At what stage does Bloom question the recruitment set up?

[nwgull]

If we had got the organ grinder (Les Reed) and not the monkey from Southampton I think the system would have worked.
Burke worked for Reed at both Fulham and Southampton and I think it is fair to say, never has he held such a high position before joining Brighton.
If you study his previous roles, he was only responsible for youth at his previous positions and never before dealing with the transfers of top professionals.

I think that the experience with youth was important as one of DB's main responsibilities was to oversee the setting up of the academy. You've got to give him credit for the fact that we've achieved Cat 1 status at the first attempt.

We're one of only 24 cat 1 academies in the country - all of the others are either PL clubs, or have been in the PL during the past 2-3 seasons.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Money buys you quality and at this level you get what you pay for. It's no coincidence that under gus when the transfer budget was a bit more free flowing we had quality players fighting at the top end of the division. Now with the club on a massive FFP cost cutting curve it is clear we are taking more punts at the lower end of the market.

Can't help but think we blame the recruitment team for what may be the equivalent of sending someone out with £100 and expecting them to come back with a Ferrari

We paid the same for Baldock as we paid for Ulloa.

 

[Guinness Boy]

The similarity isn't that. For example Swansea and Southampton are selling players, changing managers, have separate recruitment systems beyond the managers, but are still making it work.

For me, as I've said, I've no issue with selling players to the Premier League. It's a reality we have to live with.

What we've done appallingly badly in my opinion is not adequately value the players we have. Not giving Barnes the big contract he felt he deserved is now looking as ridiculous as the same decision for Murray. Barnes is a better play up front than if you put O'Grady / Colunga / Baldock into a newly invented quantum mixing machine and created a player with the best attributes of all 3.

I know I'm going over old ground, but all this concentrating on who is coming in is really masking the real question of who is going out. I miss Ashley Barnes as much as I missed Glen Murray now. Anyone thinking what a good bit of business it was to get a bit of cash for him really wants their head testing considering what that cash has got us in return.

I'll tell you this much, Ashley would have notched more times than our entire midfield and forwards put together if he was still here.

This with bells on.

I was talking to the famous coffee vending West Ham fan at Portslade station this morning. They are currently fourth in the Premier League. This is as a result of their squad having evolved properly, as squads should. so much that much of last year's first team are on the bench in this campaign. We on the other hand have regressed rather than evolved the squad.

However, if using West Ham as an example it also needs mentioning that they have had recruitment issues and a lot of fans who wanted Allerdyce out. I guess the key question is, if this is our baseline, do we trust the current senior management team to evolve and improve this squad?

 

[spanish flair]

I think that the experience with youth was important as one of DB's main responsibilities was to oversee the setting up of the academy. You've got to give him credit for the fact that we've achieved Cat 1 status at the first attempt.

We're one of only 24 cat 1 academies in the country - all of the others are either PL clubs, or have been in the PL during the past 2-3 seasons.

I think you are absolutely correct and I think that is the role he has been successful in the past. I feel he should continue in this area, but as head of recruitment he has no experience.

 

[spanish flair]

Money buys you quality and at this level you get what you pay for. It's no coincidence that under gus when the transfer budget was a bit more free flowing we had quality players fighting at the top end of the division. Now with the club on a massive FFP cost cutting curve it is clear we are taking more punts at the lower end of the market.

Can't help but think we blame the recruitment team for what may be the equivalent of sending someone out with £100 and expecting them to come back with a Ferrari

Can you show me any links where the club have stated that player budgets have reduced since Gus left. In fact did Barber not use the second season increase in Amex season tickets prices, as necessary to maintain or increase the player budget so that we remain competitive in this league.

 

[chaileyjem]

Did we have six at any one time though? I don't remember we did.

And while you're spot on with Lingard and Ward (and credit where it's due, they were excellent for us) I spent most of the season hoping Andrews would be dropped!

We had Conway, Lita, Ward, Andrews about this time last year and Lingard, Obika, Andrews and Ward in early 2014. Rodriguez was effectively a short term signing as well. (although not a loan).

We might have had even more if lets say TKuz was injured.

 

[chaileyjem]

I think you are absolutely correct and I think that is the role he has been successful in the past. I feel he should continue in this area, but as head of recruitment he has no experience.

He was the scouting and recruitment manager for Southampton in the 18 months before joining Albion.

 

[Seasider78]

We paid the same for Baldock as we paid for Ulloa.

Let's not kid ourselves Ulloa was an incredible find and took the best part of 2 seasons to find and get in. If we could find another overseas option that would be cheaper but for every Ulloa you are just as likely to get a Rodriguez or Colunga.

On paper Baldock for £2m with his scoring record is by no means expensive not when you compare to Rhodes, Deeney, McCormack or what Palace paid for dwight gale.

