Click here for answers 1-8.
Click here for answers 9-20.
21 – In the event of Barnet FC not being in League 2 next season, what impact will that have on the club financially with regards player budgets and academies etc?
I think this was touched on previously, in essence the budget would be smaller but the salary expectation would also be lower. Under new regulations the academy would now have a short term parachute payment so the transition would be easier than it was in previous seasons.
22 – What strategy will you take so that relegation can be avoided?
Put simply, we need better players and everyone needs to work harder. Personally talking from a football perspective, I think the team has to defend together and learn to keep a clean sheet.
23 – Will the South Stand rebuild be taking place this summer? When work commences, will the East Stand (southern end) be converted into terracing and will the roof be extended?
We have yet to secure planning approval so I doubt we will now be ready for construction work this summer but maybe next. We have engineers looking at the best way forward with the East Stand.
24 – Since the start of the transfer window we have only signed one player and haven’t been that active whereas the clubs around us in the table have been highly active in transfers in so what can we expect from Barnet this transfer window in terms of signings? What positions? How many players are we looking to sign?
We need to sign better players than those we have but with players coming back from injury that needs assessing by the coaching staff on a real time basis. Money is available to bring in the right additions.
25 – When Sam Togwell and Tom Champion were allowed to leave what was done to try and bring in replacements? Or was it the case that the management team did not think we need a Togwell/Champion player?
The coaching staff identify what they need and we do our best to sign them. The squad was considered strong enough at the start of the season but we all now know different with hindsight. I was very upset to see Sam Togwell leave in such sudden circumstances and I don’t feel we have properly replaced him.
26 – Do you feel you did enough as chairman to protect Rossi and give him the best chance as manager?
The injuries led to losses which affected the psychology of the team. I still felt Rossi was doing a good job but also that he needed experience to help guide him through so I appointed Mark McGhee. He had just finished with the Scottish National team and I thought his very broad experience would make for a good technical consultant and valuable sounding board for Rossi. However, out of the blue, Rossi stood down citing the behaviour of some of our supporters as a contributory factor so Mark agreed to stand in. Under the circumstances, I’m not sure what I could have done to be more supportive.
27 – Where do you see the club in one year time?
Well let’s hope we are still in the League, I can’t think beyond that right now.
28 – Would you sell the club if a suitable offer came in and has anyone offered to buy the club?
Yes and yes. The trouble is that on detailed analysis, most just want to develop property rather than grow the club and I don’t want nearly twenty five years of hard work to be turned into a housing development!
29 – How do you feel about the imminent demolition of Underhill this week?
I said my goodbyes to Underhill along with 6,000 others when we beat Wycombe. We paid tribute with a beautiful film by Simon Emmet and that closed the chapter for me. My love is for Barnet FC not a site or old stadium.
30 – Is it true you plan to build a 10000 seater stadium?
I’m not a football manager and neither do I pretend to be, but I want to build the biggest and best club I can and will carry on as long as possible. I plan to continue until I can find someone else with the enthusiasm, energy and finances to carry on the relay. I try to look beyond Saturdays result and focus on the overall project.
