Owls Steering Group 26/11/17

George Hirst. Hirst was discussed very, very little. Only real comment was that his agent is Doyen Global, not Doyen Sports.

 

They’re two completely separate companies.

 

Looks pretty murky to me. Doyen Global has Nelio Lucas registered as a director from March 2013 to February of this year. Wikepedia still suggests he directs the company.

He's totally intertwined with Doyen Sports. And he's some character.

https://theblacksea.eu/index.php?idT=88&idC=88&idRec=1277&recType=story

Looks pretty murky to me. Doyen Global has Nelio Lucas registered as a director from March 2013 to February of this year. Wikepedia still suggests he directs the company.

 

He's totally intertwined with Doyen Sports. And he's some character.

 

https://theblacksea.eu/index.php?idT=88&idC=88&idRec=1277&recType=story

Yep, same parent company.

Thanks Top,

very extensive notes!

Have a read, I'm off on holiday - Adios.

 

Sheffield Wednesday hosted their second Supporters Steering Group meeting of the season on Wednesday evening and, as expected, a host of topics were up for discussion.

 

Sitting alongside Owls chairman Dejphon Chansiri was Richard Stanford, the club’s Safety Officer, Ticket Office manager Alistair Wilson, CEO Joe Palmer and Trevor Braithwait, the Owls’ Director of Communications.

 

As expected, the most heated topics was the 2017/18 kit, the future of head coach Carlos Carvalhal, the team’s progression so far this season and recruitment.

 

Here is a full breakdown of what was discussed in the meeting which lasted almost four-and-a-half hours at Hillsborough…

 

Carlos Carvalhal. Chansiri confirmed that he is still behind Carvalhal 100 per cent. He refused to go in detail about the Portuguese chief’s contract.

 

Speaking about Carvalhal, Chansiri said: “I still support Carlos 100 per cent. I trust him.”

 

2017/18 Kit. As you all know, the new home strip is now on sale and record figures were sold on Wednesday. Chansiri accepts this year was a delay but it won’t happen again. Palmer described this year as “teething problems.” A first batch of the home strip arrived in September but there wasn’t enough to put on sale.

 

Next season will see the shirts made by a different manufacturer and the club hope they will be the best quality that they’ve ever had for the Owls.

 

At this moment in time, some away kits have arrived. Like the home shirt situation, there aren’t enough to put on sale.

 

The club aim to launch the third kit around the time that Wednesday face Aston Villa at Villa Park, a game that will see the team wear the third strip, designed by an Owls fan, for the very first time.

 

Finally, on the kit situation, Chansiri defended the decision to ditch Sondico and move in-house, claiming it made sense as the club now gets all the profits from shirt sales.

 

Recruitment. As anticipated, recruitment was a topic heavily discussed. Chansiri accepted that some transfers have worked out well and others haven’t. He confirmed that Doyen Sports is an advisor of his but don’t chose the targets.

 

On those transfers that haven’t worked out as hoped, Chansiri explained: “We bring some players to cover, not to be a first team starter.”

 

Also on transfers, Chansiri said that it’s not easy to land the targets that Carvalhal wanted because the teams that have come down from the Premier League have the parachute payments and have an advantage. Says Wednesday have often been landed with second and third choice targets.

 

Moaning and social media. It’s very clear that Chansiri knows the sort of topics and slating’s the team and individuals get. That he is annoyed about. He states abusing Carvalhal and his players will just make them worse. He stressed that they’re only human.

 

Chansiri joked that maybe one of the fans ought to take over from Carvalhal if they claim to be so good! He also praised Carvalhal for his comments in press conferences about trying to remain positive. Chansiri said why would he criticise his players? It’s common sense to remain positive in this environment.

 

Chansiri also asked if anyone wants to moan about anything to do with the club, go to him. He made it clear he doesn’t want people approaching his family, Carvalhal or the team.

 

The overall summary of this section based on Chansiri’s views on Wednesday evening can be summed up in one word: ‘support.’

 

Promotion prospects. Chansiri accepts that the 2015/16 campaign, which saw the Owls get to Wembley was a free hit. Wednesday were underdogs.

 

Since then, Chansiri claims, other teams fear Wednesday more so when they come to Hillsborough they do sit back.

 

The ground and SAG. The current capacity of Hillsborough is 32,234.

 

The club have this week signed off a deal to allow flagpoles behind the Kop goal. The white seats at the very end of the North Stand next to the North-West corner will soon come back into operation.

 

The club would like to paint the roof of the West Stand but it would cost the best part of £50,000 – £60,000 for that to happen – and that would cover just the cost for scaffolding. It wouldn’t be an easy job as the roof isn’t flat.

 

The advertising boards were too bright against Brentford and the club accept that the brightness should have been turned down. They won’t be that bright at night fixtures again.

 

The 150th Anniversary celebrations. Someone on the committee suggested Owls in the Park ought to be covered over two days – Saturday and Sunday. That request was quickly brushed aside, with Mr Braithwait saying: “It would be too problematic.” It’s the biggest football fun day in the UK.

 

As discussed at the previous meeting, no prestigious friendly took place. Wednesday made contact with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus. All three could have only come once the Championship season had got underway.

 

The club say they did try everything but it just wasn’t doable. Chansiri confirmed that tickets for that game would have been £30.

 

As for the cake ball, Chansiri joked he’d have liked to have seen it more round! He claimed that decision was made because it was a chance to put the Owls in the record books at a cheap price.

 

Also, the open training session on the morning of Owls in the Park was a big success and they may consider it again at a different stage in the season.

 

Community programme. The Community Programme is expanding and they hope to launch their own website, separate to swfc.co.uk very soon.

 

They’re building a strong relationship with both Sheffield Universities.

 

George Hirst. Hirst was discussed very, very little. Only real comment was that his agent is Doyen Global, not Doyen Sports.

 

They’re two completely separate companies.

 

Tickets and crowd trouble. Mr Wilson confirmed that 21,000 season tickets have been purchased for this term.

 

Barnsley have so far sold 1,600 tickets for Saturday’s Yorkshire derby clash at Hillsborough.

 

Derbyshire Police will be making arrests following the trouble at Pride Park during the Owls’ 2-0 reverse to the Rams last weekend.

 

Following that trouble, Wednesday will step up security at home games, sending in covert teams to keep an eye on things. Mr Stanford asked for anyone who sees and wrongdoing or severe foul language to text the number on a match-day that is provided in the match-day programme with a seat number and gangway so that the control room can immediately get cameras on the person in question.

 

Club 1867. Very, very little Club 1867 memberships have been sold. It hasn’t worked out how Chansiri had hoped.

 

That topic was very short lived.

 

Catering. Pizza, chicken and pasty kiosks have now been put in place in the South Stand.

 

The club hope to have curry on offer to supporters housed in the North Stand very soon.

 

A rallying cry for support. Finally, Chansiri’s overall vision of the meeting was to get the support back together. He’s urging every supporter to stick by the team and help them get better.

 

Speaking about everyone associated with the club, Chansiri said: “We all work very hard. We try our very best.”

Excellent report, thanks for the insight