Sandy Gray

[Piemonte]

I agree with both of you :|

[Batch]

Hang on a minute gentlemen ! What makes you so qualified to say that Sandy Gray is not Chief Exec material ?

A CEO also has to portray an image of clarity, confidence, strength and direction to the outside world. This is particularily true of a football club when a lot of time is spent try to attract people, be it media, fans or investors.

I'm sorry but even if she is better than Mark D at getting us to where we want to be, she isn't being taken seriously, portrays little knowledge of the business or the nature of its fans.

In short , image is part of the job spec of a football club CEO (IMHO). She can't cut it.  Contrast to Mark Devlin, who didn't put any meat into yesterdays answers but at least does well all of the things Sandy fails in.

If Sandy must be CEO, FFS let devlin do the talking from now on.

[Nomoreheroes]

Well, my impression of Mr Devlin is that he comes across as a bit of a 'wide boy'. I would say that he is probably a good salesman - but I wouldn't buy a used car from him ! I agree that Ms Gray is not a good public speaker, however, I don't know enough about other aspects of her work to say whether she is doing a good job behind the scenes or not.

That, basically, was the point of my previous post.

NMH

P.S. Yes it was a cut and paste to highlight. I did it to show that there were other aspects to the job, other than being a spokesperson.

PPS. Spencer: Thanks for telling me to FO in the first sentence. It made me cover behind my desk for hours !

[janaage]

So because Devlin's a decent blagger he makes a good CEO.

I don't necessarily like Sandy Gray, especially when she's in the team photo, but she does come in for some unjust criticism from some quarters.

[Batch]

! I agree that Ms Gray is not a good public speaker, however, I don't know enough about other aspects of her work to say whether she is doing a good job behind the scenes or not.

Quite, but I feel that the public speaking is a major part of the role and if she can't do that then she shouldnt be in that rol.

I still want to know if she genuinely accidently forgot the VAT (incompetance) or accidently on purpose forgot to pay the VAT  (based on risk analysis).

So because Devlin's a decent blagger he makes a good CEO.

I don't necessarily like Sandy Gray, especially when she's in the team photo, but she does come in for some unjust criticism from some quarters.

Well no of course not, but perception is part of the battle. I can only base my view on what I hear, which of course may be hearsay and half truths. But she has been in the media wabblibng on about sitting down, admits to not knowing about football, 'forgets' to pay the VAT and can't talk in public and *seems* incompitant because of it.

As I said, if she is doing a good job long may it continue. But remove her from the customer facing role.

[Spencer_White]

PPS. Spencer: Thanks for telling me to FO in the first sentence. It made me cover behind my desk for hours !

That was my reaction to your post so thats what you got! Id say the same thing to anyone who produced that answer in the CGH on a saturday afternoon. Full of shit I aint.

You were basically telling me that I cant judge her (not as a person, but as a professional). But I can judge and I have.

[Reg Smeeton]

SG may be a very competent paper pusher for all we know, but the VAT debacle might make you wonder, but there is now  much more to the job than that .

 In the days before constantly intrusive media and the internet etc....a couple of old school fellas like Ron Morse and Bob Jeffries, could essentially run the club very competently for years between them armed with little more that a couple of WHSmith ledgers.

 In all that time I don't recall either ever being seen or heard on any media...other than the occasional quote in the Adver about turning up early to avoid queues etc.

 I fully expect SG to quietly slope off back to Newbury at around the same pace she quietly became our CEO.

[Piemonte]

loving the avatar reg

[pauld]

Mark Devlin is now Chief Executive.

No he's not. He's specifically said he's in a non-executive role, and that he's been brought in to handle media, PR and communications issues, oh and that only 25% of his time is for STFC, the rest is for Dunwoody. So he's not going to be running the show, he's been brought in as a spin doctor to paper over the cracks in public. Which is a damn shame because he was a good Chief Exec. And that's no disrespect to Sandy who does do a good job in many ways, but I'd agree with Spencer that one of the things a CEO needs is the character and charisma to "lead from the front" and inspire the people working for them.

[Spencer_White]

Thats what I was saying should happen.