Perhaps they are taking the heat off TP and IM? The Board are, after all, the corporate face of the club. At any time there is a media feeding frenzy on premiership clubs, especially where blood is sensed [i.e. any club near the trap door, any club under-performing, any club!]. This builds up to insane levels during the transfer windows. SOMEBODY has to speak to them. Better they be bland, vague comments from the Board from time to time to satisfy the desparate need of hacks for copy. Otherwise, the Fourth Estate may have to resort to door-stepping TP/IM and/or the age old tactic of printing broad "assumptions" from tit-bits they have raked up. The Board may not be the correct people to adress the issues; but I for one think that TP should continue to invest his time in coaching and filtering potential signings while IM sets up any deals rather than both having to prepare for and attend endless press conferences.

Also, I suspect the Board's answers to likely questions are filtered through TP/IM. Sensible given the enthusiasm of the press to identify supposed rifts.

I am with Syd on this. It seems that anyone that makes any comment in anyway critical of the new owners is pilloried as a traitor, conceited or thick by certain HOLers. This is a fans forum, we come on here for a bit of a chat between each other. I bet very few of us visit the official CPFC site as much as we come on here. Why? Because it is largely sugar coated propaganda. The diversity of opinion and occasional disagreements makes this site a great forum and all opinions (reasonably put) should be welcomed.

My opinion is that we might just survive with the current squad. But if we have any injuries or suspensions in key areas we will be in big trouble and very quickly. We therefore need to buy/loan new players to have a realistic chance of survival in this league. Within the remit of sensible deals, the sooner this can be done the better.

I do feel that some of the new owners like the sound of their own voice, and appearing in front of the cameras, a little too much. I sometimes feel that they are desperate to be liked by us and the media. For me, they should concentrate more on earning our respect and being more in line with the manager. This can be done by maintaining a dignified silence on occasion or issuing regular official club briefings. Whilst having some owners joining in on a fans forum is great on one level (why not HOL by the way?)it can be viewed as an inconsistent means of presenting a unified and professional image of CPFC.

Palace fans will always be grateful that they stepped in and bought the club. But as previously hinted at, the new owners do sometimes come across as a wine merchant and an ad man trying hard to be accepted in the cut throat world of top level football.

"For me, they should concentrate more on earning our respect and being more in line with the manager"

Come on mate, surely this is the craziest thing ive read on here.... what more do they have to do to earn our respect!!! Bonkers.

As to being in line with the manager, we did that all the way with the mentalist Holloway (who yes, i will always appreciate for getting us up). SP seems to take the rap for the summers txfr dealings but i firmly believe that he never signed a player IH didnt want.

As for TP, as i understand it he has given his requirements to IM and the board but it is up to them to conduct business and thats exactly the way it should be. Managers come and go and if CPFC 2010 have a long term vision for the club, which i suspect they do, then that must take precedence. If the players TP wants would command wages or txf fees that sit outside of or present and more importantly, future structures then they must hold out for better value options elsewhere.

SP being in the media is, on balance, a very positive thing. We have a unique transparency at the club which should be applauded. He always comes accross as crdible, highly atute and with a decent understanding as how asmall-medium sized club should be run.

You make a good argument there Syd.

Edited by beagle (22 Jan 2014 12.29pm)

When the time comes, I want die just like my Dad - at peace and asleep.
Not screaming and terrified.
Like his passengers.

Lombardos Barber, respect has to be earned, it cannot just be bought. Buying the club at a hugely knock down price is one thing. Running it successfully and professionally thereafter is another.

How many mangers under the new owners?

Burley
Freedman
Holloway (who you describe as a "mentalist"
Millen
Pulis

That's a lot in a short time. How many have worked? They were all appointments by the current ownership. I read that we have utilised the biggest squad of any team in Europe over the last couple of years. That makes me query our player recruitment policies and practices. These are the responsibility of the people that run the club.

The last transfer window turned into a last day farce. Players signed that did not make the squad. Players that did make the squad that have hardly played. Ultimately, that is the responsibility of ownership.

You say that we have a unique transparency at this club. Tell me exactly why Freedman left then? What were the terms under which Holloway left? Unique transparency? You can only guess like the rest of us.

I suggest that there is work for the owners to do to gain respect for their ability to run the club professionally and efficiently. You think that is the craziest thing that you have ever read on here and that I am bonkers. It takes all sorts to make a forum!

All good. Nothing bad.