The more Ive thought about it, the more you think that there could be some sort of orchestrated plan.
Ashley buys the club and doesn't have the first clue what is going on as the lack of due diligence proved.
He then employs decent people to get us moving, including Chris Mort, an actual plan was in place with a sniff of ambition before realising the finances weren't as rosy as first thought and Mort went back to his day job.
Then, not trusting many, he employs one of his mates in Dekka to use his experience of running a casino to try and do it here. Dekka asks for full control apart from the transfer budget, which Ashley has to agree to.
Ashley sits back for most of the time to let his 'mate' run us, only stepping in when things are dire, including the relegation season four years ago and January just gone.
After that, Ashley sits down to think about the future here and maybe sees the income that comes our way due to the TV deal and never want to have the stress again, so becomes more hands on.
One fall out from this is an end of season summit in which he lays the law down and doesn't get the answers he wants, particularly off Dekka, so then he turns to his other mate (JFK) to get him involved somehow.
Maybe to help tactics, maybe not but as he has more of a clue to the footballing side than Ashley, he employs him anyway.
it's all about trust with the bloke.
Maybe he has changed his plan here, maybe not but whatever it is, things wont be the same again.