Glasgow Clan and Corey part company

[jas]

https://clanihc.com/791220-2/

[mark]

Wonder if there is anything other than league performance because they are exactly where I would expect them to be at this time. Unreasonable expectations, they'll never challenge for the league, might have a cup run but not to the final and do well to qualify for the playoffs

[DiscoRay]

Wonder if there is anything other than league performance because they are exactly where I would expect them to be at this time. Unreasonable expectations, they'll never challenge for the league, might have a cup run but not to the final and do well to qualify for the playoffs

It's part of it, 6 wins in 21 games spanning 3 months isn't ever going to win you many advocates! (5 of those wins against the bottom 2, and the other against the Steelers.) He's had 18 months with now two "record high budgets", delivered 7th and on course to do so again. When things go off the rails on the ice, Corey changes.....nothing. Plan B is continue Plan A until it succeeds. Decent special teams last year have declined to being wretched, with us now able to boast a league-low 1 in 10 powerplay. Being the stoic and man of few words he is, he did zero PR work for the club during his time here, so the only time you got to hear from him was post match, and him telling us all the time how well coached the other team that beat us with their great goalie got old real fast. There was no signs of change or prospect of improvement, if he'd shown that it would at least have bought him time till the end of the season with most fans.

He also burned a lot of goodwill with the fiascos of Haden/Pelech, who are top 6 forwards and he put them in the 4th line for weeks to basically force them to leave while they stunk up the ice in the few minutes a night they played in roles totally unsuited for them. That decision making cost us goals and in turn points in the standings, all for the sake of making petty points.

I'm still surprised this happened, but perhaps Corey himself realised it wasn't working and it is indeed overall a mutual parting as it's been reported. (Usually used as a way to quietly say something else, but in this instance I'm inclined to believe it's true.)

[Jayboy]

Wonder if there is anything other than league performance because they are exactly where I would expect them to be at this time. Unreasonable expectations, they'll never challenge for the league, might have a cup run but not to the final and do well to qualify for the playoffs

It's part of it, 6 wins in 21 games spanning 3 months isn't ever going to win you many advocates! (5 of those wins against the bottom 2, and the other against the Steelers.) He's had 18 months with now two "record high budgets", delivered 7th and on course to do so again. When things go off the rails on the ice, Corey changes.....nothing. Plan B is continue Plan A until it succeeds. Decent special teams last year have declined to being wretched, with us now able to boast a league-low 1 in 10 powerplay. Being the stoic and man of few words he is, he did zero PR work for the club during his time here, so the only time you got to hear from him was post match, and him telling us all the time how well coached the other team that beat us with their great goalie got old real fast. There was no signs of change or prospect of improvement, if he'd shown that it would at least have bought him time till the end of the season with most fans.

He also burned a lot of goodwill with the fiascos of Haden/Pelech, who are top 6 forwards and he put them in the 4th line for weeks to basically force them to leave while they stunk up the ice in the few minutes a night they played in roles totally unsuited for them. That decision making cost us goals and in turn points in the standings, all for the sake of making petty points.

I'm still surprised this happened, but perhaps Corey himself realised it wasn't working and it is indeed overall a mutual parting as it's been reported. (Usually used as a way to quietly say something else, but in this instance I'm inclined to believe it's true.)

A fantastic assessment of the situation as you see it Ray...Thanks for taking the time to explain... i dont see clan being much further up the league standings with another coach but that explanation perhaps explains why they haven't shown the desire to move up in the league and cups....

[MLL79]

Hopefully things will begin to turnaround (against everyone but the Steelers of course) sharpish. I would imagine the budget would be along similar lines to Coventry?

It’s a real shame to see all 3 Scottish teams struggling atm, I wish we had more in the league. Many fond memories of battles with Ayr Eagles in ISL days and Edinburgh/Murryfield (depending on which day of the week they decided to call themselves lol) Racers further back.

I know it’ll never happen but how great would it be to see those teams back plus Newcastle and London…

It’s a small thing, but in my humble opinion - Glasgow always have the best uniform in the league.

[Jayboy]

Do we think Pete Russell is set to return then?

[ginger]

Wonder if there is anything other than league performance because they are exactly where I would expect them to be at this time. Unreasonable expectations, they'll never challenge for the league, might have a cup run but not to the final and do well to qualify for the playoffs

Not sure on that - their roster at the start of the year suggested 5th to me, but with possibility of pushing 4th - Burke, Sideroff, Teppo, Aitokallio, Seigo, Neumann, Heard (at the start of the season). That's some very good players/CVs. Budget likely reasonable - probably not far off Cardiff in those terms.

Injuries definitely have not helped them - but equally been poor when I've watched them (even if on a couple of occasions they beat Sheffield - who were worse!).

[southernsteeler]

Do we think Pete Russell is set to return then?

Almost certainly, since PR has left his DEL2 side....

[Jayboy]

Has anyone else seen this?

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp ... A/viewform

Some of it definitely sounds familiar..

Open Letter to the Management Team of the Glasgow Clan
To the management team of the Glasgow Clan.

We are writing to you today as loyal supporters who want nothing more than for the Glasgow Clan to be a powerhouse of British hockey. We have stood by the Clan through every power play, every penalty kill, and every era of the club’s history. Our commitment is undeniable: over 10,000 of us signed the petition to save our arena during the pandemic. We have invested our time, our money, and our hearts into this crest.

However, we feel that we can no longer remain silent on a range of issues which we feel are holding the club back from continuous improvement and success.

