Gregg Broughton

[arbitro]

I've always thought of him as a blagger, a man way out of his depth and this interview reinforces that view to me. His cheesy grin doesn't help but I could put up with that if I had any faith in him. The McGuire situation wasn't nearly covered in the level of detail it should have been. Why wasn't he questioned on why the deal changed so much whilst the player himself was in mid-air and why he ended up in a hotel in Sheffield ready to sign for Sheffield Wednesday. His answer about the regression this season question was that of a politician as he insulted our intelligence. And, for legal reasons he couldn't to into the Tomasson situation. He has clearly been told not to. His boast about young players signing professional contracts is misleading to me. With a couple of exceptions they pretty much all haven't been near the first team. Most are happy to sign to become professional footballers and are on poor wages. His boast about 24 years in professional football sums his ego up. Pretty much nobody has heard of him and likely never will.

[Hasta]

13 hours ago, arbitro said:

Why wasn't he questioned on why the deal changed so much whilst the player himself was in mid-air and why he ended up in a hotel in Sheffield ready to sign for Sheffield Wednesday

To be fair he does mention that. He states that we pulled out of the original deal whilst he was still in America sat with his representatives, and that rumours of him being in the air when the deal got pulled are absolutely not true. He then came across as he had the opportunity to sign for another Championship club. It's in the Jackson interview.

What is telling in the Bayes interview is when the questions are slightly off what he expected how his answers aren't as pre-rehearsed. He trots the "up until the Watford game" out in every interview. As soon as Bayes calls it out that over the last 46 games we have been relegation contenders, not just since Christmas, he doesn't have an answer other than to waffle.

Fair play to Andy Bayes. You often find Radio Lancs interviews with all of the local clubs will pull out the more difficult questions when things are not going well and it felt like that again. The Jackson interview and the academy interview were all pally, pally plain sailing. The Bayes one is a bit more awkward.

Overall I just dont think Broughton is very good at his job. I'm not even sure what his job covers any more as he's now making it very clear in all interviews that the manager will have the final say, on whether we sign Maguire or on past JDT recruitment. Therefore is all he do negotiate contracts with people.

He is shining the light a little bit for us though. He's sending out enough clear signs to say that the others at the club are incompetent and he knows what should happen to make the club successful but whether he is listened to, or that model of re-investment is followed, he cannot guarantee. 

Edited March 28 by Hasta

[Torgeir]

2 minutes ago, Hasta said:

To be fair he does mention that. He states that we pulled out of the original deal whilst he was still in America sat with his representatives, and that rumours of him being in the air when the deal got pulled are absolutely not true. He then came across as he had the opportunity to sign for another Championship club. It's in the Jackson interview.

What is telling in the Bayes interview is when the questions are slightly off what he expected how his answers aren't as pre-rehearsed. He trots the "up until the Watford game" out in every interview. As soon as Bayes calls it out that its over the last 46 games we have been relegation contenders, not just since Christmas, he doesn't have an answer other than to waffle.

Fair play to Andy Bayes. You often find Radio Lancs interviews with all of the local clubs will pull out the more difficult questions when things are not going well and it felt like that again. The Jackson interview and the academy interview were all pally, pally plain sailing. The Bayes one is a bit more awkward.

Overall I just dont think Broughton is very good at his job. I'm not even sure what his job covers any more as he's now making it very clear in all interviews that the manager will have the final say, on whether we sign Maguire or on past JDT recruitment. Therefore is all he do negotiate contracts with people.

He is shining the light a little bit for us though. He's sending out enough clear signs to say that the others at the club are incompetent and he knows what should happen to make the club successful but whether he is listened to, or that model of re-investment is followed, he cannot guarantee. 

If he isn't listened to at all then I can't see much point in having him on the books. Just go back to the old model with SW and a yes man.

[Hasta]

4 minutes ago, Torgeir said:

If he isn't listened to at all then I can't see much point in having him on the books. Just go back to the old model with SW and a yes man.

Financially I agree.

The problem being some of the stuff he's coming our with is obvious - on transfer deadline day dont be sat at St Andrews munching on prawn sandwiches when you should be finalising deals as the most senior person at the club. At least he's trying to make us more professional in those aspects, but Waggot would prefer his free lunch and do as little work as possible. 

