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...to become the new Sporting Director

The club is now looking for a new Head Coach...

 

I already posted about this 😛

Here we go again, So a new ‘manager’ is now required under the Directorship of John Robertson. Who is likely to fit this Bill !  A young player manager type or a tried and tested man with potential. Which names will be appearing first?

Perhaps the best of both worlds.

Firstly, huge thanks to Robbo for his efforts as manager over the last four years but perhaps towards the end of that tenure it was beginning not to work so well either for the club or for him personally.

This way, we can look for a fresh approach to the coaching side yet retain Robbo's immense experience and contacts within the game as well as demonstrating loyalty on both sides.

Has all the potential to be a win win situation.

Neil McCann assisted by Billy Dodds would be my first choice.

Failing that, I would go for a young coach with potential and ambition. Any lack of experience could be compensated for by Robbo's sage advice.

10 minutes ago, GoliathGrunt said:

Here we go again, So a new ‘manager’ is now required under the Directorship of John Robertson. Who is likely to fit this Bill !  A young player manager type or a tried and tested man with potential. Which names will be appearing first?

Well, judging from the last time we had an inexperienced manager in the hot seat, I think it'd be a wise idea to get someone experienced...

I like the sound of this, and had wondered if this was how it would pan out.

Robbo has had a reasonable hit rate with player recruitment, and if we can get a management team who can get us playing like we were during Robbo's hiatus, this could be a win-win situation.

If we can get McCann & Dodds, I may spontaneously combust...

7 minutes ago, Jack Waddington said:

Well, judging from the last time we had an inexperienced manager in the hot seat, I think it'd be a wise idea to get someone experienced...

I do wonder what would have happened if Foran had had some experienced help. Someone with less experience, but having the safety net of an experienced sporting director could be a good thing.

That said, if we can persuade the interims to become permanents, I'd sign up for that!

Can someone please explain to me how a bang average/mid table Championship side with limited apparent revenue streams can afford a CEO, Sporting Director and Head Coach?  Unless someone has emerged, unannounced, from the shadows and injected a serous wedge into the club in an attempt to buy our way out of the Championship how on earth can we justify this kind of outlay?  I just don't get it.....answers on a postcard please.  

8 minutes ago, ymip said:

Can someone please explain to me how a bang average/mid table Championship side with limited apparent revenue streams can afford a CEO, Sporting Director and Head Coach?  Unless someone has emerged, unannounced, from the shadows and injected a serous wedge into the club in an attempt to buy our way out of the Championship how on earth can we justify this kind of outlay?  I just don't get it.....answers on a postcard please.  

I was thinking along similar lines. Perhaps we got a good bit more than peanuts for Daniel Mackay

Please be McCann I was so impressed with his time here

McCann recently turned down Falkirk because he has other things on. I'd be surprised if he would contemplate a return to ICT.

Personally I'd like it to be McCan, but feel like we've probably spoken to him about it, and he clearly doesn't want to take it permanently as we wouldn't be advertising the job.  Just my thoughts.

We have time to get this appointment right, no need for hasty decisions.

37 minutes ago, ymip said:

Can someone please explain to me how a bang average/mid table Championship side with limited apparent revenue streams can afford a CEO, Sporting Director and Head Coach?  Unless someone has emerged, unannounced, from the shadows and injected a serous wedge into the club in an attempt to buy our way out of the Championship how on earth can we justify this kind of outlay?  I just don't get it.....answers on a postcard please.  

That was my first thought too ... Chairman, CEO, Sporting Director, Head Coach, then assistant coach and more under that with ex-players also in coaching roles ... all seems a bit top-heavy and potentially expensive if we have little revenue and no cash pot to draw on. My second thought was that he is not really the 'first' sporting director because it appears to be just a rename of the 'Director of Football' role that Graeme Bennett held .. or perhaps not, I guess it depends on the structure and responsibilities of the role. 

