Adver News: Power writes open letter to Swindon fans

[herthab]

And people find loads of excuses not to go. Which is fine, but don't then declare your undying love and devotion to a club that you have done fuck all to support. (Once again not aimed at anyone in particular).

[herthab]

I'm ultra sensitive today 

I'm just a grumpy cunt!

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

I agree. I was an early adopter of the Jed is a twat club and took a fair amount of stick over it at the time. I've been on the fence with Power and I've worked on the basis of giving him the benefit of the doubt and he's not Jed. This statement is excellent and I can get behind a guy like this. I like the way he communicates - when he's got something to say, he says it. Sometimes less is more.

I agree with this. I can only comment on what I've seen/read/heard with my own eyes and ears and as far as I can make out, he's not done a lot wrong thus far.

He talks a lot of sense and as he says in the article, has done the things he said he would do and he can't do any more than that really. Most tellingly, he has demonstrated that he can build a squad of players who are competitive at this level, on a very limited but hopefully sustainable budget and who can actually play a bit when they put their minds to it.

That's good enough for me at this point in time.

[fatbasher]

Finally, I want to ask for your continued support. Like I said earlier, I need your help. It is your football club and we need to unite together to make this club successful. I am just a custodian looking after your club at this moment in time. No Chairman, no manager or player stays around forever but the fans and the people of the town do. But I am sure whether I am here 10 years, 15 years or however long, that when I leave Swindon Town Football Club it will be in a better position than when I arrived but only with your support.

Let’s have a great season together.

Lee."

Like I said, it's OUR club, MINE, YOURS and anyone who really and truly supports the club. RRRRROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR, my arse.

[Abrahammer]

Even it's just PR bollocks the "it's your club" line won me over totally.

Call me naive but I'll be 100% behind him until he gives me a reason not to be. The fact he also a football man has to be a good thing IMO.

[THE FLASH]

I think he's been very good where communication is concerned. He's done more than one phone in, quite often speaks to press in interviews and offers many snippets through the papers. Once his takeover was confirmed I was actually pleasantly surprised at his openness with the press* and willingness to communicate. I found it very refreshing.

I genuinely don't know what you are getting at Gnasher.

*I know he's fallen out with the adver, but they aren't the only ones out there.

im with Flasheart on this.

My biggest gripe with Cooper was his arrogant or flippant communication with the media after matches....it made my piss boil, some of you liked his stance...fair enough but not me.

I find this approach refreshing by Power. Telling us like it is rather than staying silent, referring to us as idiots ala Rikki Hunt, or patronising us.

I just wanted the court case decided so we could all move on.

[ronnie21]

Lee Power phone-in on Monday evening, 6pm, Radio Wiltshire.  Those of you with grievances have not got the chance to speak to the man.

[Honkytonk]

im with Flasheart on this.

My biggest gripe with Cooper was his arrogant or flippant communication with the media after matches....it made my piss boil, some of you liked his stance...fair enough but not me.

I find this approach refreshing by Power. Telling us like it is rather than staying silent, referring to us as idiots ala Rikki Hunt, or patronising us.

I just wanted the court case decided so we could all move on.

Look at what Cooper had to deal with - new owners, Jed pissing about in the background, Nile Ranger, rumours and conjecture and shit flying around all over the place. Now that's all sorted, he can concentrate on on the pitch matters, and I'd say 90% of the time when he was asked about on-pitch matters he'd respond in a sensible manner. Yeah, he'd point out if it was a stupid question and sometimes be a bit monosyllabic but that just means there's no ifs or buts or wrong ways to take what he's saying. If it was a yes/no question he'd give a yes/no answer.

But then I know you love him secretly Flash.

[Talk Talk]

Some people are comfortable with the media, some have PR skills, others don't.

Anyway, don't listen to the Flash, he doesn't know what he is talking about since he lost his leather hat. The loss of cranial confinement has affected his brain.

[Berniman]

I'm with Flash on this...  His interviews wind me up also...  Hart was exactly the same and he got slammed for it.

