Peter Lawwell

Anyone that thought he wouldn’t have a huge influence on decision making when he was reappointed on to the board, when his very own son and a guy who was his understudy for a decade hold the two key positions at the club, were absolutely delusional, regardless of what title he holds.

Ah but he’s the non executive chairman or some other bollocks.

Never heard so much drivel in my life.

 

See being honest, the one I think we all got wrong was Nicholson being a good appointment as CEO.

The reason for the difference was Ange and his approach, he came into a basket case, and through his own professional pride and ambition dragged the club through it and won a highly unlikely double, then cruised to a treble.

The only thing Nicholson etc done was stand aside and stay out his way. The fact we had to recruit a head of sports science and they had to be told to do that by Ange, boost the scouting department and be told to do that by Ange are all signs that they are not fit to be running a football operation.

McKay who came in may have been out his depth but the main reason he got chased was solely down to changing the status co that was in place.

The actions of those supposed to be leading the club are summed up by if they do nothing and let a manager lead then that’s better than them being overly involved.

Whether that’s signing players based on a player we are selling’s agents recommendation or an ex player touting someone, rather than actually going out and properly scouting players to fit our playing system and style or signing old mates based on what they did seasons ago.

Like Kwon this summer and Bernabei last, who looks at these guys and thinks that’s what we need? Bernabei was literally the polar opposite of an inverted full back.

 

With him as chairman and his son head of recruitment and would have loved to hear the conversations between them and the old saying is true when Peter lawwell entered the building ambition left .
Really think we need big changes in the boardroom too many of them been there too long and Desmond needs to * off as well and take his lapdog lawwell with him .

 

Embarrassing that people are still pointing the blame at him.

 

It’s almost as if his reemergence has coincided with the return of the horrendous relationship between the support and the board, and the rebirth of the dogshit transfer dealings and lack of support for our manager that plagued his first spell.

 

I think Ange had a very influential role in the signing of a lot of players. Definitely a few duds from his selections as well though.

But you can't tell me Ange or Rodgers actively scouted folk like Shaw, Urhoghide, McCarthy, Bernabei, Abildgaard, Haksabanovic, Kwon, Tilio, Bernardo etc.

Our transfer strategy is all over the place. We've been pretty successful up until recently but I can't help but think most of our successful signings were purely from Ange's football knowledge or contacts in the game. Since he went to Spurs they've signed some great players that fit his philosophy straight away even though they've been hopeless in the market for years.

Nicholson and Co were definitely leaning on him when he was here, I think they were reluctant to do the same with Rodgers (I don't blame them here), but the Summer window was easily our worst since Lennon was here. I think Rodgers wanted to push the boat on on some "EPL" - like signings, but we panicked, dillie dallied around and panic bought Yang, Palma, Kwon, Tilio, and Bernardo. Thankfully one or two might turn out ok but it reeks of last minute *. Look at the club's and leagues they guys came from, the money we paid com them. It tells you everything you need to know.

So yeah, Nicholson and Mark Lawwell aren't as good as we originally thought I think, and whatever freedom they may have had has been taken away now one of their Da's is back.

 

Don't forget that Ange had a meeting with him, Nicolson and Jr to plan for this season.
Just a coincidence that about that same time Ange’s agent then started touting his name around England.
Far, far too smart a guy to stick around and work with Lawwell.

 

You believe what you want mate, I find it embarrassing.

 

Shaw and Urhoghide were already signed the time Ange came in really, McCarthy and Hart weren’t his signings either. I remember at the time there being talk of Ange had a goalkeeper he wanted but couldn’t get him so reluctantly took Hart.

Abada wasn’t his signing either I don’t think. Abildgaard was a last minute punt because we didn’t get who we wanted as he signed elsewhere. Haksabanovic was a weird one that came out of nowhere really and felt opportunistic.

Bernabei, we had a scout in South America who must have recommended him but was meant to be Ange’s signing over buying Doig from Hibs.

The main thing with Ange was he had a very clear system and way of playing which required players with a distinctive skill set, that should make it a lot easier for a scout to know what they are looking for basically going shopping with a list.