[arbitro]

2 minutes ago, Hasta said:

To be fair he does mention that. He states that we pulled out of the original deal whilst he was still in America sat with his representatives, and that rumours of him being in the air when the deal got pulled are absolutely not true. He then came across as he had the opportunity to sign for another Championship club. It's in the Jackson interview.

What is telling in the Bayes interview is when the questions are slightly off what he expected how his answers aren't as pre-rehearsed. He trots the "up until the Watford game" out in every interview. As soon as Bayes calls it out that its over the last 46 games we have been relegation contenders, not just since Christmas, he doesn't have an answer other than to waffle.

Fair play to Andy Bayes. You often find Radio Lancs interviews with all of the local clubs will pull out the more difficult questions when things are not going well and it felt like that again. The Jackson interview and the academy interview were all pally, pally plain sailing. The Bayes one is a bit more awkward.

Overall I just dont think Broughton is very good at his job. I'm not even sure what his job covers any more as he's now making it very clear in all interviews that the manager will have the final say, on whether we sign Maguire or on past JDT recruitment. Therefore is all he do negotiate contracts with people.

He is shining the light a little bit for us though. He's sending out enough clear signs to say that the others at the club are incompetent and he knows what should happen to make the club successful but whether he is listened to, or that model of re-investment is followed, he cannot guarantee. 

I haven't heard the Jackson interview. I thought Bayes had a good line of questioning but could have been more forensic on the McGuire debacle. For example why was the deal left so late in the window particularly after the fiasco late in the last January window and what changed for it to be on/off. He also said categorically after the last January window that all processes would be reviewed to prevent another O'Brien and Brierley situation yet another transfer fails and brings shame and embarrassment on our club. He was quick to accept responsibility last year but this time it was 'human error'. 

Once again there are far more questions than answers.

[Torgeir]

1 minute ago, Hasta said:

Financially I agree.

The problem being some of the stuff he's coming our with is obvious - on transfer deadline day dont be sat at St Andrews munching on prawn sandwiches when you should be finalising deals as the most senior person at the club. At least he's trying to make us more professional in those aspects, but Waggot would prefer his free lunch and do as little work as possible. 

For the record I don't want Gregg gone. Waggott out.

[Exiled_Rover]

2 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I haven't heard the Jackson interview. I thought Bayes had a good line of questioning but could have been more forensic on the McGuire debacle. For example why was the deal left so late in the window particularly after the fiasco late in the last January window and what changed for it to be on/off. He also said categorically after the last January window that all processes would be reviewed to prevent another O'Brien and Brierley situation yet another transfer fails and brings shame and embarrassment on our club. He was quick to accept responsibility last year but this time it was 'human error'. 

Once again there are far more questions than answers.

He wasn't quick to accept responsibility last year - he was the only one willing to put their head above the parapet after a PR disaster, knowing the fans and media demanded an explanation. There was an uncomfortably long period of nothing coming out of the club explaining how the paperwork for 2 players had been fucked up on deadline day. 

He was on a hiding to nothing then by being professional.

He's been stabbed in the back again by the same charlatans this January so unsurprisingly doesn't feel the same sense of professional duty to front up for the club.  

[Exiled_Rover]

2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Imo the more you hear from Broughton the more obvious it becomes he's only in it for the ride.

No guarantees given whatsoever regarding transfers going forward but "I've submitted my report". (Roughly translates as "I couldnt care less what happens after that - as long as I continue to get paid Im all right Jack")

I think it roughly translates as "this club is a fucking shitshow. I've done my job and submitted my recommendations, but they've already sabotaged three of my transfers and slashed the wage budget by 20% in a single summer, so I'm not getting my hopes up".

Each to their own though. 

[tomphil]

32 minutes ago, Hasta said:

To be fair he does mention that. He states that we pulled out of the original deal whilst he was still in America sat with his representatives, and that rumours of him being in the air when the deal got pulled are absolutely not true. He then came across as he had the opportunity to sign for another Championship club. It's in the Jackson interview.

What is telling in the Bayes interview is when the questions are slightly off what he expected how his answers aren't as pre-rehearsed. He trots the "up until the Watford game" out in every interview. As soon as Bayes calls it out that its over the last 46 games we have been relegation contenders, not just since Christmas, he doesn't have an answer other than to waffle.

Fair play to Andy Bayes. You often find Radio Lancs interviews with all of the local clubs will pull out the more difficult questions when things are not going well and it felt like that again. The Jackson interview and the academy interview were all pally, pally plain sailing. The Bayes one is a bit more awkward.

