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blueprint, future, etc. 21:19 - Mar 2 with 3546 views

For the sake of even-handedness ; I posted this on t'other side.

Further to my match report earlier on, I've been thinking about what might need to happen to arrest our slide before we go straight through L1. My working assumption is that the current owners will remain in situ for the foreseeable future ; but that the identity of the manager is up for negotiation. I know that some people see that as a basic show-stopper, but it may well be a realistic scenario and we have to do something to break out from where we are.

I'd summarise the main problems as being thus :

1) no discernible strategy for moving the club forward in a sustainable way

2) a chaotic approach to player recruitment that reflects (1) above

3) a failure to identify, procure or develop young talent in particular

4) a short term approach to managing resources that means the footballing budget is managed according to non-footballing considerations

5) spanning the whole, an absence of clear, principled leadership

The solution? Again, I'm not for current purposes clamouring for a change of ownership that looks unlikely. But I'd say all of the following would help :

a) the owner DELEGATES footballing resources within agreed parameters

b) adopting a Director of Football / Head Coach model that puts the DoF in charge of recruitment (including contracts and transfer fees) and the Head Coach concentrates on coaching the first team squad and tactics

c) a principled approach to recruitment that puts the emphasis on finding young players and developing them to play within a prescribed format (a bit like that developed by the Belgian FA)

d) longer term budget planning that rewards the DoF/HC with extra resources for investment based upon success

e) a holding of collective nerve if the above doesn't yield immediate success

It goes without saying that the above requires a fundamental shift in approach by the owners, and a degree of trust in those they appoint. My argument in favour in part rests upon the fact that KO knows very little about football and is unlikely to take good decisions about it except by accident or luck. Does he really feel that the approach taken since Holloway's departure has worked?

I'd also say that I don't really see a role for Clark in all this. I feel sorry for him in many ways, this predicament was not of his making really, and I don't think he can manage his way out of it without a fundamental change in approach that might not suit him either.

I've consistently advocated the recruitment of a wise old head like O'Driscoll for the DoF role. There are plenty of people who might do the HC role, but I'd be inclined to go for a relatively young manager - maybe someone like Paul Dickov or Neil Ardley, both of whom have done pretty well in jobs where resources are at a bit of a premium.

How radical that is, I don't know. How workable, ditto. But at the moment, it seems there is a finite limit to how much change we can expect to see in terms of personnel at the very top. What we need is for them to be persuaded to try something different. It might be an extension of the role of BST, but would ean them getting closer to the club in order to have that kind of dialogue. Views?

	Icon? It's all Rio Ferdinand's fault.
Blog:	pause for breath

blueprint, future, etc. on 21:41 - Mar 2 with 3533 views

Poolseasider

Robbie you posted it on the other site well over 24 hours ago and it's had over 100 replies.
Sorry but the day you moved over to start back again posting was the death nail for this site which is a shame.
I was glad you moved back to the old site and posted when you did it brings back calm to the madhouse it's been since the split.

blueprint, future, etc. on 22:02 - Mar 2 with 3521 views

basilrobbiereborn

blueprint, future, etc. on 21:41 - Mar 2 by Poolseasider
Robbie you posted it on the other site well over 24 hours ago and it's had over 100 replies. Sorry but the day you moved over to start back again posting was the death nail for this site which is a shame. I was glad you moved back to the old site and posted when you did it brings back calm to the madhouse it's been since the split.

PoolS

I intend to continue posting on both mate, and my going back on there has nothing to do with any preference for either site. This place is great, lots of people are looking at it, we just need more posters. It's certainly bigger, better and more worthwhile than any single person.

[Post edited 2 Mar 2015 22:42]

	Icon? It's all Rio Ferdinand's fault.
Blog:	pause for breath

blueprint, future, etc. on 22:26 - Mar 2 with 3511 views

terminallytangerine

blueprint, future, etc. on 22:02 - Mar 2 by basilrobbiereborn
PoolS I intend to continue posting on both mate, and my going back on there has nothing to do with any preference for either site. This place is great, lots of people are looking at it, we just need more posters. It's certainly bigger, better and more worthwhile than any single person. [Post edited 2 Mar 2015 22:42]

This is just the sort of long term planning that our owners should be looking at.

They need to again communicate with supporters and let their actions demonstrate a real commitment to change - in attitude to supporters, players and managers.

Short termism is the enemy of progress.

If supporters believed that there was political will for change, even the prospect of relegation - perhaps even the (I had to say it) the rise from the dead of the Inflexible Ones at the end of the M55 would be palatable.

But so long as we have drift, abnegation of responsibility and a failure to understand supporters / customers needs there is likely to be further decline.

