Tony Khan interview...

[The Rational Fan]

I don't understand the 'he has access to his fathers money' argument. If Khan Sr is only willing to finance us on the basis of his son being in a role, then he would be a very poor owner.

I wonder why you think Shahid Khan would give this club more money. If you cannot answer why he would give the club money in the future with another DOF then maybe you should accept one of the answers below. I personally believe without more money, the best club we can be like is Cardiff.

The options for why SK will continue to give the club money include:
A. he doesn't care about the cash flow, as long as the fans give him some love in return
B. he wants to produce positive cash flow (or sale) and thinks the right ex-footballer can
C. he wants to produce positive cash flow and thinks a data-scientist rather than ex-football can
D. he doesn't care about cash flow, as its an expensive hobby that he and his son can afford
E. he doesn't care about cash flow, as long as his son gains experience for the Khan empire.

What is best for the fans in each option:
A. As MAF just wanted to be loved and complaining worked, Sk will respond to the same methods
B. Convince SK that even through MAF failed using this method, it will work now. Why i don't know?
C. Make SK realize that creating a successful football team with data science is moronic. Sell the Club
D. Convince SK that his expensive hobby would be more enjoyable with his son gone.
E. Convince SK to sack TK, but keep giving Fulham's DOF the money for TK experience.

Likelihood of each option
A. Unlikely, as SK is not some rich English owner looking for some love and approval like MAF.
B. Unlikely, as SK acknowledged that the financial results of employing ex-footballers was terrible.
C. Likely, but if SK thinks employing data-scientist rather footballer leads to success, why sack TK.
D. Very Likely, owning a football club is a cheap hobby that he and his son enjoy for £35m per yr
E. Very Likely, giving son experience directing a football club is the kind of experience his son needs.

Can anyone come up with another reason he'll invest, and/or disagree with any of likehoods?

[S.F.Sorrow]

He's not only an amateur, he's also doing it part time. No other club would have hired him and that pretty much says it all for me. We might do ok with TK as DoF in the Championship where daddy's money can provide him with a significantly larger transfer budget than most competing clubs. But in the PL where we can't compete financially with the bigger clubs we will need to be much more clever in the transfer market and punch above our weight. I can't see that happening with TK in charge.

[alfie]

It doesn't matter, in my book he has done ok this last season, people make a lot of assumptions about how much time he devotes to Fulham, I think you will find it's more than you would imagine. Does anyone really know what exactly any DoF actually does?, would be interested to know.

[The Rational Fan]

It doesn't matter, in my book he has done ok this last season, people make a lot of assumptions about how much time he devotes to Fulham, I think you will find it's more than you would imagine. Does anyone really know what exactly any DoF actually does?, would be interested to know.

The Director of Football's role is similar to any directors role to typically:
i) produce a "five-year strategic plan" to present to the owner (or financier) that delivers a profit over a five year period, get the owner to believe the strategic plan is achievable that the owner approves.

ii) produce a "one-year operation plan" to present to the owner (or financier) detailing the next year's plan include financial investment required that the owner approves and provides funding for.

iii) execute the "one-year operating plan" by spending the money provided and demonstrate that the required results are being achieved to achieve the "five-year strategic plan", such as promotion within the right timeframe and players maintaining value.

Next
iv) if at the end of the first year the "one-year operation plan" is successful, continue the "five-year strategic plan" by detailing the next "one-year operation plan" in keeping with the strategic plan.
or
v) if at the end of the first year the "one-year operation plan" is unsuccessful (whether promotion not achieved, relegation occurred or some players lost value faster than expected) then rewrite the "five-year strategic plan" explain how money was lost but how the next five-year plan will succeed.
or
vi) if at the end of the first year the "one-year operation plan" is unsuccessful (whether promotion not achieved, relegation occurred or some players lost value faster than expected) then the owner sacks the DOF and interview new DOFs to see what their "five-year strategic plan" might require.

TK's Performance

Out of the five steps, Tony Khan is succeeding at the four most important steps and failing at step three that is to "execute the plan" only. Even at that step, he is still better than a quarter of DOFs (e.g. Stoke). Step three is the least important for the fans because buying the wrong players is probably better than buying no players at all, and some big money signings will succeed.

It is also easy to see that the owner believing in the DOF is the quality that the DOF requires. Academic studies have shown that 76% of a clubs success is related to the owner backing the DOF.

