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Everybody can listen to it on the Patreon whether subscriber or not (we've made this one a free view, it didn't feel right to paywall it given the significance of the interview and the timing, so apologies to our subscribers for that but I hope you understand)
So by loaning a decent player, Niko is meant to transform overnight into Roberto Carlos. Can't they just buy him a Brazil DVD?
I would assume he means that by playing with better players it helps show the standards and levels needed to move up and then it's upto to niko or whoever to achieve that
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 11:31 - Feb 9 with 2878 views
You certainly asked all the right questions and to be fair to Les, he’s definitely clued up with his answers.
Reading between the lines, he is super protective of the academy team, I might say over protective.
Where Les falls down for me is, as Director of Football, he should be spelling out to the board that there really is no point pursuing a Cat 2 academy system and that whole part of the club should be disbanded immediately. I get the feeling he knows that but so far hasn’t been prepared to say it which does bring into question where his loyalties lie.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 11:32 - Feb 9 with 2887 views
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 11:31 - Feb 9 by stevec
You certainly asked all the right questions and to be fair to Les, he’s definitely clued up with his answers.
Reading between the lines, he is super protective of the academy team, I might say over protective.
Where Les falls down for me is, as Director of Football, he should be spelling out to the board that there really is no point pursuing a Cat 2 academy system and that whole part of the club should be disbanded immediately. I get the feeling he knows that but so far hasn’t been prepared to say it which does bring into question where his loyalties lie.
Yeh as Brian says above, this is the silver bullet really. I did say "aren't you trying to push pis up hill running a category 2 academy surrounded by cat 1" but I didn't follow up with "so why are we spending money on this training ground without pushing for cat 1". It was an obvious follow up which I missed so apologies.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 11:50 - Feb 9 with 2821 views
Brilliant Clive, thanks so much both for securing the interview in the first place; and then asking pretty much every single question that's being debated on this board right now.
Personally I don't think he especially ducked anything. It wouldn't be a good look (and it wouldn't do anyone any favours) if he'd gone into more detail about behind the scenes stuff with Warburton. As for Cat 1 vs 2, I share Brian's dismay...but my day job and also my son having had spells in a couple has over the years taken me to a fair few academies, and the difference between what you need to provide to jump from 2 to 1 is huge - and, presumably, very expensive. I guess, rightly or wrongly, it's baby steps - because the improvements we make in the academy can take up to a decade to impact the first team. We need more players picked up like Eze was to bridge that gap.
Ultimately, I don't think this will change many people's minds on Les. I'm generally in the 'pro' / 'be careful what you wish for' camp and remain so after reading that; but fully respect that those who judge him more harshly will not have been convinced by what he had to say.
We like getting excited by our football team, and a mid-table slog in the same division year after year after year isn't exciting - but arguably achieving that while cutting the wage bill by 80% is laudable. But it doesn't put bums on seats.
These last few seasons I've kept my ST and done a fair few away games, as more often than not I've considered us to have an entertaining team. I loved that season where Eze, BOS and Chair tore it up and we'd win games 4-2, I loved Stef coming in and showing such class, seeing the Willock / Chair telepathy blossom.
Right now I'm still going to most home games which I've paid for, but aways where I need to find the cash I'm swerving.
Regarding renewing...and being one of those who takes the 750 back to 1,000+...what I most want to see NC deliver over the next 3 months is a return to that swashbuckling football that we know this group is capable of.
Great interview, as the questions were the right ones. Excellent journo work there, worth the money I pay.
His statement that he will sell Willock at a profit is a dangerous one, as Willock could just run out his contract next season. Willock needs to sign a new contract now really or that could cost Les his job!
zzzzzzzzzz
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 12:17 - Feb 9 with 2685 views
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 11:32 - Feb 9 by Northernr
Yeh as Brian says above, this is the silver bullet really. I did say "aren't you trying to push pis up hill running a category 2 academy surrounded by cat 1" but I didn't follow up with "so why are we spending money on this training ground without pushing for cat 1". It was an obvious follow up which I missed so apologies.
