Viking Supporters Co-operative

Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: Chris Black come back on December 01, 2023, 09:43:53 pm

Title: Wellens
Post by: Chris Black come back on December 01, 2023, 09:43:53 pm
Good interview with him on The Lower League Look about the shitshow of his transfer window with us.

Wanted to sign Dan Crowley and Louie Reed but their wages way out of our reach. Bostock had to go as his contract renewed automatically at far higher wages the next season. Halliday, James and Wright contract renewals would have burnt his budget if they accepted.

Reckons Grigg deal could only happen if he got Bogle out of the door. Bradford City came in for Bogle but he refused to go so Blunt apparently according to Wellens said Bogle doesn't play again for us. Wellens agreed with this and then he didn't play.

Says problems at club all stem from not reinvesting the Whiteman money.


Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: German Rover on December 01, 2023, 09:57:53 pm
Nothing to do with him and his methods then?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: DaveDRFC on December 01, 2023, 10:18:27 pm
Well the Bostock part is b*llocks, he didn't leave until the following summer. I have a photo of him with my lad after the last game of the season against Oxford. We offered him a contract as well.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on December 01, 2023, 10:24:50 pm
So after the closure of the transfer window, Wellens, with all his bristling ego and self-confidence, was forced into not playing the best centre forward on the club's books because his chairman said so? And he meekly stuck by this directive while the losses piled up until he was sacked? And he never once went and had a word with the chairman?

As for the others.

James had effectively left in April, a month before Wellens took over, when he was bottling out of challenges. That was the most telegraphed "I'm not staying here next season" a player could communicate without actually hiring a plane trailing a banner.

Wright was injured for the entirety of Wellens's spell and wasn't an option for a new contract.

Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: MachoMadness on December 01, 2023, 10:25:11 pm
It's from about 19 minutes in here: https://youtu.be/ZlB8xWFIsQ8?si=EKtxj-w9j-22SxEL

An interesting listen. I don't think he really says anything people hadn't already put together, although some of the details are new. The Blunt/Bogle situation is an odd one, especially since Bogle was back in the squad under Mcsheffrey.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Bailey Vickerage on December 02, 2023, 01:17:05 am
Well the Bostock part is b*llocks, he didn't leave until the following summer. I have a photo of him with my lad after the last game of the season against Oxford. We offered him a contract as well.
He said that Bostock had already had the option exercised automatically and his wages went up a lot.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: mushRTID on December 02, 2023, 07:13:43 am
Nothing to do with him and his methods then?

Nothing appears to be his fault in most of the interview.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: NickDRFC on December 02, 2023, 07:36:10 am
I’d imagine that this is a version of the truth. I think Wellens’ hands were tied to some extent by the cost cutting that it seemed very obvious at the time that we were doing, but I’ve also no doubt that he’s embellished the story to excuse the paucity of results whilst he was here.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: mushRTID on December 02, 2023, 07:48:20 am
If you are a strong character like Wellens is, why would you play 50% of games without a striker just because the chairman said so.

You’d tell him,”I don’t have a striker, I play him or I walk”
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: GazLaz on December 02, 2023, 08:05:24 am
There was more to the Bogle story. More than just not agreeing to move.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Nudga on December 02, 2023, 09:13:20 am
And where did this money go?

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/keepmoat-name-goes-as-rovers-sign-record-re-naming-deal-3493504

Because I don't remember McSheffrey and Schofield having much a budget to play with.
Infact Schofield was dealing in tacs and washers.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on December 02, 2023, 09:26:30 am
And where did this money go?

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/keepmoat-name-goes-as-rovers-sign-record-re-naming-deal-3493504

Because I don't remember McSheffrey and Schofield having much a budget to play with.
Infact Schofield was dealing in tacs and washers.

I think the club was trying to wean itself off the £1-2m/year Bramall tit wasn't it?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Bentley Bullet on December 02, 2023, 10:08:07 am
Since our desperately unlucky relegation from the Championship under Paul Dickov,  we have had a succession of managers who were doomed to fail in a job that even Pep Guardiola couldn't have succeeded in.

Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: DonnyBazR0ver on December 02, 2023, 10:14:19 am
He said, they said blah blah blah.

Ffs, it's in the past now. These times were very testing for everyone and maybe hindsight and subsequent actions have shown thinking wasn't as clear as it could have been during that period.