Overall I just dont think Broughton is very good at his job. I'm not even sure what his job covers any more as he's now making it very clear in all interviews that the manager will have the final say, on whether we sign Maguire or on past JDT recruitment. Therefore is all he do negotiate contracts with people.

He is shining the light a little bit for us though. He's sending out enough clear signs to say that the others at the club are incompetent and he knows what should happen to make the club successful but whether he is listened to, or that model of re-investment is followed, he cannot guarantee. 

Hes never been a DoF before and it clearly shows there are times he's winging it because he has no experience in that role with these issues.

Just symptomatic of what has happened many times under this ownership, they employ people who aren't qualified to the required standard for the roles given to them. A constant need to to try and put cheaper yes men in and assume they'll grow into the role.

Why ?

It all started with Kean and there have been so many examples along the way. It's been the polar opposite of the Jack Walker then John Williams philosophy, if you want the job doing properly and you can afford it then hire the best you can convince to come to the club.

It saves money in the long run and has a far greater chance of delivering what you need.

[Exiled_Rover]

Just now, tomphil said:

Hes never been a DoF before and it clearly shows there are times he's winging it because he has no experience in that role with these issues.

Just symptomatic of what has happened many times under this ownership, they employ people who aren't qualified to the required standard for the roles given to them. A constant need to to try and put cheaper yes men in and assume they'll grow into the role.

Why ?

It all started with Kean and there have been so many examples along the way. It's been the polar opposite of the Jack Walker then John Williams philosophy, if you want the job doing properly and you can afford it then hire the best you can convince to come to the club.

It saves money in the long run and has a far greater chance of delivering what you need.

He's by far the most qualified man in the building (and was even when we had JDT and co employed). 

You have to learn on the job at times - it's his first time being a DoF. I'm not entirely sure why he gets caught up in all the hatred (well I do, but I won't go into that) - he's very much earned his crack at a DoF job. 

Now ideally you'd want a more experienced DoF to walk into a first-time DoF role at Ewood Park and set up the system - but who worth their salt is going to take on this gig?

[tomphil]

5 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

He's by far the most qualified man in the building (and was even when we had JDT and co employed). 

You have to learn on the job at times - it's his first time being a DoF. I'm not entirely sure why he gets caught up in all the hatred (well I do, but I won't go into that) - he's very much earned his crack at a DoF job. 

Now ideally you'd want a more experienced DoF to walk into a first-time DoF role at Ewood Park and set up the system - but who worth their salt is going to take on this gig?

That last line is daft and trotted out too many times in regards to Rovers.

'Who can we sign', 'Who will buy us'. 'Who will manage us' etc etc    There are plenty out there who'd come and as i pointed out it's our first real stab at a having a proper DoF model so what do they do ?

They hire someone who has never done it before then hide in shadows as he presides over another step in the right direction turning to a shit show.  He clearly isn't actually directing anything he's just another intermediate adviser who can't make anything but the most basic decisions and all his ideas and directions have to go through several layers above him before he even gets a 'maybe' answer.

That is why they've hired a rookie and of course in his naivety he'll front up answering questions and taking flak for stuff that isn't down to him.

[Exiled_Rover]

5 minutes ago, tomphil said:

That last line is daft and trotted out too many times in regards to Rovers.

'Who can we sign', 'Who will buy us'. 'Who will manage us' etc etc    There are plenty out there who'd come and as i pointed out it's our first real stab at a having a proper DoF model so what do they do ?

They hire someone who has never done it before then hide in shadows as he presides over another step in the right direction turning to a shit show.  He clearly isn't actually directing anything he's just another intermediate adviser who can't make anything but the most basic decisions and all his ideas and directions have to go through several layers above him before he even gets a 'maybe' answer.

That is why they've hired a rookie and of course in his naivety he'll front up answering questions and taking flak for stuff that isn't down to him.

You're daft to think we have a good reputation in football.

JDT resigned and was replaced by a very inexperienced manager who was gagging for another crack at a Head Coach job. It's not rocket science.

I'd love the Venkys to fuck off - and I do think we'd be an attractive proposition to a buyer (assuming our Indian overlords don't take our training ground / Academy when they leave), but they've made it very clear that they simply don't want to sell. 

[tomphil]

1 minute ago, Exiled_Rover said:

You're daft to think we have a good reputation in football.

