09-03-2021, 05:59 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-03-2021, 06:02 PM by exterminator.)
Tornante:-
I asked "Where have they gone Mark" I asked him "why we never hear from them" and I explained the issue is "they are silent and you look like there puppet" The perception is that they have indeed got the club, have buggered off back to USA and left you to deal with the fall out and they have no interest. Majority of fans are calling for a state of the union address.
At this point the tone of the conversation changed, Mark came towards the screen, chest puffed and tone changed. He was visibly poked by that question and his answer was both startling and also I find quite concerning about the mentality of some fans but also our owners.
Basically in a nutshell, it appears Michael and Eric have disappeared because of the abuse on social media. Michael posted a tweet about a friend dying and it was met with "why don't you fuck off and die you coont"
Eric has been receiving abuse and Mark said why would they want to expose themselves to this?
I pointed out that why I am disgusted that people are abusing them this isn't a reason to go into hiding. Its 2021 and sadly there are keyboard warriors who will always abuse people like that. The majority of tweets are asking him questions. Surely they need to put on their big boy pants here. Mark then went onto explain how he has also been targeted by abuse on his Facebook page and he was visibly upset about this, I could tell this was genuine and he was gutted and he didn't say what was said, but it sounded pretty awful, even about his family.
Again I agreed these people are cvnts but they are a small minority and that most of us, even if we post negative comments just want some answers and are not making threats/abuse directly to peoples personal social media accounts.
I said to Mark he needs to put a lid on the tensions now before we cross the point of no return. If Tornante stay silent and we fail to get promotion, they could lose the fans for good, especially as we seem years away from any visible progress on new stadium etc. I recommended they get over here and do a state of the union address face to face with the fans, let see how many keyboard warriors would turn up and call them cvnts then. 99.9% would be in the Victory Lounge asking questions and challenging them yes, but not abusing them. Mark said he would take this onboard and relay to Tornante. He said they believed engaging on the HAB board was the correct way to do things, however, I pointed out to Mark the HAB is like a secret club where 99% of fans don't get to hear anything apart from leaks. Perception again looks like a close knit group where the rest of us are left in the cold.
I then pointed out that there is already talk of protests outside the ground, each day they stay silent is another day another Pompey fan turns against you and Tornante. Mark wasn't aware of this and I think the message got home. JM agreed and said we should do it. Watch this space.
Finally Jackett. This was where the answers were not satisfactory. I asked what was the reason for sticking with Jackett, why not roll the dice? Mark said "the playoffs" that's why. I pointed out KJ has failed at the play offs, why would this be any different. Mark said its a matter of opinion. He then mentioned KJ also has received comments about dying. He also alluded that perhaps KJ situation was more serious then we thought. Im not sure if this factored into their thinking, but I sensed it did. I asked if they felt it was a lack of ambition not to change Manager, Mark said no.
I then asked about the players contracts and based on Saturday they clearly don't want to play for KJ or the club. Mark did not deny there were issues, but then kinda back tracked and said that he had spoken to all the players and they totally understand the situation due to SCMP where the salary cap has gone, wages are now part of turn over and with no or little turn over this year and no forecasts for next its hard to plan. Mark said in his time at Pompey players have come to him and said that a manager has lost the dressing room. Not a single player has said this to him. They are all fully supportive and want to turn this around and that was the reason for sticking by him. I asked if KJ contract does expire this season, he says it does. I said if we fail to get promoted, then he will be gone, correct? Mark laughed and said he cannot answer that question.
I then asked if everything is hunky dory, why are the players playing like they don't give a shit?
I asked "Where have they gone Mark" I asked him "why we never hear from them" and I explained the issue is "they are silent and you look like there puppet" The perception is that they have indeed got the club, have buggered off back to USA and left you to deal with the fall out and they have no interest. Majority of fans are calling for a state of the union address.
At this point the tone of the conversation changed, Mark came towards the screen, chest puffed and tone changed. He was visibly poked by that question and his answer was both startling and also I find quite concerning about the mentality of some fans but also our owners.
Basically in a nutshell, it appears Michael and Eric have disappeared because of the abuse on social media. Michael posted a tweet about a friend dying and it was met with "why don't you fuck off and die you coont"
Eric has been receiving abuse and Mark said why would they want to expose themselves to this?
I pointed out that why I am disgusted that people are abusing them this isn't a reason to go into hiding. Its 2021 and sadly there are keyboard warriors who will always abuse people like that. The majority of tweets are asking him questions. Surely they need to put on their big boy pants here. Mark then went onto explain how he has also been targeted by abuse on his Facebook page and he was visibly upset about this, I could tell this was genuine and he was gutted and he didn't say what was said, but it sounded pretty awful, even about his family.
Again I agreed these people are cvnts but they are a small minority and that most of us, even if we post negative comments just want some answers and are not making threats/abuse directly to peoples personal social media accounts.
I said to Mark he needs to put a lid on the tensions now before we cross the point of no return. If Tornante stay silent and we fail to get promotion, they could lose the fans for good, especially as we seem years away from any visible progress on new stadium etc. I recommended they get over here and do a state of the union address face to face with the fans, let see how many keyboard warriors would turn up and call them cvnts then. 99.9% would be in the Victory Lounge asking questions and challenging them yes, but not abusing them. Mark said he would take this onboard and relay to Tornante. He said they believed engaging on the HAB board was the correct way to do things, however, I pointed out to Mark the HAB is like a secret club where 99% of fans don't get to hear anything apart from leaks. Perception again looks like a close knit group where the rest of us are left in the cold.
I then pointed out that there is already talk of protests outside the ground, each day they stay silent is another day another Pompey fan turns against you and Tornante. Mark wasn't aware of this and I think the message got home. JM agreed and said we should do it. Watch this space.
Finally Jackett. This was where the answers were not satisfactory. I asked what was the reason for sticking with Jackett, why not roll the dice? Mark said "the playoffs" that's why. I pointed out KJ has failed at the play offs, why would this be any different. Mark said its a matter of opinion. He then mentioned KJ also has received comments about dying. He also alluded that perhaps KJ situation was more serious then we thought. Im not sure if this factored into their thinking, but I sensed it did. I asked if they felt it was a lack of ambition not to change Manager, Mark said no.
I then asked about the players contracts and based on Saturday they clearly don't want to play for KJ or the club. Mark did not deny there were issues, but then kinda back tracked and said that he had spoken to all the players and they totally understand the situation due to SCMP where the salary cap has gone, wages are now part of turn over and with no or little turn over this year and no forecasts for next its hard to plan. Mark said in his time at Pompey players have come to him and said that a manager has lost the dressing room. Not a single player has said this to him. They are all fully supportive and want to turn this around and that was the reason for sticking by him. I asked if KJ contract does expire this season, he says it does. I said if we fail to get promoted, then he will be gone, correct? Mark laughed and said he cannot answer that question.
I then asked if everything is hunky dory, why are the players playing like they don't give a shit?