133,163 views of the cart, but what about the horse?

[Half fan]

Are we once again putting the cart before the horse - by worrying about the cart before a rather lame horse has been seen to?

Any manager (the cart) in any organisation is only as good as the environment in which he works (the horse which pulls it along.)

Our horse isn't knackered, but may I suggest why it's lame - by discussing the three essentials for a healthy organisational environment?

1 Have a clear objective.

We are off to a bad start, are we not? Is our objective to achieve promotion (as PC apparently believed) or to play the Derby Way (as he was sacked for not doing) or to reach the play-offs (as DW received plaudits for achieving)? I suspect many fans (and some players) are as confused as the troops of the Grand Old Duke of York. It surely cannot help the search for consistency if the location of the goalposts is unclear.

2 To achieve the objective, have a clear strategy which all stakeholders can respect. (By stakeholders, I mean players, all other employees, season-ticket holders and other paying fans.)

Now things get even worse.

We speculate that our strategy is the Derby Way, and that this means fast forward-flowing football on the ground, played by at least a sprinkling of Academy players.

However, even if this is an accurate explanation of our strategy, it is not – as it needs to be – clearly understood  - let alone complete or competitively unique. A number of teams profess to pursue this Derby Way, so it is difficult for stakeholders to own it and take pride in it. Worse still, there is lots of uncertainty about what is meant by the Derby Way, to the extent that it has become a joke – as in “another cock up, it’s the Derby Way”.

I suggest a strategy needs to embody a unique combination of elements which embraces all the resources of DCFC such as:

• On the pitch: skill, speed of thought and movement, and a passion which is consistently committed by a balance of purchased experience and home-grown stars.
• Behind the pitch: world class training and fitness resources in equipment and staffing (which thanks to Mel we can afford).
• Off the pitch: a clear management structure with defined delegated responsibilities, manned by people who understand their key tasks and have the skills and support needed to implement the strategy in the people-orientated environment which only the Chairman can create.
• Around the pitch: a stadium which houses supporters who constitute one of the highest ratio of 'supporters to population' in the UK, with a consequently commensurate passion for our club and an understandable belief that we should be in the Premier League. Maximise this by facilitating a Baseball Ground atmosphere (e.g. by devoting all the South Stand to home supporters and removing the pointless seats there (if legal) and giving Happy Clappers to the mute West Stand).

Whether or not this is the right strategy, it is crystal clear and one which all stakeholders can get behind. It is no laughing matter, and any stakeholder who does not understand or subscribe to it, can – to be blunt -  naff off. “Don’t join DCFC in any role unless you believe in it and will play your part to implement it 24/7”. In other words, it helps achieve pride, belief and thereby consistency.

3 To deliver the strategy, have a clear modus operandi and supportive culture.

Now things get worse still. I focus merely on delivering the “Off the pitch” part of the strategy because I believe this is where it has all gone wrong for the past year. Here’s why.

• Schteve was initially a superb coach. He did an incredible job in getting players to raise their game and pull together, supplemented by loan signings which we were privileged to watch. Halcyon days. But he was never appointed as the Manager. This was probably the right decision given his tactical failings when the competitors sussed us out. But in which case, who WAS the Manager? Why was he not assisted by someone respected by all to have the necessary skills?
• Schteve then succumbed to the siren calls from Newcastle. But he was not solely to blame. The Board allowed this slow-motion car crash to unfold for months before our eyes, instead of managing it decisively. It was bad enough for the fans, and subsequent results showed what adverse impact it must have had on the players.
• PC was at best a brave appointment. One wonders how clearly and appropriately the criteria were set, against which he was selected. He’d never been alone in the limelight before. And his success in coaching was all with players far more skilled (and allegedly far harder working) than those at Derby. And once again he was not appointed as Manager – once again with no one above him to supply the experience he so obviously lacked. So the organisational environment in which he had to learn his trade was not good enough. Another, albeit rather faster, car crash ensued, with the novice driver allegedly pointing the car in a direction with which the back-seat driver did not agree!  For whom was he working, the Chairman or the CEO, and why was he allowed to pursue the wrong route for so long? Unbelievable really, in that again the Coach’s failure was not entirely the Coach’s fault.
• And where was the clear-cut delegated authority which is so necessary for employees to see in their ‘boss’, if they are to do what he says and respect him? It surely went out of the window when the Chairman walked through the dressing room door. Even the CEO was no longer deemed capable of writing to supporters to encourage them to renew their season tickets. If a CEO is no longer clearly seen to be responsible for maximising the revenue from his customers, can he possibly have the necessary status to perform as CEO?

