The Real Bottlers (courtesy of Abz-MAD)

[manc_don]

Long, but interesting read nonetheless. I'm sure most of you won't read it but it is a good read and well written post.

 

The Real Bottlers

 

Enough has been said about Calderwood to last a lifetime on this board but even a blind man can see his old fashioned managerial methods are tired and out of date. At various points this season his pre and post match summaries have been laughable. The over-use of words such as 'wonderful' and 'fabulous' have been trotted out almost on a daily basis when in actual fact both individual performances or team efforts have been anything but this. Its makes you wonder really how someone who made his name in Holland; where supposedly technical skills and intricate tactics are everything, came to attain a track record of jobs all be it minor ones in Holland. Whether his post match summaries in Holland were peppered with the word 'verwonderend' is open to question but if they were the fans of NEC Nijmegen and Willem II clearly got as tired of his cliche ridden spiel as we are.

 

There was a banner in the away end at Easter Road yesterday on display before the Hibernian game. It was to the point and said 'All Talk: No Bottle'. Essentially never a truer word has been spoken particularly if you read all the hot air and no action coming out of the numerous fan forums surrounding Aberdeen football club where the usual scapegoats of Foster et al have been vilified and hung out to dry. There have been calls for banners to be made, on-line petitions touted and even reference being made to where Jimmy Calderwood's house is when you use Google street maps.

 

All of the threads since Wednesday night have displayed anger, frustration and fury some angry and insightful and some first hand. On Radio Scotland during Sportsound yesterday Richard Gordon revealed that not 30 minutes after the Dunfermline disaster a number of players were having an 'alcohol fuelled jolly' in the Players lounge. On this board some 'in the know' posters have spoken of a board meeting not minutes after the game where the words 'Calderwood+Possible+sacked' were supposedly mentioned. It then went on to discuss how Willie Miller stormed out of the meeting leaving the other directors to chew over what just went on. So all in all, its all be interesting if hypothetical reading. Like the four bullet theory in tandem to JFK's shooting most of us will never know actually what went on. Players can get vilified on threads, characters can get questioned and abilities and skills held up to ridicule.

 

But then again there in lies a big problem for supporters; where else can you go to vent frustration in a constructive way? Sure you can stand outside Pittodrie after a game and spit blood at Blunderwood and his fellow managerial clowns but too be honest these demonstrations are almost always on a massively small scale barely numbering more than a few hundred and lasting half an hour. In truth most Aberdeen fans, well those that sit in the Main Stand anyway, have about as much passion for the club as they do for the tartan rugs they sit on. Yes, they support the club and buy a season ticket every year but the last time they expressed any anger was when the condiments ran out in the Main Stand pie shop or wrote a letter into the Evening Express complaining that Jimmy Calderwood was a nice man who should be given more money. Most fans who sit in the Main Stand are so out of touch with the hardcore they would be as well following Peterhead each week.

 

Which brings us to the 'real war criminals' in all of this. Essentially, almost every thread on whatever forum has failed to mention them in all of this; those who have the real power and ability to make changes that can effect what may or may not happen on the park. And these people ladies and gentlemen have been mentioned on a small minimal scale but they have unfortunately avoided most of the vilification and anger that has been thrown at the playing and management staff. These people are the Aberdeen Football club board of directors.

 

If you followed Scottish Football during the golden years then its acknowledged and accepted that his partnership with Alex McLeish was integral to the success of Aberdeen football club. To Aberdeen fans in particular he is a club legend but if you look closely at the symbols of him around the club whether immortalised in photos lifting a trophy in his distinctive one armed style or on his face on fan t-shirts and flags its all images of yesteryear. The Willie Miller we know today is a executive director of the club and he stormed onto the scene in May 2004 in a fit of decisive action, instantly sacking the pathetic Steve Paterson and in tandem to that making it clear he wanted his fellow Glaswegian Jimmy Calderwood to manage the club. So from the outset it was all very positive; change and decisive action at a crucial time from someone at board level. Willie Miller has been quoted as saying he was hurting badly to see the club the state it was in during the Paterson reign but if he was he must be in even more pain now. Moreover, what exemplified the Paterson reign was disorganisation but as a whole someone just being pathetically out of his depth as a manager of a major Scottish club. Paterson was a Highland league level manager with a drink problem. That in itself is sad personally for the man but for us it was nothing short of a disaster. Indeed, whoever decided he got the job in the first place is something that has never been fully explained and may hint towards why Willie Miller was taken back to the club at executive level.

