Brentford FC in the Premier League?

[Marky147]

Nick Goff ‏@nickgoff79 18m18 minutes ago

What Benham's dong at Brentford is going to be the most interesting thing to follow in all of football for the next couple of years.


Nick Goff ‏@nickgoff79 17m17 minutes ago

It's basically going to prove whether or not the best methods for professional betting can also be used to successfully run a football club.


Nick Goff ‏@nickgoff79 14m14 minutes ago

Seen a lot of "football's gone mad" tweets already. Owners who don't really get it - like the one at Wolves - that's mad. Benham is not.

Goff is a funny twitter poster.  Should spend more time getting his prices right so he can lay them for decent money than worry about successful methods of running a football team.  I hardly see how comparing running a football team successfully equates to being a successful football gambler or vice versa.  Gamblers are just trying to predict as accurately as possible via maths models what will happen on a pitch.   Having those models alone doesn't allow you to become a successful owner/manager of a football team.

For example i can price up dog races reasonably well but wouldn't have a clue how to train a racing greyhound.

analytics clearly have their place in sports but in the last few years my personal view is that people are getting carried away with them (esp in the NBA) with many people suddenly thinking they are the most important factor of all.  

Charles Barkley (NBA hall of famer) recently commented on this issue in the NBA - see link below.  Think he makes a lot of fair points about people getting too carried away with stats in sports.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/02/charles-barkley-daryl-morey-beef

“The Rockets sucked for a long time, so they went out and paid James Harden a lot of money. They got better,” he said. “Then they went out and got Dwight Howard. They got better. …

“The NBA is about talent,” he went on. “All these guys who run these organizations who talk about analytics, they have one thing in common — they’re a bunch of guys who have never played the game, and they never got the girls in high school, and they just want to get in the game.”

In the same segment, he called out the Rockets’ defense. “Just because you’ve got good stats doesn’t mean you’re a good team defensively,” Barkley said. “They’re not a good defensive team. They gave up 118 points. No good team gives up 118 points.”

Saw him talking about that on a talk show, and it was pretty com

[rinswun]

Club Statement

Brentford Football Club would like to update supporters on planned changes to the football management to come in to effect from the end of the season.

Club Owner Matthew Benham has met with Sporting Director Frank McParland, Manager Mark Warburton and Assistant Manager David Weir and the Club has reached agreement on terms for their departure.

The board, with Matthew’s approval, has made the decision that the trio will leave Brentford at the end of the 2014/15 season.

Mark and David will continue to work with the first-team on a day-to-day basis through to the end of the season – with the support and backing of Matthew and the Club’s Board – as Brentford push for promotion to the Premier League.

Matthew, a Brentford fan since 1979, who has owned the majority shareholding in the Club since June 2012, has decided to make changes in order to ensure the long-term prosperity of the Club.

Matthew and members of the Board have been in discussions with Manager Mark Warburton and other football staff about the future direction of the Club for many weeks, prior to stories appearing in the media last week.

As part of a remodelling of the Club’s football management, a Head Coach will be appointed to work alongside a new Sporting Director.

There will also be a new recruitment structure using a mixture of traditional scouting and other tools including mathematical modelling.

As part of the new recruitment structure, the Head Coach will have a strong input in to the players brought in to the Club but not an absolute veto.

The club wish to implement these changes in time for the next transfer window that opens this summer and to best ensure a smooth transition to the new recruitment model current Sporting Director Frank McParland has been placed on gardening leave.

The club want the new structure to be a long-term way of working which is independent of whoever is in the Head Coach role.

Frank, Mark and David have decided, following long discussions with Matthew that they feel unable to work under the changed structure and approach as it differs from their football philosophy.

Matthew Benham said: “I am a passionate Brentford fan and every decision I take is intended to be in the best long term interests of the Club.

“Some of the decisions taken to date have been easy and some, like this one, have been extremely hard.

Cliff Crown, Chairman of Brentford FC said: “Lots of clubs are criticised for short term thinking – we want to take a long term view and put structures in place that both the Board and the owner believe will be to the benefit of Brentford FC for years to come.

“The new structure is unusual in English football, although commonplace in other European countries and in other sports.

“We would have loved for Mark to stay, working within the new structure, but he feels that this is not right for him.

“We understand that completely and had to weigh up the benefits of the new structure against losing a fantastically successful manager before taking this decision.

“Recent press articles made it impossible to continue orderly discussions in private about the next steps for the Club.

“We regret this happening and fully appreciate that the uncertainty and often inaccurate speculation has been unsatisfactory for fans.

“We must now focus totally on the remainder of the season.

Matthew Benham also said: “Under Mark’s stewardship, Brentford have achieved a high league position and played football which is a joy to watch.

“It is difficult to seek to implement change, particularly when things appear to be going so well, but I am single minded in my resolve that we can leave no stone unturned in our quest for sustainable Premier League Football.

“Innovation, not increased funding, can be the only route to success for clubs such as ours, and I fully accept that innovation is never without risk.

“We are continuing to build a strong base for the future.

“Everything has been perfectly amicable between all parties and we remain friends.”

Mark Warburton said: “I will be forever grateful to Matthew for giving me the opportunity to be Manager of this fantastic Football Club and for what he has done for the Club since I have been here.

“It has been an absolute honour and a privilege to do the job and I have had the pleasure of working with a fantastic group of players and staff and have enjoyed the backing of a magnificent set of supporters.

“While I am disappointed that we have been unable to reconcile some key philosophical differences, I’m relieved we now have clarity.

“In my remaining time at the Club we shall move heaven and earth to get the promotion that the players, fans and Matthew deserve and going forward, I wish the club every success in its ongoing adventure.

“I have enormous respect for Matthew and his investment in the Club and he has the absolute right to run the club in the manner he deems most appropriate and beneficial.

