Had a bit of a ramble on the Andy Hughes thread about the way the running of the club. I am going to try and structure my thoughts a little better on this thread.
The idea was for some kind of system that is acceptable for the current owners but is also the only way I can see the current system being a success.
Heavily central to that was that we need a DOF. This is partly prompted by a couple of interviews I read recently. The first was with Damien Matthew saying that someone was needed to oversee the whole system at Charlton and make sure it's all pulling in the same direction. The second was an older one with Uncle Les about the role he plays at Southampton. The way he pulls all the various aspects of the club together all the way from u8s to first team level, Including scouting and data analysis.
What would this system look like? I hear you ask.
Well it would importantly combine the owners philosophy of a European system with our obvious need for Championship nous.
So there would be a director of football, the man I have in mind for this is Jose Riga. He has a high coaching pedigree. Mourinho used him whilst at Porto and Inter (and others have also used him) to come in and run specialist coaching sessions and get his philosophy across. He has been here before and knows the club and the league and he said he wanted to stay. Most importantly he is an RD man.
His role would be to pull together all the various aspects of the club. The European scouting network, the analysts, the British scouting, the academy and the first team. Pull all these together so all of the club is working to the same aim at all levels and under the same system. As Les Reed has done so successfully at Soton. That is the only way I can see this model having any chance of working. This would maintain the European influence and style that the owner so wants.
I will add now that by no means do I think the European players and scouting system or data analysis are a bad thing. Just that they need to be used properly and the right amount. They cannot be the be all and end all of player purchases. It must be accepted that there is a human aspect such as character and experience which cannot be underestimated.
Under him I would like a young up and coming coach. Who knows the club and knows the league. As is the Charlton way, look at Curbs, Gritt, Powell etc. The man I have in mind is Andy Hughes (even though he has been snatched up by Rotherham). He is a strong character, has been there before as a player. Knows what it takes to survive this league. He would be happy to tell the players a few home truths when it needs to be said, they may not want to hear. He knows the championship and would be a good man manager. He has learned his coaching at Bolton and has all the badges. He would also be fairly cheap so RD/KM couldn't complain on that front.
His role would be to be in charge of the first team handle the day to day running of the first team squad. with Euell as assistant and JJ progressing to the coaching team in a year or two. You could even have Fraeye on the staff in one role or another whether scouting/professional development etc.
This system would also put less pressure on Katrien, as she would have less involvement in the football side which is not where her expertise lies.
It would also help with stability. There would be a constant figure at the helm of the club even with the managerial changes. On top of this manager (sorry head coach) succession could be planned ahead to prevent upheaval.
I must stress, by no means do I think this is the ideal system but I think it is a way that the current system could be modified in order to make it work.
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Makes me wonder how much business modelling has actually taken place from either RD or KM and if they have thought about this from more than a scaling back operation to break even. Whilst as a premise I love your idea, it would be this financial side which could be problematic.
Also, would a director of football who knows the league not be of more benefit. I feel Curbs could fit everything you mention of Jose Riga, with the additional league knowledge
I guess you could have Curbs as DOF and a young European coach (Fraeye?) Under him?
However whether someone like curbs who is quite old school would be able to benefit from the data analysis and european scouting network as much as someone like Riga is why I am having doubts. Having said that Les Reed has managed it at Southampton so I don't see why Curbs couldn't...
I just think that with Riga at the helm he may be more likely to pull all those aspects together and is more likely to be able to get the most from Roly.
I was sitting next to him at the POTY "do" a couple of seasons ago, when Paul Went (ex player) was doing an after dinner speech.
Hughsie was shouting out/swearing at him, because it was a bit boring. Not really the sort to have as your "manager", although you could say it was a one off.
Mind you we also saw his training ground antics as well.
Top bloke, a total joker, in the Gazza type mode, a coach yes, but not manager/head coach.
Anyway, your point stands. We should have a DOF and Curbs would be the best. Some chance !
Although in saying that they did extremely well today, especially Harry Lennon.....
Employing an additional member of staff with a bit of a head for football seems to me to be a fantasy that Roland wouldn't give a moments thought for.
Academy starts being THD, Lennon, Lookman, ahearne-grant, of these I rate all of them.
We do have a very young team and Diarra and JJ massively increase the average age but let's not complain too much that we are playing with some young quality.
I sincerely hope he/ she will have revisited their player analysis matrix as disappointment has followed disappointment.
The Director of Football role is not new to M Duchatelet. He operated with a Sporting Director at Standard Liege. De Sart, it was reported, was offered the role of the "Network" DOF which he refused. He apparently felt he did not have enough experience of, or indeed interest in, English football. He ultimately failed to agree a new contract.
Sadly the issue Duchatelet will have with your proposals is not the role, but the nature of the role and the empowerment a DOF would likely demand.
Nature of the Role - I suggest the normal role is to evaluate, recommend and work to secure players to a) perform for and/or improve the first team, or b) to develop to contribute to the first team. Implicit to the role is building a squad currently able to compete at a Championship level and/or above in the immediate, near or long term future. It deals with not only the individual natural & technical playing abilities, but the players' experience, work ethic, team and leadership skills and the balance of such elements and skills across all playing positions within the squad/ team.
