Leicester to appoint Martyn Glover as head of senior recruitment.

[HankMarvin]

Not sure if this was previously posted
 

More hits than misses: Assessing Southampton’s scouting chief Glover before Leicester move

Dan Sheldon

When Martyn Glover joined Southampton as their head of scouting and recruitment in April 2019, the club and its finances were hamstrung by their previous owner Gao Jisheng.

It meant Glover, a former PE teacher who arrived from Everton, was operating within the constraints of a sell-to-buy model.

This, though, would not have been a surprise to him, and he brought a wealth of experience to Southampton having also worked at Blackburn Rovers, West Ham, Leeds United and Sunderland.

And three years after joining the club, Glover, as revealed by The Athletic, has agreed to replace Lee Congerton as Leicester’s head of senior recruitment following Congerton’s move to Italian side Atalanta.

 

As things stand, Southampton have no intention of letting Glover leave before his notice period has been served. That means he will be at the club throughout the summer, so there will be little to no impact on plans for the transfer window.

Leicester, however, are understandably keen for Glover to begin in his new role before teams can begin trading players in June. If the two sides can agree a compensation fee, that would enable Glover to exit his notice period early. But Southampton are not thought to be interested in entertaining that prospect.

With Sport Republic purchasing Gao’s 80 per cent majority shareholding in the club at the beginning of the year, this summer is going to be crucial for the new owners.

Throwing a spanner into the works when recruitment plans are being finalised by allowing Glover to depart would only serve to cause unnecessary issues.

Multiple sources inside Southampton and closely connected to the club only have good things to say about Glover.

Often described as one of the good guys and a trustworthy operator, he is widely respected by agents and many figures point to the fact he just gets on with his job without causing any issues.

But what does his record look like when it comes to signing new players?

It would be unfair to judge him on the 2019 summer intake, with Che Adams (£15 million) and Moussa Djenepo (£14 million) arriving from Birmingham City and Standard Liege.

Kyle Walker-Peters joined on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2020, and has since gone on to establish himself as one of Southampton’s better players and make his senior England debut.

The following summer saw Mohammed Salisu leave Real Valladolid for Southampton in a £10.9 million deal, Walker-Peters sign permanently for £12 million and Ibrahima Dialloswitched Stade Brest for St Mary’s (£12.7 million).

They also signed Theo Walcott on loan from Everton and then added Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino in February 2021. While Walcott was handed a two-year deal after the 2020-21 campaign ended, Minamino returned to Anfield at the end of his loan.

Arguably the club’s best signing in recent years, Tino Livramento stands out as a brilliant piece of business overseen by Glover and Martin Semmens, Southampton’s chief executive.

The right-back joined from Chelsea last summer for £5 million and quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s most promising youngsters before an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Brighton in April cut his season short. It will rule him out until 2023.

Lyanco (£7 million), Adam Armstrong (£15 million) and Romain Perraud (£11 million) also joined at the same time as Livramento. So too did Armando Broja, who signed on a season-long loan.

Broja joined on loan from Chelsea last summer 

It should be said that Southampton sign players by committee, so Glover is not acting with full autonomy when making acquisitions.

It is possibly too early to say whether the experienced head of recruitment and chief scout has been a success on the south coast. That will largely depend on the future successes of Diallo, Salisu, Armstrong, Lyanco and Perraud.

But he can rightly claim there have been more hits than misses. Southampton will be losing, as multiple sources have suggested, a brilliant operator who gets on with the job with no airs and graces.

On the other hand, his impending departure to Leicester comes at a time when Sport Republic are likely to implement structural changes to how the club operates.

Rasmus Ankersen, who co-owns Sport Republic with Henrik Kraft, will have his own ideas about scouting and recruitment, especially as their company also invests in Tonsser — an app that hopes to revolutionise the way teams recruit players.

You could argue that Glover thought the Leicester vacancy arrived at an opportune moment as the expected changes at Southampton could have an impact on his role at the club.

The restructuring is still being worked out, and although news of Glover’s departure will have been an unexpected bump, it also presents an opportunity for Sport Republic to possibly make alterations they thought may not have been possible.

But there is no denying the club are losing an influential figure who has the hierarchy’s trust and someone who fits into their structure.

Key for Southampton and Sport Republic will be ensuring his absence is not felt once he gets his feet under the desk at Leicester.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

19 hours ago, Clever Fox said:

Only if they are paying up the rest of his Contract. Maybe he wants a break before starting a new job with us.

 

Generally though if he strted with us immediatley that would end his Southampton Contract with effect.  

