Joe Shields - Head of 1st team recruitment

[Matthew Le God]

 

[SuperSAINT]

 

[S-Clarke]

Good news, I'd say this is a very ambitious appointment by us.

It's obviously quite exciting for Joe to have influence over youth recruitment for a first team, not just an academy. He clearly has tons and tons of contacts all over the world, some of the players brought into City's EDS have been quality.

[daldridge7]

Obviously his role is focused on senior recruitment but I wonder if he will be sharing any knowledge with the Academy on potential recruits coming from that kind of role at City.

[Toadhall Saint]

Welcome aboard

[SuperSAINT]

 

[Saint86]

A really good appointment and yet another statement of intent by the club following takeover. Feel like we're at the start of an upwards momentum curve again 😋

Edited 8 July, 2022 by Saint86

[Bad Wolf]

#noambition

[Saint Fan CaM]

Great appointment it would seem - just hope he fits in well and is able to utilise his talents in the Saints set-up/financial system.  Welcome to Saints Joe!

[Saint86]

https://twitter.com/TheSecretScout_/status/1545357056353370112?s=20&t=oz6-1XfllNFBR9dxLn_Emw

Decent praise... The SecretScout has been pretty clued up on our activites this window?... 🧐 🤣

Edited 8 July, 2022 by Saint86

[Badger]

Likely to be our best but if recruitment this summer.

Good that we bring someone in with a known track record.

Compare this with the recruitment of Ross Wilson., brought in because Les rated him and had been tracking him for a couple of seasons and wanted him because …, (we’re still waiting for that to be answered) 

Have to hope SR can match his ambitions and keep him here for a successful partnership rather than see him doing a Paul Mitchell in a year or so 

[Mystic Force]

If he has spent a number of years watching developing youth players, he will probably have a good knowledge of those same players a few year later in their careers, maybe now at the perfect age to sign them.....

[Dman]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

https://twitter.com/TheSecretScout_/status/1545357056353370112?s=20&t=oz6-1XfllNFBR9dxLn_Emw

Decent praise... The SecretScout has been pretty clued up on our activites this window?... 🧐 🤣

From what I’ve seen, he’s got links with the young lads at Chelsea.

Certainly seems bang on the money nearly every time. 

Let’s hope he has some influence over them and starts to send them all our way, I wouldn’t mind us being Chelsea reserves, that’s for sure. 

[Dman]

1 hour ago, Badger said:

Likely to be our best but if recruitment this summer.

Good that we bring someone in with a known track record.

Compare this with the recruitment of Ross Wilson., brought in because Les rated him and had been tracking him for a couple of seasons and wanted him because …, (we’re still waiting for that to be answered) 

Have to hope SR can match his ambitions and keep him here for a successful partnership rather than see him doing a Paul Mitchell in a year or so 

It’s yet to be seen how he fairs within the men’s game, which is a different kettle of fish to sweeping up all the best youngsters. 
 

If he’s as good with us as he seemingly has been at City, then I’m sure one of the big clubs will want him before long. At that point, it’ll probably be too late to keep him. 

[davefizzy14]

Brilliant appointment. Welcome Joe Shields, exciting times for us  

Edited 8 July, 2022 by davefizzy14

[The Cat]

Loving this. Welcome aboard.

[Piran]

2 hours ago, Dman said:

It’s yet to be seen how he fairs within the men’s game, which is a different kettle of fish to sweeping up all the best youngsters. 
 

If he’s as good with us as he seemingly has been at City, then I’m sure one of the big clubs will want him before long. At that point, it’ll probably be too late to keep him. 

I think he'll be alright. I expect the people responsible for recruiting him have some idea of what they're doing, and if not, there are plenty of experts on Saintsweb forum he could call on...

[Chez]

If the club's philosophy is to sign youth, which looks so, then he seems the ideal candidate. If we didn't know it already, its seems highly unlikely that we are going to sign James Tarkowski types.

[Convict Colony]

I cannot fault anything the club have done this off season, big respect for sports republic for having a plan and implementing it.

Now if they could clear out a bit of deadwood as well then it would be a complete revolution.

 

[BERMUDASAINT]

Sheilds has already been instrumental in bringing in a few of our new exciting young players, all very highly regarded. He seems to be able to convince the young stars of the new Southampton project and with his knowledge of young players  we are benefiting greatly! This is a crucial appointment , 👏,  and he is immediately showing what his connections can produce. Exciting times to be a Saint.

