What is the point of him?

Peter Crouch.

He’s friends with Peter Crouch.

He was the cheapest option of the candidates that applied for the job..

Going well then!

Frank McParland was a terrific short term signing wasn't he?

We are, literally, doomed to be as crap as we are now...forever!

We were linked with Crouch last summer before Mike Rigg came in. Hopefully he's identifying targets that are a little younger than 38.

Transfer deadline day always brings out the worst in people!!!

Guich wrote:We are, literally, doomed to be as crap as we are now...forever!

I have to take massive issue with this.

We are not crap. Far, far from it. I’ve been a claret for 35 years and this is by some way the best we’ve been in my lifetime.

Socrates wrote:I have to take massive issue with this.

We are not crap. Far, far from it. I’ve been a claret for 35 years and this is by some way the best we’ve been in my lifetime.

You are, of course, quite right Socrates.
But some of our younger fans don't have our sense of persepective

I'd save the judgement on Rigg until next Season and beyond.

Guich wrote:You are, of course, quite right Socrates.
But some of our younger fans don't have our sense of persepective

Starting with the OP who is constantly looking for something to criticise the club.

Disappointing if he doesnt land better targets than a 38 yr old

Rouwens_Weapon wrote:I'd save the judgement on Rigg until next Season and beyond.

Why?

Was his previous job scouting and finding rugby players? Cricketers? Because if not and he had a long career scouting footballers i’d assume he might know some that would be suitable for us.

I found it hilarious at the time we appointed Rigg that some posters expected him to come in, wave a magic wand and land us a squad of £500k world beaters.

TheFamilyCat wrote:I found it hilarious at the time we appointed Rigg that some posters expected him to come in, wave a magic wand and land us a squad of £500k world beaters.

Who expected that?

Where has anybody said that?

I very much suspect you’re making things up.

Steve-Harpers-perm wrote:Transfer deadline day always brings out the worst in people!!!

It certainly does. A change of name but same old rhetoric. It's the football equivalent of the ubiquitous 'backstop'.

He also might not fully understand the budgets / financial restraints of the club, what the club needs on the pitch in the short term / long term.

The job also entails more than just what happens in the transfer window.

To quote Dyche, "Everyone knows January is a really really tough window. To make it clear we're not looking for Mike to come in and miraculously hand over seven players. We're looking for a longer reward than that, a bigger picture process to help add to what we do on the recruitment side.

"January is forever problematic for players so we'll just have to wait and see. There's certain people who we think we're interested in."

But by all means judge him on this window, Socrates.

McParland was an experienced operator and didn't need several seasons before making an impact?

Why appoint somebody with a "wealth of experience" if they are not up and running until a year or so after their appointment?

When it comes to the summer Dyche will say that is a "tough window" and that it is "difficult for us to compete" because he says that during every transfer window not just in January.

IndigoLake wrote:We were linked with Crouch last summer before Mike Rigg came in. Hopefully he's identifying targets that are a little younger than 38.

Mike Rigg heard wrong when he was asked to find 38 players

It arrogant to presume that we can just wait for Rigg to settle into this role. Getting this window wrong may end up being the difference in which league we play in next season and therefore costing us millions.

Unless something dramatic happens today we have once again demonstrated an embarrassing inability to conduct ourselves at the same level as our rivals in the transfer market.

Dyche and Garlick both interviewed him. Perfect blend of stinginess and trawling after old domestic “good lads!!!!” has been achieved.

Rouwens_Weapon wrote:He also might not fully understand the budgets / financial restraints of the club, what the club needs on the pitch in the short term / long term.

The job also entails more than just what happens in the transfer window.

To quote Dyche, "Everyone knows January is a really really tough window. To make it clear we're not looking for Mike to come in and miraculously hand over seven players. We're looking for a longer reward than that, a bigger picture process to help add to what we do on the recruitment side.

"January is forever problematic for players so we'll just have to wait and see. There's certain people who we think we're interested in."

But by all means judge him on this window, Socrates.

Yeah, I read all that.

And i’ve posted on here at length about how Dyche’s rhetoric on transfers is negative, defeatist and counter to how approached everything else.

Prime example is the language used here. Who is asking for seven players? I don’t think anybody is expecting seven players? It’s a ludicrous over exaggeration and unnecessary, but it promulgates the negative rhetoric.

