In the first of a three part exclusive interview with BWW, Wonderboys chairman why Billy Whizz is under no pressure, despite a disasterous start to the season
After 15 games of the new season, we sit bottom of the pile, having failed to pick up a single point in any of those matches. We have conceded over 100 goals, and scored just 5. Our newly created B team aren't faring equally bad, as they sit bottom of their league with nil pois. Yet I still believe Billy Whizz is the best man to lead our club forward.
Over the past couple of seasons, we had been making remarkable progress, in a steady ascent up the leagues, and it took all of the club's efforts to stay in Division 4 last season at the first attempt. Why, therefore, are we throwing away all the hard work we put in? The answer is simple; the decision to do so is not.
We are looking at the long term. In 5 seasons time, I along with everyone else at the club, believe we will be in a better place than we would have been if we had continued along our road of short term success. We're taking one, or maybe even two steps backwards, to take several forwards. Our long term goal has never changed - we want to see the Wonderboys in as high a league as possible, preferably the Premier League.
We are buying young, hungry players for cheap prices, helping them progress with our excellent training facilities, and then selling them on, for a much higher price. We are 'profiteering'. Many clubs are doing it, and it's what Kit Kat did, to a certain extent, to get to where he is now. Daytrading has long been a strategy in TM, and we are taking it to another level.
I believe that we would have run into severe financial difficulties if we had carried on buying 30 something players to enable us to be successful in the short term. Yes, we may have been able to consolidate our Division 4 status once more, but how would we progress to Division 3? Or Division 2? We had no readily available way to raise the funds necessary for such a charge, both in the short and long term. What happens when our 30 something players retire, or lose a significant percentage of their transfer value because of their age? We will be left with a team of 30 somethings, who may be successful, but are worth nothing. Very quickly success evaporates, and we are left with no team, and no funds. In our current situation, we have both - in fact, we have two teams!
We have around 50 players on our books at the minute, and indeed, both Billy and myself would like that to be more. Our scouting network has expanded rapidly, as we scour the transfer market for hidden talents. Billy is working flat out, as at the minute, he is managing both teams, and our transfer strategy, and put truthfully, I'm not sure he can have done anything more.
This season was always going to be difficult. Having decided upon this strategy, relegation was inevitable. While I didn't expect it to be this difficult, relegation is relegation, and we'll be a in a better situation next season. And an even better situation in 2 seasons time. I'm loathe to put a time scale on things. It depends on how the game develops, and how our transfer market plans work out. A large amount of luck is needed also, as ever, in this case in transfer funds we receive. Co-incidentally, the multi team aspect may help us, but there's more on that in another write-up.
For the minute, we will continue to aid the development of our players, by looking at ways in which we can increase the quality of training available. We are currently expanding our training ground, and we will decide whether to expand even further when the current development has finished. Our coaching staff are being overworked, so again, further recruitment in that area is something we are considering. We will also look to bring more players into the club, because we hope every player we buy will bring us a profit. The more profit, the more money we will have to spend next season, and the season after.
While at the minute, fans may be angry, and feel let down by the course of action the club has decided to take. I realise this, but urge you to remain patient. We, as a club, promise to be transparent, and ensure supporters are kept fully in the loop about developments here at Shitters Palace. In the short term, things will continue to be tough, and the medium term is uncertain, with so many changes to Trophy Manager. But in the long term, we will be a better club for the work we are putting in now. Everyone I have spoken to in the TM world is encouraging us, and Kit Kat told me that we have chosen a 'very sensible' strategy, and that we 'can't go far wrong'. He's the expert, and I hope you will agree with him and us.
In my next blog, I will write about how the future of Trophy Manager will affect us as a club.
Jack Richardson,
Chairman of Billy Whizz's Wonderboys