Pat Murphy on Mel Morris

[TuffLuff]

To me I don't think I need him to come out and address rumours and the such. What I would like from Morris is to come out on Radio Derby or the Evening Telegraph and have an interview about what he sees the future for DCFC. Also why he thinks it's gone wrong this season. I think part of the problem is there is no real link from owners to fans and therefore he doesn't seem to be 'one of us'. A selected fan forum where the only write up is on one blog is not helpful to a lot of fans who might not be able to access it and only makes this problem worse. 

[Mafiabob]

If Morris had ever come out and said "yes" I've got it wrong to any ONE of the appointments he made I would have a ton more respect for him, even though I disagree with some of his actions.

Touch of humility doesn't hurt anybody. 

Like I've said with every appointment made..... I really hope it's the right one and it starts working.

But I dread to say that we see otherwise everytime something goes awry.....

 

[Day]

1 hour ago, cheron85 said:

There was a piece of research done by one of the rail companies a few years ago (not southern, but don't remember who) where they decided to start giving a full and detailed explanation to passengers every time there was a delay... Saw a 90% reduction in complaints just because people are much more reasonable when they understand the reasoning - Even if they don't agree with it just knowing there is a proper reason stops speculation into some ulterior motive

I think it'd be useful to get a little more clarity on why each of the managers has been let go and who has been suggesting and making signings - People might not agree with the reasons but at least we'd have them. Still not sure why Clement was let go, still not sure on who chose any of his signings, fairly sure why Pearson was let go but who made decisions on ins and outs under him, who decided on bringing McClaren back and why was he dumped so hard again? Was he given money to spend in Jan or was he genuinely having faith in the squad that then let him down?

I think this shows how much football has changed, not disagreeing with you but casting my mind back to the days where all your information came from the back page of the DET. Now we expect every gory detail to be out in the public domain so fans raise their thumbs in approval.

We even have fans that download the clubs financial accounts and go through them trying to spot anything that should raise concerns, the mortgage on the stadium, sponsorship money received, the thirst for knowledge is insane, no longer is it just a 90 minute game at the weekend, we spend the entire week on forums, social media, tearing the club apart with our expert knowledge, fighting for internet points to be ITK.

Sure it would be nice to know all the ins and outs behind each sacking but we have to understand a public mud slinging contest isn't the best for either parties, frustrating it may be. 

How do other clubs communicate with their fans the reasons behind the sackings? Are we expecting too much detail?

Derby as a club are moving forward with the times and making steps to communicate better with the fans, don't get me wrong they still have a long way to go in my opinion, I have been openly critical of the supporters committee recently, the idea is great, execution not so, they have gone from monthly to every 6 weeks and now 4 a year, not once have the minutes been publicly released and a week on from the last and one article so far. Stand outside PP on a Saturday and survey fans, I bet a large percentage do not know this even takes place, has it even been mentioned in the matchday programme? 

They do have a tendency to go quiet when results are not going our way and come out all smiles when things are rosy, if they don't want to be seen as serving spin and PR BS that needs addressing. Monday night, 1hr on Radio Derby, put your tin hats on and let fans fire questions. Take the rough with the smooth.

Pub tours were spoke about back in October, we're almost in April yet still no confirmation.

I don't want to bash the club too much, as I said they are taking steps to move the club forward and I'm personally grateful to the club for working with DCFC Fans and I do think we are lucky compared to other clubs, take Wigan for example, they are heading towards League 1 and charging fans for a Q&A with the chairman and manager!

[Nuwtfly]

13 minutes ago, David said:

 

They do have a tendency to go quiet when results are not going our way and come out all smiles when things are rosy, if they don't want to be seen as serving spin and PR that needs addressing. Monday night, 1hr on Radio Derby, put your tin hats on and let fans fire questions. Take the rough with the smooth.

 

Yes please, @OwenB87 - and no Sam Rush this time. Mel Morris. Sportscene special. You'll have callers falling out of your bobble hat! 

[Angry Ram]

6 hours ago, Alpha said:

Mel set Clement an objective and then backed him financially. He didn't stop him buying anyone because of the "no excuses policy"

It was down to Clement to select the right players to meet his objective

So Mel has failed to meet his objective as he has consistently failed in his appointment of managers. 

