[Archived] Nicko's Thread Part 3

[The Prof.]

The club has a 99.9% single shareholder. If the Board malfunctions, it can be sorted easy-peasy unless the problem is Mr Matthewman.

I guess a difference of opinion is being interpretted as a "boardroom split" and is no such thing. Crikey take any six posters from brfcs.com and ask them to select the next manager and there would be differences of opinion- quite heated ones in all likelihood!

But if they had the job to select the next Rovers Manager, they would sort out a way of managing the differences and getting the information needed to fill in the boxes which are currently marked "I feel strongly about it but in reality I don't really know." And that way hopefully the subjective becomes the objective and then the impressions gained need to be tested again before appointing someone likely to be the highest paid executive in Blackburn, if not Lancashire.

Back to Martinez and he pops up here as a Sky Journalist's selection of Manager of the Season.

The guy might be in with a chance- especially if JW has just been bored rigid talking witrh AS for a couple of hours prior to seeing him.

If it is a healthy debate then I don't think we have anything at all to worry about in the long run, might be a few jitters in between though.

Sorry for being thick but who is Mr. Matthewman and why is he important? If he is the Trust Chair won't he see that the largest portion of wealth/value in the club from a market point of view is in Rovers's Premiership status itself rather than any particular asset that we hold (accepted some players might hit a similar figure combined but if we were in the Championship even the best would be worth diddly squat compared to now).

What I don't understand at all is why there is a cheap and cheerful option. £5.4m in compensation plus Hughes exceptional salary say £1.75m x 4 = £11.4m for the next four years for management expenses. I doubt the trustees are looking for a payoff or dividend out of that, so in theory we are looking at a top top international manager. You could pay say Bilic 15 time his current salary and still have enough for the backroom staff. Unless the board want a £1m manager and a 6m addition to whatever transfer kitty we have. I suppose thats the trade off.

[Cocker]

I dont know how significant this is Nicko but...

Like I said Allardyce is a pundit on Jazeera Sports coverage of Euro 2008 and last night Richard Keys said tomorrow night is Sam's last night with us. And from the day after someone else will replace him...

And the other night at the end of match of the day Gary Liniker said something like (not word for word) "We are off now and Alan Shearer is off to check the small print in his contract" Then last night he isnt on match of the day.

I wouldnt read too much into it.

[philipl]

Mr Matthewman is the son-in-law of the late Jack Walker.

I have to stress that my comment was probably ill-judged; I have never heard any rumours or comment about him so what I wrote was purely hypothetical.

What is interesting is that nicko's revelations usually reach the main stream media one or two days later so the Martinez/Bothroyd links would ordinarily be surfacing by now together with observations about debate within the board but they have not as yet.

Put yourself in JW's situation where you have a critically important search and appointment to do which in most other businesses happens completely out of the public eye but in this case, you have journos doorstepping every hotel and airport in the region and you have a very difficult balance to strike. You desperately need to maintain confidentialities to be fair between the candidates and to maximise the chances of making the right decision because a misplaced headline or internet story that gets round the world before you know it could cost you making a top appointment in the worst case scenario. But what you are doing is number one topic of conversation in your entire customer base with the media a far from disinterested spectator.

Add to this the unfortunate fact that Messrs Shearer, Allardyce, McClaren (ie most of the English leading candidates), ten Cate, Advocaat, Berg, Laudrup, Mancini and Bilic who between them have 86% of the votes in the next manager poll on brfcs ARE NOT EVEN IN THE UK. And with the exception of ten Cate they are all doing highly media-visible jobs which makes accessing them extremely difficult indeed.

There is no way that JW can magic up an appointment quickly and in the meantime the press have inches to fill, the bloggers blog and this thread heads towards page 400.

In this position the board is in, I'd have been tempted to plant a no money, cheap 'n cheerful candidates, board undecided story to keep expectations low and avoid the wilder types of rumours running.

If JW and the board do the job properly, this appointment is going to be a long process.

Rovers are not offering £7m a year but Chelsea have been looking for a Manager more than two weeks longer than Rovers (and they fired the last one so had prior knowledge of the vacvancy and control over the timing) but they have not made an appointment.

The other observation worth making is that by stepping down from his media job, Sam Allardyce is showing a public level of all out commitment to getting the Rovers job that others are not. I am not arguing pro-BFS and all credit to BFS for being very low key about leaving Jazeera.

[HATRIX]

I knew you'd say that !

