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Post by phillistine on Nov 21, 2020 7:18:12 GMT
Firstly congratulations to Tommy on being named as Director of Football.
i used to wonder why a club made such an appointment but have come to realise over the years that when someone adds so much useful knowledge and experience to the team running your Company then you want them to be part of the executive team that are going to propel your business forward. You buy into the person and the title that they have reflects their area of expertise.
Those of us who watched Tommy chatting with his mates from Hartlepool will get a glimpse of how the football grapevine works - as much about who you know as what you know. I was fortunate to mix in certain circles at one time and it was an eye opener as to how much knowledge certain individuals have about what goes on at different clubs . It is about getting to know who you can call when you want the inside track on a possible appointment or finding out what goes on behind the scenes. It’s about knowing how to open doors and being tipped off if something useful is happening that might benefit your club. It is about having the respect of your manager who does not see you as a threat but someone who can add knowledge and expertise that will help him to do a better job.
When you think about it footballers get to know their team mates and then transfer elsewhere and get to know another lot of mates and then perhaps do it again which leaves them with a potentially huge contact list. These guys acquire the contacts by putting themselves about , attending events but above all by being seen as a genuine and a nice guy to do business with. Football Managers tend to be more driven by ego and a competitive desire to be better that the next man. Some are great at using PR to manipulate their own image.
i say this only because I have been seen people already ask what a Director of Football does and why we would need one. The reality is that it’s just a job title. It’s more about Wael realising and appreciating that having Tommy on board will benefit Bristol Rovers
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Post by 2nd May 1990 on Nov 21, 2020 7:26:30 GMT
I like the way that Gorringe and Widdrington have earned the trust of Wael and their places on the board through their performance at the club.
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Post by WeAreTheGas on Nov 21, 2020 7:32:19 GMT
Agree with above.
So am I right in thinking that our BoD now is: Wael - Starnes - Gorringe - Widdrington? Have I missed anyone?
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Post by TugPhase on Nov 21, 2020 7:42:31 GMT
Agree with above. So am I right in thinking that our BoD now is: Wael - Starnes - Gorringe - Widdrington? Have I missed anyone? There is, or was, Karim Mardam-Bey. Don't hear much about him though. Was he PR? Maybe we've got him to thank for the improved communication?
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pirate
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Post by pirate on Nov 21, 2020 7:44:33 GMT
Agree with above. So am I right in thinking that our BoD now is: Wael - Starnes - Gorringe - Widdrington? Have I missed anyone? Karim Mardam-Bey. Karim is an experienced media and communications consultant, who after graduating with an MA from the University of Westminster, moved to the Middle East and established a PR agency that grew to become a regional partner of Hill & Knowlton, representing some of the most renowned global brands including Microsoft, Starbucks, Boeing, Visa, Jaguar Land Rover, Samsung and the Four Seasons hotel. Upon returning to the UK, he joined Bristol Rovers in 2016 in a business development capacity, helping the club work on all aspects of growth as it embarked on a new era under new ownership. www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2020/june/club-statement/
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Post by BishopstonBRFC on Nov 21, 2020 7:45:04 GMT
Agree with above. So am I right in thinking that our BoD now is: Wael - Starnes - Gorringe - Widdrington? Have I missed anyone? There is, or was, Karim Mardam-Bey. Don't hear much about him though. Was he PR? Maybe we've got him to thank for the improved communication? According to Wael's letter from yesterday Karim is still on the board.
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Post by bigtgas on Nov 21, 2020 9:03:04 GMT
Hopefully they are also less likely to walk if they have a seat on the board.