Putting all of that aside, I think the concept is a good thing for the club. Robbo is synonymous with us and does seem to have a good eye for bargain basement signings and if his remit as sporting director is to liaise with the manager and the board to make that happen then it could be a win-win. We still dont know what was going on in his personal life, and we have no right to do so, but slotting him into this role does seem like a way to keep him involved and associated with ICT but relieve him of some of the stresses and strains of day-to-day management that clearly, he was not able to deal with at the moment. In that context I am happy that the club put his mental and physical health first and did this.   

As for his successor - I would assume we would first talk to NM and BD about this opportunity and gauge interest. If neither want it - or we can't afford them - then who might be a good candidate? Would Robbo be a suitable mentor for anyone already at the club - like Kells, Esson, Wilson? or do we look externally. Who is a realistic target externally? Who is perhaps in a lower league looking to step up, or a player working his way through the coaching badges that could lean on Robbo for support and experience  ..... bearing in mind that a head coach has to hold or obtain various coaching badges under UEFA club licensing.

 

Slightly concerned about this. If the club had mentioned this previously as a direction they wanted to go down then I would fine with the appointment. However, if it's just a case of creating a role for someone at the clubs expense then that is unacceptable.

 

Most clubs pursue a sporting director (dof) as a long term strategic plan so if a manager leaves there is no upheaval and the same transfer policy/ scouting system/ youth progression etc continues and only the coaching/selection of players changes with the manager. If this is what Gardiner has been looking at then fine.

 

However, if it is a knee jerk reaction to a difficult call to make on the future of his pal at the expense of the club then that is wholly unacceptable. We are constantly hearing about how tight the finances are but then we create a role for someone (which won't be cheap). 

 

I have nothing against Robbo, and he would be silly to have turned this offer down. But I am a ICT supporter and want what's best for the club. Not what is best for a man with the chequebook who wants to surround himself with his mates and they all thrive at the expense of our club.

 

I realise this is perhaps harsh and an overreaction but I'm just wary of unnecessary spending/short term planning which may cost the club dear.

 

 

It does sound like an updated term for the role Grassa had. The problem with it is that most managers are unsure of the "power" of the Sporting Director. I cant see either Dodds or McCann going for this and doubt if we can afford it. It is going to be an insider.

Dougal has the experience of Roundabouts. He would be Magic.

Hearing that Michael Beale the rangers first team coach has put his name in the hat. 

2 hours ago, GoliathGrunt said:

So a new ‘manager’ is now required under the Directorship of John Robertson.

The ICT news releases say "head coach".  Weren't the previous incumbents "managers"?

In fact, Robbo and Scott Kellacher are listed on the website as "manager" and "assistant manager", under the heading "coaches" 

Presumably this means that Robbo will have responsibility for transfers, and the head coach will run the team day-to-day?

I'm with Satan and hope its not a rushed appointment, let's take our time and carry out the necessary process.

 

Imho, I'd like someone younger being mentored by Robbo whilst also retaining Baz Wilson, Scott Kellacher and Ryan Esson.

 

I'm more than certain the usual suspects will be bandied about: Terry Butcher (however unlikely it is he'd return), Mo Malpas, Gary Locke, Stuart McCall, Stuart Kettlewell, not exactly an inspiring list.

Paul Sheerin, Paul Hartley will likely be mentioned too but these aren't as uninspiring as the above names.

 

Not sure why people are still hoping it will be McCann. The fact that the club has his phone number and have no doubt had numerous conversations with him over recent weeks and months, but are publicly advertising the position, means that it will not be him.

Wonder if Terry is busy...

Jim McIntyre

Ray McKinnon

Peter Grant

Stewart Petrie

 

1 hour ago, CaleyThistle98 said:

Hearing that Michael Beale the rangers first team coach has put his name in the hat. 

If true, that's probably a ploy for the Rangers to give him a substantial pay rise.  I've heard it said that their success this year is due more to Beale than Gerrard, and they won't want to lose him.  Having said that, he is somebody who may well want to have a managerial career. Taking a head coach role at an ambitious smaller club with the support of someone like Robbo may well be the perfect stepping stone for him, even it it means taking a pay cut.  I imagine many of the more established managers would not want to work under a sporting director so I would expect a younger, relatively unknown person to be appointed.