Les Ferdinand's Hong Kong Dinner

[Macmoish]

Still a little strange being in Hong Kong at this time...
Is this because the owners actually want him at the event for their own business/networking reasons.
Is this because he's in "the area" anyway to meet with owners.
Or just because..




This today www.eventbrite.com/e/les-ferdinand-charity-dinner-tickets-599259640717


This yesterday www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3218447/premier-league-legend-les-ferdinand-hand-soccer-sevens-draw-and-tips-man-city-beat-arsenal-title


This tomorrow thebeat.asia/hong-kong/ohana/health-wellness/join-st-jamess-place-sevens-a-side-football-tournament-with-les-ferdinand

[rickyqpr]

I would be amazed if he is still with us next season.
I think that it is a shame that one of our heroes probably feels so uncomfortable just being in the stadium with supporters. He has said that he has considered resigning many times in the past.
Well, the pressure has never been greater on him after a disastrous season whereby we are still not safe.
I fear Ainsworth may go the same way - it is what happens at QPR when we bring back 'legends' to appease the fans when we are in trouble.
If he is still on social media, he must be taking pelters from faceless keyboard warriors.
Against all that, I am sure that he loves the club and always did his best.
If he moves on, then he may well adopt an ambassadorial role somewhere - and the Hong Kong gig maybe the start of him reinventing himself.
But if we do appoint a new DofF in the Summer, it will be very interesting to see who / what we go for.
We have absent landlords who are very wealthy. We have a strong-minded CEO (who may also jump). Many on here say careful who you wish for and I tend to agree.
I would like to see an appointment of someone who has the proven ability with another club. Perhaps Liam Sweeting (Mk Dons).
Ramsay is always a target as well, but I do not think that we have to kick out all the coaches just because Les departs. I don't know how any of us know who the good and bad coaches are at the club.
Apart from Lee Hawkins when he posts on here - at least his lad got a professional contract for next season.
But a new DofF perhaps may want to review the scouting operation. No idea how the current set up functions, how expensive it is or what successes we have had. We are always told signings are a collaboration of the manager / Doff / and the scouting set-up.
But I think Ferdinand and Hoos worked well and closely. Not many clubs have our set-up with owners just writing cheques, so it has to be someone who can work with Hoos and a fair degree od autonomy..

[surreychad]

Apr 27, 2023 7:53:03 GMT rickyqpr said:

I would be amazed if he is still with us next season.
I think that it is a shame that one of our heroes probably feels so uncomfortable just being in the stadium with supporters. He has said that he has considered resigning many times in the past.
Well, the pressure has never been greater on him after a disastrous season whereby we are still not safe.
I fear Ainsworth may go the same way - it is what happens at QPR when we bring back 'legends' to appease the fans when we are in trouble.
If he is still on social media, he must be taking pelters from faceless keyboard warriors.
Against all that, I am sure that he loves the club and always did his best.
If he moves on, then he may well adopt an ambassadorial role somewhere - and the Hong Kong gig maybe the start of him reinventing himself.
But if we do appoint a new DofF in the Summer, it will be very interesting to see who / what we go for.
We have absent landlords who are very wealthy. We have a strong-minded CEO (who may also jump). Many on here say careful who you wish for and I tend to agree.
I would like to see an appointment of someone who has the proven ability with another club. Perhaps Liam Sweeting (Mk Dons).
Ramsay is always a target as well, but I do not think that we have to kick out all the coaches just because Les departs. I don't know how any of us know who the good and bad coaches are at the club.
Apart from Lee Hawkins when he posts on here - at least his lad got a professional contract for next season.
But a new DofF perhaps may want to review the scouting operation. No idea how the current set up functions, how expensive it is or what successes we have had. We are always told signings are a collaboration of the manager / Doff / and the scouting set-up.
But I think Ferdinand and Hoos worked well and closely. Not many clubs have our set-up with owners just writing cheques, so it has to be someone who can work with Hoos and a fair degree od autonomy..