History

Notably, in the last 40 years, Fulham has never had a manager or DOF that has successfully achieved its "five-year strategic plan", but the owner has typically believed the next DOF that has a plan that involves a "one-year operational plan" requiring a huge investment now with a five-year profit later.

Owners like Cardiff, Newcastle, Arsenal, ManUtd, Norwich and Sunderland no longer believe DOFs that with "five-year strategic plan" require investment losses in the first year to sustain longer-term success. These clubs instead only let DOFs spend whatever they earn in tv income, players sales and gate receipts; these clubs are horrific for fans when the TV money is not pouring in.

Future

If Fulham's owner that follows such breakeven model with the right DOF; it might be successful in 20/21 as we still have TV income up to June 2021; there is a small chance a genius DOF could make it successful in 21/22 using players sales profit to buy cheaper players that are also superior.

But after June 2022, I doubt even a genius DOF can gain this club promotion using player sales profits and gate receipts to buy players. Hence, longer-term the key skill of the DOF is to convince our owner to keep invest money into players until it get us into the premier league.

[alfie]

Appreciate the response, but just for clarification, is your information factually correct or, is it an assumption of what you think.

[Dr Quinzel]

I don't understand the 'he has access to his fathers money' argument. If Khan Sr is only willing to finance us on the basis of his son being in a role, then he would be a very poor owner.

I wonder why you think Shahid Khan would give this club more money. If you cannot answer why he would give the club money in the future with another DOF then maybe you should accept one of the answers below. I personally believe without more money, the best club we can be like is Cardiff.

The options for why SK will continue to give the club money include:
A. he doesn't care about the cash flow, as long as the fans give him some love in return
B. he wants to produce positive cash flow (or sale) and thinks the right ex-footballer can
C. he wants to produce positive cash flow and thinks a data-scientist rather than ex-football can
D. he doesn't care about cash flow, as its an expensive hobby that he and his son can afford
E. he doesn't care about cash flow, as long as his son gains experience for the Khan empire.

What is best for the fans in each option:
A. As MAF just wanted to be loved and complaining worked, Sk will respond to the same methods
B. Convince SK that even through MAF failed using this method, it will work now. Why i don't know?
C. Make SK realize that creating a successful football team with data science is moronic. Sell the Club
D. Convince SK that his expensive hobby would be more enjoyable with his son gone.
E. Convince SK to sack TK, but keep giving Fulham's DOF the money for TK experience.

Likelihood of each option
A. Unlikely, as SK is not some rich English owner looking for some love and approval like MAF.
B. Unlikely, as SK acknowledged that the financial results of employing ex-footballers was terrible.
C. Likely, but if SK thinks employing data-scientist rather footballer leads to success, why sack TK.
D. Very Likely, owning a football club is a cheap hobby that he and his son enjoy for £35m per yr
E. Very Likely, giving son experience directing a football club is the kind of experience his son needs.

Can anyone come up with another reason he'll invest, and/or disagree with any of likehoods?

I'll skip to your final question, because it's more simple than the length of your post implies. Shad Khan should invest in the football club, regardless of whether his son is DoF or not, BECAUSE HE PURCHASED THE FOOTBALL CLUB.

He chose to purchase Fulham FC. He didn't do it as a favour. He therefore takes the responsibilities to properly manage and invest it in, whether his son has a job there or not.

I believe he absolutely would, as shown by his actions prior to Tony. I don't see what hunch people have that he would not.

[Southcoastffc]

I don't understand the 'he has access to his fathers money' argument. If Khan Sr is only willing to finance us on the basis of his son being in a role, then he would be a very poor owner.

I wonder why you think Shahid Khan would give this club more money. If you cannot answer why he would give the club money in the future with another DOF then maybe you should accept one of the answers below. I personally believe without more money, the best club we can be like is Cardiff.

The options for why SK will continue to give the club money include:
A. he doesn't care about the cash flow, as long as the fans give him some love in return
B. he wants to produce positive cash flow (or sale) and thinks the right ex-footballer can
C. he wants to produce positive cash flow and thinks a data-scientist rather than ex-football can
D. he doesn't care about cash flow, as its an expensive hobby that he and his son can afford
E. he doesn't care about cash flow, as long as his son gains experience for the Khan empire.

