SaintVanderbilt Posted 3 February, 2015 Share Posted 3 February, 2015 (Only recently discovered this forum, so apologies in advance if a discussion like this has already taken place.) What does he do?,I really struggle to think of any achievements that are of his own direct doing,mind you this isn't criticism just curiosity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint-Armstrong Posted 3 February, 2015 Share Posted 3 February, 2015 Just oversees proceedings and club development, in terms of several aspects. All the power in Saints is pretty much split across the 'Heads of Department' - Reed, Bence, and whoever sits in the department below them, commercial etc. Abrahams is one, I think. They're responsible for their own departments and have relative autonomy. No one employee really has full control of the club (ignoring Katharina, as the owner), like when Cortese was here. Krueger does talking on club matters, as does Reed when they're football-related - as he's the head of the footballing side of the club. That's my interpretation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarniaSaint Posted 3 February, 2015 Share Posted 3 February, 2015 Ain't it just great to have a chairman under the radar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintVanderbilt Posted 4 February, 2015 Author Share Posted 4 February, 2015 So more like a figure head than say...someone like Ed Woodward? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint-Armstrong Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 So more like a figure head than say...someone like Ed Woodward? Absolutely. I had the good fortune to tour Staplewood. Les has an office, as do a couple of others. Ralph just has a 'spare office' type set-up when he's around. Doesn't even have his name on it, like others. He just oversees things and looks out for 'club growth' and reports back on the club's progress on all fronts to Katharina - again, from my interpretation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Billy Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 I'd rather have a guy in his position staying out of the limelight as he does rather than some gobby dictactor craving attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 I'd rather have a guy in his position staying out of the limelight as he does rather than some gobby dictactor craving attention. I won't be convinced about Ralph until he has put himself on the front cover of the match day programme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Charlie Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 Be interesting to know how he is doing with the commercial side, especially in the US. We will never have more publicity than this season so hopefully its helping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooney Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 At least we are seeing more boxes full on match days and some of the match day hospitality is at more realistic prices now. This was Ralphs concern when first he came. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 In simple terms, the Chairman runs the Board, and the Chief Executive (or Managing Director in old money) runs the company. The Board establishes policy, and the management implements policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Saint Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 In simple terms, the Chairman runs the Board, and the Chief Executive (or Managing Director in old money) runs the company. The Board establishes policy, and the management implements policy. and holds those involved in the day to day running to account so that no one can "go rogue" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david in sweden Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 (edited) I think some fans are still seeing us as a 20th century club with a post war heirarchy. A lot has changed since the manager goes to the Board and asks for funds to buy a player, and the Board says yea or nay. There is a department head for each section, and they all report to ?.......Les (I assume) and the CEO. They supervise the day-to-day running of the club. The former head of the scouting network ...who jumped ship recently ...(?) ...there I've forgotten hiis name already.... will be replaced in time - like a spare wheel, but the Black Box still works every morning. " The manager " (let's call him first team coach) in this case - Ronald Koeman... " coaches ", picks the team and decides tactics and does pre /after match interviews. Takes the praise ..and makes excuses. The rest is not his responsibility. I assume he watches some U21 (and maybe U18 games) and follows the progress of youngsters and hears comments from Martin Hunter and Anthony Limbrick. At this point let me say ...I am NOT ITK, but it seems reasonably logical to me - ( if someone else has a closer insight - please correct me). Ralph Kreuger as Chairman is primarily the clubs figurehead, and although he is not " football " in some people's eyes. He's our club's top salesman. Think he must have had somethimng to do with the marketing of the NBC documentary " The Southampton Way " in USA, which I thought was a good presentation - at least to a foreign audience. He is ideal for marketing the club worldwide and has respect in many areas outside of the game because of his inspirational seminars (you can find parts on You Tube ) and therefore his involvement with SFC means he commands more attention than the average Chairman might. I can't see anyone with his reputation getting involved with a poorly run, out-of-touch outfit in an area that