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ID: What are the main differences in the club compared to a year ago?
SD: The main difference is we are – it sounds a little corny – but we are as one. We are united. There is a general belief in what the club is trying to do, and what Gianfranco is trying to do, and the supporters are now with us. I’ve gone on the record on numerous occasions saying that one of the most divisive aspects of any football club is if there are competing elements and if the supporters aren’t with us and the supporters don’t believe in what we are doing, then there isn’t really anywhere for us to go. I think the January [transfer] window, or the end of it, was the defining moment. Everybody was as one, and believes in what we are trying to achieve and where we are going.
That was the first time you had really come out in the open and spoken directly to the public, wasn’t it?
Yes. The financial troubles of the football club have ironically helped me. There has always been pressure from above to run the football club in a certain way and I have simply had to follow orders, but for the first time, in the past year I have been able to implement my ideas without hindrance, which has been a good thing from my perspective and to be blunt, the direction in which Gianfranco Zola and I think the club should be going has been allowed to happen without hindrance, so when I came out in the January window and said the things I said I did so with complete confidence, because I knew there wasn’t somebody above me who could suddenly pull the rug from under me and say, no actually, we are selling Scott Parker, we are selling Matthew Upson. I made the decision we weren’t going to do that and I was extremely confident I could deliver on that.
Was there ever a point in all of the ownership situation when you thought there was a danger the club could go under?
No, there was never a thought we could go under, but there were various times, particularly during the January window where there were pressures put upon me where I couldn’t deliver what I was saying I would deliver. I have got no interest at being at West Ham and just surviving. The reason I brought Gianfranco in, and the trust between me and Gianfranco, is that we know what the situation is, we’re ambitious and we know what we can achieve but with the banking world collapsing, there was quite a lot of pressure put on me by the banks to sell players. The previous funding of the players – where we got players at prices we couldn’t afford was by virtue of bank loans. When the baking world collapsed the banks said, right, we want those loans back, so we had to reduce our debts. I came up with the strategy of selling the fringe players, and that would still keep us competitive, even self sufficient. Notwithstanding that, during the window there was quite a lot of pressure from our banks that we should sell Scott Parker. I argued very strongly against to the point of, er, perhaps moving on, because we had never breached any of our banking covenants. We had always made our repayments back, but because the banks were getting nervous about their own situations, to me they were putting undue pressure on us and trying to interfere in the operation.
So to be clear, you actually threatened to quit?
Yes. It would have been an untenable situation. I had brought Gianfranco in. We were working closely together and then suddenly top players would have been removed. That wasn’t part of our plan. I had made quite clear how we could achieve the savings – by selling the fringe players – and if we are not competitive and we are not growing, I don’t want to be here and Gianfranco doesn’t want to be here. That was the biggest issue we have overcome – battles with the banks.
So what you are saying is that there could have been a situation in January where you would have quit, and there would have been a strong possibility that Zola would have quit as well.
There are lots of hypothetical situations that could have happened, Iain, but I see it as part of my job to have these battles, to make sure that what I promised to Gianfranco, what I promised in our plan, is delivered. It’s part of my job to go into boardrooms and have these battles. Bankers have their own agendas. They just want debts to be reduced. They are not interested in the success of West Ham.
When you came out at the beginning of January and said you weren’t going to sell any top players, was that aimed more at the banks than anyone else?
No. It was a business plan which was absolutely watertight and I knew I could deliver on that. There was no pressure from the owners. The fact that the banks have their own problems with the economic climate meant they were a little more jittery. They had no ability to make me buy or sell players. They couldn’t action that. They were starting to get very nervous and push the boundaries but I wasn’t prepared to be pushed. You’ve got to remember as well that in January BG was facing bankruptcy and our ownership issue was up in the air, so there were lively discussions. Now Straumur have taken over the club, ownership issues are resolved. The banks are back where they should be, which is lending money and we repay it back and there is no interference. There will always be battles I have to have. You just have to make sure you win them.
Part Two follows tomorrow.
cant wait for pt 2.great stuff if a little squeeky bum time !!!!
banks cab certainly bring your business down when they get jittery so to repulse them is an unusual thing.
look forward to the next segments.
HI IAN I CANNOT READ THIS PROPERLY. AS THE WRITING IS A BIG COLOUR CLASH WITH THE BLACK TEXT.
Too conservative. Part two let him have it!
Dux sounds very focused and knows what he wants for the club and it’s nice to know he will,if need be do whatever it takes to keep things on track. His relationship with Zola also seems both sound and important to him.
Roll on part 2 and PROJECT FOOTBALL
COYI!!!!!!!!