We've moved on for the better without Wellens and without Bogle. Rejoice!
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Draytonian III on December 02, 2023, 10:23:27 am
IMO Wellens always seemed to pass the buck if things didn’t go right on and off the pitch
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: i_ateallthepies on December 02, 2023, 10:36:14 am
And where did this money go?

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/keepmoat-name-goes-as-rovers-sign-record-re-naming-deal-3493504

Because I don't remember McSheffrey and Schofield having much a budget to play with.
Infact Schofield was dealing in tacs and washers.

I think the club was trying to wean itself off the £1-2m/year Bramall tit wasn't it?

Exactly.  They called it sustainability.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: mushRTID on December 02, 2023, 10:41:08 am
He said, they said blah blah blah.

Ffs, it's in the past now. These times were very testing for everyone and maybe hindsight and subsequent actions have shown thinking wasn't as clear as it could have been during that period.

We've moved on for the better without Wellens and without Bogle. Rejoice!

Very strange post. As if we’re not going to discuss such a recent interview?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: belton rover on December 02, 2023, 10:56:55 am
Wasn’t Bogle straight back in the team when Wellens went?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on December 02, 2023, 10:58:54 am
Wasn’t Bogle straight back in the team when Wellens went?

He was. And played reasonably well.

Maybe McSheffrey was more able to stand up to Blunt than the shrinking violet that was Wellens?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: belton rover on December 02, 2023, 11:03:03 am
Or it wasn’t Blunt at all.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: NickDRFC on December 02, 2023, 11:11:27 am
He said, they said blah blah blah.

Ffs, it's in the past now. These times were very testing for everyone and maybe hindsight and subsequent actions have shown thinking wasn't as clear as it could have been during that period.

We've moved on for the better without Wellens and without Bogle. Rejoice!

We might as well not talk about the Peterborough game at 5pm because ffs, it’s in the past now.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Chris Black come back on December 02, 2023, 11:27:35 am
Of course there was a reason to do it and of course it’s easy to look retrospectively but the decision to cut the budget in the summer of 2021 has cost us multiples more in revenues of all kinds, and has left us in bottom realms of League Two. Wellens said in the interview that he guesses our budget now is well in excess of what he had in League One. Could be b*llocks but sounds somewhere towards the truth. We can’t keep taking cash from Terry forever but we ended up taking more from him due to that disastrous decision.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Plumbster on December 02, 2023, 12:06:13 pm
That’s true with hindsight but partly because what we did have we spent badly.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: ravenrover on December 02, 2023, 12:14:42 pm
Please sir, I want some more!
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on December 02, 2023, 12:17:22 pm
Of course there was a reason to do it and of course it’s easy to look retrospectively but the decision to cut the budget in the summer of 2021 has cost us multiples more in revenues of all kinds, and has left us in bottom realms of League Two. Wellens said in the interview that he guesses our budget now is well in excess of what he had in League One. Could be b*llocks but sounds somewhere towards the truth. We can’t keep taking cash from Terry forever but we ended up taking more from him due to that disastrous decision.

You have to feel for him, don't you?

Took the job with no money to spend, and then instructed by the chairman not to play one of the players he does have.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Donny Exile in York on December 02, 2023, 12:50:27 pm
Or it wasn’t Blunt at all.

Are you in cloud cookoo land.. Blunt and his austerity and the statements since show a strategic decision by the Board led to us losing c70 league games in 3 seasons. Irrespective of Wellens. We move on and have hope under McCann but Let's not forget the raft of crap budgets, bull spinning and acknowledgement right from the top that strategic decisions led to significant cost cutting at the club and left us bereft of quality on it alighned a number of poor managerial decisions.

