New manager Brendan Rodgers *confirmed*

[Wycombe Royal]

According to the local rag in South Wales we have made an approach for Roberto Martinez but have been told that we have no chance.

However Celtic have also made an official approach for Martinez and the club are worried that he may be on his way......

[Alan Partridge]

According to the local rag in South Wales we have made an approach for Roberto Martinez but have been told that we have no chance.

However Celtic have also made an official approach for Martinez and the club are worried that he may be on his way......

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/sport ... ticle.html

that's the little clip, must say it sounds like just a bit of shoddy journalism, bit of a rehash.

[Seal]

If anyone thinks he's not under severe pressure to deliver this season they are deluded. I can guarantee you that as DoF, his primary objectives have been:-

1) Stay in the Premiership. FAILED
2) Get promoted. FAILED.
3) Get promoted....

Third strike and out I reckon.

Well he's been doing the job for over 5 years so you've conveniently missed out:

4) Get promoted to the Premiership - UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS
5) Stay in the Premiership - UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS

Very true Mags, I also thing thats a far too simplistic approach to how Hammond's success on failure is decided. He has overall responsibility for all transfers and we are showing a healthy plus there financially which will be a plus in his bracket. He has overall responsibility for the hiring of the manager and employed Coppell (plus there), he hired Dolan for the Academy to take over from himself (plus there) - was he responsible for giving Rogers roles that were a boost to the club.

Hammond is way in credit in his role, regardless of what some may like to think.

We took our time getting Coppell in and we got the right man, taking the same process again now is the correct thing to do.

I'm sorry but if I was relying on things I did 3 years ago to keep my job I'd be worried.

It’s no surprise to me however that the people defending Hammond are the same ones who defended the team & its transfer policies in our relegation season in particular.

I have nothing against Hammond, and I can't argue with any of the administrative achievements that you've listed above, but my concern is that I feel he has too much say over footballing matters, and his performance in the last 2-3 seasons in that aspect of his job has not been good enough. By all means keep him on and allow him to maintain an operational role, but I personally would like to see a new manager have great autonomy and control over all footballing decisions.

I work with football clubs every day, and tend to see this model working more successfully.

[Wycombe Royal]

I work with football clubs every day, and tend to see this model working more successfully.

Which clubs are they then?

It is known throughout football that in general DoF's don't work and that we are one of the success stories.

[winchester_royal]

Interesesting couple of stories from the week-end. Apparently Fergie jnr. wants to come to us but P'boro are asking for £1 mill, when his contract says he can leave for a 5-figure sum. Hoddle is also in frame apparently.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1189610/Fergusons-fury-1m-Posh-boss-eyes-Reading-post.html?ITO=1490

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/05/31/glenn-hoddle-in-the-frame-for-reading-job-115875-21403457/

[Negative_Jeff]

According to the local rag in South Wales we have made an approach for Roberto Martinez but have been told that we have no chance.

However Celtic have also made an official approach for Martinez and the club are worried that he may be on his way......

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/sport ... ticle.html

that's the little clip, must say it sounds like just a bit of shoddy journalism, bit of a rehash.

Ah AP, could you give us a couple of lines of the suitability of Leroy Rosenior for the job.

[Dirk Gently]

I work with football clubs every day, and tend to see this model working more successfully.

Which clubs are they then?

It is known throughout football that in general DoF's don't work and that we are one of the success stories.

We use a DoF in a different way to most other clubs, though - ours is a link between the football side of the JM empire and JM himself - a sort of JM-proxy!

[Kitson12]

Interesesting couple of stories from the week-end. Apparently Fergie jnr. wants to come to us but P'boro are asking for £1 mill, when his contract says he can leave for a 5-figure sum. Hoddle is also in frame apparently.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1189610/Fergusons-fury-1m-Posh-boss-eyes-Reading-post.html?ITO=1490

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2009/05/31/glenn-hoddle-in-the-frame-for-reading-job-115875-21403457/

Hmm...the Mail and the Mirror, the pinnacles of British journalism!
Plus they both say completely different things about who we are targetting!

[Alan Partridge]

According to the local rag in South Wales we have made an approach for Roberto Martinez but have been told that we have no chance.

However Celtic have also made an official approach for Martinez and the club are worried that he may be on his way......

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/sport ... ticle.html

that's the little clip, must say it sounds like just a bit of shoddy journalism, bit of a rehash.

Ah AP, could you give us a couple of lines of the suitability of Leroy Rosenior for the job.

Shexhy football Jeff. In the wors of Shteve Mclaren.

Rosenior did a smashing job at the Gulls in all honesty with next to no money and produced a very entertaining side to watch, sadly it was broken up by the tight fisted moronic chairman and they slipped back down the league, and eventually out of it altho LR had gone by then.

Leroy>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Liam

Also in his 10 minute 2nd spell, no defeats

To be honest Jeff I'd just make you DOF and floyd manager. Worth a laugh.

[Seal]

I work with football clubs every day, and tend to see this model working more successfully.

Which clubs are they then?

It is known throughout football that in general DoF's don't work and that we are one of the success stories.

Well since you asked.

Currently work with:-

Arsenal
Celtic
Portsmouth
QPR
Watford

Have worked with:

Spurs
Man U
West Brom
Chelsea

Other sports franchises also work with:-

Lions
Delhi Daredevils

I take your point that compared to other DoFs (e.g. Comolli at Spurs) Hammond has not done a bad job, and Dirk’s point that Hammond has a unique(ish) role as a conduit between Madjeski who knows very little about the game and the footballing community.

