The Oxford United supporters’ trust, OxVox, today issued a hard-hitting press release, following the departure of the Argentinean management team. We are pleased to reproduce it in full:

OxVox PRESS RELEASE 6 May 2005 – No embargo

The news that the Argentinian management team are leaving Oxford United will have come as a great disappointment to most fans. The fans, who are morally if not legally stakeholders in the club, deserve a full explanation as to why an agreement could not be reached despite the apparent eagerness of the team to remain and rebuild the club.

OUFC is now in a dire situation in terms of planning for next season. It is deeply concerning that the short term appointments had practically expired before it became known that there were major differences over salary expectations. It is hard to believe that such a fundamental difference had not been brought to light earlier. OxVox calls on Firoz Kassam to hold an immediate public meeting open to all fans to explain more fully.

In their time here the Argentine team have offered a glimpse of what needs to be done to improve results and get the club promoted. They have approached their work professionally in all respects, been courteous and communicative in their dealings with the players, fans and media, and have brought forward plans to make the football club strong once again. It is profoundly disappointing that the potential is to be lost, apparently for the want of a reasonable level of investment. OxVox thanks the whole entourage for their substantial efforts on behalf of the club and wishes each of them well in the future.

We gather from media reports that Horacio Rodriguez and Pablo Fernandez very kindly offered to remain at the club until the end of the year to provide continuity. If this is so, unless a replacement with proven success has been lined up for immediate appointment, the decision of Firoz Kassam to refuse this offer is difficult to understand.

We had hoped that lessons have been learnt by Firoz Kassam from the Argentinians’ time here and that he now recognised what is needed for success. It is now difficult to sustain that hope. OxVox asks him to consider whether he retains any ambition for the club to be successful after six unsuccessful years on the field.

As to the future, the club has so many problems it is hard to know where to start. The key step on the field is to appoint a quality manager with proven success and adequate funds to mount a promotion challenge. Off the field the club needs a new commercial structure, with the key step being the appointment of a full-time chief executive free to operate within agreed guidelines and budget, working with a dedicated PR officer to restore communications between the club, its fans and local community, media and business partners and sponsors.

We anticipate serious consequences for the club in terms of season ticket sales and revenue if strong evidence of ambition is not forthcoming very quickly. OxVox cannot continue to support a situation in which the club becomes entrenched in League 2 as a low turnover, low success organisation. The tradition of the club demands more.

ENDS

?? OxVox is the Independent Supporters Trust for fans of Oxford United. Launched in March 2002, OxVox is one of over 100 such supporters groups at clubs around the country under the umbrella of Supporters Direct (www.supporters-direct.org).

?? Press enquiries on this or any other issue should be addressed to Trevor Lambert (OxVox Chair) on 01865 226791 or 07941 857441 or by email to enquiries@oxvox.org.uk.