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View Full Version : Official Site: GRAEME MATHIE APPOINTED SPORTING DIRECTOR



RSS Bot
25-10-2019, 02:00 PM
More... (http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/10379)

JXM73
25-10-2019, 02:02 PM
More... (http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/10379)

"Sold foundations", i do hope that's a typo

scooby
25-10-2019, 02:05 PM
First task is surely to sack Heckingbottom and bring someone in who can fulfill the clubs vision.

SMAXXA
25-10-2019, 02:05 PM
First task is surely to sack Heckingbottom and bring someone in who can fulfill the clubs vision.

Is that his role not sure it is.

Billy Whizz
25-10-2019, 02:06 PM
Well done Graeme, well deserved

SMAXXA
25-10-2019, 02:07 PM
Good luck to Graeme all the best in your new role.

Gerard
25-10-2019, 02:07 PM
Good luck

Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 02:08 PM
What is a Sporting Director? Is it the Director of Football gig? I'm sure some of these roles in the game are superfluous and it's just jobs for the boys. Jock Stein and Alex Ferguson didn't have a Sporting Director. It's all corporate speak to me.

J-C
25-10-2019, 02:09 PM
Is that his role not sure it is.

It looks like he's in charge of the scouting system and player recruitment only.

Pretty Boy
25-10-2019, 02:11 PM
Is this a merging of 2 roles into one?

SMAXXA
25-10-2019, 02:11 PM
It looks like he's in charge of the scouting system and player recruitment only.

That’s what I would have thought not a role to be sacking managers. To be fair bit a thread or a coms from the club can come out without the sack PH remarks being made, really is tiresome.

Hopefully a positive move forward for the club I choose to see this in a positive light and good he’s chosen to stay with Hibs than move elsewhere.

Ozyhibby
25-10-2019, 02:17 PM
Given how terrible our recruitment has been I’m surprised how positive everyone is about our head of recruitment being promoted?


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Diclonius
25-10-2019, 02:19 PM
Given how terrible our recruitment has been I’m surprised how positive everyone is about our head of recruitment being promoted?


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Hasn't it been suggested that the manager has been bypassing recruitment and signing his own players?

Ozyhibby
25-10-2019, 02:20 PM
Hasn't it been suggested that the manager has been bypassing recruitment and signing his own players?

Is that confirmed or just people wanting anything bad tied to Heckingbottom and good stuff down to the club?


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Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 02:21 PM
Given how terrible our recruitment has been I’m surprised how positive everyone is about our head of recruitment being promoted?


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See, surely a manager should be head of recruitment? That's his job: identify the players he wants and then get them playing how he wants. In recent years all these new roles, which didn't exist before, have been created. Clubs are no better for it. If I was a manager, I wouldn't have somebody telling me which players I must sign and work with.

calumhibee1
25-10-2019, 02:22 PM
Is that confirmed or just people wanting anything bad tied to Heckingbottom and good stuff down to the club?


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I think the fact that the likes of Hallberg who has probably been some form of a success gets put down as a recruitment signing because “it just seems like it is” while he gets slaughtered for everyone who hasn’t been a success would answer that question.

Nobody knows but it doesn’t stop them.

Ozyhibby
25-10-2019, 02:23 PM
I think the fact that the likes of Hallberg who has probably been some form of a success gets put down as a recruitment signing because “it just seems like it is” while he gets slaughtered for everyone who hasn’t been a success would answer that question.

Nobody knows but it doesn’t stop them.

That’s certainly the way it appears on here.


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Mibbes Aye
25-10-2019, 02:26 PM
That’s certainly the way it appears on here.


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Also need to acknowledge that there isn’t a club on the planet, however well-resourced, who don’t sign players who simply don’t work out for them. I would be genuinely surprised if Hibs were an outlier here, it is just more prominent because we pay closer attention to our own team (and folk need stuff to post about :greengrin)

CloudSquall
25-10-2019, 02:30 PM
I assumed the recruitment team was being bypassed by how the recruitment styles between the Stubbs, Lennon and Heckingbottom reigns have been different, there doesn't seem to have been any continuity.

Ozyhibby
25-10-2019, 02:33 PM
Also need to acknowledge that there isn’t a club on the planet, however well-resourced, who don’t sign players who simply don’t work out for them. I would be genuinely surprised if Hibs were an outlier here, it is just more prominent because we pay closer attention to our own team (and folk need stuff to post about :greengrin)

Totally understand that but the overall picture is we are 11th in the league with a much bigger recruitment budget than the teams above us.
Not every new signing works out no matter what level you are at but our league position should be sending massive warning signals that all is not well.
It’s now 5 years since the structure was put in place and we are in the relegation zone. There seems to be no acknowledgement of this from the club at all.
After 5 years in post can we say that youth development is producing better players since Eddie May came in? I’m not convinced.


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MartinfaePorty
25-10-2019, 02:33 PM
Listening to this just now. Sifting through the corporate speak, which you get from anyone in a management role, it sounds exactly what a lot of people have been asking for here. Actually punching at our weight, which, as he points out, we've been nowhere near since at least I've started supporting us in the 1970s, and maintaining it consistently.

Would hopefully ensure that we can get to a place where we have a structure that engenders a winning philosophy out on the pitch, that is maintained whatever the changes in playing and coaching staff and continues to grow.

Time will tell and I know there will be people that'll ask the relevant question of what the hell have we been doing before then if not this?

