We Need Another Jimmy Hill (1 Viewer)

[bringbackrattles]

Love him or hate him as to many he was Marmite but Coventry is crying out for another Jimmy Hill.
I loved him for coming in and turning us into a first division club when we were just a lowly going nowhere club with no direction. But it ain't going to happen as football is so different now and sadly the likes of Jimmy won't walk into the Ricoh and show cretins like Fisher and Seppala how to properly run a football club. But wouldn't it be great if it did happen ? Quick nurse Mr Rattles is in need of his medication !

 

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[Hobo]

I agree if you are talking about his first term at the city.
Although another Sillett and Curtis wouldn't go amiss either.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

Can we have another Highfield Road while we're at it?

 

[lordsummerisle]

I agree if you are talking about his first term at the city.
Although another Sillett and Curtis wouldn't go amiss either.

Is human cloning still illegal?

Might still be worth taking a few samples of DNA and push for a change in the law.

With our luck we'd mess all the samples up and end up with the result of mixed DNA from Howe, Reid, Coleman and Thorn managing the club on a combined 50 year contract.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Agreed, but I think the concept of the revolutionary manager is outdated. I wonder how Jimmy would handle today's players, who have all the leverage. Some things I'd like to see:

1. An American-style two-tier system of the general manager (director of football) and the first team coach. It makes it easier to designate responsibility. It also doesn't overburden an individual; I have no idea how one man can competently oversee training, scout players, do paperwork, handle transfers, scout the opposition, draw up tactics, act as counsellor, be a boardroom/training ground go-between, etc.

2. A long term strategy based on financial rules. For example: Don't spend more than is taken in unless doubling-down when near the top of the table. Assign scouts to non-league football and the lower divisions of Scandinavian football; try to acquire the best they have for five or low six-figures each time. Commit to selling the best players if outside the top six at the transfer window, but buying if in the top six.

3. Create better incentives for players, such as option years with big, staggered increases in pay.

4. Stronger marketing. I'm not sure how those who have been doing the marketing for CCFC this past decade managed to land the job. Lots more social interaction for one thing. For another, try giveaway days. In American sports, giveaway days are a surefire way to pack out the stadium. It costs little to give away a free scarf or pint or pie or hat if you're getting a ton of full-priced ticket purchases in return.

5. Change the colours. Love Jimmy Hill, but never liked the Sky Blue. Something more suitable for a rising phoenix, such as reds and oranges...

 

[skybluebeduff]

[video=youtube;dq4aOaDXIfY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq4aOaDXIfY[/video]

 

[Karl87]

Me and a few friends were discussing this topic recently and sadly had to agree that a revolutionary Jimmy Hill figure would struggle in today's game. I know it's sacrilege to compare them to JH, but if you look at what Vincent Tan tried at Cardiff and what the Hull owner was trying (i.e. a commercial rebranding of a football club to create a more positive and competitive club) then I think a modern Jimmy would find themselves facing up to a similar level of abuse. I know what JH did wasn't perhaps as cynical as their attempts, but they are similar.

It's easy for us to sit here 50+ years on and be grateful of the changes he presented, but if a new owner came in wanting to change the colour of the strip, the nickname of the club, invent songs for the crowd to sing as well as hundreds of commercial ideas (JH pioneered glossy matchday programmes, package away game travel and proper halftime entertainment amongst many other things) then I think they would be met with a lot of aggression and ridicule.

All that aside, I would LOVE to be proved wrong.

 

[Noggin]

we need owners who have the interests of the football club at heart before a manager can succeed. No manager however talented gets us promoted under the current restrictions imo.

 

[wingy]

We need another Derrick Robbins first
Someone of the Ilk of John Sharp who is leading the revival down at the Butts

 

[bringbackrattles]

Me and a few friends were discussing this topic recently and sadly had to agree that a revolutionary Jimmy Hill figure would struggle in today's game. I know it's sacrilege to compare them to JH, but if you look at what Vincent Tan tried at Cardiff and what the Hull owner was trying (i.e. a commercial rebranding of a football club to create a more positive and competitive club) then I think a modern Jimmy would find themselves facing up to a similar level of abuse. I know what JH did wasn't perhaps as cynical as their attempts, but they are similar.

