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Xbana Milan - Your thanks to Mandaric


Guest Amberketal

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Agree with most of the comments. He saved us in 2010. Easy to forget how bad our situation was - constant talk of big debts and how much we owed, unpaid taxes, in-fighting etc. Remember going to the MK Dons match in Nov 2010 when we won 4.1 and were on the brink of administration. It was difficult to see how we would get out of it but then he intervened and since then we have progressed each year. Let's hope we are in good hands and can push on. Well done Milan. 

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Done a pretty amazing job really. 

 

We were in such a state when he came in and yet some four years later we are in the top half of the Championship and getting taken over for 30 million. 

 

Thank you Milan.

 

A great chairman, who was nice enough to shake my hand in Sheffield station a few years ago lol

Edited by SiJ
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I am not sure where to start with this, but I guess we should go back to November 2010 when Milan rescued our club in what was a very dark and worrying time for our great club. Shortly afterwards he said

"I will do everything in my power to restore Sheffield Wednesday to the top table of English football. I know what this club can achieve and it is an honour to be given the chance to take one of the oldest names in the game and work to make it great again."

I am not naïve and nor do I pay much credence to lip-service, but I knew he would do all he could to achieve this. I instantly had trust in him, possibly in part because of his track record but also because I wanted to believe; wanted to dream of what could be.

In my head I formulated a simple plan, built on a slow, steady and sustainable recovery. It wasn't detailed in any particular way, just where I expected the club to be over the next 5 seasons, based on MIlans knowledge and expertise running a football club, the small - in football terms - cash injection he could provide (I was never under the illusion we would be big spenders, as that is not Milans business model) and my own hopes and desires.

While simplistic in my head, the plan would not be easy to achieve in reality. Once promoted to the Championship, I thought we should be looking for a return to the PL in 5 years.

  • Year 1: Survival. Tick.
  • Year 2: Consolidate/mid table finish. Tick
  • Year 3 (now): Top 10, pushing for top 6. So far, so good.
  • Year 4: Top 6, pushing automatic promotion.
  • Year 5: Automatic promotion/promotion via play-offs.
Sounds simple I suppose, but I knew it wouldn't be, yet Milan has achieved this. Season on season, with have grown stronger, not only from a squad perspective, but throughout the whole club. Scouting, Management, Commercial, Acadamy, training facilities, our name, our stature. The list could go on. All of this while ensuring that we never over-stretched ourselves financially, making the right choices for the short, medium and long term future of our club,

In the 4 years Milan has been in charge, the money filtering in to the Championship has become ridiculous. An £11M tranfer fee, paid by Fulham for Ross McCormack, says it all. It doesn't matter how much money Milan has, he was never going to be able to compete with that, yet we are currently 5 places higher and 4 points better off, than Fulham. Currently above big spending Forest. Ask yourself how this is possible, and the answer is Stuart Gray. The answer to "Stuart Gray", is Milan Mandaric. He believed before we did, and that must tell you something.

"I will do everything in my power to restore Sheffield Wednesday to the top table of English football."

Well you were certainly taking us in the right direction, Milan. Nobody can doubt that. Could you in the next 2.1/2 seasons, accorinding to my simplistic plan, return us to the "top table"? Who knows, but I would like to think we wouldn't be too far off.

Now a new dawn approaches, and you have delivered on your word it seems - "everything in my power". You had the power to sell our club to new investors, who meet your visions for the future of our club. A club who less than 5 years ago were almost on the scrapheap. A club you have slowly but surely changed from the bottom up. You may not get to see us return to the PL while you are custodian, but without you we may not even have a club never mind a dream.

You saved our club. Saved 147 years of history, while showing honesty and integrity and I simply cannot thank you enough. You are possibly one of the most important people in the history of our great club.

Xbana Milan and all the very best for you and your family.

What romanticised drivel.

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Guest owl from retford

Personally overtime we all give him a bit of stick about how he would'nt spend money on the squad and all grew very frustrated but Milan was true to his word and had the club's best interests at heart looking forward to the cardiff game to give him the send off he deserves thank you Milan you well forever be a Wednesday legend in the heart's of many

Edited by owl from retford
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The time to say thanks was when he saved us from going under - and for improving us over the last few years.

None of you know what you're thanking him for now - we've just been sold to a Thai food company.

Wrong mate. I know exactly what I'm thanking him for. And although I understand the view, I don't agree that Milan can be held responsible for the actions of our new owner when he will at no part from here on. There's only so much that Milan can do to ensure he passes the custodianship to safe hands.
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Can't fault him.

 

Did the deal which everyone was always taking about. 

 

No messing about on messageboards etc.

 

Walked in, negotiated with everyone. Consolidated and cleaned the club up.

 

Paid suppliers.

 

Moved us onwards and upwards.

 

the "only" thing against him is the Megson affair.... 

 

Maybe the way he got rid of Megson was a bit cold, but the run Jones took us achieved what we wanted. Impossible to say what would have happened with Megson in charge, but in the end we got the promotion, so hard to criticise anyone.

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Maybe the way he got rid of Megson was a bit cold, but the run Jones took us achieved what we wanted. Impossible to say what would have happened with Megson in charge, but in the end we got the promotion, so hard to criticise anyone.

 

He said he was prepared to make difficult decisions if he thought it would benefit the club. None of can know if it was the best decision but I am convinced it was made for the right reasons

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Wrong mate. I know exactly what I'm thanking him for. And although I understand the view, I don't agree that Milan can be held responsible for the actions of our new owner when he will at no opart from here on. There's only so much that Milan can do to ensure he passes the custodianship to safe hands.

I dont either - so why the love-in for people now? As if selling us is some heroic final act?

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I dont either - so why the love-in for people now? As if selling us is some heroic final act?

I think most are saying thank you for making us that little bit better each year and leaving us in a much better state than when he arrived. Nothing more.

Edit - there's nothing wrong with saying thank you.

Edited by themaskedowl
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No complaints from me..he's delivered exactly what he promised...and the clubs financially in a much better state especially behind the scenes...too many reyt fannies on here with ridiculous expectations thro the last 3 seasons...weve built gradually...just hope these guys are the real deal and go about it the proper way from now on in...To Milan....Cheers Chap!!

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