Good stuff Iain although Dux does sound more and more like a politician than a football man – maybe that’s why you enjoyed interviewing him so much?
Can’t wait for the rest……
This is a bit of a coup Iain. Nice work. I hope Part 2 has you probing Mr Duxbury a little deeper.
very interesting and the business plan idea is sound. but would like to know how the management will achieve their goals, exactly what they are and what happens if the performance next year is below the plan’s targets.
Brilliant interview!
Wow. great to have an insight amazing what goes on behind closed doors. actually have more respect for him now. never been a hater but didn’t have enough info to make a impartial judgement. fair play and he’s right i truly think we’re all behind the club right now. Coyi!
Great informative part 1 ian and great for fans to read from the horses mouth so 2 speak unlike cearns and brown era when we all knew nothing so onto pt 2 my son on sat and its great for me as im in kenya
How many times has SD said “I” in that interview?
Personally, I have a big issue with lawyers running businesses. I think SD has shown a lot of immaturity in some of the comments he has made, not least his comments about (not) selling to spurs.still, as long as he doesn,t begin to believe his own hype and interfere in the football ops, he may do well.
“when the baking world collapsed” (third paragraph)ha ha – Deano lost 3 stone?
Maybe I’m a bit old fashioned but I thought Chairmen of clubs together with the board made the major decisions not the CEO??? I know Scott Duxbury is the author of the Business Project at West Ham but I feel he is getting a little carried away with his responsibilities. Does his terms of reference actually say he makes the decisions? I would not be surprised if Scott Duxbury’s ultimate hidden agenda is the Chairmans post. Maybe you could ask him that in part two.
Fantastic work Iain…it’s so refreshing to read something genuinely interesting. Too much rubbish getting banded about these days – great work!
Me My Self I !!!
I confess i didnt like Duxbury a jot when he first come to West Ham but I am warming to him slowly.
We never sold Upson or Parker in January but we did sell Bellend. I wonder if that helped?
We also sold lots of other fringe players and sent out other first teamers like Bowyer and Davonport on loan. We was left very short and Zola and Clark done marverlous to get where we are now.
Things seem to have picked up since then and I am looking forward to a couple more signings this summmer. The project I was a little sceptical about is on course. So fair play to everyone.
Iain,
Enjoyed reading part one. Looking forward to part 2. This interview highlights how hard SD is working behind the scenes. Good questions.
Iain
Great interview.I sat with Scott in the directors box at Bolton and can assure you he is as passionate about West Ham as any of us are.
With Scott, Nani, Zola ,and Clarke we are going in the right direction,
Looking forward to part 2
coyi
I have to say that Iain’s interview with Scott Duxbury confirms my impressions that he is the originator of all that is good at West Ham currently. Clearly the guy is now free to make his own decisions now BG is toast and his management strategy is text book pure. All we need is extra seed capital and he would make us grow big time. Whoever buys us please leave Scott in place?
An interesting interview. It strikes me that Straumur (an investment bank) is in the same business as the other banks with which the club has had to deal – financial services.
My concern is that at any given time it may behave in exactly the same manner as the previous financiers and begin to interfere and make demands in respect of the operations of the club. Are there any guarantees that this will not occur again? I’d wager there are none.
I guess we just have to continue to hold our collective breath and hope for a saviour – being mindful of course that whomever invests in the club, he/she/it is going to want a return on the investment and to that end will always interfere in the operations to some degree.
Duxbury lies out of his arse.
he had nothing to do in saving this club. We were owned by a bankrupt bank who were seized by our creditors. how we can feel positive?
It does seem very encouraging to have someone at the top so committed to the club at the top.
Great coup, Iain, and really looking forward to the rest. And make sure that any rag that suddenly has SD stories in their paper or one their website gives you proper kudos (and cash) too.
This seems to show that BG was a good owner/chairman as he let his CEO get on with running the business. The change in SD – and particularly his communication – has come since the departures of both Terry Brown and the Eggman, both of whom seemed to have separate and different agendas; TB personal gain and the Eggman self-publicity.
As long as we have transfer windows and keep producing good players there will be pressure from other clubs to sell. As we become more successful this pressure will ease as players will be more likely to want to stay than have their heads turned by so-called more glamorous clubs.
All of the most successful businesses have a sound business plan and the determination to push it through – adjusting it where necessary as market forces can dictate change. SD seems to understand this and appears dedicated to making it happen.
Really good stuff.
Very interesting read and I am already looking forward to part 2. On another site I have regularly backed Duxbury and it seems that the trust I had in him was well warranted.
Ian,
An excellent read. Thank you.
Congratulations on reaching, opening up and delivering the heartbeat of the club.