CMurdoch
25-10-2019, 02:39 PM
What is a Sporting Director? Is it the Director of Football gig? I'm sure some of these roles in the game are superfluous and it's just jobs for the boys. Jock Stein and Alex Ferguson didn't have a Sporting Director. It's all corporate speak to me.

Job titles mean nothing. You could make his job title anything you want. It is his role that is important and they haven't specified what it is.
Have they rolled his job and George's job into one role to save a wage? is he doing George's job and part of his old job?
"biggest ever football budget" "the clubs first ever Sporting Director" are clumsy attempts by Hibs to guild the lily and bull**** us at the same time.
I do wish they would stop treating us all like dafties, most of us can see through these guilded statements with ease. It makes them appear like they will always try to dupe us.

As for the appointment. I think it is a good one.
Another reason not to try to guild it.

Greenio
25-10-2019, 02:44 PM
I think the fact that the likes of Hallberg who has probably been some form of a success gets put down as a recruitment signing because “it just seems like it is” while he gets slaughtered for everyone who hasn’t been a success would answer that question.

Nobody knows but it doesn’t stop them.


100% this. folk just making stuff up

Brooster
25-10-2019, 02:45 PM
Hasn't it been suggested that the manager has been bypassing recruitment and signing his own players?

Spot on.

Spudster
25-10-2019, 02:47 PM
What is a Sporting Director? Is it the Director of Football gig? I'm sure some of these roles in the game are superfluous and it's just jobs for the boys. Jock Stein and Alex Ferguson didn't have a Sporting Director. It's all corporate speak to me.

Football and the world in general have changed a hell of a lot since the 60s and 70s

Mibbes Aye
25-10-2019, 02:47 PM
Totally understand that but the overall picture is we are 11th in the league with a much bigger recruitment budget than the teams above us.
Not every new signing works out no matter what level you are at but our league position should be sending massive warning signals that all is not well.
It’s now 5 years since the structure was put in place and we are in the relegation zone. There seems to be no acknowledgement of this from the club at all.
After 5 years in post can we say that youth development is producing better players since Eddie May came in? I’m not convinced.


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I would say a couple of things.

Firstly, I pretty much agree with you.

Secondly, it is October. Accuse me of having my head in the sand but it is October :greengrin

As for the final point, it’s one for debate. I think Porto looks very promising, more so than Jordan Forster for example. I’m an Oli Shaw fan, I think he has technique in spades. And Fraser Murray looks like he could play first-team football.

I think, and this isn’t at you because I know you get it, but I think there is a bit of a reality check needed about how many players we are going to get from the dev squad or age groups.

Heisenberg
25-10-2019, 02:52 PM
It appears Leeann does exist...

“Ron’s arrival is creating a fresh impetus, with a lot of work going on. We are more determined than ever to be successful within Scottish football, to enjoy regular exposure to European football and deliver a team and a club that supporters can be proud of.

“We all have a part to play in that.”

Talking about being a success and European football is all fine and well but we’re currently languishing in 11th place. Time for some positive action on the football park.

banarc7062
25-10-2019, 02:54 PM
First task is surely to sack Heckingbottom and bring someone in who can fulfill the clubs vision.
Totally Agree. Based on his existing time with Hib's surely he has the balls to stand up and agree enough is enough with our current manager's inability to get the squad playing at a level we have previously appreciated.

Andy74
25-10-2019, 02:55 PM
I think most folk seem to be totally misunderstanding what the recruitment team does and how it interacts with the management team.

Ozyhibby
25-10-2019, 03:01 PM
What I take from his interview is that recruitment in future may be a bit more international than it currently is? I think that’s a good thing. The UK market is very overpriced compared to the continent. There are loads of teams in Europa league doing very well on smaller budgets than ours.
Trying to compete wages wise for English players is not working for us.
That is the only change I could get from that interview with a lot of management/sales speak padding it out. Will be interesting to hear from Ron Gordon over next few weeks.


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Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 03:07 PM
Football and the world in general have changed a hell of a lot since the 60s and 70s

Fergie didn't need a Director of Football at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and remained the best around. I really think a lot of this stuff is jobs for boys and doesn't add up to much. If we removed this position and let a manager get on with it, and how much worse off would Hibs be? I think it's become the received wisdom in the game that Directors of Football and other such positions are the way to go, but I remain skeptical. Too many cooks in the kitchen is my thinking. Appoint the right manager and let him manage the playing side of things.

SMAXXA
25-10-2019, 03:17 PM
Just watched his interview and think he came across very well and hope he gets a clean slate and is now judged in his new role, against the measures of success he speaks about will be in place. You get man to George, will have huge drive to succeed and good luck got the guy.

weecounty hibby
25-10-2019, 04:00 PM
Good video, let's hope what he says can be put into action

hfc rd
25-10-2019, 04:03 PM
Good luck to him

J-C
25-10-2019, 04:06 PM
Fergie didn't need a Director of Football at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and remained the best around. I really think a lot of this stuff is jobs for boys and doesn't add up to much. If we removed this position and let a manager get on with it, and how much worse off would Hibs be? I think it's become the received wisdom in the game that Directors of Football and other such positions are the way to go, but I remain skeptical. Too many cooks in the kitchen is my thinking. Appoint the right manager and let him manage the playing side of things.

Fergie had David Gill as CEO did he not and many said recruitment has been poor since Woodward took over. All clubs have scouting set ups and a CEO/DOF who signs the players but generally the manager has the last word.