Pleased to have fresh hope under McCann amd better recruitment on players but let's not exonerate Blunt here from his part in a sh..show and lack of leadership and direction in the worst run of results other than under Uncle Ken in my 40 years of supporting Rovers. McCann definitely helping lift the pressure off Blunt and a great get out of jail free card at present.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: sedwardsdrfc on December 02, 2023, 12:55:04 pm
Think we’ve all criticised Blunt for not seeming that involved or proactive in on the field matters so him saying a player can’t play. Seems at odds with the persona that’s developed
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Draytonian III on December 02, 2023, 01:00:45 pm
I wonder if Richie Wellens hadn’t been such an excellent player especially in his first spell with us people’s attitude towards him might be slightly different
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Chris Black come back on December 02, 2023, 01:03:48 pm
It goes without saying that his spell with us was a disaster but by and large he has done well at a number of other modestly resourced clubs. At some stage he will be given a decent sized club. Interesting to see how he handles that.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: big fat yorkshire pudding on December 02, 2023, 01:05:35 pm
I don't buy it personally.  I think we all can see a budget needed to be stronger but I'd still argue he had enough to get the team better than it was.  Wellens got the hump on with Bogle after a few average performances, he cannot rewrite history. I also remember there were a few other things in the background rumoured too.

Its frustrating wellens doesn't seem to think any of it was his fault, it was.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: i_ateallthepies on December 02, 2023, 01:17:09 pm
I think to apportion blame onto any single person not in total control of the club is a bit silly.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: belton rover on December 02, 2023, 01:18:20 pm
Or it wasn’t Blunt at all.

Are you in cloud cookoo land.. Blunt and his austerity and the statements since show a strategic decision by the Board led to us losing c70 league games in 3 seasons. Irrespective of Wellens. We move on and have hope under McCann but Let's not forget the raft of crap budgets, bull spinning and acknowledgement right from the top that strategic decisions led to significant cost cutting at the club and left us bereft of quality on it alighned a number of poor managerial decisions.

Pleased to have fresh hope under McCann amd better recruitment on players but let's not exonerate Blunt here from his part in a sh..show and lack of leadership and direction in the worst run of results other than under Uncle Ken in my 40 years of supporting Rovers.
I was talking solely about the decision to exile Bogle.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Bentley Bullet on December 02, 2023, 01:30:31 pm
We don't know the full ins and outs of the Bogle situation so none of us are in a position to comment with authority.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: ForsolongaRover on December 02, 2023, 01:34:11 pm
And where was Baldwin in all this?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Donny Exile in York on December 02, 2023, 02:10:14 pm
Or it wasn’t Blunt at all.

Are you in cloud cookoo land.. Blunt and his austerity and the statements since show a strategic decision by the Board led to us losing c70 league games in 3 seasons. Irrespective of Wellens. We move on and have hope under McCann but Let's not forget the raft of crap budgets, bull spinning and acknowledgement right from the top that strategic decisions led to significant cost cutting at the club and left us bereft of quality on it alighned a number of poor managerial decisions.

Pleased to have fresh hope under McCann amd better recruitment on players but let's not exonerate Blunt here from his part in a sh..show and lack of leadership and direction in the worst run of results other than under Uncle Ken in my 40 years of supporting Rovers.
I was talking solely about the decision to exile Bogle.

Fair enough Belton understood
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: DonnyBazR0ver on December 02, 2023, 02:22:45 pm
He said, they said blah blah blah.

Ffs, it's in the past now. These times were very testing for everyone and maybe hindsight and subsequent actions have shown thinking wasn't as clear as it could have been during that period.

We've moved on for the better without Wellens and without Bogle. Rejoice!

Very strange post. As if we’re not going to discuss such a recent interview?

Maybe but you know with these things, we go round in circles and there will always be those who present opinions as facts when nobody can know the absolute truth about a series of events.

Just like when folk jump on the interview Dickov gave. The article Fergie published in which he said a few complimentary things about the club but yet, some folk were determined to cryptically unravel his words about his ambition and 'consolidation'' and use it as a stick to beat the club with.

It just regurgitates fodder for those looking for a witch hunt against Bramall, oops, Baldwin, oops Blunt!!

I have no opinion about Blunt. I've never met him, only heard him at the meet the owners but it seems he's responsible for all the bad things that happen but can't be credited with any of the good things.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: DonnyOsmond on December 02, 2023, 02:30:44 pm
And where was Baldwin in all this?

