Planet Swans ArchivesNow before anyone takes a pop at the content of the article lets get one thing straight. I think the board have done a great job since they came to the fore both off the pitch and backing those on it. We have risen from the ashes of disaster to dreaming of Championship football in just five years. We have become in football terms highly cash rich and are talking about bidding hundreds of thousands of pounds for new players. Our board have given their time free of charge for five years to get us to where we are and should be applauded for it. Several times.
However, there comes a time in the life of any rescue mission that you have to take a slight backward step and decide that the small football club you took over cannot be run the same way as it was when 3500 people were paying to come through the turnstiles. Huw Jenkins talks about trebling the wage bill in the last couple of years, there comes a time when the wage bill becomes too big to worry over along side a business that feeds and clothes the family.
There comes a time when the family that has been so supportive for five years needs to come first again and see you reaping the benefits of the work that you have invested into the club rather than working twice as hard to ensure those benefits remain. There comes a time when you have no alternative but to hand over the day to day control of your ‘baby’ to someone that you pay to take all these decisions for you.
Today we applauded the common sense decision of the board of directors to allow refunds for the Gillingham game. But to be fair to them they shouldn’t have been taking those decisions. A Chief Executive should have been sitting in the background making the decision for them. “Yes we will” or “No we won’t” becoming maybe close to an automatic decision. We shouldn’t have to reply on three main directors to come into the club to make that decision alongside the family business or family commitments. We should have a full time employee paid to make those kind of decisions.
As a football club we have been spoilt by people doing it for free. And if it was practical then I would love to see it continue. But to me it isn’t. If we have ambitions of being a Championship club, or even more, we have to pass these jobs and decision making processes onto someone else. David Morgan should not be making statements to the press, neither should Huw Jenkins, AN Other, Chief Executive of Swansea City should be doing just that.
Leigh Dineen should not be at the club every day worrying about the commercial side of things and making changes where necessary. He’s a Supporter Director, he could have overall responsibility but someone else should be making those decisions for them. Can we sanction the purchase of 500 of this item or 250 of these items should not be a matter for Leigh but for a Chief Executive. Someone that will live or die by the decisions they make but who has overall responsibility for the day to day running of the club. The board should always make decisions like sanctioning a big spend for say a player or two but it is time in my mind for them to take one step backwards and pat themselves on the back for a job well done. But leave the job continuation to someone that is paid to do it.
I’m not advocating they leave the club, we need them to remain as directors but let them direct and let them enjoy it. A Chief Executive will not come cheap but if we have ambitions of getting bigger it is a price we have to pay.
It’s been a great job guys, now take a step back and enjoy what you have created. You know it makes sense.
