Stuart Gray appointed as Senior Coach, the search goes on...

[The Swan]

I can't find anything on the FFC site about the fact that Gray had taken over the role as team coach.

I got this information from the message board.

[Nero]

Nope some say he tool training yesterday others say he didn't.  Some say he's going to be head coach others think there will be someone above him. The truth is no one knows

[FFC Sydney]

Club is so scarred by the last few weeks they are afraid to say anything.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Would it have been so hard to have released a memo saying something like.

"Mr Gray has been asked to take control of the first team while the search for a permanent replacement goes on".

We all know he's there taking the session, would it be so embarrassing to communicate with the outside world?

And while we are at it explain why Mr Curbishley has not been asked to provide a little input to the situation ?
I assume he's still there and on the pay role?
If he's just handing out the bibs and arranging the cones then its time he was shown the door!

[bucksfulham]

Just announced

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/december/08/head-coach-update

[sumofallparts]

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/december/08/head-coach-update

[win-dup]

Not what I was hoping for Christmas. But let's give him a chance.

[win-dup]

Got it on my mobile couple of minutes ago,

[Roberty]

Not what I was hoping for Christmas. But let's give him a chance.

. . .but only as Senior Coach

[Burt]

Chief Football Officer Mike Rigg spoke to fulhamfc.com regarding the search for a permanent replacement to lead the First Team.


"The search for a permanent Head Coach goes on, but it is important to ensure we focus fully on getting results back on track while this process continues," he said.

"With that, I'd like to welcome Stuart Gray, who has joined the Club as Senior Coach and has already begun working with the First Team to prepare for Saturday's home match against Brentford.

"Alongside Stuart will be Steve Wigley, who has assisted Stuart in training and will continue in that capacity while joining him in the dugout on match days.

"Stuart has a proven track record in both coaching and management with caretaker spells at Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers prior to joining Sheffield Wednesday as Head Coach. He also had a full season in charge at Sheffield and secured their highest finish for six years, along with a record number of clean sheets. We all know that we have suffered from defensive frailties all season and Stuart will be focusing on that straight away. He has first-hand knowledge of the Championship and knows how to get the very best out of a group of players, so his work with the First Team will be pivotal as the search continues.

"Peter Grant will return to his permanent position of U21s Coach where his management of that group is exceptionally important in the long term development of our younger players and I would like to thank him for his excellent professionalism and commitment dealing with First Team matters over the last few weeks.

"We have built some solid foundations at the football Club and ensuring we get the right person in for long term success on the pitch is vital to achieve our targets. This is a scrupulous process to ensure that the person we hire full-time understands the Club's aims and philosophy and can deliver for us, immediately and for the long term. While there has been much speculation linking us with many names, we have not and will not discuss the ongoing process, nor will we appoint someone unless they are 100% committed to the Club and to its future.

"Of course I can understand frustrations, not least when results do not go our way, but we are working hard to make sure we get the right appointment as soon as possible. In the interim Stuart has proven coaching expertise and will enable us to stabilise the First Team and when a Head Coach appointment is made, he will still have a key role within the football Club's coaching system.

"The most important thing now is that we focus fully on the pitch to prepare for Brentford and the busy Christmas period ahead, and get back to winning football matches and improving our position in the table.  We have every expectation to do so."

[Burt]

Chief Football Officer Mike Rigg spoke to fulhamfc.com regarding the search for a permanent replacement to lead the First Team.


"The search for a permanent Head Coach goes on, but it is important to ensure we focus fully on getting results back on track while this process continues," he said.

"With that, I'd like to welcome Stuart Gray, who has joined the Club as Senior Coach and has already begun working with the First Team to prepare for Saturday's home match against Brentford.

"Alongside Stuart will be Steve Wigley, who has assisted Stuart in training and will continue in that capacity while joining him in the dugout on match days.

