Mark Bowen

[Hound]

There's a lot of verbage, but at least it's from a position of authority - i.e. within his remit, unlike the manager who appears to talk vacuously without specifying whether he has actual knowledge or not.

However, he is still responsible for hiring a manager who appears to have mis-managed a group of players good enough to have won more games than they have....

That buck has to stop somewhere...

Disagree really. With this group of players I’m genuinely surprised we have as many points as we have

[Snowflake Royal]

There's a lot of verbage, but at least it's from a position of authority - i.e. within his remit, unlike the manager who appears to talk vacuously without specifying whether he has actual knowledge or not.

However, he is still responsible for hiring a manager who appears to have mis-managed a group of players good enough to have won more games than they have....

That buck has to stop somewhere...

TBF Ince and Bowen were both announced in their roles on the same day - so not sure you can say Bowen had much of a hand in making Ince permanent - for all we know it may have been part of the deal when Ince came in as interim - i.e. a clause stating - if we stay up, you get the job.

Based on what Ince has said its unlikely. He didn't seem to think it was anything more than a caretaker role.

But Bowen would have been heavily restricted in any alternatives end of last season, because we couldn't pay a penny in compo, assuminv the same for manager as players.

[Stranded]

There's a lot of verbage, but at least it's from a position of authority - i.e. within his remit, unlike the manager who appears to talk vacuously without specifying whether he has actual knowledge or not.

However, he is still responsible for hiring a manager who appears to have mis-managed a group of players good enough to have won more games than they have....

That buck has to stop somewhere...

TBF Ince and Bowen were both announced in their roles on the same day - so not sure you can say Bowen had much of a hand in making Ince permanent - for all we know it may have been part of the deal when Ince came in as interim - i.e. a clause stating - if we stay up, you get the job.

Based on what Ince has said its unlikely. He didn't seem to think it was anything more than a caretaker role.

But Bowen would have been heavily restricted in any alternatives end of last season, because we couldn't pay a penny in compo, assuminv the same for manager as players.

Yes, any manager in a job was out of bounds, so we would have been stuck with a small selection of managers who were out of work or those looking to take their first job - would have a brave man to make this version of Reading his starting point as a manager, so we were likely looking for cheap experience. Not much of that about, so stick with the man who kept you up to do the job again.

But as mentioned, given Bowen was appointed the same day and had still been working as manager of AFC Wimbledon until the end of April, not sure there was much scope for him to pick a manager.

[Ascotexgunner]

Bowen has had a hell of a job coming back sorting out the mess that Dai and Gourlay created. He deserves praise for building us a competitive squad. I don't think many if anyone could do a better job in the circumstances

I might be wrong, but wasn't Bowen in charge of recruitment under Gormless Gomez? Didn't he bring in a lot of expensive overpriced crap to the club that help land us in this mess? Or was it someone else?

I just feel Bowen is getting a lot of credit in area it isn't deserved.

[Sutekh]

Bowen has had a hell of a job coming back sorting out the mess that Dai and Gourlay created. He deserves praise for building us a competitive squad. I don't think many if anyone could do a better job in the circumstances

I might be wrong, but wasn't Bowen in charge of recruitment under Gormless Gomez? Didn't he bring in a lot of expensive overpriced crap to the club that help land us in this mess? Or was it someone else?

I just feel Bowen is getting a lot of credit in area it isn't deserved.

MB arrived first as a technical consultant in March 2019, I think until then end of that season, he was subsequently appointed as Football Director in late August 2019 and remained in that role until October when Gomes got the push.

Not knowing his remit at the time it’s impossible to be sure what his involvement was, perhaps ask him if he attends another Forum? I think though that generally a DOF would be tasked with negotiating contracts for players that the management team want within a budget set by the owner.

Happy to give him credit esp. in the recruitment of BC and JD as think these two will prove to be the best signings made by the club in the last 2/3 seasons.

