Kassam drove the club into the ground

[ty cobb]

I'm not sure what people mean when they talk about investment then. I have never expected or known an owner of Oxford United to give money to the club that they don't expect to get back with interest or some sort of profit. Isn't that how our capitalist free market society functions?

Well, people might have expected Kassam to put some of the money that he made indirectly out of the club back into it - ie from hotels and leisure businesses built on the back of the stadium planning permission. Didn't he vaguely imply that this would happen when he took over?

Presumably this is how clubs like Wigan and, closer to home, Reading have progressed in recent years.

He did state this even in the last fans forum, however, he claimed it had cost £50 million to build the whole thing complex and this would need to be paid off - no idea where this figure came from.

REading and Wigan are where they are because their chairmen give millions to the club every year, if they pulled out both teams would be playing at least one level then they are. So since Kassam has been in charge we have made a profit of about £100,000 a season - most of which came in the last year. Before he took over we would on average see transfer profit of about £500,000 a season. Lending money to the club when it was secured against his own buisness meant we wouldn't go bust and he would only get the money back if someone was silly enough to pay off all the money he has leant the club whilst not getting the stadium as part of it.

[GodalmingYellow]

Not sure about how much funding came from the sale of the Manor as the accounts show bank loans of £6.75m and grant income (from the Football Foundation?) of £2.5m. The received wisdom is that the stadium cost in the region of £10-12m to complete, which doesn't account for the £6m &quotprofit&quot on the Manor.

I think the difference lies in uncapitalised revenue expenditure associated with the stadium development.

Can't argue with much of that. What I would say is that I honestly believe that Kassam did want the club to succeed but was incapable of listening to sound advice on how to do that. For someone who is obviously a risk-taker in business (after all, if getting involved in OUFC in the first place wasn't a massive punt, what is) it's a great pity that approach didn't manifest itself in the running of the club.

I wouldn't dispute that at all, and my impression from the couple of times I met him and from others who knew him better, is that that is pretty accurate. He basically couldn't accept a different business model from the one he had previously been successful with in his other businesses, and because he didn't listen or at least take heed of other solutions, it went horribly wrong. Kassam had nothing to gain by getting it all wrong, but also little to lose by refusing to do it differently either, and that was his downfall.

[DLT]

He could have appointed managers with a proven track record, rather than those offering to work for next to nothing, but he chose not to.

This is the only bit I really disagree with.

As someone who openly disagreed with almost every managerial appointment he made, I think he went with track record far too often.

Kinnear (track record?), Wright (most promising manager in Conference), Atkins (been there done it), Rix (European winning coach), Diaz (few South American pots), Talbot (promotion or two).

He always had the next manager lined up and never seemed to interview and listen to potential candidates (Boothroyd, Parkin, Patterson).

[GodalmingYellow]

He could have appointed managers with a proven track record, rather than those offering to work for next to nothing, but he chose not to.

This is the only bit I really disagree with.

As someone who openly disagreed with almost every managerial appointment he made, I think he went with track record far too often.

Kinnear (track record?), Wright (most promising manager in Conference), Atkins (been there done it), Rix (European winning coach), Diaz (few South American pots), Talbot (promotion or two).

He always had the next manager lined up and never seemed to interview and listen to potential candidates (Boothroyd, Parkin, Patterson).

If I was being pernickity, Kinnear yes but he was never appointed manager and only asted a few months. Wright, no proven track record in the league and only a couple of seasons in the conference. Atkins - I'll give you that one, but its probably one you don't want!! Rix, begged for the job apparently. On a very low salary and with no experience of management and coaching only in top flight. Diaz, well yes a proven track record, but not in this country and not a lower league level. Talbot yes pre-wage cap with money to spend, otherwise no.

With the benefit of hindsight, we might well be nearing the Championship now had Atkins stayed.

[dr ceri]

Would you be shocked if I told you that Atkins was only on a little bit more money than Rix? Approximately the difference between the two being £35K (Atkins, approx) and £30K(ish for Rix) or something. Big potential bonuses of course, but according to my (ex OUFC staff) source, that was roughly the non-promotion basic.

[Snake]

“With the benefit of hindsight, we might well be nearing the Championship now had Atkins stayed.

[SuperOx]

WTF is going on with the DA and the Land Deal?


Not a peep from anybody.

[Kernow Yellow]

With the benefit of hindsight, we might well be nearing the Championship now had Atkins stayed.

Let's not go through this bit of revisionism again (not you personally GY, but I've seen it so often from others over the years).

We were not going to get promoted the season Atkins left - yes, we were 5th at the time, but in freefall, with terrible form and worse performances. We were lucky to be near the top of the league anyway, and had been found out. Atkins didn't know what to do about it.

We would still be in the league with him in charge, mind - he's quite good at avoiding relegation, apparently - but we'd have been playing in front of crowds of two men and a dog.

Not that this has much to do with the wider debate here, so carry on...

[GodalmingYellow]

With the benefit of hindsight, we might well be nearing the Championship now had Atkins stayed.

Let's not go through this bit of revisionism again (not you personally GY, but I've seen it so often from others over the years).

We were not going to get promoted the season Atkins left - yes, we were 5th at the time, but in freefall, with terrible form and worse performances. We were lucky to be near the top of the league anyway, and had been found out. Atkins didn't know what to do about it.

We would still be in the league with him in charge, mind - he's quite good at avoiding relegation, apparently - but we'd have been playing in front of crowds of two men and a dog.

Not that this has much to do with the wider debate here, so carry on...

We'll never know I guess, but we have to factor in that Atkins had all but agreed to join Rovers during the period of (almost) freefall and so his managerial performance was probably short on motivation to do too much.

I would be surprised to hear that Atkins was prepared to work for £35k Dr C.

Had Atkins stayed I reckon we would have gone up if not that season then the one after, even if it was very boring to watch.

We might then have been in a position to attract a better manager to move use further forward. I didn't mean Atkins getting us into Championship Snake.

[DLT]

But of course Atkins could afford to work for 35k because of his 'supplementary' income from 'football related matters'.

[GodalmingYellow]

But of course Atkins could afford to work for 35k because of his 'supplementary' income from 'football related matters'.

Didn't know he was that way inclined. Tell us more...

No wonder he was always licking his fingers - better grip for counting.

[DLT]

Did you ever meet the wife?

35k wouldn't keep her for 6 months.

[Resurrection Ox]

[quote=&quotSnake&quot]“With the benefit of hindsight, we might well be nearing the Championship now had Atkins stayed.

[Resurrection Ox]

Did you ever meet the wife?

35k wouldn't keep her for 6 months.

I did. She was much better fun than her husband. Quite attractive in the right light.

[Snake]

[quote=&quotResurrection Ox&quot][quote=&quotSnake&quot]“With the benefit of hindsight, we might well be nearing the Championship now had Atkins stayed.