JDT resigned and was replaced by a very inexperienced manager who was gagging for another crack at a Head Coach job. It's not rocket science.

I'd love the Venkys to fuck off - and I do think we'd be an attractive proposition to a buyer (assuming our Indian overlords don't take our training ground / Academy when they leave), but they've made it very clear that they simply don't want to sell. 

Reputation ?

Money talks as do job vacancies and the chance to relaunch a career, the reputation here is if you toe the line, the owners like you then it's easy money and that is appealing to anybody.

If you go for the right people with the right offer they'll come if there is nothing better being flung under their nose.  Here they go for easy to employ, cheaper targets and THAT is why Eustace is here and why JDT was here.

Same with GB, offering this step up to someone like him would see him make very few demands and obviously be prepared to put up with nonsense.

[Trinidad Rover]

He is a person out of depth operating in an environment he can't control.

I don't think he is a bad person, unlike Waggot and Pasha. He's simply ineffective. 

Of all the interviews, Bayes was the best.

 

 

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, Exiled_Rover said:

He wasn't quick to accept responsibility last year - he was the only one willing to put their head above the parapet after a PR disaster, knowing the fans and media demanded an explanation. There was an uncomfortably long period of nothing coming out of the club explaining how the paperwork for 2 players had been fucked up on deadline day. 

He was on a hiding to nothing then by being professional.

He's been stabbed in the back again by the same charlatans this January so unsurprisingly doesn't feel the same sense of professional duty to front up for the club.  

He did an interview on February 3rd last year accepting full responsibility saying 'the buck stops with me'. He also said he didn't think we would win an appeal but, at great expense we went ahead with it anyway. I believe he gets too easy a ride primarily because of his media friendliness.

https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/blackburn-rovers-transfer-news-broughton-26150989

[OJRovers]

Decent questions from Andy, but he should have pushed on the Maguire error.

GB said that after 2023 issues they got the Directors and recruitment team in the same room for 2024.

So then HOW does such an error happen on the biggest transfer of the whole window? You'd have 3 or 4 people looking over the shoulder whilst the info was submitted.

Answer: it didn't happen. It is just a lie.

Anyone try to do a £3m+ corporate acquisition deal with 2 other 3rd parties will know there will be multiple lawyers, agents, banks etc crawling all over the execution with multiple controls at every step (they all want to get their %share of the deal!)

Personally I believe they were trying to offload Gallagher on the final day, and when that didn't go through they pulled the Maguire deal.

I've some sympathy with GB because he is powerless, and at least fronts up for interviews. 

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, OJRovers said:

I've some sympathy with GB because he is powerless, and at least fronts up for interviews. 

To the extent he fronts up and "accepts responsibility", he only does it because he knows there'll be no repercussions.

They're all taking the piss. 

[RevidgeBlue]

2 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I think it roughly translates as "this club is a fucking shitshow. I've done my job and submitted my recommendations, but they've already sabotaged three of my transfers and slashed the wage budget by 20% in a single summer, so I'm not getting my hopes up".

"But I'm still happy to stay and pick up my excessive wage anyway".

[J*B]

5 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Imo the more you hear from Broughton the more obvious it becomes he's only in it for the ride.

No guarantees given whatsoever regarding transfers going forward but "I've submitted my report". (Roughly translates as "I couldnt care less what happens after that - as long as I continue to get paid Im all right Jack")

And who in their right mind would retain some of their transfer budget? If you have a budget (subject to FFP) then you spend it all in the hope of doing as well as you possibly can NOW.  If things dont then work out you'd have to work on your wits and wheel and deal and tweak things about until they do work.

Hopefully Eustace won't want this guy hanging around for long - then at least it would be one less to worry about.

I think the absolute polar opposite. He's one of the few down there with any credibility IMO and has been dealt an impossible job by the incompetence of the people above him and our ownerships legal issues. 

We need a young and ambitious CEO who's willing to tear the script up and do things differently, because what we're doing now does not work. Not enough fans in the stadium, not enough excitement about the team, not enough ambition full stop and constant short term thinking. 

[arbitro]

He talks about the Watford game as a turning point when we were one up, relatively comfortable but doesn't mention why. Our keeper threw two into his goal costing us badly. This is a keeper who has individually cost us more than any other player.

Who signed him again?