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Post by Westy on Nov 21, 2020 9:18:32 GMT
Firstly congratulations to Tommy on being named as Director of Football. i used to wonder why a club made such an appointment but have come to realise over the years that when someone adds so much useful knowledge and experience to the team running your Company then you want them to be part of the executive team that are going to propel your business forward. You buy into the person and the title that they have reflects their area of expertise. Those of us who watched Tommy chatting with his mates from Hartlepool will get a glimpse of how the football grapevine works - as much about who you know as what you know. I was fortunate to mix in certain circles at one time and it was an eye opener as to how much knowledge certain individuals have about what goes on at different clubs . It is about getting to know who you can call when you want the inside track on a possible appointment or finding out what goes on behind the scenes. It’s about knowing how to open doors and being tipped off if something useful is happening that might benefit your club. It is about having the respect of your manager who does not see you as a threat but someone who can add knowledge and expertise that will help him to do a better job. When you think about it footballers get to know their team mates and then transfer elsewhere and get to know another lot of mates and then perhaps do it again which leaves them with a potentially huge contact list. These guys acquire the contacts by putting themselves about , attending events but above all by being seen as a genuine and a nice guy to do business with. Football Managers tend to be more driven by ego and a competitive desire to be better that the next man. Some are great at using PR to manipulate their own image. i say this only because I have been seen people already ask what a Director of Football does and why we would need one. The reality is that it’s just a job title. It’s more about Wael realising and appreciating that having Tommy on board will benefit Bristol Rovers Another point that stuck out for me was Tommy's interview, in that he mentioned all the running around. Think about signing a player, do we want Tis to approach and negotiate over 20 minute video calls, or do we want to send Tommy for an overnight stay, lunch and a meet in person with agents and players? There's talk of "DoF take control away from managers in this regard" (general consensus) but when I think about it that way, it's almost the other way around. DoF hits the road, is the go between between departments, and lets the manager manage, and the coaches coach. If anything it's like he'd be Tis' secretary... And when you put it like that, the role becomes slightly less shadowy. Or at least in my head it does
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Post by stuart1974 on Nov 21, 2020 9:39:08 GMT
In this interview it seems his role will essentially be the same, change of title and a seat on the board.
A while ago we debated the structure and I suggested it would mean a series of "heads of departments" which would allow for replacements to come in without upsetting the whole. I suspect we'd miss Tommy more than a particular manager, though.
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Post by phillistine on Nov 21, 2020 12:59:43 GMT
When you think back Paul Trollope called on Lenny Lawrence and John Ward had years of experience and contacts to call on. DC however was a new young manager with none of the infrastructure in place that exists now. He was managing at Salsbury as opposed to playing League football so had limited contacts. There were no scouts and effectively he was on his own ringing round and watching promotional videos and placing his trust in them. An agent told me before our season in non League football that he felt sorry for Darrell as he was on a hiding to nothing. That is why so many of his better signings were indiviuals that he knew well and some of the worse were purchased on reputation rather than an indepth knowledge. when people look back on his time with the club he does get criticism for some of his signings and maybe it is unfair to judge him compared to others who had far greater support. Firstly congratulations to Tommy on being named as Director of Football. i used to wonder why a club made such an appointment but have come to realise over the years that when someone adds so much useful knowledge and experience to the team running your Company then you want them to be part of the executive team that are going to propel your business forward. You buy into the person and the title that they have reflects their area of expertise. Those of us who watched Tommy chatting with his mates from Hartlepool will get a glimpse of how the football grapevine works - as much about who you know as what you know. I was fortunate to mix in certain circles at one time and it was an eye opener as to how much knowledge certain individuals have about what goes on at different clubs . It is about getting to know who you can call when you want the inside track on a possible appointment or finding out what goes on behind the scenes. It’s about knowing how to open doors and being tipped off if something useful is happening that might benefit your club. It is about having the respect of your manager who does not see you as a threat but someone who can add knowledge and expertise that will help him to do a better job. When