Ex-Staff Des Buckingham

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Des Buckingham 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Joined
: September 2004 - July 2014 (U18 Manager/Assistant Coach)
16th November 2023 - 15th December 2024 (Head Coach)

 
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Interesting. I’ve heard that Des’s fate was sealed within an hour of the final whistle against Wednesday. An emergency meeting was held quite literally within minutes of full time and Des was informed face to face once a unanimous decision had been arrived at. He left the stadium that evening knowing he’d been sacked. I imagine the formal announcement was delayed until Sunday probably to just let it sink in for Des with all the emotion and aftermath of a match still swirling around. Only what I’ve heard from someone I’d consider pretty reliable and capable of having this sort of inside information.

And I've reliably heard, from more than one source, that it was a phone call, from Ferguson to Des, on the Sunday, asking to meet, but Des anticipating what the meeting would entail said no, so it was done on the phone there and then.

If you listen carefully to one of GF's post sacking interviews (can't remember which one, but there are only two or three to choose from) he pretty much confirms this himself when challenging the method of Des' sacking.
 
And I've reliably heard, from more than one source, that it was a phone call, from Ferguson to Des, on the Sunday, asking to meet, but Des anticipating what the meeting would entail said no, so it was done on the phone there and then.

If you listen carefully to one of GF's post sacking interviews (can't remember which one, but there are only two or three to choose from) he pretty much confirms this himself when challenging the method of Des' sacking.
Spot on.
DB used to ignore calls and refuse to call back the owners and board a lot as well.
Thohir wanted to talk to DB about a month ago now about the run of results. Ignored.

Really wasn’t surprising the people financing and running the club lost respect for DB.
 
Spot on.
DB used to ignore calls and refuse to call back the owners and board a lot as well.
Thohir wanted to talk to DB about a month ago now about the run of results. Ignored.

Really wasn’t surprising the people financing and running the club lost respect for DB.
And it would be no coincidence that Thohir has attended both recent home games. This is also why I expect to see Marselino feature in the squad. Thohir is the major financier of the club and has his personal reputation, along with his footballing aspirations to look after. The January transfer budget could well reflect his position, much to the benefit of the club and playing staff.
DB may well have made a costly error in his actions.
 
Spot on.
DB used to ignore calls and refuse to call back the owners and board a lot as well.
Thohir wanted to talk to DB about a month ago now about the run of results. Ignored.

Really wasn’t surprising the people financing and running the club lost respect for DB.
I alluded to this in early November and got nothing but grief for it. It’s not a sustainable situation when your owner is resorting to texting the manager about needing to improve performances, because it’s the only way they can actually communicate with him.

I’m surprised anyone was surprised by what happened tbh. Des was asked on The Dub about the possibility of a new contract and all he said was that the board would sack him eventually anyway, before telling a story about some kids in Bicester telling him that they used to hate him. He was also in talks to leave the club before a ball had even been kicked this season (Wales job).

Not exactly indicative of a healthy and loving relationship.
 
Grant Ferguson admitted on the radio that it was done over the phone, as he had offered to meet and talk to him in person about the situation but Des wasn't available to do so at that moment, and the next day Des went on holiday (understandably) so they were unable to talk in person.
 
He was also in talks to leave the club before a ball had even been kicked this season (Wales job).
And after a ball was kicked, with little regard to what the implications were back home.

My guess is that Des never got over how close he was to losing his job early on, but his behaviour behind the scenes meant this was a pretty easy decision to make when push quickly came to shove
 
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I alluded to this in early November and got nothing but grief for it. It’s not a sustainable situation when your owner is resorting to texting the manager about needing to improve performances, because it’s the only way they can actually communicate with him.

I’m surprised anyone was surprised by what happened tbh. Des was asked on The Dub about the possibility of a new contract and all he said was that the board would sack him eventually anyway, before telling a story about some kids in Bicester telling him that they used to hate him. He was also in talks to leave the club before a ball had even been kicked this season (Wales job).

Not exactly indicative of a healthy and loving relationship.
And after a ball was kicked, with little regard to what the implications were back home.

My guess is that Des never got over how close he was to losing his job early on, but his behaviour behind the scenes meant this was a pretty easy decision to make when push quickly came to shove


He will have to develop thicker skin if he wants to succeed in football management, apart from the Harrogate manager whose dad owns the club not any job where you won’t get speculation and background shenanigans if you are on a bad run, that’s part of the job.
 
And it would be no coincidence that Thohir has attended both recent home games. This is also why I expect to see Marselino feature in the squad. Thohir is the major financier of the club and has his personal reputation, along with his footballing aspirations to look after. The January transfer budget could well reflect his position, much to the benefit of the club and playing staff.
DB may well have made a costly error in his actions.


The Marselino situation is an interesting one.
 
Much as I'd be curious to see Marselino, I also think it's a bad idea to let owners meddle in playing matters.

I agree with that, although wasn’t Tiger heavily involved in recruiting Dickie and paving his way into the first team - or was that just a bit of myth ? In fairness, if the ownership were behind that signing then what a signing !
 
So why was Des not returning pone calls?

Only Des knows the answer to that but we can all speculate the reason that most of the fanbase would say he was trying to avoid having to answer the owners about our performances on the pitch. The fact he refused to meet with the board though and that's why he was sacked on the phone speaks volumes though.

I will always be thankful to Des for the success at Wembley the same as I will for all the players but time moves quickly and it was right to change manager.
 
Only Des knows the answer to that but we can all speculate the reason that most of the fanbase would say he was trying to avoid having to answer the owners about our performances on the pitch. The fact he refused to meet with the board though and that's why he was sacked on the phone speaks volumes though.

I will always be thankful to Des for the success at Wembley the same as I will for all the players but time moves quickly and it was right to change manager.
Could they not have been asking what he needs to improve things?
 
He was also in talks to leave the club before a ball had even been kicked this season (Wales job).
To confirm, he was actively in discussions with representatives from the Welsh FA about taking over?
Were our board informed? Were they in agreement?

In any case, no surprise he was let go if true. I am also in the unfortunate position of having to get the OK for things at work from someone less experienced, less able and absolutely unreachable. I would LOVE to sack them if I was in a senior position. Not answering your paymasters is not the brightest tactic, it's fair to say...
 
Allegedly, Erik Thohir has ambitions for, not just the Indonesian FA but FIFA as well. A successful OUFC with a brand new stadium could prove very influential.
 
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