The Steve Hitchen thread

[Marty]

For me the question over his role is more about unearthing the gems that haven't proved themselves at the top level yet but who are an instant fit for the league and the team. As mentioned above, Leicester have been masters at it over the last six or seven years but in that whole time only really Dele fit that bill for us and that is too long ago now.

Our best periods as a club in the PL era (the Jol, Redknapp and Poch tenures) have always come when we've signed middle bracket players who have come on leaps and bounds and made a big impression for us. We don't have the financial muscle to compete for the biggest signings so successful signings in the middle bracket is vital to us, and it's been far too long since we had that.

 

[rez9000]

It's not a bad thread tbf. I know little about him but Hercules' response was somewhat reassuring.

I have to say, @Black , that it's rather amusing that essentially you're suggesting there's an ulterior motive to this thread, specifically defending Jose, but you're the one who mentioned him first...

I started this thread for my own elucidation. Not every thread is related to Jose.

 

[McArchibald]

Steve Hitchin is very highly regarded in the game, and has superb connections.

He may well be - but there's no denying the fact that we've been on a downward slope for a few seasons now and that the acquisitions we have made have not managed to turn things around. Some of our peer clubs have done a lot better in the transfer market.

So while Hitchen could indeed be a hidden gem in our setup, there is still plenty of reason for an upgrade or even an overhaul of the transfer team. Because in the end of the day it just hasn't been good enough.

 

[Metalhead]

I have to say, @Black , that it's rather amusing that essentially you're suggesting there's an ulterior motive to this thread, specifically defending Jose, but you're the one who mentioned him first...

I started this thread for my own elucidation. Not every thread is related to Jose.

If we have a thread for ENIC and the players then I can't see why we shouldn't have one for backroom staff.

 

[PLTuck]

I have to say, @Black , that it's rather amusing that essentially you're suggesting there's an ulterior motive to this thread, specifically defending Jose, but you're the one who mentioned him first...

I started this thread for my own elucidation. Not every thread is related to Jose.

Unfortunately it seems that every thread finds its way to Jose. I swear you could post in the brexit thread and some smart arse would say theyd prefer Boris to Jose.

 

[dontcallme]

Unfortunately it seems that every thread finds its way to Jose. I swear you could post in the brexit thread and some smart arse would say theyd prefer Boris to Jose.

Yesterday I started a thread on what we are lacking on the playing side making it clear it is not a thread about the manager.

There are a lot of posts in that thread about the manager.

 

[The Doc]

Why don't we invite him in for a one-off SC Q&A so he can explain and justify his role to us? A Zoom call perhaps. Am sure he will be up for it. Calm, level headed and reasoned crowd. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[danielneeds]

I’m not convinced by the guy, but he delivered Tanguy which was a signing many thought we could’t make. He identified and put Grealish on a plate only for Levy to mess it up. He identified Bruno only for Levy to fuck about over Eriksen. There have been some near misses where he’s not really the person to blame.

 

[RichieS]

He may well be - but there's no denying the fact that we've been on a downward slope for a few seasons now and that the acquisitions we have made have not managed to turn things around. Some of our peer clubs have done a lot better in the transfer market.

So while Hitchen could indeed be a hidden gem in our setup, there is still plenty of reason for an upgrade or even an overhaul of the transfer team. Because in the end of the day it just hasn't been good enough.

There obviously is (or was, at least) the will to conduct that overhaul - see last summer when there was a big reshuffle and Birch came in. We subsequently had our best window for some time.

As @rez9000 said above, we've done our best work when we've operated in the same sort of market as Leicester have been over the last few years. I think, as a club, we got stuck between wanting to carry on doing that and acting like one of the big boys and ended up doing neither in more recent times. Couldn't sign de Jong, could have signed Tielemans (I think) instead, chose to sign N'oone, for example.

 

[chrisd2k]

What has he done previously to get a job as big as this one? Connections or not it seems like a big leap for him

 

[Black]

I have to say, @Black , that it's rather amusing that essentially you're suggesting there's an ulterior motive to this thread, specifically defending Jose, but you're the one who mentioned him first...

I started this thread for my own elucidation. Not every thread is related to Jose.

Well this thread was only created because of our terrible season, if we weren't playing so bad this thread wouldn't have been created.

 

[EQP]

If memory serves, he was responsible for putting Suarez on Liverpool's radar and even helped us get Modric when Comolli was here. Additionally, he knows the French leagues quite well and thats pretty much it. I think his current role sees him overseeing all scouting operations at the club. Personally, would like us to make an approach to Luis Campos, who has a stronger connections across world football and has made a name buying potential world class youth for incredibly low transfer fees.