Helping Club Doncaster generate funds for DRFC, why?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: ravenrover on December 02, 2023, 03:35:39 pm
When Wellens came to Rovers he had to do something he hadn't done in other managerial positions, try and build virtually a new team on a limited budget something he hadn't done previously or needed to do at Orient.
I think it's It's fair to say he failed miserably at Rovers

Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Bentley Bullet on December 02, 2023, 03:43:36 pm
Maybe we should appoint a manager who had failed miserably like Leyton Orient did.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Branton Rover on December 02, 2023, 03:57:51 pm
Interesting that it was the chairman who said Bogle wouldn’t play for us anymore - that was a complete folly he was a recognised striker and we played without one away at Rotherham in a 4-6 formation which is unforgivable - Wellens should have had the balls to say I pick the team, we haven’t got a striker therefore Bogle plays. For my money if he’d done that we’d have stayed up. Instead he went out and signed Dodoo from the dole queue & we all know how that ended.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Drover on December 02, 2023, 04:10:25 pm
IMO Wellens always seemed to pass the buck if things didn’t go right on and off the pitch

So true,I loved watching Richie play for us,usually a fantastic player,but I also remember several times that when he made a mistake,we conceded a goal or was made to look at fault,he would look for the nearest young player or less regarded/experienced player and give him a rollicking despite the said player seemingly doing absolutely nothing wrong.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Bentley Bullet on December 02, 2023, 04:25:54 pm
Being nice isn't a job, otherwise Mother Teresa of Calcutta would have been better in midfield than him.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: ravenrover on December 02, 2023, 04:43:02 pm
Maybe we should appoint a manager who had failed miserably like Leyton Orient did.
He failed miserably to build a new team, did he have to do that at Swiindon or Orient?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on December 02, 2023, 05:30:00 pm
Interesting that it was the chairman who said Bogle wouldn’t play for us anymore - that was a complete folly he was a recognised striker and we played without one away at Rotherham in a 4-6 formation which is unforgivable - Wellens should have had the balls to say I pick the team, we haven’t got a striker therefore Bogle plays. For my money if he’d done that we’d have stayed up. Instead he went out and signed Dodoo from the dole queue & we all know how that ended.

Which is precisely the reason this claim sets my bullshit detector wailing.

No manager is ever going to go into a season with only one recognised striker, be told by his chairman not to pick him, watch the side perform miserably every week and end up getting sacked, without giving the chairman an ear full.

I've heard more believable nursery rhymes.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Bentley Bullet on December 02, 2023, 06:06:38 pm
Maybe we should appoint a manager who had failed miserably like Leyton Orient did.
He failed miserably to build a new team, did he have to do that at Swiindon or Orient?
I don't know how many new players he bought, but he turned a team of relegation threatened losers into a team of champions.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: ravenrover on December 02, 2023, 06:17:20 pm
Didn't he do the same at Swindon? That ended well
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Bentley Bullet on December 02, 2023, 07:25:42 pm
Didn't he do the same at Swindon? That ended well
He won the league with Swindon.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Chris Black come back on December 02, 2023, 07:27:24 pm
It’s undeniable he has done well with fairly modestly resourced sides. He has had some failures but all in all he has been given some fairly tough gigs and succeeded in most of them.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Donny Exile in York on December 02, 2023, 07:46:51 pm
He said, they said blah blah blah.

Ffs, it's in the past now. These times were very testing for everyone and maybe hindsight and subsequent actions have shown thinking wasn't as clear as it could have been during that period.

We've moved on for the better without Wellens and without Bogle. Rejoice!

Very strange post. As if we’re not going to discuss such a recent interview?

Maybe but you know with these things, we go round in circles and there will always be those who present opinions as facts when nobody can know the absolute truth about a series of events.

Just like when folk jump on the interview Dickov gave. The article Fergie published in which he said a few complimentary things about the club but yet, some folk were determined to cryptically unravel his words about his ambition and 'consolidation'' and use it as a stick to beat the club with.

It just regurgitates fodder for those looking for a witch hunt against Bramall, oops, Baldwin, oops Blunt!!

I have no opinion about Blunt. I've never met him, only heard him at the meet the owners but it seems he's responsible for all the bad things that happen but can't be credited with any of the good things.

3 years of the worst results in our history under his tenure doesn't need anymore explaining. If you seriously think.there is an absolute exoneratiom of blame for those results and managerial appointments then as the saying.goes you need your head read.  Those three seasons cannot.be.justofied or excused away no matter how hollier than thou you might be.
 As I say McCanns appointment has given our Chairman a get out of jail free card at present.

