Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire

[Peace. 4,352]

Peace, although I like most of what he says, has given a one-sided view of Gourlay's job. I try and look at things a little more balanced.

Yes, I know that I am giving a one-sided view of Ron Gourlay's job. Why ? Because to me, he could save puppies from the fire each and every day, that does not compensate the bad things he did for us.

I'll past and copy what I reproached him a few pages back :

He made us believe that we didn't need to buy anyone in the 2011 summer because we had Kakuta, McEachran, Bruma and Van Aaholt.

He got Ray Wilkins sacked during a Chelsea youth game.

He got Ancelotti sacked in a corridor about a few minutes after the end of our last game.

He was one of the man who — at 4 in the morning — told Roberto that he was sacked.

He has told the fans that the club needed a change of direction and that Skinny Boy was the right man.

The way he treats people is intolerable. Sacking a club legend during the half-time of one of our youth games that he was attending to, seriously ? Couldn't have he chosen a better time to do so ? Or even better, couldn't have he man-up and tell him in front of him, face to face, that he was dismissed, instead of giving him a call in this context ? Wilkins wasn't even told why he was sacked. That lacks class.

Wilkins wasn't even sacked because he was not good enough in his job ! Carlo Ancelotti didn't have a saying in this decision. Wilkins was sacked because he allegedly had a bust-up with Gourlay (which seems to have followed an argument between Roman and Ray in the summer). While I am agree that if there were tensions between Wilkins and the hierarchy, parting their paths might have been a sensible decision — but, Wilkins' contract was ending in a few months (before the end of the season)... Would it not have been also a sensible decision to wait until the end of his contract ? I know that hindsight is a bitch, but especially when you know that after his dismissal we entered the "Bad Moment" (© Ancelotti). I don't think that our Bad Moment © has been caused by Wilkins departure, but in my opinion it has taken a part in it.

The same goes for the way he sacked Ancelotti. Unbelievable. Back then, Carlo has offered us the best season (trophy-wise) we ever had. Ron the dinosaur could have show more class and respect. I know that everybody saw it coming — and to be honest, I wanted us to axe Carlo Ancelotti. But seriously, couldn't have he at least wait to arrive in London to tell Carlo that he was sacked ?

For me, the way he treated Roberto di Matteo was the straw which broke the camel's back. Seriously, 4 in the morning ? Even if Roberto sacking was in the air, wait another moment for Jésus sake.

And after that, he had the cheek to come out and say that the skinny one is the right man — the man hated by the majority of us, the man we didn't want — for that change of direction.

I am agree to say that he is good with the business side. But he should have stuck to that side and not get his nose in the football matters. Especially when he disrupts these football matters because of personal affairs.

From Chelsea official web-site :

The day-to-day running of Chelsea is undertaken by the football club's Executive Board headed by chief executive Ron Gourlay:

That's the third time in a row that our season falls into shambles. The three times, he has been the CEO. And, this year is the cherry upon the cake. We have turned into a laughting stock, into a big circus. Someone has to pay for that. Indeed, once, okay that can happen. Twice, well... It starts to be a lot. But three times, that is not acceptable, especially when the third time is that bad.

And I'd like to point out another thing. You are saying that what is happening today is not entirely Gourlay's fault because the problems have started before he was appointed CEO. Here's what can be also be found on Chelsea web-site :

Previously chief operating officer, he had been with Chelsea for five years in a variety of director-level roles before becoming chief executive in November 2009.

He is at the club since 2004. He is there for nine years. That's not really as if he was a newbie, isn't it ? He has been COO during five years before becoming CEO. I don't really know what's a COO, but there's one thing that I am sure about : he wasn't the gardener, nor he was parking the players' cars. To my understanding, COO is one of the highest job within the board. So yes, he is also partly at fault for the problems which have started before he has been hired as CEO, since he was a member of the board !!

That's why I want him to be sacked. Yes, he isn't the only one at fault. But life's unfair ! A high job means big responsibilities. The CEO is for the administration what the coach is for the players (in some ways). So, as managers get sacked because their players don't perform, CEO should get sacked if their subordinates don't work well.

And I'll end my comment by stating this fact. Ever since he was appointed as our CEO, each passing season we have become poorer and poorer :

• 2009-10 : 1st in the Premier League and we won the FA Cup.
• 2010-11 : 2nd in the Premier League and we ended trophy-less.
• 2011-12 : 6th in the Premier League, and we won the CL and FA Cup, but it was a special context.
• 2012-13 : As of today, we have been engaged into 8 competitions ; we can win only two of them right now. And we don't know if you'll even make it into the top four.

Whatever the whys and hows, that's a fact. Each passing season is less good than the previous one. In that respect, we are entitled to challenge our board's capacity.

