Rich Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1227633,00.html Club Confirms Senior Appointments NEWCASTLE United announces that Dennis Wise has agreed to join the Club in the role of Executive Director (Football). Also joining the Club are Tony Jimenez as Vice President (Player Recruitment) and Jeff Vetere, who joins from Real Madrid in the position of Technical Co-ordinator. Dennis will assist the Board on football-related matters, including the development of the Club's Academy and player recruitment. He will report to the Chairman. Tony and Jeff will also assist in player recruitment. The arrival of these three new recruits follows on from the recent appointment of Kevin Keegan as manager. Kevin will be responsible for all matters related to the First Team. Chairman Chris Mort said: "This is all part of the vision that recently helped us to secure Kevin Keegan's return to the Club as manager. "Two of the conclusions of our strategic review, since acquiring the Club, were that the Club would benefit from having a football person involved at Board level, which it has not had historically, and that further senior resources are needed for recruiting players of the highest quality from this country and further afield. "Dennis would like to move away from day-to-day football management to a Board role and, with his considerable energy and intelligence, we believe he will do very well in this new position. "With Kevin able to devote his efforts to developing and running the first team squad, Dennis, Tony and Jeff will each help us to secure success for Newcastle United Football Club at all levels and for the long-term. One or two further key appointments will follow in the months ahead." Dennis Wise quits Leeds to sign up for Newcastle revolution Matt Hughes Dennis Wise will be confirmed as the new general manager of Newcastle United today as the centrepiece of a significant restructuring of the club. In the biggest changes since Mike Ashley bought Newcastle last summer, The Times can reveal that Tony Jimenez, a London-based property developer, will join the board as a vice-president and Jeff Vetere, a scout for Real Madrid, will be appointed as technical director to complete a continental-style management structure working in support of Kevin Keegan. Keegan has been aware of Ashley’s plans to create a multi-tiered management team since he returned to the club as manager a fortnight ago, but had little say over its composition. It is understood that Wise, the Leeds United manager, was already being lined up before he was appointed. “I am very happy [about the situation],” Keegan said yesterday after further discussions with Chris Mort, his chairman. “That’s a fact.” Leeds confirmed yesterday that they had agreed a compensation package with Newcastle for Wise and he will leave after preparing the team for tonight’s Coca-Cola League One match against Southend United at Roots Hall. Keegan resumed talks with Alan Shearer last night about the former Newcastle captain taking up a part-time position probably coaching the forwards but Shearer will not be offered a senior role within the new structure. Wise’s appointment should not affect those discussions, however, as his remit will not include coaching and he will be primarily charged with identifying talent and buying players in the manner of a director of football. Wise and Vetere will make the initial assessment before calling in Jimenez to do the deal, though Newcastle insist that Keegan will have the final say. While many Newcastle fans will be stunned at the recruitment of such a controversial character as Wise, it is even more surprising that he has chosen to abandon his management career after mounting an impressive promotion challenge with Leeds, despite the handicap of a 15-point penalty. The Times understands, however, that Wise has told friends he no longer wants to be a manager after becoming disillusioned with the job since the departure of Gustavo Poyet, his assistant, to Tottenham Hotspur. His new position will also enable him to spend more time at the family home in Buckinghamshire as he will not be required to move to the North East. Wise will work closely with Vetere and Jimenez, who was intimately involved in his appointment and whose work for the club will be formalised when he is appointed in a part-time position today. Although his background is in property, the Spanish-speaking Jimenez is well connected in football and has a reputation as an astute deal-maker, helping to bring Juande Ramos to Tottenham as head coach before beginning work for Newcastle late last year. Jimenez has known Wise since the latter’s playing days at Chelsea a decade ago and the pair have maintained a close friendship. Vetere will also have a crucial role because, in contrast with Keegan’s first period in charge, when he scrapped the reserve team, Newcastle are pinning their hopes on youth development, hoping to follow the successful models in place at Arsenal and Seville by filling their academy with the best players from all over the world. The multilingual Vetere began his career as a youth-team manager at Rushden & Diamonds, but he was appointed overseas co-ordinator at Charlton Athletic by Alan Curbishley, who also took him to West Ham United before Vetere left for Real. On another remarkable day on Tyneside, Keegan confirmed that Joey Barton, who is on bail over an assault charge, is set to be named on the substitutes’ bench for tonight’s league fixture away to Arsenal. Barton was residing at the Sporting Chance clinic in Hampshire but now has a nightly curfew at his North East home at 7.30pm, except on match days. “His football has to do his talking now,” Keegan said. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article3267393.ece DWise men bring a variety of skills to the back room George Caulkin Newcastle United’s attempt to restructure the club means that a new team will be in place behind the scenes at St James’ Park. One is a familiar face, but the other two newcomers are less well known. Dennis Wise St James’ Park, it seems, has an eternal fascination for football’s bad boys. Wise would point out that he is a different person from the snarling character who was adored by Chelsea fans and loathed by just about everyone else. He has overcome scepticism from Leeds United fans, as well as a 15-point deduction, to hoist the club into a strong position in Coca-Cola League One. Yet the 41-year-old is understood to be pining for a break from management - he has also had spells at Millwall, Southampton (as caretaker) and Swindon Town. His family have not settled in Yorkshire and his new role – which can be filed under the bracket of general manager – should allow him to spend two or three days a week at his Buckinghamshire home. Duties beckoning for Wise will include scouting, but Kevin