"Stuart has a proven track record in both coaching and management with caretaker spells at Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers prior to joining Sheffield Wednesday as Head Coach. He also had a full season in charge at Sheffield and secured their highest finish for six years, along with a record number of clean sheets. We all know that we have suffered from defensive frailties all season and Stuart will be focusing on that straight away. He has first-hand knowledge of the Championship and knows how to get the very best out of a group of players, so his work with the First Team will be pivotal as the search continues.

"Peter Grant will return to his permanent position of U21s Coach where his management of that group is exceptionally important in the long term development of our younger players and I would like to thank him for his excellent professionalism and commitment dealing with First Team matters over the last few weeks.

"We have built some solid foundations at the football Club and ensuring we get the right person in for long term success on the pitch is vital to achieve our targets. This is a scrupulous process to ensure that the person we hire full-time understands the Club's aims and philosophy and can deliver for us, immediately and for the long term. While there has been much speculation linking us with many names, we have not and will not discuss the ongoing process, nor will we appoint someone unless they are 100% committed to the Club and to its future.

"Of course I can understand frustrations, not least when results do not go our way, but we are working hard to make sure we get the right appointment as soon as possible. In the interim Stuart has proven coaching expertise and will enable us to stabilise the First Team and when a Head Coach appointment is made, he will still have a key role within the football Club's coaching system.

"The most important thing now is that we focus fully on the pitch to prepare for Brentford and the busy Christmas period ahead, and get back to winning football matches and improving our position in the table.  We have every expectation to do so."

[Chutney]

he's been appointed as a member of the coaching staff, not as head coach, which, is actually quite a good idea

[Northern Cottager]

he's been appointed as a member of the coaching staff, not as head coach, which, is actually quite a good idea

Absolutely - supposedly a decent defending coach. Just hope that with all these influences it doesn't make us even worse. Rigg, Curbishley, Gray plus 1...seems a few people who would expect to be top or thereabouts.

[RaySmith]

Welcome Stuart -I'm sure you will be important in getting Fulham on track to climb the table, along with the rest of the coaching staff.

[leonffc]

Now I wasn't a massive Kit (the manager) fan but if Rigg had identified that we need a senior / defensive coach why not hire one to work under Kit and help him out?
It may have been what Kit needed to push on to the top 6?! Unless he rejected the idea of course.

[J.Perkins]

Now I wasn't a massive Kit (the manager) fan but if Rigg had identified that we need a senior / defensive coach why not hire one to work under Kit and help him out?
It may have been what Kit needed to push on to the top 6?! Unless he rejected the idea of course.

Because Kit was a tactically useless and inept manager, going no where.

[snarks]

Gray and Wigley were at Southampton at the same time, so they know and trust each other. The thing is both are good coaches, and if they work well together (which they should do) then that's positive. The fact that it's not an internal promotion as far as Gray is concerned means he has more authority than Grant who never wanted the job.

[Chutney]

Gray and Wigley were at Southampton at the same time, so they know and trust each other. The thing is both are good coaches, and if they work well together (which they should do) then that's positive. The fact that it's not an internal promotion as far as Gray is concerned means he has more authority than Grant who never wanted the job.

It also allows Grant to go back to coaching the u21's where he was doing some very good work by all accounts

[FulhamStu]

Gray and Wigley were at Southampton at the same time, so they know and trust each other. The thing is both are good coaches, and if they work well together (which they should do) then that's positive. The fact that it's not an internal promotion as far as Gray is concerned means he has more authority than Grant who never wanted the job.

Who was the Saints manager at the time, maybe he will be the New Head Coach :o/    Saints are however a good model to use.

[Deni On T'Crossbar]

he's been appointed as a member of the coaching staff, not as head coach, which, is actually quite a good idea

Absolutely - supposedly a decent defending coach. Just hope that with all these influences it doesn't make us even worse. Rigg, Curbishley, Gray plus 1...seems a few people who would expect to be top or thereabouts.

Veysey suggested Curbishley won't be around for much longer - and Veysey was pretty close to spot on about Grey coming in as a coach with someone to be appointed above him (albeit without nailing the official title of 'Senior Coach').