[Snowflake Royal]

Bowen has had a hell of a job coming back sorting out the mess that Dai and Gourlay created. He deserves praise for building us a competitive squad. I don't think many if anyone could do a better job in the circumstances

I might be wrong, but wasn't Bowen in charge of recruitment under Gormless Gomez? Didn't he bring in a lot of expensive overpriced crap to the club that help land us in this mess? Or was it someone else?

I just feel Bowen is getting a lot of credit in area it isn't deserved.

MB arrived first as a technical consultant in March 2019, I think until then end of that season, he was subsequently appointed as Football Director in late August 2019 and remained in that role until October when Gomes got the push.

Not knowing his remit at the time it’s impossible to be sure what his involvement was, perhaps ask him if he attends another Forum? I think though that generally a DOF would be tasked with negotiating contracts for players that the management team want within a budget set by the owner.

Happy to give him credit esp. in the recruitment of BC and JD as think these two will prove to be the best signings made by the club in the last 2/3 seasons.

It's heavily suspected Bowen was behind the recruitment of Michael Morrison who Gomes was reported to know nothing about when he turned up on tour.

Bowen was also thought to be instrumental in bringing in Laurent at the tail end of his management. I don't think we made any particularly big or poor signings between those. We'd already gone crazy on Puscas, Joao and Ejaria before his arrival.

So tbh, his involvement looks largely excellent.

[Sutekh]

I might be wrong, but wasn't Bowen in charge of recruitment under Gormless Gomez? Didn't he bring in a lot of expensive overpriced crap to the club that help land us in this mess? Or was it someone else?

I just feel Bowen is getting a lot of credit in area it isn't deserved.

MB arrived first as a technical consultant in March 2019, I think until then end of that season, he was subsequently appointed as Football Director in late August 2019 and remained in that role until October when Gomes got the push.

Not knowing his remit at the time it’s impossible to be sure what his involvement was, perhaps ask him if he attends another Forum? I think though that generally a DOF would be tasked with negotiating contracts for players that the management team want within a budget set by the owner.

Happy to give him credit esp. in the recruitment of BC and JD as think these two will prove to be the best signings made by the club in the last 2/3 seasons.

It's heavily suspected Bowen was behind the recruitment of Michael Morrison who Gomes was reported to know nothing about when he turned up on tour.

Bowen was also thought to be instrumental in bringing in Laurent at the tail end of his management. I don't think we made any particularly big or poor signings between those. We'd already gone crazy on Puscas, Joao and Ejaria before his arrival.

So tbh, his involvement looks largely excellent.

Well at least Laurent and Morrison are probably among the two most decent permanent signings made in the the last few years.

[Lower West]

Why wouldn't the owner put his name to the letter even if it was drafted for him? Is Dai looking to exit ?

[Snowflake Royal]

Why wouldn't the owner put his name to the letter even if it was drafted for him? Is Dai looking to exit ?

Why would you expect the owner to be the one to issue it?

[From Despair To Where?]

I might be wrong, but wasn't Bowen in charge of recruitment under Gormless Gomez? Didn't he bring in a lot of expensive overpriced crap to the club that help land us in this mess? Or was it someone else?

I just feel Bowen is getting a lot of credit in area it isn't deserved.

MB arrived first as a technical consultant in March 2019, I think until then end of that season, he was subsequently appointed as Football Director in late August 2019 and remained in that role until October when Gomes got the push.

Not knowing his remit at the time it’s impossible to be sure what his involvement was, perhaps ask him if he attends another Forum? I think though that generally a DOF would be tasked with negotiating contracts for players that the management team want within a budget set by the owner.

Happy to give him credit esp. in the recruitment of BC and JD as think these two will prove to be the best signings made by the club in the last 2/3 seasons.

It's heavily suspected Bowen was behind the recruitment of Michael Morrison who Gomes was reported to know nothing about when he turned up on tour.

Bowen was also thought to be instrumental in bringing in Laurent at the tail end of his management. I don't think we made any particularly big or poor signings between those. We'd already gone crazy on Puscas, Joao and Ejaria before his arrival.

