AN UPSET Steve Ogier has revealed he was given an ultimatum: go or be sacked. Last week saw Ogier (pictured) step down as island coach after it was announced that he was in place to manage the new Guernsey United side.
At the time he released only a brief statement with regards to his decision, but he has now opted to reveal his true feelings on the matter. It is understood that the clubs had forced Guernsey Football Association chairman Mark Le Tissier’s hand over the matter at a meeting between them and the GFA the previous day.
Both Ogier and Le Tissier declined to comment whether this was the case, but the man who oversaw the Guernsey side for five years made it clear that he had not fallen out with Le Tissier.
‘I was given an ultimatum and I only resigned out of the respect I’ve got for [GFA chairman] Mark Le Tissier as a colleague and a friend,’ said Ogier.
‘I’ve been asked to step down for something that potentially could happen but hasn’t happened yet. Nothing is concrete and they’ve gone and asked me to leave. I’m annoyed because I didn’t want to step down.’
Article posted on 23rd September, 2008 - 2.30pm
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8 Article Comments
steve, you really couldnt expect anything else,
whatever you say, you would have influenced players futures.I am just pleased that real football followers are seeing the real damage this would cause to the game
I do not mind you stay on working with all the top island players from the clubs who spent years developing them, investing in facilities so you and your consortium can take them next year and play in a seperate league therefore reducing the quality of a league already depleted of quality. No please, go ahead but I hope non of these players will be eligible to represent their island given not part of the GFA (but then again, would they care!!!).
Why is everyone being so narrow-minded ? Its obvious that senior football in Guernsey is going absolutely nowhere at present and is dying on its feet, even though minis and junior football seems much stronger. 7 spectators for Vale Rec v First Tower ? That would have been 700 20 years ago. Nobody is interested in watching mediocre football at club level and that apathy has reached the players, which is why so many give up GFA football in their early 20s when they have hit the ceiling and realised their Muratti ambitions.
Who can blame leading players and coaches for wanting to better themselves rather than giving up the game through boredom or going to play social football when they should still be playing at a high level. Let those who want to go and play social football do so, but at the same time let those with ambition have the opportunity of playing in front of more than the proverbial “one man and a dog”. They will be far more incentivised to train and improve and test themselves at a higher level, or at least find out whether they are good enough to play at a higher level.
There are far too many dinosaurs in Guernsey football who cannot or will not see the bigger picture. If football does not progress and move with the times then it has no chance.
It would be far better for everyone if the breakaway group and the GFA clubs could work together in everyone’s interests and, ideally, see Guernsey United as a representative side even though its technically a club side. Why can’t they co-exist ? Its all down to personalities and clashes between the forward-thinkers and the dinosaurs.
Those of us who regularly watch Guernsey Rugby Club play at Footes Lane in front of 500-plus spectators can clearly see why the rugby players are able to commit to train and play in the national league structure. There is a buzz at each game and the players thrive on the adrenalin. Apart from Murattis, when do Guernsey’s footballers get any sort of buzz from the domestic game at present ? The better players need to be challenged and want to be challenged and it is appalling that people claiming to be “football people” would wish to deny them that opportunity. How many of those so-called “football people” would have turned down such an opportunity when they themselves were in their late teens and early 20s had it been available ?
Lots of Pro’s & lots of con’s….
Having been involved in football in almost every capacity during the last 15 odd years I can see it from almost every angle…
Personally a representative side that plays at a high level would be a good thing - but unfortunately this would be at the expense of every club in the island…
Clubs bring up players from the mini’s level to their top team - once they have fully developed into a top player they are then expected to leave to play for another club?!
The GFA clubs are expected to regularly train & put time into bringing these players up to a required level for them to up & leave & not play for them at all?! No - that really doesn’t work…
Football is described as dying but this would actually kill the game at a grass roots level… It is the clubs that keep the game alive & if there is no real goal for clubs to nurture the players then what is the point?!
I think this whole thing is a bit of a power trip by people that couldn’t get their own way whilst in the GFA & it really is a shame that they feel the need to take it out on the clubs… At the same time I think the GFA are letting down the islands top players by not offering them the chance to play at a higher level.
Something does need to be done…. But the answer isn’t Guernsey United
WH Bonney you may well be right with your last statement, but what other answers could there be so solve the problem which clearly exists ? At the moment its not even the lesser of the evils as nothing else has been put on the table as an option.
Interesting to see that as people begin to realise what Guernsey United will do to local football the voteline survey is gradually reducing from 78% yes to Guernsey United on Monday 22nd September to 69% as at today.
Is it possible that the ‘David’ above is Mr Nussbaumer?
If so, I ask you to target your Guernsey United idea at our youth - dont ask the Clubs to develop your players and potentially profit from their loss - do the graft and the hard work yourself to bring on our youngsters and give them the opportunities to flourish and place them in the shop window of the bigger clubs nationwide
It will be interesting to see how you feel when your best players are scouted and taken by other national clubs - after all of that work you will have put in, just to see them leave you
Sounds familiar - doesn’t it!
Gerald I can categorically assure you that I am NOT David Nussbaumer so I cannot answer the questions that you ask of him ! Best to ask him your questions directly.
What is going on in Guernsey football at the moment? The Island’s most popular game with plenty of financial backing and yet it appears to be falling apart. The clubs and the GFA should take a long long look at themselves because it high time they started working together towards some collective goals. The aim should be to provide oportunities for the young and elite players to develop themselves, as well as organsing leagues for social players to participate within the GFA structure. I understand what those behind Guernsey United are trying to acheive but the opportunities should be provided by the GFA for a representative team. Guernsey United has the potential to take the best players out of the local leagues and it will further stagnate Island football. If football does not get its act together very soon I can assure you that there are plenty of other better organised sports around that will pick up the players.
Phil