We Don't Know What We're Doing!

[jollygreenjohn]

Very good P61.
The only glimmer of light in the latest DOF clarification is that he would take over team matters on a temporary basis should CF be relieved of those duties. So Fletch is being given more time to do it his way with no dilution of his responsibilities so no hiding behind a DOF. This will continue to be his team and performances.
The board are showing more patience than some of us but at least they are lining up a safe pair of hands should there be no improvement.

 

[Tony Flags]

Applicant: What will my exact responsibilities be?
CS: Dealing with budgets, contracts and the like
Applicant: That's great....does the like include supporting the manager?
CF: if you can do that well, you will be supporting me very effectively
Applicant: Okay....I assume you'll want to call on my experience of getting my previous club from L2 to the Championship?
CF: Not really, I know what I'm doing thank you very much
CS: What Carl means is that of course we will.....we'll want you to tell us all about the contracts they were on and the budget you had
Applicant: Okay...but what about the football side of it? I have studied in depth what it takes for a team to get from this league to the Championship in terms of playing style, personnel, tactics, fitness and training. I also have files on every player in L1, L2 and the Blue Square and already have an idea of 4 players who will be available on free transfers who would strengthen and improve the squad.
CS: That's great....but can you tell me what the difference is between revenue and expenditure?
Applicant: I can, but would you like to hear about how I would develop the football strategy for the club and translate this into actions for teams at all levels from first team to youth, establishing a common style of play that will enable us to really bring on the youth as I did at my previous club?
CS: I'm not sure, what do you think Carl?
CF: No!
CS: That's really outside the scope of what we're looking for
Applicant: Okay...well, I must say I think you've been very unclear about what you want and, regrettably, I'm not really interested, so goodbye and good luck

CF: Blimey, he was absolutely hopeless, how did he get on the shortlist JB?
JB: Sorry Carl, I thought he had the experience....but that's why you're here to point us in the right direction
CS: Anyway, the next candidate looks much more promising.....I'll just fetch Mrs Fletcher in

Now that is how the fan base see the situation in a nut shell. Perfect summary of why not many have faith in those in charge.

 

[demportdave]

Agree its all rather half arsed. I wonder if there has ever been a manager who has had two mentors / director if football in two seasons?! JB himself admitted the manager has achieved 2 if his 3 objections, bring in and play the younger lads and play a more attractive style of play, all promising for the longer term. What we need now is a shot in the arm to turn some vaguely promising play into points. If its still the same manager and the same coaches stirring the same pot then we will get the same end result.

4 wins in 20 games, 2 wins from 10 at home including defeats by rubbish such as Aldershot, Wimbledon and Burton, can't score a goal for love or money and not a lot of goalmouth excitement but Brent is trying to tell us this constitutes "a more attractive style".

If Brent by his own addmission admits to having no knowledge of football, how has he become qualified to comment on the style of football Fletcher has inflicted on us this season?

There has been so many games, home and away, where we barely had a shot on goal yet only lost by 1 because 1 goal is all that's required to beat us. That is not attractive.

Attractive football is football that gets the fans on their feet and that requires goalmouth action, with the real prospect of Argyle actually scoring a goal.

10 sideways passes before Hourihane passes it square to a full back to knock it back inside to a centre back to launch it at Chadwick or Feeney will never be attractive football.

If Brent did actually know what he was doing he would either back Fletcher unconditionally or replace him; what he has proposed is a complete fudge and despite the rubbish peddled by Cowdry and Co, this is definitely not what Fletcher wanted, it has been imposed on him.

However, if Fletcher will still be calling all the shots regarding team selection and tactics with no "interference" from the new DOF, why is he being brought in?