Absolutely no chance he will be here next season IMHO. For years he said he never had the authority to makes decisions on managers and players and the owners (Well one in particular) medalled too much, I recall Harry rednapp asking what it is he does. Its my belief that for the last couple of years Les and Lee have had autonomy to make decisions, buy players, change managers and they has fallen short, again in my opinion. We are now saddled with a lot of injury prone players and several that want out. I think both Lee and Les will be out the door the day after the Bristol game. Also, no officence, I dont agree with the comment about absent landlords, I think the current majority owners have the best interests of the club and genuinely want to see us in the top league. It would be easier to just write off their losses and walk away than keep pumping the money in month after month and watch the club slowly fade away. Its time for a clean sweep and a new approach. 

[rickyqpr]

Apr 27, 2023 8:30:05 GMT surreychad said:

Apr 27, 2023 7:53:03 GMT rickyqpr said:

. Also, no officence, I dont agree with the comment about absent landlords, I think the current majority owners have the best interests of the club and genuinely want to see us in the top league. It would be easier to just write off their losses and walk away than keep pumping the money in month after month and watch the club slowly fade away. Its time for a clean sweep and a new approach. 

It takes a lot for me to take offence. I m always pleased when anyone even responds to my postings LOL
But by absent landlords, I mean that they have hardly been at the club or any of the games this season. Communication is apparently by Zoom / telephone.
The owners have multiple business and seem to run with a light touch and with a hands-on CEO. I wonder how much time our Chairman (Amit) even spends on the club? Another busy chap!
But it is very unusual to have owners prepared to write the cheques and yet be so removed. My experience has been the polar opposite. But QPR owners have placed huge trust in Les and Lee.
I agree that they want Prem football (even if just to stop writing cheques). But they signed up to a new dream last Summer.
A bright articulate manager, a great talker and presenter, players who 'worshipped' him, a networker with contacts everywhere, a style of football, played quickly and on the floor, and results.
Last October they must have been very pleased with progress....and then....
Jump forward 6 months and they are asked for the same monthly cheques, a different style of football, the prospect of relegation and a bunch of players that want out and could depart in a bargain basement.
But they are no more visible than before.
But it is that unusual relationship that makes the CEO and DofF appointments so crucial, and the club so vulnerable.

[harr]

Can we even afford afford a DOF salary in our current financial position?

[surreychad]

Apr 27, 2023 9:57:20 GMT harr said:

Can we even afford afford a DOF salary in our current financial position?

do we even want / need one?

[robindubois]

Several topics raised above so my penny's worth with no offence meant to anyone - just sharing my views.

I fully understand Ricky's comment about absentee landlords but having been in a position myself of being responsible for offices in multiple timezones I can appreciate their position. I know what it is like to run offices remotely with endless conference or video calls and after the changed world of Covid the jet set method of running businesses has changed probably for ever. The important thing for anyone in that situation is to have someone on the ground running things according to their instructions and in Hoos I believe we have that. While they may be absent they are still writing cheques every week or month to keep us going so I do not read their location as being a negative.

Les Ferdinand in HK - why was he there is the question. Called over by shareholders to explain what has gone wrong, what we have to do if relegated, being given a final warning - or maybe they're for some sort of fund raising purpose - who knows. As with Hoos the important thing is to have a good manager/coach on the ground to run the match day. The DOF should not be interfering on match day so if he is absent not a problem in my book. Whether I would put Ainsworth in good manager/coach category is a different thing. The question I ask is who is pullingteh strings - does LF have the authority he needs or does he have to run everything past Hoos and the shareholders.

Do we need and can we afford a DOF - probably yes to the first one as we seem to recruit coaches rather than managers probably no to then second one as I'm sure any DOF does not come cheap.

Wholesale changes to the coaching staff - I defy anyone one here to say who is a good or bad coach - I doubt I could name half of them. But when I see names such as Ramsey being touted for the sack I have to wonder. Throughout the game and outside QPR he is regarded as one of the best youth development coaches one the country - his problem is he can only work with the dregs we manage to attract to the club.