The Marinakis Manifesto

[Username]

What happens, if we are still in this division, when we have no saleable youth players to fund the losses?

Whilst Gary Brazil is at the helm I have every confidence that this won’t happen.  ;)

No cast iron guarantees though mate. 

Unfortunately not one person is able to answer this but fundamentally we are run on this very premise

The well is definitely not drying up.

There are a number of very highly regarded young players coming through the age groups.

The next 3/4 yrs should take care of themselves in that respect.

Ooh goody, think of all the ageing crap we can sign when we sell them!

Whilst you are saying this in jest I can't help but think it true

[Widdow]

Well a reminder

In 2017, Marinakis spelt out his vision for Nottingham Forest in his first Forest interview with BBC correspondent Richard Conway,

Marinakis told the BBC "We have a long-term plan and within this long-term plan we want to bring Nottingham to where it belongs. And of course Nottingham belongs in the Premier League. And Nottingham belongs to the elite of the Premier League," he says.
"Furthermore the supporters of Nottingham have been tired all these years, they didn't have such good times. But they remained loyal and for us that's very important.
"The potential is huge. The potential of this team is that when it will be very well organised, when it will achieve victories again, when it will have a better position in the Championship, when it will have a better position and we can look seriously at the Premier League, then we will be there to stay."

The Marinakis manifesto was


1. Return "stability" to a club with "huge potential" which "belongs to the elite of the Premier League"
2. Not make rash pledges, saying: "I never give promises - I deliver"
3. Back Mark Warburton and says he will work within EFL financial rules to support him in the transfer market
4. Formulate a 'fans advisory body' and 'youth council' with a representative attending board meetings
5. Reduce ticket prices to reward fan loyalty
6. Improve the City Ground
Well after 4 years, how has he done?

[Tricky]

Well a reminder

In 2017, Marinakis spelt out his vision for Nottingham Forest in his first Forest interview with BBC correspondent Richard Conway,

Marinakis told the BBC "We have a long-term plan and within this long-term plan we want to bring Nottingham to where it belongs. And of course Nottingham belongs in the Premier League. And Nottingham belongs to the elite of the Premier League," he says.
"Furthermore the supporters of Nottingham have been tired all these years, they didn't have such good times. But they remained loyal and for us that's very important.
"The potential is huge. The potential of this team is that when it will be very well organised, when it will achieve victories again, when it will have a better position in the Championship, when it will have a better position and we can look seriously at the Premier League, then we will be there to stay."

The Marinakis manifesto was


1. Return "stability" to a club with "huge potential" which "belongs to the elite of the Premier League"
2. Not make rash pledges, saying: "I never give promises - I deliver"
3. Back Mark Warburton and says he will work within EFL financial rules to support him in the transfer market
4. Formulate a 'fans advisory body' and 'youth council' with a representative attending board meetings
5. Reduce ticket prices to reward fan loyalty
6. Improve the City Ground
Well after 4 years, how has he done?

1. Gone backwards - now languishing at the foot of the table with the worst start to a season in 108 years.
2. Some things have been delivered - backroom stability seems to be a plus and no court appearances due to none payment of bills etc. Cat 1 Academy status. Others haven't - Back in the Premier League, Fans loyalty seems to have been forgotten about.
3. We all know how long that lasted!
4. Fans Trust has been established but they never report back to the entire fanbase and seems more like an exclusive club to the selected few. The Trust come across as pandering to the clubs instructions rather than holding it to account on the fans behalf. Youth Council? No idea about that one.
5. Ticket prices and Season cards did come down in price initially, and are still cheaper than under Fawaz (I think!)
6. In the early days the ground did get a good lick of paint on the outside of the stadium and there are of course the plans for a new Main Stand as well as improvements to the BC and TE stands (although it has gone very quiet in respect of the redevelopments). Photos now showing very dirty and unhygienic terracing and seats.

After 4 years, I think it is far to say that we have seen some improvements, but in other areas we have gone decidedly backwards, particularly in relation to communication with the fans. I think it is unfair to say EM has not done his best for the club. He has dipped his hand into his pocket every year to help keep us out of any embargoes. I do feel he has been let down by those he has put in place to oversee his vision and sadly on at least one or more occasion, this has resulted in the manager leaving the club (whether jumped or pushed!). 

