21 May 2013

PROFESSIONALISM, WHERE ART THOU?

So usually this is the point where we sum up the season. Knock out a number of clichés about how it was a wonderful season; how we shouldn't judge it all by the play-off matches against the old enemy; and how we'll improve on it next season. But instead we're caught in a shitstorm that, if nothing else, means TSLR can't go on their summer holiday just yet.

The club isn't exactly revelling in good national newspaper headlines right now - gone are the days we used to bemoan a column inch in the side bar complete with the obligatory 'Brighton rocks' headline. Instead, showered with images of accused voyeurs and headlines screaming ‘defecators’ - only now, it seems, do media outlets use the correct re-branded Albion logo - we are caught in a continual world of embarrassment. Overall, it's not making the club - and those charged with running it - look great.

The Gus situation is a bizarre one. From what I understand GP's resignation was tabled, and then we suspended him for a supposed breach of contract in his hideous post-match Palace comments. Over the past week, the club is still to prove these breaches. But there are too many unknowns to draw proper conclusions in the GP situation. We may never know the truth. The point is that the club is not looking professional, and that was reflected in the disappointing accounts Albion published earlier this year.

We always joked in the Withers sunshine that the antiquated Albion's business operations would struggle to adapt to a threefold increase in attendances. But I don't think we ever entered the possibility that they could have struggled quite this much. If, with near sell-out crowds at Falmer, we are still looking financially eye brow raising, then what hope do we have if we have a season of underperformance? The ticket office alone regularly fails to reach the professional standards expected of me in my day job, or expected of me when I ring up the club as a customer.

We have unprofessionalism at all levels of the club it seems. The playing staff who brush all too often with the law; the manager who breaches his contract; the security staff who allow access to dirty protesters: the catering staff who dawdle; the marketing department that doesn't liaise with said suspended manager, and goes bat-shit crazy for atmosphere-creating gimmicks; the chief executive fixated on customers - Barber’s email last night, whilst welcome, failed to apologise directly to the fans for the defecation incident. None of it is good public relations.

It's embarrassing. To me. To Albionites. But mainly to Sir Bloom. If I invested over £100m in any company, I'd expect a higher standard of performance. Certainly off the pitch.

2 comments:

Good Life Mickey said...

Leeds Fan in peace. I went to the 2nd leg as a neutral (been to the Amex about 7 times) and it was clear in the tactics something was wrong. Instead of being Swansea style posed for the PL your club is now at a cross-roads. Personally I can't see you finding another manager who will be as successful as Poyet or allow you to play such a pleasing style. I think the issue is clear, Poyet was doing his job fine without the need for a attention seeking CE and that is what has brought the problems. As much as I would like Brighton to make the top division you will need a special manager and a more anonymous CE (in fact if your CE was as publicity shy as your chairman their wouldn't be such a problem). Feel free to sell us Bridcutt, Forster-Caskey, Dunk and Ulloa in the summer.

Simon said...

Excellent post. Whilst I think most of the post-Palace hysteria is a (shit)storm in a teacup, once the dust has settled what will be clear is that off the pitch the club have not adapted to life at the Amex nearly as successfully as we have on the pitch.
What's most worrying is that in spite of this failure the off-the-pitch/operations side of the club seems to have won the power struggle with Gus.
Sort it out Tony.