RR EXCLUSIVE: Charlie Methven discusses Sunderland’s investment, transfer window & scouting plans

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fyl2u said:
Yeah, it's difficult to judge isn't it?

With the people who are involved with the investment, a lot of us (myself included) were guilty of getting our hopes up massively about what it might mean, and I don't think many of us even considered it might just be a "small" (relative to their worth) investment in Madrox that they were considering.

Who knows, perhaps this is just step one and they plan to pump a load more money in once we're in the Championship, and a boatload more once we're back in the Premier League?

We just don't know.

For at least the time being though, I'm going to try to refrain from "biting the hand that feeds us" and instead just wait to see what happens.

As CM says in that podcast, seeing all the unpleasantness directed towards the owners isn't going to motivate investors to want to give us money. Makes sense to me.
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Yeah, I definitely agree with him about the tone of debate. Even on here there's quite a lot of aggression. I completely understand that we're all passionate about our club, it's a huge part of mine and many others lives, but that doesn't mean we can't be respectful when discussing it even if we have different opinions. I always try to discuss things like I would if I was chatting to a random fan in the pub, no forced persona pretending to be overly happy or negative about how things are going, no aggressive "fuck off you haven't got a clue" if I disagree. I wouldn't talk like that to someone's face so not sure why so many seem to think it's fine to do it online. If people talk like that to the owners I'm not surprised if they get sick of it and question why they bother with any engagement. I just hope we get some reason for genuine optimism soon, whether that be more details about FPP or simply an upturn in results followed by a decent January. It's been too miserable for too long, we all need a boost
 
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RTG said:
In an exclusive Podcast interview with Roker Report, Sunderland Executive Director Charlie Methven has given updates on the club’s plans for the future - including the January transfer window, the increased scouting network, investment and more. Sunderland executive director Charlie Methven and the club’s academy director Paul Reid were the guests...

More at Roker Report...
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I enjoyed the pod. I find the negativity on here depressing. That’s not to say I’m happy with the way things are going on the pitch- I’m not. I just don’t see where relentless negativity gets anyone.
 
rocky said:
I'm genuinely considering wrapping in a season ticket I've had for 20 odd year. I hate even thinking about it.

Short wasn't hounded out. He wanted out when we were a Premier League side
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There wasn’t a good word said about the bloke on here despite him having spent money on the club than all the previous owners put together. Yes he may have lost interest in the end but who could blame him.
 
Guinness Guzzler said:
Something like that which is vague, doesn't confirm they're buying us, but sounds like it's a bit more than just a one off arrangement. Not sure why they're playing it down so much, just seems the wrong approach imo
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When Methven says they “have no financial connection with Sunderland AFC and that’s the way it will stay.” I don’t think he could be much clearer that it is just a one-off arrangement.

With that one statement he effectively put to bed any hope that if we get promoted, FFP takeover.

Otherwise why add the statement “and that’s the way it will stay”?
 
Guinness Guzzler said:
Yeah, I definitely agree with him about the tone of debate. Even on here there's quite a lot of aggression. I completely understand that we're all passionate about our club, it's a huge part of mine and many others lives, but that doesn't mean we can't be respectful when discussing it even if we have different opinions. I always try to discuss things like I would if I was chatting to a random fan in the pub, no forced persona pretending to be overly happy or negative about how things are going, no aggressive "fuck off you haven't got a clue" if I disagree. I wouldn't talk like that to someone's face so not sure why so many seem to think it's fine to do it online. If people talk like that to the owners I'm not surprised if they get sick of it and question why they bother with any engagement. I just hope we get some reason for genuine optimism soon, whether that be more details about FPP or simply an upturn in results followed by a decent January. It's been too miserable for too long, we all need a boost
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Good post mate. Agreed 100%.
 
palm 1 said:
There wasn’t a good word said about the bloke on here despite him having spent money on the club than all the previous owners put together. Yes he may have lost interest in the end but who could blame him.
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Thats not true mind. He was backed right up until he failed to sack Moyes.
 
wrighty said:
I enjoyed the pod. I find the negativity on here depressing. That’s not to say I’m happy with the way things are going on the pitch- I’m not. I just don’t see where relentless negativity gets anyone.
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Spot on mate,doesnt do us any good at all.Its a discussion we should have after jan 31st not now .
 
Guinness Guzzler said:
Yeah, I definitely agree with him about the tone of debate. Even on here there's quite a lot of aggression. I completely understand that we're all passionate about our club, it's a huge part of mine and many others lives, but that doesn't mean we can't be respectful when discussing it even if we have different opinions. I always try to discuss things like I would if I was chatting to a random fan in the pub, no forced persona pretending to be overly happy or negative about how things are going, no aggressive "fuck off you haven't got a clue" if I disagree. I wouldn't talk like that to someone's face so not sure why so many seem to think it's fine to do it online. If people talk like that to the owners I'm not surprised if they get sick of it and question why they bother with any engagement. I just hope we get some reason for genuine optimism soon, whether that be more details about FPP or simply an upturn in results followed by a decent January. It's been too miserable for too long, we all need a boost
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The total lack of balance is what ruins online discussion not just in football. Impossible to read anything online about politics without becoming depressed at the reductive simplistic and aggressive standard of debate. It’s pretty much the same on here.
 
wrighty said:
I enjoyed the pod. I find the negativity on here depressing. That’s not to say I’m happy with the way things are going on the pitch- I’m not. I just don’t see where relentless negativity gets anyone.
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The spin on that podcast was f***ing ridiculous. Without listening to it I found myself getting annoyed about the talk of lifts getting repaired etc but this has been taken massively out of context by the gobshites on here.
All the bloke was saying was that the clubs infer structure has been allowed to fall apart over the last few years and this money will be able to help with that . It has been mentioned on here numerous times about the ground getting tatty, that you can’t get WiFi, that you can’t hear the tannoy etc , but when he says it there’s f***ing uproar.
 
