New Director Of Football

[ParkerPen]

1 hour ago, Kilworthfox said:

Please explain. 

What I meant was we cant ignore progress and proven methods such as data driven analysis, like some Tim sherwood esque meat head.

[Kilworthfox]

13 minutes ago, berniethebolt said:

Rudkin needs to be measured on his success over a rolling 5 period, that's typically how businesses work.

 

The league title was a good starting point as this magic moment of madness (with that squad, that finished 12th the following season) gave us access to the top table for a period.

 

At that moment the squad had a wage bill of 20 million? So roll forward 5 years and our wage bill sits at 80+ million, with two maybe 3 players who are worth 50+ million, my conclusion is we have been far to loose in what we pay and have a squad of good overpaid players, and a lot of average very overpaid players. 

 

Looking at these players, our two main sellable assets in Maddision and Tielemans are about to walk either for zero or no where near their value as we have completely failed from a business perspective to secure a resale either  through a contract negotiations or selling on when we knew this was not happening.

 

Looking at squad, we have 7/8 walking for free with no resale, all need replacing at the cost of 100s of millions. It thankfully gives us a chance to reset the mess.

 

The club has secured loans against future TV money several years in advance to free up cash flow, which tells me we are struggling to pay our bills based on the current structure.

 

Our academy (although it takes time) is yet to produce a player of real quality, a gem. What I see is currently producing at crop of Championship level/league one level players, no gems at all. 

 

All these are connected to the first team squad, acdemey off the pitch and falls at the DOFs door.

 

So in my opinion since the title perhaps not a complete failure but where we stand now it looks that way. 

 

The next 5 years are going to take something really special to sort it out (of course I hope it does and its possible), but based on decisions and current situation in the last 5 years with what Rudkin has precided over do we want him to manage the next 5? For me I think it needs a fresh face with fresh ideas.

 

 

Good points I agree in the main. 

 

Everyones performances should be evaluated on a regular basis. There is an overall lack of an elite mentality at the club. 

 

This starts with the recruitment of the staff, and eventually leads on to the pitch. 

 

When we had elite staff in the first team we won the league, it's not a coincidence. 

[Kilworthfox]

14 minutes ago, ParkerPen said:

What I meant was we cant ignore progress and proven methods such as data driven analysis, like some Tim sherwood esque meat head.

I am not suggesting we should ignore them either, however w also on the flip side of this, you have to recognise that analytics are a tool and not a magic bullet. Otherwise we would have a computer program deciding business critical decisions, similar to what recently happened with the Philladelphia Flyers GM when he defended his actions by elaborating about how he used an application to determine the value of tracmdes in ice hockey, which is just a dereliction of duty and responsibility. 

 

I was speaking with a club analyst recently who had studied analytics at university. 

 

Even they explained that analytics are valuable yet the balance is still in favour of your eye, rather than a spreadsheet. 

[mozartfox]

10 hours ago, Kilworthfox said:

I know for a fact that Rudkins contact book is very valuable. 

 

Just because we fans don't see it doesn't mean he doesn't have a value to the club. 

Is Stormy Daniels mobile number in there?

[Kilworthfox]

10 minutes ago, mozartfox said:

Is Stormy Daniels mobile number in there?

Haha 

 

In all seriousness, I only know a little but the little I do know, means that we sign certain players because of his personal contacts. 

 

That is a value to LCFC end of. 

 

Now if that can offset the inability to sign our best players to new deals, I'd say not. It's not all at JR's door, however he is culpable to a point of course. 

 

However we are not on the board, we do not know why we kept a dead duck as manager for way too long..  We don't know if JR wanted him gone, and if so for how long... 

 

I have no idea how poster's can write what they do with a lack of insight, but it just seems it is written in frustration, because we are less successful now than we should be, given the players we have, yet that is at Rodgers door. 

 

If I were Tielemans or Madisson I wouldn't sign here either because we are regressing as a club. 

 

I understand why we pay big wages to our own proven successful players, but some of our deals have crippled us on and off the pitch and JR put his faith at least somewhat in Rodgers and for that.. Yes he could end up losing his job because that decision has cost us hundreds of millions, and Top isn't going to blame himself is he. 

