Forget Players, It's Off the Field We Need Addressing First

Fawaz

 

 

Two things appeared on the Twitter feed today, or were mentioned elsewhere, two things which illustrate one need. Possibly.

I say possibly because today's first event is unknown as to what it may be. We appeared on a list of Winding Up orders. Again. Although I haven't mentioned this before it’s happened on a few occasions, and although it sounds catastrophic, the truth is actually quite different.

Basically if we haven't paid a bill to another company they can issue a winding up order. It doesn't mean were a bankrupt, it just means we don't pay bills on time. Which may well be how Fawaz operates, it might even be as some suggest a Kuwaiti thing, I don't know and that sounds almost slightly racist anyway.

But someone needs to be there day to day making sure bills are paid on time and effectively. This just puts in a bad light, even if it's rather trivial. And at the end of the day is it trivial? That’s still a supplier or company we use for something taking extreme measures to get paid. Now I have worked for companies before who have had similar things happen, either confusion in the accounts department, not getting the cash flow freed up in time, whatever. But it's still a cause for embarrassment and with something as high profile and as public as a football club, it merely creates unnecessary consternation.

With an effective Chief Executive Officer (CEO to you and me) this wouldn't happen. Their job would be making sure everything runs smoothly. Bills get paid, contracts negotiated etc. Because it's not just players he'd speak too but the day to day operations too. Someone needs to be there to sign those cheques, or rather in this day and age, merely give permission for the transfer.

I say two things. Rob Dorsett, with probably much glee, has reported that Forest are late paying wages. But that they will be paid tomorrow, as todays a bank holiday in Kuwait. Firstly this shouldn't really be getting reported, mainly because it's not news. The players are still being paid. So why doesn’t it matter if a day late (if you’re the player then maybe, anyone who's been paid late knows other payments may rely on that wage coming in) but the general public need not know. It's just not necessary. But Forest being Forest, and Dorsett having his dislike of our new regime he feels the need to tweet it. It's not even news on the site, just a tweeted aside. But also it shouldn't be happening.

But having done five minutes research, more than some on evidence, this bank holiday was only announced late on (2 weeks ago), and that the end of last weekend was a bank holiday in lieu, which sounds nice. This would delay transfer of monies.

It’s a snipe. And it gives other teams fans scope to laugh. But also think about if you’re a prospective player and you hear about late payments. It could perhaps make that difference in deciding between one club and another.

You’d have thought the funds from Kuwait would come over in advance for paying wages, and not rely on the day transfer from Kuwait. Especially knowing there's a bank holiday coming. Something a CEO would make sure of.

The appointment was due to be made in June, and hopefully it will be sorted soon. Fawaz needs that someone to take the day to day stuff off him, and run the club as an effective sports administrator would.

Then there's a whole host of other stuff that needs sorting off the field. But that’s another article for another day.

The basic message today is don't panic about these financial things fans. It's just glitches, but glitches that do create ripples. The right CEO would stop all this.