| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... 17:28 - Jan 4 with 5171 views | ColDale |
I'm talking off the field stuff here, but if Dale were to almost relaunch itself for the 2013-14 season, what improvements would you like to see happen? |  | | |  |
| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 16:04 - Jan 5 with 641 views | electricblue |
| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 15:35 - Jan 5 by RAFCBLUE |
This is possibly will turn out to be the longest post I’ve ever registered on any fourm and it’s written without reference to any of the current individuals at the club but as Col’s original posts asks “relaunch” or in my world “start again”. It is not designed to be a definitive list or panacea but here goes:
The most successful organisations and therefore most successful football clubs in the world have targets. Without targets, there is no aspiration or performance management and failure is inevitable. What follows below is what I would do if I were Chairman of this football club.
1) Appoint a new blood broad business experienced Chief Executive.
A football club needs a broad business, experienced Chief Executive. Think of someone like David Gill (at Manchester United), Peter Kenyon (at Manchester United and latterly Chelsea) or Rob Heys (at Accrington Stanley). Size of business is irrelevant — good Chief Executives are worth their weight in gold and allow an organisation to flourish.
This role is the right hand direct report of the Chairman and Board. Direct reports to this role include, at League 2 level are four key roles:
- Head of Football — (current incumbent: John Coleman) overall responsible for:
o All football matters from first team down
o Player and football support staff management
o Footballing administration compliance
o Football in the Community
- Head of Commercial Operations — (current incumbent unknown) responsible for:
o Sponsorships
o Goldbond
o Club shop (including online shop)
o Media management (including official website and Twitter)
o Matchday revenue generation (programme, food kiosks, Radcliffe)
o Non-matchday revenue generation (sportsmans dinner, weddings, FIFA nights and other functions)
- Head of Stadium Operations — (current incumbent unknown) responsible for:
o Preparation of the ground and stadia for matchday operations
o Preparation of the ground and facilities for non-matchday operations
o Ticketing (Season Ticketing, Matchday Ticketing)
o Steward management and Ground Safety matters
o Food kiosk management
- Head of Support Services — (current incumbent unknown) responsible for:
o Human Resources, including performance appraisal process
o Finance, including payroll
o IT
Beneath each of these business stream heads, there would be other individuals appointed by the business head to support achievement of their aims, within their budgetary constraint.
2) Set targets for the 2013/14 season
By setting targets, I mean set proper, achievable targets for the 2013/14 season which must be achieved. For those four heads that would be as follows:
Head of Football:
1) League 2: Playoff participants — 7th place or higher — W 20 D 15 L 11 Target points: 75
2) Target Goals For: 92
3) Target Goals against: 40
4) Yellow Cards: 60
5) Red Cards: 0
6) FA Cup: 2nd round participation, including 1 home tie
7) League Cup: 2nd round participation, including 1 home tie
8) JPT: 1st round participation
Head of Commercial Operations
1) Net club revenue of £1.75m from all sources after all relevant costs of operation
2) Average home supporters — all fixtures - 2,300
3) Average away supporters — all fixtures — 200
4) Best in class Official Website of all League 1 and 2 clubs
Head of Stadium Operations:
1) No home postponements
2) Positive feedback from user surveys (see below)
3) Matchday occupancy of 24% (Average of 2,500 from capacity of 10,249) on
25 dates
4) Non-matchday occupancy of 51 dates (15% of available calendar days excluding matchdays)
Head of Support Services
1) Break even achieved along with compliance with all relevant financial legislation
2) HR contracts and performance appraisal reviews conducted for all staff, with relevant actions occurring as necessary
Targets for business stream heads cascade down to their direct reports — albeit smaller and more bitesized pieces of achievable work.
3) Make the club the heart of the local community
Rochdale is a financially poor town, but with people who want to and will support the club if the product is good and affordable. This was proven in the playoff and promotion seasons.
Matchday entrance prices have to be £15 maximum for adults (all areas) and £5 for children. There are 25 matchday experiences available in the targets above, including home and away fans. Football is a luxury and we cannot price people out just because they would like to come but cannot genuinely afford it.
The other 340 days in the year are the key to building a club. Presence needs to be made in schools, pubs, supermarkets and at events on a practical, daily basis. Projecting the image of a caring, accessible community based club is key to building for the future. That requires everyone from the Chief Executive down to play a part.
Bi-annual supporter feedback surveys should be undertaken via hardcopy forms and Surveymonkey and the results analysed.
4) Performance appraise
Like all successful businesses, performance appraisal of individuals is key. Every person from Chief Executive down gets a six monthly appraisal, based on their targets from their direct manager. For the football club it would make sense to do that in say May (end of season) and November (half year).
Non-performers will be placed on performance improvement regimes with more regular performance meetings in the next six months. If after two performance rounds (i.e. 1 one year) the non-performance hasn’t ceased then that person is moved on. Business is not a place for passengers.
The points 1) to 4) are actually exceptionally simple when you think about it. Its not about egos or hiding. In businesses I’ve run, I want success. I don’t see how “relaunching” or rebranding would change that or how difficult it can be to culturally move an organisation from a perceived or actual cba attitude to an organisation that the community values and is successful.