 

[up the line]

DoF; So Carl, lets have a look at your work here so far so I can hopefully help to reverse the slump
CF; Hmmm, not really what you're here to do - you just need to make sure Robbie Williams knows where to sign up for another season
DoF; Ok lets evaluate the playing staff if that's my purpose. Who have you signed this pre-season
CF; Ok, I signed Paris Cowan-Hall, he's really good
DoF; Yeah that's right, a striker, been knocking them in by all accounts
CF; Yeah I put him on the wing. Actually can you review all the footage we have of small wingers, not sure I have enough yet
DoF; Ok, erm you must have some really good strikers then
CF; 4 actually. But prefer just playing one
DoF; Yeah goalscoring was an issue last season, I presume that's why you've brought in 2 strikers
CF; Well yeah I got this Fireman in from Wales. Some people said Jamie Cureton was looking for a club but this guy is the business.
DoF; I thought you said 4 strikers
CF:................................Oh yeah there's that other lad Guy Banjo or something...
DoF; Are you sure you don't want me to help you with the football side, I saw that...
CF; No, No, you just get to work on Robbie Williams' contract
DoF; Erm Ok but can I just ask about your captain....who is it?
CF; Easy! That's Darren Purse
DoF; Ah, he wasn't playing when I came to see your last game
CF; No that's right. He got sent off for elbowing some lad from Fleetwood, caught him a cracker
DoF; Riiiight so the guy I saw with the armband on, Hourihane, he must be more of a role-model right?
CF; Yeah he managed to get sent off inside 8 minutes at Dorchester
DoF; And how did that game go for you?.
CF; Well we kept it tight.
DoF; Are you totally sure I cant help on the playing side?
CF; No I've told you already, get drafting Williams' contract extension

 

[charlee]

Agreed! It's all rather depressing. The club is in a mess. The obvious problem areas are tactics and selection. So what does a DOF actually do, that someone else can do with out a glorified title.

I think this is " let's be seen to be doing something, so the fans don't up the pressure". And it's worked!

I have lost all desire with argyle, it just feels so meh!. If we get relegated I don't think I would really care, and that is really worrying. Because going down will destroy this already fragile club.

 

[X Isle]

Can't bring myself to say I wouldn't care Charlee but I know the area you're coming from. It just leaves me deflated really, that all the staff sacrifice last season all the hope and effort put in by all concerned with backing James Brent and salvaging something to build on, then once saved all the togetherness to haul Argyle over the line.....was for what?

So we can sleepwalk into relegation to the conference anyway?

It's soul destroying to watch the malaise continue then comes these crazy assed lame decisions being made to supposedly salvage something by doing nothing.

There was a time when it would have made me angrier though, I reckon that must be my partial acknowledgment regards caring. I do care, I do want to be proud of Argyle again, but I must care less because it annoys me rather than angers me these days.

Subtle difference I know but if Argyle don't pull out of this tailspin through decisive ACTION (crossing fingers doesn't.count) then they'll deserve relegation, something I can't really get angry about.

We didn't deserve it last season, but we'll have p*ssed away all that good will and effort if we succumb thus season, and Argyle will have no-one to blame but itself.

 

[tigertony]

I've lost my bet at William Hills already
Scolari gone to Brazil :lol:

 

[Womble]

Applicant: What will my exact responsibilities be?
CS: Dealing with budgets, contracts and the like
Applicant: That's great....does the like include supporting the manager?
CF: if you can do that well, you will be supporting me very effectively
Applicant: Okay....I assume you'll want to call on my experience of getting my previous club from L2 to the Championship?
CF: Not really, I know what I'm doing thank you very much
CS: What Carl means is that of course we will.....we'll want you to tell us all about the contracts they were on and the budget you had
Applicant: Okay...but what about the football side of it? I have studied in depth what it takes for a team to get from this league to the Championship in terms of playing style, personnel, tactics, fitness and training. I also have files on every player in L1, L2 and the Blue Square and already have an idea of 4 players who will be available on free transfers who would strengthen and improve the squad.
CS: That's great....but can you tell me what the difference is between revenue and expenditure?
Applicant: I can, but would you like to hear about how I would develop the football strategy for the club and translate this into actions for teams at all levels from first team to youth, establishing a common style of play that will enable us to really bring on the youth as I did at my previous club?
CS: I'm not sure, what do you think Carl?
CF: No!
CS: That's really outside the scope of what we're looking for
Applicant: Okay...well, I must say I think you've been very unclear about what you want and, regrettably, I'm not really interested, so goodbye and good luck

CF: Blimey, he was absolutely hopeless, how did he get on the shortlist JB?
JB: Sorry Carl, I thought he had the experience....but that's why you're here to point us in the right direction
CS: Anyway, the next candidate looks much more promising.....I'll just fetch Mrs Fletcher in

Brilliant mate. I wont put a smiley on because actually its too accurate to be funny.

