Head of Recruitment

I wouldn't usually make a separate post for this, but it is getting ridiculous. Some of the scapegoating and finger pointing every time something doesn't go smoothly.

The point I'd probably make on the Head of Recruitment, is he'll sure make life a lot easier for a manager. Especially during transfer windows. I think Hurst said in the past he was constantly on his phone in transfer window. How can you coach, get an evening to recharge and think about players, tactics and the best out of people if you're doing 2 jobs. DA said he didn't enjoy doing everything previously and was feeling a bit burnt out by it. As a manager, you're working 6/7 days a week, with no time off. Probably working from wake to sleep in a transfer window, making phone calls and even in your summer holiday time, you could be dealing with transfers. No wonder anyone would feel burnt out.

I think with recruitment it'll be a case of DA drawing up targets, multiple in each position, saying who he wants gone and who he could release if we get replacements, and Joe can go about making that happen. Specialising in negotiating and pushing clubs/agents to drop demands "well, we have other targets in the pipeline" and is more detached than DA so could definitely play the card of not giving a toss. DA doesn't look like he has the best poker face. Also he can build up a list of targets in different areas and suggest stuff to DA, and DA can do the once over and see who interests him. Head of recruitment is a full time job. Outside windows, he'll still be scouring for areas DA wants to focus on next window and getting folk scouted. Building up lists in positions where players could potentially get poached. Both players contracted to L2, L1 and championship but also youth players. Moving from reactionary to proactively solving problems.

All that work will take a lot of time and pressure off of DA and help him focus on the on the pitch matters.

People are making so many assumptions about who has the say or not, and it was clear previously Hurst could go with what he wanted and who he'd worked with previously, so there is some evidence that managers get the final say or veto. They make the decision and they are ultimately accountable. The recruitment guy would be held accountable on wage budget, negotiations, rates achieved, whether targets in positions have or have not been scouted. Whether the short/long lists are substantial enough etc. to give options.

Closing this, people need to lay off the Head of Recruitment. I get that you've seen those Director of Football roles and it conjures up all sorts of negative connotations and fears, and when excrement goes wrong, it gives another option to blame, but all the evidence points to us using it in the correct way.

I think JS has been on record to say that the manager always has final say on who we sign.

I think the head of recruitment will simply put a list of names in front of the manager on a weekly basis, supported with detailed stats (data!) that match the way we want to play.

When it comes to January and the summer, we'll have a shortlist to work from.

DA (and PH before him) will also have their own ideas based on who they've worked with before, irrespective of what the data says.

For example, Rekeil Pyke. Not sure if his name would've come up based on data only, but PH had worked with him before. He knew he'd be within the wage bracket, he knew he could play a few different positions, and he knew his face would fit.

The Main Roles & Responsibilities are all online, a quick 10 second google found it >> https://gtfc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Head-of-Recruitment-Analysis.pdf

Main Roles & Responsibilities
• To produce videos and dossiers on recommended players, In line with the high standards of the
Club
• Liaise with the First Team Manager and coaching staff in terms of potential targets.
• Attend live games, in the UK and follow up on any players identified.
• Create and maintain a database which will underpin the decision making.
• Use data to identify possible targets.
• Liaise with the First Team Manager and staff to schedule fixtures to watch to help identify
targets and build the database.
• To provide line-management responsibility for staff appointed in due course to cover scouting
positions
• To design, monitor and utilise a scouting report template to establish consistency when watching
and reporting on players.
• Comply with all company policies/procedures. Adhere to all company regulations regarding
policies, procedures, health, safeguarding, safety and security.
• All other duties that may arise from time to time and fall within the scope of this position.
The above job description is not intended to be exhaustive. The duties and responsibilities may therefore
vary over time according to the changing needs of the club.

I think a lot of the moaning is people don't like change. Anything that changes generally causes moaning, both at the club, in the wider game and in life in general. People are used to having a messianic figure in charge of the club who does everything and feel suspicious about the duties being spread over a wider team. Considering we have been basically crap for over 20 years I think change is to be welcomed!

Interesting to see some of January’s signings mention that we’d been in for them in the summer but it hadn’t worked out for one reason or another.

Obikwu said we’d tried to sign him in September, but that never happened. Same with Hume, where we’d been in for him but (according to Matt Dean) couldn’t agree terms on wage demands with Portsmouth. So that would’ve been a season-long loan then, you’d imagine.

Conteh obviously someone the club had been working on for months, first making contact this time last year. Made us a £200k profit, probably paid Joe Hutchinson’s wages for the next 7-8 years.

Hurst previously and Artell more recently had said that they’d previously been doing all that side of it, scouting, recruitment, etc. and just couldn’t manage it. Seems common sense to have someone else heading that work up.

Ffs plenty of people work 6 days a week and they will do a lot more hours than footballers or football Manager's.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Ffs plenty of people work 6 days a week and they will do a lot more hours than footballers or football Manager's.

I don't think that was the point being made though, was it.  It was more that these activities are a time consuming distraction from the more urgent, and mission critical tasks for the manager, namely coaching and preparing the squad for upcoming games.  It would be particularly intense during the January window, I assume.

