Luke Dowling

[MassDebater]

Dowling will be sacked at the end of the season, I predict.

As footballing director, the failure to assemble a team which was fit to compete in the PL physically, psychologically, or in terms of personnel - he has to take some responsibility for that.

Surely the club (i.e. Dowling) has to bring in (to their best of its financial ability to do so) the players that the manager wants, and not players that the club wants and the manager doesn't.

I don't get all this antagonism against Dowling. He has backed the manager as much as Lai has allowed him to. What else is he supposed to do?

The only alternative to what he has done was to tell Bilic "I'm a better judge of a footballer than you and the players you want are shit, therefore you are sacked". Or "Bilic, your job is solely to get a tune out of the players that I want to bring in so shut the fuck up and get on with it".

There's no doubt their relationship went frosty as he went from 'Luke' to 'the Director'  - I assume assumed a dictatorial stance with Bilic who doesn't strike me as someone who would throw his toys because he can't get what he wants but wouldn't take kindly to Dowling's arrogance.

Bilic very much capable of throwing toys out of the pram.

The relationship strained last summer, the whole season strained it further.

Yep. Bilic was on record saying how much he liked working with Jenkins. You get the feeling he dealt with Jenkins above Dowling. 

The minute Jenkins left the power shifted to Dowling and Ken. The rot then set in.

So, just like the last time Jenko left then?? Hmmm, coincidence? maybe?

We definitely do better when Jenko is involved...Dowling...not so much.

I'm curious, and always have been (no not about gay man o man sex), how do people 'KNOW' that Dowling got this player or Slav got this one? Or even the now apparently bang on, no quibbles, Slav was going anyway stuff?

[Birdman1811]

Surely the club (i.e. Dowling) has to bring in (to their best of its financial ability to do so) the players that the manager wants, and not players that the club wants and the manager doesn't.

I don't get all this antagonism against Dowling. He has backed the manager as much as Lai has allowed him to. What else is he supposed to do?

The only alternative to what he has done was to tell Bilic "I'm a better judge of a footballer than you and the players you want are shit, therefore you are sacked". Or "Bilic, your job is solely to get a tune out of the players that I want to bring in so shut the fuck up and get on with it".

There's no doubt their relationship went frosty as he went from 'Luke' to 'the Director'  - I assume assumed a dictatorial stance with Bilic who doesn't strike me as someone who would throw his toys because he can't get what he wants but wouldn't take kindly to Dowling's arrogance.

Bilic very much capable of throwing toys out of the pram.

The relationship strained last summer, the whole season strained it further.

Yep. Bilic was on record saying how much he liked working with Jenkins. You get the feeling he dealt with Jenkins above Dowling. 

The minute Jenkins left the power shifted to Dowling and Ken. The rot then set in.

So, just like the last time Jenko left then?? Hmmm, coincidence? maybe?

We definitely do better when Jenko is involved...Dowling...not so much.

I'm curious, and always have been (no not about gay man o man sex), how do people 'KNOW' that Dowling got this player or Slav got this one? Or even the now apparently bang on, no quibbles, Slav was going anyway stuff?

Quite a lot is public domain from interviews with people at the club. The Athletic have done a lot on it.

[MassDebater]

Quite a lot is public domain from interviews with people at the club. The Athletic have done a lot on it.

I don't subscribe and copy n pasting isn't allowed now

[baggie_ray]

Both Bilic and Dowling are responsible for this mess right now. We didn't have a big budget but if we "boxed clever" as Dowling likes to say, we could have become much more competitive but we wasted money on shite not good enough for this league. It was obvious we needed defenders and defensive midfield players.

Then it was up to Bilic to say we need defenders and defensive midfield players, that we should make acquiring some decent players in these areas our top priority and that this is where our transfer budget should be focussed.

However, even if we had done this, there is no guarantee that we could have signed anybody of sufficient quality.

[Birdman1811]

Quite a lot is public domain from interviews with people at the club. The Athletic have done a lot on it.

I don't subscribe and copy n pasting isn't allowed now

Fair one.

[Sliced]

Welcome to the speculation station!