New Head Coach

[Southern A]

Either way the timings don’t work regarding bringing in a Speakman replacement and new head coach. If (huge if considering it’s based purely on internet rumour) Speakman is going, then his replacement will likely need to be found, and that isn’t an overnight thing. Especially with notice periods etc. we could be months away from such a person becoming available. Look at Man Utd struggling for example.

Personally as I’ve said I don’t mind KLD appointing a head coach (if he is). The logic of “he doesn’t understand coaching” doesn’t really stack up if at the same time you’re happy for him to appoint a new director of football. Why is he any less qualified to appoint a head coach than a new director of football? What qualification or experience does KLD have to choose the new Speakman?

It’s important as owner that everything buys in to KLD’s vision. I’d be disappointed if he fully delegated the head coach appointment to somebody else. Sure, get them to whittle down a shortlist, but the final decision should be KLD’s, for me.

 

[The Norton Cat]

Of course we don't actually know who is, but at the end of the day it's either Speakman, who many want out of the club and hasn't exactly made good decisions for a while, or KLD who is the owner making the decisions instead of the person he employed to make them. I don't agree with either.

Wasn't trying to be sarcastic, just wondered if I'd missed something. If the new man is Still, he's been a target for a while now (or so we're led to believe) which, for me, points to Speakman being at least involved in the decision making process. Could it be that Speakman will oversee the coming preseason and then step down? Equally, despite what the fans want, he might retain KLD's trust. I think, at this stage, those seem like the most likely scenarios.

 

[Southern A]

One more thing on Speakman btw, for all we know he’s been having screaming matches with KLD, arguing that we need more money for a striker, that we need experience etc, and KLD is saying no, stick to my vision please.

it’s why I don’t think Speakman is necessarily the problem a lot of fans think.

The truth is we just don’t know.

 

[SourPatch2]

We dont know any of that though, doesn't mean its a mess

Perhaps mess is the wrong word, but it's not good either way imo.

We either have:

Speakman making the decisions. Bad.

KLD making football decisions while Speakman is still at the club. Bad.

I don't feel comfortable about it at all.

 

[SourPatch2]

There probably isn't any mystery who the decision maker is, the club do not have to tell us who it is.
There have been rumours that a foreign bloke was doing the interviews in Munich.
He could be the new DOF. Just because the club haven't announced it yet.

Speakman was at the u21 game today. That, to me, isn't the actions of a man about to leave the club.

 

[Southern A]

Perhaps mess is the wrong word, but it's not good either way imo.

We either have:

Speakman making the decisions. Bad.

KLD making football decisions while Speakman is still at the club. Bad.

I don't feel comfortable about it at all.

I reckon KLD has had the final say on all our head coach appointments, so I don’t think what’s happening now (if it is), is any different

 

[Jarca]

Perhaps mess is the wrong word, but it's not good either way imo.

We either have:

Speakman making the decisions. Bad.

KLD making football decisions while Speakman is still at the club. Bad.

I don't feel comfortable about it at all.

Or the new Dof is carrying out this process. No one knows the full story so pointless speculating mate

 

[The Norton Cat]

One more thing on Speakman btw, for all we know he’s been having screaming matches with KLD, arguing that we need more money for a striker, that we need experience etc, and KLD is saying no, stick to my vision please.

it’s why I don’t think Speakman is necessarily the problem a lot of fans think.

The truth is we just don’t know.

Absolutely this.

 

[Scout73]

Speakman was at the u21 game today. That, to me, isn't the actions of a man about to leave the club.

If he is still contracted to the club then why not go even if he is about to leave. It was a big game for the young lads and he was there supporting, nothing wrong with that

Think just reading too much into things mate, which is totally understandable with all the rumours going about n the start of silly season

 

[Southern A]

Also on Speakman we’d be pretty silly to sack him now if it’s true Lyon want him. Let them pay us some compensation.

it’s why I think Reims were nuts to sack Will Still (assuming they have and he’s not on garden leave)

 

[SourPatch2]

Think people are misunderstanding me a bit. I want a solid structure at the club, with the employees having the freedom to make good decisions for the benefit of the football club. You don't get that if the owner is making the decisions that people they have employed should be making.

If Speakman is at the club, whether people like him or not, he should be the one making the decisions because it keeps the hierarchy and structure in tact. If he is not going to be at the club because of either poor performance, for which he should be sacked now, or because he's going to Lyon, we should put him on gardening leave like the mags have done with Ashworth for example, then a new DoF should be in place soon. If the new DoF is involved as others have suggested then that is fine but we have options which don't leave it a big secret when there's no real reason for it to be one.

I really dislike owners making the decisions or worse, the manager being allowed to bring in a DoF of their choosing (see Stoke and Neil). If we go the route of hiring a coach first and then trying to bring in a DoF does that not limit the pool as some may not like that coach or want the power to bring their own in. Also, let's say KLD brings Still in as his choice, then we replace Speakman with a new DoF and in 8 months time we aren't playing well does that DoF have the power to make a change or is that then all on KLD?

Mess was the wrong word, I just feel uncomfortable with decisions being made by either Speakman, who I don't particularly trust, or KLD, which I disagree with.

Hierarchy and structure are important. Don't break it.

 

[Southern A]

Think people are misunderstanding me a bit. I want a solid structure at the club, with the employees having the freedom to make good decisions for the benefit of the football club. You don't get that if the owner is making the decisions that people they have employed should be making.