Which all begs two questions. First, is the Chairman non-executive or executive? On the evidence, he is executive. On the track record, should he instead be non-executive and allow his executives to execute? Second, is the boss on the field the Coach or the Manager? On the evidence, he is merely the Coach with someone else fulfilling some essential aspects of a Manager's role.

The answers to these two questions will surely determine who is appointed as the field boss.

And whoever he is, how fit is the organisational environment to help him perform? I suggest it is lame rather than fit!

Vet please!

[SaintRam]

 

[Howard Canitbé]

6 minutes ago, SaintRam said:

 

Excellent use of a Doctor Who gif. 10/10, sir.

As for the OP, I would read now but I'm afraid I have limited time currently. 

[G STAR RAM]

Whilst I understand the post, just because we as fans do not know all of the answers, it does not mean that things are not being run correctly behind the scenes. I very much doubt someone as successful as MM does not know how to run a business.

I also think a lot of the points you raise have been answered many times but for some reason, many just choose to ignore the explanations.

Maybe sometime soon would be a good opportunity for MM to sit down with some supporters and say how, if anything, has changed since his last meeting.

[SaintRam]

2 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

Whilst I understand the post, just because we as fans do not know all of the answers, it does not mean that things are not being run correctly behind the scenes. I very much doubt someone as successful as MM does not know how to run a business.

I also think a lot of the points you raise have been answered many times but for some reason, many just choose to ignore the explanations.

Maybe sometime soon would be a good opportunity for MM to sit down with some supporters and say how, if anything, has changed since his last meeting.

Absolutely right.

[Wolfie]

Here we go again. Just because you don't know and/or understand the objectives and strategies, you assume that nobody at DCFC does.

[Wolfie]

11 minutes ago, SaintRam said:

 

Bravo. Perfectly summed up my thoughts.

[Tamworthram]

Sorry almost lost the will to live half way through the original rant.

Surely you could have squeezed in a few more bits of business jargon to make the post "appear" more sensible. 

[DRBee]

7 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

Whilst I understand the post, just because we as fans do not know all of the answers, it does not mean that things are not being run correctly behind the scenes. I very much doubt someone as successful as MM does not know how to run a business.

I also think a lot of the points you raise have been answered many times but for some reason, many just choose to ignore the explanations.

Maybe sometime soon would be a good opportunity for MM to sit down with some supporters and say how, if anything, has changed since his last meeting.

Why not show  all fans the courtesy of some communication  ( email to season ticket holders for example) rather than a small sect?

[mwram1973]

16 minutes ago, SaintRam said:

 

CHOO TALKIN BOUT WILLIS

[Zurich Ram]

Also the presupposition that Clement was sacked for footballing reasons.........really, do people still believe that?

[G STAR RAM]

9 minutes ago, DRBee said:

Why not show  all fans the courtesy of some communication  ( email to season ticket holders for example) rather than a small sect?

Fair point but I'm sure there are season ticket holders who don't have e-mail, don't watch tv or don't listen to Radio Derby etc 

Plus I'm sure if the communication was done that way, some would refer to him as a dictator feeding us bs without anyone having the chance to respond or ask questions.

Maybe a big fans forum is a good idea but I think them sort of events give state to people using the sort of bravado they would not use in a more intimate environment and can quickly descend into nonesense.

