Steve Walsh - no longer our Director of Football

[Billy Dean]

He's turning us into the West Ham of the North.

 

[COYBL25]

Reminds me of Graham Carr at Newcastle. He had one year when Tiote, Ben Afra and Cabaye clicked at Newcastle, and Cisse came in and did a Jelavic for them.
Signed an 8 year contract and was regarded as a genius. Then all the signings turned bad in year 2 and he signed flop after flop until he got sacked.
None of us like to admit it but a lot of our success, or otherwise, is luck. When they look at city traders running funds the likelihood of them beating the market is pretty much just a 50/50 chance. You can become extremely rich in the city just on luck. Beat the market 10 years in a row and people will trust you with billions. But 1 in every 1000 traders will do that by simple blind luck.
That is why you need proper systems in place to see what is luck and what is judgement.

@Kev The Rat

 

[Eggs]

Reminds me of Graham Carr at Newcastle. He had one year when Tiote, Ben Afra and Cabaye clicked at Newcastle, and Cisse came in and did a Jelavic for them.
Signed an 8 year contract and was regarded as a genius. Then all the signings turned bad in year 2 and he signed flop after flop until he got sacked.
None of us like to admit it but a lot of our success, or otherwise, is luck. When they look at city traders running funds the likelihood of them beating the market is pretty much just a 50/50 chance. You can become extremely rich in the city just on luck. Beat the market 10 years in a row and people will trust you with billions. But 1 in every 1000 traders will do that by simple blind luck.
That is why you need proper systems in place to see what is luck and what is judgement.

..i’m not sure it’s luck. The DoF role is now key and he has to be a football person who not only has an eye for a player but can also articulate a football strategy, co-ordinate an effective scouting network throughout the club and be a good negotiator.

 

[Timak]

..i’m not sure it’s luck. The DoF role is now key and he has to be a football person who not only has an eye for a player but can also articulate a football strategy, co-ordinate an effective scouting network throughout the club and be a good negotiator.

Oh I agree, it is about the strategy. I'm just saying when a scout has a good reputation built on a player or two then you shouldn't make him DoF as it might have been plain luck.

 

[Eggs]

Oh I agree, it is about the strategy. I'm just saying when a scout has a good reputation built on a player or two then you shouldn't make him DoF as it might have been plain luck.

..yes, I think you have to look over a period of time. Moyes was a workaholic from that perspective, when games were on the telly he would invariably be sitting in the stand. Bringing Cahill and Arteta in were examples of what can be done.

 

[zebedee]

..yes, I think you have to look over a period of time. Moyes was a workaholic from that perspective, when games were on the telly he would invariably be sitting in the stand. Bringing Cahill and Arteta in were examples of what can be done.

Isnt this what Walsh did at newcastle and Leicester? I just wondering how much he's had to do with the signings apart from do the contract stuff.. Still can't get my head around RK and his merry men just lying down and letting Walsh get on with it solo. Also RK had a huge fall out with Southampton's DOF coz he wasn't in control. I'm not saying he's 100% innocent but from what you read about RK just doesn't add up.

 

[nsno-chris]

He’s a bad rat

 

[Eggs]

Isnt this what Walsh did at newcastle and Leicester? I just wondering how much he's had to do with the signings apart from do the contract stuff.. Still can't get my head around RK and his merry men just lying down and letting Walsh get on with it solo. Also RK had a huge fall out with Southampton's DOF coz he wasn't in control. I'm not saying he's 100% innocent but from what you read about RK just doesn't add up.

...Walsh is on record as saying nobody comes in unless he and the manager both sign the transfer off. If either of them don’t want the player, the deal doesn’t happen.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

...Walsh is on record as saying nobody comes in unless he and the manager both sign the transfer off. If either of them don’t want the player, the deal doesn’t happen.

Must help when he has so much influence on managerial appointments.

Apparently Allardyce was Walsh's shout.