Vault Boy
25-10-2019, 04:20 PM
Good luck Graeme. He's definitely got our best interests at heart.

Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 04:22 PM
Fergie had David Gill as CEO did he not and many said recruitment has been poor since Woodward took over. All clubs have scouting set ups and a CEO/DOF who signs the players but generally the manager has the last word.

Gill didn't get involved in transfers, nor the playing side at all; he was a financial guy. Scouting is certainly important, but I'm not keen on these DoF who control the signings then reduce the manager to the role of a coach who works with players brought in by someone else. I've always had the suspicion they are just made up jobs which aren't actually essential; the old boys network and a sinecure for time served in the game.

Ozyhibby
25-10-2019, 04:52 PM
Gill didn't get involved in transfers, nor the playing side at all; he was a financial guy. Scouting is certainly important, but I'm not keen on these DoF who control the signings then reduce the manager to the role of a coach who works with players brought in by someone else. I've always had the suspicion they are just made up jobs which aren't actually essential; the old boys network and a sinecure for time served in the game.

I don’t see how a manager could have the time to do all the work involved in scouting and signing players these day, especially in the international market where there are sometimes 2/3 agents involved.


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Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 04:59 PM
I don’t see how a manager could have the time to do all the work involved in scouting and signing players these day, especially in the international market where there are sometimes 2/3 agents involved.


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They would have scouts, of course, same as always. I'm just not convinced by all these new roles that have entered the game in the past couple of decades. It feels like Thatcherite business models have crept into the game. Perhaps it's just me, and it isn't just related to football, but I think this huge expansion in the managerial class generally is often waffle.

Rick Rude
25-10-2019, 05:00 PM
Fergie didn't need a Director of Football at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and remained the best around. I really think a lot of this stuff is jobs for boys and doesn't add up to much. If we removed this position and let a manager get on with it, and how much worse off would Hibs be? I think it's become the received wisdom in the game that Directors of Football and other such positions are the way to go, but I remain skeptical. Too many cooks in the kitchen is my thinking. Appoint the right manager and let him manage the playing side of things.

And look at how they've struggled since he left. Is part of these structures not about keeping continuity even if the manager leaves (either sacked or to a bigger club) rather than success or failure being at the mercy of just one man.

Unseen work
25-10-2019, 05:06 PM
I can’t help but feel we’re too busy trying to do all this “innovative” stuff off the park and the folk doing so are all convincing each other it’s brilliant and we’re improving massively.

We keep hearing about this excellent player recruitment system, sports science, community club and all this other stuff. Speaking to 2 massive European clubs about how to improve? Get a good team on the park, you can have all the fancy job titles you want but it’s all irrelevant if you don’t win.

Were 11th in the table!!!

I cant help but just feel we’re losing track of what’s important and that’s winning games on a Saturday.

Winning games = Good morale
Winning games = Being able to recruit and attract better players
Winning games = More money and exposure in europe
Winning games = More fans, season tickets and creating a feel good factor in the stadium
Winning games = Success

Shrekko
25-10-2019, 05:10 PM
Like most others I’m only really interested in the final product on the park and hope things improve but what I can say is that Hibs fans are seriously letting themselves down on social media these days- truly embarrassing the thread about this on the clubs Facebook page.

HibbyAndy
25-10-2019, 05:12 PM
I can’t help but feel we’re too busy trying to do all this “innovative” stuff off the park and the folk doing so are all convincing each other it’s brilliant and we’re improving massively.

We keep hearing about this excellent player recruitment system, sports science, community club and all this other stuff. Speaking to 2 massive European clubs about how to improve? Get a good team on the park, you can have all the fancy job titles you want but it’s all irrelevant if you don’t win.

Were 11th in the table!!!

I cant help but just feel we’re losing track of what’s important and that’s winning games on a Saturday.

Winning games = Good morale
Winning games = Being able to recruit and attract better players
Winning games = More money and exposure in europe
Winning games = More fans, season tickets and creating a feel good factor in the stadium
Winning games = Success


Excellent post , To many people getting caught up in how he knows his stuff , How he talks a good game , How he comes across a nice guy , A football managers job is to win football games and PH is failing massively , Couldnt care one jot if he knows sport science etc..His job is to win football matches !

Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 05:12 PM
And look at how they've struggled since he left. Is part of these structures not about keeping continuity even if the manager leaves (either sacked or to a bigger club) rather than success or failure being at the mercy of just one man.

On the other hand, most clubs who employ these DoF etc remain pish, so what difference does it make? I prefer having faith in the guy you appoint as manager, allow him to choose his team of coaches and scouts etc, then let him get on with it. That's more than enough on the football side of things.

Allant1981
25-10-2019, 05:12 PM
I can’t help but feel we’re too busy trying to do all this “innovative” stuff off the park and the folk doing so are all convincing each other it’s brilliant and we’re improving massively.

We keep hearing about this excellent player recruitment system, sports science, community club and all this other stuff. Speaking to 2 massive European clubs about how to improve? Get a good team on the park, you can have all the fancy job titles you want but it’s all irrelevant if you don’t win.

Were 11th in the table!!!

I cant help but just feel we’re losing track of what’s important and that’s winning games on a Saturday.

