Paul Mitchell (Sporting Director)

[The Prophet]

What's with all the straw men?

 

"The segment of the interview doesn't read great from Mitchell."

 

"So you don't want the club to improve then?"

 

Wut.

[Matt1892]

We had Howe’s power play in the summer and now we are seeing Mitchell’s.

 

He appears to be setting out how the club will be run going forward, you would presume with the support of the people at the top, so it will be up to Howe to decide if he wants to work this way or not.

 

We will find out if England come calling.

[NobbySolano]

Lot of back and forth here, i would offer this perspective.

 

As a non-local and happened to be too busy last coupe of days I only saw some headlines, a few posts and the meltdown here and some quotes. But I did NOT read any of the british/local media. I did not have time and didnt feel like reading shit journos.

 

Instead just now I was finally able to read Waugh's article on The Atheltic and I cant figure out where all the meltdown and whining is coming from. 

 

Mitchel did not come across nearly as negative or avoidant of responsibility as many say. I did not feel any of the answers were condescending when he was calling Howe smart, he used the same way to describe PIF - it sounded more like that is just how he talks. I also think he was just very direct and straightforward - not trying to pander to anyone or use kid gloves. Called it the way it is.

 

Could he have laid on the train tracks and taken the blame? sure, but what would it serve? 

 

Dont get me wrong I can see why some are reading into it, but thats people projecting their insecurities. I love Eddie and hope he is here for 20 years and several trophies; but if he took a big exception to what was said then he needs to put his big boy pants on and stop projecting his own insecurities as well. For the record, I do NOT think Howe is reading this the same way, and they have already had a talk. 

[Minhosa]

Just now, Matt1892 said:

We had Howe’s power play in the summer and now we are seeing Mitchell’s.

 

He appears to be setting out how the club will be run going forward, you would presume with the support of the people at the top, so it will be up to Howe to decide if he wants to work this way or not.

 

We will find out if England come calling.

I don't see much upside for Howe in this situation.

 

His supportive managers/owners have been shunted out, he had no idea Mitchell was pitching up, he's not gotten who he wanted in during the summer (when, in all reality, he would have if AS/MG were still around) and he's got this bloke chirping away about being 'good on the grass' or whatever he said.

 

The inference being 'Eddie is a coach first and foremost' when it's clear he's always wanted an influence beyond that.

 

I don't really get the clamour from the media to get a talking head, a glorified middle manager, sent out from the club to justify a poor window.

 

I'd far rather Mitchell concentrated on improving our ability to achieve a better window next time around with the aim of engaging Howe in the process rather than spout off in the media like he runs the fucking show.

 

Howe has done a frankly marvellous job - if Mitchell can just shut his gob and achieve the same levels in his role, as Howe has done with the squad he's had at his disposal then crack on. If not, fuck off and let someone else do it.

[timeEd32]

You can quite clearly read his words in multiple ways. You can give him credit for not stamping on the existing plans, which genuinely could have made Eddie head to the FA, and you can also question why he feels the need to say so many times that he was only a passenger. Part of the problem is within single trains of thought he says things that sound good (like his praise of Eddie), but also has little things thrown in that make you raise an eyebrow ("head coach," "on the grass"). He may or may not mean anything by some of the words and phrases he's throwing out there -- we're clearly not debating the words of Shakespeare or some great elocutionist -- and as @STM pointed out we don't know what he was being asked, which definitely influences the answers. 

 

Only time will tell honestly on how the Howe/Mitchell/Eales triumvirate plays out. If Mitchell is anywhere as good as his reputation and his own mind suggest then we're going to be a force. If he's not then he probably won't be here any longer than Ashworth. If Eales is just a beer swigging, stage singing wet blanket then we'll get ourselves a new CEO. The only bad outcome IMO is one in which we lose our manager over some unnecessary power play, but it should not be a surprise to Howe or anyone on Team Eddie that the need for some concessions was coming. He needs to adapt also and that likely means having a bit less power than he's ever had as manager. Hopefully all will concede enough ground for this to work.