Every summer this is a different excuse. New people are brought in (Culverhouse), we’re told it will take time ... and then nothing changes. The club are doing fantastically well, better than i’ve ever seen - but it doesn’t mean they are perfect and questions, occasionally, shouldn’t be asked.

And i’ll think you’ll find that’s all I did. I simply asked a question - why? I haven’t judged him yet.

He reports directly to MG, just like SD does.

MG, you could say, has had quite a bit of success both in the recruitment world and in leading a town sized football club.

Don’t really think it’s for anyone on here to be guessing at what MR should be doing in his role / have done this month in his role.

That’s some posters on here for you though *laughing emoji*

Who expected that?

Where has anybody said that?

I very much suspect you’re making things up.

This is UTC. Of course someone said that!

But you are right as well, you would hope that the work he is doing would yield some more positive signings that possibly Crouchy

The other thing as well.

Rigg has been brought in ..... fair enough. Do we just stop signing players until he is up to speed?

What about all the scouting we’d done on players up to that point? Does that just get thrown in the bin and we start from scratch again?

The rhetoric makes no sense.

Can't say I'm thrilled about this bit of business but is seems it's more of getting an offer for a player who isn't featuring much and may have asked to leave.
Dyche surely must be happy for Crouch to come in rather than it being a Mike Rigg arranged transfer.
Well hopefully cos if Dyche as been overruled it wouldn't sit well.
Like others have said will judge the guy over the summer's business.

Jeffbfc wrote:Can't say I'm thrilled about this bit of business but is seems it's more of getting an offer for a player who isn't featuring much and may have asked to leave.
Dyche surely must be happy for Crouch to come in rather than it being a Mike Rigg arranged transfer.
Well hopefully cos if Dyche as been overruled it wouldn't sit well.
Like others have said will judge the guy over the summer's business.

I think Dyche is mates with Crouch, isn’t he?

Less good lads.

More good players.

What’s Serge like in midfield?

#29 Looks like they were too tight to pay for a ticket.

ClaretTony wrote:Starting with the OP who is constantly looking for something to criticise the club.

Yes and the club make it so easy to criticise at times , what an embarrassing, pathetic signing this is , I was gutted after Tuesday night and now this .

TBH it was always going to be tough ask to get Rigg to show his true worth by making a series of January "coups", and as someone else has said, his true worth might be shown in the summer. BUT my overriding fear is that he'll be showing his true worth by getting the best possible deals he can for those players who want out and he'll be looking for young talent for a promotion push!!

Easiest wage ever earned.

I am rare to be hyper critical without all the facts, but, Mike Rigg has been in the building 2-3 months (ish?) now.

I do not subscribe to the theory that he could not influence this January, that is just absurd. If my entire role encompassed NOTHING but recruitment (which his is, seemingly?) then I am not sure why I would not be able to get things in motion within a two month period, it's not hard is it? He will know the budget provided by Garlick, and then he has to make enquiries about the players Dyche wants that fit that budget in advance of January, or even (and this would be really good) maybe provide a name or two himself to Dyche?

If the sole outcome of today is that we sell Sam Vokes for 7-9 million (and give Wolves a quarter of it) and get Peter Crouch in the building on no doubt £35k+ a week then that is an absolutely disgusting window when we are knee deep in relegation trouble (playing great, yes, but we have not pulled away - far from it). The summer just gone we spent around £30 million on Ben Gibson, Matej Vydra and Joe Hart - three transfers that have not done a single thing for this football club that could be classed as positive. To follow that disaster up with this is almost unbelievable.

There absolutely must be a rabbit being pulled out of a hat somewhere today, surely.

Mike Rigg written off before the end of the 1st transfer by utc posters who are probably unaware of the actual role he plays. Feet not even under the desk.

Very predictable.

9 hours 24 minutes 34 seconds till full utc meltdown.

NL Claret wrote:Mike Rigg written off before the end of the 1st transfer by utc posters who are probably unaware of the actual role he plays. Feet not even under the desk.

Very predictable.

9 hours 24 minutes 34 seconds till full utc meltdown.

Feet not even under the desk after 3 months that’s even slower than Crouch

jedi_master wrote:I do not subscribe to the theory that he could not influence this January, that is just absurd. If my entire role encompassed NOTHING but recruitment (which his is, seemingly?)

It's part of his role

Mike Rigg?..who he?

