Re: The Academy : Thu Jan 05, 2017 8:56 am  

Bullseye wrote:

I texted John on the day and he was devastated. The man's an inspiration. I hope he's ok. Any club would be lucky to have him.

Looking at the BullBuilder email things look a bit more positive about an academy being part of any new club. Finger crossed.

If John Bastian was somehow re-hired, that would be a massive boost to fans. It certainly would to me. Getting him back on board would be better than getting a Kieren Moss, Dane Chisholm or even Rohan Smith for me.

[Bullseye]

Re: The Academy : Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:01 am  

Yeah I'd pretty much go along with that.

Re: The Academy : Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:18 am  

Me too, I continue to exist on the very faint hope that behind the scenes there is more agreed between the parties and the RFL than they're letting on, but I'm still in a place where if everything's actually gone for good, and in particular Bastian and the Academy setup, then that would be me done with it. All that is presently left is the fragments from the nuclear explosion, but even those are being picked off. Each passing day with nothing announced seems to me suicidal if there is actually a man with a plan. WTF is he doing and why?

Re: The Academy : Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:30 am  

Bull Mania wrote:

An interview with John Bastian is in the guardian tomorrow. Will certainly be worth a read i reckon.

Gut wrenching all that hard work gone..im in rage mode again!

Is their a link to that, I can't find the article

Re: The Academy : Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:31 am  

The hiring of John Bastian completely sold me on the whole Green era.

[Bullseye]

Re: The Academy : Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:35 am  

Me too. My meetings with him for BullBuilder things were great. Despite everything that was going wrong with the first team under Lowes and all the rumour and intrigue that was floating around about Ferres and Green the atmosphere amongst the youth side of things was spot on. Mark and Leigh are both great blokes and totally professional. The class of the setup was there for all to see. I used to come away feeling really positive. You could see the end product on the field too with more lads coming through. The links with community clubs in Bradford were better than they’d been in decades. I just hope some of that hard work can be salvaged.

Re: The Academy : Thu Jan 05, 2017 10:37 am  

Im not a member yet but if the academy is part of a new club I will certainly sign up to bull builder, really hope Bastian can be a part of it and hopefully salvage a few of the current squads if at all possible

[Bullseye]

Re: The Academy : Thu Jan 05, 2017 11:30 am  

BullBuilder really worked well with John and his team. Things were really taking off. We had over 200 at the quiz night just before we went into admin. Raised a lot of money too which we got matched by Barclays Bank. The future looked bright then. Fingers crossed.

Re: The Academy : Sun Jan 08, 2017 11:34 am  

djhudds wrote:

How can academy lads be told contracts terminated and free agents and first team but u16 kids are staying? I don't get it

So has the u16s now been scrapped or is it staying ?

Don't forget, the u16s don't get paid so providing they have a place to play and someone to coach, they could possibly still play but it would basically be like a Sunday league team with parents etc driving them to games.

Tbe u19s are paid players so I can see how it's been scrapped as obviously the club can't pay them.

I'm totally gutted for the club.

Re: The Academy : Sun Jan 08, 2017 1:38 pm  

Nothus wrote:

This is what hurts the most out of all of this. All of that hard work and effort, and now its other clubs who will see all of the benefit.

That would be all the clubs you outbid with money you never had - face up to it the only people at fault are Bradford.

Wakefield CEO Michael Carter is on record as saying Bradford have out bid Wakefield for three Wakefield based players in the last three years. All in the certain knowledge they couldn't afford them.