Mark Allen - Officially gone

Commentator said:
I've had a think and still can't see how MA going cements your strategy concerns.
And you've still not come out with the 'reason for that'. Help me out?
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It shows there hasn't been a coherent strategy from Warburton to Pedro to a DOF to nearly McIness to SG who had to fit a DOF into his vision in terms of signings....

The reason MA left imo is he didn't fit into a day to day working plan that suited SG-SG had to consider signings as part of the justification of MA's role....it didn't work.

Fundamentally SG's contact's have thrown up better signings by far than the DOF's vision or do you disagree? Surely that's a bit of a shambles?
 
Quite a lot of people resign from their current positions to move on to other jobs, which they believe to be more suitable. When that happens, usually someone else is recruited. Is the situation involving Mark Allen and Rangers so different?
 
CaptainCourageous said:
Allen had a big say in Gerrard. Robertson couldn't deliver McInnes.

Gerrard goes tomorrow and what do we do in terms of management recruitment.

Who's overseeing the planning for the future?
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I don’t think Robertson is the problem - it’s King and Park. They have to be willing to cede control. Business owners are not good at football decisions.
 
dh1963 said:
Reads like he has an offer down south he feels he can't refuse, and that the club both respect his decision and appreciate what he has done for us.

Puts wild rumours of fall outs to bed.

He leaves with the best wishes of Rangers so he leaves with the best wishes of me too.
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If that is the case then it also opens doors to another academy down south.
 
CaptainCourageous said:
Allen had a big say in Gerrard. Robertson couldn't deliver McInnes.

Gerrard goes tomorrow and what do we do in terms of management recruitment.

Who's overseeing the planning for the future?
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Robertson didn,t want mcinness it was king .as far as I,m led to belive the board were,t to keen on mcinness either.
 
DylanGer said:
Nobody's expecting SG to do everything. Souness lamented getting caught up in the contracts etc when he went back to Liverpool.

But that's my point did MA negotiate contracts? I doubt he did but what did he do?

My understanding is that effectively he looked for players and so did SG-that's never going to work. My understanding from more than one source is that SG had to work around and take MA's input/advice on signings as part of the gig-effectively calling the role into doubt as he wasn't always sure on what MA served up.
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That kinda sums up this whole debate. Nobody on here knows what his role was in full.

Virtually this entire thread is focused solely on signings. I’d suggest that it makes sense - at least to me - that he handled all the other stuff I listed. Identifying players, speaking to Agents, speaking to clubs, negotiating fees, negotiating contracts, managing staff at THTC including the Academy, infrastructure planning and development at THTC and a myriad of other things.

If you are going to have a DoF then all those things, for me, fall within his remit. In fact it seems obvious to me that they should. Was that the case with Mark Allen? I dunno. Do you? Does anybody on here?

We might get a clue if Rangers advertise the position (which I doubt).
 
Commentator said:
Gerrard stated on numerous occasions that he had the final say.
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Yup and that's political speak-do you really think SG is going to do internal issues in front of the media?

My understanding from several contacts is that SG like anyone in a new job has to adjust to what he's came into and as such the signings were compromised-he was unsure of some but had to deal with the club structure-I would suggest when push has come to shove SG has said-this needs to stop.
 
Valley Bluenose said:
That kinda sums up this whole debate. Nobody on here knows what his role was in full.

Virtually this entire thread is focused solely on signings. I’d suggest that it makes sense - at least to me - that he handled all the other stuff I listed. Identifying players, speaking to Agents, speaking to clubs, negotiating fees, negotiating contracts, managing staff at THTC including the Academy, infrastructure planning and development at THTC and a myriad of other things.

If you are going to have a DoF then all those things, for me, fall within his remit. In fact it seems obvious to me that they should. Was that the case with Mark Allen? I dunno. Do you? Does anybody on here?

We might get a clue if Rangers advertise the position (which I doubt).
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I think you are spot on.

However if the role was neat, defined and had a vision you would have shared it with the fans and said this is how we progress.

The fact a few years into MA's reign and indeed the end of it we are no wiser surely tells us everything?
 
No hard feelings but wasnt overly impressed with the job hes done if I'm honest. Poor at shifting and selling. Mixed bag at best bringing people in.
 
DylanGer said:
Yup and that's political speak-do you really think SG is going to do internal issues in front of the media?

My understanding from several contacts is that SG like anyone in a new job has to adjust to what he's came into and as such the signings were compromised-he was unsure of some but had to deal with the club structure-I would suggest when push has come to shove SG has said-this needs to stop.
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There have been a number of signings I wouldn't have expected Gerrard to make. Grezda (I bet he never saw him in the flesh prior to signing. Lafferty, Stewart, Barker and Jones. No surprise Kamara, Barker, Jones and Stewart were linked with us prior to Gerrard.

