Usain Bolt!

[Ozhammer]

I’m betting the club got wind of the story being broken and wanted to look like it was on the front foot, rather than getting behind the curve.

The purported worldwide interest makes a bit of a mockery of those who say CCM were just doing it as a publicity stunt. Now that other clubs are seemingly throwing their hats in the ring, I can’t honestly see the mooted trial going ahead and I know SM was wary of the deal being torpedoed by someone else.

 

[tsd]

Yeah your right,

"Independent media monitoring analysis conducted by the club has shown 130 million people read about Bolt's link in the 30 hours following the revelations."
(from the SMH article)

...... so it was all about the 'likes'
spending money to an independent third party analytic to confirm it.

and maybe just one of those 130 million people that now know about the central coast mariners is a quality striker looking for a sea change!

 

[Forum Phoenix]

I understand your point of view, but I feel you have largely missed mine. All good, different opinions and all that. It’s good to see people exited by this, but I have been following football in this country for 25yrs now and I am a foundation member; I know when I see the mangement of a football club in this country priotising things other than football. We have all iiseen this from us for years. This circus will devalue the Mariners and the a-league long term. Let’s all enjoy the sunshine and skittles for the moment, I guess.

Yeah cool. I honestly tried to address your points - and thought I did. Your overall thesis seems clear to me, just that I disagree. All good. But I’ve been watching playing and coaching football for considerably longer than 25 years, but that doesn’t make my opinion right.

I genuinely don’t think they are not prioritising football - talking to Bolt about a trial is not hard evidence of this at all. But there’s other hard evidence. Mulvey is a great appointment from what I can tell and he’s laid out his approach to change the culture and made signings that he believes will help address that. He’s stated his philosophy and approach which was terrific I thought, but we still need a few quality signings to reasonably have any confidence he can drastically improve us on field. We all agree on that I think.

But while Mulvey and Monty are working on this the club should also be able to be back and forthing on opportunities that may benefit the club in other ways aswelll. These things are not mutually exclusive. I expect our club to be doing both. The fact they are gives me more confidence in our future - not less. Because we need to out work and out create other clubs - who simply can rely on outspending us,

As someone said in an astute post, even just grinding out consistently better results may well have not been enough to see us survive and grow. So yeah, I’m up for a few skittles ( great line btw).

Family are foundation members too and understand it’s been a tough road. And we’ve lost some along the way. Which has sucked.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Whilst I understand that some folks see the whole Bolt situation as being nothing more than a sideshow distraction, I am of the understanding that MMM is solely focusing on preparing the current squad for the upcoming FFA cup game and subsequent season.

The decision not to play any open pre-season games prior to the Adelaide game is, as I understand it a deliberate one, as the coaching staff are focusing primarily on fitness and intra-club games, where tactics and formations can be worked on. I understand that the awaited pre-season games will come after the FFA cup game, so we just need to trust that MMM and his team know what they are doing.

My sources tell me that the whole Bolt deal is entirely its own animal and all other recruitment planning is proceeding as it otherwise would, with signings to be announced once deals are in place. As frustrating as that may be for all of us, club included, I would personally much rather we made the right signings than quick ones.

There is no point in tearing ourselves apart as fans right now, we just need to let the various processes run and see where they take us.

Well there you bloody go. But I’m not at all surprised. That’s what I’d expect.

I think Shaun MM and Monty are terrific. Bit of trust in them is required.

Thanks for that Ozhammer. Very valuable contribution to have this informed insight.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Sydney FC has shown in the past two seasons that being arguably the best team in A-League history does not bring you success off the field in terms of extra attendees, members and sponsors.

Sadly professional football has changed dramatically in the past two decades. We now sit in the entertainment industry competing against the various outlets these produce. Impressions and engagement are now the driving factors and metrics gauging a football club's success.Results on the pitch alone are no longer a factor. Still a key factor, but no longer a sole factor.

The football purists here are hating it and I can understand why but if we stay rooted to past tactics, keep doing the same thing, we can expect the same results. We need innovative thoughts and actions to engage an increasingly disloyal and fickle entertainment seeking audience, that consumes in short and diverse bursts.

And our club more than most in the A-League need more innovation given the small resources we have.

Like it or not this is the reality we are in. Professional football is a circus of sorts. FIFA paid credence to that with their money hungry whoring. The place of football purity is disappearing in professional football and most other professional sports. This is why the purists are flocking to "real football" like the NPL and local clubs. Similar things are happening in other sports. The NSW rugby comp has never been stronger in terms of crowds.

I honestly do see how the Bolt publicity would get on the nose of people. The club must embrace this opportunity without compromising the brand which is the most important element at stake here. So far I think the delivery from the Mariners has been measured and spot on. What they do from here intrigues me.