As a supporter, I am greatly encouraged by Scott Duxbury, Gianfranco Zola, their partnership and the clear respect for each other. I believe that the heart of the club is in very good health and that what we are now witnessing is the genesis of something really significant for the club.
In terms of communication Duxbury made the correct decision in opening up to the supporters through your column – I am sure it will serve him well and win enormous respect and loyalty. May I suggest that you both build on this excellent initiative with a quarterly interview?
Good Luck.
It appears that Kumb have been talking to the Dux man too, Seems as though he wants to communicate to the fan through the most popular hammers blogs.
Mancini deal still alive.
Well done Iain, and Looking forward to part 2.
It is a shame that the club doesn’t have their own web site so they could communicate more closely and openly with their supporters. Perhaps you could suggest that to SD?
In the meantime you have a full-time job on WHTID…..Keep up the excellent work!
Mancini paper work all in place it’s all down to Zola talking him round, FINGERS CROSSED!!
Great interview but I would not trust duxberry I never have and never wil I noticed he did not mention that waste off space Nani
what does he do Looking forward to part two
Ill tell you what he does Clive, he identifies and helps us sign players like Ilunga and Jimenez
clive if you read more closely you will see that its not duxbury in the past that has buggered things up …he is saying his hands were tied.now im not saying hes mother tereaser but give the man a break,he has completly changed over the last few months and i for one welcome the open and honest way he is now running the club.Nani is doing a terific job and i hope this summer he finds us a few more gems.coyi
Clive: Can you explain why you have these feelings toward Dux and Nani ?
I can’t see that either have done much to hurt the club or it’s supporters.
Lets not forget that it was Duxbury as our legal / commercial guy that signed the Tevez contract that included the dodgy clause (his defence was “its an obscure clause that nobody pays attention to” – well that was his job)and it was Duxbury that had the side deal with Kia’s lawyer that we would still honour the contract (a smarter guy might have conveyed that without risk of the other guy blabbing).
Each situation reveals character and he’s been lucky not to have been made unfit to hold office.
I’m as pleased as others with the course we’re on, but that and this charm offensive shouldn’t blind us to Duxbury’s dodgy dealings.
just saw the kumb interview with dux does anyone know if it is a credable source due to the mancini signing if so the tbh i think we will get him mainly because who could turn down the chance to work with one of the greatest ever playmakers in history like zola.i have alot of trust in duxbury very pleased that this site is giveing the fans what we want thanks alot whtid
Nani also uncovered Behrami so 1 season and he gets us 2 top quality players.
So far this season he has identified Jiminez
who has now joined, hardly a waste of space CLIVE,credit were credits due mate.
Fred
fair comment mate but lets not forget who was the man who pushed it and insisted on the Teves deal, EGGY! and if any of us are told to do something by the boss don’t we all more often than not do just that?
Since the changes and project football it sounds like Dux has had pretty much a free hand ans so far with Nani and Zola has done very well and the club is on a sound financial base and the team are progresing in an upward direction, we all in our working life make mistakes and do things we don’t agree with BUT it has all changed now and I for one am more than happy with the dealings within the club and content to watch the plan unfold over the next 3, 4 seasons.
COYI !!!!!
I’ve never been particularly trusting of Scott Duxbury especially seeing as the Tevez affair happened on his watch, but he does seemed to have learned his lesson of late and this is a (relatively) candid & insightful interview. Thanks for that Iain, looking forward to part II.
So, E1, Nani hands over a club record fee to Brescia, where his father-in-law is the Chairman, in return for Savio Nsereko. Remind us all what value for money we’ve had on that deal so far please. There are four years left on Savio’s contract, he’d better start doing something soon!
Clive – it’s official you’re a numpty – where do you think Ilunga, Behrami and now Jimenez all came from….. under a bush?
spence says:
June 26, 2009 at 9:01 pm
I think SD has shown a lot of immaturity in some of the comments he has made, not least his comments about (not) selling to spurs.
______________________________________________
I disagree, spence, it needed to be said
Kader Keita looks good on U tube, but the don’t they all lol
Keita or mancini ?
Votes please gentlemen
Keita gets my vote not much in it going forward but does his fair share in defence does seem to like a tackle.
Of course both would be nice.
for me e1 it would have to be mancini as i think he has the ability to attack defence and to be honest we dont need that much help in defence parker chips in a fair bit and behrami and noble colly is our only attack minded midfielder that is worthy of playing so mancine all the way although i do respect what you are saying about kieta watched u tube clip seems superb so bring em both on
Paul Savio has shown a few glimpses of what he can do and at 19 moving to a new country etc time will tell but I think we will as zola has said see a lot more of him this season, patience is a vertue Paul and if he does’nt work out so be it .