 

But if you just look at the highlights, there's a lot of good things that respond directly to a lot of angst on here (they are just words, but they are a start):

• PIF is all in with an admission that this may be more difficult than first thought
• We need better and more data-driven scouting
• We need to be shopping in foreign markets and at different price points
• We need to be better sellers
• An awareness that we can never be in a position like June again
• Oh, and we got further confirmation that Craig Hope is a shit-stirring little prick

[Abacus]

17 minutes ago, KaKa said:

 

He said he was in agreement with sticking with the original strategy, and so he is just as culpable.

 

Deflecting blame would be if he came out and said that he decided not to get involved till the next window and the strategy had nothing to with him.

Fair points, on reflection. 

[KaKa]

5 minutes ago, NobbySolano said:

Lot of back and forth here, i would offer this perspective.

 

As a non-local and happened to be too busy last coupe of days I only saw some headlines, a few posts and the meltdown here and some quotes. But I did NOT read any of the british/local media. I did not have time and didnt feel like reading shit journos.

 

Instead just now I was finally able to read Waugh's article on The Atheltic and I cant figure out where all the meltdown and whining is coming from. 

 

Mitchel did not come across nearly as negative or avoidant of responsibility as many say. I did not feel any of the answers were condescending when he was calling Howe smart, he used the same way to describe PIF - it sounded more like that is just how he talks. I also think he was just very direct and straightforward - not trying to pander to anyone or use kid gloves. Called it the way it is.

 

Could he have laid on the train tracks and taken the blame? sure, but what would it serve? 

 

Dont get me wrong I can see why some are reading into it, but thats people projecting their insecurities. I love Eddie and hope he is here for 20 years and several trophies; but if he took a big exception to what was said then he needs to put his big boy pants on and stop projecting his own insecurities as well. For the record, I do NOT think Howe is reading this the same way, and they have already had a talk. 

 

I felt the same after reading the Athletic article 

[BermyToon]

Mitchell has an impressive CV and has unearthed talent at previous employers. I'm willing to give him at least one year to see how things go. Hopefully he and Howe can get along cause Howe has already proven himself to the club.

[80]

17 minutes ago, Minhosa said:

I don't really get the clamour from the media to get a talking head, a glorified middle manager, sent out from the club to justify a poor window.

 

I'd far rather Mitchell concentrated on improving our ability to achieve a better window next time around with the aim of engaging Howe in the process rather than spout off in the media like he runs the fucking show.

I don't quite agree with this point. The signs are we're moving towards a model where the head coach really is a coach. By rights then, a Sports Director should take on a lot of the mantle of a traditional manager in many significant areas.

 

It's one of the things I don't like about the position in general as things stand today - it tends to attract people who want the power and wealth of managers while still skulking around and evading direct scrutiny, garotting other staff members to distract when the temperature gets too hot.

[Kid Icarus]

1 hour ago, Joey47 said:

It all just depends on how you read into it though. Howe’s interview after Staveley left and Mitchell came in wasn’t really presenting a united front.

True, but then if Mitchell was brought in without any consultation with Howe, then you can understand why.

[The Prophet]

I think it was important someone other than Howe came out to discuss the transfer window, it shouldn't be all on him.

 

I still think we'll hear from Eales too.

[The Prophet]

Wasn't sure where to put this bit about Nickson...

 

 

 

 

Edited September 5 by The Prophet

[54]

How does the headline "Nickson loses influence but wants to in new structure" equate to a "😠" emoji.

 

He's such a shit stirrer man

[Miggys First Goal]

Can we not just blanket ban the cunt. 

[KingArthur]

6 hours ago, Upthemags said:

Stopped reading at Romero mate. 'easily'. What a ridiculous take.

 

I'll side with the professionals, who decided this window that Guehi is not among the likes of those defenders. A very solid Premier League defender? Absolutely.

 

You don't spunk 70 million on a player because they 'fit the system'. If we had unlimited money to spend - sure. I'd be happy with Eddie fielding the full England international squad. But the strictures we operate under do not let clubs (bar the cartel) operate that way.

The same Romero who was all over the place (again) at SJP last weekend?