I don't think it would've mattered, Clive, honestly.
There has to be a reason for this, and there's no way that I can see that the owners haven't thought of this and discussed it with their employees. And if the club haven't told us the reason then it's either because they can't (for operational reasons, as fb rightly says is possible) or won't (because they just don't want to spend the FFP-free money to upgrade).
Either way, I can't imagine you were going to get a reply to any follow-up.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Thanks to Clive and fair play to Ferdinand for doing the interview. Some answers more convincing than others but I respect that it would be inappropriate to air too much dirty laundry (e.g. the Warburton situation) in public.
It certainly shows the difficulties of running a football club. Balancing the short term needs against the long term with people pulling in different directions can’t be easy and I think the DOF role at a club like ours is a bit of a poisoned chalice in that respect.
One point that’s often missed re signing players and DOF / manager input is that it’s generally going to be a collective decision making process between a number of people (recruitment, manager, DOF etc).
I doubt any managers worth their salt would accept a job where they have zero input. It’s a bit more nuanced than pointing the finger and saying it’s the sole responsibility of the DOF or recruitment.
But I agree that the system should be more rigid than allowing a manager to come along like Beale did and completely destroy our season by walking away five months later and leaving half the team unsettled because he was the reason they joined. A harsh lesson for Ferdinand and who knows where this team would be if Beale had stayed for the season.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 12:30 - Feb 9 with 2598 views
Congratulations Clive. I doubt whether there are many examples of interviews with DOF or managers where the questions posed are as frank and the answers are as honest. Well done.
Having listened through that, I remain of the view that LF is well-intentioned and cares about QPR, but is uninspiring at best and more often fatalistic and excuse-ridden (COVID, FFP, P &S, EPPP, or whatever acronym is being wheeled in as an excuse for failure at QPR this week) when it comes to accounting for our multiple failings as a football club. In the end, he seems to agree we aren't delivering from top to bottom but has little or no optimism to share with the fanbase going forwards and nothing to say as to why we've fallen/are falling behind Fulham, Brentford and now even the likes of Luton. When he signed off with the lame claim that he's 'too honest' and he gets lynched for it, I just thought of Prince Andrew and his 'too honourable' lament. That's just dismal, Les.
In short, a fair, sustained and sober performance by the interviewer, but an interview that leaves my head in my hands.
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 11:32 - Feb 9 by Northernr
Yeh as Brian says above, this is the silver bullet really. I did say "aren't you trying to push pis up hill running a category 2 academy surrounded by cat 1" but I didn't follow up with "so why are we spending money on this training ground without pushing for cat 1". It was an obvious follow up which I missed so apologies.
No need to apologise at all, Clive.
I just listened to it during a short flight back to the UK and I think that is your best interview to date. Didn’t shirk any of the big topics.
Personally, I thought Les’s words on Cat 2 were pretty clear if you read between the lines. I immediately thought: he knows we need Cat 1, but he knows that’s additional investment, he’s campaigning for it with the Board, but he can’t slate them or highlight there is a difference of opinion on it, so he is playing it correctly both in answering you and how he manages those stakeholders.
I was impressed with Ferdinand. He didn’t duck the big questions, he acknowledged failings and areas of improvements, and he persuaded me at least that he/we/the club are still committed to the plan of buy low/sell high & player development.
I disagree with him on the keepers and Martin. But I think he articulated well and fairly the rock and hard place he sits between with fans. He’s persuaded me the Martin signing is purely a short term fix that will not deviate us from the plan and that he’s not entirely comfortable with it.
I thought his thoughts on salaries was interesting and encouraging for us.
I think his continued reference to the players confidence being the cause was clever but not the entire truth (which I think he knows), but he didn’t want to publicly be more critical in his position which is probably wise. The DoF shouldn’t be the one throwing tea cups in public, so to speak.
The hiring of a psychiatrist is positive if probably a little short sighted not to have a freelancer on the roster as a matter of course.
Overall, fair play to him. I think he came across well, and subtlety indicated he is very aware of the challenges and potential paths forward.
