Paul Mitchell (Sporting Director)

[Thomson Mouse]

Literally no-one commenting here has any idea what has gone in any deal. 

 

Criticising him seems a bit pointless when you don’t have the full facts

[Elliottman]

8 minutes ago, Upthemags said:

Which, in effect, is what happened with our last world class DoF, yea?

 

No 

 

He got approached by one of the biggest clubs on the Planet, completely different scenario. 

[Upthemags]

Just now, Elliottman said:

 

No 

 

He got approached by one of the biggest clubs on the Planet, completely different scenario. 

Key phrasing - "in effect". Ashworth was not happy here. Mitchell is already briefing reporters on the power dynamic...

 

Maybe there's a common denominator some aren't seeing?

[timeEd32]

10 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Yeah, that’s how it looks to me too.  A genuine attempt to compete but turnover hasn’t risen at a commensurate rate (our revenues are as far behind Spurs as they were when we were taken over), so we’ve been unable to close the gap and are now left with a smattering of genuinely quality acquisitions and a bunch of Ashley-era triers who’ve been optimised by a superb coach.  And those acquisitions have left us with pretty much no more financial wriggle-room - and our inability to offload the Ashley-era players meant that there’s sod all else coming in.

 

There’s no easy fix to this atm

 

I think this is all accurate and I think what the events of this summer have done more than anything is set up an absolutely massive 12 months both off and on the pitch. 

 

For Eales and Silverstone - there have to be revenue increases in some form or fashion. They've both said there are things coming.

 

For Eales and the new COO - there needs to be clarity on the training ground and stadium

 

For Howe - he needs to get the existing squad focused, get us back to our best, and hopefully deliver European football (or a trophy)

 

For Mitchell and Howe - there is a reset opportunity coming, but that means there are a lot of decisions to make and they need to get almost all of them right 

 

Contracts expiring in 2025: Schar, Longstaff, Wilson, Burn, Lascelles, Lewis, Fraser, Krafth, Dubravka, Ruddy, Gillespie, White

 

Contracts expiring in 2026: Trippier, Gordon, Almiron, Pope, Targett, Hayden

 

- Who do we extend and who do we let go?

- Can we tie down Gordon and Isak?

- Who do we sell (proactively for real £, not desperately try to flog in their twilight)?

[Gallowgate Toon]

15 minutes ago, Upthemags said:

I don't really understand what this means? If PIF say Howe is head honcho on transfers, what do you want Mitchell to do? Hypnotize Howe to force him to accept the moves he desires?

Yes, you can famously only work to solutions with other grown adults through hypnotism.

 

His role is meant to be the strategic figurehead of all football operations ffs. Surely, any DoF worth their salt would be working with the right people to set up the processes they believe in? Working with something he doesn't believe to be right/sustainable and instead succumbing to it while collecting big wages would be very poor indeed.

 

If Howe was to go, Mitchell would be instrumental in that decision and the main lead sorting his replacement. He has plenty of power. 

[54]

2 minutes ago, Upthemags said:

Key phrasing - "in effect". Ashworth was not happy here. Mitchell is already briefing reporters on the power dynamic...

 

Maybe there's a common denominator some aren't seeing?

Or maybe you're preaching something that the majority just don't think is true? Myself being one of them.

[Upthemags]

1 minute ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Yes, you can famously only work to solutions with other grown adults through hypnotism.

 

His role is meant to be the strategic figurehead of all football operations ffs. Surely, any DoF worth their salt would be working with the right people to set up the processes they believe in? Working with something he doesn't believe to be right/sustainable and instead succumbing to it while collecting big wages would be very poor indeed.

 

If Howe was to go, Mitchell would be instrumental in that decision and the main lead sorting his replacement. He has plenty of power. 

Mitchell has a boss, mate. They're called PIF. He doesn't get to snap his fingers and effect his will if the boss says that's not how we are operating.

[Upthemags]

1 minute ago, 54 said:

Or maybe you're preaching something that the majority just don't think is true? Myself being one of them.

Hey, maybe I'm wrong and a third elite DoF will sort out our very obvious behind-the-scenes tension.

[TRon]

11 minutes ago, Elliottman said:

 

No 

 

He got approached by one of the biggest clubs on the Planet, completely different scenario. 

 

There was talk that Ashworth expected more of a say in transfer dealings though. Whether that's true or not I can't say, but it was out there.

[gbandit]

Stop living in make believe land. Ashworth left because he’s a rat and we’re well rid of him. He had ties to Man U and Howe obviously sniffed out quickly that he was a little shit. Mitchell’s been here barely any time at all and he’s made a huge attempt to land a player Eddie wants. If you can’t watch events without jumping to huge conclusions then the least you could do is keep your idiotic thoughts to yourself instead of regurgitating them endlessly on here 

[J7]

30 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

If Mitchell is 'dancing to Howe's tune' and going against his own beliefs then he simply isn't cut out to be a DoF and he's stealing a wage. Luckily, he isn't.

