Football Operations Revamp - Hiring Technical Director, CEO, and Commercial Director - Rudkin moving 'upstairs'

[LCFCJohn]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

The only way Rudkin leaves is through retirement.

 

It's clear he isn't going to be sacked under the current ownership. From his point of view, he's in his 50s - a nice package, long service, reasonably expensive to terminate, and he seems to hold all the cards with Top - he will just sail now until he is financially able to retire. Ging nowhere and we have to accept this. 

This is the problem isn’t it. Not a criticism of your comment which is likely correct but given how much he’ll have been earning with us, he should damn well be in a position to be able to retire much earlier than is mere mortals. But I imagine greed will keep him hanging on as long as he can…

[davieG]

1 hour ago, filbertway said:

Surely if we did land anybody talented and they're working under Rudkin, they will last 6-12 months before looking for a new gig after realising their boss is inept and they're stuck on a sinking ship.

We can dream that he outshines Rudkin and Top sees it's time to move him out.

24 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

This is the problem isn’t it. Not a criticism of your comment which is likely correct but given how much he’ll have been earning with us, he should damn well be in a position to be able to retire much earlier than is mere mortals. But I imagine greed will keep him hanging on as long as he can…

He'll be here until KP sells.

[RyCleary]

 

They've managed this the same day

[Corky]

Yes but are their owners still dealing with Covid?

[markko]

How long have we needed these positions filling? We are just a rudderless ship going one way. How can any manager work with all this chaos. All the names being linked (admittedly not many) who is doing those deals and for who? As a manager you need your own players in. Perhaps AK is here until the end of the season.

[gerblod]

It all depends if this is placing Rudkin in a position where he has little or no real influence on the team or an exercise by Top to make it appear that the structure is changing when it actually is just placing a body into the hierarchy who will do as he or she is told - real change or cosmetic change. Top is an abysmal boss and I think we should expect him to put his buddies as more important than the team and club. 

He's f****d up continually since he took over. He's defied the idea that, with great power, comes great responsibility. 

 

 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

So at the moment we're hiring for 4 roles? MD, CEO, Technical Director and Manager? And Rudkin is essentially doing the hiring for all of them because 5 foot 3 Awaiyatt is on the other side of the world. 

 

****ing hell we're genuinely finished. 

[AjcW]

22 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

So at the moment we're hiring for 4 roles? MD, CEO, Technical Director and Manager? And Rudkin is essentially doing the hiring for all of them because 5 foot 3 Awaiyatt is on the other side of the world. 

 

****ing hell we're genuinely finished. 

Commercial Director too....

[Pita]

4 hours ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

So at the moment we're hiring for 4 roles? MD, CEO, Technical Director and Manager? And Rudkin is essentially doing the hiring for all of them because 5 foot 3 Awaiyatt is on the other side of the world. 

 

****ing hell we're genuinely finished. 

Nothing will change while Rudkin got anything to do with the club 

[Outfox the Fox]

All the rumours about Coleman coming here, were in relation to an appointment as the permanent Manager.  I speculated that he could have been in Rudkin's mind as the potential Technical / Sporting Director. I remember reading an interview Coleman did after leaving Leuven, when he said he would now be interested in other, more general, Football Management work.  His experience in 5 years with Wales, when he was responsible for recruiting & supervising the Coaching team, working with the Welsh FA, squad selection and negotiation with League clubs on player availability, as well as dealing with the media, gives him a wider CV, than just day-to-day team Coaching.  The fact that Rudkin knows him (always an important consideration at the KP!), also leads me to think that, as well as being in the frame for the Sporting Director role, his past working relationship with King, could mean he'd help out on the Coaching side now.     

[The Hitman]

On 03/02/2026 at 09:07, Sol thewall Bamba said:

So at the moment we're hiring for 4 roles? MD, CEO, Technical Director and Manager? And Rudkin is essentially doing the hiring for all of them because 5 foot 3 Awaiyatt is on the other side of the world. 

 

****ing hell we're genuinely finished. 

What’s this recent thing with everyone going in on his height?
 

Think I’ve missed a joke somewhere. 