The reality of the matter is, Farhad Moshiri, according to the law, might not have done anything wrong in his purchase of Everton. It is fair to say as well that Marco Silva is Moshiri’s preference but his recruitment is more complicated contractually, and should he choose Allardyce instead - following the advice from Director of Football Steve Walsh – the former England manager might prove himself capable of keeping Everton up – perhaps even stay a little longer – and ultimately be remembered for completing the job he was hired for.

 

[ToffeeTim]

A Director of Football should have the number 1 job of creating a long term, sustainable footballing structure which is not altered or ripped up by a managerial change. There should be a system and style of play. Recruitment tailored to suit that style. Youth coaches who understand that style. U23s should play same style. There shpuld be constant succession planning where young players are targeted in areas where tge incumbent is aging or where we simply have no depth. We've had so much upheaval every time a manager has left. We've gone from Martinez to Allardyce in 18 months and people are shocked we are struggling. It's utterly appalling strategy and come the summer we need a complete new start with new people, new ideas and new players.

 

[bluestevon]

Reminds me of Graham Carr at Newcastle. He had one year when Tiote, Ben Afra and Cabaye clicked at Newcastle, and Cisse came in and did a Jelavic for them.
Signed an 8 year contract and was regarded as a genius. Then all the signings turned bad in year 2 and he signed flop after flop until he got sacked.
None of us like to admit it but a lot of our success, or otherwise, is luck. When they look at city traders running funds the likelihood of them beating the market is pretty much just a 50/50 chance. You can become extremely rich in the city just on luck. Beat the market 10 years in a row and people will trust you with billions. But 1 in every 1000 traders will do that by simple blind luck.
That is why you need proper systems in place to see what is luck and what is judgement.

Not even that mate, i can for example teach a small class of mature students fine, stick me in front of a lecture hall with 60 people in it i have zero doubt i'd be like wtf and struggle badly until i adjusted and got experience.

But in that example i'm not gonna waste 200+ million of the employers money learning to do the job well

 

[bluestevon]

..yes, I think you have to look over a period of time. Moyes was a workaholic from that perspective, when games were on the telly he would invariably be sitting in the stand. Bringing Cahill and Arteta in were examples of what can be done.

More and more the Moyes way of doing things will disappear mate, so many clubs have money now to be able to just take a punt on anyone showing a bit of promise, i doubt that the likes of Cahill and Arteta would mhave been left on the shelf whilst moyes spent 20-30 games watching them to be sure.

Even the most broke prem club can lash 2-3 punts on lower league or 'former prospects' now for 5-10m without even noticing it.

 

[Eggs]

More and more the Moyes way of doing things will disappear mate, so many clubs have money now to be able to just take a punt on anyone showing a bit of promise, i doubt that the likes of Cahill and Arteta would mhave been left on the shelf whilst moyes spent 20-30 games watching them to be sure.

Even the most broke prem club can lash 2-3 punts on lower league or 'former prospects' now for 5-10m without even noticing it.

...absolutely. I think analytics plays a great part in identification of players these day. Statistics highlighting interceptions, accuracy of passes etc inform who to eyeball.

I remember Moyes saying he and Kenwright went to a midweek Millwall game to watch somebody else. They were in the middle of gangs fighting but still noticed a bloke called Cahill. The rest is history. As you say, that will happen less and less.

 

[roydo]

...absolutely. I think analytics plays a great part in identification of players these day. Statistics highlighting interceptions, accuracy of passes etc inform who to eyeball.

I remember Moyes saying he and Kenwright went to a midweek Millwall game to watch somebody else. They were in the middle of gangs fighting but still noticed a bloke called Cahill. The rest is history. As you say, that will happen less and less.

Nothing beats seeing a player actually play though. Stats might ID a player to watch, but until you see his balance, touch, aggression, work rate,etc, they dont mean bird seed. imo anyrate.

 

[Eggs]

Nothing beats seeing a player actually play though. Stats might ID a player to watch, but until you see his balance, touch, aggression, work rate,etc, they dont mean bird seed. imo anyrate.

..absolutely, Roydo. A player mightn’t play particularly well but just has something, or does one thing. I call it ‘a that’ll do me’ moment. I’m not against the statistics but you can’t beat a good football man having a gut feeling.