What is best for the fans in each option:
A. As MAF just wanted to be loved and complaining worked, Sk will respond to the same methods
B. Convince SK that even through MAF failed using this method, it will work now. Why i don't know?
C. Make SK realize that creating a successful football team with data science is moronic. Sell the Club
D. Convince SK that his expensive hobby would be more enjoyable with his son gone.
E. Convince SK to sack TK, but keep giving Fulham's DOF the money for TK experience.

Likelihood of each option
A. Unlikely, as SK is not some rich English owner looking for some love and approval like MAF.
B. Unlikely, as SK acknowledged that the financial results of employing ex-footballers was terrible.
C. Likely, but if SK thinks employing data-scientist rather footballer leads to success, why sack TK.
D. Very Likely, owning a football club is a cheap hobby that he and his son enjoy for £35m per yr
E. Very Likely, giving son experience directing a football club is the kind of experience his son needs.

Can anyone come up with another reason he'll invest, and/or disagree with any of likehoods?

I'll skip to your final question, because it's more simple than the length of your post implies. Shad Khan should invest in the football club, regardless of whether his son is DoF or not, BECAUSE HE PURCHASED THE FOOTBALL CLUB.

He chose to purchase Fulham FC. He didn't do it as a favour. He therefore takes the responsibilities to properly manage and invest it in, whether his son has a job there or not.

I believe he absolutely would, as shown by his actions prior to Tony. I don't see what hunch people have that he would not.

You may be correct. Clearly, SK is very successful in business but he's not infallible. He bought a premier league club for , allegedly, £200m. You'd think that anyone putting that into an investment would protect that investment - why didn't he?

[The Rational Fan]

Appreciate the response, but just for clarification, is your information factually correct or, is it an assumption of what you think.

It's factually correct for "directors of other industries" as I have written such plans for them. I am certain it is true for Toyota's suppliers as it's detailed in the book "The Toyota Way" and as Flex-N-Gate (SK's main business) is a Toyota supplier I expect them to follow such procedures too.

The idea of a "Director of Football" is that football management follows similar standards and processes to directors in other industries. Logically, if the DOF is expect to follow other industries his father most likely expects him to follow the procedures of Flex-N-Gate.

In practice, I don't actually know what actually goes on in the Fulham Boardroom between our owner and DOF, but I don't care as long as Tony Khan gets the money we need for the next season.

What I would say is that any other DOF is highly likely to have to follow the procedure closely. SKs company is a well oiled machine that doesn't accept mistakes, but i doubt the same standard applies to family members.

[The Rational Fan]

I don't understand the 'he has access to his fathers money' argument. If Khan Sr is only willing to finance us on the basis of his son being in a role, then he would be a very poor owner.

I wonder why you think Shahid Khan would give this club more money. If you cannot answer why he would give the club money in the future with another DOF then maybe you should accept one of the answers below. I personally believe without more money, the best club we can be like is Cardiff.

The options for why SK will continue to give the club money include:
A. he doesn't care about the cash flow, as long as the fans give him some love (and respect) in return for doing what is required

What is best for the fans in each option:
A. As MAF just wanted to be loved and complaining worked, Sk will respond to the same methods

Likelihood of each option
A. Unlikely, as SK is not some rich English owner looking for some love and approval like MAF.

Can anyone come up with another reason he'll invest, and/or disagree with any of likehoods?

I'll skip to your final question, because it's more simple than the length of your post implies. Shad Khan should invest in the football club, regardless of whether his son is DoF or not, BECAUSE HE PURCHASED THE FOOTBALL CLUB.

He chose to purchase Fulham FC. He didn't do it as a favour. He therefore takes the responsibilities to properly manage and invest it in, whether his son has a job there or not.

I believe he absolutely would, as shown by his actions prior to Tony. I don't see what hunch people have that he would not.

That is just a version of option A. You think he purchased the football club therefore he should give us money. In other words, he should give Fulham more money otherwise he is a bad person, but only according to Fulham Fans.

And, many of those fans think he is a bad person by employing his son, yet he doesn't seem to care. Mike Ashley doesn't care and he lives in the UK.

While if he sacks Tony Khan, his son will be pissed off at him instead. Assuming, I agree he should fund the club isn't any reason why he actually would do it. The problem remains sack TK is an unknown future.

[Dr Quinzel]

'A bad person'.

Are we really so beholden to Khan that simply expecting him to fund a football club he purchased - out of choice - is too much?

I would think any business person who purchased any going concern, particularly a community one, who then didn't fund that concern wasn't the best person.