So, that would be my 2013/14 year of a five year plan. Thoughts/Criticism welcome. |
Just out of interest whats your job again....
Out of that list i dont think 10% is any where near what this club is performing at.. |  |
| My all time favourite Dale player Mr Lyndon Symmonds |
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| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 16:04 - Jan 5 with 638 views | blackpoolcol |
| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 12:37 - Jan 5 by R17ALE |
The main problem, looking back over the years, is that someone, somewhere took the decision to abandon the traditional habit of employing Dale fans to run various departments.
Slowly every department recruited staff with no Dale dna in their blood. Pretty much anyone could get a job, and anyone did - jobs for the boys type of a thing.
So we shouldn't be surprised if staff don't react in the way we expect them to, because they aren't wired up (a bit tapped) like we are.
Once again....only fans know what fans want! |
In all fairness R17ALE your repeated "only fans know" is tired and dated.
I dont give a monkeys WHO is working at the club as long as they are the BEST person for the job. Sometimes you need people who do not have that attachment to make the best decision, no matter if it is not a popular one at the time.
The day we say that you have to be a Dale fan then becomes the "well I've been coming for xx years so I should have the job" and then we get the "but he/she didnt go to away games so is not a true fan".
I look forward to having a team made up of players who are all lifetime supporters of the club
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| With my little stick of Blackpool Rock, along the promenade I'll stroll |
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| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 16:22 - Jan 5 with 626 views | RAFCBLUE |
| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 16:04 - Jan 5 by electricblue |
Just out of interest whats your job again....
Out of that list i dont think 10% is any where near what this club is performing at.. |
UK FInance Director of an infrastructure business, but a lot of what is there is common sense used by most big businesses all over the world. The skill is in the delivery.
I'm not close enough to the club to respond to the 10% comment. My experience of underperforming businesses though is that they are easy to turn around quickly providing you have two things:
1) Allowed independent control to do it your way, based on the aims of your shareholder(s).
2) A brutally honest approach. Non-performers are moved on swiftly and with no emotion.
Think Warren Goodhind vs Keith Hill!
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| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 18:25 - Jan 5 with 596 views | TVOS1907 |
| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 16:04 - Jan 5 by blackpoolcol |
In all fairness R17ALE your repeated "only fans know" is tired and dated.
I dont give a monkeys WHO is working at the club as long as they are the BEST person for the job. Sometimes you need people who do not have that attachment to make the best decision, no matter if it is not a popular one at the time.
The day we say that you have to be a Dale fan then becomes the "well I've been coming for xx years so I should have the job" and then we get the "but he/she didnt go to away games so is not a true fan".
I look forward to having a team made up of players who are all lifetime supporters of the club
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To be fair, you're missing the point. |  |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 00:11 - Jan 6 with 553 views | TVOS1907 |
To return to the OP, changing some mindsets. [Post edited 1 Jan 1970 1:00]
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| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 01:43 - Jan 6 with 527 views | middale |
| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 15:35 - Jan 5 by RAFCBLUE |
This is possibly will turn out to be the longest post I’ve ever registered on any fourm and it’s written without reference to any of the current individuals at the club but as Col’s original posts asks “relaunch” or in my world “start again”. It is not designed to be a definitive list or panacea but here goes:
The most successful organisations and therefore most successful football clubs in the world have targets. Without targets, there is no aspiration or performance management and failure is inevitable. What follows below is what I would do if I were Chairman of this football club.
1) Appoint a new blood broad business experienced Chief Executive.
A football club needs a broad business, experienced Chief Executive. Think of someone like David Gill (at Manchester United), Peter Kenyon (at Manchester United and latterly Chelsea) or Rob Heys (at Accrington Stanley). Size of business is irrelevant — good Chief Executives are worth their weight in gold and allow an organisation to flourish.
This role is the right hand direct report of the Chairman and Board. Direct reports to this role include, at League 2 level are four key roles:
- Head of Football — (current incumbent: John Coleman) overall responsible for:
o All football matters from first team down
o Player and football support staff management
o Footballing administration compliance
o Football in the Community
- Head of Commercial Operations — (current incumbent unknown) responsible for:
o Sponsorships
o Goldbond
o Club shop (including online shop)
o Media management (including official website and Twitter)
o Matchday revenue generation (programme, food kiosks, Radcliffe)
o Non-matchday revenue generation (sportsmans dinner, weddings, FIFA nights and other functions)
- Head of Stadium Operations — (current incumbent unknown) responsible for:
o Preparation of the ground and stadia for matchday operations
o Preparation of the ground and facilities for non-matchday operations
o Ticketing (Season Ticketing, Matchday Ticketing)
o Steward management and Ground Safety matters
o Food kiosk management
- Head of Support Services — (current incumbent unknown) responsible for:
o Human Resources, including performance appraisal process
o Finance, including payroll
o IT
Beneath each of these business stream heads, there would be other individuals appointed by the business head to support achievement of their aims, within their budgetary constraint.