It’s his first window, which he joined half way through. Howe made a power play in Germany. I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility that they agreed to go with Howes targets for this window.

[54]

1 minute ago, Upthemags said:

Hey, maybe I'm wrong and a third elite DoF will sort out our very obvious behind-the-scenes tension.

There is literally no evidence to suggest Mitchel is about to walk, and this mystical 3rd DOF is going to appear.

 

Other than one Hope article, there isn't much to say Howe and Ashworth didn't get along.

 

And there is no evidence to say there a major issues behind the scenes at the moment.

[Upthemags]

1 minute ago, 54 said:

And there is no evidence to say there a major issues behind the scenes at the moment.

There's a wealth of evidence, mate. Most obviously, that we've just sat on 60m all summer without bringing anyone in, with Miggy Almiron and Jacob Murphy platooning at RW, and Emil Krafth starting at CB.

 

If you don't think that spells disagreement and dysfunctionality behind the scenes, not much else to say.

[timeEd32]

1 minute ago, Upthemags said:

There's a wealth of evidence, mate. Most obviously, that we've just sat on 60m all summer without bringing anyone in, with Miggy Almiron and Jacob Murphy platooning at RW, and Emil Krafth starting at CB.

 

If you don't think that spells disagreement and dysfunctionality behind the scenes, not much else to say.

 

I'm going to scream if I read this one more time.

[TheBrownBottle]

2 minutes ago, timeEd32 said:

 

I'm going to scream if I read this one more time.

Yep.  It seems extremely likely to me that at least one significant sale before 30 June would have been required to cover it.  I don’t think that the ‘budget’ was there - more that we’d move on our target and if we got him we’d deal with the consequences later

[buzza]

6 minutes ago, Upthemags said:

There's a wealth of evidence, mate. Most obviously, that we've just sat on 60m all summer without bringing anyone in, with Miggy Almiron and Jacob Murphy platooning at RW, and Emil Krafth starting at CB.

 

If you don't think that spells disagreement and dysfunctionality behind the scenes, not much else to say.

There is some truth in the above! 

Those are championship/lower prem players, not top champions league potentials

 

 

Edited Friday at 15:55 by buzza

[Upthemags]

5 minutes ago, timeEd32 said:

 

I'm going to scream if I read this one more time.

It's not that serious, mate. We plunked down offer after offer for Marc Guehi. That suggests some significant chunk of money was available.

[Miggys First Goal]

6 minutes ago, timeEd32 said:

 

I'm going to scream if I read this one more time.

£60M mate. Been sat on it the whole window. 

[54]

11 minutes ago, Upthemags said:

There's a wealth of evidence, mate. Most obviously, that we've just sat on 60m all summer without bringing anyone in, with Miggy Almiron and Jacob Murphy platooning at RW, and Emil Krafth starting at CB.

 

If you don't think that spells disagreement and dysfunctionality behind the scenes, not much else to say.

Not bringing someone in doesn't equate to their being issues between staff behind the scenes and isn't the smoking gun you think it is as it's just conjecture. 

[Upthemags]

Just now, 54 said:

Not bringing someone anyone in doesn't equate to their being issues between staff behind the scenes and isn't the smoking gun you think it is as it's just conjecture. 

Agree to disagree

[timeEd32]

1 minute ago, Upthemags said:

It's not that serious, mate. We plunked down offer after offer for Marc Guehi. That suggests some significant chunk of money was available.

 

Yes, and Olise. It proves we have a shiny briefcase full of cash we're ready to deploy for anyone says the common refrain. Except it doesn't.

 

As @TheBrownBottle said, it is far more likely given where our finances are that those were considered two guaranteed success, bar raising first XI players who we'd have zero regrets about next June even if the impact of signing them was selling Gordon or other. 

[buzza]

1 minute ago, 54 said:

Not bringing someone in doesn't equate to their being issues between staff behind the scenes and isn't the smoking gun you think it is as it's just conjecture. 

All down to one's perspective.

I can imagine everyone at all levels (players/coaches/directors/owners...) are pretty peeved no "purples" have been brought in.

We will never know (unless somebody gets sacked) what has caused this and whether it is bad luck, didn't adhere to our strategy or incompetence.

Time will tell!

[Wolfcastle]

Almost wish we'd panic buy and shoot our psr bolt for future windows on the off chance it works out to be a wise move just to stop the conspiracy theories, willed confusion and palpable gagging to unleash toxicity against the club from some people.

[Upthemags]

1 minute ago, timeEd32 said:

 

Yes, and Olise. It proves we have a shiny briefcase full of cash we're ready to deploy for anyone says the common refrain. Except it doesn't.

 

As @TheBrownBottle said, it is far more likely given where our finances are that those were considered two guaranteed success, bar raising first XI players who we'd have zero regrets about next June even if the impact of signing them was selling Gordon or other. 

Haven't seen your theory reported anywhere - ie, that bringing in Guehi might involve the requirement of selling AG (or an Isak, Bruno, etc.) next summer.

 

Sources?

[buzza]

ELANGA to the rescue!!!