he is not familiar with. I think he comes over well, (in interviews) but he seems to have a vision that extends beyond that of the Directors Box at SMS. Is there one ...these days ? He does not need to be at the club every week, although I'm fairly certain he is in regular contact with " important things that happen " on a daily basis, therefore he doesn't need his own office /room. I've worked at organisations like this, and you only need to book " a room for a meeting" - when you need it. Everything else is delegated down the line. Nobody should expect him to be "walking the job" every day, and if you work in an organisation where the boss does that 24/7.. it may be comforting, but frightening ....if anything happens to him. Edited 4 February, 2015 by david in sweden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 Isnt he a non exec Chairman? - ie he only works for the club a few days a month? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearsy Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 he recently went to the moon to look for mineral water. It was in The Newspapers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint-Armstrong Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 He speaks German, too. I assume that's owing to his hockey career - I guess it helped with the Liebherr clan, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint-Armstrong Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 He does lots of things like this, too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TPrxvZlXNw "I think it was the movie 'Wreck-It Ralph' that they've linked in to me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarniaSaint Posted 5 February, 2015 Share Posted 5 February, 2015 I think some fans are still seeing us as a 20th century club with a post war heirarchy. A lot has changed since the manager goes to the Board and asks for funds to buy a player, and the Board says yea or nay. There is a department head for each section, and they all report to ?.......Les (I assume) and the CEO. They supervise the day-to-day running of the club. The former head of the scouting network ...who jumped ship recently ...(?) ...there I've forgotten hiis name already.... will be replaced in time - like a spare wheel, but the Black Box still works every morning. " The manager " (let's call him first team coach) in this case - Ronald Koeman... " coaches ", picks the team and decides tactics and does pre /after match interviews. Takes the praise ..and makes excuses. The rest is not his responsibility. I assume he watches some U21 (and maybe U18 games) and follows the progress of youngsters and hears comments from Martin Hunter and Anthony Limbrick. At this point let me say ...I am NOT ITK, but it seems reasonably logical to me - ( if someone else has a closer insight - please correct me). Ralph Kreuger as Chairman is primarily the clubs figurehead, and although he is not " football " in some people's eyes. He's our club's top salesman. Think he must have had somethimng to do with the marketing of the NBC documentary " The Southampton Way " in USA, which I thought was a good presentation - at least to a foreign audience. He is ideal for marketing the club worldwide and has respect in many areas outside of the game because of his inspirational seminars (you can find parts on You Tube ) and therefore his involvement with SFC means he commands more attention than the average Chairman might. I can't see anyone with his reputation getting involved with a poorly run, out-of-touch outfit in an area that he is not familiar with. I think he comes over well, (in interviews) but he seems to have a vision that extends beyond that of the Directors Box at SMS. Is there one ...these days ? He does not need to be at the club every week, although I'm fairly certain he is in regular contact with " important things that happen " on a daily basis, therefore he doesn't need his own office /room. I've worked at organisations like this, and you only need to book " a room for a meeting" - when you need it. Everything else is delegated down the line. Nobody should expect him to be "walking the job" every day, and if you work in an organisation where the boss does that 24/7.. it may be comforting, but frightening ....if anything happens to him. David just to let you know NBC Sports love the club..........now if CL happens can only get greater exposure here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redslo Posted 5 February, 2015 Share Posted 5 February, 2015 David just to let you know NBC Sports love the club..........now if CL happens can only get greater exposure here. One of the hosts of ESPN FC is also a Southampton fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brmbrm Posted 5 February, 2015 Share Posted 5 February, 2015 Whatever he does, he is doing a furkin good job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david in sweden Posted 5 February, 2015 Share Posted 5 February, 2015 David just to let you know NBC Sports love the club..........now if CL happens can only get greater exposure here. nice to hear that the word is being spread Sarnia. .....there are a group of hard-headed journalists in London who still think of Saints as.. " that South Coast club.." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintVanderbilt Posted 6 February, 2015 Author Share Posted 6 February, 2015 Thanks for the replies,I just wondered what sort of transferable skills he has to move from coaching my city's hockey team to football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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