Paul Ragan to take over the Steelers

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Gazza272

Well-Known Member
#21
#21
Well having been hit with this news this morning I have to say it doesnt sit comfortably with me at all.

Ragan has been making noises about our finances needing to go up to sustain us. and needing the extra few hundred through the doors. Sheffield also have the prospect of the YES project which just needs the funding, considering Ragan already has that from the funding he aquired in Cardiff then I can see why Sheffiield is an attractive proposition.


Then there is us, PI are going to build us a shed we all know that. I just cant see us being sustainable long term without something serious happening with that rink changing from an industrial unit to an actual rink, wiht actual corporate space and adequate facilities around the place. I really do think in years to come we will look back on the desicion to award planet ice as a really pivitol moment in the Devils future.

I also dont like the way Ragan has gone about this aquisition, there has been no communication with us the fanbase, and yes it is his personal business but this is a big thing for a club that people really love. I beleive we do have some semblance of right to know how our club is going to be going forward.

This raises so many of these >? which is never ever good. It also raises serious questions about the long term stability of the league, with three owners owning half of the league.

Really not the Christmas present I was hoping for from us :(


EDIT: Bah Koop said it 1000 times better than me :lol:
 
Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#22
#22
The one thing I would say which a lot of people will disagree with - I think this is actually good for the league and perhaps the sport in the UK overall.

Yes the fact we now have several owners owning multiple teams is not ideal. However, I don't think this one move suddenly makes it a joke - it's been like that for a while now.

I would much rather have successful businessmen like Ragan and Neil Black running several teams, than them owning only one each and the other clubs being run by a bunch of car salesmen and their dishonest and unprofessional busines practices. No prizes for guessing who I am on about here.
Of course I would rather Cardiff not be one of those teams under dual ownership.

I'm not too worried about any conflict of interest on the ice. Even if Ragan told Adams to lose the last game of the season I don't think he or the players would. Plus I don't think Ragan is that type of man.
Really, from this point on Ragan's interest with the playing side should be restricted for both teams to just setting the budget at the start of the season. Allowing him to focus on bringing in additional money for both clubs and stopping any suggestions of outside interference.

Several people owning multiple teams might even mean a wagecap could work. After all you would just be cheating yourself?
 
DevilDom

DevilDom

Well-Known Member
#23
Thread starter #23
Lets face it Ragan is a businessman. It was never about being passionate about the Devils. It was about making a quick buck - he says as much himself in his statement.

He saw an opportunity with the Devils - especially with the tender for the new rink and went for it. Now the tender is lost the opportunity for growing revenue with the Devils is limited and he possibly sees that he has taken us as far as he can.

Now he see's an opportunity with the Steelers who are lets face it a bigger club with a bigger fanbase, better facilitties and therefore the opportunity to grow revenue and profits is much greater.

It was good while it lasted and I thank Paul for what he has done whilst fully committed to us but I see nothing good for the Devils from this. The loss of the rink tender was the key and we can thank Cardiff CC for pushing another Cardiff businessman away from the Capital.
 
Ingramator

Ingramator

New Member
#25
#25
I generally dont think this is a good thing for devils or the fans!

He says about steelers roster, will he try and tempt devils players away next season?

Just as we have been playing really well and looking to get back to the old days this happens!!!
 
S

samidevils

New Member
#26
#26
I agree with osh! Im a bit well upset by this, I feel like I've been slapped in the face!

I'm not questioning his loyalty to the devils but he does mention about being passionate, in a programme, at the meet the players, at the speeches at the rink!! I really thought he'd be here for a long time! I just have a feeling that at the end of this or next season there will be a 'with regret' speech!!

I also think it's awful timing! We are challenging for the league still!

I really hope he sticks around but deep down I can't see it!
 
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Gohabsgo

New Member
#28
#28
For Paul Ragan this is a great move and good luck to him. For Cardiff Devils it has the POTENTIAL to be disasterous. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying it is a disaster, just that it has the potential to be.

