Backroom & executive staff

[Kid Icarus]

Just now, r0cafella said:

It absolutely is, but the job titles they have and the targets they have come up with have been sub standard. 

 

I've mentioned it before but it's evident we blow smoke up our own arses and the hubris weighs us down. 

I really don't agree, I think as a direct result of having no DoF and CEO in place to close the deals, we're all seeing the issues with the targets we have after those failures because they're much further down the list.

 

There's a good chance hubris might be in play with some of our targets but for me I'm more alarmed by our own ability to completely fuck up tap ins. 

[r0cafella]

Just now, Kid Icarus said:

I really don't agree, I think as a direct result of having no DoF and CEO in place to close the deals, we're all seeing the issues with the targets we have after those failures because they're much further down the list.

 

There's a good chance hubris might be in play with some of our targets but for me I'm more alarmed by our own ability to completely fuck up tap ins. 

Which taps have been missed? Trafford aside and even then City had a buyback and could match us any time. 

 

I hear what your saying and in obviously the wrong person to discuss this with as I believe that Andy Howe shouldn't be at the club. I don't have any beef with Nickson though although as a fan base he's overly glazed but it is what it is. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'd say one of the problems with our targets is they're not tap-ins, not that they are. 

 

I would like to see Andy Howe moved on when the new execs arrive, even if just for the optics. Guess it depends how much it will upset Eddie though. And at the end of the day we don't know how good he is at the actually job he's meant to be doing. 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2025 by AyeDubbleYoo

[Kid Icarus]

12 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

Which taps have been missed? Trafford aside and even then City had a buyback and could match us any time. 

 

I hear what your saying and in obviously the wrong person to discuss this with as I believe that Andy Howe shouldn't be at the club. I don't have any beef with Nickson though although as a fan base he's overly glazed but it is what it is. 

I'm repeating myself into double figures here but it's been reported by multiple reliable sources that we could have had Trafford least season and before the CWC this season without Man City stepping in.

 

We're currently playing an extremely risky game waiting for Wissa too imo. Perhaps by absolute necessity, but if we fuck that up...

 

Joao Pedro was signing for us from Watford before we pulled the plug and went and got Isak, cut to now, Wilson's gone, Pedro's stock is sky high and he chooses Chelsea.

 

We've gone in for Thiaw after Allegri's taken a shine to him and doesn't want to sell, when we could have gone for him last season instead of Guihi or after he turned down Como and Milan had accepted £20m.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2025 by Kid Icarus

[r0cafella]

Just now, Kid Icarus said:

I'm repeating myself into double figures here but it's been reported by multiple reliable sources that we could have had Trafford least season and before the CWC this season without Man City stepping in.

 

We're currently playing an extremely risky game waiting for Wissa too imo. Perhaps by absolute necessity, but if we fuck that up...

 

Joao Pedro was signing for us from Watford before we pulled the plug and went and got Isak, cut to now, Wilson's gone, Pedro's stock is sky high and he chooses Chelsea.

 

We've gone in for Thiaw after Allegri's taken a shine to him and doesn't want to sell, when we could have gone for him last season instead of Guihi or after he turned down Como and Milan has accepted £20m.

 

 

Err not sure how to respond to this but will give it a go. 

 

Trafford I really don't care about. 

Wissa we will see, from what I read the delay is Brentford finding a replacement im not sure what more we can do with that? And even then I'm extremely skeptical of that deal but need to see the detail. 

 

JP is moot, we got Isak who is better and obviously couldn't do both at that time given our PSR issues. 

 

Thiaw is very much an Andy Howe nickson domain thing if we go for him and don't get him why would you point fingers elsewhere for it? 

 

 

[Kid Icarus]

Just now, r0cafella said:

Err not sure how to respond to this but will give it a go. 

 

Trafford I really don't care about. 

Wissa we will see, from what I read the delay is Brentford finding a replacement im not sure what more we can do with that? And even then I'm extremely skeptical of that deal but need to see the detail. 

 

JP is moot, we got Isak who is better and obviously couldn't do both at that time given our PSR issues. 

