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BrahimHemdani

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Everything posted by BrahimHemdani

  1. BrahimHemdani
    I haven't suggested any of the above. All I suggested was that each travel case be treated on its own merits and I did say that I had absolutely no difficulty with overnight stays in good quality accommodation for trips to such as Peterhead and Elgin. I think there is an analogy here with business planning. Whilst some think that taking the red eye to London is cost effective for a morning meeting; I always contended that I wanted to be where I had to be the night before so that I could get a proper night's sleep and be ready to make a full contribution the next day. In the same way, I think that the players should be where they're supposed to be for a lunch time or even afternoon game either overnight or several hours in advance during the day; but not for an evening kick-off less than two hours up the road. That's just profligacy in my book, especially in our current financial state. It will be interesting to see what the travel plans are for places like Alloa, Dumbarton, Falkirk and Livingston next season.
  2. BrahimHemdani
    It's impossible to know if we would have won the match if the squad had set off in the afternoon from Auchenhowie but by all accounts the preparation did nothing for the quality of the football especially in the first half. It's not entirely a financial issue.
  3. BrahimHemdani
    Very topical! Second last one is open to misinterpretation/misuse!! That last one's the spittin' image of Ally.
  4. BrahimHemdani
    Reading between the lines here, I think Stockbridge is toast (although he will have to build a case to avoid a massive pay-out) and I suspect he will argue strongly that Irvine is no longer required (and never was). Very short on substance but his hands are tied by stock market rules and we need to give him the 120 days he asked and was granted by the Board. I would expect a comprehensive business plan at that point covering at least the next two seasons. Like Frankie I can't see that the Assembly et al are going to get much more at this stage; they might ask the questions a little differently but essentially they've all been asked and answered for now.
  5. BrahimHemdani
    What were the Forfar stalwarts up to whilst our lads were having a siesta I wonder?
  6. BrahimHemdani
    Sorry if it came over that way but even some of those who might be in broad agreement do think that his views on freedom of speech are a bit extreme.
  7. BrahimHemdani
    Perhaps I should have expressed that another way: "public opinion" for example. Of course I recognise that it depends on which part of the public you survey. But whether you like it or not the SNP is the democratically elected Government and they deemed it appropriate to bring in a law to tackle what they saw as offensive behaviour at football matches and in communications. I wouldn't argue with your final sentence.
  8. BrahimHemdani
    I do agree and as I said the OBA needs radical overhaul; but the courts are as much to blame when people can get away with serious online threats and blatantly offensive singing.
  9. BrahimHemdani
    McCoist needs a reality check.
  10. BrahimHemdani
    No argument whatsoever on the best possible preparation including hotel stays where appropriate but if last night's performance is anything to go by, "over-pampering" the players may be more risky than not.
  11. BrahimHemdani
    I can't honestly see that we need or he would want to introduce another formalised group, when many have been calling for a rationalisation of the existing structure, which I think he will look to scrap. The Assembly has outlived its purpose and the RSA and the RST have both failed to realise their true potential (though he cannot, of course, influence the existence of the RST). Perhaps some grand annual fans' meeting or democratically elected parliament or dare I mention it yet again - a membership scheme, might be proposed.
  12. BrahimHemdani
    It's a lot more than I thought. Last year's figure appears to be included in the £13.3 million "other operating costs" (apart from the £17.9 million staff costs). If it was c. £200,000 last year then it was only 0.6% of total costs and might be around 1% of total (reduced) costs this year, perhaps a bit more. So even if you save 50% of that it's not a big figure; but as I said earlier it's the perception when you are supposedly reviewing the entire cost base of the company.
  13. BrahimHemdani
    Let's see where we are in April. I am sure there will be many like me who are pleased to see this commitment.
  14. BrahimHemdani
    YES, if they're the player-manager.
  15. BrahimHemdani
    Would it be cheaper just to employ him at Murray Park and/or take him on our away trips?
  16. BrahimHemdani
    They might have been better spending a few hours preparing on the plastic pitch. The Hilton's been there for many years at least the millenium because I was there that night but seems it's been demolished right enough http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186518-d192361-Reviews-Hilton_Dundee_St_Andrews_Coast-Dundee_Scotland.html but there is a Doubltree http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-dundee-DNDKWDI/index.html that looks good enough for our Kings of the Road and loads to do in Forfar http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g186494-Activities-Forfar_Angus_Scotland.html though our lads might be out their depth in the White Water Rafting.
  17. BrahimHemdani
    (Not sure if you were just being sarcastic; but in case not.....) They didn't need to stay anywhere for a game at Forfar and if they did then there's a Hilton in Dundee with a casino across from the front door; that might have suited some of them more than the golf.
