Significant Announcement - Thursday

[Flashheart]

He probably got some assurances from Power re budget and responsibilities.

I expect he has, he's already mentioned that we need more experience. It could be an interesting window in January. Luke's been making noises lately about there being a bit of a turnover of players in January, I expect he would have been aware of changes being made in management for a while

[Flashheart]

A favour to ask you little darlings, the same as the last one. Could somebody please copy and paste to me the text from Morshead's article in the daily mail about Sherwood and Power. I can't access it out here.

Thank you, you all look very nice today.

[Whits]

Tim Sherwood joins Swindon Town, fourth-bottom in League One, as director of football as ex-Villa boss emerges from footballing wilderness

After 12 months in the footballing wilderness, Tim Sherwood has reappeared as director of football at Swindon Town.

The former Tottenham manager has joined the League One club on a non-contract basis and will take over control of all first-team affairs at the County Ground a little over a year after being sacked by Aston Villa.

Sherwood - whose Spurs team finished sixth in the Premier League in 2014 and who reached the FA Cup final with Villa in 2015 - will pick the team and decide tactics, as well as take the lead in transfer negotiations, with head coach Luke Williams now dedicated purely to working the squad on the training ground.


Tim Sherwood has been announced as the new director of football at League One Swindon

The former Tottenham manager has a long association with Robins chairman Lee Power
The former Tottenham manager has a long association with Robins chairman Lee Power

Williams only signed a five-year contract in the role at the end of last season and Swindon insist the move 'is not a demotion'.

While on the face of it the marriage of Sherwood and the Robins, who sit fourth from bottom in the third tier of English football with an average attendance of less than 7,000, might appear to be an odd one, they share a long back-story.

The former Blackburn midfielder is close friends with Swindon chairman Lee Power - a former professional footballer turned businessman, who acquired the Wiltshire outfit following an ownership dispute in the High Court in 2014.

The pair were housemates during their time together at Norwich and Sherwood was best man at Power's wedding.

Since arriving at Swindon, initially as an investor and director of football during the controversial tenure of Jed McCrory in 2013, Power has routinely leaned on Sherwood for advice.


The 47-year-old has joined the Robins on a non-contract basis and take over first-team affairs

Sherwood has been searching for a role since he was sacked by Aston Villa in October 2015
Sherwood has been searching for a role since he was sacked by Aston Villa in October 2015

During his first two seasons in Wiltshire, the Robins chairman borrowed a number of players from the Spurs academy - youngsters hand-selected by Sherwood.

The likes of Ryan Mason, Massimo Luongo, Nathan Byrne, Alex Pritchard and Grant Hall spent time on loan at the County Ground, with some subsequently signing contracts in Swindon.

SWINDON'S LEAGUE FORM
Swindon Town's last five results in League One:
Oct 29: Scunthorpe (a) L 4-1
Oct 22: Walsall (h) L 2-0
Oct 18: Rochdale (h) W 3-0
Oct 15: Wimbledon (a) D 0-0
Oct 8: Bolton (h) L 1-0
Mason later became an England international, Australian playmaker Luongo was voted MVP of the 2015 Asian Cup and Pritchard swapped White Hart Lane for Norwich last summer for an £8million fee.

While in his role as Tottenham academy director, during periods out of work and through his spells in charge at White Hart Lane and Villa Park, Sherwood remained a regular presence at the County Ground on matchdays.

He would sit alongside Power in the directors' box, with now-QPR director of football Les Ferdinand and ex-boss Chris Ramsay regularly among his entourage, while then-Swindon manager Mark Cooper would routinely visit Tottenham's training ground to fill Sherwood in on the development of Spurs' young stars.

While he would never turn up at the League One club's training sessions, Power involved Sherwood in the club's transfer discussions and he would help identify and assess potential targets using the Wyscout data analysis platform.

Away from football, too, he and Power have had shared interests - the two were directors of London-based real property development firm Avid Properties Ltd for several years, though Sherwood's directorship was terminated in 2009.

Sherwood's first managerial role was at Tottenham when he took charge in December 2013
Sherwood's first managerial role was at Tottenham when he took charge in December 2013

The former Premier League winner also guided Aston Villa to the FA Cup final in 2015
The former Premier League winner also guided Aston Villa to the FA Cup final in 2015

And unsurprisingly Power rates his close friend of 25 years highly.