 

Thiaw is very much an Andy Howe nickson domain thing if we go for him and don't get him why would you point fingers elsewhere for it? 

 

 

Okay, well I do care about Trafford, very much so.

 

Only other thing is that we didn't have PSR issues at the time of getting Isak, we could have got both. We spend a ton after Isak before we hit the PSR wall.

 

I don't know what else to say really. Nickson and A.Howe's domain is stretched when we don't have a DoF and CEO in place. Those not being in place means I'm pointing fingers at the people who failed to recruit them, react when they left, or put any plan in place.

[Kid Icarus]

Let's face it, a number of people have just decided to scapegoat Andy Howe in this based entirely on guesswork and the presumption that nepotism is trumping ability.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2025 by Kid Icarus

[r0cafella]

1 minute ago, Kid Icarus said:

Let's face it, a number of people have just decided to scapegoat Andy Howe in this based entirely on guesswork.

No no, no scapegoating him. I didn't and do not want him my stance has not changed. He may or may not be to blame. I don't want nepotism. I want a functional club I do not want manager led recruitment and I love Eddie Howe. 

 

I want long term planning. 

[Joelinton7]

1 hour ago, GeordieT said:

Hope the incoming Director of Football has carte blanche to clear out the individuals responsible for this clusterfuck of a window, including Andy Howe.

He’s not going anywhere mate. The Howe always wins.

[Kid Icarus]

1 minute ago, r0cafella said:

No no, no scapegoating him. I didn't and do not want him my stance has not changed. He may or may not be to blame. I don't want nepotism. I want a functional club I do not want manager led recruitment and I love Eddie Howe. 

 

I want long term planning. 

You're describing what I'm saying with the bits in bold in my view, but agree to disagree I think.

[CallumG6]

Does anyone know what the fuck Jacobo Solis does?

 

I thought he was originally brought in to be that bridge between the club and PIF.

[r0cafella]

1 minute ago, Kid Icarus said:

You're describing what I'm saying with the bits in bold in my view, but agree to disagree I think.

I think and correct me if I'm wrong what your saying is they are not to blame for this mess which is fine. 

 

For me, they are partly responsible as these targets which we've failed to get are ones they've identified, and imo a failure to understand who and who we should be targeting is aspect of the recruitment teams job. 

 

The above reason isn't why I want Andy Howe gone, I want him gone because for me he's in the job because his uncle is the gaffa and I personally believe we need best in class. 

 

I hope this is a bit clearer and I'm with you perfectly happy to agree to disagree no bother. 

[r0cafella]

1 minute ago, CallumG6 said:

Does anyone know what the fuck Jacobo Solis does?

 

I thought he was originally brought in to be that bridge between the club and PIF.

He's a director and a portfolio manager for Pif. Don't expect him to be involved in the day to day running of things. 

[Elric]

We need a top-to-bottom review of the structure at the club like, excluding Howe and the players.

 

As to whether anyone will be arsed to do this, who knows. Massive fucking questions need to be asked. But I suppose, in doing so, someone has to admit culpability and I can't see that happening. 

[Kid Icarus]

7 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

I think and correct me if I'm wrong what your saying is they are not to blame for this mess which is fine. 

 

For me, they are partly responsible as these targets which we've failed to get are ones they've identified, and imo a failure to understand who and who we should be targeting is aspect of the recruitment teams job. 

 

The above reason isn't why I want Andy Howe gone, I want him gone because for me he's in the job because his uncle is the gaffa and I personally believe we need best in class. 

 

I hope this is a bit clearer and I'm with you perfectly happy to agree to disagree no bother. 

 

Yeah, and I'm also saying I don't think the targets in themselves are the problem, but the lack of DoF and CEO meaning that A.Howe and Nickson have to spread themselves thin is much more responsible for the lack of incomings - after all, if you want the evidence that those targets are appropriate you only need to look at our squad.

