Stockwood - Guardian - 13.08.22

The culture which JS is starting to install here will not get us 3 points at BP, BUT when it comes to recruitment and a player has a choice between Town and elsewhere ( assuming similar wages, or slightly less) then the culture will come into it. Players like to be looked after and will talk to others to find out about the way Town will look after them.

Footballers aren't that different to the rest of us especially in the lower leagues. Salary will be an important factor but it isn't everything. Who doesn't want to work somewhere that treats them well, with decent managers who want to help them develop and show them respect?

Quoted from DB

The culture which JS is starting to install here will not get us 3 points at BP, BUT when it comes to recruitment and a player has a choice between Town and elsewhere ( assuming similar wages, or slightly less) then the culture will come into it. Players like to be looked after and will talk to others to find out about the way Town will look after them.

It’s very aspirational but, put yourself in the shoes of a young player (most of them are!) and tell me that, in your short career, a club’s culture is more important than the pay package and the location.

It’s great that we have a chairman that has changed the club so radically and at such speed but these players are still on relatively low salaries compared to the phone number wages of those higher up the ladder.

One could argue that the culture does help you get three points. People misjudge footballers as simply taking the best deal for them financially when in truth, as proven this summer at town, that isn’t always the case.

If a club has a culture that nurtures talent, suppers players and takes in to account wellbeing and so forth, they will recruit better staff, not just players but coaches, back room staff and the likes. In turn, that will harvest better results. Word gets around and the recruitment improves.

His points about agents are valid and whilst there are agents that are no doubt in it for themselves, plenty simply want the best deal for their client and having spoken to a few over the years, they have spoken about the culture of a club, the manager, the set up etc.

I think we often associate agents being money grabbing whores because we hear those stories of agents representing the likes of Pogba etc who are constantly pushing for a move for their client, especially when they receive say 10% of a fee but at our level it isn’t always likes that.

The game is evolving and whilst we know most about our own club, there are others that have achieved what we’re aiming for; Lincoln, Luton, FGR are three I can think of and I suspect there are more. At the top level, having watched the arsenal documentary, they could be added to that list and it will grow. The game is changing. Things take time, but it is changing, and in many aspects, changing for the better.

I’m not gonna lie though, I’ve personally never understood why anyone needs an agent, financial advisor perhaps, especially with the money involved for some but the lower down the leagues it just seems like they’re wasting their money.

I don't think we're claiming salary isn't important are we? But that culture and how you treat people is as well. I'd also argue that you see the culture that's being created with the late goals and comebacks. It's a two way street as well in terms of signing players who fit in with the club.

Thought the Hurst interview was interesting yesterday when he mentioned that when we got relegated and Waterfall was in appalling form that he thought he struggled with the attitudes of a lot of other players in that squad. Remember Morris and Payne at Bradford?

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

I don't think we're claiming salary isn't important are we? But that culture and how you treat people is as well. I'd also argue that you see the culture that's being created with the late goals and comebacks. It's a two way street as well in terms of signing players who fit in with the club.

Thought the Hurst interview was interesting yesterday when he mentioned that when we got relegated and Waterfall was in appalling form that he thought he struggled with the attitudes of a lot of other players in that squad. Remember Morris and Payne at Bradford?

I’d agree with this, I get the impression that Waterfall is a hugely influential professional, is self critical and can support and encourage others. His confidence was shot to pieces by Holloway, or certainly after the most unprofessional spell with the most unprofessional players in ten years.

I suspect that’s why Hurst kept him on, he knew deep down there was still a player in there. It’s also my understanding that Waterfall was happy to stick his neck out last season when certain players weren’t pulling their weight and called them out and went to see the gaffer.

Like I said, as fans we seemingly obsess over the best financial deal but actually, like any of us, the environment and culture play a big part. I had a great job and great salary but the organisation was awful, my line manager was one short of being a bully and expectations were unrealistic…I left, plenty have done the same in other jobs. Footballers are no different.

Allegiance to one side, if you had to choose between GTFC no and GTFC under Fenty, I know which I’d rather play for…

Quoted from aldi_01

I’d agree with this, I get the impression that Waterfall is a hugely influential professional, is self critical and can support and encourage others. His confidence was shot to pieces by Holloway, or certainly after the most unprofessional spell with the most unprofessional players in ten years.

I suspect that’s why Hurst kept him on, he knew deep down there was still a player in there. It’s also my understanding that Waterfall was happy to stick his neck out last season when certain players weren’t pulling their weight and called them out and went to see the gaffer.

Like I said, as fans we seemingly obsess over the best financial deal but actually, like any of us, the environment and culture play a big part. I had a great job and great salary but the organisation was awful, my line manager was one short of being a bully and expectations were unrealistic…I left, plenty have done the same in other jobs. Footballers are no different.

Allegiance to one side, if you had to choose between GTFC no and GTFC under Fenty, I know which I’d rather play for…

Waterfall was told he was free to find another club when we got relegated as Hurst couldn't guarantee him games. He came on as a 90th minute sub against Weymouth first game of the season, started the next one due to someone being injured and hasn't looked back since.

Hurst mentioned this in the interview. Told him he was free to talk to other clubs at the end of the season and he then returned to pre-season in unbelievable physical shape and worked harder than anyone else.

Football is a short career. Most players are finished with the professional game well before they hit 30. Look at Adam Crookes and Scott Burgess. Both around 24 aren’t they? And now at the very last rung of the professional ladder at York City. Another step down and they’re playing semi-pro.

League 2 players can’t make themselves comfortably off for life by being clever with their money like top end League 1 and the average Championship players can. If any of us was in their position we’d be trying to extract every single penny out of a short career before the game spits you out again 30-40 years before retirement age.

Stockwood and GTFC are coming at it from thinking available players should be desperate to sign for a club at a decent wage.

Those players and agents are coming at it from the angle of “numerous clubs will have a terrible start to the season and will panic and offer a better and possibly longer deal to improve their faltering squads in a couple of weeks when the window is shutting”.

Quoted from Rodley Mariner

Hurst mentioned this in the interview. Told him he was free to talk to other clubs at the end of the season and he then returned to pre-season in unbelievable physical shape and worked harder than anyone else.

You’re made of pretty strong stuff to do what Luke Waterfall has done in the last twelve months. Compare that to many players, several who’ve been with us, that have just accepted their fate and gravitated to the next level down.