Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has come to the defence of David Sullivan and David Gold.“Everyone who runs football clubs are pretty much smart, they know what they are doing,” said Parish.
“There are no points between any of us really, but yet there is consternation at every club about this decision is wrong and that decision is wrong. Of course it is fine to debate that and it is fine to criticise and have a point of view. But nobody can say that (what happened at West Ham) is fine, to two guys who are just doing their best.
“And they’re not even in the relegation zone. They have had some great results this season. I know it is difficult for supporters to stay calm in that moment. We have all had it after a game when we are getting beat. It is not a nice experience.
“And I think you can make your feelings known without stepping over the line. I was disappointed to see that. I know that club is a great club and have got great supporters. And I know they will all rally round as well.
“When push comes to shove they will all be there for the team. They will. They made their feelings known and hopefully they have put that behind them.”
Words of wisdom- I don’t think.
Everybody who runs a football club is pretty smart, they know what they are doing? Really?? I won’t even bother listing the examples who prove that statement to be juvenile tosh.
They are not even in the relegation zone. Factually correct, but another ridiculous point given the last three results & our position. If your car’s engine cuts out on the motorway you may technically not have stopped but you are in trouble.
This is like the ex manager pundits whining when a manager gets the chop.
By the way I voted yes in the recent poll for a truce between fans & our board. That is a different issue. This article is just a joke.
Someone got out the wrong side of bed this morning. Take a look at yourself. He’s a guy in the know, and he’s expressing an opinion, which he is (and you are) entitled to do.
Sadly, whilst I respect his, I don’t agree or respect yours, being that it is just another negative tirade in a haze of anger without any real contributing value. Sign of the times. Everyone has something to say…
They may have there heart in the club but there’s no denying they have ripped the heart and soul out of the club..All these unhappy supporters can’t be wrong..
What these owners have definitely done is to divide the Club. In my view the support is split and this is a tragic place to be. There are some people who will never accept the stadium move (which I believe is at the core of all this) and there are some who were and remain in favour. There are some who think the right route is to demonstrate and protest even though we are not yet safe in the Premier League and there are others who disagree. You are right that there are unhappy supporters, that’s undeniable. How many as a proportion of the overall support is less certain. I don’t know the answer by the way but when supporters run on the pitch to protest and then get attacked by other supporters when trying to leave the pitch afterwards, it shows that we have a big problem.
The moaning fans have split the club. Look at anything published by the club on social media and the chavs are all over it. They are idiots and they can’t see that we are heading towards relegation because of their negativity in and out of the stadium.
When a big impact occurs, there is always a period of turmoil. People react with passion, and deep, partisan splits occur. Over time, wounds begin to heal and the after-effects of the impact begin to soften.
That is what will happen here. Those who remember UP will die off or calm down as they get used to the LS. New supporters, who will only ever know the LS will take their place. The only thing both generations will have in common, is the turmoil that comes with being a Hammer.
Of course we all want solutions today, but time will heal and regardless of individuals, our great club will continue. COYI
“These aren’t stupid people who don’t know what they’re doing.”
“Everyone who runs football clubs are pretty much smart, they know what they are doing,” said Parish.
Since when does a person need to be stupid to do stupid things?!
Drivel E20. We are not heading for relegation because of some fans’ negativity. We are heading for relegation because investment in the playing squad has been woefully inadequate. We have a very weak squad with no cover for vital positions. Instead of strengthening in the last window we actually weakened the team by selling two senior players and loaning out some of our best young players. Where’s the sense in that? We’ve thrown away 36 points from winning positions, is that the fans’ fault? We’ve leaked 3 or more goals at least 10 times is that the fans fault? We’ve only come from behind to win once (v lowly West Brom) is that the fans fault? The debacles against N’castle,Bmouth,Brighton,L’pool,Swansea etc. were they the fans fault? Of course they weren’t. Open your eyes for God’s sake.
Well Mr Buddy it is extremely generous of you to let me know I am entitled to my opinion. The fact that you don’t respect it will not lose me any sleep, particularly as you seem to have completely misunderstood it.