So tbh, his involvement looks largely excellent.

Rafael, Joao and Puscas were signed on 6th August. Bowen was appointed Sporting Director on 21st August.

I'm inclined to accept that he has had an almost exclusively positive impact at the club.

[Franchise FC]

Should that day come to pass, Would be more looking forward to the away trip at Highbury.

Trams, proper fish and chips and a night out in Blackpool just down that tramline

Yeah, and 800 away fans looking like a half decent turnout in a relatively small terraced away end!! what's not to like....plus great away trips @ Wycombe, Portsmouth, Shrewsbury (New Stadium), Brizzle Rovers, Fake Dons and Poxford Utd plus Leyton Orient, Northampton and maybe Stevenage coming up....just gets better

Ooh, not heard that one before - be really useful to wind up the locals
They seem to be getting used to 'The Ronalds'

[Lower West]

Why wouldn't the owner put his name to the letter even if it was drafted for him? Is Dai looking to exit ?

Why would you expect the owner to be the one to issue it?

Who actually runs the club? MB might have director in his title. But he is only an employee. Appears we have a puppet master that sits in the shadows pulling the strings. Was this suggested by his lawyers. I have wondered.

[Sutekh]

Why wouldn't the owner put his name to the letter even if it was drafted for him? Is Dai looking to exit ?

Why would you expect the owner to be the one to issue it?

Who actually runs the club? MB might have director in his title. But he is only an employee. Appears we have a puppet master that sits in the shadows pulling the strings. Was this suggested by his lawyers. I have wondered.

No, it’s nothing sinister it’s simply common sense/practice. Mark Bowen is the head of football operations, he carries “the ultimate can” for all things football related that happen at the club. This points deduction is football related so who else’s name should be on the letter? If a company wants to put some PR out in the public space (and this letter is essentially just PR) then it doesn't always follow that it’s the owner of the company whose name is on the release more it’s in the name of the manager of the “division” of the company to which the PR directly relates. This will also enable anyone reacting to the PR to reach out to the relevant part of the company that can deal directly with their questions/feedback.

[Hound]

I might be wrong, but wasn't Bowen in charge of recruitment under Gormless Gomez? Didn't he bring in a lot of expensive overpriced crap to the club that help land us in this mess? Or was it someone else?

I just feel Bowen is getting a lot of credit in area it isn't deserved.

MB arrived first as a technical consultant in March 2019, I think until then end of that season, he was subsequently appointed as Football Director in late August 2019 and remained in that role until October when Gomes got the push.

Not knowing his remit at the time it’s impossible to be sure what his involvement was, perhaps ask him if he attends another Forum? I think though that generally a DOF would be tasked with negotiating contracts for players that the management team want within a budget set by the owner.

Happy to give him credit esp. in the recruitment of BC and JD as think these two will prove to be the best signings made by the club in the last 2/3 seasons.

It's heavily suspected Bowen was behind the recruitment of Michael Morrison who Gomes was reported to know nothing about when he turned up on tour.

Bowen was also thought to be instrumental in bringing in Laurent at the tail end of his management. I don't think we made any particularly big or poor signings between those. We'd already gone crazy on Puscas, Joao and Ejaria before his arrival.

So tbh, his involvement looks largely excellent.

Yep prob two best signings along with t ince of the last 4-5 years

Assume NGW was a Bowen shout as well and he has been pretty good for imagine a v low wage

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah I think we are in safer hands with Bowen, although he and the recruitment team have to recognise the necessity to build a much younger squad and a more free-flowing side as well as we will need to sell players in the future, something he has alluded to.

[JR]

Reading Bowen’s open letter motivated me to get a babysitter so that I could attend the game and cheer on the boys as loud as possible.

Positive and open communication could really help turn this club around over the next few years.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Reading Bowen’s open letter motivated me to get a babysitter so that I could attend the game and cheer on the boys as loud as possible.

Positive and open communication could really help turn this club around over the next few years.

Lol