[Lotus]

Tbf, when I’ve seen Romero for Argentina he’s looked good. I only ever watch in the Prem when he’s playing us, and especially at St James’ he’s been dodgy af.

[Erikse]

14 hours ago, The Prophet said:

 

It sounds like blame delegating to me:

 

1. He states multiple times he's new and was there to support rather than control.

2. He implies we could have worked on multiple deals, but Howe only wanted that one player (Guehi).injuries 

3. He implies that Howe had final say on all transfers.

 

 

And what if all of these are true, and he is just trying to be transparent in the public? Did it not suit your narrative? I don't mind communication and transparemcy with the public. We used to have none of that. If Howe did the same, even indicating that Mitchell was running the show this summer, you would be here complaining about how everything is Mitchells fault.

 

 

Edited September 6 by Erikse

[et tu brute]

Looks like the Mail have got their hooks in on Mitchell, with first Hope and now Hughes

 

 

Edited September 6 by et tu brute

[PauloGeordio]

9 minutes ago, et tu brute said:

Looks like the Mail have got their hooks in our Mitchell, with first Hope and now Hughes

Getting those weekend clicks in with some divisive word smithery.

[Hhtoon]

Really needed some footage of the interview so we could analyse the fuck out of his body language. There would have been no hiding once his own body betrays how much he hates Eddie and what a control freak/narcissist he is 

 

 

Edited September 6 by Hhtoon

[RS]

3 hours ago, et tu brute said:

Looks like the Mail have got their hooks in on Mitchell, with first Hope and now Hughes

 

 

 

The mail employ some shite mind. Hope has changed his tact and is trying to replicate Luke Pedowards levels of narcissism, while Hughes writes like an 11 year old in an English lesson. Must be a struggle getting real journos to report up North so revert to fucking amateur hour. 

[Groundhog63]

1 hour ago, Hhtoon said:

Really needed some footage of the interview so we could analyse the fuck out of his body language. There would have been no hiding once his own body betrays how much he hates Eddie and what a control freak/narcissist he is 

 

 

 

Should have videos of people typing shit on here then you'd see them bashing away, frothing at the mouth over unfounded theories based on clickbait journalism 😂

[The Prophet]

4 hours ago, Erikse said:

 

And what if all of these are true, and he is just trying to be transparent in the public? Is your problem that it didn't suit your narrative? I don't mind communication and transparemcy with the public. We used to have none of that, and we wished for it. If Howe did the same, even indicating that Mitchell was running the show this summer, you would be here complaining about how everything is Mitchells fault.

 

 

 

 

I don't think I'm the one with the agenda here. I've written, multiple times, I have no problem with Paul Mitchell and I'm excited to see what he can do for the club.

 

This conversation was in relation to one particular segment of his interview, which as a club executive trying to present a united front, sounded a but dicey.

 

The interview was needed, but sounded like a self preservation exercise in parts. Granted, we don't know what questions he was asked.

[Groundhog63]

1 minute ago, The Prophet said:

 

I don't think I'm the one with the agenda here. I've written, multiple times, I have no problem with Paul Mitchell and I'm excited to see what he can do for the club.

 

This conversation was in relation to one particular segment of his interview, which as a club executive trying to present a united front, sounded a but dicey.

 

The interview was needed, but sounded like a self preservation exercise in parts. Granted, we don't know what questions he was asked.

 

Which is the only thing that matters. 

[Erikse]

17 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

I don't think I'm the one with the agenda here. I've written, multiple times, I have no problem with Paul Mitchell and I'm excited to see what he can do for the club.

 

This conversation was in relation to one particular segment of his interview, which as a club executive trying to present a united front, sounded a but dicey.

 

The interview was needed, but sounded like a self preservation exercise in parts. Granted, we don't know what questions he was asked.

 

If this is the way Howe likes to do things, and he thinks that this is the best way to do it, I personally don't think that he would care about it being talked about in the public domain. Unless he's not proud of his own ways of doing things. But I can't speak for him, obviously.

 

 

Edited September 6 by Erikse