Enrico Pucci
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Thursday, May 15, 2014
Once again I find myself at Heathrow going through customs. Instead of looking for a driver, one of the Board of Directors, Ivor Heller, is going to meet me.
"I'm Enrico, you must be Ivor," I say to the man holding the Pucci sign.
"Every so pleased to meet you," Ivor replies. "How was your flight?"
We exchange pleasantries as we walk to his car. He's taken the day off from his paying job to participate in my interview. Ivor is the commercial director for the club as well as a director. I decide to leave my bag in the trunk of his car instead of dropping them at the hotel. So we head straight for Kingsmeadow.
View attachment 428628
Chairman Erik Samuelson meets us as we're walking into the stadium. My first impression is he easily could be actor Bill Nighy's long lost twin. Seriously. Now just so you know, I'm definitely a fan of Nighy's. From bad vampire movies to spy shows on the BBC I pretty much love everything he's done. I took an immediate liking to Mr. Samuelson.
"We ordered up this weather just for you," he said. "We wouldn't want to lie to you about the weather here. This is no Costa Del Sol."
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Samuelson explained how they purchased the ground from Kingstonian FC through issuing shares and fundraising. He also showed me the terraces that were being converted to seats. They were expecting construction to finish in September.
They then ushered me into a conference room where two more directors, Dickie Guy and Nigel Higgs, joined us.
"Let me begin by talking about the club and it's philosophy," Samuelson began. "To guarantee stability, a trust owns the club and Kingsmeadow. Since this [he gestured around him] belongs to the fans, our purpose as Directors is the overall health and welfare of the club. As you know we're all volunteers. Because we're a small organization carefully managing our limited expenses, many things are done by volunteers."
"This process of interviewing candidates for the open manager position is done by the Directors Trust Board," he explained. "The DTB is elected and reports to the Football Club Board. The FCB agreed with the criteria we are using to evaluate candidates and we will submit our selection, once we make one, to the FCB for approval. The FCB meets next Friday evening and we hope to have selected someone by then."
"We've asked you to interview because of two things," he continued. "First you're experience at Cadiz running a club in a tough financial position and doing quite well despite it all and second because you played in Serie A as an American. Italian-American, I understand, but nonetheless succeeding as few Americans have in Italy. Odds are you were supposed to fail in Italy. Odds are you were supposed to fail in Spain with Cadiz."
"Please tell us about yourself," he concluded.
I gave them the pitch about grasping the opportunity I got with Bologna and working as hard as I could and learning as much as I could. I admitted that I wasn't the most technically gifted players nor the fastest nor the strongest, but I had a strong desire to prove myself.
"Who do you look up to as a manager and why?" Nigel asked.
I listed Arrigo Sacchi managing AC Milan because he'd never played in Serie A, but managed some of the most gifted players to be assembled on a single team. I explained how I am in awe of Ajax Amsterdam's overall philosophy of youth and player development. I named two of my managers at Bologna (I won't say who so that nobody gets offended). These two did great jobs of clearly explaining what they wanted from everyone. I especially appreciated openness and fairness.
"I'm the sort of manager who will be out there with my coaches working with the players," I concluded. "As my favorite managers did, I will try and keep dialogs going with all my players. So everybody knows where they stand with me and with the club."
"What philosophy or philosophies do you believe in?" Erik asked.
"Two things," I began. "First I believe in bringing in young players. If they have the same skillset of a 30 year old, they'll be a lot cheaper. If a big club comes in for the player, then the club makes a tidy profit and we have helped a young man on his way to better things."
"Secondly," I continued,"I believe in spit." I paused for effect and got a chuckle from Ivor. "SPIT stands for speed, personality, intelligence and technique. It's what Ajax use for evaluating players. I can't teach speed. The best I can do is help a player gain a half or sometimes a whole step more speed. I can't teach personality, but I can encourage players to express themselves and give them a framework in which they are comfortable being creative. Some players read the game really, really well. I can teach someone to think the game better. It's how I succeeded at Bologna. I can improve any player's technique if they're willing to work hard and put in the extra hours."
"Any other philosophies we should evaluate by?" Erik asked.
"Well, I am in the entertainment business, in the end," I replied. "I want to play attacking football."
"Talk to us about player acquisition and such on a tight budget," Erik asked. "But let me explain how we generate a transfer budget first. We ask our season ticket holders to give extra when they buy season tickets. We fundraise, too. Last year it was ?100,000. But it could vary. Could you succeed on ?25,000?"
"I'm comfortable working with whatever budget I'm given," I replied. "I've been watching a lot of English football, especially the lower leagues, since I was sacked, and I think there will be plenty of quality players available for free. Furthermore, I think some players with special skills might be available."