He wouldn't be on a fixed term contract though like playing staff, he'll just be a salaried full time employee with a notice period surely? If Soton have enforced that notice period even if he's placed on gardening leave then there isn't much we can do. 

 

Should have been sorted months ago so he was in place for this window.

Edited 9 July 2022 by Sol thewall Bamba

[Stadt]

Just now, Sol thewall Bamba said:

He wouldn't be on a fixed term contract though like playing staff, he'll just be a salaried full time employee with a notice period. If Soton have enforced that notice period even if he's placed on gardening leave then there isn't much we can do. 

 

Should have been sorted months ago so he was in place for this window.

We should have targeted somebody else instead. Recruitment is the most important long term factor in being successful so if this window isn’t successful then it has a knock on effect down the line 

[Clever Fox]

3 hours ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

He wouldn't be on a fixed term contract though like playing staff, he'll just be a salaried full time employee with a notice period surely? If Soton have enforced that notice period even if he's placed on gardening leave then there isn't much we can do. 

 

Should have been sorted months ago so he was in place for this window.

He's probably on a rolling Contract of some sort.  Strange that they don't want him off the books asap, Unless they're worried we'd go after their targets. 

[thegaffa]

This guy is starting in September and it looks like he is the one that will be play a major part in the rebuild that we will need next season.

 

In my opinion, I think the September starting date for him was more at our request rather than Southamptons reluctance for him to start earlier here.

 

I think the club do not have faith in the players that Brendan recommends and they didn’t want to waste any more money, especially when we are also trying to rebuild the squad and reduce the wage bill on squad fillers.

[norwichfox]

22 minutes ago, thegaffa said:

This guy is starting in September and it looks like he is the one that will be play a major part in the rebuild that we will need next season.

 

In my opinion, I think the September starting date for him was more at our request rather than Southamptons reluctance for him to start earlier here.

 

I think the club do not have faith in the players that Brendan recommends and they didn’t want to waste any more money, especially when we are also trying to rebuild the squad and reduce the wage bill on squad fillers.

sort of makes sense...

[AjcW]

24 minutes ago, thegaffa said:

This guy is starting in September and it looks like he is the one that will be play a major part in the rebuild that we will need next season.

 

In my opinion, I think the September starting date for him was more at our request rather than Southamptons reluctance for him to start earlier here.

 

I think the club do not have faith in the players that Brendan recommends and they didn’t want to waste any more money, especially when we are also trying to rebuild the squad and reduce the wage bill on squad fillers.

Probably also don't want your new HOR first month in the job to be 'we've got no money' 'we've got too many players' 'feel free to draw up some lists but we can't do anything'

 

Probably wouldn't work his induction period  

[Fazzer 7]

Any relation to Lenny. If so I suggest he starts by finding a right winger.

[filthyfox]

This must be the easiest job on the planet right now!

[moore_94]

 

[Sly]

Head of recruitment Martyn Glover starts work after the weekend. He needs to get on it as well! Major rebuild required for Jan! 

[st albans fox]

US mens team only appointed Knudsen at the end of June ???

[Daggers]

On 09/07/2022 at 01:09, HankMarvin said:

...a former PE teacher...

Oh Christ!

 

 

[HankMarvin]

36 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

US mens team only appointed Knudsen at the end of June ???

Someone see how many corners they conceded since 🧐

[Manini]

 

41 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

US mens team only appointed Knudsen at the end of June ???

Maybe works with USA during international periods? Adam Sadler coaches for Northern Ireland as well as his day job with us. Although tanners wording does make it sound like he’s left the USA

[Sir Shep]

What does a head of recruitment do when there's no money to recruit? 

 

Hi Top sorry I'm late, right where do you want me to start?

 

Yeah about that, are you any good at cooking thai food?

[Foxxed]

16 minutes ago, Sir Shep said:

What does a head of recruitment do when there's no money to recruit? 

 

Hi Top sorry I'm late, right where do you want me to start?

 

Yeah about that, are you any good at cooking thai food?

I guess it was in retrospect wise to wait so his first couple of months weren’t selling our best player, getting in someone the recruiting department had already decided upon and risking the possibility he might somehow bond with Rodgers the transfer guru.

 

I’m amazed and happy we’ve actually got a set piece coach. I wonder if Brendan chose him. It’s still amazing we need one. We weren’t always this poor.

 

 

Edited 8 September 2022 by Foxxed

[PAPA LAZAROU]

15 minutes ago, Foxxed said:

I guess it was in retrospect wise to wait so his first couple of months weren’t selling our best player, getting in someone the recruiting department had already decided upon and risking the possibility he might somehow bond with Rodgers the transfer guru.