Anyway, as said, I don't think he would purposefully do this, which is the original point. He may be not very good at sports ownership as evidenced by where he started with us to where we are now and the Jaguars record, however I don't believe he would defund us if his son wasn't in role.

[The Rational Fan]

You may be correct. Clearly, SK is very successful in business but he's not infallible. He bought a premier league club for, allegedly, £200m. You'd think that anyone putting that into an investment would protect that investment - why didn't he?

No, I don't think Shahid Khan would put money into Fulham to protect his £200m unless he thought is would produce future cash flow which would be greater than the investment made. Sunderland's and Wigan's owners have faced a similar decision to Shahid Khan and they decided not to invest.

As per above, I maintain there are five possible reasons why he bought into this business and if he invested into it hoping to achieve positive cash flows I really doubt its ever achievable. I personally think he bought Fulham as some kind of hobby to give him satisfaction owning a club, but unlike MAF i don't think he care too much what the fans think about him, but he does cares what his son thinks.

[Dr Quinzel]

Re the hobby thing - I've wondered this before. Why did he buy the club? Because he's rarely ever here. Can you enjoy the club and not frequently visit? I do agree there's confusing motivations as to why he has us.

[The Rational Fan]

Re the hobby thing - I've wondered this before. Why did he buy the club? Because he's rarely ever here. Can you enjoy the club and not frequently visit? I do agree there's confusing motivations as to why he has us.

It does remain a mystery why he bought the club, and if he bought it to make money, the moment he gives up on that we will be following Wigan. Of course, I prefer that he keeps investing just to give his son a job than let us follow Wigan.

SK is throwing away a fraction of TK future inheritance to give him a job, what is wrong with that. many parents support their son's stupid business ideas, why should billionaires be any different.

[Dr Quinzel]

*Gestures to Big Bicep Tony and an oily looking long haired blonde man in his pants*

051

[ALG01]

i look at this way.
If TK had to stand on his own two feet and did not have his dad's money to play with
no other team would even begin to want to employ him
no other team would have even given him an interview for the job
in short he is an amateur and it shows. he does not have the requisite experience and does not really seem to comprehend what is going on around him. his fiction during the interview is what he believes and that is troubling.

I do believe he loves the club and wants what is best but unfortunately he cannot see that what is best is him stepping away from anything to do with team matters.

The idea anyone would emply him other than us is laughable, and that in the end is the fact that makes all the defence of him melt away.

It's also irrelevant.   Much more experienced directors of football operations have done much worse than him at their respected clubs, regardless of their experience.

He loves the club and it's doing well.

With all honesty, no disrespect is intended but it is absolutely relevant. The man is totally unsuited to the role and as a result we have underachieved massively based on very poor use of the substantial sums poured into the club and generally the way the managers have first chosen (magath and ranieri) and treated (rene and slav). The fact he would not get a job elsewhere or got a job here with his abilities and lack of experience is fundamental to why we are not still in the prem and/or walking the division this season (or at least playing like a team that should be top of the division rather than one with a very unbalanced squad once again).

The club is not doing well, it is underachieving massively. We went up because slav was a genius. the board wasted fortunes because TK is an amateur and as a result we went straight down and lost a brilliant manager that had no chance from the start. And this season we couldn't even manage to secure the services of a proper and fit center half until january because we focused attention on less important positions.

He is a very nice man, a good supporter and I would like him to reamian at the club but just removed from nything to do with the team itself.

There are indeed many failing managers and DOFs, experience does not guarantee success. However being a total amateur guarantees underachievement. We could have been up there with wolves if the money had been used properly and the squad properly attended to. Slav would have been properly contracted and allowed a chance to do his job properly, and if nothing else he should have stayed for the season and given a proper chance in the prem and not bring the guarantee of failure that was risk free ranieri.

[Riverside]

I like Tony

Yes he does not have the experience

But

Enthusiasm of a fan
Honest - admits he makes mistakes ( which will mean that he is learning )
Does not speak in cliches
Trusted and backed with cash by his father

I think Javier Pereira coming in will also help him 

[alfie]

i look at this way.
If TK had to stand on his own two feet and did not have his dad's money to play with
no other team would even begin to want to employ him
no other team would have even given him an interview for the job
in short he is an amateur and it shows. he does not have the requisite experience and does not really seem to comprehend what is going on around him. his fiction during the interview is what he believes and that is troubling.