Reckon its becoming a three horse race between Shearer Ten Cate and Two Pies

Shearer and ten cate working together now that would be brilliant .Top six next season,double the pulling power .Im sure the big(Headed) players would knuckle down and the ship would be steadied again.Full steam ahead BRFC.

[Bobby G]

Actually I think it is significant enough to mean that they will both be at least meeting with Rovers.

I cant believe that Shearer wouldnt be interested, according to todays papers...

[S15]

Shearer rejected being Keegans number 2 because he said he had to be his own man.

There is not a cat in hells chance of a Shearer and Ten Cate double act.

[philipl]

And the other night at the end of match of the day Gary Liniker said something like (not word for word) "We are off now and Alan Shearer is off to check the small print in his contract" Then last night he isnt on match of the day.

I wouldnt read too much into it.

Cocker, what planet are you on?.

There is a world of difference between a planted game of

Shearer HT - this match is so boring that if I didn't have a contract I wouldn't watch the second half.

Lineker FT- small print comment

and Richard Keys announcing BFS' departure from his job.

[Guest Kamy100]

Lancashire Telegraph are running a story today that claims that John Williams talked to Alan Shearer yesterday. They had a lengthy telephone conversation, during the conversation Shearer told Williams that he was interested in the job, however the major concern that Shearer had was the level of finance available. The article also says that Allerdyce will also be interviewed for the job, so to me it looks like Shearer and Allerdyce are the top 2 choices.

[nicko]

Shearer DOES want to talk...that's a fact we have known for days...ignore papers who missed the story and have petted lips on. He hasn't discussed the club's finances, but it will be a factor for ANY manager.

Allardyce WILL have an interview...his deal with the Arab TV station ran out tomorrow anyway...so he will meet Rovers on Thursday or Friday.

Still trying to establish if Ten Cate has had the call to set up talks. But don't let that stop you campaigning.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Lancashire Telegraph are running a story today that claims that John Williams talked to Alan Shearer yesterday. They had a lengthy telephone conversation, during the conversation Shearer told Williams that he was interested in the job, however the major concern that Shearer had was the level of finance available. The article also says that Allerdyce will also be interviewed for the job, so to me it looks like Shearer and Allerdyce are the top 2 choices.

When I read the Newsnow headlines just now, distancing Shearer from the job, my main thought was a lack of resources.

[Bobby G]

Makes sense considering Shearer wasnt at the BBC studios yesterday as well...

This is getting exciting...Im sure Sam will not bemoan lack of funds. But Alan is much more ambitious...Take it Alan.

[Bobby G]

Nicko, how much money do you think based on your sources Rovers actually will have to spend on players? Still sticking to 10 m?

The new man should know that selling Bentley would generate over 10 m as well, so a transfer budget of about 20 m is not that bad is it?

[Cocker]

Cocker, what planet are you on?.

There is a world of difference between a planted game of

Shearer HT - this match is so boring that if I didn't have a contract I wouldn't watch the second half.

Lineker FT- small print comment

and Richard Keys announcing BFS' departure from his job.

Phil I was replying to Bobby G's comment about Fat Sam. I wasnt saying I knew what was going on which is why I said at the end I wouldn't read to much into it (Plus, I will say that I missed the half time comment and only got the full time one)

[gumboots]

In this position the board is in, I'd have been tempted to plant a no money, cheap 'n cheerful candidates, board undecided story to keep expectations low and avoid the wilder types of rumours running.

I did wonder if there was an element of keeping people guessing in the names that came out. Not that those names aren't there but that the club allowed them to be known while they pursue other names as well. gives everyone something to talk about, keeps us in the news etc.?

[Parsonblue]

That wasn't my recollection of John Pickering Fife, my recollection was that Iley left us in an absolutely dire state and Pickering came in and did a pretty good job in very difficult circumstances and was extremely popular with the fans.

But couldn't quite keep us up.

Totally agree with you Rev. Pickering did a good job for someone who was in his first managerial post. However, with no money to spend he struggled to clear up the mess that Iley left behind.

This is what worries me about Ince - like Iley only managed in the bottom division - and Shearer - inexperienced like Pickering.

The LET today suggests that Shearer might be having second thoughts because of the lack of funding. If this is true and money is going to be tight, and the departure of Hughes would suggest it is true, then I would want to opt for the experienced option that is Allardyce. I might not like his style of football but the bottom line is survival in the Premier League. I believe he would keep us mid-table at worst.

We know that Allardyce can manage a Premier League club on a limited budget. We don't know if the other candidates can. I know it's the 'safe' option but the future of the club is too important to gamble with. There appears to be no takeover on the horizon and even if there was, there is no guarantee that there would be huge sums of money to spend. In these circumstances Allardyce looks a good bet to me.