Winning games = Good morale
Winning games = Being able to recruit and attract better players
Winning games = More money and exposure in europe
Winning games = More fans, season tickets and creating a feel good factor in the stadium
Winning games = Success

So should we just stop doing everything off the park because we arent playing well at the moment, we need everything that's happening off the park to progress as a club

B.H.F.C
25-10-2019, 05:13 PM
They would have scouts, of course, same as always. I'm just not convinced by all these new roles that have entered the game in the past couple of decades. It feels like Thatcherite business models have crept into the game. Perhaps it's just me, and it isn't just related to football, but I think this huge expansion in the managerial class generally is often waffle.

The way I see it, that’s what the recruitment team do, scout for players. There are just other methods of doing it in the modern world.

I don’t think much has changed really. They’ll put players to the manager and sometimes they’ll get knocked back, sometimes they won’t. Sometimes the manager will have their own players and contacts.

They just get called a ‘department’ these days and use a laptop.

Sioux
25-10-2019, 05:19 PM
So should we just stop doing everything off the park because we arent playing well at the moment, we need everything that's happening off the park to progress as a club

Apparently not. We just put out 11 players on game day and tell them to win the match. If that doesn't work we put out a different 11 the following week, and tell them to win the game, and so on, and so on...............................

We can then sack* 15/20 backroom operatives and spend more money on players. We can then tell them to go out and win games. Its so easy.

*The answer for everything on here.

Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 05:19 PM
Excellent post , To many people getting caught up in how he knows his stuff , How he talks a good game , How he comes across a nice guy , A football managers job is to win football games and PH is failing massively , Couldnt care one jot if he knows sport science etc..His job is to win football matches !


I can’t help but feel we’re too busy trying to do all this “innovative” stuff off the park and the folk doing so are all convincing each other it’s brilliant and we’re improving massively.

We keep hearing about this excellent player recruitment system, sports science, community club and all this other stuff. Speaking to 2 massive European clubs about how to improve? Get a good team on the park, you can have all the fancy job titles you want but it’s all irrelevant if you don’t win.

Were 11th in the table!!!

I cant help but just feel we’re losing track of what’s important and that’s winning games on a Saturday.

Winning games = Good morale
Winning games = Being able to recruit and attract better players
Winning games = More money and exposure in europe
Winning games = More fans, season tickets and creating a feel good factor in the stadium
Winning games = Success

I'm much in agreement with these guys. I don't care about fancy job titles and jazzy new methods; I want a team commensurate with the size of the club. I think I'm just getting old and cynical; I can't be doing with the talk any longer. It feels like we are making it more complicated than it needs to be, and with all these fancy jobs on the playing side, accountability can be lost.

banchoryhibs
25-10-2019, 05:24 PM
Good luck in the new job Graeme and it says something that we've kept him in the face of some serious competition.

He speaks about being very enthusiastic about Ron's vision for our Club, that's a very good sign but it would be helpful if Ron would personally share this with us.

He's confirmed that we are seeking to tie into partnerships with big European clubs - that sounds like quite a dynamic step that could deliver big outcomes, I hope that he can deliver.

How about starting with six points from the next two games ….

Allant1981
25-10-2019, 05:25 PM
Apparently not. We just put out 11 players on game day and tell them to win the match. If that doesn't work we put out a different 11 the following week, and tell them to win the game, and so on, and so on...............................

We can then sack* 15/20 backroom operatives and spend more money on players. We can then tell them to go out and win games. Its so easy.

*The answer for everything on here.

😁

Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 05:30 PM
So should we just stop doing everything off the park because we arent playing well at the moment, we need everything that's happening off the park to progress as a club

I don't think he was saying that at all. The answer to on-field problems isn't necessarily to keep appointing more managerial types to analyse the problems. How about someone taking responsibility within a clear structure?

Allant1981
25-10-2019, 05:33 PM
I don't think he was saying that at all. The answer to on-field problems isn't necessarily to keep appointing more managerial types to analyse the problems. How about someone taking responsibility within a clear structure?

We arent appointing more staff, the guy has been promoted by all accounts

Unseen work
25-10-2019, 05:33 PM
So should we just stop doing everything off the park because we arent playing well at the moment, we need everything that's happening off the park to progress as a club

Show me where iv said we should stop what we’re doing off the park?

The point is we’re really poor this season so the guys that are in these fancy roles clearly aren’t doing their job that great are they.

You can’t boast about player recruitment, sign 10 players in the summer and expect folk not to criticise you when it turns out they’re not up to it and we now sit 11th.

Other than the second half of the season where we had McGinn, Allan and Mcgeouch in the middle of the park our return to the top flight has been Average-poor.

Hibee Mac
25-10-2019, 05:37 PM
I can’t help but feel we’re too busy trying to do all this “innovative” stuff off the park and the folk doing so are all convincing each other it’s brilliant and we’re improving massively.

We keep hearing about this excellent player recruitment system, sports science, community club and all this other stuff. Speaking to 2 massive European clubs about how to improve? Get a good team on the park, you can have all the fancy job titles you want but it’s all irrelevant if you don’t win.

Were 11th in the table!!!

I cant help but just feel we’re losing track of what’s important and that’s winning games on a Saturday.

Winning games = Good morale
Winning games = Being able to recruit and attract better players
Winning games = More money and exposure in europe
Winning games = More fans, season tickets and creating a feel good factor in the stadium
Winning games = Success

Absolutely spot on!

Allant1981
25-10-2019, 05:38 PM
Show me where iv said we should stop what we’re doing off the park?

The point is we’re really poor this season so the guys that are in these fancy roles clearly aren’t doing their job that great are they.

