Mel interview with local media

[Day]

Following on from his in-depth interview in The Ram at our last home game of the season, Derby County Chairman Mel Morris sat down with the local media at Pride Park Stadium.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the dismissal of President & Chief Executive Sam Rush the Chairman discussed a number of topics, including Rush’s departure, composition of The Board and provided a message to the supporters ahead of the summer. 

Here’s the interview in full… 

First of all Mel, could you please explain for us why you made the decision to sack Sam Rush?

The decision came at the back end of a process that went on for about two and a half to three weeks. Often, in my businesses, I form a review. This one was a review of our financial and contract records in the business to reconcile pretty much everything that we had seen from a financial perspective, tying it back to the contracts relating to them. 

You released a very strong statement - gross misconduct and breach of fiduciary duty – what does that mean in layman’s terms?

Layman’s terms is difficult. Fiduciary has a specific meaning. It is the process of someone looking after the interests of a company, making sure things are done in the best interests of the company. 

There has been accusations and speculation in the national press that it relates to Sam Rush’s former role with Wasserman Media Group. Is that accurate?

No, I don’t think it is. Again, we are still investigating, but I don’t think that is the case. 

How surprised are you to find yourself in this situation with regards to Sam Rush?

I’m shocked. 

Based on your relationship with him over the last few years?

We’ve had a tremendous relationship, no question in my view. Characterised, it’s a friendship. A strong friendship. 

In terms of the role, will you look to replace him and appoint a new Chief Executive?

Not in the short term. I think the important thing is that we have a period now stabilising things. We want to try and get the culture of the club defined; something that I think is urgent to do. That is going to include all the executives, myself and of course Gary Rowett on the football side and Darren Wassall in the Academy. Everyone is really excited about trying to get that done. 

One of the other things that has been talked about in the media is an FA investigation into the club. Are you aware of that and what can you tell us about that?

Yes, I am, but I am not at liberty to talk about it at this point. 

The speculation relates to an individual working in the Academy. Is that individual still there, is that situation ongoing?

Yes, the individual is still here and still working in the Academy. The situation arisen there no longer exists because the individual no longer has a relationship with the third party. 

Are you waiting to hear conclusions from the Football Association? Is that your understanding?

No. The request from the FA was purely an investigation, just an inquiry into information regarding the relationship - which has now been terminated. 

You have appointed two new directors. Will you appoint more to the board? What’s your thinking for the structure moving forward?

I am taking some advice on the board structure. I anticipate that we will be adding some additional board members in due course. 

It is something that you have talked about before, is it just something that fell down the pecking order to do?

We have talked about it before. The concept that we’ve operated with was that we felt we had a very strong chief executive and a very strong executive team. We began very much running the process with the executive team helping with all the decisions. Originally that was quite a larger group and got reduced about 18 months ago. Most of the key decisions really, in terms of the running of the business, have been handled by the execs and myself collectively. 

How involved are you day to day with the business and will what has happened change your level of involvement?

Typically I had about half to one day a week involved in the football. That includes mainly the stadium, I would say at the Training Centre I am probably there half a day probably something like every four or five weeks. In the stadium I am there probably there for half a day or so every week. That will change, because obviously we don’t have a chief executive. In the short term I will be working closely with the execs to make sure nothing is left uncovered and that we are managing the process properly. But, at the moment, we don’t feel it is the right time to begin the search for a replacement. 

Given what has happened, do you regret not being more involved and not being more hands on?

Yes, I do. 

Is there any way that you could have anticipated the situation?

I think it’s very difficult to answer that. I think the answer is I don’t think there’s any way we could have anticipated this. 

Sam Rush has responded with a statement of his own and said the matter is with his lawyers. What do you think the next step will be?

I think it’s inevitable, obviously, in the situation like this Sam has every right to defend his position. I anticipate this will end up in the courts and we’re relishing that opportunity. 
  
Would you welcome that because often supporters certainly feel that they never hear the full story of things that happen in football?