In fairness, I honestly think we NEED EM still. I cannot see any new owner, irrespective of nationality, giving the club as much financial support that Mr Marinakis has done over the last 4 years. But! I also think we need to sort the club out properly.

I feel the club has gone from one strategy to another year on year and have not cleared out the mess from the previous years strategies, which has now left a massive tangle of bits of one strategy tangled up with bits of another. This I feel is down to those previously in charge of the day to day running of the club resisting any attempts to any wholesale changes to the way the club operate. Managers have been told one thing, only to then find out that it doesnt work that way at Forest. This is why I feel Dane Murphy has been brought into the club. To sort out and untangle the mess created by previous incumbents at the top table and to bring in a more modern and forward thinking approach. One of the things obstructing his mission though is Chris Hughtons reluctance to change anything. He persists in using the same players more or less all of the time, unless injury or suspension prevents him from doing so and he is way too defensively minded, which is why our football is so dour and uninteresting. He just cannot grasp the concept of using his substitutes to either change formations, if things aren't going well or to inject fresh legs onto the pitch, particularly those with pace going up against tiring defences.

We have to give Dane the benefit of the doubt and time in order for him to get his ideas implemented. He has said it will take 3 transfer windows in order to achieve his plans. I can't say the same for Hughton though. He has had almost a full year now at the club and his game plan hasnt changed at all. I am all for allowing him the grace of a few more games to see if the new additions will help things recover, but if not, then the inevitable must happen. If EM is wanting to sell the club or if he wants the club to go forwards with his initial vision, then he needs the team to turn around its fortunes on the pitch. He would want the club to be in an healthier league position to the one we are currently at in order to attract serious investors and to get the top price he can get for the club. He wont get that if we are bottom of the league and points adrift of safety. Obviously, if he wants his vision to become reality, then we need to be getting results and moving up the table in a steady progression and not falling backwards by doing things we have been doing wrong. If CH is not getting the results, then whether EM wants to go or stay, he will have no option but to pull the trigger!

[Strawberry Avenger]

Well a reminder

In 2017, Marinakis spelt out his vision for Nottingham Forest in his first Forest interview with BBC correspondent Richard Conway,

Marinakis told the BBC "We have a long-term plan and within this long-term plan we want to bring Nottingham to where it belongs. And of course Nottingham belongs in the Premier League. And Nottingham belongs to the elite of the Premier League," he says.
"Furthermore the supporters of Nottingham have been tired all these years, they didn't have such good times. But they remained loyal and for us that's very important.
"The potential is huge. The potential of this team is that when it will be very well organised, when it will achieve victories again, when it will have a better position in the Championship, when it will have a better position and we can look seriously at the Premier League, then we will be there to stay."

The Marinakis manifesto was


1. Return "stability" to a club with "huge potential" which "belongs to the elite of the Premier League"
2. Not make rash pledges, saying: "I never give promises - I deliver"
3. Back Mark Warburton and says he will work within EFL financial rules to support him in the transfer market
4. Formulate a 'fans advisory body' and 'youth council' with a representative attending board meetings
5. Reduce ticket prices to reward fan loyalty
6. Improve the City Ground
Well after 4 years, how has he done?

1.  Pretty stable in finances.  *(The latest round of cost cutting from mediocre performers and next Summer to cut even more millions from players who aren't going to get us there.  It leaves the groundwork clear for better 'data players' going forwards. Fresh legs. Young. Energy. Quality. Re-saleable assets. Building. Progressive multi-window strategy (what I thought we were doing with Warburton.)
2. He didn't promise anything.  (They're still working towards the long term plan.  See.  Cat 1 and Planning for the Taylor Stand.)
3. Warburton.  (Not backing him was his 1st mistake.  *See where Warburton is now with QPR playing some 'Forest Way' stuff.)
4. ...perhaps those fans can get down and watch the Academy which is now Cat 1.
5. The Ground was Rocking and Full before recent events over took him and Forest.
6. Taylor Stand.  Planning permission pending approval. He's spent £2millon on that.

