Further questions to Gavin, transfer process, U23's etc.

[Jonathan]

To play devil's advocate, is management by committee necessarily a good thing?

For instance, if Richie is really committed to bringing in a certain player, would Jamie and Graham be able to veto that? You seem to be saying they would... But ultimately it's always the manager who is in the firing line.

I'm sure it would have to be by consensus.

It's the same argument about employing a Director of Football. How would the DoF be able to refuse a request by the manager for a certain player? Can you imagine how that would pan out? RW says he wants a certain player but the DoF overrules him completely! I can't see that manager lasting very long under those conditions.

This is the real difficulty in practice. Theoretically, I’ve always felt that the only way to operate with a DOF would be to completely separate the ‘Head Coach’ from transfer activity. But in practice I don’t think I would like this model, and I can’t see it working. Whilst on one hand it could be argued that it provides some continuity (the DOF determines culture, playing style and recruitment of players and Head Coaches in that profile) it also risks fostering a disconnect in the accountability of the ‘Head Coach’ for performance on the pitch, as they didn’t choose or recruit the players.

The manager has to have a strong say in my opinion. But then people will criticise the coordination of transfer activity when managers come and go etc.

Hard to find the winning formula in practice. And takes more of a brain than I have at the current time.

[RoversAlias]

Thanks for the info SM, can I ask if you had any insights into how these recruitment lists are assembled? I mean, in terms of what factors are used to assess a potential player - is it statistical and analytics based, or more akin to old school scouting where you just send Younger or a scout to watch the player and he makes notes based on what he sees?

I did write this;

There is a clear framework for selection with a ‘DNA profile’ for each position, and each position has a number of names pencilled in at all times, usually 4 or 5 names that the club think will fit that profile and could be available to a club like ours. That ‘DNA profile’ has detailed information on contracts, information about the player himself, and what each position should look like with regard to style, fitness, adaptability, quality etc.

Does that answer your question?

No it doesn't, which is why I asked the question after reading everything you had put.

I'll rephrase my question then - do the club use analytics in their recruitment strategy?

Fair enough, I didn't ask that question but I'm sure I can follow up on that with Gavin and/or Graham.

Thank you, I would be keen to know the answer as it's an area where operating marginally better than our rivals can have a big difference on the pitch. A lot of clubs are having success using statistics and analytics as a foundation from which to build their footballing strategy on.

[silent majority]

Thanks for the info SM, can I ask if you had any insights into how these recruitment lists are assembled? I mean, in terms of what factors are used to assess a potential player - is it statistical and analytics based, or more akin to old school scouting where you just send Younger or a scout to watch the player and he makes notes based on what he sees?

I did write this;

There is a clear framework for selection with a ‘DNA profile’ for each position, and each position has a number of names pencilled in at all times, usually 4 or 5 names that the club think will fit that profile and could be available to a club like ours. That ‘DNA profile’ has detailed information on contracts, information about the player himself, and what each position should look like with regard to style, fitness, adaptability, quality etc.

Does that answer your question?

No it doesn't, which is why I asked the question after reading everything you had put.

I'll rephrase my question then - do the club use analytics in their recruitment strategy?

Fair enough, I didn't ask that question but I'm sure I can follow up on that with Gavin and/or Graham.

Thank you, I would be keen to know the answer as it's an area where operating marginally better than our rivals can have a big difference on the pitch. A lot of clubs are having success using statistics and analytics as a foundation from which to build their footballing strategy on.

What I do know is that Gavin has spoken to the people in Brentford (which is normally the club quoted) and they are adjusting their approach after seeing some success. Our approach to the U23's is similar to theirs. I could be wrong as I'm dragging that up from memory!

[DonnyOsmond]

To play devil's advocate, is management by committee necessarily a good thing?

For instance, if Richie is really committed to bringing in a certain player, would Jamie and Graham be able to veto that? You seem to be saying they would... But ultimately it's always the manager who is in the firing line.

Works alright for Liverpool, I'm pretty sure Klopp has the golden vote too.

[DonnyOsmond]

Thanks for the info SM, can I ask if you had any insights into how these recruitment lists are assembled? I mean, in terms of what factors are used to assess a potential player - is it statistical and analytics based, or more akin to old school scouting where you just send Younger or a scout to watch the player and he makes notes based on what he sees?

I did write this;

There is a clear framework for selection with a ‘DNA profile’ for each position, and each position has a number of names pencilled in at all times, usually 4 or 5 names that the club think will fit that profile and could be available to a club like ours. That ‘DNA profile’ has detailed information on contracts, information about the player himself, and what each position should look like with regard to style, fitness, adaptability, quality etc.

Does that answer your question?

No it doesn't, which is why I asked the question after reading everything you had put.

I'll rephrase my question then - do the club use analytics in their recruitment strategy?

Fair enough, I didn't ask that question but I'm sure I can follow up on that with Gavin and/or Graham.

Thank you, I would be keen to know the answer as it's an area where operating marginally better than our rivals can have a big difference on the pitch. A lot of clubs are having success using statistics and analytics as a foundation from which to build their footballing strategy on.

What I do know is that Gavin has spoken to the people in Brentford (which is normally the club quoted) and they are adjusting their approach after seeing some success. Our approach to the U23's is similar to theirs. I could be wrong as I'm dragging that up from memory!

Think Brentford don't have an U23 or academy but have a B team where they've picked up released players with potential and they play friendlies throughout a season against U23 teams.

[silent majority]

Thanks for the info SM, can I ask if you had any insights into how these recruitment lists are assembled? I mean, in terms of what factors are used to assess a potential player - is it statistical and analytics based, or more akin to old school scouting where you just send Younger or a scout to watch the player and he makes notes based on what he sees?

I did write this;

There is a clear framework for selection with a ‘DNA profile’ for each position, and each position has a number of names pencilled in at all times, usually 4 or 5 names that the club think will fit that profile and could be available to a club like ours. That ‘DNA profile’ has detailed information on contracts, information about the player himself, and what each position should look like with regard to style, fitness, adaptability, quality etc.

Does that answer your question?

No it doesn't, which is why I asked the question after reading everything you had put.

I'll rephrase my question then - do the club use analytics in their recruitment strategy?

Fair enough, I didn't ask that question but I'm sure I can follow up on that with Gavin and/or Graham.

Thank you, I would be keen to know the answer as it's an area where operating marginally better than our rivals can have a big difference on the pitch. A lot of clubs are having success using statistics and analytics as a foundation from which to build their footballing strategy on.

What I do know is that Gavin has spoken to the people in Brentford (which is normally the club quoted) and they are adjusting their approach after seeing some success. Our approach to the U23's is similar to theirs. I could be wrong as I'm dragging that up from memory!

Think Brentford don't have an U23 or academy but have a B team where they've picked up released players with potential and they play friendlies throughout a season against U23 teams.

I think what Gavin meant was the approach, i.e. playing against U23 teams in friendlies as opposed to playing in a league structure was the same.

[Campsall rover]

Thanks for the information SM.
A useful insight into the behind the scenes operation.

Hopefully some of our posters may get an understanding that the Club do have a professional operational strategy. Well we can hope.

What we need now is continuity of the managers position. Without that the Club is never going to make positive progress.

[silent majority]

But if you remember Campsall we changed our standard managers contract this time so that its not going to be anywhere as easy for other clubs to poach RW.

Time will tell of course, both whether RW is the right man and if the contract conditions hold out if he is.