[RevidgeBlue]

14 minutes ago, J*B said:

I think the absolute polar opposite. He's one of the few down there with any credibility IMO and has been dealt an impossible job by the incompetence of the people above him and our ownerships legal issues. 

We need a young and ambitious CEO who's willing to tear the script up and do things differently, because what we're doing now does not work. Not enough fans in the stadium, not enough excitement about the team, not enough ambition full stop and constant short term thinking. 

We'll have to agree to disagree.

Credibility? Say what you like about the owners/Waggott etc (and rightly so) but these high profile transfer cock ups have only happened since he's been at the Club.

That's in addition to signing crocks like Ennis and Fleck and other duds like Hirst, Telalovic, Wahlstedt etc. Someone posted  a while back that in their view Waggott wasn't fit to sweep the car park and I'd put Broughton firmly in the same bracket.

You're absolutely spot on about the CEO though. I've long said that he is an extremely dangerous man to have around the Club. He is obviously determined to cling onto his £300k p.a. for as long as possible and I just worry there'll be nothing left to salvage by the time he is eventually wheeled out of Ewood in a wooden box.

 

[J*B]

4 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

We'll have to agree to disagree.

Credibility? Say what you like about the owners/Waggott etc (and rightly so) but these high profile transfer cock ups have only happened since he's been at the Club.

That's in addition to signing crocks like Ennis and Fleck and other duds like Hirst, Telalovic, Wahlstedt etc. Someone posted  a while back that in their view Waggott wasn't fit to sweep the car park and I'd put Broughton firmly in the same bracket.

You're absolutely spot on about the CEO though. I've long said that he is an extremely dangerous man to have around the Club. He is obviously determined to cling onto his £300k p.a. for as long as possible and I just worry there'll be nothing left to salvage by the time he is eventually wheeled out of Ewood in a wooden box.

 

When I listened to Elliott Jackson's podcast with GB I thought he made it very clear - without actually saying it - that he felt someone has failed at their job for the McGuire case and the repercussions for that where still ongoing. It wouldn't surprise me if someone was serving their notice or there was an internal HR case underway. He also took accountability for the Brierley and LOB transfers and talked through the changes made to ensure it didn't happen again. 

Ennis didn't end up costing us much after a sale to Stoke - it was a risk free transfer. 
Fleck was a Waggott transfer - he told me that himself. He knew him from previous clubs, rung Sheff Utd and said would they release him on a free as he wasn't getting a game, they agreed and we took over his 6 month contract. Thats 20K / week until the end of the season we won't see anything out of. 

Hirst has shown he can play at this level, he's Ipswich's main striker (pre injury and Hirst being signed). Telalovic - well, what do you expect when we can't pay a fee and have hardly any money for wages? Wahlsted being the stand out failure so far, but he's young and still adapting. 

[sympatheticclaret]

1 hour ago, Trinidad Rover said:

He is a person out of depth operating in an environment he can't control ...

 

 

I think this sums it up perfectly ...

The one part of the Radio Lancashire interview that made me laugh out loud, was when he said the events of the last two January transfer windows, would have no effect on future transfer dealings ... other Clubs and players will be very wary of dealing with Rovers in the future. This is not good for a proud historic Club like Rovers ...

He talked about this lad at Crewe ... I'm sure Rovers won't be the only Club watching him. So let's say Crewe agree to sell, and their fee is matched by West Brom, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Rovers. All historic Championship clubs of roughly equal size, why on earth would he choose Blackburn over the others ? Incompetent management, absent and despised owners, loyal but divided fan base .. it's a tough sell, to be fair  

[Mattyblue]

So you’ve got a DoF working towards a ‘model’ of bringing in young lads to ‘develop’… whilst at the same time an ex-agent CEO bringing in players in their mid 30s without seemingly any due diligence by the sounds of it.

14 years and look at the state of it.

[RevidgeBlue]

19 minutes ago, J*B said:

Fleck was a Waggott transfer - he told me that himself. He knew him from previous clubs, rung Sheff Utd and said would they release him on a free as he wasn't getting a game, they agreed and we took over his 6 month contract. Thats 20K / week until the end of the season we won't see anything out of. 

In the words of Mandy Rice Davies "He would say that wouldn't he!."

Good at blaming one another aren't they - Waggott trying to make out Szmodics wasn't a Broughton choice and Broughton trying to dump the responsibility for Fleck onto Waggott - even though he is DOF.