The bottom line :

"However, the owner and the Board felt that a change was necessary to keep the club moving in the right direction ahead of a vitally important part of the season" Gourlay.

"However, Me, Myself and I feel that a change is necessary to keep the club moving in the right direction ahead of a vitally important part of the club transition". Me.

P.S. Sorry for the long post.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Yes, I know that I am giving a one-sided view of Ron Gourlay's job. Why ? Because to me, he could save puppies from the fire each and every day, that does not compensate the bad things he did for us.

I'll past and copy what I reproached him a few pages back :

He made us believe that we didn't need to buy anyone in the 2011 summer because we had Kakuta, McEachran, Bruma and Van Aaholt.

He got Ray Wilkins sacked during a Chelsea youth game.

He got Ancelotti sacked in a corridor about a few minutes after the end of our last game.

He was one of the man who — at 4 in the morning — told Roberto that he was sacked.

He has told the fans that the club needed a change of direction and that Skinny Boy was the right man.

Do you blame the mailman when you get bad news in the post?

How much of that is him and how much is Roman?

Your main problem seems to be with him doing things too soon. We're a multi-million pound operation and you need to act quickly once the decision has been made. When should we have sacked Robbie? When the players started arriving for training? When the rest of the staff were around? Then people like you would have bemoaned him doing it in front of other people and embarrassing him.

The fact that you can admit

I am agree to say that he is good with the business side.

suggests he's doing a good job and unless you can actually name someone better qualified to do this job then the endless bellyaching really is pointless.

[Manuf 1,448]

Roman is acting like a fucking Nero and should clear his eyes.

[robdog 2,084]

facts

The bottom line :

"However, the owner and the Board felt that a change was necessary to keep the club moving in the right direction ahead of a vitally important part of the season" Gourlay.

"However, Me, Myself and I feel that a change is necessary to keep the club moving in the right direction ahead of a vitally important part of the club transition". Me.

P.S. Sorry for the long post.

Don't apologize for educating the ignorant. Like Run DMC once rapped, "Knowledge is the Key to end all of your woes...Your ups & downs...your highs & lows"

[zolayes 14,489]

Gourlay is not a C EO he is a shirt salesmen recruited by Kenyon to head commercial sales, David Dein and Gill are examples of top class C E Os

they are capable of handling business with football interests taking priority .

face up to it Gourlay and Buck do what they are told to do ....PUPPETS on a string

[The only place to be 11,313]

Gourlay is not a C EO he is a shirt salesmen recruited by Kenyon to head commercial sales, David Dein and Gill are examples of top class C E Os

they are capable of handling business with football interests taking priority .

face up to it Gourlay and Buck do what they are told to do ....PUPPETS on a string

So the state Arsenal are in right now is nothing to do with Dein?

As for Gill, it just shows how fans' perceptions of these type of men change so quickly. A couple of years go he was the guy who sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid and welcomed the Glazers with open arms. Now he's a 'top class CEO'.

But you're right that Gourlay and Buck do have to be somewhat subservient to Roman - so we should definitely fire them and replace them. Who will replace them by the way?

Oh right....

[zolayes 14,489]

So the state Arsenal are in right now is nothing to do with Dein?

As for Gill, it just shows how fans' perceptions of these type of men change so quickly. A couple of years go he was the guy who sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid and welcomed the Glazers with open arms. Now he's a 'top class CEO'.

But you're right that Gourlay and Buck do have to be somewhat subservient to Roman - so we should definitely fire them and replace them. Who will replace them by the way?

Oh right....

arsenal went downhill when Dein left

[The only place to be 11,313]

arsenal went downhill when Dein left

They were already in decline when he left. The legacy of a person's actions don't end the moment they leave a position like that. It befuddles my noggin why Peter Kenyon doesn't get more stick on here when the problems we have right now are about a decade in the making.

[zolayes 14,489]

IF Dein had stayed Arse wouldnt have been with trophies this long

[The only place to be 11,313]

IF Dein had stayed Arse wouldnt have been with trophies this long

Impossible to say, but I don't understand what makes you think that. Their biggest problems have been in the ownership and the manager, not the directorial issues.

Do you think he would have sacked Wenger?

[zolayes 14,489]

Impossible to say, but I don't understand what makes you think that. Their biggest problems have been in the ownership and the manager, not the directorial issues.

Do you think he would have sacked Wenger?

no but he wouldnt have sanctioned the sales of their best players without suitable replacements

[The only place to be 11,313]

no but he wouldnt have sanctioned the sales of their best players without suitable replacements

How do you know?

[zolayes 14,489]

How do you know?

I don't just my opinion but stated by others