| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary 10:32 - Jan 27 with 4828 views | thehat |
I believe it’s two years this month since Christian Nourry took over the helm at QPR. I thought it would make an interesting midweek thread on what the thoughts were of progress so far. Personally I am in the cup is half full camp and believe we have turned the ship and are now heading in the right direction below are some main pointers from me:
Positives
Squad - Recruitment has improved and we now have the best squad we have had for years and it seems a good blend of youth and experience and looks a much happier dressing room. For the first time in years we have players who are now worth looking at for teams higher up the food chain. We are not (yet) in a relegation battle and still with an outside chance of the play offs.
Manager - Maybe divides opinion but I’m still happy with the progress we are making under Julien Stephan who was a thoughtful choice and the same profile to continue the work done by Marti.
Academy - Plans to upgrade to Cat 1. Seems to be a positive move although only time will tell on this one.
School End - Removal of away fans from lower tier and having our own fans there seems to have certainly helped improve our home form.
Negatives
Better communication with fans. Good to see we are now communicating better with injuries but maybe more sessions with fan groups.
Performance team - This does need to improve the overall condition of our players compared to other clubs does by the naked eye seems very poor not just the injuries but the overall fitness of the team.
Pitch - God knows what happened there, it would be good if the club could let us know what the problem was and what is being done to fix it.
Finally a big shout out to our owners who continue to write the cheques to keep the lights on. Not only that but then converting the debt to shares so it is not shown on the balance sheet as club debt.
So for me this is still very much work in progress but we are in a much better position now than we were two years ago.
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:06 - Jan 27 with 1142 views | Burnleyhoop |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 14:06 - Jan 27 by KensalT |
I think I agree with most of what thehat has said.
What hasn't been touched on is playing style.
Even before Nourry breezed in we were talking about a set style of play for the club that new managers/coaches would have to play to.
When Nourry arrived he was on message with that and gave an interview where he talked about some variation of 4-3-3 possession-based football being the key to success at this level, and that this was what we would be doing!
Since then every time we have tried this possession-based style it has failed and both Cifuentes and Stephan moved to a completely different and more direct style. Nevertheless we kept reverting back to possession based football under Cifuentes, only for it to keep failing. And then we tried it again and failed again under Stephan.
So the question is have Nourry and the club swallowed their pride and given up on possession based football or will we be trying again at some point in the future? And if we have given up on possession football then what is the new vision that Nourry sees the club adopting as its in-house style?
And I'm not putting that out as a criticism of Nourry. I've got no problem with someone saying we got it wrong but have cut our losses and pivoted to something different. But we haven't had that assessment yet from the club, or any indication of where we go from here. |
The style of football played is entirely dependent upon the capabilities of the players, regardless of the perceived and preferred playing style of the CEO.
Naive of those upstairs to expect anything else. | | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:07 - Jan 27 with 1142 views | Northernr |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:05 - Jan 27 by R_from_afar |
Doesn't Nourry have a major say in player recruitment and sales?
I honestly thought he did. |
Of course he does. The whole strategy is his and overseen by him, with Andy Belk leading the data, analytics, scouting etc. |  | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:08 - Jan 27 with 1063 views | stainrods_elbow |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:05 - Jan 27 by R_from_afar |
Doesn't Nourry have a major say in player recruitment and sales?
I honestly thought he did. |
Even if he does, he doesn't develop (or not develop) them, does he? That was my point. |  |
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:19 - Jan 27 with 1090 views | Ned_Kennedys |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:06 - Jan 27 by eastside_r |
A better squad? Possibly, I might give you that, but last season’s roster (particularly strikers?), the start of this season, up to and including Coventry away?
Some decent sales? ‘Some’ implies several and certainly more than one, who are we counting in this?
Clearing some deadwood – Again I might give you this one, but he’s also got rid of Marti Cifuentes and Paul Furlong, are you counting either of those as deadwood or are we just conveniently forgetting about those ‘departures’?
Training Ground? Predates him surely?
What do you think he hasn’t achieved? - I am struggling to answer that without being facetious.
I don’t think what you have provided amounts to much. I mean I could list lots of negatives but I don’t want to be considered as just a negative guy.
Jury is still out for me, but as I said, can’t think of anything substantial that has changed my initial opinion. [Post edited 27 Jan 20:07]
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So you struggle to see any positives then: we get it.
Sounds you made your mind up early doors and it’s entrenched in that position. |  | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:25 - Jan 27 with 1074 views | eastside_r |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:19 - Jan 27 by Ned_Kennedys |
So you struggle to see any positives then: we get it.
Sounds you made your mind up early doors and it’s entrenched in that position. |
Mate I really don't like the way he communicates with us fans. And yes that was right from the off.
As I said, I really want and would be happy to be wrong about him.
I am just not seeing any real evidence to change my mind.