You can’t boast about player recruitment, sign 10 players in the summer and expect folk not to criticise you when it turns out they’re not up to it and we now sit 11th.

Other than the second half of the season where we had McGinn, Allan and Mcgeouch in the middle of the park our return to the top flight has been Average-poor.

So you think its irrelevant what's happening off the park because we arent playing well on the park, surely that means you think what's happening behind the scenes should be scrapped until we start winning? If I have picked you up wrong then apologies

Hibees1973
25-10-2019, 05:44 PM
I can’t help but feel we’re too busy trying to do all this “innovative” stuff off the park and the folk doing so are all convincing each other it’s brilliant and we’re improving massively.

We keep hearing about this excellent player recruitment system, sports science, community club and all this other stuff. Speaking to 2 massive European clubs about how to improve? Get a good team on the park, you can have all the fancy job titles you want but it’s all irrelevant if you don’t win.

Were 11th in the table!!!

I cant help but just feel we’re losing track of what’s important and that’s winning games on a Saturday.

Winning games = Good morale
Winning games = Being able to recruit and attract better players
Winning games = More money and exposure in europe
Winning games = More fans, season tickets and creating a feel good factor in the stadium
Winning games = Success

Spot on!

At a time when we are 11th in the league and desperate for two home wins in our next two fixtures the club announce this.

The timing of this deflects focus away from what is wrong just now. If we lose our next 3 games our ‘Sporting Director’ who was head of recruitment when we signed all these duds in the summer will be sacking Heckingbottom and looking for another manager.

The club should have waited until the end of next week until confirming any appointments.

Surely Mathie is partly responsible for the mess we are in.

Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 05:48 PM
We arent appointing more staff, the guy has been promoted by all accounts

Yes, but the point is whether all this Director of Football/Sporting Director/Director of this that and the other etc actually makes any difference. "We are struggling, we need a Sporting Director. Later we might appoint a Director of Football, then, if that doesn't work, we'll create a different post and tell everyone it's a new approach". We just want a half decent team, with someone taking responsibility for results, standing up to be counted. Many of us are tired of the talk. Nothing against Graeme Mathie at all, he might be a very able guy, but this all sounds so contrived. Like others, I just want less talk and more wins.

We'll see what happens; I just don't think these appointments are make or break in terms of the things that really matter - results and success.

Chuck Rhoades
25-10-2019, 05:53 PM
Given how terrible our recruitment has been I’m surprised how positive everyone is about our head of recruitment being promoted?


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This.

basehibby
25-10-2019, 05:54 PM
Given how terrible our recruitment has been I’m surprised how positive everyone is about our head of recruitment being promoted?


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From the article: "Graeme has been Head of Player Identification & Recruitment at Hibernian since August 2014"

So are you asserting that the recruitment of John McGinn, Dylan McGeouch, Liam Henderson, Darren McGregor, David Grey, Florian Kamberi et al was "terrible"?

Aye OK then #fileunderidiot

Ozyhibby
25-10-2019, 05:57 PM
From the article: "Graeme has been Head of Player Identification & Recruitment at Hibernian since August 2014"

So are you asserting that the recruitment of John McGinn, Dylan McGeouch, Liam Henderson, Darren McGregor, David Grey, Florian Kamberi et al was "terrible"?

Aye OK then #fileunderidiot

Most recent of those was 5 windows ago and he can’t get a game just now.[emoji23]
And David Gray was here before Mathie got here. And although McGeogh got here a week after Mathie was appointed, Stubbs had been trying to get him all window.


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Hibernia&Alba
25-10-2019, 06:04 PM
From the article: "Graeme has been Head of Player Identification & Recruitment at Hibernian since August 2014"

So are you asserting that the recruitment of John McGinn, Dylan McGeouch, Liam Henderson, Darren McGregor, David Grey, Florian Kamberi et al was "terrible"?

Aye OK then #fileunderidiot

So he's chief scout? Fine, why not say so; what's the need for all this Director of this and that, with salary to match? Artificially created positions with grandiose titles?

Perhaps I'm just too cynical :greengrin

PaulSmith
25-10-2019, 06:23 PM
https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/1180432073112391680?s=21


Hopefully the link works, it’s a good watch and I’m personally more inclined now to go with a structure that is bold enough to say that the club recruit the players, the head coach plays the style that the club insist on, the club dictate that there has to be a pathway for academy players and quite simply the head coach is part of the wider team.




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lucky
25-10-2019, 06:37 PM
He’s clearly rated by a lot of people involved in football. So it would appear to be a good move by Hibs. That being said are Hibs doing away with GC role and GM previous role? It will also mean we now have two Directors getting paid.

jacomo
25-10-2019, 06:43 PM
Well done Graeme and good luck.

I’m not sure I really understand how this role differs from the role George did, but time will tell.

Billy Whizz
25-10-2019, 06:48 PM
He’s clearly rated by a lot of people involved in football. So it would appear to be a good move by Hibs. That being said are Hibs doing away with GC role and GM previous role? It will also mean we now have two Directors getting paid.

GC is leaving, and GM starts this job officially on 1st Jan

Ozyhibby
25-10-2019, 06:48 PM
I’m fine with the structure but there needs to be some signs that things are improving on the park. And there has to be some accounting for why recent windows have been so poor. Very few of this season’s signings are performing well at all and that may not be down to Mathie but his job title was head of recruitment so he needs to accept some responsibility and I’m surprised he is being rewarded with a promotion.


