What would you have done differently to Doug post Wembley 2023?
1) Sack Dean Austin and march him out of the sky blues lodge. When we lost the PO Final it was inevitable that Gyokeres and Hamer went. You need a far higher quality Head of Recruitment to help advise how to spend the £40M consolation prize in their transfer fees, than the failed Farnborough Town and Northampton Manager, having their first go at a role in recruitment. This would have prevented the huge wasted fees on poor 25 year olds that look bad singings on free transfers nevermind for £3-5M.
Collate all of Austin’s recommendations and block the future HOR from signing them. If Austin was looking at them, they must be shit.
2) Plan. Admit defeat on Hamer sooner and get a replacement in for pre-season. Letting him go after the season had started with no replacement was poor planning yet again.
3) Replace Dennis Lawrence immediately if he cannot be persuaded to stay. With big investment in the playing staff, make sure the coaching quality is there to push the talent. Go after any MR/AV recommendations.
4) Get to the root issue between MR and AV. Instigate and invest in mediation by a professional. If this can’t be resolved, respect that and profile AV role and strengths and look for that with final manager sign off/give the manager the chance to appoint his own assistant. The winning formula has been proven over the last 7.5 years, it needs my support not disruption.
5) Don’t recruit anyone from a non football background or from swimming.
6) Don’t make the PL pledges for the sake of a marketing campaign. Pledges are for failing governments. Yes it’s the goal internally but we don’t need additional pressure from expectant fans when we have lost the league’s best 2 players and have a whole new squad to gel. You can increase prices on the back of investment into the playing squad and development of the clubs
7) Don’t marginalise disabled supporters and interfere with carer’s ticket. Yes us fans are customers but we are repeat customers and have a lifetime value.
8) Get sponsorships signed more than 3 weeks before the season is due to start to maximise kit sales. Don’t stick my brother’s business on the front of the shirt when I can’t get the money I want for sponsorship, shows nepotism in thinking fairly early doors.
9) Don’t scoff like a spoilt toff brat in interviews.
10) Block any communications to and from Barnsley FC. Fire anyone that discusses Barnsley’s defenders.