Paul Mitchell (Sporting Director)

[mighty__mag]

Can anybody direct me to the actual interview, I was hoping to see and hear him physically saying what everyone is claiming. Still seen nothing other than journalists context of what was alleged to be said. 

 

I'd like to see or hear, how Mitchell himself says things, and what context he delivers his opinion. 

 

 

Edited September 5 by mighty__mag

[AyeDubbleYoo]

3 minutes ago, Shays Given Tim Flowers said:

If Howe understandably wants to keep hold of his best players (this transfer window is evidence of that) then it is better for us to spend less on incomings. Having Gordon, Isak, Bruno etc worth far more than we paid for them is meaningless unless they are sold. It does not change the fact that from an accounting point of view those players have been bought at a cost that needs to be balanced. If a buying club knows you need to sell in order to balance your deals then that will undermine the value of the player. 
 

Describing our recruitment process as not fit for purpose seems like a fair cop to me when over the summer window we have not added to the first team and when we’ve been after a right wing for how many windows now? 

I don’t think we’ve been prioritising a RW for that long TBH. We the fans have, but we the club have had other priorities for most of that time. 
 

Because RW is the position with the two Mike Ashley players it looks worse than it is. 

[KaKa]

4 minutes ago, Shays Given Tim Flowers said:

If Howe understandably wants to keep hold of his best players (this transfer window is evidence of that) then it is better for us to spend less on incomings. Having Gordon, Isak, Bruno etc worth far more than we paid for them is meaningless unless they are sold. It does not change the fact that from an accounting point of view those players have been bought at a cost that needs to be balanced. If a buying club knows you need to sell in order to balance your deals then that will undermine the value of the player. 
 

Describing our recruitment process as not fit for purpose seems like a fair cop to me when over the summer window we have not added to the first team and when we’ve been after a right wing for how many windows now? 

 

Agree completely.

 

We've now pretty much run out of Minteh's and Anderson's, and so going forward, if we continued as we had been going, the next step would be to start selling the crown jewels.

 

It was never sustainable for where we currently are.

[80]

1 hour ago, Theregulars said:

Perhaps I should explain better. In my line of work, I frequently come across people who are interested in nothing other than money and self-enrichment, with no second thought as to impact on others or even a wider community (such as here). They uniformly speak an American-style business semi-formal and their answers, when drilled down, never provide any useful information. They also instinctively, almost as a reflex, deflect blame onto others when put under scrutiny. They're often not intelligent but have had enough education / work time that they can use longer words and coin some phrases convincingly enough.

 

The interviews I have read with this guy completely remind me of those types of people. To my mind it's fairly clear that he's self-exculpating in that interview, and some of its basic premises don't stand up to scrutiny. It's also not the most intelligent thing to declare in public that your opinion - as an alleged expert in player transactions - is that some of our squad were overpriced. 

 

I read what he's saying as we're going to be spending less and that Howe is under scrutiny because, at board level, last season's finish is not sufficiently excused by injuries and circumstances. 

 

In conclusion, it gives me the creeps, because moneyfucks give me the creeps. 

 

Is that OK?

 

 

 

I have similar experience and what you say makes total sense. Such people tend to succeed because others around them either can't or don't want to read them, though.

[80]

47 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

The transfer window in terms of incoming players is a complete disaster, Howe tows the line about everyone working together and pushing in the right direction, then Mitchell comes out with a series of closed door interviews (did Howe know these were happening) in which he says he was in a supporting role, that the current model isn't fit for purpose, that Guehi was a Howe choice, that Howe is best at training, that they couldn't stand in anyone's way if they wanted to leave - particularly if it was the FA, and that the plan will work next time because it'll be his. Blame insinuated as being on Howe, Ashworth, Staveley and Ghoudoussi, and as an adage insinuates that we paid too much for some of our players. He aso refers to himself in the 3rd person and is dripping in management speak. 

 

It all sounds like about 20 huge red flags to me.

As I said the other day, Howe did his press conference and dipped his hand in the blood, which was a good thing. Mitchell hasn't, which is concerning.

[KaKa]

One of the criticisms levelled at Howe by some supporters — and rejected by the head coach — is that he prefers Premier League additions. Howe would contest that Newcastle’s recruitment team hold far greater data and analysis of domestic and European targets than of those from further afield and that he would acquire more players from elsewhere if similar levels of information were available to him.

