Optimism

[oxford don]

I'm as optimistic as I've been going into a season as I was since we finished just outside the League 1 play-offs.

We fell short of the play-offs last season. But not by all that far. We got surprisingly close given the abysmal start and the dreadful run at the start of the year. For some reason (probably our name) the bookies think that we'll go backwards this season; whereas in fact there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic.

1) Our manager - like it or not (and plenty on here don't), Tisdale is a good manager. Is he perfect? No. Has he consistently taken us to finishes above where our budget sits in the table? Yes. Therefore he's a good manager. He was able to take us to tenth last season on a tight budget that, pre-Grimes sale would have been in the bottom four in the division I would imagine. Of course he had a bit more leeway after the sale, but appears to have chosen (or possibly been forced by installments) to save a lot of the money for the close season.

2) Pre-season - it's widely acknowledged that from a playing perspective, Brazil wasn't ideal. We're not going to Brazil this year. Furthermore, we were under a transfer embargo at the start of last season. We've already brought in three new players early doors and noises are that we may bring in a few more, which will mean no excuses for lack of preparation at the start of the season.

3) Players that have left - Ribs may leave. I'll be disappointed if he does, but I don't think that our chances of success are purely determined by whether or not he signs a new contract. I had time for Sercs, Bennett and Cummins. They all had their shortcomings and Sercs in particular never quite turned out to be the player that I thought he might.

4) Players remaining - We appear to have signed a decent experienced goalkeeper and have two younger keepers with plenty of promise. Something of an embarrassment of riches, although I assume Hamon and Pym are probably on lowish wages. If the season was starting tomorrow, I'd be a bit concerned about the defence, but it's not. The midfield is already taking shape. I really liked what I saw of Noble when he came back last season. If Harley can rediscover even a half of his previous form during the pre-season then that is a very good centre-midfield partnership. With potentially Holmes and Wheeler wide (yes I know Wheeler doesn't usually start), that's already a very handy looking midfield. Tom Nichols blossomed last season. Whoever called him inexperienced (OP?), forget that. He scored 15 goals last season. We'll obviously be looking to strengthen up front, but you'd hope that at least one of Jay, Watkins or Reid may have something of a breakthrough season this year as well.

To be honest, if you can't be reasonably optimistic as a city fan at this point, then you probably never will be. The 50/1 that Bet365 were offering was far too big and I've had a decent e/w bet on that.

Excellent post if I may say so...

I've taken a bit of 50's similarly with PP...

I don't gamble, I speculate and I expect to get a return on that investment.

 

[hatch4england]

I have pretty much given up hope that there will be any reaction of significance re the failure of the BoD. There have been so many bad decisions, such lack of openness, so much wasted expenditure on 'executives' that those of us in the real world wouldn't give house room, and they fiddle while Rome burns (well, the ground becomes increasingly decrepit and shameful to behold and progress on the pitch is nil.

Recriminations won't fly until the wheels fall off (again), by which time people will have to accept what a shambles has been for years and by which time it'll be too late.

The pity is that now is probably the ideal time to have a spring clean and get sorted out as I'd assume there won't be a need for firefighting for another 6 months at least.


PS I'd sack a co. secretary for filing the annual return late, not the FD. I'd sack them for getting the accounts wrong and filing late! Is isn't rocket science. The companies I am involved with don't have any problems finishing and filing accounts and annual returns well before the due date.

PPS By way of comparison, our FD has just sent me the company's cash forecast to end Dec 2015. There again, he does keep his eye on the ball...

 

[oxford don]

I have pretty much given up hope that there will be any reaction of significance re the failure of the BoD. There have been so many bad decisions, such lack of openness, so much wasted expenditure on 'executives' that those of us in the real world wouldn't give house room, and they fiddle while Rome burns (well, the ground becomes increasingly decrepit and shameful to behold and progress on the pitch is nil.

Recriminations won't fly until the wheels fall off (again), by which time people will have to accept what a shambles has been for years and by which time it'll be too late.

The pity is that now is probably the ideal time to have a spring clean and get sorted out as I'd assume there won't be a need for firefighting for another 6 months at least.


PS I'd sack a co. secretary for filing the annual return late, not the FD. I'd sack them for getting the accounts wrong and filing late! Is isn't rocket science. The companies I am involved with don't have any problems finishing and filing accounts and annual returns well before the due date.

PPS By way of comparison, our FD has just sent me the company's cash forecast to end Dec 2015. There again, he does keep his eye on the ball...

Sign him on...(rofl)

 

[Jason H]

I'm rather bemused by the "lack of openness" assertion, given the 12 years since the Trust took control of the club have been easily the most "open" in my short-ish lifetime. A version of our accounts is there for all to see, when did this ever happen pre-Trust?