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soul_driver
25-10-2019, 07:57 PM
https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/1180432073112391680?s=21


Hopefully the link works, it’s a good watch and I’m personally more inclined now to go with a structure that is bold enough to say that the club recruit the players, the head coach plays the style that the club insist on, the club dictate that there has to be a pathway for academy players and quite simply the head coach is part of the wider team.


My recollection is that was exactly what Leeann said we would be doing but it doesn't seem to have panned out that way.

Golden Bear
25-10-2019, 09:07 PM
I’m fine with the structure but there needs to be some signs that things are improving on the park. And there has to be some accounting for why recent windows have been so poor. Very few of this season’s signings are performing well at all and that may not be down to Mathie but his job title was head of recruitment so he needs to accept some responsibility and I’m surprised he is being rewarded with a promotion.


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I totally agree. It's fine having fanciful corporate plans and superdooper structures in place but the proof is in the pudding, in practice the end products have been very disappointing. I'd have preferred a new broom and a change of direction away from the present misfiring set up.

bigwheel
25-10-2019, 09:26 PM
Think this also suggests LD is staying ..for a while anyway...would be a big appointment to make if you were thinking if changing the CEO.. think it sounds a great appointment..I’m expecting him to move ya upwards from Craig...good luck to him.

Sheep_Nae_Mair
25-10-2019, 09:52 PM
More... (http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/10379)

Sporting Director? Are we branch into Rugby? Hockey? Tiddly Winks?

madhatter
25-10-2019, 10:14 PM
Sporting Director? Are we branch into Rugby? Hockey? Tiddly Winks?

It is a bit of a bizarre name for a director at a footballing club. Have the club attempted to avoid the “Director of Football” title?

HappyAsHellas
25-10-2019, 11:15 PM
As has been alluded to, I think this was all trotted out when LD came in and we had the .net night at East Mains. It's the club who will have a certain philosophy about how the game should be played and all managers will adhere to this or not be employed. The recruitment team will identify the players to take us forward etc etc. Maybe GM has been jumping up and down and telling Ron that this is what should be happening. Maybe the philosophy side took an awkward turn during Lennon's tenure - who knows?
I don't like all the fancy titles, but if this helps to get the club back on track, that is with the visions set out when LD came in then I'm all for it.

matty_f
25-10-2019, 11:50 PM
I can’t help but feel we’re too busy trying to do all this “innovative” stuff off the park and the folk doing so are all convincing each other it’s brilliant and we’re improving massively.

We keep hearing about this excellent player recruitment system, sports science, community club and all this other stuff. Speaking to 2 massive European clubs about how to improve? Get a good team on the park, you can have all the fancy job titles you want but it’s all irrelevant if you don’t win.

Were 11th in the table!!!

I cant help but just feel we’re losing track of what’s important and that’s winning games on a Saturday.

Winning games = Good morale
Winning games = Being able to recruit and attract better players
Winning games = More money and exposure in europe
Winning games = More fans, season tickets and creating a feel good factor in the stadium
Winning games = Success

That's too simplistic imho, but then there every chance I'm wrong as well. :greengrin

I think if you want to have sustainable success and you can't afford to just throw money at the team, then you need to have a focus on the long term as much as the here and now.

We're 11th today, and while everyone at the club has to make sure that doesn't stay that way they also have to put the work in to make sure avoiding being 11th in a year, 2 years, etc is more easily avoided.

ScottB
25-10-2019, 11:55 PM
Norwich have a Sporting Director. Interesting interview with him on the BBC Football Daily podcast last week. Essentially, he and his team hire all the footballing staff, head coach and players, and he plans ahead. He implies he already knows who he’d go for if they sold their left back next summer, or even if they need a new head coach.

The club has an ethos and a playing style, and everyone else is brought in with that in mind. Makes sense to me, as a smaller club, you have less money to spend, signings are a gamble, either they’ll be duds, or gems that move on, the same is true of coaches. A high turnover of both demands long term planning, which you can’t leave in the hands of a manager / coach who could be sacked after 6 months.

Hi Heid Yin
26-10-2019, 12:04 AM
I'm much in agreement with these guys. I don't care about fancy job titles and jazzy new methods; I want a team commensurate with the size of the club. I think I'm just getting old and cynical; I can't be doing with the talk any longer. It feels like we are making it more complicated than it needs to be, and with all these fancy jobs on the playing side, accountability can be lost.


:top marksI'm with you in your thinking.

The Harp Awakes
26-10-2019, 12:08 AM
Hasn't it been suggested that the manager has been bypassing recruitment and signing his own players?

Who knows :dunno:

Apart from the corporate p1sh announcements that tell you the headlines no-one has a scooby what's going on at the Club these days.

Greenworld
26-10-2019, 07:05 AM
Totally understand that but the overall picture is we are 11th in the league with a much bigger recruitment budget than the teams above us.
Not every new signing works out no matter what level you are at but our league position should be sending massive warning signals that all is not well.
It’s now 5 years since the structure was put in place and we are in the relegation zone. There seems to be no acknowledgement of this from the club at all.
After 5 years in post can we say that youth development is producing better players since Eddie May came in? I’m not convinced.


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkPerhaps Eddie May is the one needing replacing in the development side of things.
5 years is enough fresh people bring fresh eyes and ideas .
Different if it had been a roaring success but it has not

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SMAXXA
26-10-2019, 07:08 AM
Think this also suggests LD is staying ..for a while anyway...would be a big appointment to make if you were thinking if changing the CEO.. think it sounds a great appointment..I’m expecting him to move ya upwards from Craig...good luck to him.