I want to see the theory in practice more: we need to get better at signing players and development, no doubt. But that was a very fair and honest interview. Kudos to taking it during such a poor run. Whether you like Les or not, agree with him or not, I think he does deserve some respect.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 12:48 - Feb 9 with 2500 views
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 11:31 - Feb 9 by stevec
You certainly asked all the right questions and to be fair to Les, he’s definitely clued up with his answers.
Reading between the lines, he is super protective of the academy team, I might say over protective.
Where Les falls down for me is, as Director of Football, he should be spelling out to the board that there really is no point pursuing a Cat 2 academy system and that whole part of the club should be disbanded immediately. I get the feeling he knows that but so far hasn’t been prepared to say it which does bring into question where his loyalties lie.
I think he is!! He just can’t say that publicly and highlight the divide. It was obvious from his words he knows the ins and outs of the system and it’s failings. He also recognised the need for development to improve.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 12:50 - Feb 9 with 2486 views
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 09:55 - Feb 9 by Rangersw12
I don't think he across well at all and has the same attitude of Hoos just throws his hands up implying can't do anything about it due to the situation I. E FFP, cat 2
Massive malaise around the club and need people in charge to grab it by the horns and make it the best it can be with the restrictions and at the moment we're not
Nonsense answer about loans and the signing of Balogun
He's clealry too worried about what the fans think aswell
[Post edited 9 Feb 2023 9:59]
Don’t agree but, the last point is on the money, LF worries to much about what the fans think.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 12:53 - Feb 9 with 2472 views
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 10:35 - Feb 9 by Rangersw12
For a start stick to our principles 100% and not allow the manager to sign players he wants I. E Balogun
A complete pathway to the first team, he hints that Armstrong should have played more last season but then in the next sentence tries to justify signing Martin
Also says U21 football not fit for purpose but then tries to justify signing Tim because the manager rated him and he's from the Premier League so he must be good but it blocks a pathway for our players
We talk a good game but basically don't follow through with anything. Fair play to him for doing the interview but he doesn't fill me with any confidence
Martin was signed to replace Dykes not Armstrong.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 12:56 - Feb 9 with 2436 views
Like many, I love Les and want him to do well as our DoF. Keeping us in the Championship while drastically reducing expenditure has certainly been a great achievement.
However, also like many, I found his answers less than convincing, even if many were really quite reasonable. He just seems to be struggling to find a way out of the restraints and challenges we face as a club, and there's little pizzazz of a vision of the future.
We've not been blessed with good luck this season; possibly for a few seasons really. Maybe if the wheel of fortune turned in our favour for the next 6 months or so we might regain the momentum that's clearly lacking.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 13:19 - Feb 9 with 2351 views
Good questions, like many found some of the answers unconvincing bordering on bizarre.
Talk about algorithms all you like but sometimes you just need sound rational judgment.
When he said “we’re doing something right if people are coming in and taking our players“, I thought erm, no, not if you’re not getting any money for them and we’re left with players that will never be good enough for the first team or sellable.
Am I the only one concerned that he said the club are now employing a psychologist to help with player confidence, are any other championship clubs having to do this? Isn’t this the mangers job to install confidence and belief in his players?
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 12:47 - Feb 9 by Hunterhoop
No need to apologise at all, Clive.
I just listened to it during a short flight back to the UK and I think that is your best interview to date. Didn’t shirk any of the big topics.
Personally, I thought Les’s words on Cat 2 were pretty clear if you read between the lines. I immediately thought: he knows we need Cat 1, but he knows that’s additional investment, he’s campaigning for it with the Board, but he can’t slate them or highlight there is a difference of opinion on it, so he is playing it correctly both in answering you and how he manages those stakeholders.
I was impressed with Ferdinand. He didn’t duck the big questions, he acknowledged failings and areas of improvements, and he persuaded me at least that he/we/the club are still committed to the plan of buy low/sell high & player development.