It does make me laugh that these constant moaners we have are absolute experts on everything to do with the game because, in most cases, they kicked a ball around a park once. They are not only experts on tactics and the buying and selling of players but of course they know all about running a multi million pound business. What drivel from most of them, I’ve supported this club for fifty years and for most of that time the fans haven’t been happy with the various boards. The David’s are far from ideal and have made some mistakes but then nor were the boys from Iceland (who signed Kieron Dyer and the other sick notes we had at that time) and then of course there was Terrence Brown and before him the Cearns. Fact one – UP was too small and did come with planning restrictions and was falling down and wasn’t a hotbed of passion at every home game, clean your rose coloured glasses there was plenty of games played in almost silence, Fact two – the LS is a great opportunity to increase the club’s standing but not filled with constant whingers and fans fighting themselves, Fact three – and this is the killer and reaility check, the David’s do not have the funds to make us Man City or even Spurs, they are simply not sitting at the top table, so we will not have the funds to invest to get us to the top 6, we do need new owners for that, but careful what you wish for…….last comment, it’s sport, its a passion I know, but it’s not all that you have in your life, well it shouldn’t be anyway, I didn’t go to the Burnley game simply because I was still angry about the Swansea performance, I simply couldn’t be bothered so I exercised my right not to attend, that’s the level of my protest because I have a life!
“Everyone has got a degree in hindsight.” Well said Mr Parish. He may even be correct in this claim. The crucial question is this: does anybody on the board or management of WHUFC have a Business School degree in Strategic Leadership or Business Ethics? The kind of degree that people who run corporate businesses successfully typically possess. Can you buy a Degree in Hindsight online?
Dont waste your time with him 66 the other day he said he enjoyed watching the west ham fans fight each other I think that tells you what kind of person he is …..its exactly bully’s like e20 and Kevin that I’ve decided to stop posting so much …they insult people on a regular basis and i think Hugh needs to do something about it …
Wether right or wrong he has no respect for you opinion simply because it disagrees with his own. What an arrogant, condescending attitude. And what “real, contributing value” was contained in his own comment?
Can’t we just briefly give it a rest till we know whether we are staying up or going down? It’s not like any of the grievances are gonna get sorted in the next few months. Just support the team and pick this fight up again in the summer, for the whole summer.
Don’t the negatives just hate it when someone comes along and supports OUR clubs directors/owners, you sad people are just trying to destroy our club, yes we get it you don’t like them, stay away until the end of the season and shut up until then, then have your moan, marches, demonstrations, stamping of feet, but let us keep our club in the prem, and then and only then have your dummy spitting session.
PopR is on point. The owners most definitely do not sit at the PL ‘top table’ of influence. They do not have the funds to match the expectations that have been raised among fans. It is this financial reality that should shape fans’ expectations. So, one point of view would hold that if the owners really do ‘love the club’ they would make it attractive for purchasers with the resources to develop it. They would ‘steward’ the Club into more robust ownership hands.
Or, if you subscribe to the ‘let’s all pull together’ school, and no harm in that fantasy other than the truth of so many different interests, then a way has to be found to influence the owners to invest in senior managers capable of running a corporate branded multi million business. The ‘cheeky cockney barrow boys, made good, and their moll’ is simply too tacky for these owners to be invited to the top-table.
The owners certainly deserve the fans respect. To constructively criticise their suitability for taking the Club forward ain’t whinging or being destructive. It’s our duty as fans to continue to pressure the owners to step up to the strategic leadership plate. If they can’t up their game then our brand, our rep, our street cred in the game will continue to deteriorate.
There’s some real hypocrisy here. If a player in the claret and blue plays persistently poorly, they get a shoeing from fans. Well, what is so different about the owners? Just because they have the financial control of the Club, and the power of ownership, does not mean they are competent to run a multimillion footballing business. The evidence suggests they understand the juggling of business finances, the ducking and diving of markets, but it’s evident to all they don’t have the management and leadership finesse to create a strong corporate management team. Without the right talent running the Club it won’t change or develop from where it is now. A Club with a mega-stadium and a small-minded leadership vision.
Pointing this out, persistently, is not being divisive. It’s about care and concern. If the owners have any honour they’ll hand over day to day control of the Club to serious business managers. The tone set at the top of the Club filters down to the players. Don’t believe it? Look at Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, The Manc’s and Liverpool. Look at the quality of their management and leadership. By contrast remember the path taken by Leeds, Sunderland and Newcastle.