That was so funny when Freer mentioned that

Give the job to Rowley and stop messing about. If we still need a GM (or whatever title they want to give him), get someone in but Rowley built the team, got them fit, has coached them (with Jukes) and for me deserves a shot now he's said he wants it.

Surely to let someone else loose with different methods and ideas at this stage would be suicide.

I like the cut of your jib sir



No doubt the defenders will soon swarm ,like a few of the sensible replies have pointed out,surely there is a time limit on johnny foreigner to get HIS qualifactions and so if HE fails to satisfy her majestys goverment it not our fault,now I'm thick but why are leigh accountable?

If the visa is denied, we can look at the situation again. If the visa is approved then we will need to employ the person offered the job or the club can be sued for the value of the contract (maybe more because of damage to reputation). It would not be sensible for the club to pull out of the deal now.

If the visa is denied then I'm sure the Rowls will be offered the head coaching job and we will decide where to go regarding the GM role.

It really is quite simple.

We can't just leave it open forever, we should write to them and set a reasonable/agreed deadline, its then up to them to push to get their visa sorted if they want the job.

The visas will be sorted when they're sorted. There's nothing that either the club or the individuals involved can do. If we've got a job offer on the table (pending a successful visa application) then that offer stands until the immigration authorities make their decision.

Thought all Government departs were now given targets, surely one of these is some kind of time frame to approve/reject a visa. Find out what it is, add x number of weeks and set a deadline.

The main problem is that there is no legal crow bar that the club can use to hurry this up. The UK borders are all in with customs and excise which have more power than the police and courts of this land. The fact that correspondence were going to HP says a lot about this government department. One thing I will say about this whole affair is that there are some important lessons to be learned from this for the future. Lessons I thought would have been learned from previous attempts at bringing people over from down under. As my mum often says " it'll all come out in the wash".

I do think its telling that they have been trying to contact Hilton Park, really fills you with confidence that they could track down any illegal immigrants, especially if the crafty devils gave their real address.

We should ve gone for either of those two up and coming coaches.....Rashid Blackmore or Mohammed Adamson. I doubt visas would ve been a problem then.When will the club ever learn by going to RL backwaters like Oz, do they actually play the game over there?

Needs sorting IMO, its dragging on too long.

If the guy coming over has not got a badge to coach in the UK (yet) as was alleged a while ago then surely we should be appointing our head coach now and allow this 'General Manager' situation to run its course as its nothing to do with the coaching role.

If the guy is coming over to coach (and presumably he has got the required badges to do so) then we really need to be reviewing why we as a club signed / agreed a contract with someone who didn't have the required paperwork at that point to work in the country.
If they didn't /haven't signed a contract but the owners feel abliged out of decency then fair enough, its exceptionally rare in business or at sports clubs to see it but thats purely whoever is in charge of the clubs decision and they will stand or fall by it.

If the guy hasn't signed a contract and is still stuck on paperwork issues then I'm sorry we have waited a long time (more than reasonably expected) and we should close the issue, a verbal agreement where someone hasn't got legal paperwork to work in the country won't be difficult to untangle, in terms of reputation damaged in the game (if you believe that has a effect) then I don't think you'll find any sports club risking so much on awaiting a appointment, We have been very fortunate Paul and Neil have delivered the lads to the field in such good shape and form - what would we be doing if we had witnessed 3 dire performances and 3 hammerings - I suspect people wouldn't be worrying about doing the right thing in the game then !

If Paul Rowley and Neil Jukes have said they would like the job , then give it to them - its a winning mentality and they are steady at the club for some time.
If the new guy is arriving for a General Managers position (but is really a ex player wanting to coach) then give him the General Managers job (if the visa comes through), it can't do any harm to be seen to helping a guy get his coaches badges whilst he works for us (and might help the reputation the club seemed worried about damaging), lets be honest this guy may have quit his job abroad to come here and could be being delayed on paperwork issues (and I'm sorry, I'm glad the UK borders are doing there bit, its damn hard to get in virtually every other country in the world to work except -until recently- the UK).

We play Barrow in 12 days time, it needs sorting.