 

Elsewhere on the board are an assortment of qualified Chartered Accountants and 'successful' businessmen. Or at least so we are told and led to believe. At non-executive director level Martin Gilbert of Aberdeen Asset Management is one of the most prominent figures. Recent years have seen him overseeing the debacle of the AAM financial mess and its said today he is still a big supporter of a vibrant Scottish financial services industry. Well if that discredited and vilified institution is one of the bearers of his good will we really all need to fear what his feeling are towards Calderwood. The only thing I can say positive about the financial industry is that even Sir Fed Goodwin is more popular than Calderwood at the moment. Indeed how much time he actually spends in Aberdeen working for the club has to be questioned and come under the microscope in these sad times for our club. The belief is that he spends most of his time in London, only being in Aberdeen from Friday onwards. I congratulate him on that, when he is not off on one of his skiing trips to the the Zermatt of course.

 

As far as the other non-executive directors are concerned very little is known of them publically and you would struggle to find many Aberdeen fans who know much of them. But that is what makes it all so scary; faceless people in charge of decision making at your club and you do not even know them. Take Hugh Little for example he again is a chartered accountant and a venture capitalist who seems to have made a name for himself in strategic acquisitions and planning. Another is Gordon Buchan who is a solicitor with Paul and Williamson and advises the Aberdeen board on all legal matters. He should have been a busy man the last few days but not at Aberdeen football club I would bet.

 

Higher up the food chain at executive level is where we find the real cowards and yellow skinned bottlers who have failed to make crucial business decisions. Duncan Fraser was the company secretary for a number of years, until attaining the role of executive director where he has been for a number of years. If ever anyone needed to find someone to direct questions at as to why Calderwood is still at the helm it is him. In tandem to Willie Miller the last few days have shown he is lacking in all the ingredients required to drive the club forward. These are decisive action, encouraging excellence and overseeing success at the club. The very fact that Jimmy Calderwood is still in his job as Aberdeen Manager means that we need to raise questions about his professional integrity as managing director of Aberdeen Football club.

 

There was seven cowardly bottlers hanging around the club and by now you will have noticed that the most important of them has not been mentioned yet. Come on you will know by now who he is but this piece is not even going to mention him by name. Nine exits from major cup tournaments including two high profile ones to Queen of the South and Dunfermline have failed to shift him from non-activity. Instead all he is probably planning are the latest round of job cuts from his multi-million pound making business. The type of job cuts where innocent hard working men who make a few hundred pounds a week are thrown out of a job all because his company share price has gone downhill slightly. Decisive action when your business greed needs to be appeased but not when its so starkly required at Aberdeen football club Mr. Milne.

 

Forget Jimmy Calderwood, Nichol and Clark they all know time is up as the management team at Aberdeen. They have long been going through the motions and have been doing so for some time. They thing they have in there favour is that they all work underneath a shower of corporate clowns and cowards who can barely decide what cereals to have each morning never mind make crucial leadership decisions to make a managerial change. Decisive action and leadership at director level was required after defeat to Queen of the South last year. If it had been made then the club might have found itself with the mouthwatering prospect of a semi final against Falkirk to look forward too. Instead all we can look forward to now is more managerial nonsense from Calderwood and with that stumbling along slowly to the end of the season.

 

And if we are really unlucky this time next year we can be digesting Calderwood's after match comments after another defeat to Dundee in the Scottish Cup Semi final. That would be just 'wonderful'.

[The Oxford Don]

Oooft! No holds barred there.

 

A good piece and a good read - hard to disagree with much (or indeed any) of that. The silence from Pittodrie over the last few days has been defeaning; I'd have at least expected by now the usual platitudinous pish about "standing by our manager at this difficult time", but no, not a cheep.

[manc_don]

Oooft! No holds barred there.

 

A good piece and a good read - hard to disagree with much (or indeed any) of that. The silence from Pittodrie over the last few days has been defeaning; I'd have at least expected by now the usual platitudinous pish about "standing by our manager at this difficult time", but no, not a cheep.

 

This is something I mentioned earlier on in the week (well thursday or friday). I fully expected to hear something from the club with regards to our management and I am quite shocked/disappointed (not sure which) that we haven't. Maybe they are trying to deal with it in house, who knows! Maybe they were waiting for the Hivs result, or maybe they are indeed just waiting till the end of the season.

[boboisared]

It was in the paper on Friday evening that he wouldn't be sacked.

[Goldie03]

I don't really see the point of sacking him anyway tbh - let him carry on until the end of the season

 

If we get into europe - god help us playing a tie in July

 

If we don't he should leave and take Tommy Wright with him

[manc_don]

I don't really see the point of sacking him anyway tbh - let him carry on until the end of the season

 

If we get into europe - god help us playing a tie in July

 

If we don't he should leave and take Tommy Wright with him

 

Didn't realise that Bobo. Haha Hebrew, you really have it in for him eh But I agree, no point in sacking him now, won't do the squad any good at all.

[boboisared]

Didn't realise that Bobo. Haha Hebrew, you really have it in for him eh But I agree, no point in sacking him now, won't do the squad any good at all.

