Kristjaan Speakman

[GipseT]

Billionaires or not - we're in League 1. We're not about to tempt the Ajax academy director. This is way too sensible an appointment for Donald to be anywhere near it.

Money and vision talk

 

[Mowgli]

I reckon he will be the SPD and things are just getting mixed up.

 

[Mickdundee]

Is it? Boro’s academy was once brilliant.These days it’s probably on par with what we have. Who was the last genuinely brilliant footballer to come from Boro?

TBF I thought the but googled it and, although they haven’t unearthed many Downings or Johnsons recently, they do have a few in their first team. Dael Fry is 23 and has played over 100 Championship games, Marcus Tavernier is 21 with 70-odd games, Coulson (22) and Spence (20) have played about 35 games as well.

 

[resinlegs]

His exotic name meant i was in, but having heard him speak I’m out again.

Why?

 

[Howard the Duck]

This doesn't make sense to me. This Speakman is at this moment still employed by Birmingham. His name didn't even get mentioned until today. I can't believe that he's been working with us since the weekend on choosing a new manager.

I think Roker Report must have had the heads up he was inbound judging by how quickly they got their, fairly in-depth, content about him out.
It’s plausible it’s further along than has been reported isn’t it?

 

[one armed boxer]

Why?

Not exotic enough obviously

 

[Flash Gordon]

I think Roker Report must have had the heads up he was inbound judging by how quickly they got their, fairly in-depth, content about him out.
It’s plausible it’s further along than has been reported isn’t it?

It's definitely plausible, but what would be the reason for not announcing it? Birmingham would have even less reason to keep it quiet.

 

[BumbleBee]

It's definitely plausible, but what would be the reason for not announcing it? Birmingham would have even less reason to keep it quiet.

I think a few things have been agreed providing the takeover gets EFL approval. No way is Donald going to take on any big earners whilst he is the majority shareholder.

 

[LUBITSCH]

It's definitely plausible, but what would be the reason for not announcing it? Birmingham would have even less reason to keep it quiet.

It's in the Birmingham press and is being discussed on Small Heath Alliance.

 

[Flash Gordon]

I think a few things have been agreed providing the takeover gets EFL approval. No way is Donald going to take on any big earners whilst he is the majority shareholder.

That means it's not a done deal, so this fella is being paid by Birmingham and doing a job for us on the side before he's actually been appointed? It doesn't add up. Maybe as part of an interview he's made management suggestions I guess, but I just can't see how he's actively involved when you look at it logically.

 

[Perryqhill]

Has brought some good young talent through at Birmingham as head of youth development, might not be his official title mine. Good appointment

would be an even better appointment if the owners hadn't pulled his supply line before giving him the job then.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

I think a few things have been agreed providing the takeover gets EFL approval. No way is Donald going to take on any big earners whilst he is the majority shareholder.

I would think that would be a formality, and just a matter of time. Sartori has already passed, there's no reason why K L-D should fail, and we're in real trouble if those two can't put a business plan better than Donald's in place.

 

[horselover]

f***ing wouldn't like.

Mathews is the worst keeper I've seen for Sunderland, well its between him Camp, Steele and McDonagh tbh

 

[BumbleBee]

I would think that would be a formality, and just a matter of time. Sartori has already passed, there's no reason why K L-D should fail, and we're in real trouble if those two can't put a business plan better than Donald's in place.

Agree I just think Donald is covering his back in case something falls through at the last minute.

 

[phunboy]

Think so - the time scale is right. Brought 18 first teamers through in 9 years. If it's him. I think the academy will get some real tlc.

Good its about time

 

[horselover]

I think Roker Report must have had the heads up he was inbound judging by how quickly they got their, fairly in-depth, content about him out.
It’s plausible it’s further along than has been reported isn’t it?

RR lost a lot of credibility when the FPP takeover fell through. I'm believing nowt until its official

 

[phunboy]

Do we need a fkn sporting director?

Yes

 

[Upthere]

This doesn't make sense to me. This Speakman is at this moment still employed by Birmingham. His name didn't even get mentioned until today. I can't believe that he's been working with us since the weekend on choosing a new manager.

It’s been sorted, I knew there was someone but I didn’t know it was him.

 

[HeroHurley]

That’s the fella, remember being really disappointed we got rid so soon.

He was quite a disappointment to be honest. He was brought in to overhaul the Academy and take us in a major new direction and the official response was that McCarthy was going to take a closer role to the Academy and Kees was part of a cost cutting operation, his departure was more to to do with the lack of any tangible improvement under his reign. If anything and this is not something I take any great pleasure in saying due to my differences in the past with him, Ged McNamee was a lot more influential in the development of players from around that sort of era.

 

[LUBITSCH]

Do we need a fkn sporting director?

No, we most certainly do not. It's the current flavour of the month and (almost) everybody's doing it so we are too. It'll leave the taste of bitter aloes in our mouths if it costs us the chance to bring in a management team who quite rightly want to be allowed to get on with the job without someone breathing down their necks and second guessing them all the time.