Reading through the various topics, there seems to be a common denominator, people want players.

Been having a think about Sheens, is his role purely playing based? I think because before we'll have any of sustained success, the whole infrastructure of the club needs looking at, in terms of non playing staff. This is ranging from more coaches at 1st team level, along with specialist coaches, this should also filter down to the younger guys. I don't have a massive insight into the club but I'd say there can't be more than 10 coaches / physio involved in the club? Addressing this situation will improve the club ten fold in my personal opinion. I don't know if this is in Sheens remit, but hopefully he'll input some sort of infrastructure.

There is also a need for more administrative staff, who ever is the marketing and media managers, they should be relieved of their duties, years and years of amateur output on both sides. Do these departments have teams? Or is somebody running both departments? We also need a proper financial manager, I think Koukash said this was covered in Vickers role and he was taking those duties off this due to the constant late payments. Has this improved since?

Overall, when MK initially took over, I thought he'd get rid of alot of dead wood at the club that has made us look a poor outfit for years. Has anything really changed? People who are inept at their job are still stealing a wage. I don't think Vickers is the beat CEO either, something about I can't seem to take to him.

Anyways what are peoples opinions? Whether you have more inside knowledge or is looking outside in like myself

I do think a big name will attract new people I know people knew to the sport won't know them but the people who have some clue of the sport who follow Salford or not will know and word will spred!! At the end of the day no one will pay to watch a losing team!!! a consistent team even if we win by 4 points every week a winning team gets the crowds look at castleford a few years ago the jungle was half empty now after consecutive good seasons they get a good 2 or 3000 more a game

I agree with you in principle. But what you have to acknowledge as a fan is that the vast majority of people that watch Salford are largely interested in what happens on the pitch, and only that. So it is easier to maintain a façade of doing well if all is well on pitch. Whereas you could have the best club setup in the league but if the team is struggling, then so are you. Warrington springs to mind here (although I have no idea if Warrington are an exemplar of administrative matters).

I also have sympathy with the media and marketing side of things. The game has changed so much in the last five years. So much. And Salford is a very hard sell.

But as with Sheens’s appointment, I think you can generate much optimism by appointing notably successful people at the top of other areas of the club, such as CEO, finance and marketing. Then hope that they can, over time, sort things out.

A few years ago my brother bought cheap tickets from Warrington & Huddersfield, even this season they still have his details on the system and send him season ticket offers. I have introduced two new mates over the past couple of years probably attending around 8-9 home games each, have any of them had their details taken and been sent any ticket information? Have they balls.

Of course if you ask Mr Vickers he will deny this and come back with some bolloc*s about how Salford have sent 55 thousand leaflets to homes across the city.

In-fact even as a season ticket holder for many years, I didn't get sent anything last year.

If we use Warrington as an example. They have a wealthy backer like our selfs. Moved into new stadia, and got the location right, whereas we could not if put it in a worse location. Like ourselfs had poor run of results under Cullen despite high profile signings.

It appears Tony Smith was there catalys for sustained success and improving stature as I club. He put his stamp on the club and implemented structures that they are reaping now. OK last season was a bad one for them but they was under transition, look at all the kids they are bringing through along with the poaches stars like Hill, Clarke and our very own Ratchford.

That is the model I'd like us to follow, whether it's Sheens job to make this happen or just to attract the right players, time will tell.

Salford has been an extremely hard sell for decades because of several factors. It's easy to criticise numerous employees past and present but unless something miraculous changes for us on the field the club will continue fighting for scraps and making up the numbers. It's all about having a good product to sell by winning regularly and Salford are unfortunately hindered with strong opposition, geographical obstacles/distractions and negative perceptions. Not even a mountain of cash has made the slightest difference and perhaps we have to unwillingly accept that this is as good as it's going to get.

The club doesn't really have an infrastructure as such. Anyone who has visited other Super League teams, such as Leeds, Wigan, Saints, Warrington, Hull etc will note the number of off-field staff these clubs have. In comparison, Salford don't really have many full-time staff once you strip away the coaches and physios. The stadium management grey the waters somewhat, as any unsuspecting visitor to the AJ Bell will see a receptionist, ticket sellers, security etc but obviously these are not employed by the club.

Off the top of my head, I can only think of Martin Vickers and Andrew Bentham who are full-time employees of the club. Can anyone name more? It must be a stark difference to what Sheens is use to back in Oz and in his role as DoF I would hope he begins to implement the necessary structure needed to run a successful RL club.

I know Vickers gets a rough deal by most, myself included as unfortunately he has absolutely zero experience in professional sport administration. This isn't his fault, if someone offers you such an exciting position, with an attractive salary you're going to give it a go. I believe his heart means well and gives the position 100% but that doesn't make him good at it.

I like Andrew Bentham and he is another that works hard on the commercial side, whether or not again he is the right man for a modern day professional sports club I don't know, but my experience of him is fine.

Hindsight is wonderful, but given the money wasted on transfer fees and wages over the last 3 seasons (it must be close to being over £1million) we could have had a fantastic off-field infrastructure in place that would rival those of other Super League clubs.

At least six according the club’s staff pages. But I don’t work for the club so I really don’t know.

You don't know with marwan, it could be down to five or four. He seems to like sacking, or moving on people

So it must follow that the ones still there are good at what they do,or they'd have moved them on by your reckoning.
I've had dealings with Andrew Bentham and he's a good guy,with his heart in the right place