Ulloa and Baldock were both gambles in that they both had good scoring records outside of the championship but one paid off and the other the jury is out on.

 

[TheDuke]

Seeing the Bloom, BERK and co were PURRING on August 30th about the QUALITY of the new signings I can only guess (sorry) that the manager/head coach is not good enough to work with them or develop a system and tactics that brings out the best in such quality signings

Weren't we all also purring as well, it looked a damn good squad. Looking up youtube and getting the facts about the new players...they all seemed pretty good buys...but alas they were not. Who's fault?

 

[spanish flair]

He was the scouting and recruitment manager for Southampton in the 18 months before joining Albion.

Under Reed

Southampton[edit]
On 16 April 2010 Reed was appointed Head of Football Development and Support at Southampton, overseeing four main areas: the Youth Academy, Scouting and Recruitment, Sports medicine and Science, and Kit and Equipment Management. He is now Executive Director of the Club and one of four members of the Board

Burke joined Southampton in June 2010. Two months after Reed joined them

 

[The_Viper]

I had no idea Toko was a dev squad signing.

The Swiss prem must be really crap outside of Basel to go from that to a development squad in the second tier in England.

 

[Seasider78]

Can you show me any links where the club have stated that player budgets have reduced since Gus left. In fact did Barber not use the second season increase in Amex season tickets prices, as necessary to maintain or increase the player budget so that we remain competitive in this league.

To be honest I have not seen anything on playing budgets for this season all I have seen is millions coming in from the sale of quality players and inferior replacements inbound for lesser sums.

This from the same recruitment team that got in those players we sold for top dollar. Are we seriously saying that recruitment team has suddenly lost its eye for a player?

It would be interesting if anyone on here has the amount spent on player acquisitions and salaries over the amex era

 

[chaileyjem]

Under Reed

Agreed but you're arguing he has "no experience". Yet Burke worked in a senior position for a promotion winning Championship Club managing all aspects of scouting and the strategy for player recruitment across all their teams(first, dev, academy) before he was appointed here.

 

[glasfryn]

Maybe not, but clearly Burke and Hyypia felt he could being something to the team. Bloom could've vetoed it, but instead he chose to back their judgement and cough up. I don't blame him for that.

The fact that since he's been here he's been playing in a system thats meant he's absolutely starved of service isn't really Blooms fault.

I thought we were after Baldock before Same even came here

 

[spanish flair]

Where Reed obviously had the final say, doing what Burke is doing at Brighton.
Have you noticed he has not been in any of these positions for long at Fulham, Man City and Southampton and only stays short times in the jobs.
In my working career, I have seen many good number two's who have failed when promoted to being the top man.

 

[chaileyjem]

Where Reed obviously had the final say, doing what Burke is doing at Brighton.
Have you noticed he has not been in any of these positions for long at Fulham, Man City and Southampton and only stays short times in the jobs.

Well in a few weeks time he would have been at the Albion for nearly 3 years...

 

[spanish flair]

Well in a few weeks time he would have been at the Albion for nearly 3 years...

Yes and their is the problem in my mind.He has proved he is not capable of securing talent, only when he is led by Reed and when Gus held his hand.

 

[Bozza]

Another point: our "system" has changed. Paul Winstanley joined us from Derby earlier this year and is charged with player identification (or some such similar title).

He did very well at Derby, but McLaren brought in some of his preferred people and his position changed. I understand Derby offered him any role he wanted (within reason) but he chose to come to us instead.

If nothing else it must surely mean David Burke's time isn't being stretched as much as it was, given his many responsibilities beyond first team player recruitment.

 

[Machiavelli]

Let's not kid ourselves Ulloa was an incredible find and took the best part of 2 seasons to find and get in. If we could find another overseas option that would be cheaper but for every Ulloa you are just as likely to get a Rodriguez or Colunga.

On paper Baldock for £2m with his scoring record is by no means expensive not when you compare to Rhodes, Deeney, McCormack or what Palace paid for dwight gale.

Ulloa and Baldock were both gambles in that they both had good scoring records outside of the championship but one paid off and the other the jury is out on.

What a thoroughly reasonable post

 

[spanish flair]

Another point: our "system" has changed. Paul Winstanley joined us from Derby earlier this year and is charged with player identification (or some such similar title).

He did very well at Derby, but McLaren brought in some of his preferred people and his position changed. I understand Derby offered him any role he wanted (within reason) but he chose to come to us instead.

If nothing else it must surely mean David Burke's time isn't being stretched as much as it was, given his many responsibilities beyond first team player recruitment.

When did his time become stretched, when he sacked Mervyn Day who went on to get the same job as Burke at that other little Albion, West Brom.