After 4 years.  About what you'd expect.  A couple of skirting seasons with the play offs and a tail spin following petulance.

His big mistake was sacking a progressive manager and employing 4 attritional ones.  Sacking managers and rinsing previous squads never works.  (Well.  It hasn't for Forest.  Because they have attrocious timing and no patience.  Aitor, MoN and Hughton were all employed well after things were had gotten started in each season.  Instead of making a clean breast of it in the close season.  Each time producing a real slide in the football or league position as the new managers 'figure it out.'  Though, MoN did better with the hand over than Aitor did.

The vision of how to get there in practice was weak, culturally myopic and lacked conviction.

SA.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

In 2017, Marinakis spelt out his vision for Nottingham Forest in his first Forest interview with BBC correspondent Richard Conway, 

Marinakis told the BBC "We have a long-term plan and within this long-term plan we want to bring Nottingham to where it belongs. And of course Nottingham belongs in the Premier League. And Nottingham belongs to the elite of the Premier League," he says.
"Furthermore the supporters of Nottingham have been tired all these years, they didn't have such good times. But they remained loyal and for us that's very important.
"The potential is huge. The potential of this team is that when it will be very well organised, when it will achieve victories again, when it will have a better position in the Championship, when it will have a better position and we can look seriously at the Premier League, then we will be there to stay."

The Marinakis manifesto was

1. Return "stability" to a club with "huge potential" which "belongs to the elite of the Premier League"
   
2. Not make rash pledges, saying: "I never give promises - I deliver"
   
3. Back Mark Warburton and says he will work within EFL financial rules to support him in the transfer market
   
4. Formulate a 'fans advisory body' and 'youth council' with a representative attending board meetings
   
5. Reduce ticket prices to reward fan loyalty
   
6. Improve the City Ground
   
   

Well after 3 years, how has he done?
 

Very well I would say, I am delighted with the whole club at the moment from top to bottom. The whole club seems a great place to be at right now.

It would be nice if one or two who don't post on here now that things are gong well acknowledged it. Be nice if we heard something from Dan Taylor too on just how good things are at the minute and what a great job EM and Dourekas have done in all departments of the club to put the club on the path that it is on today.

[audiosmee]

I think what has to be acknowledged is that he got it wrong... but was big enough to show enough humility to change his tack. That must be a big pull on the ego of someone so successful.

I love being a Forest fan at the moment- even my son, who isn't interested in football, when he sees me watching football asks, 'Watching Forest Dad? YOU REDS!'

[Tricky]

In 2017, Marinakis spelt out his vision for Nottingham Forest in his first Forest interview with BBC correspondent Richard Conway, 

Marinakis told the BBC "We have a long-term plan and within this long-term plan we want to bring Nottingham to where it belongs. And of course Nottingham belongs in the Premier League. And Nottingham belongs to the elite of the Premier League," he says.
"Furthermore the supporters of Nottingham have been tired all these years, they didn't have such good times. But they remained loyal and for us that's very important.
"The potential is huge. The potential of this team is that when it will be very well organised, when it will achieve victories again, when it will have a better position in the Championship, when it will have a better position and we can look seriously at the Premier League, then we will be there to stay."

The Marinakis manifesto was

1. Return "stability" to a club with "huge potential" which "belongs to the elite of the Premier League"
   
2. Not make rash pledges, saying: "I never give promises - I deliver"
   
3. Back Mark Warburton and says he will work within EFL financial rules to support him in the transfer market
   
4. Formulate a 'fans advisory body' and 'youth council' with a representative attending board meetings
   
5. Reduce ticket prices to reward fan loyalty
   
6. Improve the City Ground
   
   

Well after 3 years, how has he done?
 

Very well I would say, I am delighted with the whole club at the moment from top to bottom. The whole club seems a great place to be at right now.

It would be nice if one or two who don't post on here now that things are gong well acknowledged it. Be nice if we heard something from Dan Taylor too on just how good things are at the minute and what a great job EM and Dourekas have done in all departments of the club to put the club on the path that it is on today.

