Steve Walsh - no longer our Director of Football

[ToffeeTim]

All the quotes in the media suggest Koeman can overrule SW. Sounds like a shambolic set up. Pick a side Farhad.

 

[kenada_blue]

Which is why it's perhaps a better example of how Walsh works.




Absolutely. But, as I said, there's evidently a disconnect between the two that is causing problems, hence a window in which a lot of money seems to have been unwisely spent.

I don't think there's a disconnect. Koeman clearly wanted Pickford, Klassen, Sigurdsson, Keane and we paid top dollar for them. Martina again was Koeman's choice.

Rooney was a gimmie. Sandro was all Walsh.

The sticking point is the striker situation. There seemed zero focus or clear plan on all sides. I mean, 6month loan for Costa? All out for Grioud? Anyone else?

 

[Sir Alan]

How are him and Walsh getting another window together?

 

[stamullenblue]

How are him and Walsh getting another window together?

Long way to go to the window and don’t see either of them making it !

 

[hktoffee]

Guesswork again but, considering how determined Koeman was to get Sigurdsson in spite of not really seeming to know how to play him, one might suppose that Giroud was Koeman's striker obsession and it all went balls up when Mrs. Giroud realised what a night out in Concert Square entails.

I also think the club maybe expected Ramirez to be a bit more effective than he's so far been. By the time we realised the mess we were in it was too late to get the right player. Blaming Walsh might not necessarily be the full story.

I thought DOF is supposed to make the decision of signing players? It's not a guess we might sign an unproven Spanish striker or a retiring forward but none of them is a direct replacement of Lukaku who can finish and is tall and strong.

 

[Frang]

he's a scout who has been shoehorned into a director of football job , who seems to like bulking our u23's up.

 

[d4kyxx]

Hi Steve

It’s been seven months since Lukaku more or less told us he was going

Just wondered if you’d found a striker yet?

Most employers would have sacked people by now if it took you seven months to complete a task

Chop chop

 

[Eggs]

..i’ve defended him because we’ve bought decent footballers but I would hope he’s empowered enough to influence purchases.

We’ve bought a group of ‘samey’ players. I know folk talk about all the no10s we have but you’d think a group of no10s would pass the opposition off the park. We don’t. This week RK said we need to play the long ball which immediately says to me that the players we’ve brought in don’t fit the strategy.

We lack athleticism, pace and power. Surely if you’re DoF you would recognise that’s a key ingredient of any decent side. I’ve defended Walsh, but unless he’s a ‘yes man’ he has to be as culpable as the manager. Sorry Steve.

 

[stretford blue]

..i’ve defended him because we’ve bought decent footballers but I would hope he’s empowered enough to influence purchases.

We’ve bought a group of ‘samey’ players. I know folk talk about all the no10s we have but you’d think a group of no10s would pass the opposition off the park. We don’t. This week RK said we need to play the long ball which immediately says to me that the players we’ve brought in don’t fit the strategy.

We lack athleticism, pace and power. Surely if you’re DoF you would recognise that’s a key ingredient of any decent side. I’ve defended Walsh, but unless he’s a ‘yes man’ he has to be as culpable as the manager. Sorry Steve.

Think the most disappointing part of the season apart from results and performances has been koemans lack of shape and formation to the teams he has fielded .his preferred team would include klaassen sigurdsson and Rooney and your right lack of pace and athleticism .it's the job I would have thought of the dof to scout players to fit a system that the manager wants, but does koeman know what that is

 

[argietoffee]

Koeman tells all and sundry that he has the final word on all purchases.

Walsh is effectively in charge of recruiting young talent.

I think he can't be judged until Koeman is fired, which will be before Halloween.

Walsh then needs to be given a year after that.

 

[chippy1722]

As manager I reckon Koeman could say no to a Walsh player, but not the other way round.

 

[Zatara]

I agree and that appears to me to be the situation. A couple of things that I have come across in the press which give interesting insights about what maybe going on. Came across this snippet from an article by Ian Ladyman in the Mail today; "Koeman told agents in the summer that it was definitely him — rather than director of football Steve Walsh — who was in charge of recruitment, and if that is the case then only he can be blamed for the clear holes in his recent transfer activity."
Was also looking at Les Reed situation at Southampton and came across this snippet as well from a Neil Ashton article in the Mail "Reed, who remains close with Hunter, continues to push the Under 21 players towards the first team, but he is being met with resistance by Koeman. The Dutchman wants players with first-team pedigree."
We also have this comment from Walsh: "My department is very well run, very organised and we make sure we get as much information about the player that we possibly can. If we like the player, I’ve got to try to convince Ronald that he’s the player for us."
I think when you look at the players that we have signed for the first team it's pretty clear to me that Koeman is in charge and Walsh's role is concentrated on the younger players. All in all i would say its a complete mess and needs sorting out once Koeman has been given the boot.

