Lee Power

[Shrivvy Road]

A take on the John McGreal saga from last week that popped into my head earlier.

McGreal was obviously appointed by Lee Power and would be working with Jewell etc under a pre-determined budget that LP would be funding. We fairly quickly announced the signings of Jojo and Sweeney that were seen as fairly decent signings for us. He then put out the bit on the website about us being in a position to sign 6 players who were of a calibre to push for promotion to league 1. Again, clearly the budget for this would be from Lee Power's pocket. But until the court case was over, we couldn't sign these players.

Then, out of the blue last week, McGreal and Gilmartin resign as we no longer have the funds to be able to pay for the players and they don't think they can realistically do the job required. From memory, Clem had said he would back the management team so have McGreal and Gilmartin been used as patsies here by Power to make the fans believe that LP was going to fund a promotion chasing team, but now those nasty courts have forced the sale to Axis, we're going to not be able to offer a very competitive budget under the new owners?

It's all a bit conspiratorial, but got the old brain thinking.

I personally think it will be something as simple as they took the job after being told things would be ok, he had openly said he knew Paul Jewell and that is how the job came around. They have been told Jewell will be going and the CEO etc and realised they been sold a duff one. They have likely only heard Powers side of the story and thought fuck it i am off.

Could be a blessing as i personally want a clean break from everyone associated with Lee Power

[Crackity Jones]

I can't fathom McGreal in all this.  He must have known the club was embroiled in an ownership battle that was going through the courts when he took the job. Its all public knowledge.  Why join and then walk? If he doesn't think Clem fancies him for the manager job, why not wait for the sacking and the compo.

Part of me (irrationally) thinks Power is getting shot of who he can just to screw Clem over and leave him with a shell of a club. I wouldn't be surprised to see player exits in the next couple of days

[Riddick]

From memory, Clem had said he would back the management team so have McGreal and Gilmartin been used as patsies here by Power to make the fans believe that LP was going to fund a promotion chasing team, but now those nasty courts have forced the sale to Axis, we're going to not be able to offer a very competitive budget under the new owners?

It's all a bit conspiratorial, but got the old brain thinking.

Similar thoughts occurred to me last week, but as you say its quite conspiratorial and would show Power to ultimately be incredibly petty. Which subject to Clem's actions when in control, can pretty quickly be shown for what it was.

Given how hard it is to get a managerial job, especially after a first job that wasn't a complete success, i still struggle to work out why you walk away. I guess i'm being optimistic about the transition of power, but sit tight and you are still managing a good sized club at this level.

[Riddick]

Part of me (irrationally) thinks Power is getting shot of who he can just to screw Clem over and leave him with a shell of a club. I wouldn't be surprised to see player exits in the next couple of days

It seems that way from the departures. Usually its Clems job to get rid of them once he owns it and has replacements. Not for the departing owner to leave it vacant. Its either petty, which i struggle with, or there is a different angle there somewhere.

[horlock07]

Similar thoughts occurred to me last week, but as you say its quite conspiratorial and would show Power to ultimately be incredibly petty. Which subject to Clem's actions when in control, can pretty quickly be shown for what it was.

Given how hard it is to get a managerial job, especially after a first job that wasn't a complete success, i still struggle to work out why you walk away. I guess i'm being optimistic about the transition of power, but sit tight and you are still managing a good sized club at this level.

Walking away is just odd, all I can assume is that any contract signed (if he even signed a contract at all and it wasn't just some ruse to try and kid the court that he was still solvent and acting in the best interests of the club) had no provision for a pay off.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

The only thing that makes sense to me is that they leave and get rehired under a better contract.

Even that sounds stupid.

Maybe Power has found another club to run into the ground and they’re going with him.

[Peter Venkman]

I think its obvious, Power appointed McGreal with the promise of a large competitive budget as soon as Able took over the club. The Able deal falls through and Power cannot promise McGreal ANY budget at all, certainly until the takeover is finalised anyway.

McGreal thinks Power oversold the club to him based upon "potential" funds available to him when in reality Power can provide no funding at all.

McGreal thinks...fuck this I am not hanging around to manage a team full of free players and cast offs signed late in the transfer window, with players he doesn't want as the ones he wanted originally Power will no longer sign due to having zero budget available as he hasn't sold any season tickets at all.

Power said to McGreal...."look Shawn, I mean look John, ignore what the court says I will still take Ables bid over the Aussies and we will be rolling in it, you can sign any player you want when they take over" to which McGreal thinks....I have been badly missold a lemon, I am outta here.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

All fair and sensible points. Apart from . . .

Everyone knew Clem was taking over, why not just wait a week and see what happens. He’s missed a golden opportunity to mould a club from the bottom. I doubt Clem has gone through all this shit to just hand a meagre budget to whoever takes the job.

[Sippo]

Or...

Maybe the manager wanted to work with Power, and now realises that will not be a possibility?

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Or...

Maybe the manager wanted to work with Power, and now realises that will not be a possibility?

Now, that’s genuinely funny!

[Riddick]

I think its obvious, Power appointed McGreal with the promise of a large competitive budget as soon as Able took over the club. The Able deal falls through and Power cannot promise McGreal ANY budget at all, certainly until the takeover is finalised anyway.

McGreal thinks Power oversold the club to him based upon "potential" funds available to him when in reality Power can provide no funding at all.

McGreal thinks...fuck this I am not hanging around to manage a team full of free players and cast offs signed late in the transfer window, with players he doesn't want as the ones he wanted originally Power will no longer sign due to having zero budget available as he hasn't sold any season tickets at all.

Power said to McGreal...."look Shawn, I mean look John, ignore what the court says I will still take Ables bid over the Aussies and we will be rolling in it, you can sign any player you want when they take over" to which McGreal thinks....I have been badly missold a lemon, I am outta here.

If i'm offered a job on the promise i will have a larger budget once its sold, i would be validating the likely prospect of that sale. If McGreal has fallen for this false promise then he's a complete moron. It also doesn't do much to explain the difference in approach between the statement on Wed and the departures on Friday.

[Peter Venkman]

If i'm offered a job on the promise i will have a larger budget once its sold, i would be validating the likely prospect of that sale. If McGreal has fallen for this false promise then he's a complete moron. It also doesn't do much to explain the difference in approach between the statement on Wed and the departures on Friday.

Wasn't McGreal a close mate of Jewells so probably trusted his judgement, that was before Jewell quit too.

[RedRag]

This isn't a good start to the season on the footballing front but if ever Swindon NEEDED to take one step back to take two steps forward this is it now (post the 91 shenanigans, anyway).  

[Shrivvy Road]

Or...

Maybe the manager wanted to work with Power, and now realises that will not be a possibility?

I actually think this is right.He wanted to work with Power and Jewell imo

[Bob's Orange]

I actually think this is right.He wanted to work with Power and Jewell imo

I'm actually thinking this might be the case also. Obviously nobody really knows but it makes sense (to me anyway)