you think about it footballers get to know their team mates and then transfer elsewhere and get to know another lot of mates and then perhaps do it again which leaves them with a potentially huge contact list. These guys acquire the contacts by putting themselves about , attending events but above all by being seen as a genuine and a nice guy to do business with. Football Managers tend to be more driven by ego and a competitive desire to be better that the next man. Some are great at using PR to manipulate their own image. i say this only because I have been seen people already ask what a Director of Football does and why we would need one. The reality is that it’s just a job title. It’s more about Wael realising and appreciating that having Tommy on board will benefit Bristol Rovers Another point that stuck out for me was Tommy's interview, in that he mentioned all the running around. Think about signing a player, do we want Tis to approach and negotiate over 20 minute video calls, or do we want to send Tommy for an overnight stay, lunch and a meet in person with agents and players? There's talk of "DoF take control away from managers in this regard" (general consensus) but when I think about it that way, it's almost the other way around. DoF hits the road, is the go between between departments, and lets the manager manage, and the coaches coach. If anything it's like he'd be Tis' secretary... And when you put it like that, the role becomes slightly less shadowy. Or at least in my head it does
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Post by Westy on Nov 21, 2020 13:13:25 GMT
When you think back Paul Trollope called on Lenny Lawrence and John Ward had years of experience and contacts to call on. DC however was a new young manager with none of the infrastructure in place that exists now. He was managing at Salsbury as opposed to playing League football so had limited contacts. There were no scouts and effectively he was on his own ringing round and watching promotional videos and placing his trust in them. An agent told me before our season in non League football that he felt sorry for Darrell as he was on a hiding to nothing. That is why so many of his better signings were indiviuals that he knew well and some of the worse were purchased on reputation rather than an indepth knowledge. when people look back on his time with the club he does get criticism for some of his signings and maybe it is unfair to judge him compared to others who had far greater support. Another point that stuck out for me was Tommy's interview, in that he mentioned all the running around. Think about signing a player, do we want Tis to approach and negotiate over 20 minute video calls, or do we want to send Tommy for an overnight stay, lunch and a meet in person with agents and players? There's talk of "DoF take control away from managers in this regard" (general consensus) but when I think about it that way, it's almost the other way around. DoF hits the road, is the go between between departments, and lets the manager manage, and the coaches coach. If anything it's like he'd be Tis' secretary... And when you put it like that, the role becomes slightly less shadowy. Or at least in my head it does Some great points there. Bad signings come and go all up and down the league. At least we didn't have to waste £60m or whatever it was for Angel Di Maria. But then, at that level that's a pittance isn't it (disgusting!) Interesting to hear about DC, and that gives me a bit of sympathy for him (well, a bit more! In DC we trust[ed]! 💙 I think Tisdale being better travelled, working with Tommy to take some of the load off could be a good thing like I said about sending off your DoF to interview and sign players. Perhaps the difference in control is whether Tis will say "Tommy, I want X, Y, Z, can I leave you to sort that?" , Or - "Paul, I've signed some players for you and that's that"
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2020 9:44:06 GMT
Quite why a head of recruitment who has failed quite spectacularly in every window bar January with Coughlan, has only picked up 3 successful signings in the time he's been here (two of which are no longer with the club) is cause for celebration is beyond me. The jury is still out on the young signings, granted, but only Daly has come in and had any type of positive impact. JCH, Abs and Jaakkola are the only senior players he's been responsible for signing that have improved us from where we were already at, every other signing has taken us backwards.
He also now holds voting rights deciding on the future of the football club. Managers get sacked for the results of bad recruitment, and he's been promoted.
It does not sit well with me at all; Wael clearing the debt and surrounding himself with yes-men (Gorringe aside, he's been a tremendous success) means that there is no scrutiny or accountability for the decisions he's making. You could make an argument Tom Gorringe is the only successful hire away from the playing staff Wael has made, having been here since 2016. This is made all the more concerning by the lack of fan representation on the board and a terrible local press who, instead of using his access to the board to really question the future of the football club in 2020, decided to play out the remainder of the season on Football Manager.
The clearing of the debt is obviously a huge net positive, but I think the recruitment in general since Wael came to the football club has been absolutely dire.