Keegan, the manager, will have the final say on acquisitions. Chris Mort, the chairman, has also placed great emphasis on developing the club’s academy. Tony Jimenez Set to be named Newcastle’s new vice-president today, he is a friend of Paul Kemsley, the former Tottenham Hotspur vice-chairman. In turn, Kemsley is tight with Mike Ashley, the Newcastle owner, while Jimenez has a long association with Wise, having established a wide network of contacts in football through his background in property development. So the circle is squared. Jimenez has a reputation as a Mr Fixit, having played a significant role in Tottenham’s capture of Juande Ramos. He was also instrumental in Keegan’s return to Tyneside. He will grease the wheels for transfer deals to be finalised. The model being established is a continental one, where young, talented players are targeted and either integrated into the first team or sold at a profit. Keegan, who knew about the plans before returning to Newcastle, is said to be satisfied that there will be no interference in his domain. A former director of Casa Sports Holdings Ltd, an agency whose clients included Celestine Babayaro, who had an ill-fated period at Newcastle, Jiminez was in Spain last night, scouting for youth-team players. Jeff Vetere A former apprentice at Luton Town, he rose from a youth coaching role at Rushden & Diamonds to become Charlton Athletic’s overseas scouting co-ordinator. Fluent in Italian and Spanish, he has since worked for Real Madrid but will take the title of technical director, which will mean an international scouting role. Credited with an encyclopaedic knowledge of footballers, Vetere will be expected to use his broad range of skills to help Newcastle to restock their youth and reserve ranks with exciting prospects. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article3267400.ece Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Thought this was worthy of its own thread, because it does represent another extremely important change in the club philosophy. We're bringing in a DOF (General Manager) in Dennis Wise, a brand new head scout from Real Madrid as our technical director (who speaks fluent Italian and Spanish) in Jeff Vetere and the man who helped take Juande Ramos to Tottenham (who is also fluent in Spanish) in Tony Jimenez, who will be our new "vice president". It's massive, really, when you sit and think about it and there are a lot of positive vibes in that Times article (if all true, of course.) These are more of the sorts of changes that many of us had hoped that Mort and Ashley would bring. Fresh thinking, keeping up with the Jones' and all that. Everyone happy enough? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbo_11 Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 My opinion is that it is something new for Newcastle and should be given the chance to try and see if it will work. It may yield more success, which isn't hard after the previous regime/style of management at this club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Seems an exciting move by the club, Wise I find a strange choice but I take it it was at the request of Vetere and Jimenez. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicago_shearer Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Wow. Big changes. ttp://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/sport/latestsport/2008/01/28/jeff-s-in-no-rush-to-make-his-move-89520-20301124/ Profile of Jeff Vetere - former Rushden manager who went to Real Madrid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie87 Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Good direction for the club I guess. Also certainly puts to bed the idea that Ashley was only doing a patch up job in order to sell on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I also think that Ashley wanted to do this when he first took over the club, but it wasn't wanted by Sam Allardyce, and so the owner relented. It was mooted at the time in a fair few quarters that they were hoping to bring a DOF in, but it didn't seem to sit well with Allardyce. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wullie Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Thought this was worthy of its own thread, because it does represent another extremely important change in the club philosophy. We're bringing in a DOF (General Manager) in Dennis Wise, a brand new head scout from Real Madrid as our technical director (who speaks fluent Italian and Spanish) in Jeff Vetere and the man who helped take Juande Ramos to Tottenham (who is also fluent in Spanish) in Tony Jimenez, who will be our new "vice president". It's massive, really, when you sit and think about it and there are a lot of positive vibes in that Times article (if all true, of course.) These are more of the sorts of changes that many of us had hoped that Mort and Ashley would bring. Fresh thinking, keeping up with the Jones' and all that. Everyone happy enough? Ashley out! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnypd Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 i'll paste this comment from the Wise thread as it is more relevant in this thread: Surely this set-up represents some of the most forward thinking we've seen at this club for a long while? Whether it will be a success or not is obviously impossible to say, but at least we seem to be moving with the times here. No pun intended. agreed, the set-up is a step in the right direction. hopefully this Vetere bloke can do the business, such a rapid ascent from Rushden to Real Madrid in only a couple of years means he mustve made an impact (or is a bit of a blagger) somewhere down the line. The rest of the set-up seems a bit less objective and more down to Ashley wanting people he knows and is comfortable working with, as he has done with Sports Direct. He knows Jimenez through Kemsley, and Wise through Jimenez. the latter sounds like he has some expertise in negotations, but i'm not sure Wise has any outstanding qualifications other than knowing the right people. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I like what I'm reading there. No grumbles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Seems an exciting move by the club, Wise I find a strange choice but I take it it was at the request of Vetere and Jimenez. with you on that. hoping they picked wise as they see the qualities necessary in him rather than "he's a mate" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 As long as Keegan is happy with it and was aware of the plans before he signed (which he really must have been), then I find this sort of thing almost as exciting as the new manager himself. If Special K gets his own coaching team in around him to focus purely on the players we currently have, and we ally this with Allardyce's new network of scouts (if they're wanted) and the new set-up then it's more moves in the right direction. Like I've said, it doesn't mean we'll necessarily get any better, we still might not win owt, but at least we're growing with the times. