Current Staff Mark Thomas to Derby

[Foley]

And there’s still a very large Dan Harris shaped shadow hanging over the Academy situation, where he suddenly quit without having another job lined up and then we took four months to replace him. That is a situation that I happen to know an awful lot about, as it happens.

The club needs to strengthen immediately. The coaching staff has been scaled back multiple times over the last few years and we need a new recruitment head.

With regard to the Academy it appears from the outside that the club has recruited well in replacing Harris? I guess that time will tell but Kinninburgh seems to have been well thought of in Scotland at youth level?

Agree on the rest. A new recruitment head is needed. Was it Tim Williams who was saying that there are a few key appointments to be made? I would think that the Board are seriously looking at the whole structure. Hopefully the whole recruitment department/ set up is bring thoroughly reviewed and there will be appointments soon

 

[YellowSubmarine]

With regard to the Academy it appears from the outside that the club has recruited well in replacing Harris? I guess that time will tell but Kinninburgh seems to have been well thought of in Scotland at youth level?

Agree on the rest. A new recruitment head is needed. Was it Tim Williams who was saying that there are a few key appointments to be made? I would think that the Board are seriously looking at the whole structure. Hopefully the whole recruitment department/ set up is bring thoroughly reviewed and there will be appointments soon

Kinniburgh is a very good replacement but Dan Harris was doing a fantastic job & it should’ve never came to replacing him.

Unfortunately he felt like Karl was ruining the pathway for a lot of our youngsters by bringing in Fowler & his academy linked in to giving numerous players trials both as youth team players & first year pros.

There’s been at least 4 examples I know of in the last year, probably more I’m not aware of.

It’s not right.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

With regard to the Academy it appears from the outside that the club has recruited well in replacing Harris? I guess that time will tell but Kinninburgh seems to have been well thought of in Scotland at youth level?

That’s a separate issue. We’re talking about why it happened in the first place, and how it might relate to other changes occurring in recent months. Cleaning up a mess doesn’t mean that why and how it came to exist in the first place doesn’t matter.

Let’s just hope that there’s a plan in place to get a shift on ASAP. We are nowhere near comfortable enough to be able to run through another 20+ games with a threadbare structure. The two month window of January - March 2018 should remind people what happens when a club isn’t on secure footing and suddenly finds itself rudderless.

 

[Osleroad]

A bit of a stab in the dark if you ask me...or are we assuming that he didn't learn a load of old codswallop under/with Karl! Suppose he could be a revelation vis à vis Michael Carrick

 

[Marked Ox]

Kinniburgh is a very good replacement but Dan Harris was doing a fantastic job & it should’ve never came to replacing him.

Unfortunately he felt like Karl was ruining the pathway for a lot of our youngsters by bringing in Fowler & his academy linked in to giving numerous players trials both as youth team players & first year pros.

There’s been at least 4 examples I know of in the last year, probably more I’m not aware of.

It’s not right.

Genuine question: why is it a problem that we have young players on trial regardless of where they come from?

After all, no doubt we have other players on trial or signed from outside the existing Academy players for the Youth team. We signed a right full back after his release from Spurs, Ben Watt, for the youth team not that long ago. Plenty of our youth players have come from other clubs as they mention in their interviews when they're announced.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

Genuine question: why is it a problem that we have young players on trial regardless of where they come from?

After all, no doubt we other players on trial or signed from outside the existing Academy players for the Youth team. We signed a right full back after his release from Spurs, Ben Watts, for the youth team not that long ago. Plenty of our youth players have come from other clubs as they mention in their interviews when they're announced.

Because when other players become dismissed* because they aren’t tied to a certain party, it is of no benefit to the football club.

Players of poorer quality are given chances & even contracts in some cases when there is far better available if KR/Robbie listened to people around them. (Thomas/Harris)

That’s not how a club aiming to be top 30 should be operating.

*dismissed when Harris thinks they’re worthy of staying by the way.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

@Marked Ox - There is a player who is part of the first team now that is only here because DH fought ridiculously hard to keep him when other individuals would’ve moved him on permanently from the club.

 

[Marked Ox]

Because when other players become dismissed* because they aren’t tied to a certain party, it is of no benefit to the football club.

Players of poorer quality are given chances & even contracts in some cases when there is far better available if KR/Robbie listened to people around them. (Thomas/Harris)

That’s not how a club aiming to be top 30 should be operating.

*dismissed when Harris thinks they’re worthy of staying by the way.

So are you claiming all those 1st year Youth players we pick up from other Academies are tied to a certain party?

 

[YellowSubmarine]

So are you claiming all those 1st year Youth players we pick up from other Academies are tied to a certain party?

No.

I’m claiming some good potential players will miss out on deserved opportunities for far far poorer players because people are getting involved in an area with massive agendas.

Make no mistake about it, if the club was run more professional in that area, Dan Harris would still be here now.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

His last few days in the job before he leaves February.

 

[Shosho]

 

[OxfordYankee]

Imagine how good Mark Thomas must feel now that the window is closed. He’s now able to leave to start his new role with new people. He must feel elated.

Good luck, Mark.

 

[Madox80]

Imagine how good Mark Thomas must feel now that the window is closed. He’s now able to leave to start his new role with new people. He must feel elated.

Good luck, Mark.

Just seen him going into the ground wearing his Oxford tracksuit

 

[YellowSubmarine]

Just seen him going into the ground wearing his Oxford tracksuit

Believe it will be confirmed the next few days that he’s moving on. Maybe even tomorrow.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

What a job he did.

 

[Sarge]

'officially' gone today .....

Mark Thomas Departs

Oxford United would like to thank Mark Thomas for his hard work and efforts as he departs for a new role at Derby County.

www.oufc.co.uk

 

[Hackney Jack]

What a job he did.

KR never took Thomas' work and actioned it? No wonder he left. KR just used his own 'nouse' and mobile phone for recruiting.

 

[yellowbow]

Well a departure was announced today. Shame it was the wrong one.

Fingers crossed KR follows him out the Out door soon. And TW too, the way he’s started…

 

[YellowMicky]

Mark did a great job,
New manager in place.
Full focus has to be on putting in a director of Football/head of recruitment.
Michael Moore at cheltenham or Joe Riley at Fleetwood have done well at their clubs.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

He was on 5Live last week. Think it was Friday but can’t remember which show.

 

[isibuko]

Great spot from OxfordAnalytics on twitter

 

[CaptainOx]

There's also a video scout job being advertised as well.
Certainly revamping that side of things. Good signs.