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Post by spiess1 on Nov 27, 2020 9:51:02 GMT
Positive opinions are also available.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2020 9:57:32 GMT
Quite why a head of recruitment who has failed quite spectacularly in every window bar January with Coughlan, has only picked up 3 successful signings in the time he's been here (two of which are no longer with the club) is cause for celebration is beyond me. The jury is still out on the young signings, granted, but only Daly has come in and had any type of positive impact. JCH, Abs and Jaakkola are the only senior players he's been responsible for signing that have improved us from where we were already at, every other signing has taken us backwards. He also now holds voting rights deciding on the future of the football club. Managers get sacked for the results of bad recruitment, and he's been promoted. It does not sit well with me at all; Wael clearing the debt and surrounding himself with yes-men (Gorringe aside, he's been a tremendous success) means that there is no scrutiny or accountability for the decisions he's making. You could make an argument Tom Gorringe is the only successful hire away from the playing staff Wael has made, having been here since 2016. This is made all the more concerning by the lack of fan representation on the board and a terrible local press who, instead of using his access to the board to really question the future of the football club in 2020, decided to play out the remainder of the season on Football Manager. The clearing of the debt is obviously a huge net positive, but I think the recruitment in general since Wael came to the football club has been absolutely dire. How do you know the discussions at board level and that the people involved are yes men? Why haven’t the SC had their election yet?
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Post by TugPhase on Nov 27, 2020 9:58:13 GMT
Quite why a head of recruitment who has failed quite spectacularly in every window bar January with Coughlan, has only picked up 3 successful signings in the time he's been here (two of which are no longer with the club) is cause for celebration is beyond me. The jury is still out on the young signings, granted, but only Daly has come in and had any type of positive impact. JCH, Abs and Jaakkola are the only senior players he's been responsible for signing that have improved us from where we were already at, every other signing has taken us backwards. He also now holds voting rights deciding on the future of the football club. Managers get sacked for the results of bad recruitment, and he's been promoted. It does not sit well with me at all; Wael clearing the debt and surrounding himself with yes-men (Gorringe aside, he's been a tremendous success) means that there is no scrutiny or accountability for the decisions he's making. You could make an argument Tom Gorringe is the only successful hire away from the playing staff Wael has made, having been here since 2016. This is made all the more concerning by the lack of fan representation on the board and a terrible local press who, instead of using his access to the board to really question the future of the football club in 2020, decided to play out the remainder of the season on Football Manager. The clearing of the debt is obviously a huge net positive, but I think the recruitment in general since Wael came to the football club has been absolutely dire. I would say that we have just had the best transfer window that I can ever remember. We haven't started well, but I don't think you can blame recruitment for that - it's about taking time for the squad and manager(s) to gel. If you're disappointed with the players we have signed this summer I would love to know who you expected us to bring in?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2020 10:01:41 GMT
Quite why a head of recruitment who has failed quite spectacularly in every window bar January with Coughlan, has only picked up 3 successful signings in the time he's been here (two of which are no longer with the club) is cause for celebration is beyond me. The jury is still out on the young signings, granted, but only Daly has come in and had any type of positive impact. JCH, Abs and Jaakkola are the only senior players he's been responsible for signing that have improved us from where we were already at, every other signing has taken us backwards. He also now holds voting rights deciding on the future of the football club. Managers get sacked for the results of bad recruitment, and he's been promoted. It does not sit well with me at all; Wael clearing the debt and surrounding himself with yes-men (Gorringe aside, he's been a tremendous success) means that there is no scrutiny or accountability for the decisions he's making. You could make an argument Tom Gorringe is the only successful hire away from the playing staff Wael has made, having been here since 2016. This is made all the more concerning by the lack of fan representation on the board and a terrible local press who, instead of using his access to the board to really question the future of the football club in 2020, decided to play out the remainder of the season on Football Manager. The clearing of the debt is obviously a huge net positive, but I think the recruitment in general since Wael came to the football club has been absolutely dire. How do you know the discussions at board level and that the people involved are yes men? Why haven’t the SC had their election yet? Because, as Hamer found out, ask any questions and you're frozen out. You'd also have to look at the backgrounds of the people on the board, Wael's mate, a bloke who's just got his first job in directorship, a bloke who seems utterly incapable of giving a straight answer to local media and a bloke who's been there for 3.5 years and has been promoted. In truth, I don't know they're yes men for a fact, but from what I've seen and heard from them, that's the conclusion I've drawn.