I wouldn’t be expecting her to be going anywhere anyway but to be honest I don’t think it has any bearing on other positions at the club, it’s a role they feel is appropriate for the direction they want to go in if LD was to leave they would do the same simply appoint someone else. So in short I don’t think the 2 are mutually exclusive

Ozyhibby
26-10-2019, 07:26 AM
Perhaps Eddie May is the one needing replacing in the development side of things.
5 years is enough fresh people bring fresh eyes and ideas .
Different if it had been a roaring success but it has not

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Only really Ryan Porteous has broken through in 5 years. That’s pretty grim for the money we are spending on youth development. Again there appears to be no explanation from Hibs, nobody being held accountable.


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JimBHibees
26-10-2019, 07:41 AM
Good luck Graeme.

JimBHibees
26-10-2019, 07:45 AM
Only really Ryan Porteous has broken through in 5 years. That’s pretty grim for the money we are spending on youth development. Again there appears to be no explanation from Hibs, nobody being held accountable.


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It is a long process though and takes time to come to fruition. Are we not getting more players in youth level national teams think a player scored a beauty during the week? I think we have also lost a couple of players recently to other clubs. The boy that scored for Scotland beating Germany recently used to be at Hibs I think.

J-C
26-10-2019, 08:18 AM
How many players do you expect to come through the a academy system?

Celtic have McGregor, Forrest and recently sold Tierney. Rangers ? Hearts the young full back, Aberdeen Ferguson.

We have Hanlon, Stevenson who are still here with Porteous, Shaw and Murray in the 1st team squad, not really a bad showing compared to others.

Heisenberg
26-10-2019, 08:24 AM
How many players do you expect to come through the a academy system?

Celtic have McGregor, Forrest and recently sold Tierney. Rangers ? Hearts the young full back, Aberdeen Ferguson.

We have Hanlon, Stevenson who are still here with Porteous, Shaw and Murray in the 1st team squad, not really a bad showing compared to others.

Ferguson didn’t even come through at Aberdeen. They bought him from Hamilton.

B.H.F.C
26-10-2019, 08:27 AM
How many players do you expect to come through the a academy system?

Celtic have McGregor, Forrest and recently sold Tierney. Rangers ? Hearts the young full back, Aberdeen Ferguson.

We have Hanlon, Stevenson who are still here with Porteous, Shaw and Murray in the 1st team squad, not really a bad showing compared to others.

With how much they bang on about our facilities and infrastructure you’d expect more than one decent player in five years coming through the system. The young players should have every opportunity at Hibs but they seem to lose out on a lot of players at youth level.

J-C
26-10-2019, 08:28 AM
Ferguson didn’t even come through at Aberdeen. They bought him from Hamilton.

Yep very true, forgot that,cheers.

Heisenberg
26-10-2019, 08:29 AM
Yep very true, forgot that,cheers.

They do have a couple of boys on the fringes but nothing like as sustained as we’ve had over the years.

J-C
26-10-2019, 08:31 AM
With how much they bang on about our facilities and infrastructure you’d expect more than one decent player in five years coming through the system. The young players should have every opportunity at Hibs but they seem to lose out on a lot of players at youth level.

Again it's all down to the individual, why did Andy Murray link up with Porteous and Murray, two determined young professionals. McGinn although not through our system is a perfect example of a player using the facilities to it's best and see where he is now.

blackpoolhibs
26-10-2019, 08:31 AM
How many players do you expect to come through the a academy system?

Celtic have McGregor, Forrest and recently sold Tierney. Rangers ? Hearts the young full back, Aberdeen Ferguson.

We have Hanlon, Stevenson who are still here with Porteous, Shaw and Murray in the 1st team squad, not really a bad showing compared to others.

Hanlon and Stevenson are 10 years plus ago, the others are part of a squad who are giving us one of our worst seasons.

The youth coming through is a must, but not if they are going to bring the standard down. Porto does look quality, we need to bring players like him through more regularly to sell on, and the likes of stevenson and hanlon too.

J-C
26-10-2019, 08:35 AM
They do have a couple of boys on the fringes but nothing like as sustained as we’ve had over the years.

If you look at most team here and down south, you'll find only the odd 2-3 players came from the academy, it's not as prolific as some people think. We have produced a good few players but the majority are playing lower league.

Ozyhibby
26-10-2019, 08:36 AM
How many players do you expect to come through the a academy system?

Celtic have McGregor, Forrest and recently sold Tierney. Rangers ? Hearts the young full back, Aberdeen Ferguson.

We have Hanlon, Stevenson who are still here with Porteous, Shaw and Murray in the 1st team squad, not really a bad showing compared to others.

More than 1 every 5 years.
Celtic could add eamon Brophy, Michael Devlin or Mickey Johnstone plus a good few others in last 5 years who would be good enough for us.


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oneone73
26-10-2019, 08:38 AM
More than 1 every 5 years.
Celtic could add eamon Brophy, Michael Devlin or Mickey Johnstone plus a good few others in last 5 years who would be good enough for us.


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Wasn't Brophy at Hibs at one point, or did I imagine that?

blackpoolhibs
26-10-2019, 08:40 AM
If you look at most team here and down south, you'll find only the odd 2-3 players came from the academy, it's not as prolific as some people think. We have produced a good few players but the majority are playing lower league.

