Tourmament Reflected

loyal blue · **Joined:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:53 pm **Posts:** 1912

Russ Green has admitted his dissapointment at the turn out for the weekends Tournament, and has said they will have to think about these pre-season fixtures in the future.

YES you really do need to think long and fecking hard and maybe just maybe ask the fans what they want to see at pre-season? Just a thought mind

banghead

http://www.hartlepoolunited.premiumtv.c ... 44,00.html

He also states that the Alkmaar games last season was poorly attended. I thought it was a good night last season and well attended

Mr Ripper · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:23 pm

Apart from Micky Barron's testimonial (which I attended cos it was his testimonial) the only pre-season game I can remember attending in years was the AZ game. That was due to the quality of the opposition and the fact it was a one off chance to see a team like that at the Vic.

Other than that they might as well play them all behind closed doors for me like.

Just a tip there like Mr Green.

Tax Paying Poolie · **Joined:** Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:18 am **Posts:** 9053

The thing that annoyed me about this article was the justification of the prices and the bollocks about it 'being as cheap as 2 quid per match for some' or whatever it was.

I wouldn't watch Hamilton, Sunderland reserves or Huddersfield play each other if it was on in my back garden.
The pricing structure was ridiculous; 15 quid for one game or 25 for 2 is too much to watch a pre season kickabout in today's financial climate. They can fob us of with the value of getting two games for this price but it's complete bollocks. I'd sooner Pools youth team played the game before. Then I'd have considered it

PJ_Poolie · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:50 pm

I wouldn't want to watch four pre season friendlies in two days (with 50% of the games not even featuring Pools) if they paid me £25.

They didn't interact or consult with the fans then are surprised at the turn out, I'm absolutely certain the intentions were spot on and lots of people went to great lengths to try and make the thing a success, but it was just never going to work as soon as they didn't get high profile participants. They should have held there hands up admitted they'd got it wrong and cancelled it. They must have noticed the lack of ticket sales? The lack of enthusiasm towards the event on here as well which is normally a decent indication.

I don't think they should lay the guilt trip on the fans now, they got it wrong nobody else, we didn't organise it.

Mr Ripper · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:54 pm

I've just read the article and think that Green has a bleedin' cheek.

He has a dig at the fans for a poor turnout against AZ, which, not only as Mr John points out was relatively well attended for a pre-season game, was also a year ago and therefore not really relevant to last weekend's debacle but then goes on to say that it could have worked out at as little as £2 per game.

Now I don't claim to be a genius at maths, but four games for £25 is nowhere near £2 per game in my book.

The bloke is talking out of his rectum. Again. And trying to blame everybody but himself. Again.

He must talk a hell of a game to the boss to still be in a job.

MutleyRules · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:02 pm

PJ_Poolie wrote:

and lots of people went to great lengths to try and make the thing a success,

I don't think so somehow!!!! confised

This weekend 'Tournament' SHOULD have been organised at least 2/3 years ago to make sure it was a success but to me it looks like it was organised the night before!!!! confised

TalbotAvenger · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:06 pm

MutleyRules wrote:

PJ_Poolie wrote:

and lots of people went to great lengths to try and make the thing a success,

I don't think so somehow!!!! confised

This weekend 'Tournament' SHOULD have been organised at least 2/3 years ago to make sure it was a success but to me it looks like it was organised the night before!!!! confised

'Pools dropped ab almighty bollock with the pricing structure of these friendlies, but they can hardly be to blame for bigger named clubs pulling out at the last moment

Who's to say if they had lined up teams two years ago they wouldn't do the same, after all Premiership teams, for example, are know for their honest approach to the game, aren't they?

PJ_Poolie · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:08 pm

MutleyRules wrote:

PJ_Poolie wrote:

and lots of people went to great lengths to try and make the thing a success,

I don't think so somehow!!!! confised

This weekend 'Tournament' SHOULD have been organised at least 2/3 years ago to make sure it was a success but to me it looks like it was organised the night before!!!! confised

You can't organise anything 2/3 years before as a football club, it just isn't realistic. They had Brann and SV Hamburg in place, if that had come off it would have been quite impressive. It didn't.