I disagree with him on the keepers and Martin. But I think he articulated well and fairly the rock and hard place he sits between with fans. He’s persuaded me the Martin signing is purely a short term fix that will not deviate us from the plan and that he’s not entirely comfortable with it.
I thought his thoughts on salaries was interesting and encouraging for us.
I think his continued reference to the players confidence being the cause was clever but not the entire truth (which I think he knows), but he didn’t want to publicly be more critical in his position which is probably wise. The DoF shouldn’t be the one throwing tea cups in public, so to speak.
The hiring of a psychiatrist is positive if probably a little short sighted not to have a freelancer on the roster as a matter of course.
Overall, fair play to him. I think he came across well, and subtlety indicated he is very aware of the challenges and potential paths forward.
I want to see the theory in practice more: we need to get better at signing players and development, no doubt. But that was a very fair and honest interview. Kudos to taking it during such a poor run. Whether you like Les or not, agree with him or not, I think he does deserve some respect.
That's similar to my thoughts on his responses.
I've recently been critical of Les, as a club we seem to take baby steps forwards followed by regressions which I find frustrating. But I thought Clive asked some pretty probing questions and Les was fairly straight with his responses.
I'd still like to see more of our youth players, the GK last season, maybe Pedder getting in the match squad if we're short to give him experience. I do see the sense in getting Martin for 6 months but it would be nice to be able to have more options in house rather than having to bring in a 34 year old.
On Cat 1 vs Cat 2, I think the club have a site capable of fitting a Cat 1 academy on it, which we own, so that's one positive. I just wonder whether the shareholders are thinking about upgrading if/when we get to the Premier League whereas Les would like the investment to assist with getting there. I imagine the shareholders probably feel they're already putting enough money in as it is.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 13:36 - Feb 9 with 2292 views
Good questions, like many found some of the answers unconvincing bordering on bizarre.
Talk about algorithms all you like but sometimes you just need sound rational judgment.
When he said “we’re doing something right if people are coming in and taking our players“, I thought erm, no, not if you’re not getting any money for them and we’re left with players that will never be good enough for the first team or sellable.
Am I the only one concerned that he said the club are now employing a psychologist to help with player confidence, are any other championship clubs having to do this? Isn’t this the mangers job to install confidence and belief in his players?
0
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 13:45 - Feb 9 with 2231 views
Good questions, like many found some of the answers unconvincing bordering on bizarre.
Talk about algorithms all you like but sometimes you just need sound rational judgment.
When he said “we’re doing something right if people are coming in and taking our players“, I thought erm, no, not if you’re not getting any money for them and we’re left with players that will never be good enough for the first team or sellable.
Am I the only one concerned that he said the club are now employing a psychologist to help with player confidence, are any other championship clubs having to do this? Isn’t this the mangers job to install confidence and belief in his players?
It's not the first time we have employed a psychologist. We had Steve Black when we scraped into the play offs and then won at Wembley.
We also did something back in Jim Smiths days, I think.
I applaud them for taking this step. I believe a lot of it is mental issues, confidence etc.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 14:06 - Feb 9 with 2150 views
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 13:36 - Feb 9 by Monkey_Roots
Can someone please explain Cat 1 vs Cat 2?
Under EPPP (an evil plan, designed entirely with the big clubs in mind, and forced upon the EFL under pain of having all their Premier league solidarity payments withdrawn) academies are categorised.
If you have a category one academy, essentially, you're allowed to basically walk into (literally) any lower category academy, watch their U16 players, talk to their U16 players, and remove them for a minimal fee - as you can see here we've averaged just £57k in compensation for the ones we've lost. Rayan Kolli, all very excited about now, was able to go to West Ham and play trial games there last season, and they could have had him for buttons if they'd decided to do so, because they're cat one and we're cat two.
There's a very strong argument, particularly when you're surrounded by cat one academies as we are, that running a cat two academy for U16s is a pointless exercise, because your chances of bringing somebody who's good enough through from those age groups without them being pinched under EPPP is very slim. Brentford initially went down the route of developing their own kids, but they lost two amazing prospects, one to Arsenal and one to Man City, and Benham literally pulled the plug on the whole thing almost overnight, reverted to a B Team system and said EPPP made the whole thing a joke unless you're Cat 1 - wasn't going to waste his time and money helping Man City out. And as we know he's the smartest bloke in the room.
