Forum | Is Nourry that bad? by Andybrat

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Is Nourry that bad? 10:55 - Apr 10 with 8124 views

So lots and lots and lots of negative opinions on our CEO ( age doesn’t matter by he way) and I get he doesn’t give Clive access to Marti. He has overseen us not getting a FFP fine when for all the wold it looked like we would. Everyone is drooling over our centre back pairing last night, getting Ronnie Edwards the 1st day of the transfer window has been season defining and Morrison is ours permanently under his watch. The DS is in the semis of their biggest cup competition, the squad looks thin because of injuries, but the opposite if the majority were fit. It’s so much stronger than pre-Nourry. I am a glass half full and maybe feel his communication style is not the strongest but I always felt this was about next season. Surgery yes but not as major as we think, somehow need to stem the injuries ( not his area of expertise). Also hoping the rumours of him and Marti falling out ( on various threads) are untrue, stability is an asset. BTW due to not having enough loyalty points I was sitting with a sea of yellow and blue last night, never heard so many compliments about our players and how the hell are we in the position we are.

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:04 - Apr 10 with 3593 views

Juzzie

I don't know enough (well, anything really) about how the club is run so can't comment on that aspect but in regards to Oxford fans compliments and our position, there's one simple answer..... injuries.

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:04 - Apr 10 with 3593 views

TheChef

He's not that bad, but not that great.

So, somewhere in the middle.

Poll:

How old is everyone on here?

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:06 - Apr 10 with 3577 views

daveB

I think the recurutiment last summer was poor in giving us a very unbalanced squad and nowhere near pyhsical enough to do well consistently in this division. We spent a lot of money and go into this summer still needing another 7/8 players at least to have a chance of improving next season. We'll need 2 right backs, 2 left backs at least 2 more centre halves possibly 3 if they release Cook. Midfield needs improving, wide areas and up front needs drastic improvements. The keeper is good though

The medical side of the club which he was claiming credit for last season looks a mess at the moment, they just can't keep players fit

The communication stuff is all a bit weird but the least of my problems with him.

To me he comes across as a bit of a bullshitter who has talked himself into running the club and I hope I'm wrong and he turns out to be great but we'd be in a far better position if we'd given Steve Gallen the DOF job when Les left and thats nothing to do with his QPR connections, he's just very good in that role

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:09 - Apr 10 with 3548 views

BklynRanger

I'll wait for SteveW6's view on the matter if you don't mind

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:12 - Apr 10 with 3508 views

Wegerles_Stairs

He looked like a breath of fresh air when he came in as the previous regime had hit the buffers but we are seeing that it's one thing to say that things are crap but a lot more difficult to actually improve things.

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:14 - Apr 10 with 3496 views

wombat

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:09 - Apr 10 by BklynRanger
I'll wait for SteveW6's view on the matter if you don't mind

think steve is andy brat thats todays new name from him

Poll:

which is your favouite foot

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:14 - Apr 10 with 3495 views

TheChef

Chatting with some people last night, it's really difficult to do both the CEO and DOF jobs.

Recruitment has to be largely on Nourry and Belk - for sure look to get value in the European market but you need to mix that up with Championship experience. We've definitely been found wanting there.

As mentioned allowing your Head of Performance to phone it in from Dubai while balancing other jobs, clearly doesn't work. That has to be fixed for next season.

Some positives with the kids for a quid deals, filling the School End lower, retail presence in Westfield. All the community work the club does. But there's a lot more that can be done for marketing in the local area especially as an inner London club.

Poll:

How old is everyone on here?

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:21 - Apr 10 with 3423 views

Padulas_Shampoo

He deserves credit. Signings like Nardi, Morrison, Saito, Edwards, Varane and Frey have largely been good if not great and - without access to the finances - feel like decent value for money. Even Yang scored a very important goal for us last night.

Coupled with that we've also signed Esquerdinha, Friel, Morgan and Bennie under him for the DS - and Vale too... Obviously time will tell on every single ones of those but the direction is logical and exciting. You can probably add Akindileni to that list in the summer also.

Really the only blot on the copybook in the 'cheap' category is Ashby but I'd imagine he's been very cheap.