[davieG]

https://getfootballnewsbene.com/oh-leuven-sporting-director-turns-down-move-to-city-football-group-clubs-to-remain-with-leicester-city-linked-side/

 

OH Leuven sporting director turns down move to City Football Group clubs to remain with Leicester City linked side

5 February 2026
HNB are reporting that OH Leuven sporting director Gyorgy Csepregi has turned down a move to the City Group. The former Beerschot man had been approached by the City Football Group to take over as the sporting director of Palermo or New York City FC. Instead, Csepregi has decided to remain with OH Leuven, a side he has a contract with until 2027. OH Leuven are linked through ownership to Leicester City.

Csepregi has had mixed results in his role at OH Leuven since 2024. Not many of his signings have fully come off, with the side still struggling in the Belgian Pro League despite having the infrastructure and finances in place to be more competitive. He earned the OH Leuven role after helping Beerschot win promotion to the Pro League on a shoestring budget in the second tier.

The City Football Group are certainly aware of the situation in Belgian football and the second tier. They have been in control of Lommel for some seasons now.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson

[teblin]

8 minutes ago, davieG said:

https://getfootballnewsbene.com/oh-leuven-sporting-director-turns-down-move-to-city-football-group-clubs-to-remain-with-leicester-city-linked-side/

 

OH Leuven sporting director turns down move to City Football Group clubs to remain with Leicester City linked side

5 February 2026
HNB are reporting that OH Leuven sporting director Gyorgy Csepregi has turned down a move to the City Group. The former Beerschot man had been approached by the City Football Group to take over as the sporting director of Palermo or New York City FC. Instead, Csepregi has decided to remain with OH Leuven, a side he has a contract with until 2027. OH Leuven are linked through ownership to Leicester City.

Csepregi has had mixed results in his role at OH Leuven since 2024. Not many of his signings have fully come off, with the side still struggling in the Belgian Pro League despite having the infrastructure and finances in place to be more competitive. He earned the OH Leuven role after helping Beerschot win promotion to the Pro League on a shoestring budget in the second tier.

The City Football Group are certainly aware of the situation in Belgian football and the second tier. They have been in control of Lommel for some seasons now.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson

Well that seems like its all a bit too convenient. 

[VLC86]

19 minutes ago, davieG said:

https://getfootballnewsbene.com/oh-leuven-sporting-director-turns-down-move-to-city-football-group-clubs-to-remain-with-leicester-city-linked-side/

 

OH Leuven sporting director turns down move to City Football Group clubs to remain with Leicester City linked side

5 February 2026
HNB are reporting that OH Leuven sporting director Gyorgy Csepregi has turned down a move to the City Group. The former Beerschot man had been approached by the City Football Group to take over as the sporting director of Palermo or New York City FC. Instead, Csepregi has decided to remain with OH Leuven, a side he has a contract with until 2027. OH Leuven are linked through ownership to Leicester City.

Csepregi has had mixed results in his role at OH Leuven since 2024. Not many of his signings have fully come off, with the side still struggling in the Belgian Pro League despite having the infrastructure and finances in place to be more competitive. He earned the OH Leuven role after helping Beerschot win promotion to the Pro League on a shoestring budget in the second tier.

The City Football Group are certainly aware of the situation in Belgian football and the second tier. They have been in control of Lommel for some seasons now.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson

Sounds like just the man.

[AjcW]

27 minutes ago, davieG said:

https://getfootballnewsbene.com/oh-leuven-sporting-director-turns-down-move-to-city-football-group-clubs-to-remain-with-leicester-city-linked-side/

 

OH Leuven sporting director turns down move to City Football Group clubs to remain with Leicester City linked side

5 February 2026
HNB are reporting that OH Leuven sporting director Gyorgy Csepregi has turned down a move to the City Group. The former Beerschot man had been approached by the City Football Group to take over as the sporting director of Palermo or New York City FC. Instead, Csepregi has decided to remain with OH Leuven, a side he has a contract with until 2027. OH Leuven are linked through ownership to Leicester City.