[nicko]

Nicko, how much money do you think based on your sources Rovers actually will have to spend on players? Still sticking to 10 m?

The new man should know that selling Bentley would generate over 10 m as well, so a transfer budget of about 20 m is not that bad is it?

If there was £10 million available to Sparky before he left - and the club took a chunky £4.6 million off Man City for him - I would have to say there should eb a kitty of around £15 million.

Unless there is a £15 million offer for Bentley he won't go. Roque's valuation is hard to assess.

You probably need three or four faces for the team and squad, so no proper manager would shy away from that budget.

[nicko]

In this position the board is in, I'd have been tempted to plant a no money, cheap 'n cheerful candidates, board undecided story to keep expectations low and avoid the wilder types of rumours running.

I did wonder if there was an element of keeping people guessing in the names that came out. Not that those names aren't there but that the club allowed them to be known while they pursue other names as well. gives everyone something to talk about, keeps us in the news etc.?

The club didn't put out any names of candidates...take that for granted.

[Parsonblue]

If there was £10 million available to Sparky before he left - and the club took a chunky £4.6 million off Man City for him - I would have to say there should eb a kitty of around £15 million.

Unless there is a £15 million offer for Bentley he won't go. Roque's valuation is hard to assess.

You probably need three or four faces for the team and squad, so no proper manager would shy away from that budget.

Nicko is that £10 still available? I just wondered if the situation had changed and that proved to be one of the factors that persuaded Hughes that it was time to go. Also, doesn't the club still owe a rather large amount of money to the bank? If the board are split on the way forward with regard to the new manager do you think there could be differences with regard to the finance that the manager is given?

[gumboots]

I know the club didn't put out the names but we all know that there can be things allowed to get out and things that are kept very quiet indeed. I just wondered if it was possible that the names they didn't mind being known were more readily "accessible" than those they wanted to keep quieter because they hadn't had chance to speak to them or whatever.

[nicko]

Nicko is that £10 still available? I just wondered if the situation had changed and that proved to be one of the factors that persuaded Hughes that it was time to go. Also, doesn't the club still owe a rather large amount of money to the bank? If the board are split on the way forward with regard to the new manager do you think there could be differences with regard to the finance that the manager is given?

I am pretty sure that the money is still there. Budgets are projected well in advance and the club has not had any unpleasant surprises lately.

I am also pretty sure some on the board would like a manager who is eternally grateful for getting the job and would be delighted with that kind of budget - rather than one who might moan and use it as an excuse.

The 'big' candidates will certainly ask what the budget is - the 'lesser' names and any good coaches would perhaps inquire but not be worried.

Yes, it's a bit low...but any hungry boss would not be put off by that.

[nicko]

I know the club didn't put out the names but we all know that there can be things allowed to get out and things that are kept very quiet indeed. I just wondered if it was possible that the names they didn't mind being known were more readily "accessible" than those they wanted to keep quieter because they hadn't had chance to speak to them or whatever.

Allardyce - leaked by his mates in the press.

Ince - ditto.

McClaren - ditto but irrelevant.

Shearer - dug out by me among others.

Ten Cate - dug out by me, also handed to a Dutch journo by the man himself.

Laudrup - on here.

Martinez - sources in the game.

Not ONE planted by the club to be fair to them...they are probably fizzing that so much info is out.

[Bobby G]

We are talking about something between 10 and 25 million pounds worth of money, depending on whether Bentley leaves or not. If he does, which might be a good thing in the grander scheme of things, then we should have about 20 million pounds + money for wages. Thats not the worst kitty, if spent wisely.

[nicko]

We are talking about something between 10 and 25 million pounds worth of money, depending on whether Bentley leaves or not. If he does, which might be a good thing in the grander scheme of things, then we should have about 20 million pounds + money for wages. Thats not the worst kitty, if spent wisely.

Exactly.

I think in Sparky's case he just got worn down with it and realised he had got a couple of breaks in the transfer market that would not be repeated. He also - in his own eyes - felt the only way was down.

A new manager would not see it that way...you have to hope!

[Bobby G]

I can understand Shearer's concerns. If he feels the circumstances are not right for him to succeed then he would be tarnishing his currently non-existant reputation as a manager and therefore end his career before it started...Thats his worry and I can understand it.

[Brownie]

The bit that gets me in the LET story is that JW sent Shearer a text and Shearer rang him back.

Is this a money saving excercise or had JW run out of credit ?