[TheJacko2000]

Been told previously owner Guochuan Lai had lost faith in Dowling. Simon Stone BBC

Everyone says Lai knows nothing about football...maybe knows more than we thought

Suggests he had faith in him at one time. So knows FA   

[Baggies]

I don't see how this is bad timing, it's perfect timing surely?
We can now look to bring in a cohesive team to prepare for the new era. I thought that's what everyone wanted?

Ideally a technical director is the one who draws up the blueprint of what type of manager we need, but I doubt they will be in place to hire some body that fits their vision.

We are now deep into planning for next season and have no manager or tech director. It isn’t ideal.

[Mister AT]

Granted he doesn’t have the experience but Paul Scharner was vocal a few months back about having that role within our club. Guessing he will throw his name in the hat.

Would love us to get Roy in.

Sadly can only see us hiring a businessman with little football knowledge or scrapping the role all together.

[SirTonyM]

Suggests he had faith in him at one time. So knows FA   

Good point...Better late than never. Thats also the motto for the manager search when Pardew gets it again

[PartisanBaggie]

Been told previously owner Guochuan Lai had lost faith in Dowling. Simon Stone BBC

Everyone says Lai knows nothing about football...maybe knows more than we thought

He knows how to wield his axe 😋

[baggiejohn]

Here's a novel idea. Just get a manager, not a head coach. Maybe removing Dowling is a prelude to this.

MMM - See where you're going with this.

[LiamTheBaggie]

I don't see how this is bad timing, it's perfect timing surely?
We can now look to bring in a cohesive team to prepare for the new era. I thought that's what everyone wanted?

My preference is that this should have happened last month and not following the press releases of our shoddy search for a new gaffer. Though it’s good news the timing is bad.

This was always going to be busy summer and we needed to make a quick start. We’re now without a manager, playing squad and director of football.

We have two rookies running the club with an absent owner who is suddenly placing his head above the parapet.

[hardtobeat]

SFS ......Send For Scharner ! It may not last long but it would be lively !

[skyclad99]

For me this is a ‘careful what you wish for’ moment.

How many of you think that this circus is actually capable of recruiting someone better?

[Dexy]

Poor timing but maybe Lai and co have woke themselves up and realised this club is slipping quite quickly , If they want their money then they'll have to put some care and attention in and get the right staff this time . We need a rethink not a contact book , I'd sooner a club with a plan fail rather than a club bumbling along slowly falling to bits .
I've made my views on Dowling clear , for me this is a step in the right direction and another chance for Lai and co to build something , Dowling has had more than enough time and chances .

[gazberg]

If there is an option to hire a consultant ( if even such a thing exists) to oversee the appointment of our next DOF then do it. This appointment is absolutely crucial to get right.

I think Jacko said something about this earlier and he's right.

[gerry m]

Just when you thought this club couldn't get more of a shambles.

[alex1]

Been told previously owner Guochuan Lai had lost faith in Dowling. Simon Stone BBC

Understandable when Dowling's manager shortlist all came to nothing.

[LiamTheBaggie]

For me this is a ‘careful what you wish for’ moment.

How many of you think that this circus is actually capable of recruiting someone better?

A part of me wonders whether we’re going to bin off the DOF position to be honest..

We won’t be recruiting a manager anytime soon if we need to fill this position first.

[TheJacko2000]

For me this is a ‘careful what you wish for’ moment.

How many of you think that this circus is actually capable of recruiting someone better?

Me. Virtually anyone is better. Dowling was an atrocious appointment who has dismantled the academy. Failed to replace Moore properly. Actively worked against the next permanent head coach and seemed to have carte blanche over the entire club. A man promoted well above his capability. Thank Lai he's gone.

Poor timing but maybe Lai and co have woke themselves up and realised this club is slipping quite quickly , If they want their money then they'll have to put some care and attention in and get the right staff this time . We need a rethink not a contact book , I'd sooner a club with a plan fail rather than a club bumbling along slowly falling to bits .
I've made my views on Dowling clear , for me this is a step in the right direction and another chance for Lai and co to build something , Dowling has had more than enough time and chances .

Think this is far more likely than the chaos suggested by other posters tbh.