Sadiq. YouTube couldn't even make him look good.
 
DylanGer said:
It shows there hasn't been a coherent strategy from Warburton to Pedro to a DOF to nearly McIness to SG who had to fit a DOF into his vision in terms of signings....

The reason MA left imo is he didn't fit into a day to day working plan that suited SG-SG had to consider signings as part of the justification of MA's role....it didn't work.

Fundamentally SG's contact's have thrown up better signings by far than the DOF's vision or do you disagree? Surely that's a bit of a shambles?
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It only shows a lack of strategy if you can justifiably replace the 'IMO' with 'I know'. You cannot, so it does not.

Not knowing why he left leaves it open for people to attribute their own story to it. It could absolutely be a lack of strategic thinking by the board, but it could also be a fall out, a new job for Allen or any number of other reasons.
 
dt17 said:
Have it on good authority that he got kicked out because Liverpool valued Kent at £1.8m but we decided to pay £7m.

According to Celtic fans on Twitter anyway...
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This was the mentalist with three names latest yarn. The story he told was spectacular, even for him.
 
DylanGer said:
I think you are spot on.

However if the role was neat, defined and had a vision you would have shared it with the fans and said this is how we progress.

The fact a few years into MA's reign and indeed the end of it we are no wiser surely tells us everything?
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He overseen Mulholland and Scoulding in their roles and those who work under them and worked with the board and coaching staff.

Whether you think he done a good job or not, it's pretty clear what his job was.
 
Northampton_Loyalist said:
It only shows a lack of strategy if you can justifiably replace the 'IMO' with 'I know'. You cannot, so it does not.

Not knowing why he left leaves it open for people to attribute their own story to it. It could absolutely be a lack of strategic thinking by the board, but it could also be a fall out, a new job for Allen or any number of other reasons.
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Exactly, it can never be seen as something normal like him maybe wanting to move back down south or another job offer.

Certain posters on here love things like this as they can then write post after post of total congenture as if its fact and seek out the drama whenever they can.
 
Allen’s recruitment has been poor on a few occasions. Barker, Stewart two he particularly pushed hard for. It looks like he has been offered a new job, and having assessed his role overall the Board have accepted his resignation. The Players Gerrard pushed for have been the best signings, let Stevie pick who he wants to work with is what I say as he has the better eye for a Player.
 
DylanGer said:
It shows there hasn't been a coherent strategy from Warburton to Pedro to a DOF to nearly McIness to SG who had to fit a DOF into his vision in terms of signings....

The reason MA left imo is he didn't fit into a day to day working plan that suited SG-SG had to consider signings as part of the justification of MA's role....it didn't work.

Fundamentally SG's contact's have thrown up better signings by far than the DOF's vision or do you disagree? Surely that's a bit of a shambles?
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Thanks for taking the time, genuinely.
You and I have differing views of what a strategy delivers, obviously. I think it's high-level, a goal and a series of targets, maybe measures along the way but it's not a 'how'. You, and I'm not having a go here, appear to think it's a masterplan that ensures everything goes perfectly. That's just not possible.
'Planning is everything, the plan is nothing' said someone.
What I will say is a) the suddenness of this will have the conspiracy nutjobs salivating and b) if Gerrard is good with this then we all should be, too. My water tells me he is not put out.
 
Apologies for the link to the Record but it gives a list of signings in Mark Allen's time - all 37 - that's easier to reference than typing them all out on here. I’m on phone so maybe someone could copy and paste for me?

The good, the bad...and the ugly (aka Grezda). The scores from the Record are pish in many cases, but that’s to be expected.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

Every Mark Allen signing for Rangers rated

The director of football signed 34 players for Rangers over his two years at the club.
www.dailyrecord.co.uk www.dailyrecord.co.uk
 
BrownBrogues said:
Allen’s recruitment has been poor on a few occasions. Barker, Stewart two he particularly pushed hard for. It looks like he has been offered a new job, and having assessed his role overall the Board have accepted his resignation. The Players Gerrard pushed for have been the best signings, let Stevie pick who he wants to work with is what I say as he has the better eye for a Player.
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Not looking to fight, but do you know which players were players Gerrard wanted and which were players MA somehow foisted upon him?
 
Whether you rate the guy or not the format was working. The last thing we need to be doing is changing the structure at that level and upsetting anyone, we need a direct replacement. Who are the likely candidates?
 
Sorry to see mark leave , i wish him all the best in the future.however onwards and upwards fellow bears and bearettes
 
Math1eson said:
The next DF should not be another of Gerrard's pals as a large part of the purpose of the role is to provide continuity of vision and standards when coaches inevitably move on.
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I’ve never understood that one.
What happens if it’s the DoF’s vision that’s the problem?
 
Good luck to him, hopefully we bring in a quality replacement and move on.

