I see a “big picture” communication with, as I say, clear implications that was has been allowed to happen in the past will not be allowed in the future, because a clear vision and set of core principles has been set out, the like of which we’ve not seen at Walsall before.
I don’t think this would have been the right place for a “details” post and therefore I would expect more to be unveiled on those matters as we go along. As I say, once you set the top line objectives, you work back from there and the rest flows. There’s clear hints at input from Trivela staff to “support” current staff though, including the SLO “office”. I’d expect to see that sort of collaboration at all levels of the business.
Well done on the second letter. I agree whole heartedly with all of it, particularly the theme of Walsall having its own identity, rather than that of the manager.
However, I am also very concerned about the inexperience of the backroom staff and the depth / experience of the first team. Though I agree in the long term plan, it is absolutely essential we don’t get relegated, and right now, more so than any other season over my 20+ years of following WFC, I am concerned for our league status. This is down to our own current management inexperience, squad, and the strength of league two opposition this year. I urge Trivela to invest in the squad, as resolve and aggression, though important, isn’t everything.
However- thanks for the excellent communication and wonderful letter. As a season ticket holder I’m enthused for the long term future for the club, if a little apprehensive right now about the 23/24 season.
They were outsiders then. They would have had a strategy for sure. But, as someone who moved across quite a few businesses in my time, it’s a really good idea to spend the first 6 to 12 months observing. You get to see what works and what doesn’t, what aligns with your own beliefs and what doesn’t, you get to learn some things which might serve you well going forward, and you get to know who you can rely on and who you can’t.
Then you put your own strategic document together and start implementing it.
Not alot of substance but all the aims sound good but with nothing to back them up as of yet. We all hope these come to fruition but as virtually none of it is in place it’s hard to envision things happening at this point.
Would of read better against the backdrop of an announcement of an experienced assistant and decent centre forward.
I think their evolution not revolution statement was the clue to look observe and rectify if required that’s how a few took it anyway.
I think more needs doing than they thought possibly due to the well run club making yearly profit mantra
Not sure why that letter constituted a second instalment - there’s not a great deal in it of any substance again, lots of vague promises and a worrying lack of actual changes. Moreover, it seems like the first part of the letter was a response to the criticism of appointing Sadler - take that away and there’s even less in there.
Key take-aways:
Saddlers club will reopen next season, but as per, there’s no detail. When exactly - august or May? What as? A micro-brewery? Sports-bar? Will it offer diversification opportunities to the club?
Stadium improvements - what we see/hear etc. again, detail absent. We’ve had yearly improvements to the stadium pre-Trivela (adding wall-art, painting, fixing loos, addition of the 1888 club etc), so what’s different now? Even if it’s the same kind of stuff, tell us what we are doing, otherwise it sounds like you’re winging it
SLO will now be a shared responsibility with Trivela. Tbh I assumed this happened anyway - Graham didn’t freelance to answer difficult questions, he’d gone to the board to ask what to respond with. Still, it’s good that the lack of proper supporter liaison has been recognised, but from a fans perspective nothing changes, Graham is still the one and only contact point.
All in all, I get the sense we’ve seen this kind of thing before from previous chairmen. Vague promises of improvements that offer no lines in the sand or benchmarks by which they can be judged, just wooly aspirations.
Also, the lack of detail suggests we are being managed by Trivela remotely.
It seems our MO of being “all mouth and no trousers” still holds strong, and I think that’s what makes me uneasy. I’m not seeing tangible improvements or changes from previous regimes this summer. Early days I know, but if you were to write the definitive checklist of a basket-case club you’d have “rookie manager”, “new foreign owners”, “poor end to previous season” and “slow off the mark with back room staff and signings” in there.
June is huge for the club - we have to be starting July with a back room team in place and a few signings in place of a decent quality to assuage fans, otherwise it’s gonna be very nervy start to the season.
As the tagline from the 1981 Barry Bostwick classic MegaForce goes: “Deeds not Words”, would seem the be the overwhelming mood.
Lets all head down to Tobias and get an 80s mullet, don our silver spandex jumpsuits (don’t pretend like you haven’t got one) and march on the Bescot to show the board how we really feel!
Deeds not Words! Deeds not Words! Deeds not Words!
If nothing else it’s evidence that their finger is on the pulse and that it’s quite possible they read this forum in some way or other and accept there is some negative feelings on the subject.
They’ve comprehensively put to bed any misunderstandings or misinterpretations regarding how or why he was appointed other than he, after an extensive process which he was subjected to as rigorously as anyone else, was their no 1 choice to fulfill the vision they have for the football club.
Whether anyone chooses to believe them is another matter and I accept that, but for now, until we see who he signs and how pre season shapes up, can we all just move on from that particular issue and support that decision, for the benefit of the club, the team, each other and Mat himself.
If we’re bottom come October you can all have a field day then!!
Without losing some of the positives others have highlighted it is a bit of a damp squib.
It’s not radical enough and it’s not soon enough.
If it were a film it would be a sequel where there’s a bit of new stuff but it is ostensibly the same characters in the same environment hoping that the same audience will rock up and buy the latest slightly different version.
To be honest, this is the longest I’ve gone into a closed season without missing the football. Usually kicks in a week after the last game. This letter hasn’t changed that.