 

[12ftpinkmonkey]

The new DOF is...........James Brents best mates son. He's apprently sh*t hot at Football Manager 2013 :lol: :lol: :scarf:

 

[12ftpinkmonkey]

Up The Line........Thats is hilarious....cracking.!!! I can actually appreciate that as a truthful event lol awesome

 

[mattym]

"Surely a DoF should be setting the long term football strategy at all levels, shaping the style of play, reviewing the training and fitness regimes, setting targets and expectations for the various teams etc and the first team manager should be delivering his part of that strategy? If a DoF was doing these things then they would be influencing team selection and tactics.....and that is exactly what is needed" - Spot on this was my thoughts exactly.

How the hell is 'dealing with budgets, contracts and the like' going to support Carl Fletcher's performance and skills as a coach? It's just going to give him more time, by not doing the 'admin'. Why do you need a Director of Football to do that? - It wont, not sure what their/boards objective is.

Why would the likes of Gary Megson, Colin Lee, Glenn Roeder want to come and do a job where they can't even 'influence' the underperforming manager and first team? - They wont, my hunch is that we will end up with another ex suit from an previous club, accountant type, or
the position is revoked due to lack of interest, instead another coach comes to jointly manage the team

 

[briangreen]

Post subject: We Don't Know What We're Doing!


Is that a confession or a statement? :greensmile:

Sexystone coming on board and a new D of F is I think the right step forward. For a long time now many people on various sites have been pointing out the lack of experience in the Argyle backroom and now we're getting that experience in folk are saying it's the wrong thing to do??
Yes we do need some forwards who can actually put the ball in the net, but we also need the footballing basics put in place first of all or those forwards we get in will end up like the ones we already have.
I know I appear to be speaking a little contrary here, but I know what I mean and I think most people will agree with it.
For a long time folk have been referring to the administation period that devastated our club and destroyed the whole fabric of it. Well, in most areas we are having to start again and that doesn't mean just the playing side, but the whole structure. It's no longer the club it was, but now the club it is and the club it will be.
And that last sentence 'the club it will be' can only be written because of one man, James Brent.
Many times I've doubted the status of some on here as Argyle fans, simply because of personal abuse aimed at some of the clubs leading characters as in James and his so-called 'hidden agendas', Chris Webb, IJN and not only Fletch himself, but also Romain a long term Argyle hero.
I guess I now realise that it's worry about the clubs future that cause many to react in the way they do, but we have to remember without characters like James, Chris, IJN, Fletch and Ro this club wouldn't even have the opportunity of any future at all.

 

[Greenblooded1]

:lol: Brilliant.

Applicant: What will my exact responsibilities be?
CS: Dealing with budgets, contracts and the like
Applicant: That's great....What budget do we have for strengthening the squad?
JB: Carl?
CF: A competitive one
Applicant: Can you put a number on it?
CF: One competitive budget
Applicant: Okay....I assume you'll want to call on my experience & contacts for getting good players in
CF: Not really, I know what I'm doing thank you very much

 

[X Isle]

A football savvy input Brian? - yes we were calling for it and yes we thought we got it with Sextone.

With the DOF idea we at least identified a need for help even if a new direction was preferred.

By prescribing such a narrow, non tactical and backroom remit however it's fair to question that savvyness.

 

[mathew_cunningham]

But is it so narrow? You could equally read into it that the DoF remit for 'looking after contracts and budgets and the like' means that the DoF will be required to align the use of budgets, contracts and the like to meet the board's strategic objective. The budget provides the recources needed to meet the boards objectives - principally spent on contracts for the players and the management team. If those resources are not delivering, then it would be within the remit of the DoF to change them for resources that do actually help to achieve the board's vision/strategic objectives.

In plain speak, if he don't deliver sack Carl Fletcher and get your own guy in who will do what you want and buy the players you want. Fait accompli.