There wasn't actually a story about it. There was an interview with Jimmy saying he won't walk and it had a little snippet in there saying they believe his position isn't under threat.

 

 

[mizer]

There wasn't actually a story about it. There was an interview with Jimmy saying he won't walk and it had a little snippet in there saying they believe his position isn't under threat.

 

 

Even after 1 win in the last 10 games........

 

 

[Goldie03]

Do you think he will if we drop out of the top 6  

 

Actually that's not funny.................

[manc_don]

There wasn't actually a story about it. There was an interview with Jimmy saying he won't walk and it had a little snippet in there saying they believe his position isn't under threat.

 

Seriously?!?! How can his position NOT be under threat after another shocking result? If so thats absolutely proposterous from the club. He should at least be fearful for his job because by fuck we've had a very mediocre/poor season with some horrendous lows and records being broken (all for the wrong reasons).

[boboisared]

Seriously?!?! How can his position NOT be under threat after another shocking result? If so thats absolutely proposterous from the club. He should at least be fearful for his job because by fuck we've had a very mediocre/poor season with some horrendous lows and records being broken (all for the wrong reasons).

Know what you mean dude. I had a bit of a hissy fit when I saw it then I realised it's just a game.

 

The comment is bold is purely tongue in cheek by the way.

[mizer]

Do you think he will if we drop out of the top 6  

 

Actually that's not funny.................

 

Well we have a four point gap on hibs and Motherwell

 

Dons: Well. ICT & Celtic

Well: Dons, Rangers & St Mirren

Hibs: Utd, St Mirren & Rangers

 

Going on league positions you wouldnt expect hibs to get more than 3 points and Well even if they beat us 6 points. But we should be beating ICT so if we dont make the top six, it really will have to go tits up!

[manc_don]

Know what you mean dude. I had a bit of a hissy fit when I saw it then I realised it's just a game.

 

The comment is bold is purely tongue in cheek by the way.

 

Its ok, I'll let that one slide But it is true, just makes life easier when you feel happy about your club!

 

Mizer, you've got an optimistic hat on today But yeah, it is true, it would have to seriously go tits up for us not to be top 6! 

[boboisared]

Its ok, I'll let that one slide But it is true, just makes life easier when you feel happy about your club!

 

Mizer, you've got an optimistic hat on today But yeah, it is true, it would have to seriously go tits up for us not to be top 6! 

His position really should be under threat. Almost makes the inane ramblings on afc-chat about the club accepting mediocrity look true.

[manc_don]

His position really should be under threat. Almost makes the inane ramblings on afc-chat about the club accepting mediocrity look true.

 

Well I don't think its far from the truth, we know the club are happy with reasonable stability and as has been mentioned before, a top 6 finish. This to them is a successful season with the odd cup run. Despite the product on the park severly lacking in any quality/entertainment whatsoever, as long as this bunch of players/management keep grinding out top 6 finishes, I don't think we'll hear a word from the club

[boboisared]

Well I don't think its far from the truth, we know the club are happy with reasonable stability and as has been mentioned before, a top 6 finish. This to them is a successful season with the odd cup run. Despite the product on the park severly lacking in any quality/entertainment whatsoever, as long as this bunch of players/management keep grinding out top 6 finishes, I don't think we'll hear a word from the club

It's quite depressing though that we can even suggest a born winner like Miller is happy to accept this shit.

 

Me and my old man were talking about the first season he took me along to the football. 1994-95. Just avoided relegation, but that team could probably win this league!

[tlg1903]

I don't really see the point of sacking him anyway tbh - let him carry on until the end of the season

 

If we get into europe - god help us playing a tie in July

 

If we don't he should leave and take Tommy Wright with him

 

I get your logic hebrew but i think our best opportunity to get into europe is with a new manager. 

[boboisared]

I get your logic hebrew but i think our best opportunity to get into europe is with a new manager. 

Why unsettle things now though? By all means give him his jotters at the end of the season, but with 8 or so games left would it be wise to take in someone who probably won't know most of his squad?

 

New man in the summer and give him the pre season to check out his team.

[Jute]

Why unsettle things now though? By all means give him his jotters at the end of the season, but with 8 or so games left would it be wise to take in someone who probably won't know most of his squad?

 

New man in the summer and give him the pre season to check out his team.

 

Most teams get a boost when a new manager comes in and results generally improve in the short term however pretty irrelavant as I cannot see our director of football sacking his mate and cannot see Milne finding the cash to sack his director of football and a management team so suspect we are stuck with JC until either his contract runs out or some other club (unlikely now) comes in for him.

[baggy89]

Off the Gossip bit on the BBC site.

