Circumstance often plays a huge role in the perception of success, 2002-2007 housing market boom and grants like confetti, you had to try not to do better. Benchmarking is the key and when you do that against our primary competitors the results are poor, culminating in the shambolic Franchise concept.
We do not need some northern bloke to lead us over the cliff, we need some bloke able to understand our strengths and sell them for the market rate - I don't give a monkeys if he is a RL man or not but if you believe in your product my experience tells me it is easier to sell for the right price than if you didn't.
We have a great future, its just that we don't know it.......