The big question marks that need to be addressed in the coming months are:
- How do we see the Bolt thing through without hurting brand and adversely compromising the already poor football team quality given that it is highly unlikely that Bolt will get through the trial?
- How does the club actually convert Bolt impressions and publicity into tangible revenue (that FFC Mariner alluded to)?

If either one of the above points are not achieved then the exercise is a failure and publicity alone is not a justifiable reason to bring him here.

High quality post. Perfectly stated. Cheers Mick,

 

[Rowdy]

Don't think Hack Journo's don't scour Fan Forums for idea's &/or material ......

Which leads me too what's been bouncing around in my head the last 2 days:


Inhaaaale ... Exhale
Just got Bolt in the mail.

We're go'in insane for the Usain


We're so using THS in Bay16 if he signs
.... calling it !

(from the CVM Membership thread)



https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/07/19/usain-membrane-bolt-league-makes-no-sense/amp/

Fckn chump.

 

[tim...]

I love that people who write a couple of articles for The Roar are somehow suddenly titled "Expert"

 

[FFC Mariner]

I love that people who write a couple of articles for The Roar are somehow suddenly titled "Expert"

Agree 100%, most blogs, online articles are either a rehash of actual journalists work or ill informed, poorly written rubbish.

 

[marinermick]

Agree 100%, most blogs, online articles are either a rehash of actual journalists work or ill informed, poorly written rubbish.

Yep, a lot of rubbish from people not knowing they are rubbish and then criticising others for being rubbish.

 

[Offsider]

Yep, a lot of rubbish from people not knowing they are rubbish and then criticising others for being rubbish.

Very serious “trash “talk there ...........

 

[Wombat]

While strategic it’s an attitude that also rubs fans the wrong way.

Not having trial games before a national competition which we routinely get beaten by supposedly lower teams is an embarrassment. We shows it no respect. We see it as a cost not an honor.
For us it’s if we win then we have to play again and that means travel and that’s not in the budget.

We don’t take football seriously so know wonder everyone is laughing at us right now about Bolt.

In defence of Pikey he did sack Tony immediately after we lost to Green Gully so I don't think we are not taking the FFA cup seriously. OzHammer said they are taking it seriously.

 

[Rowdy]

In defence of Pikey he did sack Tony immediately after we lost to Green Gully so I don't think we are not taking the FFA cup seriously. OzHammer said they are taking it seriously.

Yeah .... but only because he feared what may lie ahead after the rumbling of fans from that loss.

It wasnt because MC was gutted from CCM exiting the FFA Cup early doors .... again

 

[JoyfulPenguin]

I understand the media attention this has brought us and it will no doubt help our club. But in exchange for this help we spit in the face of every NPL player, coach and official out there. Call me a football purist or stuffy or not understanding the need to drive engagement but we need to engage with our football family below the A-League and attempt to enlist them as long term fans. Doing this certainly won't achieve that, it will only push them further away. If Bolt is signed, as others on this forum have expressed a wish for, he will at the very, very pinnacle of his ability be a park level footballer playing in the professional leagues. It takes a tremendous amount of technique and skill to control the ball in professional circumstances, even Buhagiar and Appiah have tremendous technical skill that they fostered since childhood. If you watched Buhagiar or Appiah in their own age levels you would notice that they have technique far above the vast majority of their peers, and these players are considered extremely poor technically in the A-League. If this ends up as more than a trial it devalues our proud shirt and devalues the fight that players like Mile Jedinak had to get to this level. That we could hand a player a contract simply because of his brand, simply because of the money it will deliver to our owner. Every player that has worn our jersey has devoted their entire lives to making their professional footballing dreams a reality, we should not debase our club and our league by handing out contracts to celebrities to live out their own personal fantasies .

 

[Big Al]

In defence of Pikey he did sack Tony immediately after we lost to Green Gully so I don't think we are not taking the FFA cup seriously. OzHammer said they are taking it seriously.