 

Aberdeen goalkeeper Jamie Langfield says a fans' banner questioning the club's players' bottle spurred them on to gain a point against Hibernian on Saturday. (The Scottish Sun)

 

 

 

What a sad state of affairs.

[Superstar Tradesman]

Managers don't get sacked because their team gets pumped by a lower league team in a cup game.

 

We're still in with a shout of Europe, although that's more to do with there being more places available this season than us actually being good enough to be there.  We're also still nearer the top half of the table than the relegation battle.

 

Since we're still very much a middle of the road club and we've nobody at the helm with any great asperations then I'd say they're not going to give anyone their marching orders whilst we're very much still playing middle of the road stuff.

 

That said, I don't think I'd be too concerned if there was to be some sort of head-on collision on that road.

[Superstar Tradesman]

Off the Gossip bit on the BBC site.

 

 

 

What a sad state of affairs.

 

Spurred them on to draw with a team that's below them in the league.

 

Marvelous.

[baggy89]

What's even more concerning is that it apparently takes a banner from the fans to create that winning drawing mentality and not the fact that since January they've won, one game and failed to beat a (bottom half) 1st division side over two legs, injury time and a penalty shoot out.

 

I know it came form The Hun, but FFS!

[manc_don]

Off the Gossip bit on the BBC site.

 

Aberdeen goalkeeper Jamie Langfield says a fans' banner questioning the club's players' bottle spurred them on to gain a point against Hibernian on Saturday. (The Scottish Sun)

 

 

 

What a sad state of affairs.

 

 

completely agree, thats pathetic. Great, it spurred you on to draw with a team below us in the league. Great stuff. 

[Guest fatshaft]

Very good OP that one, and made me think, such was it's well written take that I stopped to think more fully about matters boardroom, than some more vitriolic and abusive posters have caused me to do in the past.

 

But then a response of equally thought provoking quality, gave me equal cause to ponder the opposite point of view, and I quote:

 

The first three paragraphs are of little substance. AFC got fekked over by a team we the fans (I use the term inclusively) think we should have beaten and lots of people are pyssed off.

 

The fourth paragraph is much misguided 'I'm a better/more committed fan than you" statement'.

 

Finally we get to the meat of the post (or the "real war criminals"), starting with Martin Gilbert.

 

Unfortunately what Spiel Fuhrer couldn't be bothered to do was his homework. I can understand why he didn't bother. Looking up financial results and performance indicators can be a complete 'yawnerama', but if you're going to make a statement like "Recent years have seen him [Martin Gilbert] overseeing the debacle of the AAM financial mess" you'd think that he's at least make sure that in recent years he had actually been "overseeing the debacle of the AAM financial mess".

 

The "AAM financial mess" was a direct result of the dot.com crash in 2001 and AAMs exposure to split capital investments. Don't get me wrong, times were tough and AAM almost went tits up, but Martin Gilbert toughed it out and AAM has grown exponentially since then and has a market capitalisation of circa £1bn (I think I'd consider it a success if I started with £60k and ended up with something worth £1bn)!

 

Not only that, AAM has significantly out performed the FTSE 250 over the last year, managing to maintain it's shareholders wealth whilst all around them were losing their shirts.

 

Next Spiel turned his attentions "scary; faceless people" e.g. Hugh Little. Of course had Spiel really wanted to know about Hugh Little he could have done some research, but he didn't. Instead he describes him as a venture capitalist "WHO SEEMS"* to have made a name for himself. There's no SEEMS about it, I went to all the bother of 'googling" his name and up popped his profile.

 

Try it yourself by googling "Hugh Little Aberdeen".

 

 

 

NOTE: Nice tash Mr Little

 

My point is, "faceless" is what you want it to be. If you're really concerned you can find out about these people, for a start they have a profile in the AFC Annual Report.

 

One thing you can't draw from his profile is that he is a "cowardly bottler". Now I've met several venture capitalists and one thing they've all had is bottle. My experience is, that they don't fvk about.

 

Finally we had the obligatory dig at Wiggy, the main charge seems to be corporate greed where "innocent hard working men who make a few hundred pounds a week are thrown out of a job all because his company share price has gone downhill slightly".

 

Now I've got two problems with this;

 

The first is that, it's emotive clap-trap.

 

The second is that as Spiel would have know had he done any research, Stewart Milne Group is privately owned and as such it's shares are not listed for trading, which suggests to me that when Spiel describes them as having "gone downhill slightly", he's actually making it up.

 

We don't know if the value of Wiggy's investments have gone up, down or vanished into the orifice that is Spiels ersehole. We can make assumptions, but we certainly can't say that any redundancies were driven by a share price that had "gone downhill slightly".

 

So to summarise my rather boring reply;

 

Apart from the crass generalisations, lack of research, factual inaccuracies and the bits he made up. It was a pretty good post.