Ben Adams

Despite being named in Trinidad and Tobago's squad for this month's fixtures, Rio Cardines will be staying at #BristolCity over the international break. 🔴⚪️ Decision has been made between club and country. Image: MKS Images

Okay, some thoughts. It took me a while to gather them because it's hard to put a cocktail of different emotions into words — but this interview triggered several things in me all at once. First of all, let me say: communication is good. This is not about a club making an effort to communicate with its fans. But if you're suddenly doing this a few days after a 5-0 home defeat, you're either doing it too late or your prior messages haven't been clear enough. CEOs have fans forums and other opportunities in the calendar to talk publicly about what happens on the pitch. Otherwise, stick to business and stay in the background on football matters. Execs are responsible for strategy and this interview is nothing to do with strategy, it's pure tactics. Delaying tactics, at that. Bristol City appears to be a club lost in the weeds with no sense of where they really are, and this guy is pleading with fans for the sake of more thinking time. This whole interview hints at a club that doesn't know how to execute. People behind the scenes who are better at talking than actually doing. Explaining themselves as a habit. Afraid of making mistakes. Dangling a manager's future in front of a camera should never be your go-to. Those guys put themselves in the arena every single weekend. Not every strategy will be a winning strategy but if you operate with clarity, work to a proper structure and know your KPIs, then you hold your nerve when things don't go according to plan. You take the criticism with broad shoulders and try to learn something from it. You don't come running for forgiveness and you don't feel a need to appease anyone. That's just weak leadership. There's a phenomenon in psychology known as self-completion theory, whereby you feel a premature sense of accomplishment when you talk about your identity and what you're going to do before you actually do it. When people talk too much about what they stand for, they get the same dopamine hit of satisfaction as actually living to that standard. Once they feel heard, they subsequently lack the motivation to follow through. If you truly know what you stand for, then you already know what you need to do to turn things around and it doesn't all boil down to one guy. But if that one guy really is your only problem, then you already know your next move. Call him in on Sunday morning, look him in the eye and shake his hand. Instead... "I want the fans to know that everyone shares their frustrations. From the owners, to the board, to James Ellis. Every single person at this club feels that frustration... "Michael Skubala, more than anybody, knows we need to improve." Honestly, go and fuck yourself.

A message from CEO Charlie Boss.

💭 Here is what the TurfCast lads think will happen today...

James Bell vs Bristol City (H)

Michael Skubala and James Ellis featured on a Fixture Release Day panel last week. Watch in full: 👇

🤝 Michael Skubala’s appointment 💼 Why he joined Bristol City 🗣️ His role and remit Watch an exclusive interview with Sporting Director James Ellis. 👇