Mladens transfers

Roberts didn't take a sporting director we knew what he was all about, DKD has been a good find Nwakali is decent, Gent isn't physically strong enough defensively, Seen nothing on Farrugia to suggest he's a top 6 wingback, Humphrys is absolutely attrocious, the goalkeeping situation is pantomime and the forward recruitment is appalling.
The fact remains we've regressed whichever way you look at it, league position, points, goals scored, goals conceeded and squad.
I'm not convinced Clarke is right but neither am I jumping up and down for his sacking.
Mladen stated last May in the chronicle they sacked Collins as he couldn't/wouldn't play the pressing style they wanted, tell me where that pressing front foot style of play is?

We've got the wrong appointment in Mladen Sormaz, it's a results business, do we get to the end of Augusts window and sack Mladen when we've had another failed window to try and rectify it in January 2026?
He's had 14 months and delivered nothing, there's been no progress whatsoever he's signed 2 players that are saleable assests.

 

You may well be right as I said the jury is out and I wouldn’t be mad if they did make a change. I’m not a huge cheerleader of his. My view is that it’s worth sticking with the current set up into the summer and then judge once they’ve had three windows including two summer transfer windows. I constantly feel like we’re chasing our tails and firefighting in summer windows which is when clubs do their best business. Obviously the hope would be that the stability helps us in a summer window. I said last night Mladen should front up to the local media and answer some questions, I’ve a feeling he’ll have to before season ticket renewal letters come out. On style of play no we don’t consistently press teams, Clarke seems to adjust to what he thinks is best suited to the opposition which I don’t mind tbh.

 

It's easy to be aware or know someone in a similar business space. I used to do plenty of business networking and see the same faces. Yet I didn't know them or work with them and wouldn't recommend them.

I'm just mindful loose association gets turned into gospel fact on here. Such as our owners being billionaires when they aren't.

 

Out of interest why do you think it’s Malden that’s the weak link? Is it based purely on the transfer dealings?
If so are any of us aware of his brief from the owners, has he been hamstrung by the owners in terms of funds/ambition? Is he just not very good?

In short why not the owners the people who appointed him, are in the right position to judge him, can change it if needed?
There is no grey area with them as the buck stops with them and them alone.

 

Fair enough mate, come across loads myself in my line of work, social engineering we call it, I am aware of what goes off

 

Because Mladen was brought in and given autonomy on transfers to a setout budget, he eluded in Jan that final sign-off is a quick process.
The owners identified him through his work through 777, Leicester and Huddersfield, he could enterpretate data that we previously couldn't, along with overseeing player recruitment he set out a game model and coaching methodology to be used throughout the club.
Whilst the owners set the budget, they are not involved in the day to day recruitment of players, this was also confirmed by JAQ.

 

The spotting might not be the issue; the budget might be i.e. we can't afford who he initially "spotted" so we end up with who we can afford. Personally, rather than going with 3rd, 4th, 5th or whatever choice, I'd use the academy players.

 

Then I'd argue he's awful at his job. He's paid to find attainable players not just unrealistic ones. Anyone can say Messi etc

 

Doesn't "attainable" encompass "those we can afford" though?

 

Yes but then why is he "spotting " ones we clearly can't.

 

in my opinion we need to get some physical scouts on the ground again - if someone had been and watched these signings in person clearly they would have seen they weren't an improvement on what we already had, and when scouts go around to games all the time they actually see traits that the spreadsheet doesn't like players attitudes and work rates, they also often spot other players in a game who they weren't there to watch - DKD wasn't a difficult find he was playing for a nearby club in football league and was scoring

 

Lot of money wasted there... There's another thread about continual, unsustainable funding by the board - perhaps Mladen is the main reason

 

Pretty much agree with all of that.

This season is transitional - like Peterborough’s is.

It’s when the window closes in September - that’s when we’ll fully know.

The players are just as much to blame as anyone else.

 

The season is only transitional because those in charge have made it so. The remit for Clarke was always promotion - it was stated as such in pre season by The Board.

He's not been given the tools to do the job properly, and he has also not maximised what we do have.

It's only transitional due to poor internal decision making.

 

7th Feb 2025

 

Yep, seems like even quality and standard of non-playing staff has dropped. I cant help but think we missed an opportunity with the DOF that we may not get a chance to retry again.

 

I know all that but it doesn’t explain why not the owners?
If he’s doing it wrong surely they picked the wrong person?
Also what if the remit was a set budget but he had to reduce the playing budget by say 20% which automatically means he can’t compete at the levels we want him too, would that be his fault?
What if the owners told him there was no money for transfers only wages at a max of £3k per week in January would that be his fault?

I’m not trying to defend him here, I’m asking do we have the full picture to judge or should it be the owners we are asking the question of?

 

So if every player that fits a required criteria is demanding £10K a week but he has been given a budget of £2k a week that makes him awful at his job?

 

See this doesn't wash with me, for me he hasn't got the best out of the squad. He's made poor decisions looked to pass the book to players at every opportunity in interview.

I don't think the recruitment has been great for a while but when we were signing young hungry players. Everyone was moaning about lower league signings and lack of experience. Now we've gone down the experience route with the likes of Cosgrove who's got 1 goal in over 900 minutes and Humphrys who has 4 in 30 odd games and both will be on a decent whack. You can't tell me we couldn't have signed players from league 2 or lower who could have contributed as much.

 

It means he's incapable of finding people within his remit. If every other club also failed to sign a single striker in a period of 12 months for example then perhaps he can be excused but if other clubs with similar budgets can manage it then yes he and his team are awful