[WBA.R.K]

Don't see Ken or Lai even knowing they can operate without a DOF

[WorcsWBA]

Whilst Dowling leaving is good news overall IMO, the timing of it is senseless - he should have gone as soon as it was obvious that we were going down. Unless we're planning to go back to having a manager rather than a head coach, we're now in turmoil with 2 posts to fill and with one of them being dependent on the other being in post. The season starts in 8 weeks.

Dowling was the only "football person" in a senior management position at the Club. Those clamouring for Jenkins to replace him need to bear in mind that Jenkins is a financial specialist. Our Board actually only consists of 3 people:

Chairman: Li Piyue
Chief Executive: Ken
Operations Director: Mark Miles

None of them know anything about the football side (or much else based on the available evidence). Chris Lepkowski has tweeted following the announcement about Dowling: "of course just a few weeks after the Financial Director announced he was also leaving the club, having resigned. Some strange things going on at the top of WBA". He's referring to Lee Cooper and I must admit that it has passed me by if him leaving has previously been reported. It does leave me wondering if the Board actually has a quorum at the moment?

All we can do now is wait for Ken's statement to see if that sheds any light on what appears to have moved on from a farce to a disgraceful shambles.

[alex1]

SFS ......Send For Scharner ! It may not last long but it would be lively !

Certainly worth sounding him out. He may not be up to date with what's happening in the Championship, but I thought he had some business experience and would definitely have a strong affinity with the club.   

[Manc Baggie]

Dear whoever is left of the WBAFC Board of Directors,

I wish to apply for the recently vacated position of Director of Football at the Hawthornes.

Whilst I have absolutely no previous experience of a Director of Football role, based on the success of the most recent incumbent, I would consider this fact to be a huge advantage.

I am already completely familiar with the existing policies of not giving youth a chance / selling any half decent youth players for peanuts / not doing anything to upset Barcelona, as well as being entirely confident that I could fulfil the player recruitment role in the time honoured, tombola approach to 'over paid has beens’ and 'never were’s’. I am also willing to work with more state of the art systems such as the names on a dartboard method and possibly the Ouija Board method of player selection, although I expect some training will be required with these systems.
I am willing to provide my own player recruitment divining rod if the club’d own divining rod is as broken as seems to be the case based on recent years.
Also, please be assured that I can continue to recruit using the existing method of watching whatever football competition is on freeview over the summer to spot any out of contract donkeys willing to put up with several lucrative contracts for a few years at the club.

Money Management and value for money won’t be an issue as thanks to my Missus, I am a strong believer in the putting money away every week in envelopes for each bill system. I am also very experienced in the one penny challenge method of saving for Christmas, so agreeing multi million pound player contracts will be unlikely to present any difficulties.

Finally, in view of my recent application for the vacant First Team Manager / Player Coach role, I  want to assure you that I am willing to take on both roles simultaneously, again on a part time basis, as the DOF role doesn’t seem to amount to more than a couple of hours work a week, albeit, I acknowledge that more time is needed during the all important watching summer tournament on TV period.

Obviously, some thought will need to be applied to the logistics of appointing me to both roles as this may raise the issue of having to sack myself in a few weeks time, however I feel certain that with our current Fred Carno approach to running the club, this won’t be an issue.

I trust you find this application of interest & I look forward to your favourable reply.
Best regards.
Manc Baggie.

[OhBilics]

Granted he doesn’t have the experience but Paul Scharner was vocal a few months back about having that role within our club. Guessing he will throw his name in the hat.

Way too mouthy for Mr Lai's liking, I'm sure!

[AlbionFan]

Hopefully, with Dowling's departure, we have reached rock bottom, and now, the only way is up COYB!!

[TheJacko2000]

Hopefully, with Dowling's departure, we have reached rock bottom, and now, the only way is up COYB!!

I'd argue we reached rock bottom (administerially) on 26 September 2018.

[alwaysbilly]

Dear whoever is left of the WBAFC Board of Directors,

I wish to apply for the recently vacated position of Director of Football at the Hawthornes.

Whilst I have absolutely no previous experience of a Director of Football role, based on the success of the most recent incumbent, I would consider this fact to be a huge advantage.