[Foxxed]

11 hours ago, Kilworthfox said:

Are we really overlooking that during his tenure we won the league and fa cup? 

 

Did he have nothing to do with that success? 

 

 

 

 

Many have mentioned this in their posts to be fair.

 

Personally I'd say he did it with Vichai and Top.

 

But now it's just him and Top the results are all too painful to see.

 

I guess you could argue our current predicament is done to Brendan only but Rudkin is the person responsible.

[Kilworthfox]

15 minutes ago, Foxxed said:

Many have mentioned this in their posts to be fair.

 

Personally I'd say he did it with Vichai and Top.

 

But now it's just him and Top the results are all too painful to see.

 

I guess you could argue our current predicament is done to Brendan only but Rudkin is the person responsible.

Absolutely! 

 

The bigger issue by far was Rodgers..  We have already seen how the team can perform with different tactics and playing our best striker..  We didn't get the result due to unusual circumstances. We could have easily won on another day. 

 

We have many winabke games ahead and we will win them. 

 

We can rebuild over the summer and future windows but we need competent consistent recruitment and we will be top 6 again. 

[Foxxed]

15 hours ago, Kilworthfox said:

Absolutely! 

 

The bigger issue by far was Rodgers..  We have already seen how the team can perform with different tactics and playing our best striker..  We didn't get the result due to unusual circumstances. We could have easily won on another day. 

 

We have many winabke games ahead and we will win them. 

 

We can rebuild over the summer and future windows but we need competent consistent recruitment and we will be top 6 again. 

My worry is that our decision making will still, even with a good new manager, be poor with Rudkin in charge. Because there's not been much to give me hope in the last four of so years.

[The Horse's Mouth]

I find it hilarious how much Rudkin goes from genius to the ****er has to go in his whole time here. Genuinely don’t think he does a lot, he just gets the deals through the line right 

[gerblod]

On 05/04/2023 at 13:18, Finnegan said:

 

People have a habit of getting mystified by football backroom roles and over-complicating them a little bit. Anyone that's worked in a corporate structure should have a rough idea of what Rudkin does.

 

I know it sounds like I'm being facetious but he's literally the Director responsible for actual football at the club.

People don't have a habit of getting mystified if, as you have (and an obviously envious Babylon purports to have), they examine the particular structure in detail and examine the way in which other top tier football clubs structure themselves.

You mentioned the two trophies won under the Srivaddhanaprabha ownership/Rudkin's 'reign' - for me, this illustrates the absolute serendipitous nature of Leicester's success and how the furore surrounding a non-big club taking the two most vied for domestic titles has clouded the reality of how it happened - giving all those employees in place in this period a perceived level of acumen they might not warrant.

To gather, in particular, three players of the technical ability of Kanté, Vardy and Mahrez - without the benefit of 100s of millions of pounds paid is down to a measure of luck (the best word I can think of) and astute scouting eyes.

Rudkin et al, like many in senior management positions, have continued to feast off Steve Walsh's scouting structure at that time.

Unless a manager in such an elevated position manages to strike that happy balance between non-interference and a comprehensive awareness of what his/her staff are achieving (or not), then there might as well be an empty office with "DoF" and a name painted on the door.

 

In football, the old adage of 'reputations - a lifetime to create and a moment to destroy' seems to have been turned volte-face into 'a moment to make and a lifetime to destroy'.

That second assembly of players who won the Cup allowed a 'flash in the pan' Rodgers two seasons longer than he warranted at City while the guy who assembled them became a 'failure' at City.

 

[Le Renard]

As my late Stepfather use to say "You can slide further on Bulls**t than a gravel path"!  Bulls**t sometimes gets you a long way in life and who hasn't worked under someone, or a group of people and thought, "You're bloody useless, how the hell did you get to this position".  Eventually, they get found out, and when it is too late the damage has been done.  Maybe our club has been run like this for the last few years, by the 'Director of Football', the 'Manager' and the 'Head of Recruitment', and now as always in life, there is a payback.  