Don't answer that I am only pulling your chain.. 

I have no idea if he is watching DVD's with the manager and players, aint got a clue, don't really care... There will always be misinformation and the truth will lie in the middle somewhere. I am prepared to  put the last few years behind us and lets regroup and go again. If he is as good as some think, he will be aware of his failings and hopefully not make the same mistake again.

Yes, I have scratched my head at some of his decisions but in his defense, making no decision is sometimes the worse option. He made some bad calls but has tried to put them right.

 

[Owen87ITK]

9 minutes ago, Nuwtfly said:

Yes please, @OwenB87 - and no Sam Rush this time. Mel Morris. Sportscene special. You'll have callers falling out of your bobble hat! 

You say this like we never ask. And we do. All the time.

Funnily enough another interview request went in just this morning. 

[DerbyMark]

7 hours ago, David said:

McClaren, coaching team and players have never watched games round Mel's house.

Does not receive or send regular texts to the players, 

This post rings truer with me than what Pat Murphy say's.

Yes he's a good and well respected journo, but I'm always a bit sceptical whenever he's tripped out by 5 Live to comment on the latest sacking at a club in this region and he appear's to know all the in's and out's and going's on at each club, from boardroom to dressing room!

I don't doubt he does his homework, and some of it may have some foundation, but like all journalists his principal interest is in gaining a story, the more controversial a story the better..

I'm keeping an open mind on this one, because I don't know the true facts anymore than I believe our overnight 'Mr Derby County expert' Pat Murphy does.

[Angry Ram]

13 minutes ago, OwenB87 said:

You say this like we never ask. And we do. All the time.

Funnily enough another interview request went in just this morning. 

I do a good impression, Derrick will never know when he calls in..

 

You're fired by the way 

 

Do I get the gig?

[Alph]

23 minutes ago, Angry Ram said:

So Mel has failed to meet his objective as he has consistently failed in his appointment of managers. 

Don't answer that I am only pulling your chain.. 

I have no idea if he is watching DVD's with the manager and players, aint got a clue, don't really care... There will always be misinformation and the truth will lie in the middle somewhere. I am prepared to  put the last few years behind us and lets regroup and go again. If he is as good as some think, he will be aware of his failings and hopefully not make the same mistake again.

Yes, I have scratched my head at some of his decisions but in his defense, making no decision is sometimes the worse option. He made some bad calls but has tried to put them right.

 

Agree 100%. 

Manager-wise the only appointment I've been happy with is Mac 2. 

We're on this train until it stops. 

[cheron85]

49 minutes ago, David said:

I think this shows how much football has changed, not disagreeing with you but casting my mind back to the days where all your information came from the back page of the DET. Now we expect every gory detail to be out in the public domain so fans raise their thumbs in approval.

- - - - - - 

How do other clubs communicate with their fans the reasons behind the sackings? Are we expecting too much detail?

- - - - - -

Derby as a club are moving forward with the times and making steps to communicate better with the fans, don't get me wrong they still have a long way to go in my opinion

This is the problem for me... Football clubs are backwards in almost all the ways they operate... I think it's a fairly bold step to have hired an actual sports journo to handle their 'front of house' but the communications team is still DREADFULLY run (I work in communications so it particularly annoys me)... We do seem to be operating better than a lot of clubs in that respect but at the same time that's comparing a two year old taking their first swing at a football with a seasoned pro...

[EnigmaRam]

28 minutes ago, Alpha said:

Agree 100%. 

Manager-wise the only appointment I've been happy with is Mac 2. 

We're on this train until it stops. 

I'd say the only one I've been happy with is the latest one as all the others have been failures for one reason or another ?

[i-Ram]

7 hours ago, David said:

McClaren, coaching team and players have never watched games round Mel's house.

Does not receive or send regular texts to the players, 

Did Mel tell you this when you were round his house watching videos, or did he confirm it in one of his daily texts to you 

[Sith Happens]

1 hour ago, i-Ram said:

Did Mel tell you this when you were round his house watching videos, or did he confirm it in one of his daily texts to you 

Well its a good thing he didnt have to invite Paul Jewell round to watch a DVD of his weekend performance.

[Gritstone Ram]

Tbh the contractors where I work have KPI targets which they fail to meet on a regular basis. I wish the hierarchy where I work had the knackers to **** them off.