Just my thoughts. Maybe @Daveo could contact him to see if he would be willing to do another session sometime soon?

 

[G STAR RAM]

3 minutes ago, Zurich Ram said:

Also the presupposition that Clement was sacked for footballing reasons.........really, do people still believe that?

I think I'm the absence of any other verified evidence, it's safe to assume this yes.

[Rampage]

If Pearson becomes manager and one of his players goes missing during a game, a conversation may go like this:

Q1. You went missing this afternoon .......... Are you injured? - No.    

Q2. What is your excuse?  I have not got one. 

Q3. Do you want to leave as soon as possible or do you want one more chance? There is no room for 'balloon heads' here. We are going for promotion this season. Duh

I would like Pearson to get the job and to get some interview technique training. He will get us promoted, which is what I want. You cannot have everything from a manager, but promotion is high on my list.

[Lokidoki]

1 hour ago, G STAR RAM said:

I think I'm the absence of any other verified evidence, it's safe to assume this yes.

Well you must be one of the only believers. I have said this in other threads - if it was for footballing reasons why not bring in 'Arry sooner but to help PC? 

[jagerbob]

36 minutes ago, Lokidoki said:

Well you must be one of the only believers. I have said this in other threads - if it was for footballing reasons why not bring in 'Arry sooner but to help PC? 

If it WASNT for footballing reasons the national press would have been all over it.

The fact whenever any rams fans see a player or manager leave slightly unexpectidly or not to their liking, they feel the need to ressurect the same nonsense wife shagging story.

In this rare care this sort of thing did happen in the John Terry/Wayne Bridge case

Or Perhaps the Ryan Giggs story with this brother, then like I said the press was all over it.

 

If Sam Rush says the dismissal was cateogrically for footballing reasons, I believe him over some unimaginative fans who cant get their story right and constantly change it.

[G STAR RAM]

29 minutes ago, Lokidoki said:

Well you must be one of the only believers. I have said this in other threads - if it was for footballing reasons why not bring in 'Arry sooner but to help PC? 

Really? I'm not aware of many that think it is for any other than the footballing reasons given by MM.

Sure there are the usual rumours flying around that he slept with people (you know the rumour that comes out anytime someone leaves the club) but in a city this big surely if they were true the stories would be a bit more widespread. There are a couple of obviously well connected posters on here, and none of them have posted anything.

The reason PC was sacked was not due to underperforming in his role per se but due to refusing to realign his philosophy to that which the club wanted him to follow, not sure that bringing Harry in would change that.

[ketteringram]

@half fan 

I'm West stand. I'm not mute. Come and issue me with a happy clapper, and see how you get on. 

[Mostyn6]

PC was sacked cos his objective was to be a established PL manager, and not to establish Derby as a PL team. He wanted the promotion and thought he was better than Derby.

[bigbadbob]

3 hours ago, Half fan said:

Are we once again putting the cart before the horse - by worrying about the cart before a rather lame horse has been seen to?

Any manager (the cart) in any organisation is only as good as the environment in which he works (the horse which pulls it along.)

Our horse isn't knackered, but may I suggest why it's lame - by discussing the three essentials for a healthy organisational environment?

1 Have a clear objective.

We are off to a bad start, are we not? Is our objective to achieve promotion (as PC apparently believed) or to play the Derby Way (as he was sacked for not doing) or to reach the play-offs (as DW received plaudits for achieving)? I suspect many fans (and some players) are as confused as the troops of the Grand Old Duke of York. It surely cannot help the search for consistency if the location of the goalposts is unclear.

2 To achieve the objective, have a clear strategy which all stakeholders can respect. (By stakeholders, I mean players, all other employees, season-ticket holders and other paying fans.)

Now things get even worse.

We speculate that our strategy is the Derby Way, and that this means fast forward-flowing football on the ground, played by at least a sprinkling of Academy players.