It is very difficult to judge the work he has done without seeing things day to day behind the scenes. The signings overall have been hit and miss and we have struggled to move players on.

Onwards and upwards to better things hopefully
 
DylanGer said:
I think you are spot on.

However if the role was neat, defined and had a vision you would have shared it with the fans and said this is how we progress.

The fact a few years into MA's reign and indeed the end of it we are no wiser surely tells us everything?
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Whit?

You want us to come out and produce his daily task list on the website?

You don’t like the DoF as a concept for Rangers because you deem it unnecessary, fine. Your opinion and all that.

To suggest though, that the whole thing is some quagmire of uncertainty, is just nonsense.
 
Northampton_Loyalist said:
It only shows a lack of strategy if you can justifiably replace the 'IMO' with 'I know'. You cannot, so it does not.

Not knowing why he left leaves it open for people to attribute their own story to it. It could absolutely be a lack of strategic thinking by the board, but it could also be a fall out, a new job for Allen or any number of other reasons.
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This would all be fine if the case this was a surprise.

It wasn't particularly and it was ill fitting so saying ah but you don't know. Well nobody really knows except the people inside however at the same time PRO Rangers fans with contacts suggested it didn't work....some have suggested MA personally was a problem I haven't heard that but I do know apart from the so-called itk posters anyone with any real life experience called this out at the time and have frankly been proved right. It didn't work.

If we replace the DOF I am more than happy to say yup well I've been proved wrong the board believe in the role and they've replaced MA.

People leave roles for all kinds of different reasons the proof will be if we replace with an equivalent position but to be frank my core point is we don't know what he actually did.
 
CaptainCourageous said:
Allen had a big say in Gerrard. Robertson couldn't deliver McInnes.

Gerrard goes tomorrow and what do we do in terms of management recruitment.

Who's overseeing the planning for the future?
Click to expand...

Why would Gerrard go tomorrow when the board have backed him to the tune of £7m for his no.1 target which he knows is absolutely massive for us to spend?
 
Northampton_Loyalist said:
Not looking to fight, but do you know which players were players Gerrard wanted and which were players MA someone foisted upon him?
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Only ones I know Allen pushed hard for were Jones, Stewart and Barker

Gerrards: Kent, Goldson, Defoe, Flanagan, Aribo. Can’t say for sure on Kamara who can be credited but Gerrard was a fan after seeing him against us for Dundee away.

The way it worked from my understanding was Gerrard would say what he needed, Scoulding would do the data for options but Allen seemed to look for Scottish based targets coming out of contract. But it was made pretty public that with Barker it was Allen who convinced Gerrard to take a punt.
 
CaptainCourageous said:
There have been a number of signings I wouldn't have expected Gerrard to make. Grezda (I bet he never saw him in the flesh prior to signing. Lafferty, Stewart, Barker and Jones. No surprise Kamara, Barker, Jones and Stewart were linked with us prior to Gerrard.

Sadiq. YouTube couldn't even make him look good.
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I think it's more likely that both Grezda & Barisic were "Gerrard signings" than Mark Allen ones.

We played Osijek in the Europa League. Gerrard & his team obviously watched a lot of footage of them in the build up to our game, before deciding to sign them.

Not quite sure how the suggestion that Mark Allen signed those players would fit in with that.
 
BrownBrogues said:
Only ones I know Allen pushed hard for were Jones, Stewart and Barker

Gerrards: Kent, Goldson, Defoe, Flanagan, Aribo. Can’t say for sure on Kamara who can be credited but Gerrard was a fan after seeing him against us for Dundee away.

The way it worked from my understanding was Gerrard would say what he needed, Scoulding would do the data for options but Allen seemed to look for Scottish based targets coming out of contract. But it was made pretty public that with Barker it was Allen who convinced Gerrard to take a punt.
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We were linked with Kamara before Gerrard was even at the club which leads me to believe this one was pushed for by Mark Allen.
 
Barker96 said:
I think it's more likely that both Grezda & Barisic were "Gerrard signings" than Mark Allen ones.

We played Osijek in the Europa League. Gerrard & his team obviously watched a lot of footage of them in the build up to our game.

Not quite sure how the suggestion that Mark Allen signed those players would fit in with that.
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Grezda never played against us. He was injured. It was while looking at footage of the prior season on Barisic they seen the link up on the left with Grezda and thought they were buying a ready to go left side
 
dt17 said:
Have it on good authority that he got kicked out because Liverpool valued Kent at £1.8m but we decided to pay £7m.

According to Celtic fans on Twitter anyway...
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That’ll be I’ll Phil?
I guess they’ll be plenty who’ll believe this but surely only the most stupid.
 
DylanGer said:
This would all be fine if the case this was a surprise.