[SuperSAINT]

 

[Matthew Le God]

This is an interesting read... 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11045531/Southampton-reaping-benefits-hiring-Joe-Shields-head-senior-recruitment.html

[djharvey]

An absolutely massive appointment, certainly far more important than any individual player!

[Turkish]

25 minutes ago, djharvey said:

An absolutely massive appointment, certainly far more important than any individual player!

Time will tell. I guess for him if it comes off he’ll be at godlike status in his field, capable of finding young, relatively cheap players and immediately making them premier league starters. However if in two years we’re still waiting for a lot of them to play well consistently and haven’t sold ar least one for 3 times or more what we paid questions will be asked. I do like the cut of his jib though and like what I’ve seen so far, also the fact he took a big drop down in club level shows he believes in what he’s doing. Can’t fault anyone for that 

[Vancouver Saint]

A fantastic recruitment and could prove to be a pivotal moment in our clubs fortunes. I like what SR are doing. Feel happy.

[SuperSAINT]

 

[Convict Colony]

37 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

He's only been in the building 5mins and he's already doing creep shots of the receptionist.

[31cc]

What's she sitting behind? Skateboard ramp? Giant hunk of old stilton?

[skintsaint]

11 hours ago, Convict Colony said:

He's only been in the building 5mins and he's already doing creep shots of the receptionist.

Won't be on his radar unless she is 19 or younger.

[Matthew Le God]

He is at the B team game tonight vs AFC Totton 

 

[Turkish]

Is he also playing the part of Jason Oppenheim in selling sunsets?

 

[Saint Garrett]

So he may well be responsible for:

Lavia, Bazunu, Edozie, Larios, Romeu, Lis, Tella...

Clearly had a big impact this summer.

 

[Saint Fan CaM]

5 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

So he may well be responsible for:

Lavia, Bazunu, Edozie, Larios, Romeu, Lis, Tella...

Clearly had a big impact this summer.

 

Agreed - really showing how top back room staff can hugely and proactively impact the fortunes of the club.

[goodymatt]

53 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

So he may well be responsible for:

Lavia, Bazunu, Edozie, Larios, Romeu, Lis, Tella...

Clearly had a big impact this summer.

 

He also knows Aribo very well from that south London street footy academy. He’s been instrumental in building our new spine with his contacts. 

[S-Clarke]

This wouldn't have happened had Leicester not grabbed Glover, but I wonder if this is another George Burley situation where we were happy to take the interest in him and grab the opportunity to change with a guy who seems to fit exactly what we are trying to do.

Maybe the apatite for Leicester to sign Glover has been his ability to work on scraps in his few years here, as it seems like they're in that position now.

Edited 2 September, 2022 by S-Clarke

[SuperSAINT]

35 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

This wouldn't have happened had Leicester not grabbed Glover, but I wonder if this is another George Burley situation where we were happy to take the interest in him and grab the opportunity to change with a guy who seems to fit exactly what we are trying to do.

Maybe the apatite for Leicester to sign Glover has been his ability to work on scraps in his few years here, as it seems like they're in that position now.

& his recruitment matches our player strategy.  Offer somebody young, at a big club a chance to prove himself in a move up from academy setting to the first team.

[HarvSFC]

6 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

This wouldn't have happened had Leicester not grabbed Glover, but I wonder if this is another George Burley situation where we were happy to take the interest in him and grab the opportunity to change with a guy who seems to fit exactly what we are trying to do.

Maybe the apatite for Leicester to sign Glover has been his ability to work on scraps in his few years here, as it seems like they're in that position now.

I think Glover was probably told to go, like the coaches. Difference being in public it looked more like Glover's decision and helped uphold his reputation. His history with clubs isn't great, oversaw the summer transfers of Sunderland before they finished 20th in this league, bringing an end to their nine year stay, oversaw Everton spending money on nothing for three years and then has a poor record with us for three years. Leicester wouldn't have been a particularly big draw this summer, either. "We're looking for a new head of recruitment, but we can't actually afford to sign anybody." While, we've been very active in the market for the first time in years. Shields was perfect for us really, fit the owners' ethos to a T and has used his contacts well. I don't think we'd have not moved to appoint Shields if Glover was still here.