Wanted: Nottingham Forest Staff: Specification - Must have strong communication skills

Article by e-Nottingham Forest's Matt Walker

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I start this blog with a quote which George Bernard Shaw penned which I think sums up the recent happenings of our club perfectly,’’The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place’.

Communication or should I say the distinct lack of it on Mr Davies part with his media blackout was a massive issue off the pitch last year, culminating in one of the main reasons he was sacked. We then had the opposite end of the scale with Mr Al Hasawi speaking far too much, probably as a conscious effort to right the wrongs of Billy by communicating what seemed like every detail of private negotiations of management appointment to anybody with a camera and microphone. This was equally embarrassing with the press and rival fans having a field day laughing at the merry go round of our managerial appointment.

For the majority of pre-season, news on Forest has been relatively quiet, it always helps when the circus visits other clubs, Blackpool and Leeds spring to mind. The news has been very much the standard pre-season press of signing rumours and pre-season match reviews, which perceives a well balanced club. Pearce has openly spoken to the press about his plans and Fawaz has been refreshingly quiet spending pre season in Kuwait. The appointment of honest and straight Stuart Pearce has now rectified the communication issues of manager on the pitch, who has openly spoke to press and hence also the fans.

 

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However it was through the open communication of Pearce this week on a football phone in that we found out we are still struggling as a club in the art of communication, worrying not just externally but internally as well, when he revealed he had no idea two of our brightest prospects Darlow and Lascelles had been sold, without his knowledge. Football has changed, like it or not owners now make the big decisions on sales but it is very concerning that the manager was not aware this decision was made behind his back, bringing the circus back to Nottingham. Insult was then added to injury when on his Twitter Fawaz said Pearce was informed at all times of negotiations, then officially on the website ‘at all times’ was omitted for just ‘informed’.

Fawaz has done a lot for this club that we should be very thankful for. From interviews I have heard from players such as Andy Reid, his heart is in the right place and he passionately wants this club to do well. He has certainly pumped finance in to it, 5.5 million is a big transaction for a Championship club, however it seems he and his business associates have not yet grasped the culture of British club ownership and its intricacies such as press, and most importantly the expression ‘communication is key’. Communication is not just knowing when to talk it is also knowing when not to talk. I believe the less we hear about and from Fawaz in the press can only be positive and may mean that the action on the pitch is doing the talking for the club.

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