To get a category one academy, however, you have to meet all sorts of criteria, lots of which is expensive. Originally our problem was the lack of indorr training facilities - a 'dome' basically - but we've solved that bit now because there is a dome at Heston which we share with the school. However you now also need things like staffed accomodation blocks for players, I believe, which is one of the places we fall down.
This post has been edited by an administrator
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 14:08 - Feb 9 with 2141 views
Thought Clive's questioning was superb and unflinching and thought Les was admirably measured in response. Agreed with Les on some things, not on others. I am exactly halfway on the keeping issue last year: to have your top 3 keepers injured is highly unfortunate, and considering where we were, signing Marshall made total sense and I have no issue with it. Regardless, had Mahoney gone in goal, who was our sub/emergency keeper then? a 14 year old? Westwood is where the line was crossed - by that point, we'd gone. It was cruel luck again, but at that point we should have put Mahoney in, which we ended up doing anyway.
With Chris Martin it's a different story. We had 3 keepers this time last year - the club was prepared (over-prepared if you count the mystical Barnes) but unlucky. Now we have just two 'strikers' (as opposed to 'forwards'). We rightly let Charlie go, and Bonne (after a fashion), but neither were replaced directly. So, you can make the argument that Martin is a necessary if not desirable signing; but equally the very valid criticism is that as a club we were not remotely prepared for Dykes being injured for any length of time. And if the club counter and say, we are, we have Armstrong, then, like Arsenal with Nketiah, perhaps we should just be saying, 'well, Sinclair starts until Dykes returns and he sinks or swims' and hope he swims - or at least learns how to. Personally, I think he's miles off Champ standard right now, but Les himself said he should have got more minutes last season to hasten his development. Why not now?
Bare bones.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 14:12 - Feb 9 with 2102 views
Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 14:08 - Feb 9 by Antti_Heinola
Thought Clive's questioning was superb and unflinching and thought Les was admirably measured in response. Agreed with Les on some things, not on others. I am exactly halfway on the keeping issue last year: to have your top 3 keepers injured is highly unfortunate, and considering where we were, signing Marshall made total sense and I have no issue with it. Regardless, had Mahoney gone in goal, who was our sub/emergency keeper then? a 14 year old? Westwood is where the line was crossed - by that point, we'd gone. It was cruel luck again, but at that point we should have put Mahoney in, which we ended up doing anyway.
With Chris Martin it's a different story. We had 3 keepers this time last year - the club was prepared (over-prepared if you count the mystical Barnes) but unlucky. Now we have just two 'strikers' (as opposed to 'forwards'). We rightly let Charlie go, and Bonne (after a fashion), but neither were replaced directly. So, you can make the argument that Martin is a necessary if not desirable signing; but equally the very valid criticism is that as a club we were not remotely prepared for Dykes being injured for any length of time. And if the club counter and say, we are, we have Armstrong, then, like Arsenal with Nketiah, perhaps we should just be saying, 'well, Sinclair starts until Dykes returns and he sinks or swims' and hope he swims - or at least learns how to. Personally, I think he's miles off Champ standard right now, but Les himself said he should have got more minutes last season to hasten his development. Why not now?
Agree with much of this mate, and to my point in the interview... you've had eight years, why is there nobody good enough to step in as a third or fourth choice? It's a damning indictment on the academy staff and Les for me. Not one player in our youth and reserves we think is capable of covering Lyndon Dykes for ten games of midtable Championship football.
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Les Ferdinand — Patreon on 14:20 - Feb 9 with 2047 views
Thank you, very enlightening and actually made me feel more positive about our DoF than previously, although Sir Les isn't yet delivering what we need.
Clive, the next time you interview anyone from the board or coaching team, can you ask if our new psychologist can fit some sessions with us traumatised fans into his schedule, please?
"Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1."
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