I think the nature of what we’re looking at and how we’re dealing with it is, particularly given the fact that these are very serious allegations that we’ve made, we know it will end up in court. I think fans will get the benefit of full disclosure in the fullness of time. 

This season, you are on your third manager and you’ve lost a chief executive. There have been changes in the recruitment department as well. It doesn’t look as if the club is stable or dare I say heading in a certain direction. How do you respond to that?

I say the season has been a disaster in many ways. I take responsibility along with the execs and indeed the footballing side of the house for that failure. I think we’re at a much better point in time today. I think we have a terrific young manager on board. I think already we’re seeing the benefits of his approach and his openness to work with the rest of the organisation is proving to be really, really helpful. I am excited about next season. It might sound strange that I don’t see next season as a continuation of what’s gone before; I see it as a new start. 

Do you have regrets about the way you’ve run the club so far?

Run the club I haven’t because as a non-executive chairman you’re not here every day to run the club. You’re here literally half a day some weeks, a day a week other weeks. So, in terms of running the club, it’s very difficult in that amount of time to say you’re ever doing that, particularly when you have a full-time chief executive on board. But, in terms of am I happy with the way, collectively, let’s say, we run the club – I think we have a lot of things to improve. 

Finally, what would you say to supporters as we head into the summer?

Look, try not to speculate on what’s happening at the moment and look towards the playing side of the house. With Gary on board, he has now a very free hand to sort out the recruitment changes he wants to make in the squad. It’s entirely down to him. He has some very specific budgetary guidelines that he knows about and comfortable with. I think for the fans it’s a question of looking forward to next season and the next question would probably be, what would our expectation be?

http://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/mel-morris-interview-3709192.aspx#BZgECJ20At83jpI0.99

[WestLondonRam]

 

Quote

very specific budgetary guidelines

That is a little worrying, Not the fact we have a Tight Budget but the fact Mel is pointing towards the fact us fans shouldn't get over excited... 

Maybe I'm reading it out of context?

[Wolfie]

7 minutes ago, WestLondonRam said:

 

That is a little worrying, Not the fact we have a Tight Budget but the fact Mel is pointing towards the fact us fans shouldn't get over excited... 

Maybe I'm reading it out of context?

It doesn't say that. It may be true but all it could be a budget of £5m or £30m and we won't know which until the deals start happening.

You've said "fact" 3 times but none of them are, as far as that article goes.

[Nuwtfly]

Some notions of apology and humility here from Chairman Mel. About time. 

[Day]

I think it's also worrying how little time Mel spends at the training ground, when picking the team I feel he should be there at least 5 days a week watching training, seeing how the players interact with each other on and off the pitch, going over drone footage.

I would also be worried if anyone takes this post seriously which despite this disclaimer they probably will do still.

[nottingram]

2 minutes ago, David said:

I think it's also worrying how little time Mel spends at the training ground, when picking the team I feel he should be there at least 5 days a week watching training, seeing how the players interact with each other on and off the pitch, going over drone footage.

I would also be worried if anyone takes this post seriously which despite this disclaimer they probably will do still.

What do you think the drones are for?

[Day]

3 minutes ago, nottingram said:

What do you think the drones are for?

I think it's important that places like North Korea and Moor Farm have military options available to them for self defence purposes. 

[Mafiabob]

Some notions of responsibility and  humility...... glad he has responded. Now, Mr Morris...... knuckle down and get us going again off the pitch and let Rowett get on with his work.

I really hope we don't see another interview in a years time basically apologising again. 

[G STAR RAM]

10 minutes ago, Nuwtfly said:

Some notions of apology and humility here from Chairman Mel. About time. 

Agreed. We've been waiting too long for him to apologise for deliberately wasting the £50m he has put into the club.

[Gypsy Ram]

12 minutes ago, David said:

I think it's also worrying how little time Mel spends at the training ground, when picking the team I feel he should be there at least 5 days a week watching training, seeing how the players interact with each other on and off the pitch, going over drone footage.