 

Exactly, so your opinion on Andy Howe is guesswork, that's exactly what I'm saying. For all you know he is one of the best in class.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2025 by Kid Icarus

[r0cafella]

3 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

Yeah, and I'm also saying I don't think the targets in themselves are the problem, but the lack of DoF and CEO meaning that A.Howe and Nickson have to spread themselves thin is much more responsible for the lack of incomings - after all, if you want the evidence that those targets are appropriate you only need to look at our squad.

 

Exactly, so your opinion on Andy Howe is guesswork, that's exactly what I'm saying. For all you know he is one of the best in class.

 

 

 

Nothing suggests he's best in class if he is I'm happy for him to go join whoever is the best in the world and go prove it. Man isn't irreplaceable. On numerous occasions we've gone for players we weren't getting man who have we bought where we had competition man? All those key players were free runs, the moment competition comes up we fold like a paper bag. 

 

It's all good we just leave it be, we don't agree here and it's absolutely fine

 

 

Edited August 7, 2025 by r0cafella

[sparkzter]

1 minute ago, Elric said:

We need a top-to-bottom review of the structure at the club like, excluding Howe and the players.

 

As to whether anyone will be arsed to do this, who knows. Massive fucking questions need to be asked. But I suppose, in doing so, someone has to admit culpability and I can't see that happening. 

We do like, however I can’t see this happening anytime soon. We need people in key appointments asap. The people that have attempted to get deals done this summer either need to moved on or at least given another role. It’s been a shambles. 
Eddie Howe can keep somehow producing miracles, he needs

the correct set up behind him. Totally unfair on him and he’s bound to be asking questions regarding his future to himself. Pif need to go all out and support him on and off the field. 

[madras]

4 minutes ago, Elric said:

We need a top-to-bottom review of the structure at the club like, excluding Howe and the players.

 

As to whether anyone will be arsed to do this, who knows. Massive fucking questions need to be asked. But I suppose, in doing so, someone has to admit culpability and I can't see that happening. 

It very much should and has to include Howe.

[54]

The hate Andy Howe gets really does confuse me, by all accounts, from articles i've read in the past, he's good at his job and as such has been given internal promotions because of it (Originally I think he came in as a transfer data analyst), its just he's being asked to do a job this summer that he's not equipped to do. 

[midds]

9 minutes ago, Elric said:

We need a top-to-bottom review of the structure at the club like, excluding Howe and the players.

 

As to whether anyone will be arsed to do this, who knows. Massive fucking questions need to be asked. But I suppose, in doing so, someone has to admit culpability and I can't see that happening. 

Obvious question for me - who would do the review? 

[JT24]

1 minute ago, midds said:

Obvious question for me - who would do the review? 

Eddie Howe

[54]

Just now, midds said:

Obvious question for me - who would do the review? 

When the new CEO comes in, i'm fairly certain they'll do some sort of review of the club in general to be honest. 

 

If it is Hopkinson, given the environment's he's come from, I doubt he'll put up with mediocre. 

[Harveys Barn]

Biggest take-away for me is that we have made a heap of moves for players who haven't already been totally convinced to come.

 

It needs to be built on months of wooing them, so they are already coming, in their mind. Then you approach their club with an offer, and by that stage, it's too late for other clubs to move in. This seems to be how Elanga played out.

 

But guehi, ekitike, sesko, cunha, pedro - none of these players seemed care, or have had any real emotional connection being built prior to the offers landing.

 

It makes us look really sloppy.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

34 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Okay, well I do care about Trafford, very much so.

 

Only other thing is that we didn't have PSR issues at the time of getting Isak, we could have got both. We spend a ton after Isak before we hit the PSR wall.

 

I don't know what else to say really. Nickson and A.Howe's domain is stretched when we don't have a DoF and CEO in place. Those not being in place means I'm pointing fingers at the people who failed to recruit them, react when they left, or put any plan in place.

 

We might have had PSR headroom but we also had Wilson who went on to score 18 that season. 

[hallihg]

Theres no doubt that Amanda and Mehrdad would have been a little more successful in wooing and convincing players to come - not saying they def. would have got Sesko specifically, we dont know that, but they wouldn't have been this sloppy.