Edited 8 April 2023 by Le Renard

[jayfox26]

Just playing devil's advocate here but could it be that Rudkin is just a yes man to Top and doesn't actually make alot of big decisions. Yes he'll sign off on player transfers but he can't be blamed for poor signings, that's on the recruitment team. And as regards lack of transfers last summer, I'd imagine alot of the financial aspects of the club will be Whelan and Top. I doubt any director of football would be happy with not making any signings (expect faes for fofana) when it was clear the squad needed over hauling. There's also been many rumours that Rudkin didn't have a great relationship with Rodgers which surely would have meant he'd have wanted him gone ages ago like most of us, but again that decision was down to Top and nobody else. Whilst it's not great potentially having a yes man as dof (I say potentially as none of us know what goes on behind closed doors) it's not likely to change anytime soon as Top won't want someone with big ideas to potentially change things up, he seems to want control himself but not actually actively doing much to help improve the club.  Again, thats an opinion from an outsider looking in with no actual facts to back up what I'm saying other than the complete state the club finds itself in. 

[Kilworthfox]

10 hours ago, Foxxed said:

My worry is that our decision making will still, even with a good new manager, be poor with Rudkin in charge. Because there's not been much to give me hope in the last four of so years.

Try to be optimistic 🙂

[Tuna]

I'm overwhelmingly convinced Rudkin is the problem at the football club - if we are to succeed again it will be in spite of Rudkin not because of him and he urgently needs replacing with a proper sporting director.

Edited 8 April 2023 by Tuna

[Foxy-Lady]

23 minutes ago, Kilworthfox said:

Try to be optimistic 🙂

And there in lies part of the problem (even though i think you might be joking?)....

 

Simply wishing and hoping things will get better is NOT the way successful and sustainable businesses operate.....and it is NOT the way we will reverse our current decline.

 

Without clear direction, strategic leadership and accountability from above, success is achieved more by accident than design....!

[Foxy-Lady]

3 hours ago, jayfox26 said:

Just playing devil's advocate here but could it be that Rudkin is just a yes man to Top and doesn't actually make alot of big decisions. Yes he'll sign off on player transfers but he can't be blamed for poor signings, that's on the recruitment team. And as regards lack of transfers last summer, I'd imagine alot of the financial aspects of the club will be Whelan and Top. I doubt any director of football would be happy with not making any signings (expect faes for fofana) when it was clear the squad needed over hauling. There's also been many rumours that Rudkin didn't have a great relationship with Rodgers which surely would have meant he'd have wanted him gone ages ago like most of us, but again that decision was down to Top and nobody else. Whilst it's not great potentially having a yes man as dof (I say potentially as none of us know what goes on behind closed doors) it's not likely to change anytime soon as Top won't want someone with big ideas to potentially change things up, he seems to want control himself but not actually actively doing much to help improve the club.  Again, thats an opinion from an outsider looking in with no actual facts to back up what I'm saying other than the complete state the club finds itself in. 

Some good points but i would add..

 

Recruitment Team.....as DoF, would not not be part of Rudkins remit to appoint and manage the recruitment team and review their performance?? 

 

No money for transfers.....isnt that partly because of our over-inflated wage bill and poor signings on long term contracts??  Surely the DoF must have some partial responsibility for the cash-flow pressures this creates as i would imagine overseeing the size and suitability of the playing squad (and its financial implications on cash-flow) would surely be one of the key responsibilities of the person in charge of the Football side of the club (ie DoF)

 

Rudkin's relationship with Rodgers.....my understanding is that Rudkin did NOT have a great relationship with Pearson, Shakespeare or Puel either so if the Rodgers rumours are true, there would appear to be a very clear trend emerging and it is obviously NOT going to be beneficial to the club if there is a breakdown in relationships between the DoF and the manager ...!

 

 

[TMELcfc]

[jayfox26]

1 minute ago, Foxy-Lady said:

Some good points but i would add..