I am already completely familiar with the existing policies of not giving youth a chance / selling any half decent youth players for peanuts / not doing anything to upset Barcelona, as well as being entirely confident that I could fulfil the player recruitment role in the time honoured, tombola approach to 'over paid has beens’ and 'never were’s’. I am also willing to work with more state of the art systems such as the names on a dartboard method and possibly the Ouija Board method of player selection, although I expect some training will be required with these systems.
I am willing to provide my own player recruitment divining rod if the club’d own divining rod is as broken as seems to be the case based on recent years.
Also, please be assured that I can continue to recruit using the existing method of watching whatever football competition is on freeview over the summer to spot any out of contract donkeys willing to put up with several lucrative contracts for a few years at the club.

Money Management and value for money won’t be an issue as thanks to my Missus, I am a strong believer in the putting money away every week in envelopes for each bill system. I am also very experienced in the one penny challenge method of saving for Christmas, so agreeing multi million pound player contracts will be unlikely to present any difficulties.

Finally, in view of my recent application for the vacant First Team Manager / Player Coach role, I  want to assure you that I am willing to take on both roles simultaneously, again on a part time basis, as the DOF role doesn’t seem to amount to more than a couple of hours work a week, albeit, I acknowledge that more time is needed during the all important watching summer tournament on TV period.

Obviously, some thought will need to be applied to the logistics of appointing me to both roles as this may raise the issue of having to sack myself in a few weeks time, however I feel certain that with our current Fred Carno approach to running the club, this won’t be an issue.

I trust you find this application of interest & I look forward to your favourable reply.
Best regards.
Manc Baggie.

Provided no compensation I’d say you in with a shout

[skyclad99]

Whilst Dowling leaving is good news overall IMO, the timing of it is senseless - he should have gone as soon as it was obvious that we were going down. Unless we're planning to go back to having a manager rather than a head coach, we're now in turmoil with 2 posts to fill and with one of them being dependent on the other being in post. The season starts in 8 weeks.

Dowling was the only "football person" in a senior management position at the Club. Those clamouring for Jenkins to replace him need to bear in mind that Jenkins is a financial specialist. Our Board actually only consists of 3 people:

Chairman: Li Piyue
Chief Executive: Ken
Operations Director: Mark Miles

None of them know anything about the football side (or much else based on the available evidence). Chris Lepkowski has tweeted following the announcement about Dowling: "of course just a few weeks after the Financial Director announced he was also leaving the club, having resigned. Some strange things going on at the top of WBA". He's referring to Lee Cooper and I must admit that it has passed me by if him leaving has previously been reported. It does leave me wondering if the Board actually has a quorum at the moment?

All we can do now is wait for Ken's statement to see if that sheds any light on what appears to have moved on from a farce to a disgraceful shambles.

I knew Cooper had gone, as I was trying to wordsmith some 'jeans based' jokes, but eventually gave up. He has been replaced by a former Fosun employee.

I said earlier 'be careful what you wish for'. Whilst most of us wanted Dowling out, it was very difficult to make any progress with the very limited financial resources made available to him, although I will concede that his record was not good. The 'Allardyce gamble' didn't come off, so he is a '3 out of 10, see me' employee in the eyes of Lai.

I am mindful of the document provided on this forum recently in respect of the sale of St Andrews. I noted that all interested parties were from China, and I am wondering if we are fast going in the same direction.

So, to put it bluntly I would not be surprised at all if our next Sporting Director is from China and has a ‘vast amount of experience recruiting/operating in the Chinese league’. 

As I say, careful what you wish for........

[alex1]

I am mindful of the document provided on this forum recently in respect of the sale of St Andrews. I noted that all interested parties were from China, and I am wondering if we are fast going in the same direction.

So, to put it bluntly I would not be surprised at all if our next Sporting Director is from China and has a vast amount of experience recruiting/operating in the Chinese league. 

As I say, careful what you wish for........

If they start trying to make 'football decisions' by someone based in China, that's going to go badly pear-shaped. Things will go quickly from bad to worse. That Chinese player who Lai bought and loaned out to Werder Bremen was a bit of a disaster. I don't think he made a single appeaarnce for their first team.