| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 10:03 - Feb 26 with 2504 views | isawqpratwcity |
An excellent interview, thanks, Clive.
I appreciate that it was an interview, not an full-blown argument or a counselling session. You were there to question, not hector or badger. It was good that you had extra time to push points you felt strongly about.
Overall I thought he did quite well.
I think Neil pushes a bit hard when he says that TF doesn't know much about football and is the man responsible. Both are true, but given that he and several other rich men who didn't know much about football bought a club, under the circumstances I think he acted in the best way he could. He sought advice from 'experts', and financially backed it. Unfortunately he had to keep re-defining the word 'expert' as he went. I think the current management structure is excellent, and the people in the roles are very good, so that Tony doesn't have to keep referring back to his own football nous to make a decision.
On the 'promotion is everything' tweet, Tony doesn't appreciate the difference between acknowledging that we are competing in the second tier, so of course we want to aspire to the first tier, and the other reading of the phrase, that promotion is (now) the only criterion for success. He doesn't realise that tweets don't nuance messages sufficiently; ignorance, arrogance or well-meaning egotism? Probably all three.
We note his confidence about meeting current FFP strictures with a mixture of relief and slight scepticism.
Please, after a reasonable interval, push for another go. [Post edited 26 Feb 2016 10:05]
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| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 10:09 - Feb 26 with 2490 views | Northernr |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 10:01 - Feb 26 by paulparker |
TBF North you could have sat there for a week and still had plenty more questions to ask him |
Precisely. |  | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 10:14 - Feb 26 with 2486 views | RedbourneR |
Excellent work, Clive. Thanks.
As a previous agnostic on TF and now a firm non-believer, it was interesting to see what he had to say. I agree with Neil that he seemed starstruck and all the related problems this gives the club; but maybe therein lies something. Perhaps TF's role needs to be reduced to the boardroom equivalent of Jude the Cat - come out, wave his arms about, cheer along, but with no real say in anything on the pitch or elsewhere any more. Maybe then he and his ridiculous tweets could be bearable. |  | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 10:28 - Feb 26 with 2456 views | TheChef |
I'm not TF's biggest fan, but as mentioned FFP has helped us cut our cloth accordingly and given time I'm hopeful Hoos and Ferdinand and get the club back on an even keel.
Sometimes it's a case of better the devil you know. If and when he sells the club, we could get another Cellino or an idiot like the one at Charlton.
http://www.fsf.org.uk/blog/view/owners-have-created-chasm-between-club-and-fans- |  |
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| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 11:09 - Feb 26 with 2401 views | karlski |
Thank you for that excellent work Clive.
There are certain concrete things outlined in there (training ground, season tickets) where the proof will very much be in the pudding and I can accept that a lot happens in the background. It's just a shame the background stuff is where the positives might lie, but what most people see is the twitter feed...
I do believe him when he says they are committed though. All in all I remain positive that by hook or by crook we are now heading in a direction that is closer to what most of us had hoped for from the start. |  | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 11:21 - Feb 26 with 2371 views | 1BobbyHazell |
Great interview Clive. Proper questions backed up by the knowledge to question any waffle/deflection. It would be fantastic if it could be an annual occurrence. Accountability through proper journalism.
I started bring critical of TF's style since we started signing the likes of Park. But believe he's learnt a lot since then evidenced by having Les and Hoos planning and making decisions on behalf of our future as opposed to it being about Hughes and Redknapp 'bullying' TF into signing the Boswingas and Ferdinands of this world.
I must be the least concerned about the tweets out of all of us. The promotion is everything being the only one that stands out as damaging.
Onwards. Exciting times |  | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 11:21 - Feb 26 with 2371 views | londonscottish |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 09:03 - Feb 26 by QPRski |
There are and will be many more questions.
Clive - do you think that this is a "one-off" or do you believe that this will be repeated in the future?