He also got 'that' fee for Sinclair Armstrong was was a masterstroke.

My knock on him is when he actually has had to make big calls on (relatively) expensive transfers, he's signed Madsen, Dembele and Celar. Now clearly there are more chapters to be written on all three, particularly Dembele but it looks like we'll either have to chalk up losses on the other two or carry them both in the squad and on the P&S calculation for the next few seasons. That for me is a serious concern and shapes our forthcoming budgets negatively - far moreso than the good work he's done on the cheaper players. It warrants questioning / criticism. What happens when we next have a couple of million knocking about within P&S? It cannot be invested as poorly as it was last summer.

Lastly, aside from the pounds and pence and P&L, he's also charged with responsibility of how the club feels - to the players, the coaches and the fans. Now this one is even more subjective and ultimately immeasurable. But for me, the place just doesn't quite smell right. There are persistent rumours about discontent, persistent rumours that Marti won't be here next year, Dunne and Paal are about to leave on a free. We had to beg and plead for injury updates. We still don't have any idea about contract lengths and a general feeling of opacity rather than transparity.

For me at least, there's a constant feeling of uncertainty and the jury is very much out. I sense some choppy waters ahead.

I'm sure certain people will be triggered by those last points (hi Ned!) but that's just how I see it personally.

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:25 - Apr 10 with 3380 views

dmm

I have the same concerns over recruitment, communication, lack of experience, bad relationship with Marti, etc. that have been rehearsed here ad infinitum.

But, it's what we're gradually learning about his character that worries me most. Things like; he hates to be challenged and desires to be in control point to an insecure and possibly narcissistic personality. They are not traits that will help a CEO/DOF manage a football club well.

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:30 - Apr 10 with 3337 views

stevec

This club was a basketcase long before Nourry arrived, you don’t sort that out in one season.

Injuries, there’s something wrong there but that’s not down to Nourry. CF position, well that is, but again we’ve struggled in that department since 2015. As for the need of left backs, right backs, they’re two a penny these days, can’t imagine that Cardiff lad would cost much if they went down, they’ll replace them. Keepers fine, need another CB. Centre mid I think had been decent this season and they’ll be here next season. The three behind the CF is on Marti, or more how he sets us up. That is critical.

Regards the title of this thread I reckon if he invites Clive round for a chat and a beer this will all die down 😂

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:33 - Apr 10 with 3306 views

BrianMcCarthy

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:06 - Apr 10 by daveB

Agree with all of that.

Except that the poor and misleading communications bother me a lot. It's insulting to treat the members of our club like that, it stinks of poor professionalism, and it makes me worry about his judgement and ethics.

	"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Poll:	Player of the Year (so far)

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:34 - Apr 10 with 3288 views

GaryHaddock

Here’s where I am:

Good:

- We’ve had worse
- We’ve had some good signings under his tenure.
- I like his data led model (but not in isolation without traditional scouting) and youth recruitment

Bad:

- He’s a liar at worst and CV exaggerator at best
- He manipulates comms Pravda style
- He’a cut off the club (including Marti) from the fans by blockading fans groups and media. This creates ambiguity that leads to false allocation of praise and criticism.
- Madsen and Celar
- Dunne’s contract.
- This one depends on if it’s true or not, but creating a atmosphere where Marti wants to walk.

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:53 - Apr 10 with 3149 views

essextaxiboy

Who is allowing Ben Williams to work from Dubai , it its Nourry then guilty of not doing enough to prevent / mitigate injuries .
Patronising us with “surprise” contract announcements
Not allowing our most popular manager for a while talk to fans or their representatives
Spending decent money on Madsen

In Mitigation
Nardi/Edwards/Morrison

I agree age is not a factor , however experience is , we discovered that with Ferdinand learning on the job and now Nourry . Steve Gallen would have been a better choice instead of someone who wrote their own job description .

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:57 - Apr 10 with 3106 views

Monkey_Roots

I'm already a self-professed in-the-know-fückall member of our message board, but from what I do know...

Good things started happening when he came in...

We booted out the lazy, weak and the 'unlikely to make it at this level' lads. Got rid of Ramsey and the like (what we wanted).

