Most liked posts in thread: Stefan Rupp - An Open Letter

When I saw the stadium on social media I prayed it was Sparks’ resignation, unfortunately it was a piece designed to stop the protests tomorrow, I really hope they aren’t put a stop to.


Park used to mock people who questioned the sustainability method and defended the club at every turn, this reads as though they acknowledge it doesn’t work and will turn away from it. Does this now mean Park will criticise the owner and Sparks for endangering the club as he claimed the fans wanted to? No he’ll pretend they’re great as usual.

 

I don’t buy for a minute that a lack of budget has held us back this season.

we spent the money we did have, poorly. We also backed the wrong horse in Hughes. Whoever decided to rip apart last season’s foundation to move to 5-3-2 is also hugely to blame (maybe it was Hughes’ call too).

Stefan seems to intimate he’ll invest more and hints that new staff may be coming in. The only issue is fans won’t see any proof of action until after the forthcoming ST deadline has passed, and it may be too late now. The damage has been done.

Rupp has been taken for a fool, again. The fans have reservations for as long aa Sparks is here and won’t be easily pacified.

 

Its a play for time and desperate attempt to boost ST sales. Nothing else is brewing. At most we'll bring in a DoF, but that'll be a token gesture and done on the cheap.

Why, after 7 years, is he all of a sudden going to start putting material amounts of cash into the club? He isn't.

I see right through this.

 

Nothing has changed imo.

An acknowledgement that more is needed on the football side is welcome. However, it is no good if they are answerable to RS.

Acknowledgement that sustainability is a problem, especially if we keep wasting money, is also welcome.

Need to see some actions now.

Keep the pressure on.

 

You have nailed it BantamJ and the sad thing is your list isn't even everything.

Rupp hasn't addressed the elephant in the room which is Ryan Sparks. I believe like when Derek Adams was sacked the damage for Sparks is too deep to come back from.

The lack of new contract to players that deserve them and the long contracts for those that don't will be an issue next season.

The recruitment team, inclusive of scouts are not fit for purpose. The last few transfer windows have been terrible, this isn't just a budget issue it needs tearing up and starting again. A DOF will help this but the recruitment of this role needs taking out of Sparks hands. Gent must go.

Coaching is clearly an issue also. So do we have the right people involved. Is Derbyshire a good addition of should he be cut loose. Have we found a suitable role for Trueman?

Fitness also needs looking at, and this ties in with the scouting issue too. Stop signing players with injury issues, under Nick Allen by we didn't seem to have as many problems like now this needs looking at so we make our Budget work for us.

Training facilities are also really starting to be an issue. Is this adding to our problems?

Is buying the stadium going to resolve our issues? The pitch needs massive investment to get it even usable. The stadium is aesthetically deteriorating and needs lots of work. We also hear rumours of structural issues. Also let's talk about the location. Maybe Valley Parade has reached its shelf life.

Pathway for youth players. It's great we can sell the academy players on snd we absolutely should carry on, but why have we such a lack of youth breaking into our first team? Is the strategy of loaning mediocre players in holding them back? Are the loans we arrange for our youth stalling their progress? Is Alexander the man to improve this pathway?

Also the match day experience. Food, fan engagement. Communication.

There are even more issues than all this which shows the task that a DOF will have a big job at hand.

The neglet on all areas during the Rhodes years have come home to roost now and sadly Rupp and Sparks have only made matters worse.

We need a plan, this is not going to be a short term thing. Its going to take time and it's going to take talent and its going to take competence. Does our current set up have the tools to address the above?

No, no they don't.

 

There's the problem
If the DOF is answerable to Sparks it won't work
We are going nowhere under him

 

The thing is, even if Rupp were to put some cash in (which I very much doubt), if its done under the same regime and absent of any strategy, it could actually make our problems worse.

The room has been completely misread, again.

 

Sounds good.

More help in the football side
More investment in the team, more competative budget with flex available if others keep spending
Looking at all options for the stadium

yep sounds good but will it happen? what will it look like. We are being asked to put trust in Sparks to implement a new plan when he couldn't implement previous one or make a long term appointment.

 

Well I have read the letter twice now. I am not that impressed to be honest. He gets a tick or something for actually writing it. However like everyone has said it is either or both a cynical ploy to up the ST sales, and/or an attempt to quell the protest. A further consideration is that he has been contacted by the German media which will no doubt have shaken him up.

I am afraid he is too late which is a shame really as it does address some of what fans wanted to hear. The first thing he could do is suspend the sale of ST until meat could be put on bones about some of this hastily formed plan. A fans forum you know the type when fans actually turn up. Without any action on his part I am afraid nothing changes. The reason behind a suspension of ST sales they won’t have to announce a drop which may have a detrimental effect on sponsors etc., it would also give none returning fans time to think again and maybe renew. It’s a long shot, but it is action. It may also give Rupp time to start organising the finances if he actually means what he says.

 

It's a ridiculous post.

Rupp isn't 'damnded if he does', he just needs to actually do.

 

So Rupp told a fan a load of normally confidential stuff over the directors box wall and also spoke to another fan at Halifax Tesco but didn’t have time to speak to Sparks.

I’m convinced.

 

Why did Sparkes need to fly to Munich to tell Rupp stuff he should already know.

nothings changed Rupp out Sparkes out first

 

I'm not disputing what Denis has shared about a real term reduction in the budget year on year but the fact remains that the budgets we have had since Sparks has been CEO have been adequate enough to build a promotion winning team - if spent wisely. Unfortunately what has happened is that money has been frittered away on players that are injury prone, too old, not good enough and/or don't fit the system we play and nothing will convince me otherwise. I'm also not sure why you think giving the same people that have done that a bigger budget will help to improve things. It won't.

 

And that's another thing.

Those who said a drop in ST sales, even a potential one, would only harm the club?

Wrong again.

 

If there is any truth in the statements being made, why not delay the ST deadline until the start of the season? Yes not ideal from a cashflow perspective but if there were green shoots of improvement then there would be more renewals/uptake.

The trust has gone from the majority of the fanbase and most suspect these are hollow promises once again so let the protests continue.

 

I have my doubts too.. it wasn't even in German.

 

The perfect time to have removed the biggest problem in the club, Ryan Sparks, totally missed.

Overall a lot of words that say pretty much nothing. Reading Shakespeare would be more interesting.

My opinion, its a distraction tactic and until Sparks goes, the club will not progress. A waste of paper, ink, thought and air.

 

Written by Sparks, signed off by Rupp.