SHA Small Heath Alliance

Gardner

LondonAndy 11:31, Tue 2 Jun

Snoop   -1
Replying to El Mayor   13:21, Tue 2 Jun
El Mayor
Snoop
El Mayor
LondonAndy
If it's going to happen, surely a new sporting director needs the whole summer.

I think you’d need to give them at least 12 months to see changes filter through properly

Obviously they should be making changes to how the club works all the way through which is long term, but if the club thinks Gardner needs to be replaced then ideally his replacement would be in before we start signing people this summer.
I don't think it would be ideal for us to sign some players this summer if they are ones we wouldn't have under the new DoF.

I reckon it’s wayyyyy too late for that - I’d assume (and hope tbh) that the recruitment process for this summer started months ago

Sure but it would still be in time for them to review the plans, look at the targets and offer a view (if they have one) on particular players.
I'd imagine we are after someone who has similar views on how to play the game, so would in turn have some knowledge of how players would fit the system. Even if it is just "we looked at your third choice GK target and discounted them for x reason, we looked at player y who isn't on your lists and while he didn't work for us, he'd be perfect here" etc.
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GBBlue   0
Replying to bluer than blues   13:26, Tue 2 Jun
bluer than blues
El Mayor
LondonAndy
If it's going to happen, surely a new sporting director needs the whole summer.

I think you’d need to give them at least 12 months to see changes filter through properly

Eddie Howe said you can't see the true success of a sporting director for about 4 or 5 years.

I am guessing it depends on the remit of the DoF though. If you are a Newcastle, Brighton, Brentford you are fairly assured Premier League football year on year. As a DoF part of your 4-5 plan is bringing quite a few players with no intention for them to be ready play first team (and for some no massive expectation they ever will)

Get your Osman's in. Send them out around Europe and maybe Championship. Judge these DoF over several years on how many recruits make the starting 11 or at least get sold on for profits. Occasionally you then recruit a real star or two and make a fortune or push yourself into the European places.

Our DoF is a short term model - We can judge Craig's success based on a 6-12 months window. Simply because we are not buying anyone it seems for long term value but instead for immediate success.

My concern is CG's legacy will be that he overspent on players who were good for the division but not good enough the worry promotion. Who collectively leave on free transfers more often than not.
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Super Hans   21
Replying to GBBlue   13:30, Tue 2 Jun
CG's legacy (apart from being a DvB) will always be of being a key part in getting Knighthead in the door so I'll always be thankful to him.
Downvote = You're a DvB
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John McCarthy   0
Replying to El Mayor   13:30, Tue 2 Jun
El Mayor
Snoop
El Mayor
LondonAndy
If it's going to happen, surely a new sporting director needs the whole summer.

I think you’d need to give them at least 12 months to see changes filter through properly

Obviously they should be making changes to how the club works all the way through which is long term, but if the club thinks Gardner needs to be replaced then ideally his replacement would be in before we start signing people this summer.
I don't think it would be ideal for us to sign some players this summer if they are ones we wouldn't have under the new DoF.

I reckon it’s wayyyyy too late for that - I’d assume (and hope tbh) that the recruitment process for this summer started months ago

You would think so, but how many clubs leave it to the last day/last minute of the transfer window. Our own Robinson being an example. I know lots of work goes on, deals collapse at last minute, long negotiations eventually come to nothing, but you do wonder how efficient football recruitment departments really are.
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Bernard Sun   1
Replying to John McCarthy   13:55, Tue 2 Jun
"Our own Robinson being an example"

To be fair, that last minute business was short term gap filling. A Robinson signing not delivering is not going to set back Blues as much as BOS and Kyogo not delivering.
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El Mayor   2
Replying to GBBlue   13:55, Tue 2 Jun
GBBlue
bluer than blues
El Mayor
LondonAndy
If it's going to happen, surely a new sporting director needs the whole summer.

I think you’d need to give them at least 12 months to see changes filter through properly

Eddie Howe said you can't see the true success of a sporting director for about 4 or 5 years.