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ftm1974 said:
When Methven says they “have no financial connection with Sunderland AFC and that’s the way it will stay.” I don’t think he could be much clearer that it is just a one-off arrangement.

With that one statement he effectively put to bed any hope that if we get promoted, FFP takeover.

Otherwise why add the statement “and that’s the way it will stay”?
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So they do like our accent and savaloy dips in stotties thats why theyve lobbed 10 mill over .
 
ftm1974 said:
When Methven says they “have no financial connection with Sunderland AFC and that’s the way it will stay.” I don’t think he could be much clearer that it is just a one-off arrangement.

With that one statement he effectively put to bed any hope that if we get promoted, FFP takeover.

Otherwise why add the statement “and that’s the way it will stay”?
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He might just be meaning that any further involvement, up to and including a full takeover, will be them investing in Madrox. I don't see any way a one off investment makes sense tbh. They obviously looked at a takeover, or at least taking shares (as they set up a holding company which is specifically for that purpose). They might have looked at it and now decided not to bother, but if that was the case I imagine they'd walk away if there's something they don't like. Seems unlikely they'd say "fuck that, we aren't going through with it, but how about a £9m loan for the crack". Donald and co could have got a £9m loan from plenty of other sources, FPP aren't exactly a bank so don't see what their motivation would be for it (especially loaning to a business that they presumably don't have confidence in if they've decided not to get involved with officially at all at any stage). I wouldn't read too much into what Methven says, it can be interpreted a number of ways. I'll be amazed if this investment helps us go up in the next couple of seasons and is then repaid by the owners and we never see FPP again, especially when it's well known they're looking for a European football club to invest in, we've got the infrastructure, the loan is being spent on strengthening that and we're at a low cost compared to how much we'd be worth it back in the PL.
 
palm 1 said:
One of the things that struck me about the podcast was the mention of the abuse the board has received and the effect this could have on potential investors. He was wholly correct that successive chairman have been hounded out of this club from Cowie to Short and that will without doubt have a negative effect on future potential buyers for the club.
I realize that fans are pissed off and performances on the pitch are as bad as any of us can remember , but to make an atmosphere where the owners do not want to attend games is disgraceful and massively counter productive.
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Eh? Short wasn't hounded out at all, are you serious? Did I miss the protests? All owners are driven out or at least fans attempt to drive them out if they're not performing.

Did you see how the Liverpool fans went on? Did that put off potential buyers?
 
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palm 1 said:
The spin on that podcast was f***ing ridiculous. Without listening to it I found myself getting annoyed about the talk of lifts getting repaired etc but this has been taken massively out of context by the gobshites on here.
All the bloke was saying was that the clubs infer structure has been allowed to fall apart over the last few years and this money will be able to help with that . It has been mentioned on here numerous times about the ground getting tatty, that you can’t get WiFi, that you can’t hear the tannoy etc , but when he says it there’s f***ing uproar.
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At the same time we've been told we're in a "cracking state" financially and then now we're being told the investment will help with mundane things like lifts and speakers being fixed. It certainly doesn't sound like we've been in a cracking state.

I genuinely wish they'd never started with these podcasts tbh.
 
gipetto said:
Eh? Short wasn't hounded out at all, are you serious? Did I miss the protests?
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You don’t have to act like the fuckwits up the road to show someone that they are not wanted. He will have seen the vitriol aimed at him in various locations including here and I have no doubt this will have influenced his decision to sell up. If you do your best all day and are still being called a kernt , why would anyone want to put themselves through that.?
 
fyl2u said:
What's your definition of "backed"? 99% wanting him to stay? 51%? There are plenty of other examples, with varying levels of "Short in" replies:

2011: Short and quinn out
2013: Short out
2013: Ellis Short out.
2013: Short & Byrne out
2014: Ellis Short Out
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Yes and on all of those threads he has fans backing him. He wasn't hounded out. He wanted to sell while we were a premier league club.
palm 1 said:
You don’t have to act like the fuckwits up the road to show someone that they are not wanted. He will have seen the vitriol aimed at him in various locations including here and I have no doubt this will have influenced his decision to sell up. If you do your best all day and are still being called a kernt , why would anyone want to put themselves through that.?
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A new trend. Showing you're unhappy immediately draws comparisons with the mags. Haway man mate that's ridiculous
 
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rocky said:
Yes and on all of those threads he has fans backing him. He wasn't hounded out. He wanted to sell while we were a premier league club.
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He was clearly experiencing the "unpleasantness" that CM talks about in the podcast.

Of course it's up to you whether you consider that to be "hounding out" or if you reserve that phrase for actual protests or crowds with pitchforks baying for his blood, but I think most people would agree that there are degrees of this sort of thing, and everyone has a different tipping point.
 
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