 

Evidently, Mitchell wants to provide that for his head coach, as he plans for Newcastle to have more of a “global vision of players who we can sign” so they can take advantage of “finding undervalued talents at a certain age profile”.

 

“I wouldn’t say too much because we’ve signed players from other leagues at great cost,” Mitchell said when asked if he feels Newcastle have been too Premier League-centric in their recruitment. “It’s normal for domestic clubs to look first domestically.

There probably needs to be more of a balance at looking externally and globally, to stretch our radius.”

 

The obvious question is whether Howe himself is content with that tweaked approach and Mitchell seemed confident the head coach will be. Referencing that Newcastle were facing “quite a big (PSR) hole” in June, Mitchell feels Howe will be receptive to a more economically-savvy strategy.

 

“Eddie is very smart and I think he knows there needs to be evolution,” said Mitchell. “It’s a collective responsibility between me and him to understand: are there other areas we can look at to bring those good players to his team to be coached by him.”

 

 

Edited September 5 by KaKa

[SteV]

23 minutes ago, mighty__mag said:

Can anybody direct me to the actual interview, I was hoping to see and here him physically saying what everyone is claiming. Still seen nothing other than journalists context of what was alleged to be said. 

 

I'd like to see or here, how Mitchell himself says things, and what context he delivers his opinion. 

Not sure it was recorded. Other than personally by the journos obviously.

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

21 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I don’t think we’ve been prioritising a RW for that long TBH. We the fans have, but we the club have had other priorities for most of that time. 
 

Because RW is the position with the two Mike Ashley players it looks worse than it is. 

Perhaps, but we clearly attempted to strengthen this summer and achieved nothing.

[TRon]

25 minutes ago, Shays Given Tim Flowers said:

If Howe understandably wants to keep hold of his best players (this transfer window is evidence of that) then it is better for us to spend less on incomings. Having Gordon, Isak, Bruno etc worth far more than we paid for them is meaningless unless they are sold. It does not change the fact that from an accounting point of view those players have been bought at a cost that needs to be balanced. If a buying club knows you need to sell in order to balance your deals then that will undermine the value of the player. 
 

Describing our recruitment process as not fit for purpose seems like a fair cop to me when over the summer window we have not added to the first team and when we’ve been after a right wing for how many windows now? 

 

 

Agreed. I am not that going to get involved in a Mitchell vs Howe debate, it's already descending into "this guy comes across as a snake oil salesmen" kind of talk. Howe was recruited to do a job, Mitchell has been recruited to do a job. Let them get on with it.

 

Personally I just don't think the old method of letting the manager control recruitment works in the modern era. He obviously has to have input, but if the manager leaves and you get a new man in, suddenly all the players brought in become useless - unless they are valuable in their own right. That's where recruitment has worked so well at Brighton, and that has NOT been geared around the manager's needs.

[Stal]

12 hours ago, Disco said:

Im loosely on this page although I do appreciate he’s fronted up…of sorts.

 

By Chris Waugh

2h ago

Newcastle United and Paul Mitchell have not hidden away after a testing summer.

Sitting down with reporters at St James’ Park on Wednesday, the sporting director fronted up and discussed the club’s failure to improve their first XI, his relationship with Eddie Howe and those links to the England job, as well as the club’s overall recruitment strategy.

 

AHA! I reckon @Disco is Chris Waugh!

 

[mighty__mag]

5 minutes ago, SteV said:

Not sure it was recorded. Other than personally by the journos obviously.

 

Then I cant take the claims that seriously. 

 

I'd need to hear Mitchell. 

 

When I watch Howe in his pressers, the difference in Eddie's delivery, and how the media portray similar events are night and day. 

 

Subjective over objective.

[Crimson Cardigan]

Hearing a lot of gripes about “management speak” - how is a director of football supposed to sound in 2024?

 

We can simultaneously have done well with transfers up till now and have a scouting network/infrastructure that’s not up to scratch. The digs at Ashworth are fine, we have had one Minteh, we need many if we are ever going to overcome PSR. He failed massively when moving players on too. Not sure what’s controversial here.

 

As for deflection, he’s hardly gonna come out and say, “sorry lads, fucked up massively there, what was I thinking?” He clearly believes in himself, and that’s a good thing (obviously the next windows have to be better) The stuff about coming in too late to massively alter the plan rings true.