"Furthermore," I said. "If I'm given an amount and spend less but get the skill set I want in the squad, that money can be reinvested in other areas of the club."
"We have a philosophy you should be aware of," Erik said. "We don't pay agents. They don't get any percent. There are some agents out there who really do want what's best for their players, but there are far too many who just want to move their players around because they get 5 or 10 percent of whatever transfer fee."
"Is there a business anywhere else other than sport where someone comes in demands a wage increase for a player, negotiates for it and then gets a percentage?" he asked rhetorically. "Do you see this creating problems for you as you try to sign players?"
"Heh," I chuckled. "My agent Luca will be quite peeved when you sign me and he doesn't get anything. But seriously, I can work with whatever situation I have. I would hope that being a part of a club with an awesome feel-good story that intends to move up another division or maybe divisions soon is worth joining. Also, I've had friends who listened to the bull**** their agents fed them and let them ruin things for them. Actually, I kind of like your philosophy."
"Another thing we want you to be aware of," Nigel said. "In my professional career, I'm in communications. When we sign players, we make them aware of our code of conduct and our philosophy at the club. We want them to know that communicating with our fans, the club owners really, is very important. At the start of each season, we give explicit directions and strategies for how they are to conduct themselves. Would you have any problems with that?"
"Absolutely not," I replied. "Sounds like a great idea."
"Anything you'd like the club to do or directions you would like the club to go if you became manager?" Erik asked.
"In Italy and in Spain, lower league clubs get affiliate agreements with larger clubs," I said. "This means they can send us players but most importantly, it is a free way to get talented players for a season. I realize this isn't done often in England, but I'd like you to consider it."
"As you know, this would have to go through the FTB, but we would consider it," Erik replied. "Anything else you'd like to discuss before we take you to see the training facilities at King's College London?"
I shook my head.
I have to say I was impressed with the training facilities. Nice locker room, nice showers, nice pitches. I said so.
"Just so you know the process," Erik said as Ivor were walking toward his car so he could drive me to my hotel. "We will assess our candidates and make a suggestion to the FTB next Friday. We will notify you as soon as we make our decision whatever that is. If you happen to be the candidate, we would open contract negotiations at that time. These negotiations would need to be completed by next Friday for the FTB meeting."
I thanked him and the other directors, we all shook hands and then Ivor drove me to my hotel.
Once again I find myself at Heathrow going through customs. Instead of looking for a driver, one of the Board of Directors, Ivor Heller, is going to meet me.
"I'm Enrico, you must be Ivor," I say to the man holding the Pucci sign.
"Every so pleased to meet you," Ivor replies. "How was your flight?"
We exchange pleasantries as we walk to his car. He's taken the day off from his paying job to participate in my interview. Ivor is the commercial director for the club as well as a director. I decide to leave my bag in the trunk of his car instead of dropping them at the hotel. So we head straight for Kingsmeadow.
View attachment 428628
Chairman Erik Samuelson meets us as we're walking into the stadium. My first impression is he easily could be actor Bill Nighy's long lost twin. Seriously. Now just so you know, I'm definitely a fan of Nighy's. From bad vampire movies to spy shows on the BBC I pretty much love everything he's done. I took an immediate liking to Mr. Samuelson.
"We ordered up this weather just for you," he said. "We wouldn't want to lie to you about the weather here. This is no Costa Del Sol."
View attachment 428627 View attachment 428626
Samuelson explained how they purchased the ground from Kingstonian FC through issuing shares and fundraising. He also showed me the terraces that were being converted to seats. They were expecting construction to finish in September.
They then ushered me into a conference room where two more directors, Dickie Guy and Nigel Higgs, joined us.
"Let me begin by talking about the club and it's philosophy," Samuelson began. "To guarantee stability, a trust owns the club and Kingsmeadow. Since this [he gestured around him] belongs to the fans, our purpose as Directors is the overall health and welfare of the club. As you know we're all volunteers. Because we're a small organization carefully managing our limited expenses, many things are done by volunteers."
"This process of interviewing candidates for the open manager position is done by the Directors Trust Board," he explained. "The DTB is elected and reports to the Football Club Board. The FCB agreed with the criteria we are using to evaluate candidates and we will submit our selection, once we make one, to the FCB for approval. The FCB meets next Friday evening and we hope to have selected someone by then."
"We've asked you to interview because of two things," he continued. "First you're experience at Cadiz running a club in a tough financial position and doing quite well despite it all and second because you played in Serie A as an American. Italian-American, I understand, but nonetheless succeeding as few Americans have in Italy. Odds are you were supposed to fail in Italy. Odds are you were supposed to fail in Spain with Cadiz."