I am guessing it depends on the remit of the DoF though. If you are a Newcastle, Brighton, Brentford you are fairly assured Premier League football year on year. As a DoF part of your 4-5 plan is bringing quite a few players with no intention for them to be ready play first team (and for some no massive expectation they ever will)

Get your Osman's in. Send them out around Europe and maybe Championship. Judge these DoF over several years on how many recruits make the starting 11 or at least get sold on for profits. Occasionally you then recruit a real star or two and make a fortune or push yourself into the European places.

Our DoF is a short term model - We can judge Craig's success based on a 6-12 months window. Simply because we are not buying anyone it seems for long term value but instead for immediate success.

My concern is CG's legacy will be that he overspent on players who were good for the division but not good enough the worry promotion. Who collectively leave on free transfers more often than not.

Gardner’s role is/was not just recruitment though and everyone is concentrating on that - and it’s an issue because the issues with him in the role are much deeper than just recruitment.

A new DoF has much more to deal with than just recruitment, honestly.
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El Mayor   2
Replying to Super Hans   13:56, Tue 2 Jun
Super Hans
CG's legacy (apart from being a DvB) will always be of being a key part in getting Knighthead in the door so I'll always be thankful to him.

I’m biased cos I genuinely like him as a person but you’re right - he had a key role in getting the deal done.
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Carlos Costly   0
Replying to El Mayor   13:57, Tue 2 Jun
They have to deal with everything on the footballing side I'd presume? So staff appointments, academy etc?
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BigBarryBoozer   -1
Replying to Carlos Costly   14:01, Tue 2 Jun
If your Chelsea you have about 5, normally it's 1 who oversees all.

Maybe Gardner goes into a more senior role direct to KH and Speakman does the meat and veg stuff.
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Rab C Nesbitt   0
Replying to Bluelube64   14:04, Tue 2 Jun
Bluelube64
Mario kempes 78
Yep best possible there words which might come back to bite them on the bum so lets see aye got to give them a chance to redeem past mistakes but this will be a big appointment and fans will be watching if it is world class over time....p.s. Wonder if it was just plain old pressure that got gards in the end as Tom thought a lot of him....

I know a family member who told me they never see him anymore, he's always working. Could be something in that.
Always working. Heard that a few times
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Burlington Bertie   2
Replying to Carlos Costly   14:05, Tue 2 Jun
It encompasses the entire footballing strategy from grass roots scouting, setting out how the 1st teams will play and all sides in-between and being the conduit from the ownership to the coaching staff.

Contract negotiations, transfer negotiations, recruitment of key staff in coaching, ops and medical.

It's a huge job, and for what it's worth I don't think CG has done too badly, but we're now at a juncture where we need experience and standing in the role in the game.
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Rab C Nesbitt   0
Replying to bluer than blues   14:08, Tue 2 Jun
bluer than blues
El Mayor
LondonAndy
If it's going to happen, surely a new sporting director needs the whole summer.

I think you’d need to give them at least 12 months to see changes filter through properly

Eddie Howe said you can't see the true success of a sporting director for about 4 or 5 years.
Which makes it all the more surprising that Knighthead didn’t prioritise better in that role as soon as they got the deal done to buy us
Alive. Early starter. Enricher of lives
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BluSabre   0
Replying to Rab C Nesbitt   14:15, Tue 2 Jun
Given how top tier and best in class they have been with most things since taking over it really is quite surprising.

Perhaps initially they had planned to and the nature of CG's involvement with the takeover changed things. Would be interesting to know.
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Jake2807   0
Replying to El Mayor   14:15, Tue 2 Jun
Feels like sentiment is the thing keeping him. Rather than his credentials
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jefflynneshair   1
Replying to Jake2807   14:19, Tue 2 Jun
Jake2807
Feels like sentiment is the thing keeping him. Rather than his credentials

I always assumed it was a mixture of a debt of gratitude and the need for some continuity following so much upheaval and transformation with the new owners coming in.
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