I mentioned about the daily mail quote in an earlier post

Also he was quoted saying; We needed time. What is the best formation? What is the best striker with Wayne, Sigurdsson, Klaassen? We struggled at the beginning to get the right formation and that makes it even more difficult."

The thing is;

A -- When he knew Giroud wasn't coming why did Koeman still want Sigurdsson?
B -- When he knew we had Sigurdsson, Rooney, Klaassen why sign Vlasic (actually a 10)?
C -- Why on earth aim for a paceless Giroud with no pace behind him?
D -- What is the point of aiming for so many 10's including an unsold Barkley?
E -- Why wait for the Sigurdsson deal to be almost concluded before requesting more players?

None of this blokes actions make any sense and I put Lookman, Vlasic, Sandro,Gana and U23s down to Walsh, Pickford and Keane I'm not sure on and the rest by Koeman.

I think if Walsh was exclusively bringing in players we would be looking much better off.

 

[Toffeelover]

I agree and that appears to me to be the situation. A couple of things that I have come across in the press which give interesting insights about what maybe going on. Came across this snippet from an article by Ian Ladyman in the Mail today; "Koeman told agents in the summer that it was definitely him — rather than director of football Steve Walsh — who was in charge of recruitment, and if that is the case then only he can be blamed for the clear holes in his recent transfer activity."
Was also looking at Les Reed situation at Southampton and came across this snippet as well from a Neil Ashton article in the Mail "Reed, who remains close with Hunter, continues to push the Under 21 players towards the first team, but he is being met with resistance by Koeman. The Dutchman wants players with first-team pedigree."
We also have this comment from Walsh: "My department is very well run, very organised and we make sure we get as much information about the player that we possibly can. If we like the player, I’ve got to try to convince Ronald that he’s the player for us."
I think when you look at the players that we have signed for the first team it's pretty clear to me that Koeman is in charge and Walsh's role is concentrated on the younger players. All in all i would say its a complete mess and needs sorting out once Koeman has been given the boot.

Looks like history repeating itself.

 

[Zatara]

..i’ve defended him because we’ve bought decent footballers but I would hope he’s empowered enough to influence purchases.

We’ve bought a group of ‘samey’ players. I know folk talk about all the no10s we have but you’d think a group of no10s would pass the opposition off the park. We don’t. This week RK said we need to play the long ball which immediately says to me that the players we’ve brought in don’t fit the strategy.

We lack athleticism, pace and power. Surely if you’re DoF you would recognise that’s a key ingredient of any decent side. I’ve defended Walsh, but unless he’s a ‘yes man’ he has to be as culpable as the manager. Sorry Steve.

Very unfair imo.

If you are the manager and your DOF brings you a detailed list of 10's do you aim for the best alone or sign four of them when you already have one?

If you also ask the DOF for a list of 9's do you aim for the best couple and when they reject you do you then give up?

Meanwhile the DOF is concluding numerous deals for very good u21 aged players...

 

[Toffeelover]

I mentioned about the daily mail quote in an earlier post

Also he was quoted saying; We needed time. What is the best formation? What is the best striker with Wayne, Sigurdsson, Klaassen? We struggled at the beginning to get the right formation and that makes it even more difficult."

The thing is;

A -- When he knew Giroud wasn't coming why did Koeman still want Sigurdsson?
B -- When he knew we had Sigurdsson, Rooney, Klaassen why sign Vlasic (actually a 10)?
C -- Why on earth aim for a paceless Giroud with no pace behind him?
D -- What is the point of aiming for so many 10's including an unsold Barkley?
E -- Why wait for the Sigurdsson deal to be almost concluded before requesting more players?

None of this blokes actions make any sense and I put Lookman, Vlasic, Sandro,Gana and U23s down to Walsh, Pickford and Keane I'm not sure on and the rest by Koeman.

I think if Walsh was exclusively bringing in players we would be looking much better off.

Bewildering Mate, what can one say. I know Koeman has'na a clue.