Quoted from GrimRob

I think a lot of the moaning is people don't like change. Anything that changes generally causes moaning, both at the club, in the wider game and in life in general. People are used to having a messianic figure in charge of the club who does everything and feel suspicious about the duties being spread over a wider team. Considering we have been basically crap for over 20 years I think change is to be welcomed!

Change is good when it works but so far whoever was responsible for some of the signings in the summer, they need to get back to university or wherever they came from.

Quoted from Captain Sensible

I don't think that was the point being made though, was it.  It was more that these activities are a time consuming distraction from the more urgent, and mission critical tasks for the manager, namely coaching and preparing the squad for upcoming games.  It would be particularly intense during the January window, I assume.

Alan Buckley didn't do too bad without a recruitment manager until the board shut the purse and he had to sign some crap.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Alan Buckley didn't do too bad without a recruitment manager until the board shut the purse and he had to sign some crap.

Football has moved on massively since those days.  See the comments above re change.  Embrace it or get left behind.  Which would your choice be?

Every job appraisal ultimately is about outcomes. Football is unique in the customers as well as management being appraisers. Outcomes so far are in the 3 or 4 out  of 10 range so I think people are entitled to the views expressed.

If you ask Alan Buckley if he had a head of recruitment I believe he would actually say yes. He took Ronnie Mann’s word on a lot of his buys.

I don’t think any relation to Arthur Mann but might be wrong

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Ffs plenty of people work 6 days a week and they will do a lot more hours than footballers or football Manager's.

Don’t think I would want the hours of a football manager 4/5 days at the ground shall we say 20 hours taking in a couple of midweek games most weeks with travelling that’s about another 12 hours at least 12 hours on Saturday depending on travel times that’s about 44 hours plus all the out of hours stuff while at home constant phone calls watching games so adding all this together I should imagine it’s a 60 /70 hour week and possibly only Sunday to call your own

Quoted from arryarryarry

Change is good when it works but so far whoever was responsible for some of the signings in the summer, they need to get back to university or wherever they came from.

Head of Recruitment identifies potential players based on his brief but the final decision rests with the manager who is ultimately responsible. On that basis maybe PH should go back to University but I'm sure he will find it tricky fitting it in with managing Shrewsbury full-time.

Quoted from rancido

Head of Recruitment identifies potential players based on his brief but the final decision rests with the manager who is ultimately responsible. On that basis maybe PH should go back to University but I'm sure he will find it tricky fitting it in with managing Shrewsbury full-time.

No shortage of people chasing every job

Some people are daft enough to think Joe Hutchinson identifies players, negotiates the deal & signs the player for the head coach to get a tune out of, but that supports their “anti” narrative whether that’s anti, Joe, Hurst, data, change etc. etc.. makes me smile that.

Some people might work 60 hours a week with one day off, but they’re probably not doing 4 or 5 different jobs at once. I’d sooner have two people each being specialists in their areas than having one person spread across two jobs, working their nuts off & maybe getting it wrong.

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

The Main Roles & Responsibilities are all online, a quick 10 second google found it >> https://gtfc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Head-of-Recruitment-Analysis.pdf

Main Roles & Responsibilities
• To produce videos and dossiers on recommended players, In line with the high standards of the
Club
• Liaise with the First Team Manager and coaching staff in terms of potential targets.
• Attend live games, in the UK and follow up on any players identified.
• Create and maintain a database which will underpin the decision making.
• Use data to identify possible targets.
• Liaise with the First Team Manager and staff to schedule fixtures to watch to help identify
targets and build the database.
• To provide line-management responsibility for staff appointed in due course to cover scouting
positions
• To design, monitor and utilise a scouting report template to establish consistency when watching
and reporting on players.
• Comply with all company policies/procedures. Adhere to all company regulations regarding
policies, procedures, health, safeguarding, safety and security.
• All other duties that may arise from time to time and fall within the scope of this position.
The above job description is not intended to be exhaustive. The duties and responsibilities may therefore
vary over time according to the changing needs of the club.

Basically what those of a certain age would call "Chief Scout" then. Mystery solved.

Quoted from pizzzza

Basically what those of a certain age would call "Chief Scout" then. Mystery solved.

Nailed it. That's what I was thinking based on that JD.

Quoted from pizzzza

Basically what those of a certain age would call "Chief Scout" then. Mystery solved.

Right but they now have data to back up their observations, hunches and recommendations.

Quoted from Captain Sensible

Football has moved on massively since those days.  See the comments above re change.  Embrace it or get left behind.  Which would your choice be?

My choice would be not to be equal 3rd from bottom of the football league.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Some people are daft enough to think Joe Hutchinson identifies players, negotiates the deal & signs the player for the head coach to get a tune out of, but that supports their “anti” narrative whether that’s anti, Joe, Hurst, data, change etc. etc.. makes me smile that.

Joe Hutchinson's Black and White Army.

Quoted from pizzzza

Basically what those of a certain age would call "Chief Scout" then. Mystery solved.

With a lap top instead of a pen paper & for those old enough to remember a Rothmans year book.