It wasn't particularly and it was ill fitting so saying ah but you don't know. Well nobody really knows except the people inside however at the same time PRO Rangers fans with contacts suggested it didn't work....some have suggested MA personally was a problem I haven't heard that but I do know apart from the so-called itk posters anyone with any real life experience called this out at the time and have frankly been proved right. It didn't work.

If we replace the DOF I am more than happy to say yup well I've been proved wrong the board believe in the role and they've replaced MA.

People leave roles for all kinds of different reasons the proof will be if we replace with an equivalent position but to be frank my core point is we don't know what he actually did.
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That was an absolutely massive way of saying 'Yes, you are right, my first sentence in the previous post was not correct, as I freely admit that I do not know what has caused him to leave'
 
Danger Zone said:
The post you quoted was bollocks, the guy had no evidence of him being responsible for any of the club’s shortcomings.

The manager has the final say on all signings, what is it about suggesting the club would look for players that are a good fit the leads you to believe he’s better off gone? Standard talk, people usually see these kind of things when they’re employed in these roles.
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Anyone can draw up a list of players and claim they fit our philosophy, ethos and footballing strategy provided you dont have to explain what these are. MA even said he identified players with a winning mentality or something similar. Somehow I cant see anyone claiming to identify players with a losing mentality.

He came across to me as a bullshiter. That was my problem with MA.
 
DylanGer said:
This would all be fine if the case this was a surprise.

It wasn't particularly and it was ill fitting so saying ah but you don't know. Well nobody really knows except the people inside however at the same time PRO Rangers fans with contacts suggested it didn't work....some have suggested MA personally was a problem I haven't heard that but I do know apart from the so-called itk posters anyone with any real life experience called this out at the time and have frankly been proved right. It didn't work.

If we replace the DOF I am more than happy to say yup well I've been proved wrong the board believe in the role and they've replaced MA.

People leave roles for all kinds of different reasons the proof will be if we replace with an equivalent position but to be frank my core point is we don't know what he actually did.
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You’ve talked an awful lot about Mark Allen - and laid into him throughout - yet go on to acknowledge you have no idea what his role was. A tad unfair to castigate the man when you acknowledge you have no idea what his role was, what his targets were, what he achieved and whether or not it was in line with the Boards expectations is it not?
 
Commentator said:
Thanks for taking the time, genuinely.
You and I have differing views of what a strategy delivers, obviously. I think it's high-level, a goal and a series of targets, maybe measures along the way but it's not a 'how'. You, and I'm not having a go here, appear to think it's a masterplan that ensures everything goes perfectly. That's just not possible.
'Planning is everything, the plan is nothing' said someone.
What I will say is a) the suddenness of this will have the conspiracy nutjobs salivating and b) if Gerrard is good with this then we all should be, too. My water tells me he is not put out.
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And I agree with you on this-genuine leadership at times might mean-%^*& the plan we do this because something unexpected happened.

You can't totally plan the future but what you can do is have an idea of what you are trying to achieve and recruit the right people to support the skills you lack-our board put a puppet in place in terms of Stewart Robertson who if he had any genuine responsibility would have left with Pedro....he doesn't so he's still here.

The Board has made an arse of the football strategy because the paradox is as much as we couldn't match Celtic short term we could eclipse the rest-we've went a real convoluted route to probably finally delivering that but I would say the gaps that currently exist in the squad and the spending for the season look....well badly thought out...the squad has been bolstered with a few that look duff-we have big gaps and we have spent an absolute fortune on a single player when we have those gaps. We require a shed full of good luck to see this out.
 
Tommac said:
Account that originally posted about his departure posted this. Does seem odd that he’d leave on a Friday night before a game if it’s all as amicable as the club are saying publicly.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1172610345837502465
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If that is correct, and I have no idea if it is or not, it would kind of blow the change of strategy idea out of the water as the reasoning. Even if it caused a re-think on having a DoF at all, it would be a catalyst, not an underlying reason.
 
This represents a headache for the board.

Imho they should continue with the current structure and maintain the position of DoF. Given that any new incumbent would not have appointed the manager, we need someone who fits the structure and can have a professional synergy with SG and his staff. My gut feel is that the board may well have been taken by surprise by today's events. I just hope that their contingency planning has been, or is, up to scratch.

If they choose to mothball the DoF position, does it send out the unwanted message that perhaps SG could be seen to be bigger than the club?
 
Valley Bluenose said:
You’ve talked an awful lot about Mark Allen - and laid into him throughout - yet go on to acknowledge you have no idea what his role was. A tad unfair to castigate the man when you acknowledge you have no idea what his role was, what his targets were, what he achieved and whether or not it was in line with the Boards expectations is it not?
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I addressed that in my big post.

The answer to that?

What has he delivered? A single hidden gem? A player that SG didn't know? What did he deliver? It would appear not very much...
 
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