Grays First Summer

[theowlsman]

We'll wait until summer before appointing a Director of Football type (to save money).

Then we'll remind Gray he is still effectively a coach, before Milan, Aldridge, and the new DOF decide who to bring in (on the cheap).

Gray will receive an influx of players he will be told to work with, and build a successful side around.

[Owl1974]

Stuart Gray isn't Manager....he's Head Coach in charge of the first team on a two and a half year deal.

 

If Milan has stated that he wants to bring in a Director of Football then i would guess that it will be the DoF that chooses the players as I am summising that Milan would bring in someone with player knowledge and contacts in the game.

 

The DoF is the one that plays the so called bad guy and sells players etc, leaving Stuart Gray to concentrate on coaching.

 

[ed_tomassi]

Good post! 

 

One fantastic thing Gray has done is given us a better reputation among football's purists. The past few years, Megson era to present, we got the results when needed but we have invariably got there in an ugly manner. Gray's playing style and tendency to use our more patient, creative players seems to really be turning that around. I expect that to be a huge aid in recruiting a better standard of players come the summer. Yes, even on a very low budget.   

[Dagmeister]

Stuart Gray isn't Manager....he's Head Coach in charge of the first team on a two and a half year deal.

 

If Milan has stated that he wants to bring in a Director of Football then i would guess that it will be the DoF that chooses the players as I am summising that Milan would bring in someone with player knowledge and contacts in the game.

 

The DoF is the one that plays the so called bad guy and sells players etc, leaving Stuart Gray to concentrate on coaching.

 

Gray said on his appointment as head coach that he had control over the first team and recruitment.

 

Of course the DOF would have involvement in recruitment; certainly on the contractual side but fundamentally the head coach needs to be identifying targets or at least types of player.

 

[Dagmeister]

We'll wait until summer before appointing a Director of Football type (to save money).

Then we'll remind Gray he is still effectively a coach, before Milan, Aldridge, and the new DOF decide who to bring in (on the cheap).

Gray will receive an influx of players he will be told to work with, and build a successful side around.

 

You may be right; probably are. If so it'll be poo poo.

[Guest Sherlowl]

I really don't know what MM will do in the summer with regards to signings, but I do think that given how many players we brought in during the summer when we came up, that it's not as though he didn't at least back us reasonably enough back then.

 

What's changed? Well, I suppose the fact that despite us bringing in all those players, Jones still needed to constantly bring in yet more loan signings after December just in order for us to stay up. Too many of Jones' signings failed to work out - that was the real problem. Bothroyd, Rodri, Pecnik, Mayor, Mattock, Taylor, Maguire. Shambolic really. The money just seemed to dry up almost completely in the summer, and I can't help thinking that was in part due to the recurrent need to make more signings under Jones.

 

The good thing about Gray at least, is that he might just be able to look to within the squad itself and get the most out of what is already here. Speculating of course, but I'm hoping it might mean there's just that little bit more to play with in the summer in terms of budget - hopefully, MM won't be pre-occupied with trying to sell the club as much as what he was during this last summer and early season.

It was recognised at the time, by DJ himself that measures needed to be put in place to help players settle in and become real assets to the club.  I think he was just a little too hesitant to commit new players to the first team, then once they didn't figure for a while, they would never figure.

 

Looks like Deehan's got experience both as DOF and player recruitment, and although it looks like his official job role is 'coach', I think he'll be taking an active role in the more managerial side, leaving Grey to concentrate more on coaching, team selection and morale.  

 

Odd structure but it might just work.