Our primary concern is that the Glasgow Clan is drifting away from being a professional hockey team and toward becoming a "family entertainment venue". While we appreciate the effort to create an inclusive game-night experience, there is a growing fear that the organisation is now more focused on a "good night out" than on building a winning culture.

Power-downs, Clangus, and interval games are a supplement to the sport, not a substitute for a competitive roster and winning culture. Currently, the "show" feels like a distraction from a lack of direction on the ice. We are fans of ice hockey; we come for the grit, the speed, and the pursuit of silverware. For long time fans, the atmosphere itself has become stagnant—the same music and the same announcements at the same times have made the experience feel choreographed rather than organic and driven by the play on the ice.

The Glasgow Clan was built on a foundation of competitive hockey. In our early years we were a serious hockey club. We had an identity. By year five that professionalism was cemented both on and off the ice, a second place finish in the league and a CHL campaign our rewards. We didn’t have the "spectacle" we have now, but we had a product we could be proud of.
In recent years, as attendances have risen and merchandise sales have grown, we feel the hockey has become secondary. We have moved away from being a "proper" hockey club. We have seen a cycle of coaching appointments that range from disappointing to disastrous and a club without a top half league finish since 2019, or a chance to play in the Play-Off finals weekend.

When the club's focus shifts toward marketing the mascot and merchandise more than the players' performance, the competitive standard begins to slip. This "entertainment-first" approach sends a message to the players, the staff, and the fans that winning is secondary to "engagement".

This is most evident following a losing weekend. When the team suffers heavy defeats, the social media activity on Monday morning often carries a tone of "never mind," quickly pivoting to the next sales pitch. To a fanbase that spends their weekends travelling and their Mondays reeling from a loss, these posts feel dismissive. It creates the impression that the club is content with a losing season as long as the arena footfall remains steady.

Nothing sums up the current state of the club better than the contrast between our facilities. We have a state-of-the-art video scoreboard for "dance cams" and mascot features, yet we cannot seem to keep the plexiglass fixed in place for sixty minutes of hockey.

We feel that club has forgotten what product they are selling. In pure business terms (and we appreciate that the club is a business) the hockey is the 'product' you provide and the game night experience, the 'packaging' and we long for a time where the value of what is inside the box is given more focus than how brightly wrapped it is.


Respectfully
Your loyal fanbase

[mark]

Some of it definitely sounds familiar..

Open Letter to the Management Team of the Glasgow Clan
To the management team of the Glasgow Clan.

We are writing to you today as loyal supporters who want nothing more than for the Glasgow Clan to be a powerhouse of British hockey. We have stood by the Clan through every power play, every penalty kill, and every era of the club’s history. Our commitment is undeniable: over 10,000 of us signed the petition to save our arena during the pandemic. We have invested our time, our money, and our hearts into this crest.

However, we feel that we can no longer remain silent on a range of issues which we feel are holding the club back from continuous improvement and success.

Our primary concern is that the Glasgow Clan is drifting away from being a professional hockey team and toward becoming a "family entertainment venue". While we appreciate the effort to create an inclusive game-night experience, there is a growing fear that the organisation is now more focused on a "good night out" than on building a winning culture.

Power-downs, Clangus, and interval games are a supplement to the sport, not a substitute for a competitive roster and winning culture. Currently, the "show" feels like a distraction from a lack of direction on the ice. We are fans of ice hockey; we come for the grit, the speed, and the pursuit of silverware. For long time fans, the atmosphere itself has become stagnant—the same music and the same announcements at the same times have made the experience feel choreographed rather than organic and driven by the play on the ice.

The Glasgow Clan was built on a foundation of competitive hockey. In our early years we were a serious hockey club. We had an identity. By year five that professionalism was cemented both on and off the ice, a second place finish in the league and a CHL campaign our rewards. We didn’t have the "spectacle" we have now, but we had a product we could be proud of.
In recent years, as attendances have risen and merchandise sales have grown, we feel the hockey has become secondary. We have moved away from being a "proper" hockey club. We have seen a cycle of coaching appointments that range from disappointing to disastrous and a club without a top half league finish since 2019, or a chance to play in the Play-Off finals weekend.

When the club's focus shifts toward marketing the mascot and merchandise more than the players' performance, the competitive standard begins to slip. This "entertainment-first" approach sends a message to the players, the staff, and the fans that winning is secondary to "engagement".

This is most evident following a losing weekend. When the team suffers heavy defeats, the social media activity on Monday morning often carries a tone of "never mind," quickly pivoting to the next sales pitch. To a fanbase that spends their weekends travelling and their Mondays reeling from a loss, these posts feel dismissive. It creates the impression that the club is content with a losing season as long as the arena footfall remains steady.

Nothing sums up the current state of the club better than the contrast between our facilities. We have a state-of-the-art video scoreboard for "dance cams" and mascot features, yet we cannot seem to keep the plexiglass fixed in place for sixty minutes of hockey.

We feel that club has forgotten what product they are selling. In pure business terms (and we appreciate that the club is a business) the hockey is the 'product' you provide and the game night experience, the 'packaging' and we long for a time where the value of what is inside the box is given more focus than how brightly wrapped it is.


Respectfully
Your loyal fanbase

Replace Glasgow with Sheffield if we hadn't won Trophies. We do exactly the same but manage to remain fairly successful, there's one thing that would massively improve the Steelers experience but the owner is too scared to do it....