This is just my opinion, as I don't know the man, but I can't see him sticking around now long term. He's stressing the fact the he's brought stability to the devils, usually that means job done time to move on.
 
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Devildebs

New Member
#31
#31
I agree the implications are huge and there are too many questions which we have no answers for, the only one who can I suppose answer is Paul Ragan and it seems like money is everything.

To say I am utterly disappointed with this decision of his beggars belief. You can't serve two masters and all that. As Gohabsgo said this has the potential to be disasterous for the Devil's and it has. I feel we have been slapped in the face. At some point there will be clashes, so who will he stand by Devils and their supporters or the Shuff's.

Worse piece of news to come out and I for one am not happy. Talk about making a deal with the Devil, excuse the pun :roll:
 
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DevilDan

New Member
#33
#33
I have tried to post on this several times but just end up ranting. So I think its best to say it simply. I am very disapointed by this. We have been here before. And whether its PR or BP Or Santa I cant see this ending up with smiles from all sides. Maybe a Steelers Suck chant should rain around the rink tonight?
 
F

freddieb

New Member
#36
#36
I don't think this will affect the devils and i'm 99.9% sure that Ragan won't be leaving the devils for many years to come. Paul has done a really good job since owning the team on and off the ice and people need to remember what he has done for the club. As Finny says I actually think this is great news for the league and the more people like PR owning EIHL clubs the better. For people who think it is going to be a big conflict of intrest lets just look at the nottingham/braehead situation, not only have nottingham's crowds gone up again but braehead who started from scratch are averaging 1200 people, has nottingham's budget been affected..most definitely not, has Braehead thrown games against nottingham...first game between the 2 nottingham 3-4 Braehead. Every team has its own GM and coach and people are crazy if they think coaches are going to be told to lose games, it just won't happen, I mean Hull have already beaten Coventry 3-1 and 5-1
 
DevilDom

DevilDom

Well-Known Member
#38
Thread starter #38
ETW1 said:
Cardiff Steelers does have a ring to it!! ;)
Click to expand...
That's not funny. :evil:

I thought Paul was a Cardiff man?

I just don't see how he can do this to us without moving on. It like - which team do the fans hate the most - answer "Sheffield Steelers" right i'll buy them then. That way they won't mind when I sell the Devils.

I probably shouldn't say this but has anyone thought of the possibility that the Phillips family may try and get the Devils off him?
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#40
#40
Well i dont have a problem with this one iota, there aint a problem with the Panthers owning Braehead, in fact that was a god send to this league. There is no problem with Coventry owning Hull, who have given the Blaze a few hidings lately, that was a god send, not only to the league, but to the hockey fans of Hull. Who would i prefer to own the Steelers, Bob dragging the league down, and being a knob to everyone, or Paul Ragan taking two clubs forward as others are, and having a lot more clout at league meetings. In a perfect world there would be 10 teams with 10 passionate owners, but we dont live in a perfect world, myself i wouldnt be bothered if there were 10 teams with 1 owner, as long as the league was stable, with honest competitive games against each other. It doesnt make any business sense to grow one team, and shrink another, it makes far more sense to have 2 successful clubs. I have been fortunate enough to have some good one on one conversations with Mr Ragan, and believe me he is a top human being, and has been and i believe will be a good influence taking 2 teams forward and being a huge assett towards this league. Think its a natural reaction to worry about having a good team owner, taking over another club, and i can understand that completely, but i honestly believe this can work out for everyones benefit. Keep the faith guys, yes we have had loads of false promises in the past, i think i have heard as many of them as most people, but i really dont see a problem here, at all. We have a great club, a coach second to none, stability, a top team to watch week in week out, weather permitting, and the best friggin fans in the land. Have a great Xmas everyone, got a feeling we may just be at the top come the new year.
HAPPY HOCKEY DAYS.
 
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