I appreciate there are aspects of the club that aren't particularly well-run and that the club exists on something of a precipice, but when in the club's 111 year history has this not been the case? I've seen documents (mainly through the books of people like Mike Blackstone) detailing urgent appeals for funding dating back to virtually prehistoric times.

 

[Pobbop]

I'm rather bemused by the "lack of openness" assertion, given the 12 years since the Trust took control of the club have been easily the most "open" in my short-ish lifetime. A version of our accounts is there for all to see, when did this ever happen pre-Trust?

I appreciate there are aspects of the club that aren't particularly well-run and that the club exists on something of a precipice, but when in the club's 111 year history has this not been the case? I've seen documents (mainly through the books of people like Mike Blackstone) detailing urgent appeals for funding dating back to virtually prehistoric times.

Yep all this, I've actually wondered myself whether I should hark back to the past so much in a derogatory way, but in the end it's hard to escape the fact we've pretty much always been worse in governance then we are now. Again I'm certain that after the best times of my pre-Trust watching (1981 Cup Run, 1989/90), we were thrust into major debt a few years later, where the **** did the money go?

In the end I'm still not optimistic, until I see who else we've signed, but if you are really using how we're run, and transparency, as a reason to be non-optimistic for Exeter City this year, then I would hope you have never been optimistic in your life about the club.

 

[On the up]

Well Noble looked good when he played last year, seemed to have a little more steel about him too, I think Harley did well in patches, just needs to get used to the new players around him, which can take time.

Nobes. Did get into some good form. Can be a real player for us , but unfortunately spent a large part of the season injured. Same can be said for JMT. Only managed to play half the games. We need him fit and strong, playing alongside someone with pace. This season we will be reliant on Harley to create and score, hope he can raise his game and put in consistent performances for us. He has the quality. Lots of ifs and buts as ever, but we should be optimistic this season with a fair wind, should make top 7.

 

[Thames Valley Red]

I have pretty much given up hope that there will be any reaction of significance re the failure of the BoD. There have been so many bad decisions, such lack of openness, so much wasted expenditure on 'executives' that those of us in the real world wouldn't give house room, and they fiddle while Rome burns (well, the ground becomes increasingly decrepit and shameful to behold and progress on the pitch is nil.

Recriminations won't fly until the wheels fall off (again), by which time people will have to accept what a shambles has been for years and by which time it'll be too late.

The pity is that now is probably the ideal time to have a spring clean and get sorted out as I'd assume there won't be a need for firefighting for another 6 months at least.


PS I'd sack a co. secretary for filing the annual return late, not the FD. I'd sack them for getting the accounts wrong and filing late! Is isn't rocket science. The companies I am involved with don't have any problems finishing and filing accounts and annual returns well before the due date.

PPS By way of comparison, our FD has just sent me the company's cash forecast to end Dec 2015. There again, he does keep his eye on the ball...

As an MD of my own company I can concur it is very poor practice and the money being spent of the training facilities while have merit, do not attack the key areas. Improved match day experience, ticketing systems, strong business development unit and a dynamite commercial operation. Frankly the web shop now here has a poor range and does not offer options for the fans. But hey it's alright and we are plucky Exeter, just grateful to be here and there has been limited fans events over the summer, no gigs, no open air events. We need a perfect pitch of course.

That aside we need some centre backs and more bite in midfield. I trust the old timers hold up!

Utc a miserable down beat Grecian or a realist, the transfer embargo was caused by this administration and the players got ill! So it's ok then.

Utc

Tvr

 

[Barum]

Yep all this, I've actually wondered myself whether I should hark back to the past so much in a derogatory way, but in the end it's hard to escape the fact we've pretty much always been worse in governance then we are now. Again I'm certain that after the best times of my pre-Trust watching (1981 Cup Run, 1989/90), we were thrust into major debt a few years later, where the **** did the money go?

In the end I'm still not optimistic, until I see who else we've signed, but if you are really using how we're run, and transparency, as a reason to be non-optimistic for Exeter City this year, then I would hope you have never been optimistic in your life about the club.

Agreed. I also think it's an age thing!

With just a few notable exceptions, because of what we have experienced over the decades I think the pessimists/cynics are mainly Old Farts like myself!!

 

[flack attack]

I wouldn't be so sure Barum. I have it on good authority that our man in "Phoenix" is a mere 33. Creative persona though I'm sure you'll agree.

 

[Fareham Grecian]

Well if the bookies think we're no hopers it's a great opportunity for us to win some cash off them .

Yep. Fifty quid each way at 40-1 says a) we're going up and b) I'm gonna be rich. Rich I tell you!