Maybe because we should of won that game. He was pissed he came close

Surely no lead in games is not showing any interest and dangerous for injury as well.
You can’t go from no games to match fit during your first game.
Very dangerous for injury

 

[Michael]

I understand the media attention this has brought us and it will no doubt help our club. But in exchange for this help we spit in the face of every NPL player, coach and official out there. Call me a football purist or stuffy or not understanding the need to drive engagement but we need to engage with our football family below the A-League and attempt to enlist them as long term fans. Doing this certainly won't achieve that, it will only push them further away. If Bolt is signed, as others on this forum have expressed a wish for, he will at the very, very pinnacle of his ability be a park level footballer playing in the professional leagues. It takes a tremendous amount of technique and skill to control the ball in professional circumstances, even Buhagiar and Appiah have tremendous technical skill that they fostered since childhood. If you watched Buhagiar or Appiah in their own age levels you would notice that they have technique far above the vast majority of their peers, and these players are considered extremely poor technically in the A-League. If this ends up as more than a trial it devalues our proud shirt and devalues the fight that players like Mile Jedinak had to get to this level. That we could hand a player a contract simply because of his brand, simply because of the money it will deliver to our owner. Every player that has worn our jersey has devoted their entire lives to making their professional footballing dreams a reality, we should not debase our club and our league by handing out contracts to celebrities to live out their own personal fantasies .

Please, stop making so much sense it’ll hurt the majority’s eyes!!!

No but really, I was/am one of the bigger Trent/Appiah critics but I have to admit they’ve done something right and got the necessary ability to be full time pro’s. (Trent barely, unless he pulls his finger out)

People can scream exposure till the cows come home but if Bolt does eventuate as extremely unlikely as it is, we will literally be a JOKE on the field. People will only turn up to laugh at us.
If anything, we’re creating more footy snobs and losing fans with type of circus shit.
BE A FOOTBALL CLUB.

Mulvey has said all the right things and I still believe he is doing the right things so far and I definitely trust him with getting the best out of the players. I definitely don’t believe he wants any part of this bolt crap.. it goes against everything he’s preached about wanted grinders and battlers to make us proud fans again, but why would he straight up say no to his bosses just a couple months in to a new job?

 

[Wombat]

I understand the media attention this has brought us and it will no doubt help our club. But in exchange for this help we spit in the face of every NPL player, coach and official out there. Call me a football purist or stuffy or not understanding the need to drive engagement but we need to engage with our football family below the A-League and attempt to enlist them as long term fans. Doing this certainly won't achieve that, it will only push them further away. If Bolt is signed, as others on this forum have expressed a wish for, he will at the very, very pinnacle of his ability be a park level footballer playing in the professional leagues. It takes a tremendous amount of technique and skill to control the ball in professional circumstances, even Buhagiar and Appiah have tremendous technical skill that they fostered since childhood. If you watched Buhagiar or Appiah in their own age levels you would notice that they have technique far above the vast majority of their peers, and these players are considered extremely poor technically in the A-League. If this ends up as more than a trial it devalues our proud shirt and devalues the fight that players like Mile Jedinak had to get to this level. That we could hand a player a contract simply because of his brand, simply because of the money it will deliver to our owner. Every player that has worn our jersey has devoted their entire lives to making their professional footballing dreams a reality, we should not debase our club and our league by handing out contracts to celebrities to live out their own personal fantasies .

I love your passion for the lower leagues of Australian Football JP, BUT the sad truth is 99% of them are shit.
If you are trawling for cheap gems.....the lower leagues in Europe are where you need to fish.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

Maybe because we should of won that game. He was pissed he came close

Surely no lead in games is not showing any interest and dangerous for injury as well.
You can’t go from no games to match fit during your first game.
Very dangerous for injury

Please, it is "should have" not "should of".

 

[Rowdy]

Maybe because we should of won that game. He was pissed he came close

Surely no lead in games is not showing any interest and dangerous for injury as well.
You can’t go from no games to match fit during your first game.
Very dangerous for injury

Please, it is "should have" not "should of".

He's unsuccesfully 'contracting'
- whilst you're 'exacting'

I'm pretty sure the voice in Al's head is saying 'should've' ...... just misspelled or mispelt it (take your pick )
.... & he probably would've
... if he could've

 

[Rowdy]

I love your passion for the lower leagues of Australian Football JP, BUT the sad truth is 99% of them are shit.

If you are trawling for cheap gems.....the lower leagues in Europe are where you need to fish.

You're spot on ...... but only for the filling of the visa spots in an A-League club.

BUT .... by the very nature of those visa spots being mandatorily limited (& rightfully so) we still need, as you say, to 'trawl' the NPL Leagues to find the next generation of Aussie Footballer's.

So, ours & JP's love for the lower Leagues isn't without merit

..... in all reality ...

- it's ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY !

 

[Rowdy]

In life .... anything that you give love & respect to, more often than not, gives back to you whatever it is that you need.

CCM has been quite a role model in our relationship to clubs below us in the Football Pyramid, the FFA needs to encourage more of it by expanding the top tier of it.
..... x2 teams is a start
... but it should've been x4

Now that would've been the 'sugar hit' the A-League needs right now !!
- instead we're 'whacking-up' a hit of Bolt.