FORUMS > The Virtual Terrace > Dr Koukash |
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International Board Member | 14970 | No Team Selected |
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Jun 2002 | 22 years | |
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Nov 2021 | Nov 2021 | LINK |
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| Obviously it would have taken a much bigger amount to get the likes of Hull FC rather than Salford and as you say trying to break into a sporting market in Manchester, literally within sight of one of the biggest sports clubs in the world in Man Utd and very close to another 2 in Man City and Liverpool, is a massive challenge compared to taking a Hull FC with an already decent support base in a sporting market where RL is a significant presence.
However I don't think his choice of club was his big mistake. I'm actually delighted he bought Salford rather than another club as someone with his money is really the only way RL is ever going to gain a foothold in a major city like Manchester.
His big mistake(s), in my humble opinion, was assuming it was going to be a quick fix. That he'd throw a few million in to Salford, buy a load of top quality players and the crowds would come flooding in. He showed a massive lack of understanding of Rugby League and of the sporting market in Manchester.
He didn't understand that you can't just buy a top team in a couple of seasons, especially at a club in Salford's position at the time. Firstly, it's not like football where top players are available on transfers, you generally have to wait until their current contract runs out. Additionally, the environment at a club is very important to players. The top players want to be in a positive, professional environment and be in with a chance of winning things. Things like who the head coach and back room staff are are very important to attracting top players.
Getting Morley was a great move, but he needed another "iconic" player to build the team around and, crucially, a top head coach.
He also didn't understand the mentality of fans and spectators. He took the fans for granted in my opinion and thought they would come flooding back just because he'd said they were going to be brilliant. Crucially, by putting all the emphasis on the on-field performance it put huge pressure on the coaches and players to win and win well. When that, inevitably, didn't happen it was obviously a huge let down. Which sucked any momentum out of the club altogether.
He also seems to have fallen into the RL Club trick of thinking sticking a few signs up here and there is marketing. An RL club has to engage with its community to get people in. He needed to get a top notch marketing and commercial dept in (that's what transformed Leeds' finances) plus plough millions into a Salford Foundation that would send tens of people out to engage with local clubs, organisations and schools.
And obviously he needed to plough money into the youth setup. I understand that can't be transformed quickly but IIRC Salford scored a lowest score on facilities. That can be changed fairly quickly and should be. Salford's Academy should be the most professional in the country.
I'm delighted that Koukash is involved with the sport, but I wish he'd just calm down a bit and be more professional. Things like not paying players, sacking Noble & hiring Harris, massively hyping up average players, hugely criticising the players in public or in the dressing room etc etc added to the mistakes (in my opinion) he's made above have really held Salford back.
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Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 230 | No Team Selected |
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Nov 2014 | 10 years | |
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Oct 2015 | Oct 2015 | LINK |
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| Bizarre tweet from the man in charge. FWIW Glasgow Warriors have been a success by winning the Pro 12 with young Glaswegians coming through, I bet Salford would love to win Super League with a good set of local youngsters and looking to expand their ground.
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Rank | Posts | Team |
International Board Member | 16250 | |
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Feb 2002 | 22 years | |
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Feb 2020 | Feb 2020 | LINK |
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953.jpg 2015 - major missed opportunity, 2016 - stronger teams = harder task (no problem there then), 2017 - OMG What now!!!:953.jpg |
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| Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "This is not the kind of language I would have expected from a doctor. What exactly is he a doctor of, anyway?'"
He seems to be a doctor of business as Salford Red Devils now appear to be a subsidiary of another company, and the debt collectors and bailiffs are not after club debts but player debts......well according to Martin Vickers in the MEN......hmmmmm
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Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 5123 | |
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Jul 2011 | 13 years | |
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Aug 2024 | Apr 2024 | LINK |
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| Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "What exactly is he a doctor of, anyway?'"
Electrical Engineering believe it or not but he likes the sound of been called doctor for some bizarre reason.
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Rank | Posts | Team |
International Board Member | 14970 | No Team Selected |
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Jun 2002 | 22 years | |
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Nov 2021 | Nov 2021 | LINK |
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2244_1299706258.jpg :d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_2244.jpg |
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| Quote: ThePrinter "Problem is, he has seen Chelsea and he has seen Man City and thought buying a sports team and turning it around is easy if you throw the cash at it. However RL is very different to football and isn't as easy to turn around as football is.'"
Yep. And both Man City and Chelsea were in much stronger positions to become top clubs than Salford. They both had significant support bases, better teams and their own stadiums. Not to mention that both the new owners at those clubs have huge worldwide business power.
It's more akin to Dave Whelen's takeover of Wigan Athletic and expecting to be playing in the Champions League in a couple of years. It was never going to happen.
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Rank | Posts | Team |
Player Coach | 6809 | |
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Oct 2005 | 19 years | |
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Mar 2023 | Jan 2020 | LINK |
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18302_1567366773.png [b:1crbsr9w] Toulouse for Championship in 2017, Super League in 2021!
Avignon for Championship in 2021, Super League in 2022! [/b:1crbsr9w]:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_18302.png |
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| Quote: Tigerade "Electrical Engineering believe it or not but he likes the sound of been called doctor for some bizarre reason.'"
Marwan Koukash's Twitter outburst suggests that the man is remarkably uncouth, even for an electrical engineer.
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