projectriver said:
I was pretty unimpressed with Cook's credentials when he took over and he hasn't let me down. I thought it was hilarious that our own website highlighted the criticism in the press today. It should, once again, have been so simple. Like with Kaka, you prepare a perfectly drafted statement and follow that line and say nothing more.
The owners did nothing wrong really. Having invested heavily they wanted a new manager - that is their prerogative. All that was wrong with the management of the newsflow. They should have denied and continued to deny until Sunday afternoon and then announced it. All they had to say was, Hughes has done a good job but we didn't feel the progress was sufficient given the quality of the playing staff and the spend. We wish Hughes well in the future. Instead we have Cook debating the league position of teams that have got 70 points in the past, the meaning of "trajectory" and allowing himself to be drawn and dug deeper into relationship issues with the press. Its just embarrassing and unfortunately does matter because it sets the whole scene around a club. Nothing three wins on the bounce wont fix but the pressure is on.
Lets be clear, we'd all be moaning like hell if they hadn't got a man signed up before giving Hughes the boot. That's life and happens in any high paid role.
How ironic that right now those same owners have a top headhunter engaged to find Cook's replacement behind his back. The lead in time will be lengthy (as most businesses will hold an executive to a period of "gardening leave") but I am certain the search is on. There is simply no way the Arabs would put up with Cooks embarrassing "communication" errors. Like Hughes, the investment on the non-playing side has been significant and I'm sure that they will feel the progress in business and image terms has been unimpressive. He's not "their man" and that will also be key. And expect a new press team too - one that isn't allowed to be on holiday on the day of such a major announcement (according to one of the podcasts one of the two in the press office wasn't even around on Saturday - ludicrous planning).
So, building the multi million pound Jordan brand at Nike does not look good on a cv then? The club always show what is happening in the press, good or bad in that section and I guess you can argue whether it is a good thing or not.
The management of the newsflow was disrupted by two leaks, one from Hiddink/Abramovich and one from an insider at the club regarding Mancini. Apart from perhaps signing up to a NDA with Hiddink, there is nothing much the club could have done. Leaks happen in every business/government etc.
The club were right, given the results/performances the ‘trend’ or trajectory as Cook calls it, would not have delivered 70 points. As football fans with our ‘jumper for goalposts’ ideal of how football is this wonderful, community driven charity, obviously Cook’s business-speak does not necessarily sit well. However, face facts, football is a business and not some transcendental, quasi-religious panacea.
So what proof do you have the club are looking to replace him? Don’t get me wrong, if he goes, then so be it, I’m backing the owners as always. What I do find a tad nauseating is referring to our owners as “The Arabs”. This seems to imply their nationality defines who they are which is borderline racist in my humble opinion.
I would welcome a more professional press team though. I’m Ms Kloss does a very good job (couldn’t possibly comment because I have never had any dealings with her) and one must say, the club has come on in leaps and bounds since the days of the tyrannical Tyrrell!
We are on a journey at the moment and at the moment, as long as the owners are happy, then I’m happy with Mr Cook. Some of the initiatives that he has been credited with have been good for us in my view.