 

[Shadydan]

Well this thread was only created because of our terrible season, if we weren't playing so bad this thread wouldn't have been created.

How do you know?

 

[Black]

How do you know?

 

[Blake Griffin]

i don't know how long he's been here for but our transfers have been pretty diabolical for a while now:

16/17:
wanyama 11m
janssen 17m
nkoudou 11m
sissoko 30m
lopez loan

17/18:
gazzaniga 4m
sanchez 38m
foyth 8m
aurier 23m
llorente 12m
lucas 25m

18/19:

Spoiler

19/20:
sessegnon 30m
lo celso 42m
ndombele 55m
clarke 10m
bergwijn 27m
gedson loan

20/21:
hojbjerg 15m
doherty 15m
reguilon 27m
rodon 11m
hart 0
bale loan
vinicius loan


shocking. can count on one hand the number of good signings there.

 

[Shadydan]

Ah yeah Jedi mind tricks, how silly of me.

 

[Thewobbler]

Hope this is OK to start, mods.

I have to confess to some ignorance over the situation with Steve Hitchen. I've seen him described in various terms and much of what's been said has been quite negative around him.

Other than a few bits on AON, I've know very little about him, when he was hired, what precisely his job is supposed to be and what his job actually is - the difference between job title and job function essentially. I also don't know why he's being given such negative reviews by us (that's not me saying he should or shouldn't, only that I don't know why he is).

So, a thread to discuss this individual and hopefully some education for those of us who hear his name, but can't even picture his face, nor explain to an outsider what precisely he does (or doesn't as the case may be) for the club.

Discuss.

He worked under comolli when he was with us and then moved to pool with him, Comolli said he was the reason liverpool managed to get suarez and hitchen had been scouting him when he was at groningen but ajax moved in first but because of the contacts hitchen made they told him ajax were going to sell.

Comolli said we had an impressive scouting network back then but in 2014 he said our network was a joke around the world. Not sure what our scouting network consists of now.

 

[Metalhead]

He worked under comolli when he was with us and then moved to pool with him, Comolli said he was the reason liverpool managed to get suarez and hitchen had been scouting him when he was at groningen but ajax moved in first but because of the contacts hitchen made they told him ajax were going to sell.

Comolli said we had an impressive scouting network back then but in 2014 he said our network was a joke around the world. Not sure what our scouting network consists of now.

Who was the guy that we lost that was supposed to be really good? He left when Poch was in charge I think.

 

[DiVaio]

i don't know how long he's been here for but our transfers have been pretty diabolical for a while now:

16/17:
wanyama 11m
janssen 17m
nkoudou 11m
sissoko 30m
lopez loan

17/18:
gazzaniga 4m
sanchez 38m
foyth 8m
aurier 23m
llorente 12m
lucas 25m

18/19:

Spoiler

19/20:
sessegnon 30m
lo celso 42m
ndombele 55m
clarke 10m
bergwijn 27m
gedson loan

20/21:
hojbjerg 15m
doherty 15m
reguilon 27m
rodon 11m
hart 0
bale loan
vinicius loan


shocking. can count on one hand the number of good signings there.

From this list definitely flops have been Janssen and Nkodou and he wasnt in the club at that time.

 

[Thewobbler]

Who was the guy that we lost that was supposed to be really good? He left when Poch was in charge I think.

Paul Mitchell.

"Following Pochettino's move to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Mitchell completed his switch in November 2014 to link up with the manager.He helped the club sign players such as Dele Alli, Son Heung-min, Kieran Trippier and Toby Alderweireld. In August 2016, reports suggested Mitchell was to leave the club "after his dream job turned into a nightmare" and he had fallen out with chairman Daniel Levy. In December, it was revealed Mitchell was serving his 16-month notice period.

In February 2018, Mitchell was named Head of Recruitment and Development by Bundesliga club RB Leipzig. In his first transfer window with the club, Mitchell helped sign Matheus Cunha and Nordi Mukiele, as well as Arsenal youth prospect Emile Smith Rowe on loan. Mitchell attracted interest from several Premier League clubs throughout 2019 and was heavily linked to a move to Manchester United. Reports suggested he could be offered an expanded role as Technical Director to oversee Red Bull's global football – including FC Liefering, Red Bull Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls

In June 2020, Mitchell joined Monaco as sporting director."