For me Rodgers needs to be like that with the scouting team. He likes wingers who like to come in and full backs that like to overlap, midfielders with good engines and a bit of physicality. A goal scoring 8/10 type that likes to get beyond a striker. He also likes strikers with the ability to drop in and link the game. When you actually look at our current squad other than O’Riley doing the 8/10 role there aren’t a whole lot of others that really fit his type of players. Palma is probably his sort of winger just lacks a little pace but has quality, takes care of the ball and is good for a goal.

I agree though the last three windows other than securing Jota and CCV have been poor. We need at least 3 possibly 4 in January who will be first team players. However, all those guys they have just signed over the last 18 months that are nowhere near it need moved on too.

It’s very frustrating having just managed to shift the likes of Bollingoli, Ajeti, Barkas, Soro, Urhoghide, Hazzard, Julien etc over the last year we are now landed with Kobayashi, Bernabei, Haksabanovic, Siegrist, Kwon, Tilio (harsh but doesn’t look promising), Johnston’s back at the club and still have McCarthy picking up a wage not to mention a number of guys that could do with a loan to get some football.

Again I agree our squad management is terrible. Like having confirmed Iwata as a permanent why sign Kwon? They play the same position. Why sign both Tilio and Yang, whilst keeping Johnston too?

It does feel like having Lawell type business all over it, reminds me of Bayo and Shved appearing only to be out in the wilderness and Arzani.

 

How do they boots taste?

 

I used to find it a joke as well, everything does seem to fall at his feet..

However, the relationship between the board and the GB and action taken, smacks of his involvement..

The Summer transfer window, was definitely Lawwellesque.. I initially blamed Nicholson but maybe with his mentor returning he had more influence than he should have..

We seem to just want to do just enough and no more..

 

It’s just a coincidence that his return has seen the board and fans at loggerheads, as was the case previously when he was here. It’s also just a coincidence that our transfer window was one of a biscuit tin mentality that we saw many times over when he was here previously.

After the Covid season shambles, he should be nowhere near our club. He held us back massively and has cost us a fortune over the years by not backing managers.

 

How is it embarrassing mate?

The way we’re running right now is the way he set us up to run over his tenure. He’s literally the chairman with the ear of the biggest shareholder. His successor worked under him and his son is head of recruitment, the second most important role at the club after manager.

Even if he has taken some step back it’s ridiculous to deny his shadow looms large over the current CEO.

It’s not a coincidence we didn’t sign a single player over 23 while we took record income, had champions league qualification and a squad that badly needed a bit of experience.

Our current policy is Lawwellism and it will be very difficult to move away from that while he is chairman. It’s embarrassing to suggest otherwise.

 

Surprised you can find anything down there with your head in the sand…

Guy’s literally the Chair of the Board of Directors. His former right-hand man is CEO, and his son is head of recruitment.

What’s embarrassing is choosing a level of naivety so extreme as to believe that, given those relationships, he has no influence.

 

Of course it did. I can’t believe people try to deny that.

Lawwell always placed profit over footballing progress, I doubt anyone would seriously deny that. It’s clearly what we did this summer given the opportunities in front of us.

Are we seriously suggesting that Nicholson is supposed to go hard against the policies of his predecessor to the tune of millions of pounds, while he is answerable to that same person as his chairman - in such a high risk business as football?

Lawwell being made chairman was as clear a statement as you’ll ever see that Lawwellism was to be continued - maybe with a little bit of leeway every now and again. A bigger statement could not have been made.

 

It's impossible to know exactly the influence he holds..

The January window may confirm a few things..

 

What is truly embarrassing is how * we are getting every year in Europe whilst he’s at the club. You can argue he’s not to blame all you want but we’ve been getting worse each year he’s been at the club.

* recruitment, late recruitment, areas not being addressed all have to fall at the foot of someone.

To fall at his feet it would hit a few on the head if you know what i mean

 

I haven’t claimed he has no influence at the club. He clearly does. It’s just embarrassing how after every bad result the same old “* the board” threads get bumped.

 

Much nicer than your bullshit, cheers.

 

It’s embarrassing because it’s the default go to for people when something doesn’t go well. With the level of player available to us, it doesn’t matter who we sign because we’re always going to struggle away from home against a side such as Atletico (especially with that red card). We can’t get anywhere near the level of quality they have in Griezmann et al.

If we completely cleared out the executives at the club and replaced them with new guys, no doubt making promises about progression, we’d have the same complaints popping up after our next bad European result.