 

The Howe quotes could be read many ways (and have been). A little bit of friction can be a good thing. I think we can all agree we need more Brighton style signings and maybe Howe and us won’t have heard of them. Hopefully they can work together in the long term. January feels massive, if Howe can keep us in contention till then, one or two signings could have us in a totally different mindset.

 

[Kid Icarus]

32 minutes ago, Crimson Cardigan said:

Hearing a lot of gripes about “management speak” - how is a director of football supposed to sound in 2024?

 

We can simultaneously have done well with transfers up till now and have a scouting network/infrastructure that’s not up to scratch. The digs at Ashworth are fine, we have had one Minteh, we need many if we are ever going to overcome PSR. He failed massively when moving players on too. Not sure what’s controversial here.

 

As for deflection, he’s hardly gonna come out and say, “sorry lads, fucked up massively there, what was I thinking?” He clearly believes in himself, and that’s a good thing (obviously the next windows have to be better) The stuff about coming in too late to massively alter the plan rings true.

 

The Howe quotes could be read many ways (and have been). A little bit of friction can be a good thing. I think we can all agree we need more Brighton style signings and maybe Howe and us won’t have heard of them. Hopefully they can work together in the long term. January feels massive, if Howe can keep us in contention till then, one or two signings could have us in a totally different mindset.

 

 

He can speak however he wants, it's just a personal thing that whenever I hear management speak I'm hardwired to distrust that person. I think it's mainly because throughout my career nigh on everyone who talks like that can't be trusted or are at best bullshitters  I'd make an educated guess that there are a lot of people with similar experiences at work too. 

 

There are exceptions like Mike Ashley, but personally think that as a general rule digging out anyone when you're in Mitchell's position, no matter how true it might be or how deserving of it that person might be, is a poor reflection on the person doing it in terms of professionalism. It's also a bad PR move. Maybe that's just me, but I don't think blame culture - especially with existing colleagues - is a good thing at all. 

 

I think there's an easily tread path between saying 'sorry lads, I fucked up' and insinuating that Howe, Ashworth, Staveley and Ghoudoussi are to blame. We don't even need to look that far, Howe navigated that comfortably - accepting responsibility, that working relationships are in progress etc while towing the party line and presenting a united front. Mitchell didn't do that. 

 

 

Edited September 5 by Kid Icarus

[NG32]

4 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

He can speak however he wants, it's just a personal thing that whenever I hear management speak I'm hardwired to distrust that person. I think it's mainly because throughout my career nigh on everyone who talks like that can't be trusted or are at best bullshitters  I'd make an educated guess that there are a lot of people with similar experiences at work too. 

 

There are exceptions like Mike Ashley, but personally think that as a general rule digging out anyone when you're in Mitchell's position, no matter how true it might be or how deserving of it that person might be, is a poor reflection on the person doing it in terms of professionalism. It's also a bad PR move. Maybe that's just me, but I don't think blame culture - especially with existing colleagues - is a good thing at all. 

 

I think there's an easily tread path between saying 'sorry lads, I fucked up' and insinuating that Howe, Ashworth, Staveley and Ghoudoussi are to blame. We don't even need to look that far, Howe navigated that comfortably - accepting responsibility, that working relationships are in progress etc while towing the party line and presenting a united front. Mitchell didn't do that. 

 

 

 

 

We had a guy telling us to "trust the science", as he heard it on the news during covid and wanted to sound like he knew what he was talking about. 

 

We were all like

[madras]

1 minute ago, NG32 said:

 

We had a guy telling us to "trust the science", as he heard it on the news during covid and wanted to sound like he knew what he was talking about. 

 

We were all like

"Mission statement" new age corporate bullshitspeak at its peak.

[gjohnson]

32 minutes ago, Crimson Cardigan said:

Hearing a lot of gripes about “management speak” - how is a director of football supposed to sound in 2024?

 

We can simultaneously have done well with transfers up till now and have a scouting network/infrastructure that’s not up to scratch. The digs at Ashworth are fine, we have had one Minteh, we need many if we are ever going to overcome PSR. He failed massively when moving players on too. Not sure what’s controversial here.

 

As for deflection, he’s hardly gonna come out and say, “sorry lads, fucked up massively there, what was I thinking?” He clearly believes in himself, and that’s a good thing (obviously the next windows have to be better) The stuff about coming in too late to massively alter the plan rings true.

