Bristol City's next head coach needs to be a "very good communicator" and "natural leader", says chief operating officer Mark Ashton. The Robins, who are 22nd in the Championship, sacked manager Steve Cotterill last Thursday. John Pemberton and Wade Elliott have been put in interim charge, and oversaw Saturday's win over Middlesbrough. "I like to work with a management team and a head coach is part of that management team," said Ashton. "It is about the person, the person is key and the way they work is key," he told BBC Points West. "It has to be a very good communicator who understands the modern game. They have to be a good natural leader, somebody who can take the club forward, playing in the right way." While Ashton refused to rule 51-year-old Pemberton out of taking the job on a permanent basis, he did confirm that Oxford's Michael Appleton will not be approached. "We have said to John, give us a problem and go and win some football matches," he said. "I am not ruling anything out at this stage. Bristol City is a very attractive club and it is a big, big city." Can't argue with his assessment, so it will be very interesting to see who Ashton believes will tick all of the boxes....
Can you read anything into him saying that Bristol is a big city as did NP?? Or is it pure coincidence??
Who knows. Of all the names being linked with us, I'd love to think that Pearson would consider coming here. I just think it's becoming more and more unnecessarily complicated as time goes by. I just hope Mark Ashton has an escape plan as I have no faith that anyone else in authority does.
Heady words indeed but only if we live by them. Pearson or Moyes would fit the bill nicely for me but are we prepared to put our money where our mouth is? The decisions made over the remainder of the transfer window and beyond could be the basis for a better future, but only if the entire plan is implemented with no second best or cheap options brought in to play.
With the recent bloke going to Reading that makes 4 big signings who have turned us down. Then when you add the two people leaving for personal reasons, it makes you wonder what are the underlying reasons behind all of these collective decisions. Are we a, don't touch them with a barge pole club? To me 6 people is more than a coincidence. Was it the manager? Who knows.
I'd say that by now we probably have a poor reputation a mile wide within football that we don't have a clue what we're doing, and wont pay above standard wages, and maybe that we just aren't a very credible club to join. Who knows, but we've hardly covered ourselves in glory over the past 8 months what with one thing and another and players/agents other clubs must notice. I'd also add there are several clubs that are worse than us though !
We have two important objectives this season 1) to survive relegation and 2) to appoint a credible manager. If we manage that then next season is a fresh start. I fear if we fail on either we will lose 1000s "off the gate".
I think you're spot on Andy and unless we get it right this time it will possibly hurt us for years to come.