And I'm not saying Wellens wasn't culpable either. He certainly played his part along with other managers., the players, recruitment team etc.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: ravenrover on December 02, 2023, 07:55:30 pm
Didn't he do the same at Swindon? That ended well
He won the league with Swindon.
That was the opening of the post BB Won the league with Swindon, and then........
But I'll leave the last word to you BB that's how you like it
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Bentley Bullet on December 02, 2023, 07:59:30 pm
Thanks RR.

Did Wellens sign any players of his personal choice, or were they the decision of the recruitment team?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: DonnyBazR0ver on December 02, 2023, 08:54:10 pm
He said, they said blah blah blah.

Ffs, it's in the past now. These times were very testing for everyone and maybe hindsight and subsequent actions have shown thinking wasn't as clear as it could have been during that period.

We've moved on for the better without Wellens and without Bogle. Rejoice!

Very strange post. As if we’re not going to discuss such a recent interview?

Maybe but you know with these things, we go round in circles and there will always be those who present opinions as facts when nobody can know the absolute truth about a series of events.

Just like when folk jump on the interview Dickov gave. The article Fergie published in which he said a few complimentary things about the club but yet, some folk were determined to cryptically unravel his words about his ambition and 'consolidation'' and use it as a stick to beat the club with.

It just regurgitates fodder for those looking for a witch hunt against Bramall, oops, Baldwin, oops Blunt!!

I have no opinion about Blunt. I've never met him, only heard him at the meet the owners but it seems he's responsible for all the bad things that happen but can't be credited with any of the good things.

3 years of the worst results in our history under his tenure doesn't need anymore explaining. If you seriously think.there is an absolute exoneratiom of blame for those results and managerial appointments then as the saying.goes you need your head read.  Those three seasons cannot.be.justofied or excused away no matter how hollier than thou you might be.
 As I say McCanns appointment has given our Chairman a get out of jail free card at present.

And I'm not saying Wellens wasn't culpable either. He certainly played his part along with other managers., the players, recruitment team etc.

Who said there was an exhoneration of blame?

It was a shitshow but there's a number of key people responsible for running a football club and trying to manage a team successfully. It isn't like any other business. And by the way, there's been worse periods in our history.
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Chris Black come back on December 02, 2023, 09:16:10 pm
We had / have a recruitment team?
Title: Re: Wellens
Post by: Donny Exile in York on December 02, 2023, 09:22:58 pm
He said, they said blah blah blah.

Ffs, it's in the past now. These times were very testing for everyone and maybe hindsight and subsequent actions have shown thinking wasn't as clear as it could have been during that period.

We've moved on for the better without Wellens and without Bogle. Rejoice!

Very strange post. As if we’re not going to discuss such a recent interview?

Maybe but you know with these things, we go round in circles and there will always be those who present opinions as facts when nobody can know the absolute truth about a series of events.

Just like when folk jump on the interview Dickov gave. The article Fergie published in which he said a few complimentary things about the club but yet, some folk were determined to cryptically unravel his words about his ambition and 'consolidation'' and use it as a stick to beat the club with.

It just regurgitates fodder for those looking for a witch hunt against Bramall, oops, Baldwin, oops Blunt!!

I have no opinion about Blunt. I've never met him, only heard him at the meet the owners but it seems he's responsible for all the bad things that happen but can't be credited with any of the good things.

3 years of the worst results in our history under his tenure doesn't need anymore explaining. If you seriously think.there is an absolute exoneratiom of blame for those results and managerial appointments then as the saying.goes you need your head read.  Those three seasons cannot.be.justofied or excused away no matter how hollier than thou you might be.
 As I say McCanns appointment has given our Chairman a get out of jail free card at present.

And I'm not saying Wellens wasn't culpable either. He certainly played his part along with other managers., the players, recruitment team etc.

Who said there was an exhoneration of blame?

It was a shitshow but there's a number of key people responsible for running a football club and trying to manage a team successfully. It isn't like any other business. And by the way, there's been worse periods in our history.

You've basically just repeated what I said. At the end of the day responsibility lies at the top. Simple as  I referred to many parts but your continuing as if you are defending Blunt as Chairman presiding over the sh!tshow.  Track record as Chairman over 10 years is dire amd stark given the 10 years before his tenure.   

And for worst periods of our history over a three year period 96 to 98 maybe, even say 88 to 90 was probably better results wise so your scraping the bottom  of the barrel with that assertion. Blunt is better than the worst, great eh.. given our much better facilities and attendances these days its probably been on a par or actually worse.