ClaretTony wrote:Starting with the OP who is constantly looking for something to criticise the club.

Sorry CT but yes I am critical at times but MG makes it so easy. Truthfully you can not be happy with trading Vokes for Crouch. Where is the forward planning which Dyche talks about? Dyche has made it perfectly clear that we need a winger. Where is he? Have I missed a signing? SD is constantly being let down where signings are concerned. Yes we are doing well...better than ever in my lifetime but that doesnt mean I cant question things.

I wasnt overly bothered about signing anybody in the window to be truthful. I think we need to offload quite a bit of dead wood which we have collected over the last few years. Players that werent top of the shopping list and we ended up with because we wouldnt back SD with his top targets. These 3rd or 4th choices are just collecting wages and I feel we need to offload. Long term I feel McNeil, Dunne and possibly Benson will be in the first team squad on relatively low wages. Meaning we can ship out the likes of Wells, Walters, Defour (love him but something just doesnt fit), Vydra, Hart, Ward, Lennon and then increase our wages for the no1 targets because of the few younger players on lower wages. I know its not Football Manager but we have far too many aging players

Cleveleys_claret wrote:These 3rd or 4th choices are just collecting wages and I feel we need to offload. Long term I feel McNeil, Dunne and possibly Benson will be in the first team squad on relatively low wages. Meaning we can ship out the likes of Wells, Walters, Defour (love him but something just doesnt fit), Vydra, Hart, Ward, Lennon and then increase our wages for the no1 targets because of the few younger players on lower wages. I know its not Football Manager but we have far too many aging players

So are you now saying Vokes does need to go? You haven't named him, but he would certainly fit on that list.

and I thought it was Frank Rigg.

F. Rigg

Cleveleys_claret wrote:What is the point of him?

To improve the scouting networks and recruitment strategy in the medium to long term. How many times does the club have to reiterate that his remit was not really focussed on this January window? If you judge him on the job he's been brought in to do when he's had time to do it, then you can begin to ask that question.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Sorry CT but yes I am critical at times but MG makes it so easy. Truthfully you can not be happy with trading Vokes for Crouch.

I don't think I ever did. But you started this thread basically saying Mike Rigg is pointless. Are you basing that on one potential deal?

ClaretTony wrote:I don't think I ever did. But you started this thread basically saying Mike Rigg is pointless. Are you basing that on one potential deal?

Yes I am....ONE potential deal. I know he hasnt been here long but surely he has a list of players he felt would help. I felt at the time that this role was much needed and felt Mike Rigg was the right man out of the candidates. I am just seeing it as a pointless role now as whilst MG is at the helm we are never going to take a risk. Well except the risk of being low on numbers in key areas and deciding to cross our fingers and hope we dont get an injury in that position.

ClaretTony wrote:I don't think I ever did. But you started this thread basically saying Mike Rigg is pointless. Are you basing that on one potential deal?

This potential deal could be an indication of the shape of things to come, based on the quality of the signings made by Rigg during his brief stays at QPR and Fulham.

I was crossing my fingers that his recruitment performance at those clubs was hampered by financial restrictions and being second guessed by a statistician with to much influence over those close to the board.

However, considered in isolation from any chain of events that may unfold over the coming hours, this potential deal gives me cause to doubt my own optimism and my desire to give the new bloke a fair chance.

If this deal doesn't end up with us bringing in Che for a reasonable price, without a loan back, then heaven help us in terms of what we can expect in the Summer when he has more time to work and more potential to make changes.

South West Claret. wrote:Mike Rigg?..who he?

Pretty please?

CnBtruntru wrote:Mike Rigg heard wrong when he was asked to find 38 players

No it was a typo in the office. His memo should have read search for players who are aged 13-25 abut someone hit the + key instead of the - which is easily done.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Yes I am....ONE potential deal. I know he hasnt been here long but surely he has a list of players he felt would help. I felt at the time that this role was much needed and felt Mike Rigg was the right man out of the candidates. I am just seeing it as a pointless role now as whilst MG is at the helm we are never going to take a risk. Well except the risk of being low on numbers in key areas and deciding to cross our fingers and hope we dont get an injury in that position.

He needs time. This window is always dreadful too. He will come good with time.

Why do you think that we are trading Vokes for Crouch? Seperate transfers is what we are being told. Not connected except that the playere happen to be swapping clubs.