I would also be worried if anyone takes this post seriously which despite this disclaimer they probably will do still.

But that's why he has drones he controls through his apps on his phone.

[G STAR RAM]

One thing I did not like about the interview is how he seems to be telling the fans just to concentrate on the football and ignore everything else, whilst mentioning that he is relishing taking SR to court.

If MM is going to be acting as CEO I would have thought he would want to be concentrating all of his efforts in helping GR get it right on the pitch.

The assets/liabilities of the 'company' may be Mel's but the name Derby County belongs to its fans and the wider community and, personally, I hope the name is not dragged through some court process.

[Anon]

Some decent questions in there. Mel talks a good game. If I were to base my opinion of him as a chairman solely on what I hear and read I'd be delighted. Unfortunately I disagree with the majority of the decisions he makes.

[Van der MoodHoover]

Just now, David said:

I think it's also worrying how little time Mel spends at the training ground, when picking the team I feel he should be there at least 5 days a week watching training, seeing how the players interact with each other on and off the pitch, going over drone footage.

I would also be worried if anyone takes this post seriously which despite this disclaimer they probably will do still.

Not been in the dressing room for a while neither.

Too hands off for my liking 

[Rev]

Not sure I'd like a friend who relished taking me to court.

[archied]

Not a chance that us fans will stop speculating on the rush issue ???? It's very clear though that mel believes he is in a strong position and can prove gross misconduct accusation , 

the inference I ( rightly or wrongly) take from the interview as a whole is that mel feels he has not been hands on enough in terms of running the club and the vibe I pick up is that rowett is his pick / trusted man to run the football side of the club and recruitment choices in terms of players in and out whilst mel takes on the Sam rush role .

im hoping this structure works and we can start to progress as a club because no matter how much I like the fact we have a rich passionate fan as owner I can't deny that we have become bogged down in controversy , confusion and lost our way in terms of direction and stability , we do appear to be lurching from one controversy to another that is overshadowing the playing side of things and the fans are certainly confused and concerned with what is going on at the club

[RadioactiveWaste]

Good interview.

Strikes me as he trusted Rush an awful lot and that has bitten him. I'm interested in what's gone on and the court proceeding will be fascinating (if it comes to that)

I dont think he wants to go full on CEO but is taking it on as his responsibility until he finds a CEO he can trust.

As for the budget, I'm sure it came out before that we have to meet FFP and wed like to trim the wage bill.

 

[Gypsy Ram]

2 minutes ago, reveldevil said:

Not sure I'd like a friend who relished taking me to court.

He should just stop talking or get a better pr person because the more I read our hear from him I dislike him more.

[Van der MoodHoover]

As was discussed in the Where is Sam thread,  legal proceedings were Sams only recourse to remove the charges against him and gain anything like the level of compensation he will think he's due.

Mel clearly thinks that he's on solid ground. Always a chance that they settle out of court to avoid costs.

[cosmic]

15 minutes ago, reveldevil said:

Not sure I'd like a friend who relished taking me to court.

 

11 minutes ago, Gypsy Ram said:

He should just stop talking or get a better pr person because the more I read our hear from him I dislike him more.

I was going to highlight this.

"I anticipate this will end up in the courts and we’re relishing that opportunity."

Who talks like this? Was that sort of passive aggression needed?  Great questions, and I'm glad Mel has bothered to answer them, he has my support, but sometimes he comes off like a complete bell. I can see why there have been reports of him clashing with staff.

[ilkleyram]

45 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

One thing I did not like about the interview is how he seems to be telling the fans just to concentrate on the football and ignore everything else, whilst mentioning that he is relishing taking SR to court.

If MM is going to be acting as CEO I would have thought he would want to be concentrating all of his efforts in helping GR get it right on the pitch.

The assets/liabilities of the 'company' may be Mel's but the name Derby County belongs to its fans and the wider community and, personally, I hope the name is not dragged through some court process.

It would be a bit more worrying if he wasn't relishing going to court because he had no case to support his actions. 

A positioning statement I would have thought.