I do believe he loves the club and wants what is best but unfortunately he cannot see that what is best is him stepping away from anything to do with team matters.

The idea anyone would emply him other than us is laughable, and that in the end is the fact that makes all the defence of him melt away.

It's also irrelevant.   Much more experienced directors of football operations have done much worse than him at their respected clubs, regardless of their experience.

He loves the club and it's doing well.

With all honesty, no disrespect is intended but it is absolutely relevant. The man is totally unsuited to the role and as a result we have underachieved massively based on very poor use of the substantial sums poured into the club and generally the way the managers have first chosen (magath and ranieri) and treated (rene and slav). The fact he would not get a job elsewhere or got a job here with his abilities and lack of experience is fundamental to why we are not still in the prem and/or walking the division this season (or at least playing like a team that should be top of the division rather than one with a very unbalanced squad once again).

The club is not doing well, it is underachieving massively. We went up because slav was a genius. the board wasted fortunes because TK is an amateur and as a result we went straight down and lost a brilliant manager that had no chance from the start. And this season we couldn't even manage to secure the services of a proper and fit center half until january because we focused attention on less important positions.

He is a very nice man, a good supporter and I would like him to reamian at the club but just removed from nything to do with the team itself.

There are indeed many failing managers and DOFs, experience does not guarantee success. However being a total amateur guarantees underachievement. We could have been up there with wolves if the money had been used properly and the squad properly attended to. Slav would have been properly contracted and allowed a chance to do his job properly, and if nothing else he should have stayed for the season and given a proper chance in the prem and not bring the guarantee of failure that was risk free ranieri.

He is not an amateur anymore though, he has been dealing with football matters a few years now.
Reading what Gordon Davies said as soon as the Wembley game finished they were on the phones trying to secure some deals but clubs were not interested in proposals until the end of the deadline, Gordon made it clear that the Hector deal was all done and dusted but Levy would not sign off until his business was done. These are facts not assumptions. This why I make the point about the arrogance of football supporters believing they are the only ones who know best.

[AnOldBrownie]

i look at this way.
If TK had to stand on his own two feet and did not have his dad's money to play with
no other team would even begin to want to employ him
no other team would have even given him an interview for the job
in short he is an amateur and it shows. he does not have the requisite experience and does not really seem to comprehend what is going on around him. his fiction during the interview is what he believes and that is troubling.

I do believe he loves the club and wants what is best but unfortunately he cannot see that what is best is him stepping away from anything to do with team matters.

The idea anyone would emply him other than us is laughable, and that in the end is the fact that makes all the defence of him melt away.

It's also irrelevant.   Much more experienced directors of football operations have done much worse than him at their respected clubs, regardless of their experience.

He loves the club and it's doing well.

With all honesty, no disrespect is intended but it is absolutely relevant. The man is totally unsuited to the role and as a result we have underachieved massively based on very poor use of the substantial sums poured into the club and generally the way the managers have first chosen (magath and ranieri) and treated (rene and slav). The fact he would not get a job elsewhere or got a job here with his abilities and lack of experience is fundamental to why we are not still in the prem and/or walking the division this season (or at least playing like a team that should be top of the division rather than one with a very unbalanced squad once again).

The club is not doing well, it is underachieving massively. We went up because slav was a genius. the board wasted fortunes because TK is an amateur and as a result we went straight down and lost a brilliant manager that had no chance from the start. And this season we couldn't even manage to secure the services of a proper and fit center half until january because we focused attention on less important positions.

He is a very nice man, a good supporter and I would like him to reamian at the club but just removed from nything to do with the team itself.

There are indeed many failing managers and DOFs, experience does not guarantee success. However being a total amateur guarantees underachievement. We could have been up there with wolves if the money had been used properly and the squad properly attended to. Slav would have been properly contracted and allowed a chance to do his job properly, and if nothing else he should have stayed for the season and given a proper chance in the prem and not bring the guarantee of failure that was risk free ranieri.

Ahh....now I get your disdain for TK.

So Wolves...and I assume Sheffield United are your metric...while you ignore 90% of the other competing squads.

ok...understood.   Disagree strongly, but I understand. :wine:

You assume a more experienced DoF at THIS squad would have us top 4 in the Premier League right now with Slav as the manager that got us there.   Guess we'll never know.


LOL...and Luton is beating Huddersfield 2 nil.  :D