 

The Howe quotes could be read many ways (and have been). A little bit of friction can be a good thing. I think we can all agree we need more Brighton style signings and maybe Howe and us won’t have heard of them. Hopefully they can work together in the long term. January feels massive, if Howe can keep us in contention till then, one or two signings could have us in a totally different mindset.

 

Exactly this...with the intense scrutiny on everyone "management speak" is the only thing that apparent professionals can come out with. Ie saying a lot and looking like answering the question but not really say anything.

 

The actual truth will remain behind closed doors, and it'll take several more windows for him to show how competent he really is. We don't know what the dynamic between Howe/Mitchell/Eales really is, as its still a new group of responsibility, and there will be a degree of learning for all three on how the other two work. Don't know about anyone else but in most jobs if there's a new management team set up it rarely goes perfectly smoothly from the off.

 

Like you say he's not going to say "we've made a massive balls up" or say it was a brilliant window as that's just giving fans, pundits and the media rope to hang himself with

[duo]

was the interview off camera?

[Weezertron]

I just hope Eddie doesn’t feel slighted. 

 

I can’t be arsed hearing these people tattle on each other publicly. Same goes for Eddie 6 weeks or so ago when he did his power move interview. 

 

 

[David Edgar]

When we're sick of him it'll be fun to have a big Peggy Mitchell surfer waving about with "get out my club" emblazoned on it.

[Jack27]

2 minutes ago, duo said:

was the interview off camera?

Yes

[The Bonk]

1 hour ago, KaKa said:

One of the criticisms levelled at Howe by some supporters — and rejected by the head coach — is that he prefers Premier League additions. Howe would contest that Newcastle’s recruitment team hold far greater data and analysis of domestic and European targets than of those from further afield and that he would acquire more players from elsewhere if similar levels of information were available to him.

 

Evidently, Mitchell wants to provide that for his head coach, as he plans for Newcastle to have more of a “global vision of players who we can sign” so they can take advantage of “finding undervalued talents at a certain age profile”.

 

“I wouldn’t say too much because we’ve signed players from other leagues at great cost,” Mitchell said when asked if he feels Newcastle have been too Premier League-centric in their recruitment. “It’s normal for domestic clubs to look first domestically.

There probably needs to be more of a balance at looking externally and globally, to stretch our radius.”

 

The obvious question is whether Howe himself is content with that tweaked approach and Mitchell seemed confident the head coach will be. Referencing that Newcastle were facing “quite a big (PSR) hole” in June, Mitchell feels Howe will be receptive to a more economically-savvy strategy.

 

“Eddie is very smart and I think he knows there needs to be evolution,” said Mitchell. “It’s a collective responsibility between me and him to understand: are there other areas we can look at to bring those good players to his team to be coached by him.”

 

 

 

This is awesome and exciting. I hope he finds us some genuine talent we’ve never heard of and they go on to be club legends. People are so focused on management speak () they’re not seeing the potential of all the above. 

[andycap]

4 hours ago, KaKa said:

 

It's funny because I clearly remember the public discourse being we paid too much for a lot of our signings at the time.

 

Thankfully it has all worked out, because they have performed well and actually increased their value for the most part.

 

Yep definitely all bargains now. 

But people at the time people me included thought the prices were steep. 😂 

[andycap]

The geordie journos seemed positive about the interview with them. So god knows how hopey managed to put a loggerheads spin on it. That guys a mentalist 😂 

[Holmesy]

I still maintain that our planning leading up to and during this window was shite, and Mitchell kind of alludes to it when he says 'our focus was too narrow'. It sounds like the infrastructure put in place by Ashworth could be partly to blame, but almost 8 months to plan for a transfer window, with an organisation full of football and business experts, and coming out with one free transfer squad-filler and a young striker who is unproven doesn't scream 'well oiled machine'. I could understand it if Ashworth dropped the bomb just before the window, but he hadn't been part of the process for about 6 months.

Obviously the new hierarchy have to find their feet and figure out their working dynamic but we'd have been better off managing the window ourselves, with Mitchell starting just after the window closed. The timing doesn't seem to have helped anyone or made anyone look very good.

 

Hopefully this is just a bump in the road and we can continue on the same trajectory we were heading on up until the start of last January. Our transfer record since then has been absolutely bobbins.

[Guest]

z

 

 

Edited September 10 by OCK