Question Roger Cross - Doing a good job ?

[SheldonW65]

Head of Recruitment

Seemingly doing a very good job so far. How much input does he have ? Is he finding these players or does Bond tell him who he wants and he does the deal ? Either way we’ve made some excellent signings.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

True. We have made some great signings this window. When was Roger appointed though? That may have a bearing on his overall quality.

 

[flangejackrabbit]

I don't think we know that much on here about how the scouting department is structured, not sure if anyone has more information but it would be interesting to hear.

 

[Yer Blues]

Based on the last few signings, you have to say yes.

Milligan looks a cut above.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Surely Rigsby knows. We must have a lot of money after that 7 figure fee for Dru

 

[fbm]

Head of Recruitment

Seemingly doing a very good job so far. How much input does he have ? Is he finding these players or does Bond tell him who he wants and he does the deal ? Either way we’ve made some excellent signings.

I think Ron does the deal. I don't know how much direct involvement managers have these days. I suspect KB will obviously know players he's seen or worked with but I would imagine the Head of Recruitment leads the scouting network and reports back.

 

[LBBlue]

Those of us who are old enough will remember Roger Cross playing against us for Brentford in 2 spells in the 70s. Born in 1948 he was a West Ham junior just after Martin Peters and Bobby Moore. He was Assistant Manager to Gerry Francis at Spurs and went back to West Ham in 2001 as reserve team coach and subsequently became Chief Scout until made redundant in 2011. Chris Powell, who was at West Ham in 2004/5, took him to Charlton when he was appointed manager there in 2011 and brought him to Southend when he was appointed here in 2018.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

True. We have made some great signings this window. When was Roger appointed though? That may have a bearing on his overall quality.

Why does when he was appointed make a difference on his quality?

FWIW he was appointed by Powell, who worked with him at Charlton.

I like how we’ve replaced Brown’s copy of Championship Manager 06/07 with the 2018/19 Football Manager Scottish Edition.

 

[Medway Blue]

Head of Recruitment

Seemingly doing a very good job so far. How much input does he have ? Is he finding these players or does Bond tell him who he wants and he does the deal ? Either way we’ve made some excellent signings.

I don’t think anyone outside the club will really know what the exact structure is. Usually a club like our’s will have a “Head Scout” (Roger Cross for us), and then he will have a scouting network made up of his own contacts as well as contacts of the manager. I know Ian Benjamin and stilly did some scouting for Chris Powell for example, but you’d never have seen them listed as scouts publicly on the club’s staff list. I would imagine that Cross or Bond (or both) have a contact or two based in Scotland that they ask to go an watch games or follow players for them.