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakka Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Thought this was worthy of its own thread, because it does represent another extremely important change in the club philosophy. We're bringing in a DOF (General Manager) in Dennis Wise, a brand new head scout from Real Madrid as our technical director (who speaks fluent Italian and Spanish) in Jeff Vetere and the man who helped take Juande Ramos to Tottenham (who is also fluent in Spanish) in Tony Jimenez, who will be our new "vice president". It's massive, really, when you sit and think about it and there are a lot of positive vibes in that Times article (if all true, of course.) These are more of the sorts of changes that many of us had hoped that Mort and Ashley would bring. Fresh thinking, keeping up with the Jones' and all that. Everyone happy enough? I'd say so. We seem to be brining in people with various talents to break up the management responsibilities to a team so that one person isn't under pressure to deliver them all. Seriously hope it works, seems ways are changing at SJP to a more modern club setup. Hope we evolve well under it. Exciting stuff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gggg Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Vetere sounds impressive (but he has worked most with Curbishley, and i can't remember a adventurous Curbishley signing) It sounds like we'll go down the route most teams with a DOF take and sign young, cheap talent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnypd Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Seems an exciting move by the club, Wise I find a strange choice but I take it it was at the request of Vetere and Jimenez. with you on that. hoping they picked wise as they see the qualities necessary in him rather than "he's a mate" maybe Wise is just a figurehead overseeing the operation and will help finding more scouts and youth coaches, leaving Vetere to concentrate solely on overseas scouting and Jimenez solely on contracts (replacing russel cushing). also if Wise himself is doing scouting it might be more focused on the domestic game. just a thought. I wonder how this team will interact with Keegan regarding first-team transfers. knowing that he is a bit 'unstable' when he doesn't get his way, i hope there are no unsavoury confrontations when he wants to sign another signori. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Nobody can accuse Ashley and Mort of sitting around and reacting, I don't know how this will turn out but it looks good if Keegan agrees to it and doesn't lose any of his power, its good to see something pro-active being done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Seems an exciting move by the club, Wise I find a strange choice but I take it it was at the request of Vetere and Jimenez. with you on that. hoping they picked wise as they see the qualities necessary in him rather than "he's a mate" maybe Wise is just a figurehead overseeing the operation and will help finding more scouts and youth coaches, leaving Vetere to concentrate solely on overseas scouting and Jimenez solely on contracts (replacing russel cushing). also if Wise himself is doing scouting it might be more focused on the domestic game. just a thought. it seems like keegan had to be aware of this plan but it also goes against the keegan way of doing things ie him being the main source of player finding etc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 well.........they've got just over 2 days! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Seems an exciting move by the club, Wise I find a strange choice but I take it it was at the request of Vetere and Jimenez. with you on that. hoping they picked wise as they see the qualities necessary in him rather than "he's a mate" Nice to read an article in the national press that seems to be trying to report on actual happenings instead of just spouting personal tirades on the club and the supporters. If true, seems a dramatic change and like the idea that the rest of the club strucure is being concentrated on while KK focuses 100% on the first team Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakka Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 well.........they've got just over 2 days! lol... Mission Impossible theme tune music to be played during these 2 days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredbob Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Nobody can accuse Ashley and Mort of sitting around and reacting, I don't know how this will turn out but it looks good if Keegan agrees to it and doesn't lose any of his power, its good to see something pro-active being done. Amen, brother. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Vetere will also have a crucial role because, in contrast with Keegan’s first period in charge, when he scrapped the reserve team, Newcastle are pinning their hopes on youth development, hoping to follow the successful models in place at Arsenal and Seville by filling their academy with the best players from all over the world. The multilingual Vetere began his career as a youth-team manager at Rushden & Diamonds, but he was appointed overseas co-ordinator at Charlton Athletic by Alan Curbishley, who also took him to West Ham United before Vetere left for Real. The set-up sounds promising, as long as Keegan has the final say on transfers, but i'm still not sure what Wise brings to the table. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 Fucking hell man. It's the Emperor's New Clothes, all over again. Can't believe everyone's pissing themselves with glee over this shenanigans. Bring back Freddy Shepherd. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnypd Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 well.........they've got just over 2 days! they'll bring in a young spanish star, Vetere will be talking to the local waiters, as he is wont to do, and will unveil this man as our new midfield 'water carrier': http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/3317209.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=11B127B063386F610082A11D773E2A60A55A1E4F32AD3138 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 it seems like keegan had to be aware of this plan but it also goes against the keegan way of doing things ie him being the main source of player finding etc I hope its a case of Keegan telling them who or what he wants, his record is second to none at our club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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