 

Recruitment Team.....as DoF, would not not be part of Rudkins remit to appoint and manage the recruitment team and review their performance?? 

 

No money for transfers.....isnt that partly because of our over-inflated wage bill and poor signings on long term contracts??  Surely the DoF must have some partial responsibility for the cash-flow pressures this creates as i would imagine overseeing the size and suitability of the playing squad (and its financial implications on cash-flow) would surely be one of the key responsibilities of the person in charge of the Football side of the club (ie DoF)

 

Rudkin's relationship with Rodgers.....my understanding is that Rudkin did NOT have a great relationship with Pearson, Shakespeare or Puel either so if the Rodgers rumours are true, there would appear to be a very clear trend emerging and it is obviously NOT going to be beneficial to the club if there is a breakdown in relationships between the DoF and the manager ...!

 

 

I'm not sure how much say Rudkin would have had on the appointment of Congerton, that seemed like Rodgers wanted him in. Rudkin possibly had more say on the new head of recruitment but we probably can't judge him until he's had a full summer to identify new targets. I'm certainly not defending him though, ultimately as dof he has to take some responsibility for the state we are in 

[Mickyblueeyes]

The question i always ask is if Rudkin left today, how many of the other 19 teams of the PL. actually the 19 in the PL and top 10 the championship would see him as a coup. I think the answer is 0. He’s been DOF for over 10 years and apart from fulfilling the role of gopher fairly well, he doesn’t give us any advantage. 

[Kilworthfox]

48 minutes ago, Foxy-Lady said:

And there in lies part of the problem (even though i think you might be joking?)....

 

Simply wishing and hoping things will get better is NOT the way successful and sustainable businesses operate.....and it is NOT the way we will reverse our current decline.

 

Without clear direction, strategic leadership and accountability from above, success is achieved more by accident than design....!

I am an eternal optimist!  I do not leave anything to chance however. 

 

From what I have seen, our previous success was in most part by accident, ( we stumbled upon extremely competent key football staff members, Pearson & Walsh) I believe we want to win, given the choice, however there were no plans to be as successful as we were, and when we did achieve success, we had no idea how to capitalise on it, it seemed that some were embarrassed to be champions, after the fact as most were not doing anything different to pinpoint their role in it, because it was a minor role if at all. 

 

I always say people are people. What I mean by this is that, the standards which one holds themselves to range from exceptional to crap, and this is no different at LCFC or most clubs or business outside of football.

Just because you have the privilege of wearing the club badge, some folk believe they are exceptional or special, they are treated as such because they are wearing the club badge... Its just a badge. Actions and results over a period demonstrate your capabilities, value, and overall competence. 

 

Rudkin like all of us will have faults, and strengths. When discussing his value to the club on here, the general uninformed posters will be negative when we lose and positive when we win. That's natural, but we must be fair and give credit when due, and critique when due, with the same neutrality. 

 

I don't believe he is exceptional, if he is, he somehow would have been able to keep the wages down, and get key players committed to the club again, this has not happened. 

 

I don't belive he is competent or incompetent, as we were able to achieve success with him, or in spite of him, irrespective if you are pro or anti Rudkin. So he is not the main issue. 

 

The accountability will not happen. Like you often write he has been at the club seemingly forever. What happens is that once you are seen to be excellent within your role, you will at some point be up for promotion, if one is exceptional then you will be successful whatever your role, as talent and work ethic will always find a way. However if you are lacking in either then you will be promoted into incompetence. 

 

Due to his length of service he is responsible for promoting people who are in roles, where they do not have the passion to look into accountability.

So the operations of said roles just occur with minimal accountability. Why look for problems with x department when if any arise you can be responsible for the failings, even if a minimal % for the x issue. 

For example:  Well you hired x person (who is poor) so maybe you are incompetent? 

 

Nobody wants these questions to be asked of themselves. So maybe for a real revolution, the club would need a very competent head person who is not afraid to shape the club into an efficient machine. This is highly unlikely to happen!!! Who will take such an interest, who will find the reasons why x department is failing, how can you proportion the % of blame to what staff? 