It's easy for us to sit here 50+ years on and be grateful of the changes he presented, but if a new owner came in wanting to change the colour of the strip, the nickname of the club, invent songs for the crowd to sing as well as hundreds of commercial ideas (JH pioneered glossy matchday programmes, package away game travel and proper halftime entertainment amongst many other things) then I think they would be met with a lot of aggression and ridicule.

All that aside, I would LOVE to be proved wrong.

I agree that's what my thread is saying really, Jimmy wouldn't get the time these days anyway to get his vision going like he did in the 60's.Can you imagine him saying to a lowly club now that he was going to change the colour of the kit,have a new club song,bring in his players,have pop and crisps sessions,have open training days,and change the structure of the ground ? they'd say to him are you the full ticket pal ? But he did those things didn't he and the rest is history.

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

JH was, and always will be my hero. He pioneered all seater stadiums, undersoil heating, and brought a fresh image to football. The only thing he brought that in retrospect has gradually started to strangle the game was getting rid of the cap on players wages. By all means wages should reflect a players skill, commitment, and loyalty. BUT £250k pw wages??? Think it's gone a little too far don't you?

 

[Colonel Mustard]

The only thing he brought that in retrospect has gradually started to strangle the game was getting rid of the cap on players wages. By all means wages should reflect a players skill, commitment, and loyalty. BUT £250k pw wages??? Think it's gone a little too far don't you?

I don't think that's a problem in itself. It's the lack of regulation elsewhere that makes it problematic. So, for instance, why not put a limit on squad sizes? The richer teams would be unable to hoard quality players, and smaller clubs wouldn't have to break the bank to compete against those wage standards. It'd also make player exchanges more common (to clear squad space), meaning small clubs could pick up high quality youngsters on smaller salaries if they transfer their stars.

 

[Bill Glazier]

Hill was, and still is, a hero for me too. But Robbins did give him a load of cash to buy players. We were the Man City or Chelsea of our day to some extent.

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

Hill was, and still is, a hero for me too. But Robbins did give him a load of cash to buy players. We were the Man City or Chelsea of our day to some extent.

Exactly mate, Speculate to accumulate. What happened when we got financial backing? We went from being a mediocre Div 3 team to a top division side in a few years....Take note SISU. That's how you do it.

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

How much (realistically) would it take to get out of this league and gain promotion to the Premier league?....£12-15m?.......What is the prize of getting to the Premier...£90-95m?...Come on SISU, all you money men there, and not one of you with common sense. The parachute payment has got be about £18-20m You could make a tidy profit doing a WBA every year.

 

[Moff]

How much (realistically) would it take to get out of this league and gain promotion to the Premier league?....£12-15m?.......What is the prize of getting to the Premier...£90-95m?...Come on SISU, all you money men there, and not one of you with common sense. The parachute payment has got be about £18-20m You could make a tidy profit doing a WBA every year.

Try nearer 60 million, which makes it all the more improtant to clubs to get there...the way its going though there will only be a select number of clubs who have the wealth to get there, including yo yo sides apart from those such as Fulham and Bolton who grossly over spent.

Who would have thought a team such as Bournemouth would soon be worth millions more than us.

 

[Grendel]

we need owners who have the interests of the football club at heart before a manager can succeed. No manager however talented gets us promoted under the current restrictions imo.

Schmee! Look a poster trying to take a subject off topic to suit his own agenda and ignoring the fact one manager had a win ratio under sisu better than jimmy hill. I guess you are already PM ing Nick declaring your outrage at such bias.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

How much (realistically) would it take to get out of this league and gain promotion to the Premier league?....£12-15m?........

Two issues spring to mind:

1. It is not easy to find £12-15m when you are in L1 and don't have any real assets to borrow against.
2. Financial Fair Play would likely be a factor. It limits wages to (I think) 60% of turnover in L1. With big transfer expenditure comes big wages.

The best value for money is changing the manager, certainly at this level.