As one of those who felt inclined to agree that Dan Taylor was right to criticise the club and set up when he did, I too would like to see what his views are now the club has turned the corner, from the back room to the pitch and seem to be making great progress under Dane Murphy and Dourekas. I also think EM did what many other owners would not have done and actually listened to what was being said and looked at what was happening and how and why it was being allowed to continue to do so and took the best corrective course of action he could. EM deserves to be rightly praised for doing that and Dan Taylor, if he is the true Forest fan he says he is, in the privileged position he finds himself in, should hold his hands up and say 'that was a job well done'.

[Marinakis Red]

In 2017, Marinakis spelt out his vision for Nottingham Forest in his first Forest interview with BBC correspondent Richard Conway, 

Marinakis told the BBC "We have a long-term plan and within this long-term plan we want to bring Nottingham to where it belongs. And of course Nottingham belongs in the Premier League. And Nottingham belongs to the elite of the Premier League," he says.
"Furthermore the supporters of Nottingham have been tired all these years, they didn't have such good times. But they remained loyal and for us that's very important.
"The potential is huge. The potential of this team is that when it will be very well organised, when it will achieve victories again, when it will have a better position in the Championship, when it will have a better position and we can look seriously at the Premier League, then we will be there to stay."

The Marinakis manifesto was

1. Return "stability" to a club with "huge potential" which "belongs to the elite of the Premier League"
   
2. Not make rash pledges, saying: "I never give promises - I deliver"
   
3. Back Mark Warburton and says he will work within EFL financial rules to support him in the transfer market
   
4. Formulate a 'fans advisory body' and 'youth council' with a representative attending board meetings
   
5. Reduce ticket prices to reward fan loyalty
   
6. Improve the City Ground
   
   

Well after 3 years, how has he done?
 

Very well I would say, I am delighted with the whole club at the moment from top to bottom. The whole club seems a great place to be at right now.

It would be nice if one or two who don't post on here now that things are gong well acknowledged it. Be nice if we heard something from Dan Taylor too on just how good things are at the minute and what a great job EM and Dourekas have done in all departments of the club to put the club on the path that it is on today.

As one of those who felt inclined to agree that Dan Taylor was right to criticise the club and set up when he did, I too would like to see what his views are now the club has turned the corner, from the back room to the pitch and seem to be making great progress under Dane Murphy and Dourekas. I also think EM did what many other owners would not have done and actually listened to what was being said and looked at what was happening and how and why it was being allowed to continue to do so and took the best corrective course of action he could. EM deserves to be rightly praised for doing that and Dan Taylor, if he is the true Forest fan he says he is, in the privileged position he finds himself in, should hold his hands up and say 'that was a job well done'.

This +1.

[Paplane]

Ive got no time for Dan Taylor so I couldnt care less what he writes now. When he unleashed his criticisms the club had already changed its approach and moved away from the model he was criticising. And stuff like the club had dropped the Doughty name from the academy was pure nonsense. All his voice did was escalate tensions.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Ive got no time for Dan Taylor so I couldnt care less what he writes now. When he unleashed his criticisms the club had already changed its approach and moved away from the model he was criticising. And stuff like the club had dropped the Doughty name from the academy was pure nonsense. All his voice did was escalate tensions.

Glad people are seeing it now.

How is Cat 1 Academy going Dan? The one you said we will never have under EM.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Jeez move on people, what does it matter what Taylor did or didnt say.

EM undoubtedly made mistakes in the first few years which hurt both his wallet and his pride.

There has been a change of direction and a quite astonishing turn around in the last few months, for the first time in years I support a club I am proud of at every level. Thanks to our owner for his backing when it could have been simpler for him to walk away. That is all.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Ha ha we have to move on now because he's been tripped up and we are doing brilliantly. Well I won't move on and if you remember I even took it to him on twitter not long ago but after a couple of exchanges he bottled it.

I will move on when he puts his hand up and he starts giving some credit to EM, Milto and Dourekas, even Vretzos for sorting out the absolute dog shit pile of finances that he inherited from the previous owners.