 

The time, interest and money it would cost would be huge, and the replacements.. Would they be any better? 

 

So when all is said and done, we are just left with... Hope that some key staff in key roles are highly competent and we once again will be successful. 

 

 

Edited 8 April 2023 by Kilworthfox

[Foxxed]

4 hours ago, jayfox26 said:

Just playing devil's advocate here but could it be that Rudkin is just a yes man to Top and doesn't actually make alot of big decisions. Yes he'll sign off on player transfers but he can't be blamed for poor signings, that's on the recruitment team. And as regards lack of transfers last summer, I'd imagine alot of the financial aspects of the club will be Whelan and Top. I doubt any director of football would be happy with not making any signings (expect faes for fofana) when it was clear the squad needed over hauling. There's also been many rumours that Rudkin didn't have a great relationship with Rodgers which surely would have meant he'd have wanted him gone ages ago like most of us, but again that decision was down to Top and nobody else. Whilst it's not great potentially having a yes man as dof (I say potentially as none of us know what goes on behind closed doors) it's not likely to change anytime soon as Top won't want someone with big ideas to potentially change things up, he seems to want control himself but not actually actively doing much to help improve the club.  Again, thats an opinion from an outsider looking in with no actual facts to back up what I'm saying other than the complete state the club finds itself in. 

It's possible Rudkin is just a yes man.

 

But there's evidence Top has stepped back somewhat and left it to Rudkin

 

* Brendan has said he had nearly no contact with Top. And mostly with Rudkin.

* A few on here, who have some links to the club, are claiming Top is reluctant to act and slow to make any decision.

 

Although Top is ultimately responsible, with a business empire to run, much before he planned to run it, it seems likely to be that he's delegated heavily to Rudkin.

 

I can't honestly criticise Rudkin for the transfers. A lot of our poor performers have lived through Brendan's decline and decline. Many, but obviously not all, have regressed and under better circumstances would improve massively I feel.

 

Again, Rudkin's work with Vichai and Top to get us the Premier League title and the FA Cup was incredible. But that shouldn't leave him untouchable. We can't forever judge him on past achievements and ignore the present, regardless of how grateful we are.

 

Like you, I'm an outsider and speculating. But, with the likelyhood Top has delegated heavily to focus on King Power the business, I find it difficult to give Rudkin a free pass.

 

Hopefully Barnes and co will save our Premier League status, and Rudkin's bacon.

Edited 8 April 2023 by Foxxed

[Aus Fox]

1 hour ago, jayfox26 said:

I'm not sure how much say Rudkin would have had on the appointment of Congerton, that seemed like Rodgers wanted him in. Rudkin possibly had more say on the new head of recruitment but we probably can't judge him until he's had a full summer to identify new targets. I'm certainly not defending him though, ultimately as dof he has to take some responsibility for the state we are in 

Rodgers almost certainly would have recommended Congerton to the club either when he arrived, or when the position became available, but Rudkin would have the final say in all football related appointments.

For me, going into a new season with so many players out of contract, players in the squad who clearly didn’t want to be here and just one new signing was a recipe for disaster and that’s 100% on Rudkin.

[Trelleh]

The man is responsible for everything, absolutely everything that’s gone wrong.

 

He makes the influential calls that top trusts. Rudkin has **** all to lose, it’s not his money that he puts into the club that’s at stake. He has single handedly destroyed the club. We are in financial ruin in the summer when we are inevitably relegated. Clanger after clanger with the contract situations, which hasn’t only been this season. Letting out so called “stars” run out their contracts, he is the DIRECTOR of football, I emphasise the word director. The direction of the football is down.

 

He needs to be sent packing and NOW. He has ruined all of Khun Vichai’s hard work. I won’t get too personal let’s leave it at that.

Edited 8 April 2023 by Trelleh

[Larry_LCFC]

IS HE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHIT CATERING?

 

If so I agree, get out of our club.

[Trelleh]

1 minute ago, Larry_LCFC said:

IS HE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHIT CATERING?

 

If so I agree, get out of our club.

Catering to Top? Yes.