"Please tell us about yourself," he concluded.
I gave them the pitch about grasping the opportunity I got with Bologna and working as hard as I could and learning as much as I could. I admitted that I wasn't the most technically gifted players nor the fastest nor the strongest, but I had a strong desire to prove myself.
"Who do you look up to as a manager and why?" Nigel asked.
I listed Arrigo Sacchi managing AC Milan because he'd never played in Serie A, but managed some of the most gifted players to be assembled on a single team. I explained how I am in awe of Ajax Amsterdam's overall philosophy of youth and player development. I named two of my managers at Bologna (I won't say who so that nobody gets offended). These two did great jobs of clearly explaining what they wanted from everyone. I especially appreciated openness and fairness.
"I'm the sort of manager who will be out there with my coaches working with the players," I concluded. "As my favorite managers did, I will try and keep dialogs going with all my players. So everybody knows where they stand with me and with the club."
"What philosophy or philosophies do you believe in?" Erik asked.
"Two things," I began. "First I believe in bringing in young players. If they have the same skillset of a 30 year old, they'll be a lot cheaper. If a big club comes in for the player, then the club makes a tidy profit and we have helped a young man on his way to better things."
"Secondly," I continued,"I believe in spit." I paused for effect and got a chuckle from Ivor. "SPIT stands for speed, personality, intelligence and technique. It's what Ajax use for evaluating players. I can't teach speed. The best I can do is help a player gain a half or sometimes a whole step more speed. I can't teach personality, but I can encourage players to express themselves and give them a framework in which they are comfortable being creative. Some players read the game really, really well. I can teach someone to think the game better. It's how I succeeded at Bologna. I can improve any player's technique if they're willing to work hard and put in the extra hours."
"Any other philosophies we should evaluate by?" Erik asked.
"Well, I am in the entertainment business, in the end," I replied. "I want to play attacking football."
"Talk to us about player acquisition and such on a tight budget," Erik asked. "But let me explain how we generate a transfer budget first. We ask our season ticket holders to give extra when they buy season tickets. We fundraise, too. Last year it was ?100,000. But it could vary. Could you succeed on ?25,000?"
"I'm comfortable working with whatever budget I'm given," I replied. "I've been watching a lot of English football, especially the lower leagues, since I was sacked, and I think there will be plenty of quality players available for free. Furthermore, I think some players with special skills might be available."
"Furthermore," I said. "If I'm given an amount and spend less but get the skill set I want in the squad, that money can be reinvested in other areas of the club."
"We have a philosophy you should be aware of," Erik said. "We don't pay agents. They don't get any percent. There are some agents out there who really do want what's best for their players, but there are far too many who just want to move their players around because they get 5 or 10 percent of whatever transfer fee."
"Is there a business anywhere else other than sport where someone comes in demands a wage increase for a player, negotiates for it and then gets a percentage?" he asked rhetorically. "Do you see this creating problems for you as you try to sign players?"
"Heh," I chuckled. "My agent Luca will be quite peeved when you sign me and he doesn't get anything. But seriously, I can work with whatever situation I have. I would hope that being a part of a club with an awesome feel-good story that intends to move up another division or maybe divisions soon is worth joining. Also, I've had friends who listened to the bull**** their agents fed them and let them ruin things for them. Actually, I kind of like your philosophy."
"Another thing we want you to be aware of," Nigel said. "In my professional career, I'm in communications. When we sign players, we make them aware of our code of conduct and our philosophy at the club. We want them to know that communicating with our fans, the club owners really, is very important. At the start of each season, we give explicit directions and strategies for how they are to conduct themselves. Would you have any problems with that?"
"Absolutely not," I replied. "Sounds like a great idea."
"Anything you'd like the club to do or directions you would like the club to go if you became manager?" Erik asked.
"In Italy and in Spain, lower league clubs get affiliate agreements with larger clubs," I said. "This means they can send us players but most importantly, it is a free way to get talented players for a season. I realize this isn't done often in England, but I'd like you to consider it."
"As you know, this would have to go through the FTB, but we would consider it," Erik replied. "Anything else you'd like to discuss before we take you to see the training facilities at King's College London?"
I shook my head.
I have to say I was impressed with the training facilities. Nice locker room, nice showers, nice pitches. I said so.
"Just so you know the process," Erik said as Ivor were walking toward his car so he could drive me to my hotel. "We will assess our candidates and make a suggestion to the FTB next Friday. We will notify you as soon as we make our decision whatever that is. If you happen to be the candidate, we would open contract negotiations at that time. These negotiations would need to be completed by next Friday for the FTB meeting."
I thanked him and the other directors, we all shook hands and then Ivor drove me to my hotel.
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