Speaking to someone involved in a championship club, he tells me its a box ticking exercise, they could all do without especially the higher up you go.

Stakes are too high for the manager to throw in youngsters, and all they are doing mostly is making players for clubs lower down the leagues.

Allant1981
26-10-2019, 08:43 AM
Wasn't Brophy at Hibs at one point, or did I imagine that?

Yip played at youth level about 7 years ago I think

Allant1981
26-10-2019, 08:45 AM
More than 1 every 5 years.
Celtic could add eamon Brophy, Michael Devlin or Mickey Johnstone plus a good few others in last 5 years who would be good enough for us.


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Brophy was at about 3 clubs as a youth, devlin was at hearts first also I believe

J-C
26-10-2019, 09:18 AM
More than 1 every 5 years.
Celtic could add eamon Brophy, Michael Devlin or Mickey Johnstone plus a good few others in last 5 years who would be good enough for us.


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Devlin who was at Hearts and Aberdeen before one year at Celtic and 6 years at Hamilton.

J-C
26-10-2019, 09:29 AM
Speaking to someone involved in a championship club, he tells me its a box ticking exercise, they could all do without especially the higher up you go.

Stakes are too high for the manager to throw in youngsters, and all they are doing mostly is making players for clubs lower down the leagues.

Same with clubs down south, Barker(Man C), Kent(Liverpool) and James Wilson (Man U). All demand a higher standard and more success.

blackpoolhibs
26-10-2019, 09:51 AM
Same with clubs down south, Barker(Man C), Kent(Liverpool) and James Wilson (Man U). All demand a higher standard and more success.

Sorry JC, never made myself clear, it was someone from down south. The lower league clubs have scouts at all the Premier league development games if thats what its called all the time.

This is where they see their future players, 99.9% will never make it at the top end, even though they hoover up all the best prospects, but the demands on each manager is such that they very rarely take a chance on any kids, and they drop down and start again.

Chelsea are having to do it this season, but you just know if they could have spent the millions they normally do, we'd not be seeing most of these kids on the park for them.

Ozyhibby
26-10-2019, 10:24 AM
Sorry JC, never made myself clear, it was someone from down south. The lower league clubs have scouts at all the Premier league development games if thats what its called all the time.

This is where they see their future players, 99.9% will never make it at the top end, even though they hoover up all the best prospects, but the demands on each manager is such that they very rarely take a chance on any kids, and they drop down and start again.

Chelsea are having to do it this season, but you just know if they could have spent the millions they normally do, we'd not be seeing most of these kids on the park for them.

I’m pretty sure Brentford have done away with youth development and just pick up kids at 17 from all premiership clubs as they release them.


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J-C
26-10-2019, 10:28 AM
Sorry JC, never made myself clear, it was someone from down south. The lower league clubs have scouts at all the Premier league development games if thats what its called all the time.

This is where they see their future players, 99.9% will never make it at the top end, even though they hoover up all the best prospects, but the demands on each manager is such that they very rarely take a chance on any kids, and they drop down and start again.

Chelsea are having to do it this season, but you just know if they could have spent the millions they normally do, we'd not be seeing most of these kids on the park for them.

I see what you're getting at, all very well down there when there's large numbers at many more clubs, we have a lot smaller pool to choose from, hence why we need academies.

EastThomasSTboy
26-10-2019, 10:42 AM
And there has to be some accounting for why recent windows have been so poor.


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Re the previous quote above......Thats why Craig has jumped before being pushed.

Very good luck to Mathie in his new Role.

GGTTH.

:flag:

Spudster
26-10-2019, 12:46 PM
Fergie didn't need a Director of Football at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and remained the best around. I really think a lot of this stuff is jobs for boys and doesn't add up to much. If we removed this position and let a manager get on with it, and how much worse off would Hibs be? I think it's become the received wisdom in the game that Directors of Football and other such positions are the way to go, but I remain skeptical. Too many cooks in the kitchen is my thinking. Appoint the right manager and let him manage the playing side of things.

Fergie didn't even coach the players for the 2nd half of his long spell at United, he had someone else do that for him. I don't think many would agree that Heckingbottom for example should be given more responsibilities when he is already struggling with his role as it is. The whole point of a DOF is that if a manager leaves (wether it be onto a bigger club or sacked) the DOF remains and we don't have to rip it up and start again.

WhileTheChief..
26-10-2019, 01:09 PM
I’m pretty sure Brentford have done away with youth development and just pick up kids at 17 from all premiership clubs as they release them.


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It’s the kind of approach we should consider.

truehibernian
26-10-2019, 01:32 PM
First viewing of the full interview and he comes across very well indeed, articulate, clear, and confident about the track the club is taking............great interview questions from Kenny Millar too.

These are the kind of in-depth interviews I want to see and very enlightening / intriguing about link ups with international club teams and potentially farming out young players to them - I think that's a terrific idea and one that has been a long time coming. :aok: Hopefully more information about that soon.

Ozyhibby
26-10-2019, 04:07 PM
Easy to see why we are promoting from within given the obvious success of our recruitment. [emoji23]


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Speedway
26-10-2019, 07:23 PM
LD likes her corporate titles doesn’t she?

Maybe we should sack the manager and bring in a ‘Director of Minutes’?

Hibs4185
26-10-2019, 07:55 PM
First job as sporting director.... sack PH