What should have been realised after they pulled out was that it wouldn't work, our 'centenary tournament' should have been a one off game against quality (and well supported) opposition.

£25 was a major bollock as well.

MutleyRules · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:16 pm

PJ_Poolie wrote:

MutleyRules wrote:

PJ_Poolie wrote:

and lots of people went to great lengths to try and make the thing a success,

I don't think so somehow!!!! confised

This weekend 'Tournament' SHOULD have been organised at least 2/3 years ago to make sure it was a success but to me it looks like it was organised the night before!!!! confised

You can't organise anything 2/3 years before as a football club, it just isn't realistic. They had Brann and SV Hamburg in place, if that had come off it would have been quite impressive. It didn't.

What should have been realised after they pulled out was that it wouldn't work, our 'centenary tournament' should have been a one off game against quality (and well supported) opposition.

£25 was a major bollock as well.

Hence my use of the commas round the word 'Tournament'....meaning it should have started to be organised 2/3 years ago with a decent TEAM to play!!!! confised

Of course a Football Club can start to organise a Centenary Day 2/3 years in advance!!!! confised

Can you tell me where the rest of the 'Entertainment' was that was promised???? confised

A lot of things could have been organised 2/3 years ago....aswell as a decent (half decent) team to play!!!! confised

PJ_Poolie · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:18 pm

Lets just agree the club have fooked up real bad!!

They have a nerve blaming us for it not working.

Tax Paying Poolie · **Joined:** Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:18 am **Posts:** 9053

I think even if they'd started planning it 23 years ago, it'd have still been a complete rip off and the opposition would have still been less than crap.

Gibsons Beard · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:38 pm

To cut a long story short, the club are made up of a load of idiots and this sort of cock-up is to be expected in this day and age given that there is no relationship whatsoever between the club and the supporters.

Russ Green should be sacked. Like it or not our club are not accountable to the fans

eastdurhampoolie · **Joined:** Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:45 am **Posts:** 45

The club would be nowhere near as professionally run if Russ hadn't started working here. He does a good job, it was a friendly, you cant seriously expect the club to sack him because it wasnt successful, the club dont have to put on centenary celebrations. at least we had the idea of a tournament, it huddersfields centenary as well and they didnt bother. the teams that turned up werent bad, we were all evenly matched and they were pretty competitive games. bigger clubs probably couldnt care less if we are 100 or not they wont turn up either way because we arent an attractive proposition and they wont get a big enough wad of cash for it.

PJ_Poolie · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:18 pm

From my experience of do's and the hospitality Russ Green is a good bloke, who appears to be very good at his job.

This hasn't worked but to call for his head is way, way over the top you bunch of drama queens :laugh:

MutleyRules · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:23 pm

Well I've never said anything like that....I'm more embarrassed than out else!!!! :uhoh:

Mr Irrelevant · **Joined:** Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:25 pm **Posts:** 22659

I concur with Mr Mutley. My main dealings with Russ Green revolved around the Monkeyhangerz CD. Both Russ Green and Mark Simpson were ultra supportive and couldn't do enough - yes we had that spat when Sky TV turned up unannounced when courtesy dictated that they clear it with the club but apart from that everthing from the club was spot on.

It's clear that there is a general negativity at the moment and everyone has their own theories for that but like Mutley said; to call for the blokes head is frankly just plain daft.

I think the main downfall of the tournament was in fact the one so called premiership side. Them sending their third team devalued it, we would have been much better off with Darlo.

MutleyRules · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:20 pm

Yes it would be a good idea having regular(ish) meetings with the pair....a fans Talkin' with the manager wouldn't go amiss either!!!! confised

katcha · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:21 pm

russ (and mark ) are alright

all he has done here is listen to whats been said by people and clarify things

fook you if you dont agree with him, but it's history, people learn from "mistakes" and they move on

forget it - they got shit on at the last minute and made an error choosing sunderland - like i said i would have preffered bishop auckland - darlo would have been a no go police wise for 2 days,

There's always something else to moan about tomorrow

i'm sure he's lost a bit of sleep/kudos with the poor backing but he wont lose any with the drivel directed at him on here at times.

katcha · **Posted:** Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:24 pm

ElvisAintDead wrote:

There IS a general air of negativity surrounding SOME supporters of HUFC at the moment. The perceived "Lows" of last season seemed to bring out the worst in some of our fans, despite us never being in real danger of getting relegated. Fair do's, we were never in with a shout at the other end but heigh-ho...sometimes you have to settle for average. Christ, it's only twice in Ten Years we haven't been in the Top Seven at the end of a campaign.