On the evidence of the recruitment since Jan 2014 any such suggestion within Charlton will be misplaced. Assessments to date seem primarily to have been on a basis of investment in inexperienced, youngish players for development & sale? (none has yet been sold for profit) with mere lip service being paid to any contribution to the balanced construction of a squad and the consequent delivery of first team performances.
It has been a startling failure.
Empowerment The normal assumption is a Director of Football will be empowered within a set budgetary control to fulfil the tasks detailed above. It is fundamental to the ability to do the job.
I will argue neither the owner or club executive will relinquish any of their current control. In other words a DOF will have the accountability without the power to do the job. Why do you think Powell, Riga, Peeters and Luzon were retained for such short periods? Putting aside their individual coaching & managerial capabilities none was empowered to do the job they sought to do;
- Powell had key assets sold and was forced to take any number of ill equipped players, most from "network" clubs
- Riga, recruited outside of any transfer window, initially only worked with the players already at the club but saw any contract extension disappear when he no doubt intimated he sought greater influence over player recruitment
- Peeters appointed, on his ability to bring in one key investment (Vetokele) and his proven ability in "bringing on" young players was released due to the broken relationship with Ms Meire over her failure to bring in a key personnel. It was a power battle he was never going to win.
- Luzon at the start of this season spoke of 3 further additions before the end of the transfer window. I think we just managed to secure McAleny before Luzon was removed due to his "having lost the dressing room"
A key reason coaches "lose" a dressing room is if players recognise the challenges in a squad but the coach fails to address those challenges. Powell, Peeters & Luzon were not empowered to make the additions to address those challenges. Such "accountability without control" completely weakens their authority. Players particular with an unpopular coach will always take full advantage.
The "state of the art" improvements to the academy & senior training ground reinforces the "modus operandi". I welcome such investment providing it is by way of equity financing but the whole new facility fits with the vision of a player development farm. No problem with any of it providing it contributes to the financial health of the club and its playing performance & status.
"To build tall buildings you need strong foundations" quotes Duchatelet. He sees the need for up front capital investments to be made off the pitch and yet does not apply the same principle to the football business on the pitch. They are both the up front sunk costs of doing football business with a long term return on investment.
We have had large sums spent on the refitting of the ground, are having large sums spent on the infrastructure of the academy & training ground but have in squad investment terms largely wasted £9mn and 40% wage increases in not investing in the infrastructure of the senior playing squad. Strong foundations apply to all aspects of trading. The senior squad has just 3 players Jackson, Diarra & Henderson with the necessary experience and ability to lead.
- 60% of the senior signings made by this regime no longer contribute to the club - of the 37 senior signings made just 15 were available for selection on Saturday (inc. Vetokele, Kashi, Bergdich, Cebellos & Doyley)
- Due to injury, limited appearances, and no recent Championship track record of the 2015/16 additions (25% senior signings), we have no way of knowing if any will be "fit for purpose" over the length of the season. Sadly it looks increasing likely most will not!!
- Just Henderson, Bauer, Diarra & Berg Gudmundsson have consistently performed to the required standard
85% senior signings since Jan 2014 have either failed or are yet to prove their value. Sundry comparisons to other failing regimes are meaningless. Two wrongs do not make a right.
We are indebted to the contribution of the Development Squad. The introduction of academy players is one aspect we can acclaim but there has to be a balance. Where is the strong framework to bring through these young players, to lead, develop and support their growth in the game. Young players will always want the opportunity to "step up" but will also want/ need to do so within the best possible framework. Money aside, it is little wonder those who have the options might want to escape to a "grown up" football club, as soon as possible, and thus have the appropriate contractual get out clauses.
To maximise the "off the field" investment in developing young players there has to be the squad infrastructure to help them meet the challenges in regularly playing at a Championship level. The evidence of the Ipswich and Brighton games could not have been clearer. Their experience, stability and competitive leadership posed challenges we could not answer. It is precisely those qualities to which we should aspire.
I sincerely hope Canters, M Duchatelet takes your and his own advice to help build a strong foundation in the playing squad. With the forthcoming transfer window it is time to open the blinds and let the light flood in. Nothing too expensive or too fancy, just good solid additions, hopefully who have already been there and know how to get a Championship job done.
If M Duchatelet continues to invest in his "visionary theory" it will likely take many years (if ever) to deliver. Such an approach, in reality, has little relation to running a football club or indeed a viable football business. It carries all the hallmarks of nothing more "than a vanity exercise" in proving he could succeed where others have tried but failed.
Against their current all embracing shambolic performance I await the next 7 weeks with interest to see if the club executive exhibits any change in its approach to building a senior squad. While I may hold back from any further keyboard contributions until then I have no intention of holding my breath.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
I think someone with experience in the English/British game would be good for DOF, and Curbs fits the bill, but beyond him, who?
And to those calling for a British coach, some question again, who? I would have Garry Monk in a heartbeat, I think he is going to be a truly special coach (coach being the operative word), but beyond that...?
In my opinion, he got out rather fortuitously before he was found out.