[TomBustler1884]

I think we will see a big q&a by the end of the season, it's in the minutes which have been released. The club wouldn't release them if they didn't want to be held to account on them.

[Alph]

3 hours ago, EnigmaRam said:

I'd say the only one I've been happy with is the latest one as all the others have been failures for one reason or another ?

I don't think any of them were given enough time

Even that complete knobber Pearson who, for me, was the worst managerial appointment of my time watching Derby. Knowing I'd have to support and sing his name... blah! 

Nigel Clough gets a lot of praise for the team he built but he had 5 years to build that. He got through dozens and dozens of poor players. 

Mac wasn't a failure imo. He was the first to give us a winning season for years. He also gave us our two highest finishes since Billy. He got more points than Billy. He set modern club records. 

Then nobody else got much time. Clement had what? 1 transfer window and he was a rookie. Why hire a rookie and not give him time?

Wassall imo completed his objective but didn't get the gig. 

Pearson was a disaster but he wasn't brought in to build on what was here already surely? Not with his history. But he wasn't given 10 league matches. 

Mac 2. Brought back to what? Get us away from relegation? Did it. Rebuild what we had? In a few months while the campaign is already under way? With 1 transfer window that's notorious for inflated prices. He got until March.... wow.

I can hear the reasons for them all being sacked. Mel told us quite in depth about Mac 1 and Clement at the meetings. I can see his reasons but I don't agree with them tbh. 

He's impatient. He wants a lot in quite a short space of time. Not many men are going to be able to deliver what he wants.

A constant rising tide of performance based on good attacking football with youth players breaking into the team. And no blips apparently. 

Good luck. If he hasn't lowered his demands then Rowett won't see out his contract. As with any manager... they all hit blips. 

Rowett doesn't have a record that even fits us. Not that I'll be calling for his head. Give someone time.

[Rev]

56 minutes ago, Alpha said:

I don't think any of them were given enough time

Even that complete knobber Pearson who, for me, was the worst managerial appointment of my time watching Derby. Knowing I'd have to support and sing his name... blah! 

Nigel Clough gets a lot of praise for the team he built but he had 5 years to build that. He got through dozens and dozens of poor players. 

Mac wasn't a failure imo. He was the first to give us a winning season for years. He also gave us our two highest finishes since Billy. He got more points than Billy. He set modern club records. 

Then nobody else got much time. Clement had what? 1 transfer window and he was a rookie. Why hire a rookie and not give him time?

Wassall imo completed his objective but didn't get the gig. 

Pearson was a disaster but he wasn't brought in to build on what was here already surely? Not with his history. But he wasn't given 10 league matches. 

Mac 2. Brought back to what? Get us away from relegation? Did it. Rebuild what we had? In a few months while the campaign is already under way? With 1 transfer window that's notorious for inflated prices. He got until March.... wow.

I can hear the reasons for them all being sacked. Mel told us quite in depth about Mac 1 and Clement at the meetings. I can see his reasons but I don't agree with them tbh. 

He's impatient. He wants a lot in question short space of time. Not many men are going to be able to deliver what he wants.

A constant rising tide of performance based on good attacking football with youth players breaking into the team. And no blips apparently. 

Good luck. If he hasn't lowered his demands then Rowett won't see out his contract. As with any manager... they all hit blips. 

Rowett doesn't have a record that even fits us. Not that I'll be calling for his head. Give someone time.

Spot on, even though Pearson's football was hard to stomach, he didn't get the time necessary to prove himself one way or the other, still glad he went though.

All i hear is white noise, no definitive reason why a manager is sacked and a new one take his place, and now we have a new manager who's remit sounds scarily like Clough's, keep us competitive while trimming the wage bill.

I think GR is a good appointment, and has walked in to the job with his eyes wide open, but then again I've thought the same over all our recent appointments, only time will tell I suppose.

I don't think Mel's the monster commonly painted in the media, but this one really needs to stick to shake off the doubts.

[Chester40]

12 hours ago, EssendonRam said:

First, @Ewe Ram, I was in fact replying to a post which suggested that Mel Morris had erred perhaps by trying to introduce business principles in an otherwise-backward football environment.