Yes, The Club IS more of a "Closed Shop" since Paul Mullen passed away and we don't have a "fan" on the inside anymore. We have to live with that just like 99% of other clubs fans.

Like Mr I and PJ Poolie have already said, the ONLY dealings I've ever had with both Mark and Russ have been good ones. I speak to Mark fairly regularly during the season because of the Proggy/Website stuff I do, and he's always amazingly supportive and helpful. Russ I've had less to do with but whenever I've called on him to come up with the goods he ALWAYS has done. Especially surrounding the cd. I know this is true of other Pools fans (ADG will vouch for this) too.

Believe me, Pools would be a far poorer club without these two. Ok, the Tournament was a let-down, but Pools were let down not once but twice in the run-up to this Summer. Maybe with hindsight it should have been called off, but I'm sure Russ has to answer to higher forces, and they wouldn't have wanted that. Maybe the "blame", if there HAS to be blame, lies further up the ladder?

Personally I thought it was fairly brave to put the article about the failed tournament on the Official Site today. Not many would have had the balls to do it. To call for anyones head over it is just plain daft.

The best/worst thing about all of this is that if we win our first 2 games, a lot of the shite that has been flying around for weeks will be quickly forgotten. Roll on August 9th, we know we'll all be there, and we know we'll be giving it our all for Pools.

Just getting back to the cd stuff..that was a PRIME example of The Club and The Fans working together. I feel sure that if the two "Organisations" got their heads together more often, then other good stuff would follow. Does anybody think it would be worthwhile trying to come up with some sort of regular(ish) meetings with Russ and Mark? Or do you think that too much has gone on for that to work? Just an idea....They might pick up what WE are feeling, and we might get a better insight into the workings of The Club?

you have been sat on the side too long recently EAD and I can see why and this sums your non posting up in a nutshell.

like what i said but betterer

Mr Irrelevant · **Joined:** Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:25 pm **Posts:** 22659

The fans forum, in whatever format, is one sure fire way to bring the fans and club together. Some clubs take it even further by having a fans representitive in the board meetings but I'm pretty certain that won't be a goer.

Back to the point; there does need to be some dialogue between the powers that be in Pools and a fans representitive group. IOR run the club as a business as had ben acknowledged many many times but it can't be just that because its a business that has a customer base with an emotional attachment, this is not the case with any other of the IOR group so it needs to be treated somewhat differently.

Mr Ripper · **Posted:** Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:01 am

I'm still waiting to hear how it could have worked out at £2 per game...

Let me guess, if an adult took two children on a weekend pass? :roll:

Is he now advocating that if you don't have kids you just snatch some from the nearest playground or paddling pool in order to make you think that you're getting better value for money at a pre-season friendly? stpid

If my auntie had bolox she'd be my uncle.

DesmondTuTu · **Joined:** Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:47 pm **Posts:** 14

I agree with most of what ElvisAintDead said.

I don't mind the comments from Russ - they don't really bother me and he's entitled to speak his mind. He's probably taking the flak for why the Tournament was a failure from an attendance point of view. Though maybe he should also be finding out WHY it failed?

I think we've also got to be honest and think which other teams would have been available for the tourney. Newcastle has been mentioned, but remember the week before the home crowd wasn't that big for that friendly. Maybe times are just changing. A few seasons back we played em and think the attendance was pretty good.

There doesn't seem to be one reason why the attendance was so low on Sat/Sun. Maybe it was the prices? In hindsight even a £10 for each day may not have been enough to get the crowd in, or again if the opposition had had a higher profile.

Might even have been the fact the weather was just too good?!

Tourmament Reflected

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