We made some signings that looks like they may have been found using analytics (overwhelmingly what we wanted as fans) – a full international striker in Celar, a goal-scoring midfielder in Madsen, a world class footballer's brother in Varane, and towards the end of the window, Dembele and Saito. All of which I was really happy with, or at least hopeful for. Madsen was a touch of class at the start, and most of us were well impressed with his touches, that has fallen off a cliff now, and he looks unwell. Celar was slow to start, and when he eventually scored a couple of nice goals, he got himself injured and was never seen again. Dembele started very nicely indeed, and then got injured. Saito has been pretty consistently quality, especially now he has aclimatised to the speed and physicality of the division.

Some bad things started to surface, with zero communication and cloak and dagger contracts.

Is there a rift with Marti? (genuine question)

Who has final say on transfers? (genuine question)

If we're saying it's him and we're coating him off for Celar and Madsen, then there surely has to be some credit for Saito and Varane, no?

I dunno, I'm a lot more hopeful with us where we are now, and potentially heading vs where we were with Les, Ramsey et al.

I'm happy to be educated though, so have at it.

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:01 - Apr 10 with 3068 views

JamesB1979

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:53 - Apr 10 by essextaxiboy

Surely got to add Saito, Morgan and Varane to the “in mitigation”.

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:28 - Apr 10 with 2906 views

TheChef

Is Nourry that bad? on 11:57 - Apr 10 by Monkey_Roots

SteveW6 will be along later to clear everything up for you.

Poll:

How old is everyone on here?

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:30 - Apr 10 with 2871 views

Rangersw12

He's a chancer and we as a fan base should be running him out of the club.

Problem you will have he will start giving sweeteners to social media fans to butter people up.

He's a Paladini mark 2 imo

[Post edited 10 Apr 12:33]

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:37 - Apr 10 with 2790 views

SydneyRs

Jury out, but I do think some of the criticism is overdone.

Horror start to the season but we had several new players and once they settled in we were fine until an awful run of injuries. Then of course results dipped and everything becomes the manager's or CEO's fault. It was always Les's fault before but he's gone now.

Seeing similar at Spurs where they've been decimated by injury this season and the manager is being blamed for everything.

Everyone wanted players we could call our own, younger ones that might be sold on for a profit. We've tried to do that and there's certainly some talent there, but this is a tough league and takes some getting used to.

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:48 - Apr 10 with 2722 views

DavieQPR

He doesn't really get lots and lots and lots of negative criticism. It's just 4-5 'supporters' who take every opportunity to turn every topic to a chance to blame him for everything but never give credit where it's due. e.g. Nourry is constantly slated over Masden but Morrison or Nardi are never mentioned. Nourry is not perfect, no one is, but at least he has a pathway in mind.

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:48 - Apr 10 with 2726 views

slmrstid

He just comes across to me as a rich kid nepo baby who's been parachuted into QPR because Daddy knows someone. No other club at our level would, or should, be appointing a 27 year old (now 28) to run the whole enterprise who's never actually worked at that level, or even lower levels, in football before. Or a business with as many moving parts as a football club come to that.

Hard to respect or take seriously as a result.

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:55 - Apr 10 with 2683 views

thehat

The jury is out for me - I am sure he will look back at himself in the summer and judge what he could do better next season. The big one for me is communication with the fans - We are the lifeblood of the club. Let Clive, Dave Thomas etc have regular meetings and they can then tell us the good, the bad and the ugly.

Regardless of popular opinion we are all very understanding and (most) are intelligent, worldly individuals and it would go a long way to getting everyone pulling together in the right direction.

For me thats the big one he could change and also the easiest.

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:55 - Apr 10 with 2682 views

Padulas_Shampoo

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:48 - Apr 10 by DavieQPR
He doesn't really get lots and lots and lots of negative criticism. It's just 4-5 'supporters' who take every opportunity to turn every topic to a chance to blame him for everything but never give credit where it's due. e.g. Nourry is constantly slated over Masden but Morrison or Nardi are never mentioned. Nourry is not perfect, no one is, but at least he has a pathway in mind.

I think the very thread you're writing in proves this isn't remotely true.