As always I live in hope but it really is becoming difficult.

blueprint, future, etc. on 13:05 - Mar 4 with 3347 views

ArchibaldKnox

blueprint, future, etc. on 22:02 - Mar 2 by basilrobbiereborn
PoolS I intend to continue posting on both mate, and my going back on there has nothing to do with any preference for either site. This place is great, lots of people are looking at it, we just need more posters. It's certainly bigger, better and more worthwhile than any single person. [Post edited 2 Mar 2015 22:42]

The ego needs an audience...

blueprint, future, etc. on 15:03 - Mar 4 with 3326 views

Rusty2Stands

How about a blueprint for the future of this message board?
It's obviously dying a slow death.
Another wrong horse backed by you know who.

blueprint, future, etc. on 13:36 - Mar 6 with 3260 views

lemongreentea

If Clark has already started planning for life in league one the change from previous seasons has to be the owners backing him with player recruitment. If Clark is able to find a winning team at the tail end of this season then every effort should be made to secure the players this season for next season. Like the team Tony Parkes put together which was taken over by Ollie. If only we can get away from just in time or just too late recruitment.

blueprint, future, etc. on 15:12 - Mar 6 with 3235 views

Fountain

I've been advocating a DoF for some years now for a couple of reasons. One is that he would be looking at a longer term view than any manager- by definition managers would prefer First XI ready players and so would choose to spend there, whereas the Club would benefit from a mix of ready players and potential for x period ahead. The second reason is probably where the crux of our woes lie, namely that the football manager CANNOT be the highest ranked football person at the Club, which at BFC he is. There has to be someone who is empowered to make decisions on football matters with the confidence of the Directors. Karl making decisions with a manager, especially a poor one is going to pear shaped. I'd go for an old head myself, someone like Joe Royal or even a David Pleat. Tony Parkes perhaps, but certainly someone who has vast management experience and numerous contacts.

I also think the younger players setup needs radical overhauling. My own view is I'd like to see a scout dedicated to 17-20yo academy kids. He would need to have connections with PL academy 'managers' and should be looking to get first refusal on these players who are going to be released by the bigger clubs. For example Liverpool may have 3 LB's on their books but the Academy only needs 2 so they release the 3rd. That doesn't mean he's a bad player, just that he is surplus to what they can hold on to. I think there would be real value in this type of setup for us. Overseen by a DoF of course.

Both appointments would be cost effective near enough from the off and in the case of a DoF could easily be a part time 3 day job.

This fails obviously because of KO. The bloke needs to have the control.

[Post edited 6 Mar 2015 15:14]

slap me on the patio

blueprint, future, etc. on 16:04 - Mar 6 with 3204 views

basilrobbiereborn

Good post Founts, lots of good ideas in there.

	Icon? It's all Rio Ferdinand's fault.
Blog:	pause for breath

blueprint, future, etc. on 17:47 - Mar 6 with 3166 views

scratchingshed

blueprint, future, etc. on 16:04 - Mar 6 by basilrobbiereborn
Good post Founts, lots of good ideas in there.

Just cannot think of any positive words to club together, nothing will ever change under the Oystons, this club will be lingering in the lower leagues for years to come.

blueprint, future, etc. on 19:34 - Mar 6 with 3138 views

Wizaard

blueprint, future, etc. on 16:04 - Mar 6 by basilrobbiereborn
Good post Founts, lots of good ideas in there.

The Chairman is now backed into such a corner that his stubborn nature won't let him make any concessions in case it's perceived as a weakness. Control is his modus operandi so relinquishing any just won't happen.

Catch 22 that I don't see being resolved unless the FA rule against him. That might force a change.

blueprint, future, etc. on 19:50 - Mar 6 with 3129 views

Plumbs

blueprint, future, etc. on 19:34 - Mar 6 by Wizaard
The Chairman is now backed into such a corner that his stubborn nature won't let him make any concessions in case it's perceived as a weakness. Control is his modus operandi so relinquishing any just won't happen. Catch 22 that I don't see being resolved unless the FA rule against him. That might force a change.

Wizz:

You may wish to consider an alternative route tomorrow as the M62 will be full-all three lanes packed with Weds fans.

Real fans go to pubs like the HITW or the Welly

blueprint, future, etc. on 20:36 - Mar 6 with 3116 views

Fountain

blueprint, future, etc. on 19:34 - Mar 6 by Wizaard
The Chairman is now backed into such a corner that his stubborn nature won't let him make any concessions in case it's perceived as a weakness. Control is his modus operandi so relinquishing any just won't happen. Catch 22 that I don't see being resolved unless the FA rule against him. That might force a change.

I agree.

All about control. Always has been. next line should be 'always will be' but I don't think that's applicable.

As for the FA, well i think Ko and the O's have paraded as Peacocks showing their plumage far too often for that not to have been noticed by the FA in conjunction with the obvious.

slap me on the patio

blueprint, future, etc. on 21:25 - Mar 6 with 3103 views

BigHandsOliverKahn

I genuinely don't understand the club anymore. In that, I mean the decision making. It has baffled me for a good 12 to 18 months now. Before, I could understand decisions. Yes, they were often money related but they made sense in the context of a small club mixing it with bigger clubs. However, in recent times, I really can't understand what is happening, why decisions always appear to be self-harming, why bad decisions are continually being made.

Have the owners given up having found the pressure too great at the higher levels? Are they selling up so just cutting everything back to the bone? Are they freezing Belekon out? Have they just not got the clout now Matt Williams has gone? Why is there an inability to plan the medium and long term? Add a fanbase that has given up on this status quo then it will be a miracle if we don't end up in League Two in 15 months time.

blueprint, future, etc. on 09:46 - Mar 7 with 3037 views

olneyseasider

blueprint, future, etc. on 21:25 - Mar 6 by BigHandsOliverKahn

BHOK.

KO just isn't up to the job. He isn't a businessman; he's arrogant; he's stubborn; he always has to win. He hasn't got the faintest idea about business or football, how to lead or motivate people.

His father does and also has a certain charm that can win people over. He also knows perfectly well what his son's failings are but isn't able or prepared to do what needs to be done and replace him. He may be hoping the FA do it for him and then the above scenario becomes more possible.

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