2) Set targets for the 2013/14 season
By setting targets, I mean set proper, achievable targets for the 2013/14 season which must be achieved. For those four heads that would be as follows:
Head of Football:
1) League 2: Playoff participants — 7th place or higher — W 20 D 15 L 11 Target points: 75
2) Target Goals For: 92
3) Target Goals against: 40
4) Yellow Cards: 60
5) Red Cards: 0
6) FA Cup: 2nd round participation, including 1 home tie
7) League Cup: 2nd round participation, including 1 home tie
8) JPT: 1st round participation
Head of Commercial Operations
1) Net club revenue of £1.75m from all sources after all relevant costs of operation
2) Average home supporters — all fixtures - 2,300
3) Average away supporters — all fixtures — 200
4) Best in class Official Website of all League 1 and 2 clubs
Head of Stadium Operations:
1) No home postponements
2) Positive feedback from user surveys (see below)
3) Matchday occupancy of 24% (Average of 2,500 from capacity of 10,249) on
25 dates
4) Non-matchday occupancy of 51 dates (15% of available calendar days excluding matchdays)
Head of Support Services
1) Break even achieved along with compliance with all relevant financial legislation
2) HR contracts and performance appraisal reviews conducted for all staff, with relevant actions occurring as necessary
Targets for business stream heads cascade down to their direct reports — albeit smaller and more bitesized pieces of achievable work.
3) Make the club the heart of the local community
Rochdale is a financially poor town, but with people who want to and will support the club if the product is good and affordable. This was proven in the playoff and promotion seasons.
Matchday entrance prices have to be £15 maximum for adults (all areas) and £5 for children. There are 25 matchday experiences available in the targets above, including home and away fans. Football is a luxury and we cannot price people out just because they would like to come but cannot genuinely afford it.
The other 340 days in the year are the key to building a club. Presence needs to be made in schools, pubs, supermarkets and at events on a practical, daily basis. Projecting the image of a caring, accessible community based club is key to building for the future. That requires everyone from the Chief Executive down to play a part.
Bi-annual supporter feedback surveys should be undertaken via hardcopy forms and Surveymonkey and the results analysed.
4) Performance appraise
Like all successful businesses, performance appraisal of individuals is key. Every person from Chief Executive down gets a six monthly appraisal, based on their targets from their direct manager. For the football club it would make sense to do that in say May (end of season) and November (half year).
Non-performers will be placed on performance improvement regimes with more regular performance meetings in the next six months. If after two performance rounds (i.e. 1 one year) the non-performance hasn’t ceased then that person is moved on. Business is not a place for passengers.
The points 1) to 4) are actually exceptionally simple when you think about it. Its not about egos or hiding. In businesses I’ve run, I want success. I don’t see how “relaunching” or rebranding would change that or how difficult it can be to culturally move an organisation from a perceived or actual cba attitude to an organisation that the community values and is successful.
So, that would be my 2013/14 year of a five year plan. Thoughts/Criticism welcome. |
A very interesting post but there's some targets in there that no-one in their right mind would sign up to!
Head of Football:
2) Target Goals For: 92 - what??? We're not in the 1950s now - that's totally unrealistic.
Head of Commercial Operations
4) Best in class Official Website of all League 1 and 2 clubs - so you're out with no emotion if you're not the best out of 48 clubs, no pressure there then!
Head of Stadium Operations:
1) No home postponements - that's well harsh as well with Rochdale weather in mind.
The problem with targets isn't the spectacular fail but the narrow fail which is far more common and far harder to deal with fairly. They need to be achievable! |  |
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| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 08:56 - Jan 6 with 496 views | RAFCBLUE |
| Hypothetically + realistically speaking..... on 01:43 - Jan 6 by middale |
A very interesting post but there's some targets in there that no-one in their right mind would sign up to!
Head of Football:
2) Target Goals For: 92 - what??? We're not in the 1950s now - that's totally unrealistic.
Head of Commercial Operations
4) Best in class Official Website of all League 1 and 2 clubs - so you're out with no emotion if you're not the best out of 48 clubs, no pressure there then!
Head of Stadium Operations:
1) No home postponements - that's well harsh as well with Rochdale weather in mind.
The problem with targets isn't the spectacular fail but the narrow fail which is far more common and far harder to deal with fairly. They need to be achievable! |
Completely agree with achievability considerations when setting targets. Ideally the should come from the individual being appraised, because you're right that some of those targets are aspirational - because I think where we sit as a club now they need to be.
It's not a case though of sacking someone if they don't achieve one particular element of what is asked of them more coaching and improving performance via the performance review process regularly and fairly. However if after two or three years of seeing no progress at all then I'd move them on (either inside the organisation to another role or outside it) because any business can't stand still forever.
Our problem has always been target setting - because a lot of people want on field success they neglect performance monitoring off it. As much as people malign a clubs manager for success I believe that "tone from the top" starts with the company Chief Executive and works its way down.
It we set any target list like the one I wrote for 2013/14 and went on to achieve a big proportion of it, it would be a good season I believe. | |
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