  18. BrahimHemdani
    Time they both screwed the nut; based on tonight and indeed the last few games we can ill do without McKay's talent.
  19. BrahimHemdani
    Stuart Waiton thinks that it is OK for anyone to say or sing anything about anybody, his views are outdated and largely discredited by most right thinking people. I believe that he got a hearing (just like Spiers) at the Parliamentary Committee on the OB&TCB just to show how out of touch he was with mainstrean thinking. Just because there have been some incredibly lenient sentences for the types of violent acts that he rightly condemns does not mean that offensive language and communications that could lead to violence should be tolerated either.
  20. BrahimHemdani
    Makes you wonder what our priorites are golf or football? Joking of course Wonder if any of the journos get invited for a round? Edit: Don't think Durrant will be playing much golf right now though
  21. BrahimHemdani
    I am sure that the Lord Advocate, Government Ministers, Civil Servants and the Police will find themselves entirely in agreement with you; which is why I suggested it is time for a drastic overhaul of the Act.
  22. BrahimHemdani
    As Frankie says this has been discussed on here before, most notably in reference to the Stranraer game last August (which was when the team stayed overnight at Turnberry I think or somewhere equally plush, so they only had to spend an hour at a time on the bus). There seem to be two schools of thought. One is that if you buy a Rolls Royce, Mercedes, BMW or the like you have to pay what it costs to keep it serviced in tip top condition so it can roar into action for you at the mere touch of a button. So I suppose the question then would be: are our players Rolls Royce models or even Mercs or BMW's (though many may drive such prestige cars) or would treating them as such turn them into top quality products. Well, a Mini is still a Mini even if you send it to BMW for service; it won't go any quicker. So my answer to this question would be a double NO. Our players are not top quality and treating them as such won't make them play any better. That does not of course mean that we treat them as rubbish, they still require proper servicing or they won't start at all. The other point of view (which I subscribe to) is that you treat each case on its merits. Now if you are going to play Elgin, Forres, Peterhead etc each of which are around 4 hours in a bus, at 12 noon on a Sunday, then it is entirely justifiable to stay overnight in a good quality hotel in the surrounding area and if you can go up early the day before and grab a game of golf if that is your thing, then I don't have any problem with that; provided you don't do yourself an injury in the process. However, if you are going to Stranraer for a 3.00pm kick off or Forfar for a 7.45pm kick off and the journey is less than 2 hours, how can you justify even spending the day there (never mind overnight as in the case of Stranraer)? For tonight s game, the players could have trained in the morning as usual, had lunch, a good rest and travelled up mid afternoon with the added convenience of a massage on the bus, had time for a light meal and still arrived in good time for a warm up before the game. I don't see anything arduous in that kind of itinerary. You could even skip training in the morning and adjust the travel plan accordingly if it was felt necessary. I do agree that looked at in isolation the cost is probably a drop in the bucket and even taken over a season I guess it might come into the £50,000 - £100,000 bracket; but at a time when the players have just been asked to take a 15% pay cut and the CEO is looking for cost savings wherever he can find them, what message does it send. We can't aford to pay your full contracts but we can afford unjustifiable, luxury days out. Again, I realise that 15% of £6.8 million is around £20,000/ week and let's say the cost of this jolly is about £2,000-£3,000; but it still seems insensitive to say the least. I find it hard to believe that in the current circumstances any player would have an issue with a day bus trip to Forfar stopping for lunch and/or dinner or that they will play any better tonight because they spent most of the day at Carnoustie, playing golf or not. Forfar has been a tough venue for us this season and perhaps that is part of the thought process (though one wonders if Carnoustie was on the itinerary for the previous matches) and, of course, if we win and better still if we win handsomely then it will be said that the preparation was spot on; but if we were to draw or lose then I think questions will rightly be asked.
  23. BrahimHemdani
    I'm not sure that's entirely correct, the Head of Business, Jacquie Gourlay lost her highly paid job (not sure about the exact timing in relation to the administration) and so far as I know was not replaced. Currently the Ticket Centre are recruiting for 6 staff albeit on zero hours contracts. Whilst I am sure that most of us would take the view that zero hours contracts are shameful, perhaps we should think about employing some of the peripheral players on that basis?
  24. BrahimHemdani
    I don't know anything about Twitter but I do get a lot of unsolicited emails from Russia, perhaps some of Graham's followers send me them. Can you identify if the fakes are male or female fakes?
  25. BrahimHemdani
    Whilst I would wish Barry all the best, it's hard to see him making this step up.
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