However, I still feel that the scope of his control has increased too much during his tenure, and he should cede some of the footballing matters he seems to now look after back to a manager, because – and I’ll keep banging this point home – over the past 2 years our performance, both on the pitch and in transfers has not been good enough.

['lista]

Well since you asked.

Currently work with:-

Arsenal
Celtic
Portsmouth
QPR
Watford

Have worked with:

Spurs
Man U
West Brom
Chelsea

Other sports franchises also work with:-

Lions
Delhi Daredevils

Selling burgers outside the ground.

[Hampshire Royal]

[Wycombe Royal]

However, I still feel that the scope of his control has increased too much during his tenure, and he should cede some of the footballing matters he seems to now look after back to a manager, because – and I’ll keep banging this point home – over the past 2 years our performance, both on the pitch and in transfers has not been good enough.

Where has his control been extended to then? As far as I understand it he has no next to no influence over team affairs (tactics, training, team selection, etc).

[Seal]

However, I still feel that the scope of his control has increased too much during his tenure, and he should cede some of the footballing matters he seems to now look after back to a manager, because – and I’ll keep banging this point home – over the past 2 years our performance, both on the pitch and in transfers has not been good enough.

Where has his control been extended to then? As far as I understand it he has no next to no influence over team affairs (tactics, training, team selection, etc).

When he came in, his role was defined as the link between the boardroom and the playing staff. Now he appears to have significant control over player acquisition, player searches, scouting, contract renewal, managerial appointments etc etc

I am not privy to his contract, so I don't know how many of these were specifically included in his original scope of work, but it seems farily clear that his role has expanded. More importantly, whether you work with a sports club or indeed a burger van, good business practice is to shake things up if performance has not been up to the desired standard. If you are genuinely happy with the way the club has operated over the past 2 years then fine, but if you have any doubts or concerns, then surely it is fair enough to consider if not necessary a review of the DoF's position at club, than at least, a review of the range of his responsibilities.

Incidentally, are you just playing Devil's Advocate for the sake of it, or are you firmly in support of Hammond?

[Vision]

However, I still feel that the scope of his control has increased too much during his tenure, and he should cede some of the footballing matters he seems to now look after back to a manager, because – and I’ll keep banging this point home – over the past 2 years our performance, both on the pitch and in transfers has not been good enough.

I don't think the scope of his control has really changed that much in the 5 and a half years since the appointment of Coppell. He was involved in pretty much the same way then. It may be highlighted more now as its the end of the season and players/coaches contract decisions had to be made which wasn't necessarily the case back then. Hammond was as much responsible back then for Coppell's appointment as he will be in deciding who his replacement is.

I still maintain our transfers this season Hunt,Armstrong & Tabb are far from "appalling". There are a combination of issues why our transfer activity in the Premiership was poor but i'd suggest its a combination of Coppell, Hammond and the policy to buy "potential" rather than to take the risks that others might take which all have a part to play.

[Swallowfield Posh]

Regarding Ferguson.

[Wycombe Royal]

When he came in, his role was defined as the link between the boardroom and the playing staff. Now he appears to have significant control over player acquisition, player searches, scouting, contract renewal, managerial appointments etc etc

That has always been the scope of his job, and in fact it was Hammond who was in charge of finding Pardew's successor. He has always done those things so that the manager can concentrate of the playing side of things.

I'm beginning to understand now that you have very little understanding of what Hammond's role at the club has been......

[West Stand Man]

When he came in, his role was defined as the link between the boardroom and the playing staff. Now he appears to have significant control over player acquisition, player searches, scouting, contract renewal, managerial appointments etc etc

All of which were in the original job spec that I recall being told about for him.

I am not privy to his contract, so I don't know how many of these were specifically included in his original scope of work, but it seems farily clear that his role has expanded. More importantly, whether you work with a sports club or indeed a burger van, good business practice is to shake things up if performance has not been up to the desired standard. If you are genuinely happy with the way the club has operated over the past 2 years then fine, but if you have any doubts or concerns, then surely it is fair enough to consider if not necessary a review of the DoF's position at club, than at least, a review of the range of his responsibilities.

The shake up is coming in the form of a new manager and new coaching team. The DoF is responsible for bringing in the options for a new manager, not selecting him per se. Just as the HR director does the negotiations to bring in the right person as selected by the employer in a big company, the DoF will take on the negotiation when the selection is made by the board. That is pretty clear from all that has been said.

Are you firmly in support of Hammond?

Coppell has gone on record as saying that the DoF arrangment at Reading is the model that he will work to in any future managerial appointment that he takes up. Seems to me like he favoured the pressure release that Nick H provided to him by allowing him to offload the non-footballing bits of the business.

[Alan Partridge]

Regarding Ferguson.

Interesting but I understand it from their view. If Reading want him make him an offer, they clearly still have no firm clue as to who they want. Ferguson would be an ideal candidate imo.

[Seal]

When he came in, his role was defined as the link between the boardroom and the playing staff. Now he appears to have significant control over player acquisition, player searches, scouting, contract renewal, managerial appointments etc etc

That has always been the scope of his job, and in fact it was Hammond who was in charge of finding Pardew's successor. He has always done those things so that the manager can concentrate of the playing side of things.

I'm beginning to understand now that you have very little understanding of what Hammond's role at the club has been......

I'm beginning to understand that you can be particularly obtuse. The key word in my sentence was control. Of course he has always been involved in all of these aspects, but my concern is simply that I feel he now has too much influence in areas which quite frankly have not performed that well in the last couple of years. If you honestly feel that a) the level of his control has not increased, and b) that he has performed his role 100% successfully, then fine, I can’t debate with you on the matter.