Csepregi has had mixed results in his role at OH Leuven since 2024. Not many of his signings have fully come off, with the side still struggling in the Belgian Pro League despite having the infrastructure and finances in place to be more competitive. He earned the OH Leuven role after helping Beerschot win promotion to the Pro League on a shoestring budget in the second tier.

The City Football Group are certainly aware of the situation in Belgian football and the second tier. They have been in control of Lommel for some seasons now.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson

Who in their right mind is turning down the chance of a year or two in Sicily or New York, with City groups contacts, in favour of suggesting a load of targets and having to wait 6 weeks for neposaurus to approve them?

[The_77]

17 minutes ago, AjcW said:

Who in their right mind is turning down the chance of a year or two in Sicily or New York, with City groups contacts, in favour of suggesting a load of targets and having to wait 6 weeks for neposaurus to approve them?

Tbf, New York is in the midst of a historic deep freeze and all of our sidewalks have been lined with piles of ice and frozen dog excrement for almost two weeks now. 
 

Can understand not wanting to be here right now but turning down Sicily for where he is currently is insane to me. 

Edited 5 February by The_77

[AjcW]

2 minutes ago, The_77 said:

Tbf, New York is in the midst of a historic deep freeze and all of our sidewalks have been with piles of ice and frozen dog excrement for almost two weeks now. 
 

Can understand not wanting to be here right now but turning down Sicily for where he is currently is insane to me. 

But in many ways the presence of Top is probably much like being around thawing dog excrement....

[AjcW]

Ashley Pedden who I mentioned earlier in the thread has officially worked his notice at Sunderland now. Very experienced and successful commercial type who hinted at a move back to the midlands (he’s from Derby, worked for them for 15 years.) 

 

Would be the ideal CEO or Commercial Director. 
 

I know this is pure hope from me but thought id mention it again  

[LeePhilpottsBaldSpot]

This is the right thing to do, but the right time to do it was the summer. We don't have the luxury of concentrating on this mid-season during a crisis.

 

Rather than appointing a long term executive team who can work with the right manager, our priority in Feb 2026 has to be getting in a firefighter as manager.

 

The background stuff absolutely needs changing, but do that properly while an experienced manager grinding out some 1-0s at home and ugly away draws to keep us up.

 

The new appointment doesn't need to have a 5 year contract. Get in Pearson / Rowett / Mowbray until the end of the season then assess from there.

[StanSP]

1 hour ago, AjcW said:

Ashley Pedden who I mentioned earlier in the thread has officially worked his notice at Sunderland now. Very experienced and successful commercial type who hinted at a move back to the midlands (he’s from Derby, worked for them for 15 years.) 

 

Would be the ideal CEO or Commercial Director. 
 

I know this is pure hope from me but thought id mention it again  

Top probably can't pinpoint Sunderland on a map let alone know who's working (or now not working) for them! 

[davieG]

1 minute ago, StanSP said:

Top probably can't pinpoint Sunderland on a map let alone know who's working (or now not working) for them! 

To be fair neither can a lot of ordinary folk judging from the many contestants on quiz shows

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, AjcW said:

Ashley Pedden who I mentioned earlier in the thread has officially worked his notice at Sunderland now. Very experienced and successful commercial type who hinted at a move back to the midlands (he’s from Derby, worked for them for 15 years.) 

 

Would be the ideal CEO or Commercial Director. 
 

I know this is pure hope from me but thought id mention it again  

The last bloke we employed who had been at Sunderland was a disaster - but everyone who knew anything was aware that would happen. this fella would only need to be able to spell his name and count to ten to be an improvement 

[AjcW]

1 hour ago, st albans fox said:

The last bloke we employed who had been at Sunderland was a disaster - but everyone who knew anything was aware that would happen. this fella would only need to be able to spell his name and count to ten to be an improvement 

Yeah we don’t talk about that  

 

Genuinely though, on the non footballing side of things this guy has transformed Sunderland. Derby have always had really good commercial deals too. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

By the time we get these new hires in place we won't be able to afford their salaries.

[Pita]

2 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

By the time we get these new hires in place we won't be able to afford their salaries.

If we ever get the new people. Or is it more bull 💩💩💩by TOP and co