The big added value of your interview is that there is a opportunity to directly ask, in a very professional manner, the questions which are important for and discussed amongst supporters. I hope that there will be new opportunities in the future. |
One of or not it was a great interview.
Clive, I liked the directness of your questions. Very firm on a number of topics.
Reading it again he made some interesting comments about Caterham - not least the fact that Bernie Ecclestone WAS promising to make F1 a cheaper series but the big players refused in the end. It's why Branson didn't get involved after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. He though there was a risk that the cost-cutting wouldn't happen and he was right. TF jumped in and paid the price.
Still, it was good to hear that the Caterham road car business is still his and is generating cash. And that the tech arm also sounds like it could be a cash generator. For Tune to be able to keep pumping money into QPR we need to know that the various other Tune companies are profitable. |  |
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| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 11:26 - Feb 26 with 2364 views | LongsufferingR |
"You say this season is how you always wanted to do it, and it’s how a lot of us wanted to see things done, but how does that tally with the Instagram post where you said “promotion means everything to me”?
TF: Well, it does. Does it not mean everything to you?
No."
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| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 11:33 - Feb 26 with 2341 views | nadera78 |
Clive, what was his reaction (verbal or physical) when you said promotion didn't mean everything to you? | | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 11:59 - Feb 26 with 2302 views | Mick_S |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 11:33 - Feb 26 by nadera78 |
Clive, what was his reaction (verbal or physical) when you said promotion didn't mean everything to you? |
He said "deep joy to the eardroves." |  |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 12:10 - Feb 26 with 2262 views | Pommyhoop |
Sterling work Clive ,Cheers..
One question you could've asked tho.
WTF does ''Next manager out a sways together hat was less Than successful.'' mean ?? |  |
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| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 12:28 - Feb 26 with 2225 views | JonDoeman |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 12:10 - Feb 26 by Pommyhoop |
Sterling work Clive ,Cheers..
One question you could've asked tho.
WTF does ''Next manager out a sways together hat was less Than successful.'' mean ?? |
It means my glass is empty, I need a top up !  |  |
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| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 12:42 - Feb 26 with 2206 views | ElHoop |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 12:28 - Feb 26 by JonDoeman |
It means my glass is empty, I need a top up ! |
I didn't think that his answers were too bad - better than I was expecting anyway.
Debt to equity - 'what's the catch?' or whatever the exact question was - that was a bit hard on him I thought, if they've written off £200m odd. As he said himself, it's already a write off if it's gone. At the same time good to nail him down on the remaining debt of £17m. |  | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 13:11 - Feb 26 with 2148 views | DejR_vu |
That's a ballsy interview, fair play Clive. And kudos to TF for not shirking the issues | |
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| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 13:32 - Feb 26 with 2100 views | Noelmc |
We may be Championship but we have a Champions League Journalist among our fans. Great interview Clive. |  | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 13:54 - Feb 26 with 1884 views | PinnerPaul |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 09:55 - Feb 26 by Northernr |
Like I say, he stuck around for 45 minutes, delaying his meeting with JFH in the process, but I could have sat there and fired questions at him all afternoon. |
If I can offer some constructive criticism - you DID repeat several questions or asked about the same subject in a slightly different way.
The training ground questions near the end are identical and he had already mentioned it earlier in the interview in any case.
The now infamous "promotion" quote doesn't bother me as much as you and others, maybe that's just me ,but did it need 4 questions on that subject?
FFP - he said we were compliant this season, then you asked again?
Agree wth what others have said about him repeating himself from previous interviews but that's because maybe people keep asking the same questions?
Don't want to sound churlish and very good that you got an interview at all.
Cheers | | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:09 - Feb 26 with 1847 views | CroydonCaptJack |
Superb stuff Clive. Really love this interview.
I find it hard to dislike TF like some seem to. Whatever else he is, he is at least well-intentioned and that counts for a lot to me.