'I think this is one of the biggest appointments the club has made in a long, long time,' he said, as he pledged to turn fortunes around with a team who have gone from play-off finalists to relegation candidates in just 18 months.

'We're still in a little bit of shock that we've managed to get Tim in.'

'Hopefully this appointment surprises a few people. It's a phenomenal appointment.'

Sherwood had been heavily linked with a switch to QPR to link up with Ferdinand following the recent sacking of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink but says Swindon is the best option for him.

Alex Pritchard was at Swindon on loan and has since moved to Norwich for £8million
Ryan Mason has gone on to represent England since spending time on loan at the County Ground
Spurs graduates such as Alex Pritchard and Ryan Mason have spent time on loan at Swindon

Power says he has 'not come for the money', which is just as well given the Robins' wage budget is among the lowest in the division, while Sherwood has one eye on the future.

'I've had other offers but I think it's an interesting project. I've had a close eye on it for four years since I started loaning players into the football club,' he said.

'I'm coming in here to help out wherever I can. I've got a soft spot for this club.

'I'm not thinking about tomorrow, I'm only thinking about today. Hopefully we can take the club in the right direction.

'There's no magic wand, it's going to take a lot of hard work to achieve it.'

Thursday was Sherwood's first day on the job. This weekend he will sit in the stands when Charlton visit the County Ground.

His new team have won just once in 10 matches in all competitions. Life in League One will not be easy.

[Flashheart]

Thanks whits

[Sippo]

So Sherwood is here on non contract terms...?

[Costanza]

So Sherwood is here on non contract terms...?

Yep.

"Everyone knows Tim has been a friend of mine for 25 years. So there won't be a contract."

[mastapeaka]

Sorry if I've missed it earlier in this thread but is there a link to a recording of the presser from BBC wilts anywhere?

[theakston2k]

He probably got some assurances from Power re budget and responsibilities. Happy with that.

Can only see this being a positive as well. Sherwood won't want to damage his reputation any further so I think he must have some assurances that he will be able to spend some money.

[Flashheart]

Power's not adverse to investing in players anyway, which is something that many miss (or ignore because it doesn't fit in with their desire to hate him). I expect Sherwood's statement about needing more experience might require a bit of a bump in the wage bill though.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

So, if we agree Sherwood is really at a level below where he could be, what are people's expectations for the season?

Is L1 survival enough? Is L1 comfortably mid-table OK? Is it too optimistic to think of the POs?

I think the games between now and the transfer window will be a good indicator. If he can get us away from the bottom 4 with the current players, then a tilt at the POs with a few new players on board could be realistic.

Tim Sherwood/Swindon Town specials:

Sherwood to become Swindon Town manager/head coach anytime – 1/2

To be relegated to League Two under Sherwood – 4/6

Swindon to win promotion from League One under Sherwood – 7/2

To beat Aston Villa anytime under Sherwood – 6/1

To reach any Cup final under Sherwood (EFL Trophy/League Cup/FA Cup) – 7/1

To play in the Premier League under Sherwood – 20/1

To win any major trophy under Sherwood (League Cup/FA Cup/PL) – 50/1

[Flashheart]

We're only 8 points adrift.

Of course a playoff challenge is not too optimistic if, and it is an if, performances and results will improve.

[Super Hans]

Too many weak links to think about the play offs currently.

If we scrape together a decent sum of points between now and January and aren't cut adrift, however, with the correct recruitment the evidence is there that says there's often a team that makes a charge over the last part of the season and gets into them, and usually does well.

For now I'd take mid table and a proper summer assembling the squad for next season.

[Arriba]

As he's clearly the new manager why not just name Sherwood as the manager ?
Anyway, I think it's a reasonable appointment but not one for doing cartwheels to. Yet!
Hopefully he gets to do what he wishes, making it his responsibility.

[Costanza]

As he's clearly the new manager why not just name Sherwood as the manager ?

I'm inclined to agree.

As soon as Sherwood is in the dugout, he'll be manager.

[Batch]

So Sherwood is here on non contract terms...?

I guess he would be off if he does very well anyway, but it doesn't feel right

What's success? I'd settle for avoiding relegation, a bit of a change in style, and the feeling of building something up for next year.