However, even if this is an accurate explanation of our strategy, it is not – as it needs to be – clearly understood  - let alone complete or competitively unique. A number of teams profess to pursue this Derby Way, so it is difficult for stakeholders to own it and take pride in it. Worse still, there is lots of uncertainty about what is meant by the Derby Way, to the extent that it has become a joke – as in “another cock up, it’s the Derby Way”.

I suggest a strategy needs to embody a unique combination of elements which embraces all the resources of DCFC such as:

• On the pitch: skill, speed of thought and movement, and a passion which is consistently committed by a balance of purchased experience and home-grown stars.
• Behind the pitch: world class training and fitness resources in equipment and staffing (which thanks to Mel we can afford).
• Off the pitch: a clear management structure with defined delegated responsibilities, manned by people who understand their key tasks and have the skills and support needed to implement the strategy in the people-orientated environment which only the Chairman can create.
• Around the pitch: a stadium which houses supporters who constitute one of the highest ratio of 'supporters to population' in the UK, with a consequently commensurate passion for our club and an understandable belief that we should be in the Premier League. Maximise this by facilitating a Baseball Ground atmosphere (e.g. by devoting all the South Stand to home supporters and removing the pointless seats there (if legal) and giving Happy Clappers to the mute West Stand).

Whether or not this is the right strategy, it is crystal clear and one which all stakeholders can get behind. It is no laughing matter, and any stakeholder who does not understand or subscribe to it, can – to be blunt -  naff off. “Don’t join DCFC in any role unless you believe in it and will play your part to implement it 24/7”. In other words, it helps achieve pride, belief and thereby consistency.

3 To deliver the strategy, have a clear modus operandi and supportive culture.

Now things get worse still. I focus merely on delivering the “Off the pitch” part of the strategy because I believe this is where it has all gone wrong for the past year. Here’s why.

• Schteve was initially a superb coach. He did an incredible job in getting players to raise their game and pull together, supplemented by loan signings which we were privileged to watch. Halcyon days. But he was never appointed as the Manager. This was probably the right decision given his tactical failings when the competitors sussed us out. But in which case, who WAS the Manager? Why was he not assisted by someone respected by all to have the necessary skills?
• Schteve then succumbed to the siren calls from Newcastle. But he was not solely to blame. The Board allowed this slow-motion car crash to unfold for months before our eyes, instead of managing it decisively. It was bad enough for the fans, and subsequent results showed what adverse impact it must have had on the players.
• PC was at best a brave appointment. One wonders how clearly and appropriately the criteria were set, against which he was selected. He’d never been alone in the limelight before. And his success in coaching was all with players far more skilled (and allegedly far harder working) than those at Derby. And once again he was not appointed as Manager – once again with no one above him to supply the experience he so obviously lacked. So the organisational environment in which he had to learn his trade was not good enough. Another, albeit rather faster, car crash ensued, with the novice driver allegedly pointing the car in a direction with which the back-seat driver did not agree!  For whom was he working, the Chairman or the CEO, and why was he allowed to pursue the wrong route for so long? Unbelievable really, in that again the Coach’s failure was not entirely the Coach’s fault.
• And where was the clear-cut delegated authority which is so necessary for employees to see in their ‘boss’, if they are to do what he says and respect him? It surely went out of the window when the Chairman walked through the dressing room door. Even the CEO was no longer deemed capable of writing to supporters to encourage them to renew their season tickets. If a CEO is no longer clearly seen to be responsible for maximising the revenue from his customers, can he possibly have the necessary status to perform as CEO?

Which all begs two questions. First, is the Chairman non-executive or executive? On the evidence, he is executive. On the track record, should he instead be non-executive and allow his executives to execute? Second, is the boss on the field the Coach or the Manager? On the evidence, he is merely the Coach with someone else fulfilling some essential aspects of a Manager's role.

The answers to these two questions will surely determine who is appointed as the field boss.

And whoever he is, how fit is the organisational environment to help him perform? I suggest it is lame rather than fit!

Vet please!

Feck that