I particularly enjoyed the 'no' answer to does promotion mean everything to Clive and the way Clive pushed the FFP question. It was almost Paxmanesqe. |  | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:11 - Feb 26 with 1844 views | Vish |
I think TFs response to the Fans Forum question was interesting and at the same time disrespectful. He feels 50 or so fans who decide to attend a Fans Forum in their own time to discuss issues isn't as good as using social media. I mean fans on websites etc get minutes and can listen in. This is a 2-way conversation - not a 1 way update on twitter. Very poor from TF. | | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:13 - Feb 26 with 1833 views | Northernr |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 13:54 - Feb 26 by PinnerPaul |
If I can offer some constructive criticism - you DID repeat several questions or asked about the same subject in a slightly different way.
The training ground questions near the end are identical and he had already mentioned it earlier in the interview in any case.
The now infamous "promotion" quote doesn't bother me as much as you and others, maybe that's just me ,but did it need 4 questions on that subject?
FFP - he said we were compliant this season, then you asked again?
Agree wth what others have said about him repeating himself from previous interviews but that's because maybe people keep asking the same questions?
Don't want to sound churlish and very good that you got an interview at all.
Cheers |
It was a deliberate tactic to repeat a couple of the questions. I've found watching his other interviews that he doesn't seem to think about the answer he's giving, he knows the answer he should be giving so gives it. same with his Tweets, when he's setting dates for the training ground opening and stuff. He doesn't seem to think anybody will remember what he's said beyond the end of the week, and hold him to it later. I asked about FFP this season and he just immediately went "yeh we're confident, we've had to sell a couple but yeh" and I wanted a firmer answer than that, I wanted him to think about what he was committing to and I wanted to know whether he meant "we've had to sell one or two" or "we still have to sell one or two" so I asked it again. If we do breach it now, and I still think there's a fair chance we will, it'll be hard for him to turn around and say "well what I actually meant was..." when he was asked about it straight, twice.
The training ground, too, I thought was a key aim of the interview, because I still see it being kicked down the road indefinitely and they keep talking as if people will come round to the idea of staying at Harlington might not be the worst thing in the world, so I hammered away at it.
The "promotion" tweet may not bother you, but it bothered me, it bothered the manager at the time, it bothered the CEO, the media team and the director of football. He talks about having a great team in place now, why pis that team off like that? I was intrigued to know, and the results after it speak for themselves - I think we've still only won four matches since he said it haven't we? It was a major moment in the season. Everybody was on the same page, though lots didn't like it very much, and then he said that and the whole thing fell apart - the Ramsey abuse went up, the abuse of certain players went up, the stick for Ferdinand went up, the results hit the floor. And what he said was a big part of that.
There's also a wider issue of how much his decision making is influenced by that fcking social media site. He still, in this interview, talks about "nobody was unhappy when we did this..." and what he means i nobody was unhappy on Twitter. When you look and read some of the QPR stuff on Twitter it's frightening to think the bloke running the club sees it as anything other than a care in the community asset i.e. if they're typing things on Twitter they're not out there in the community.
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| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:22 - Feb 26 with 1798 views | QPRDave |
I love how promotion means nothing to you clive......too cool for school ain't ya?
I really don't know why people like you and the others who say it doesn't matter if we win bother with football at all
The game is about winning, it's not a dirty word |  | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:27 - Feb 26 with 1793 views | PinnerPaul |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:13 - Feb 26 by Northernr |
It was a deliberate tactic to repeat a couple of the questions. I've found watching his other interviews that he doesn't seem to think about the answer he's giving, he knows the answer he should be giving so gives it. same with his Tweets, when he's setting dates for the training ground opening and stuff. He doesn't seem to think anybody will remember what he's said beyond the end of the week, and hold him to it later. I asked about FFP this season and he just immediately went "yeh we're confident, we've had to sell a couple but yeh" and I wanted a firmer answer than that, I wanted him to think about what he was committing to and I wanted to know whether he meant "we've had to sell one or two" or "we still have to sell one or two" so I asked it again. If we do breach it now, and I still think there's a fair chance we will, it'll be hard for him to turn around and say "well what I actually meant was..." when he was asked about it straight, twice.