I was merely pointing out that the aspects of his chairmanship over which he can be rightly criticised reflect precisely the opposite.

You're quite right that football is a more emotional 'business' than one which produces widgets or whatever; that is PRECISELY why it behoves the chairman of a football club NOT to make decisions on the same, emotional basis as a fan.

I'm quite happy to praise those aspects of Morris's chairmanship which I think he does well; the marketing and pre-game atmosphere around PPS is just one example.

I have also never doubted that Morris wants the best for our club. He's certainly stumped up cash more willingly than any previous Derby owner I can recall.

They're commendable and I credit him for them.

But the fact remains that Morris bought a club which was in the ascendant across most of its business as a result of a steady, concerted plan to rebuild the business from the depths of 2007-8. Nigel Clough was given 5 years to undo the excesses and build competitiveness on-field; albeit with huge constraints but the constraints were always known well ahead of time by him.

Morris, by contrast, has had "miscommunications" with Steve McClaren, Paul Clement and Nigel Pearson. He's appointed two long-term managers who've lasted (between them) less than two-thirds of a single season. He fostered an environment where players (and Academy heads) feel it is ok to undermine the work of the coaching staff.

By his own account, he could not explain how either Clement or McClaren weren't delivering what they were expected to deliver - I omit Pearson because there may've been legal reasons for his inability to adequately explain what took place.

Instead, he resorted to snide and cowardly carping knowing they could not respond.

Lastly - and I apologise for how directly I am going to say this - if you think that the emotion in football is adequate excuse for not laying out a detailed long-term strategy with measurable goals; for failing to have well-defined and strong lines of authority within the org structure of the club; and so many urgent (read panicked) changes in direction such that we - Derby - now have a team with at least 5 different 'creators' over 3 seasons, then I'm afraid you simply do not understand what it takes to be successful.

All very interesting...

But I really want to ask 'behoves'... is that suitable language for a forum? 

[Alph]

13 minutes ago, reveldevil said:

Spot on, even though Pearson's football was hard to stomach, he didn't get the time necessary to prove himself one way or the other, still glad he went though.

All i hear is white noise, no definitive reason why a manager is sacked and a new one take his place, and now we have a new manager who's remit sounds scarily like Clough's, keep us competitive while trimming the wage bill.

I think GR is a good appointment, and has walked in to the job with his eyes wide open, but then again I've thought the same over all our recent appointments, only time will tell I suppose.

I don't think Mel's the monster commonly painted in the media, but this one really needs to stick to shake off the doubts.

Yeah, thank God that Pearson did whatever he did because it gave a good excuse. He might go on to be a success next but here... it just did not fit. Ironic after what was said in his press conference on day 1.

Obviously you was at the first meeting and it was similar to the second. Mel gives his reasons and you can understand them. Always you can see that he's very very serious about making Derby a success. He isn't here to make money or even make friends. He's here to put Derby back on the radar of Man United and Liverpool. To make sure these teams acknowledge we exist! To command respect in domestic football again.

But that doesn't mean any of us would do things the way he has or agree with him.

To be honest I think he's ok with that. Or he said he is.

No way will he take people making stuff up though as we know. 

I really want us to love him. I really want him to enjoy his time with DCFC. But it's been a very turbulent start. It's a fiery relationship. 

Pleeeeaaaaase let us just steady the ship.

100% agree with you on Rowett too. It's like Clough all over again.

We really wasted that play off final squad. Not just Mel but all of us. Fans put too much pressure on. Mac tinkered too much. Mel got angry too quick. Even luck was against us with injuries. Since then everyone has continued down a bad path. What a football tragedy for Derby. 

 

[GerryDaly]

On 19/03/2017 at 15:11, Red Ram said:

Not sure if this has already been mentioned in other threads but have a listen to Pat Murphy on 5 Live Football Daily at 13 minutes and 9 seconds.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04ws8b5

He's talking in advance of Rowett's appointment and claims that

"Mel Morris's reputation is that of a meddler, prone to texting some influential players and fond of raking over the entrails of the last game on DVD last at night with the manager or coaching staff at his home"

Seriously hope this isn't true but Pat Murphy isn't usually far wrong. If (and I emphasise IF) it's true we've got big problems...

 

And why do we need this thread ??