“I have the privilege of managing an outstanding group of players, a group which has demonstrated a work ethic, a harmony and no shortage of quality.

“David and I, and indeed all the staff, remain totally focussed on supporting this squad of players and ensuring they are best prepared for each and every remaining fixture this season.

“Please be absolutely reassured that nothing will detract from our work for Brentford Football Club between now and the end of the season.”

[rinswun]

TL;DR

Benham looks to be trying to implement a European/Southampton style management model and offered Warburton a role. Warburton didn't want to manage that way.

Seems fair and the story from last week makes sense at least.

[The Camel]

Nick Goff ‏@nickgoff79 18m18 minutes ago

What Benham's dong at Brentford is going to be the most interesting thing to follow in all of football for the next couple of years.


Nick Goff ‏@nickgoff79 17m17 minutes ago

It's basically going to prove whether or not the best methods for professional betting can also be used to successfully run a football club.


Nick Goff ‏@nickgoff79 14m14 minutes ago

Seen a lot of "football's gone mad" tweets already. Owners who don't really get it - like the one at Wolves - that's mad. Benham is not.

Goff is a funny twitter poster.  Should spend more time getting his prices right so he can lay them for decent money than worry about successful methods of running a football team.  I hardly see how comparing running a football team successfully equates to being a successful football gambler or vice versa.  Gamblers are just trying to predict as accurately as possible via maths models what will happen on a pitch.   Having those models alone doesn't allow you to become a successful owner/manager of a football team.

For example i can price up dog races reasonably well but wouldn't have a clue how to train a racing greyhound.

analytics clearly have their place in sports but in the last few years my personal view is that people are getting carried away with them (esp in the NBA) with many people suddenly thinking they are the most important factor of all.  

Charles Barkley (NBA hall of famer) recently commented on this issue in the NBA - see link below.  Think he makes a lot of fair points about people getting too carried away with stats in sports.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/02/charles-barkley-daryl-morey-beef

“The Rockets sucked for a long time, so they went out and paid James Harden a lot of money. They got better,” he said. “Then they went out and got Dwight Howard. They got better. …

“The NBA is about talent,” he went on. “All these guys who run these organizations who talk about analytics, they have one thing in common — they’re a bunch of guys who have never played the game, and they never got the girls in high school, and they just want to get in the game.”

In the same segment, he called out the Rockets’ defense. “Just because you’ve got good stats doesn’t mean you’re a good team defensively,” Barkley said. “They’re not a good defensive team. They gave up 118 points. No good team gives up 118 points.”

Of course it's about talent.

But only 3 or 4 teams in England have got bottomless pockets to buy the football equivalent of Harden and Howard.

The rest have to make the most of the limited resources they have at hand.

Benham is attempting to do this and it is very interesting that the vast majority of tweets from Brentford supporters are broadly backing him, while from the outside pundits and supporters of other teams are mocking him.

Both he and Bloom (at Brighton) are massive odds on with me to get it right and have both clubs as solid members of the Premier League within 10 years.

Going the same route as the Oakland As in the MLB who are consistently competitive for the World Series despite have a bottom 5 wage bill.

[rinswun]

As a Brentford fan, I implicitly trust Benham and back the decisions he makes. He saved the club, managed to get a new stadium organised and has put together the most talented squad I have seen in my 25 years as a fan. On top of that we now have a category A academy and are seeing talented youngsters from other clubs join our club rather than the other way round.

Warburton has done a fantastic job, oversaw promotion and has us sitting pretty in the Championship with a style of play which is really easy on the eye. I couldn't begrudge him anything. However, managers come and go, the football club you hope to be there forever. Benham has ensured that and looks to be continuing to ensure that forever will be a bright future.

[swinebag22]

Fascinating story unfolding at Brentford.

Got given "moneyball" a few years back. Must find the time to read it. Interesting that you compare with the A's there Keith as there is possibly a similar model running at Brentford.

It is funny how the ex pros are putting the boot in. Benham after all "has never played the game zzzzzzz". It sort of reminds me of poker boom time when Internet kids started turning up at casinos and were thought to not have a clue.

At the end of the day, the only real way to be competitive is to fling a load of dosh at the club. That isn't an option for most clubs so the options  are to accept your lot or to try something different. I genuinely hope Brentford win the lot.

[KingPush]

I think Bentham's decision is a good one. I'm really not looking forward to the tired narrative when they don't reach the playoffs/ have a poor start next year/ sign two bad players.

[mulhuzz]

some result today that.

[arbboy]

Some funny comments from the gambling/coke addict/ failed Walsall manager Merson on soccer Saturday today about benham.

[Marky147]

Didn't fancy giving us the comments?

[arbboy]

Didn't fancy giving us the comments?

My previous comments sorta agreed with him to an extent but he is so stuck in the drinking culture from his era it is unreal.  It's amaxing Sky have him as a 1.01 to attend on soccer Saturday. It can only be for entertainment for his terrible ability to state foreign players names correctly. He offers nothing more than that to sky.  By contrast I thought cottee was really good today given his chance.  It's a mug fest though soccer Saturday and merson will always appeal.

[Marky147]

The results flash up on the screen for everyone, so the rest is a sideshow, and I don't think most of them are there for their technical abilities.

[arbboy]

Merson. Probably needs the money in 2015 more than cottee given their respective habits so does what he is told whereas cottee seems to say it as it is.

[DMorgan]

I think that Merson is the best of the soccer saturday guys for entertainment value which is largely their remit imo

[The Camel]

I think that Merson is the best of the soccer saturday guys for entertainment value which is largely their remit imo

This.

They are there to entertain, not give cutting edge analysis.

I like Merson and Kammy.

Jeff Stelling is the guvnor obviously.