Alf
Well-known member
Seems to me it all comes down to this question.
- (1) If he had said goodbye at the time, we would have been disappointed but many more of us would have been OK with him leaving.
- (2) If he didn’t make a statement simply because he didn’t care that much, I think we’d all agree that’s a big kick in the balls for us and makes his appointment now very questionable.
- (3) If he didn’t make a statement because he was told not to by some circles, or contractually prevented from doing so, and that much could be proven as fact, I think we’d all agree it’s not his fault and furthermore welcome his return.
Now, obviously (1) has flown the coop. Need to be big boys and accept that nobody can turn back time.
So comes the question, how likely is (2) as a possibility? Well it seems unintuitive. Occam’s Razor would probably point towards this being very unlikely. We had no reason to believe he didn’t care at all, on the contrary he did seem to throw his passion and heart into the job from start to finish. Even assuming that was all fake and an exercise in self aggrandizement, it would still make far more sense for him to make a short and sweet statement to preserve his legacy and save face. In fact, thinking of it, it would seem to me -more- likely that he would make a statement if it had all been fake passion. Why would he not continue to massage his own ego by trying to leave as a savior rather than a Judas?
So, could it have been (3)? I remember at the time a few people claiming to be ITK said that Sadler/BFC asked him not to make a statement. That would probably, on balance, seem most likely to me - otherwise why would Sadler be so keen to have him back and why would Sadler have said such nice things when he left? Unless it was him that knew exactly why Critch had left with radio silence, and him trying to smooth that decision over a little by contributing his own thank you statement? Or did Villa ask him not to make a statement? That one I can’t think of any reason why it would be the case.
I genuinely don’t know the answer any which way. But I do know that if it were a fact that he couldn’t say thank you to us when he left but really really wanted to and was heartbroken about the hand he had been forced into… it would make a huge difference to how I feel about him now. He said in todays interview there were reasons why he couldn’t.
Do you think that’s the truth? Do you think it’s possible/likely? And if so would it make a difference to how you feel about him?
Because if we can unite behind him somehow (I get that it shouldn’t be a given, I understand why so many people have reservations) I think we go up automatically this season. And I think he stays for the full four years at least. And I think we become a stable Championship club.
And that would be lovely, wouldn’t it?
- (1) If he had said goodbye at the time, we would have been disappointed but many more of us would have been OK with him leaving.
- (2) If he didn’t make a statement simply because he didn’t care that much, I think we’d all agree that’s a big kick in the balls for us and makes his appointment now very questionable.
- (3) If he didn’t make a statement because he was told not to by some circles, or contractually prevented from doing so, and that much could be proven as fact, I think we’d all agree it’s not his fault and furthermore welcome his return.
Now, obviously (1) has flown the coop. Need to be big boys and accept that nobody can turn back time.
So comes the question, how likely is (2) as a possibility? Well it seems unintuitive. Occam’s Razor would probably point towards this being very unlikely. We had no reason to believe he didn’t care at all, on the contrary he did seem to throw his passion and heart into the job from start to finish. Even assuming that was all fake and an exercise in self aggrandizement, it would still make far more sense for him to make a short and sweet statement to preserve his legacy and save face. In fact, thinking of it, it would seem to me -more- likely that he would make a statement if it had all been fake passion. Why would he not continue to massage his own ego by trying to leave as a savior rather than a Judas?
So, could it have been (3)? I remember at the time a few people claiming to be ITK said that Sadler/BFC asked him not to make a statement. That would probably, on balance, seem most likely to me - otherwise why would Sadler be so keen to have him back and why would Sadler have said such nice things when he left? Unless it was him that knew exactly why Critch had left with radio silence, and him trying to smooth that decision over a little by contributing his own thank you statement? Or did Villa ask him not to make a statement? That one I can’t think of any reason why it would be the case.
I genuinely don’t know the answer any which way. But I do know that if it were a fact that he couldn’t say thank you to us when he left but really really wanted to and was heartbroken about the hand he had been forced into… it would make a huge difference to how I feel about him now. He said in todays interview there were reasons why he couldn’t.
Do you think that’s the truth? Do you think it’s possible/likely? And if so would it make a difference to how you feel about him?
Because if we can unite behind him somehow (I get that it shouldn’t be a given, I understand why so many people have reservations) I think we go up automatically this season. And I think he stays for the full four years at least. And I think we become a stable Championship club.
And that would be lovely, wouldn’t it?