Is Nourry that bad? on 13:10 - Apr 10 with 2587 views

QPROslo

Is Nourry that bad? on 12:37 - Apr 10 by SydneyRs

I'm with you on this. I don't know enough about Nourry and what he's done or not done. I do like Marti though, think he's done a great job and to date like last night he seems to be able to pull results out of the bag when they look both unlikely and are really needed. So if it should come down to a choice of one or the other, it's definitely Marti for me. I doubt we'll get that choice though.

Is Nourry that bad? on 13:46 - Apr 10 with 2408 views

BrizR

Bit of a mixed bag. There's been a lot of good changes since he came in - cutting down the overloaded academy set-up, setting standards for the youth/dev squads that expect players to be progressing fast. The comms was absolutely dreadful over the summer, but he does seem to have taken some of that on board with things like the injury updates. He seems to have been decisive in a lot of areas and pushed to do things that Hoos just couldn't be bothered with by the end, but that's married to having some very strong ideas on things like the contract lengths that just don't make any sense and contribute to feeling like the club is actively walling itself off from the fans.

On the recruitment side I think the misses are very big, but the overall trend is mostly of successes. Just looking at this season:

Nardi, Saito, Morrison, Edwards, Varane are all proper first-team players. Edwards obviously not ours, but managing to get a player as good as that at short notice in an injury crisis is impressive. Saito may or may not be here next year, but at the very least he's been a key member of the squad, especially with Chair being out so much. Whatever else you want to say about players we own vs. players we've loaned I think Yang also has looked decent in the minutes he's done; mistakes made, but would you rather have done the back half of the season without him?

Dembele looked good initially but has struggled to make an impact since coming back from injury. He set up the third goal really well last night though and may just be a case that as he gets back to full match fitness he shows more of the potential that was there. Santos looked overwhelmed by the league, but we got him in cheap and shifted him quickly; any recruitment model looking for value in foreign leagues is going to turn up players like that who just don't cut it in the Championship and at least he was in and out in short order instead of rotting in the reserves for three years. Bennie and Morgan were cheap dev squad prospects who've ended up with more first team minutes than I imagine either of them was expecting; Morgan arguably saved our season in the middle, and while Bennie hasn't done anything spectacular he's at least been a willing body and not made anything worse. For their age/experience you'd not ask much more.

Ashby, not good enough, and it sounds like we decided against Hayden (who would have been a bloody useful player to settle our midfield when we were bedding in lots of inexperienced new recruits!) to get him instead. He did a job at left back when we desperately needed it; hopefully he was cheapish and we can say thanks but off you go back to Newcastle now and try your luck elsewhere. Again, we'll get some of these every year, and at least Ashby has always looked like he wants to play when given the chance, unlike say Ethan Laird.

Celar and Madsen are the two big misses. Celar a bit hard to judge for me; he struggled badly for the first part of the season and I think he does demonstrate a big flaw in our model in that he simply is not the kind of player who thrives in the system we want to play, but the two goals against Cardiff were really well-taken and he looked much more like the striker we were hoping for against Watford before the injury took him out for the season. Maybe Cardiff was just a dog having its day, maybe he would have kicked on from there. Madsen on the other hand has continually looked like he's just not suited to the league, and is the biggest miss for looking solely at stats and data. Last night looked like he could be coached into filling his role after all, and he can't help what the club paid for him, but spending that much money on a budget like ours and getting a player who needs to get 40 games into the season to look like he can cope with the physicality of one of the poorer teams in the division isn't great.

If we end the season and 12 signings turns into 4 starters that we own (assuming Saito ends up bought), a loan that goes back having excelled (Edwards), another that was fine (Yang), one that didn't work out (Ashby), a handful of prospects for the dev squad who are already playing a role in the matchday squad, and a couple of players that weren't good enough, that's a reasonable hit rate.

The big one for me is will any lessons be learned? It does seem like there's been changes in approach during the course of the season, and some climbdowns on some things. If the summer involves us buying another 10 lads out of the Czech league who're all 5'6" waifs who want to play at 10 then clearly not, but if we're a little more pragmatic about physicality and experience then I'll be cautiously optimistic.

Is Nourry that bad? on 15:20 - Apr 10 with 2186 views

Wegerles_Stairs

So if it came down to it, would you keep Nourry or Marti? Got to be the latter for me.

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