 

I’m amazed and happy we’ve actually got a set piece coach. I wonder if Brendan chose him. It’s still amazing we need one. We weren’t always this poor.

 

 

How difficult is it for players at this level to understand basic defending from set pieces and corners? I mean how the fvck did they ever get to play in the prem without understanding how to defend from them?

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/leicester-january-transfers-rodgers-glover-7772892

 

Brendan Rodgers backs new Leicester City appointment ahead of January transfer window
Martyn Glover, Leicester City's new head of recruitment, will oversee his first transfer window at the club in January, having taken up his role at the start of September

SPORT
ByJordan Blackwell
06:00, 2 NOV 2022

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers gestures on the touchline during the Premier League match at Molineux, Wolverhampton. (Image: PA)

Brendan Rodgers and the Leicester City recruitment team are on the same page, the manager has said, as they plan their moves for the January transfer window.

Rodgers is heading into the winter market with renewed hope after a disappointing summer, and with a new head of recruitment to work alongside. Martyn Glover, brought in from Southampton, started at City in September.

While there are two months to go until the window, Rodgers and Glover have been holding meetings to work out their plans. As the head of the scouting team, it will be Glover’s remit to pick out players for City to target, but those prospective signings need to fit in with how Rodgers wants to play in order to be make an impact. The manager has confidence that will be the case.

 

Rodgers said: “Martyn gave a great interview when we met and he was clear on understanding the personality, and the technical and tactical qualities we look for here.

Rodgers warns Potter of 'Chelsea pressure'
Brendan Rodgers has backed Graham Potter for success at Chelsea after his ‘fantastic’ work at Brighton but warned him of a different level of pressure.
Play Video
“He understands we’re a team that wants to play with a high energy and an intensity, that wants to get through the pitch quickly. We need speed in the team and we need technicality in the team, and that shapes the recruitment.

“Wout [Faes], as an example, he’s aggressive, he’s strong, he defends well, he has personality, and he can play football, which is critical. You have to be able to take the ball and pass the ball.

“In our conversations, he understands. That’s what’s key. There has to be synergy in the recruitment otherwise you bring in players that don’t fit the style.”

City have not made a single permanent signing in January since Rodgers took charge. The last time they bought a player in January was five years ago, when winger Fousseni Diabate arrived from Gazelec Ajaccio for £2m.

[taupe]

So Rodgers laid out his requirements to the new head of recruitment.  He wants the kind of player every other club wants. Ever heard any manager say they want slow, crap players with zero personality? 

[KFS]

‘What we want are players who can play football’

 

Nice one Brendan 

[st albans fox]

He understands we’re a team that wants to play with a high energy and an intensity, that wants to get through the pitch quickly. We need speed in the team and we need technicality in the team, and that shapes the recruitment.

“Wout [Faes], as an example, he’s aggressive, he’s strong, he defends well, he has personality, and he can play football, which is critical. You have to be able to take the ball and pass the ball.

“In our conversations, he understands. That’s what’s key. There has to be synergy in the recruitment otherwise you bring in players that don’t fit the style.”

 

so how come we brought in vestergaard?   He has no intensity or energy ! 

[davieG]

28 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

 

He understands we’re a team that wants to play with a high energy and an intensity, that wants to get through the pitch quickly. We need speed in the team and we need technicality in the team, and that shapes the recruitment.

“Wout [Faes], as an example, he’s aggressive, he’s strong, he defends well, he has personality, and he can play football, which is critical. You have to be able to take the ball and pass the ball.

“In our conversations, he understands. That’s what’s key. There has to be synergy in the recruitment otherwise you bring in players that don’t fit the style.”

 

so how come we brought in vestergaard?   He has no intensity or energy ! 

Shows how good Glover is at getting rid of crap for a good price.

[An Sionnach]

51 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

 

He understands we’re a team that wants to play with a high energy and an intensity, that wants to get through the pitch quickly. We need speed in the team and we need technicality in the team, and that shapes the recruitment.

“Wout [Faes], as an example, he’s aggressive, he’s strong, he defends well, he has personality, and he can play football, which is critical. You have to be able to take the ball and pass the ball.

“In our conversations, he understands. That’s what’s key. There has to be synergy in the recruitment otherwise you bring in players that don’t fit the style.”

 

so how come we brought in vestergaard?   He has no intensity or energy ! 

When it comes to Rodgers , let it come in one ear and go out the other is the best policy. I never listen to anything he says.

[CosbehFox]

Just noticed his replacement has left Saints to join Chelsea. That’s a bloke with a decent three month spell getting hell of a promotion. Boelhy is bit of a chancing nob