The training ground, too, I thought was a key aim of the interview, because I still see it being kicked down the road indefinitely and they keep talking as if people will come round to the idea of staying at Harlington might not be the worst thing in the world, so I hammered away at it.
The "promotion" tweet may not bother you, but it bothered me, it bothered the manager at the time, it bothered the CEO, the media team and the director of football. He talks about having a great team in place now, why pis that team off like that? I was intrigued to know, and the results after it speak for themselves - I think we've still only won four matches since he said it haven't we? It was a major moment in the season. Everybody was on the same page, though lots didn't like it very much, and then he said that and the whole thing fell apart - the Ramsey abuse went up, the abuse of certain players went up, the stick for Ferdinand went up, the results hit the floor. And what he said was a big part of that.
There's also a wider issue of how much his decision making is influenced by that fcking social media site. He still, in this interview, talks about "nobody was unhappy when we did this..." and what he means i nobody was unhappy on Twitter. When you look and read some of the QPR stuff on Twitter it's frightening to think the bloke running the club sees it as anything other than a care in the community asset i.e. if they're typing things on Twitter they're not out there in the community.
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Thanks Clive, yes see the logic behind the repeat questioning now and if in a live interview it would probably have made more sense and not looked as repetitive.
Thanks again | | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:28 - Feb 26 with 1790 views | daveB |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:22 - Feb 26 by QPRDave |
I love how promotion means nothing to you clive......too cool for school ain't ya?
I really don't know why people like you and the others who say it doesn't matter if we win bother with football at all
The game is about winning, it's not a dirty word |
he didn't say it meant nothing to him he said it didn't mean everything |  | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:32 - Feb 26 with 1765 views | QPRDave |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:28 - Feb 26 by daveB |
he didn't say it meant nothing to him he said it didn't mean everything |
Many a times he says winning isn't important.
Well Warnock & Redknapp gave me my best QPR memories ever, does that not mean everything to him?....I'm asking you as you seem to be his "virtual world wife" | | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:34 - Feb 26 with 1764 views | PinnerPaul |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:22 - Feb 26 by QPRDave |
I love how promotion means nothing to you clive......too cool for school ain't ya?
I really don't know why people like you and the others who say it doesn't matter if we win bother with football at all
The game is about winning, it's not a dirty word |
I think theres a lot behind that "No"
Of course as you say and can be seen on here!, everyone wants to win every game, which obviously means we want to get as high as possible which means promotion.
But what we don't want want is to keep hiring big name managers, highly paid, not 100% motivated "stars" and then repeat the process every 8 - 10 months until it works.
The likelihood is that bankruptcy is more likely to arrive than promotion!
So No promotion doesn't mean "everything" in the sense that we don't want to risk the existence of the club chasing it with £millons we don't have | | | |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:34 - Feb 26 with 1764 views | Northernr |
| Tweets, training grounds and tickets - Tony Fernandes interview on 14:22 - Feb 26 by QPRDave |
I love how promotion means nothing to you clive......too cool for school ain't ya?
I really don't know why people like you and the others who say it doesn't matter if we win bother with football at all
The game is about winning, it's not a dirty word |
I'd rather see the club get its house in order first. Once that's done then of course promotion is everything, otherwise what's the point?
We've seen pretty clearly what happens to QPR when they just spend a fck load of money to win a promotion before they're ready for it - another fck load of money is subsequently spent trying to keep us up, we lose every week, we saddle ourselves with dodgy signings who are difficult to get rid of. I've watched how we've gone about attempting to stay in the Premier League under this regime and haven't seen a lot to be happy about. I'm done with us lauding Joey Barton and Sandro and Leroy Fer and getting nothing in return for making them multi millionaires. I don't see why we'd rush to do it again.
I really don't know why you think what you think and say what you say on here, but here you are thinking and saying it. Everybody thinks differently, that's not a dirty concept either.
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