did we make before we started that season?
I'm not wanting to get in an arguement about it, I am just curious as to your thoughts.

[Agent Balti]

I agree about not being told the truth, but I suspect the way we have been dealing with this transfer is the same as we have done for years. Are you suggesting that our ambitions have always been un-realistic, bearing in mind that we did actually win promotion to the premiership? That would suggest that it is achievable doing things they way they are doing them. What signings did we make before we started that season?
I'm not wanting to get in an arguement about it, I am just curious as to your thoughts.

Way back when, when times were rosy, there was a natural progression - we could actually believe and see we were progressing on all levels. The general feel around the club was un-paralleled.

Now, things aren't so good - it's patently obvious we are working under different constraints...but still we are told much the same thing, that the club is just as well run, just as well supported, playing just as well....oh it's just the results are a bit crap, run with it - nothing has changed, move along, there's nothing to see here.

I am not comparing the minutiae of this transfer to the next. Our ambitions per transfer have been achievable for the club at the time we make them (like £4m for Brown a few seasons ago when in the Premiership) but now our sights are much, much lower (which they have to be.) The £1.8m for Smith now seems like an absolute stretch and we were forced to go down that route to get him...albeit now that's scuppered due to Portsmouth.

I may not be getting my point over as well as I'd like, but to me I've seen the club hit a glass ceiling and now slide, slide, slide to where we're picking up scraps rather than being 'a new force' any more...but the club want to appear to be just the same as it ever was, when we're nothing of the sort.

[Vision]

I agree about not being told the truth, but I suspect the way we have been dealing with this transfer is the same as we have done for years. Are you suggesting that our ambitions have always been un-realistic, bearing in mind that we did actually win promotion to the premiership? That would suggest that it is achievable doing things they way they are doing them. What signings did we make before we started that season?
I'm not wanting to get in an arguement about it, I am just curious as to your thoughts.

Way back when, when times were rosy, there was a natural progression - we could actually believe and see we were progressing on all levels. The general feel around the club was un-paralleled.

Now, things aren't so good - it's patently obvious we are working under different constraints...but still we are told much the same thing, that the club is just as well run, just as well supported, playing just as well....oh it's just the results are a bit crap, run with it - nothing has changed, move along, there's nothing to see here.

I am not comparing the minutiae of this transfer to the next. Our ambitions per transfer have been achievable for the club at the time we make them (like £4m for Brown a few seasons ago when in the Premiership) but now our sights are much, much lower (which they have to be.) The £1.8m for Smith now seems like an absolute stretch and we were forced to go down that route to get him...albeit now that's scuppered due to Portsmouth.

I may not be getting my point over as well as I'd like, but to me I've seen the club hit a glass ceiling and now slide, slide, slide to where we're picking up scraps rather than being 'a new force' any more...but the club want to appear to be just the same as it ever was, when we're nothing of the sort.

Agree with all of that but do you really expect anything else. It's their job to try and sell the club to the fans. They're not going to shout from the rooftops that now we're relegated and there's a recession we've got to start again from scratch by using the mainly raw materials of the Academy. Also its not as if JM's "coat according to cloth" mantra shoudln't at least spell out the club's approach.

You and I seem to agree on pretty much everything but I think its Rodgers that probably should have excercised a bit more public caution in raising expectations of what was bound to be a young inexperienced squad. The club as befits a 21st Century business is always going to hype up it's intentions and possibilities.

We have a plan and a purpose but it's not one thats likely to attain top flight football in the short term. It is however one which given our size and the current economic climate makes sense from a financial position and has good long-teerm possibilities. It's also a plan in keeping with our size and resources given that the Chairman is no longer bankrolling us in the manner he did previously.

[Woodcote Royal]

Hammond, you are a cock sucker.

In my books, you are rated lower than Ricky Ponting.

pcunt

This would be the same Nick Hammond who was being head hunted by Arsenal not long ago.

And, talking of cock suckers, anyone wanting to know how many we have in our fan base should spend a morning reading this thread.....................one of the most pathetic in the history of HNA?

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

Finally, Pompey have confirmed the signing of Tommy Smith

[floyd__streete]

This would be the same Nick Hammond who was being head hunted by Arsenal not long ago.

Polite question to you: if Hammond really was sought after by Arsenal, do you think he'd still be here now?

[Royal Lady]

Finally, Pompey have confirmed the signing of Tommy Smith

Jeez.

[Alan Partridge]

Finally, Pompey have confirmed the signing of Tommy Smith

LOLz

[Thaumagurist*]

This would be the same Nick Hammond who was being head hunted by Arsenal not long ago.

Polite question to you: if Hammond really was sought after by Arsenal, do you think he'd still be here now?

He turned them down, didn't he?

[Alan Partridge]

This would be the same Nick Hammond who was being head hunted by Arsenal not long ago.

Polite question to you: if Hammond really was sought after by Arsenal, do you think he'd still be here now?

We can be bigger than them anyway.

[floyd__streete]

This would be the same Nick Hammond who was being head hunted by Arsenal not long ago.

Polite question to you: if Hammond really was sought after by Arsenal, do you think he'd still be here now?

We can be bigger than them anyway.

And if young Nigel says he's happy
He must be happy
He must be happy
He must be happy in his world

[Royal Lady]

This would be the same Nick Hammond who was being head hunted by Arsenal not long ago.

Polite question to you: if Hammond really was sought after by Arsenal, do you think he'd still be here now?

Royal Lady likes this.



Seriously, it would be a no-brainer. And the fact of the matter is, he's not AT Arsenal, has never been AT Arsenal and so Arsenal don't come into it. It seems to me the likes of Hammond, Howe and Madejski like taking the plaudits when it goes well, but come any difficulties and criticism, you don't hear a peep from them.

[Focher]

just changing the subject slightly, did any of you you realise that Dick Turpin was actually under 5ft tall?

[(.)Boobies(.)]

This would be the same Nick Hammond who was being head hunted by Arsenal not long ago.

Polite question to you: if Hammond really was sought after by Arsenal, do you think he'd still be here now?

He turned them down, didn't he?

There was never an official approach.