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Post by Antonio Fargas on Nov 27, 2020 10:04:02 GMT
It does not sit well with me at all; Wael clearing the debt and surrounding himself with yes-men ... ...This is made all the more concerning by the lack of fan representation on the board... Yeah, he should have cleared all the debts and then stacked the board with people who were saying he would never clear the debts. "He also now holds voting rights deciding on the future of the football club."Do you know how 'voting rights' on the board works? "The jury is still out on the young signings, ... every other signing has taken us backwards."So is the jury out or you've already decided?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2020 10:04:55 GMT
Quite why a head of recruitment who has failed quite spectacularly in every window bar January with Coughlan, has only picked up 3 successful signings in the time he's been here (two of which are no longer with the club) is cause for celebration is beyond me. The jury is still out on the young signings, granted, but only Daly has come in and had any type of positive impact. JCH, Abs and Jaakkola are the only senior players he's been responsible for signing that have improved us from where we were already at, every other signing has taken us backwards. He also now holds voting rights deciding on the future of the football club. Managers get sacked for the results of bad recruitment, and he's been promoted. It does not sit well with me at all; Wael clearing the debt and surrounding himself with yes-men (Gorringe aside, he's been a tremendous success) means that there is no scrutiny or accountability for the decisions he's making. You could make an argument Tom Gorringe is the only successful hire away from the playing staff Wael has made, having been here since 2016. This is made all the more concerning by the lack of fan representation on the board and a terrible local press who, instead of using his access to the board to really question the future of the football club in 2020, decided to play out the remainder of the season on Football Manager. The clearing of the debt is obviously a huge net positive, but I think the recruitment in general since Wael came to the football club has been absolutely dire. I would say that we have just had the best transfer window that I can ever remember. We haven't started well, but I don't think you can blame recruitment for that - it's about taking time for the squad and manager(s) to gel. If you're disappointed with the players we have signed this summer I would love to know who you expected us to bring in? I don't see how you can possibly think this has been the best transfer window in recent memory, we're in the relegation zone and the majority of the players that signed have gone straight into the first team. As I said, the jury is out on the young players, but the senior players to a man have been awful, the buck stopped with Garner but the man who identified these signings doesn't deserve a promotion IMO. It's not my job to suggest players we should go and sign and it's a terribly boring conversation when fans do it, so with respect, I won't answer that one.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2020 10:08:54 GMT
It does not sit well with me at all; Wael clearing the debt and surrounding himself with yes-men ... ...This is made all the more concerning by the lack of fan representation on the board... 1) Yeah, he should have cleared all the debts and then stacked the board with people who were saying he would never clear the debts. "He also now holds voting rights deciding on the future of the football club."2) Do you know how 'voting rights' on the board works? "The jury is still out on the young signings, ... every other signing has taken us backwards."3)So is the jury out or you've already decided? 1) putting a point in my mouth I haven't made is a weak argument, and only serves to make you look a bit silly. 2) yes, I do, and with Wael being the majority shareholder Widdrington's say will be symbolic, but it's what it's symbolic of that I don't like. 3) it really is quite simple, I'm reserving judgement on the younger players and have, after watching every minute of every game, come to the quite reasonable conclusion the senior players (bar the 3 mentioned) have been a failure so far this season and for every other season since his arrival.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2020 10:11:51 GMT
How do you know the discussions at board level and that the people involved are yes men? Why haven’t the SC had their election yet? Because, as Hamer found out, ask any questions and you're frozen out. You'd also have to look at the backgrounds of the people on the board, Wael's mate, a bloke who's just got his first job in directorship, a bloke who seems utterly incapable of giving a straight answer to local media and a bloke who's been there for 3.5 years and has been promoted. In truth, I don't know they're yes men for a fact, but from what I've seen and heard from them, that's the conclusion I've drawn. Why haven’t the SC held their election yet to get the fans representation on the board?
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