Being successful on the pitch rightfully gives you some breathing space but it is the only real 2 minutes during the week where he gets the chance to talk directly to the fans live, and probably the only real time during the week that the fans want to hear what he has to say, he really should try to improve those PR skills.

I know the points about, emotions running high, hard to talk after a defeat, look at what he had to deal with etc. and fair enough, but it's part of the job.  I am shit hot at my job, but if I couldn't talk to my customer in the right way then my company would be pulling me in and putting me right/ getting me some training etc.  It's part of his job not to give a yes/no answer, the fans want to hear the reasons behind the decisions, and he knows that.

It's the only real gripe I have with him though so not a major issue in the grand scheme of things....  I'll take that while things are looking good on the pitch.

[kerry red]

Cooper realised he wasn't the fans choice from the beginning. This has, obviously, made him defensive.

In fact, the club as a whole was getting a bit of a kicking from the fans before a ball was kicked last season.

Players sold or moved on, unknown youngsters coming in as replacements, everyone sure that it would be a relegation battle - and Cooper was the face of this every week after every game.

He was told what type of football to play which was probably not what he would choose.

Personally,I thought he grew into it during the course of the season and my only real gripe was why the fantastic football of early season metamorphosed into more than a few games of utter shite later on.

Now we've got all the boardroom shenanigans out of the way and the prospect of a few new players coming in, this season will be make or break for him I think.

Probably, again, not many will be expecting promotion but as long it isn't a season slog down the nether regions, I will be reasonably happy

[Berniman]

Agree with that Audrey

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

I'm with Flash on this...  His interviews wind me up also...  Hart was exactly the same and he got slammed for it.

Being successful on the pitch rightfully gives you some breathing space but it is the only real 2 minutes during the week where he gets the chance to talk directly to the fans live, and probably the only real time during the week that the fans want to hear what he has to say, he really should try to improve those PR skills.

I know the points about, emotions running high, hard to talk after a defeat, look at what he had to deal with etc. and fair enough, but it's part of the job.  I am shit hot at my job, but if I couldn't talk to my customer in the right way then my company would be pulling me in and putting me right/ getting me some training etc.  It's part of his job not to give a yes/no answer, the fans want to hear the reasons behind the decisions, and he knows that.

It's the only real gripe I have with him though so not a major issue in the grand scheme of things....  I'll take that while things are looking good on the pitch.

I don't think there is any similarity whatsoever between Hart and Cooper in terms of their dealings with the media. To me, Cooper just gives a straight answer to a straight question. Hart on the other hand...I don't even want to talk about him. Even though he was only at the Club for 5 minutes (thank God) he is for me, my most hated Swindon manager - even more so than McMahon.

I quite like Cooper on the other hand and don't find him arrogant or flippant.

Still, each to their own.

[Peter Venkman]

I'm with Flash on this...  His interviews wind me up also...  Hart was exactly the same and he got slammed for it.

Being successful on the pitch rightfully gives you some breathing space but it is the only real 2 minutes during the week where he gets the chance to talk directly to the fans live, and probably the only real time during the week that the fans want to hear what he has to say, he really should try to improve those PR skills.

I know the points about, emotions running high, hard to talk after a defeat, look at what he had to deal with etc. and fair enough, but it's part of the job.  I am shit hot at my job, but if I couldn't talk to my customer in the right way then my company would be pulling me in and putting me right/ getting me some training etc.  It's part of his job not to give a yes/no answer, the fans want to hear the reasons behind the decisions, and he knows that.

It's the only real gripe I have with him though so not a major issue in the grand scheme of things....  I'll take that while things are looking good on the pitch.

I agree.

And pretty much with what Audrey wrote too, apart from the tactics part. I know that Cooper went against Powers instructions vs Colchester in playing a 4-6-0 and that pissed off Power a lot so I think Cooper has more of a say in tactics/player choice than he is given credit for.

[Berniman]

I don't think there are any similarities either, just making the point that Hart got slammed for his interviewing technique and one word answers, whereas most are fine with Cooper doing it.

I know I am in a minority, and it's not a big deal, just saying that it grates on me when there is no real need for it.