Champioship Football on Half a Plan A

Parkin did arrive before Saunders. There was speculation that JR rather than SOD brought him in. That wouldn't fit with how JR explains the team is managed in his book, but plenty of recent activities don't fit with that, so who knows?

Fuzzy

I can't abswer about Parkin but I can speculate that you are right. I do know that that was the situation with Kilgallon and Healy, which is why they warmed thebench so much.

Are you sure about that NewYankee?

If it is the case, then it doesn't fit at all with the way JR states the team is managed in his book. There, he states that everything that has anything to do with the team (signings, wages etc.) were SOD's responsibility. He was given a budget, he managed that budget.

Personally, I can't see why JR would not be truthful about that or why he would force players on his manager that his manager didn't want. I think its more likely that Healy and Kilgallon's wages came extra to the budget and so JR was involved to approve this.

Regarding their selection, Healy was brought in to plug the hole left when Sharp got injured (I believe at the time, Hayter was just returning from injury). Once Sharp regained fitness, Healy became a very handy substitute.

On Kilgallon, I heard a few things including that he picked up an injury at some point and that he had a crisis of confidence. Either way up, I can't remember him being all that good when he did play for us.

I am told that was true Fuzzy. SoD had too much control and did not like JR and others interference in such matters. I've already said that last season he was offered Ismael Miller and a couple of others but HE turned them down. The main problem was that HE (SoD) does not have the contacts in the game that others have.

SOD only had the control JR gave him. At the end of the day, JR is the chairman if he gives SOD a budget and says "buy and pay your players with that" that's what he does. JR doesn't like how he manages that, well then he takes the budget away and manages it himself.

Now, speaking personally, if my boss did that to me for my function, I'd be on my way.

I also struggle with contacts. Most players at our level are represented by agents these days and managers know who they are. If the managers don't then the chairmen do otherwise the agents can't help the players much.

In Febrauary/March I heard a SOD interview where he commented on Billy Davis (then at Forest) saying that Forest needed more players. Davis had got a bit of stick for that due to his resources. SOD simply said that he understood exactly where Davis was coming from and thought he was spot on.

If that isn't a manager saying "I need players" then I don't know what is. In this situation (and his situation in March with 11 / 26 players out), why would SOD turn down players?

We'll never know what went on but if you are right, it sounds as if there were relationship issues long before the end of last season. In which case, JR has goofed because if he wasn't happy with what SOD was doing with transfers, he should have got rid in the closed season, so giving a new man a pre-season to look at the squad and get his players in.

Strange if that is the case, and as you may have gathered. I'm not sure it is.

Fuzzy

I have e mailed you on this.

Hope you get a reply - I never did

I'll check that when I get home NewYankee

Ionly....I thought I replied to you? I'll check and re-send anyway (I know I definitely went through the motions at least , whether I managed to duck it up, I can't say!)

Thank you Mr Duck, you duck something up----- never!!!

Fuzzy - I'm going to send you a PM on the VSC