If Speakman is at the club, whether people like him or not, he should be the one making the decisions because it keeps the hierarchy and structure in tact. If he is not going to be at the club because of either poor performance, for which he should be sacked now, or because he's going to Lyon, we should put him on gardening leave like the mags have done with Ashworth for example, then a new DoF should be in place soon. If the new DoF is involved as others have suggested then that is fine but we have options which don't leave it a big secret when there's no real reason for it to be one.

I really dislike owners making the decisions or worse, the manager being allowed to bring in a DoF of their choosing (see Stoke and Neil). If we go the route of hiring a coach first and then trying to bring in a DoF does that not limit the pool as some may not like that coach or want the power to bring their own in. Also, let's say KLD brings Still in as his choice, then we replace Speakman with a new DoF and in 8 months time we aren't playing well does that DoF have the power to make a change or is that then all on KLD?

Mess was the wrong word, I just feel uncomfortable with decisions being made by either Speakman, who I don't particularly trust, or KLD, which I disagree with.

Hierarchy and structure are important. Don't break it.

I completely understand what you’re saying, and agree with most of it, I just don’t agree with all of it. I am very comfortable with KLD making decisions. Speakman (or his eventual replacement) is here to help advise and have some delegated authority. But KLD should be empowered to make the major appointments.

 

[Jarca]

I completely understand what you’re saying, I just don’t agree with all of it. I am very comfortable with KLD making decisions. Speakman (or his eventual replacement) is here to help advise and have some delegated authority. But KLD should be empowered to make the major appointments.

Plus he'll not be doing it off his own back. He'll have advisors to assist him

 

[smithy in nl]

If KLD doesn't trust Speakman to make the head coach appointment, he needs to sack him NOW.

If KLD is using outsiders to help with the head coach search, he needs to sack Speakman NOW.

You can't keep a DoF in position, allowing him to make decisions on the squad which is obviously why he was at the u21 game today, if the owner doesn't trust him.

We can't let Speakman run the summer window if KLD doesn't trust him. We can't have a sitting duck DoF, who will be in charge of the transfers? Who will set the plan?

You can't have a broken hierarchy at a football club. The DoF needs to be the chief decision maker and thats who the head coach needs to answer to.

If KLD wants to keep Speakman, he needs to let him do his job.

I'm a happy clapper but I think we look an absolute mess at the moment based on the rumours floating around. Where's the structure? Who's making the decisions? Are they fit to be making decisions?

Seems like your getting yourself involved in a lot of scenarios. Haha

 

[SourPatch2]

I completely understand what you’re saying, and agree with most of it, I just don’t agree with all of it. I am very comfortable with KLD making decisions. Speakman (or his eventual replacement) is here to help advise and have some delegated authority. But KLD should be empowered to make the major appointments.

That's fine, just don't think you get any real top club doing similar stuff. As @Scout73 said it probably doesn't matter at the end of the day if the right coach is appointed in the end but to me at least process is nearly as important as result, and this just doesn't feel like the right process is being conducted.

 

[Chunksafc]

Think people are misunderstanding me a bit. I want a solid structure at the club, with the employees having the freedom to make good decisions for the benefit of the football club. You don't get that if the owner is making the decisions that people they have employed should be making.

If Speakman is at the club, whether people like him or not, he should be the one making the decisions because it keeps the hierarchy and structure in tact. If he is not going to be at the club because of either poor performance, for which he should be sacked now, or because he's going to Lyon, we should put him on gardening leave like the mags have done with Ashworth for example, then a new DoF should be in place soon. If the new DoF is involved as others have suggested then that is fine but we have options which don't leave it a big secret when there's no real reason for it to be one.

I really dislike owners making the decisions or worse, the manager being allowed to bring in a DoF of their choosing (see Stoke and Neil). If we go the route of hiring a coach first and then trying to bring in a DoF does that not limit the pool as some may not like that coach or want the power to bring their own in. Also, let's say KLD brings Still in as his choice, then we replace Speakman with a new DoF and in 8 months time we aren't playing well does that DoF have the power to make a change or is that then all on KLD?

Mess was the wrong word, I just feel uncomfortable with decisions being made by either Speakman, who I don't particularly trust, or KLD, which I disagree with.

Hierarchy and structure are important. Don't break it.

It has been suggested for months that KLD wants Still as head coach. I've been told that he has taken charge of things and has a foreign sounding bloke doing interviews.

Maybe he is putting a new structure place or as @FellTop suggested we might have a technical director and a director of football which has changed KS's role and remit?

 

[SourPatch2]

It has been suggested for months that KLD wants Still as head coach. I've been told that he has taken charge of things and has a foreign sounding bloke doing interviews.

Maybe he is putting a new structure place or as @FellTop suggested we might have a technical director and a director of football which has changed KS's role and remit?

Don't feel comfortable with the top part.

Would be happy with the bottom part.

 

[Bobcat]

Don't feel comfortable with the top part.

Would be happy with the bottom part.

Fnar fnar…

 

[Chunksafc]

Don't feel comfortable with the top part.

Would be happy with the bottom part.

Maybe the foreign sounding bloke is part of the new structure though?

It's all rumours and speculation mate, I take a lot of comfort in the fact which ever way the rumours come they show the owners aren't accepting last year as close to being good enough and want better

 

[SourPatch2]

Maybe the foreign sounding bloke is part of the new structure though?

It's all rumours and speculation mate, I take a lot of comfort in the fact which ever way the rumours come they show the owners aren't accepting last year as close to being good enough and want better

True, the bit I was uncomfortable with was KLD wanting Still. I understand he'll have preferences over whichever coach is appointed but if you, as the owner, make it clear you want a specific coach and then send an employee to interview some candidates that employee is going to go in knowing that Still is the owners preference instead of going in with their own thoughts.

I don't think I'm explaining myself well at all tonight