Would you care to have another go at convincing me? |  | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:30 - Jan 27 with 1053 views | JamesB1979 |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:25 - Jan 27 by eastside_r |
Mate I really don't like the way he communicates with us fans. And yes that was right from the off.
As I said, I really want and would be happy to be wrong about him.
I am just not seeing any real evidence to change my mind.
Would you care to have another go at convincing me? |
No. You said your initial reaction was you didn’t like him because he was posh. That was before any communication or lack of surely? | | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:31 - Jan 27 with 1048 views | eastside_r |
The recruitment of JS. A positive I think.
But he certainly owes us one after MC and of course the JS project could still go either way.
There, I'm really making an effort.  | | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:36 - Jan 27 with 1030 views | eastside_r |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:30 - Jan 27 by JamesB1979 |
No. You said your initial reaction was you didn’t like him because he was posh. That was before any communication or lack of surely? |
No I don't like him because I think he is a chancer. That he is posh is incidental, although though I will concede it is possibly a contributory factor.
Some of my best friends are posh etc. | | | |
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:50 - Jan 27 with 959 views | KensalT |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:06 - Jan 27 by Burnleyhoop |
The style of football played is entirely dependent upon the capabilities of the players, regardless of the perceived and preferred playing style of the CEO.
Naive of those upstairs to expect anything else. |
Perhaps Nourry has come to the same conclusion.
That would explain why he has kept schtum on the subject recently! | | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:53 - Jan 27 with 949 views | Hunterhoop |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 18:41 - Jan 27 by macclesfieldman |
I am in the plus camp. I know there are positives and negatives but for mr the critical point is that we are now a professionally run club.
I'd hate us to return to the circus we were under Briatore & Eccleston and then the the child in a candy store period under Fernandes. We are now a well run club
-r |
Talk to people who work at the club. Not sure you’ll find a huge amount of agreement there.
And the pitch doesn’t strike me as something that would happen at a well run club.
I grant you that he has a plan. I don’t think it’s wildly different to the previous regime’s plan, and it’s too early to say if he’s on course to executing it or not. We haven’t sold any of the players he’s signed yet for big money, and we don’t know if we’re going to finish in a similar position to the last two seasons or finish top half.
The key point that has been raised is trust. Personally, I don’t see much effort being made to rectify that and build trust (yet!). How he handles this season’s injury and conditioning issues could go a long way to rebuilding that trust, but it will require him to put club over colleague/friend. |  | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:59 - Jan 27 with 938 views | Rsole |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 20:07 - Jan 27 by Northernr |
Of course he does. The whole strategy is his and overseen by him, with Andy Belk leading the data, analytics, scouting etc. |
This is clearly NOT a three game week in terms of the debates….
I’m pretty certain that it’s been established (in discussions) many times that CN owns the strategy and the execution of that strategy down to DoF level. That means he holds numerous roles and seemingly has many direct reports, some of whom probably haven’t worked for a CEO before.
He also speaks directly to a number of players who are not too dissimilar in age. That can create good relationships and bad ones. Fine line to tread.
When you lead a business/club/party etc - whatever happens, you are ultimately responsible. Especially if you have chosen your leadership team.
Unfortunately, you can’t always control the narrative and he has clear issues with that. That’s really hard to solve when you lay out your manifesto and it doesn’t go to plan.
Plans are what you make them - but they rarely survive first contact - and we have a big problem changing our plan when adversity kicks in.
Dealing with adversity successfully requires experience, relationships, respect and backbone.
Not seeing so much of those attributes, yet.
Hope they develop - suspect not. |  |
| Those possessed by devils, try and keep them under control a bit, can't you ?
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 22:21 - Jan 27 with 842 views | Lblock |
I couldn’t think of anyone better to be at the helm leading Novice Park Rangers.
Been going on for decades.
We have Novice owners and they never learn or become present / experienced owners
Our “Head Coaches” are total Novices to English football and the Championship
The vast majority of the squad are Novices that lack experience at this level or higher or this brand of football
The Fitness / Performance personnel are, in the main, utter Novices to football fitness. I can’t claim to know much about that but the needs of a cyclist would be somewhat different to a footballer I’d imagine.
Have you heard of any of the other coaches really? Novices
So to have the main man who sculpts the policy top down, picks the team for League Cup games, identifies and signs players also be a Novice seems bang on. At least he hasn’t employed good friends of his in his empire……..
Good old QPR….. like an epileptic dancing with a hand grenade.
Who knows what’ll happen next? |  |
| Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal |
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 22:41 - Jan 27 with 808 views | wombat |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 22:21 - Jan 27 by Lblock |
I couldn’t think of anyone better to be at the helm leading Novice Park Rangers.
Been going on for decades.
We have Novice owners and they never learn or become present / experienced owners
Our “Head Coaches” are total Novices to English football and the Championship
The vast majority of the squad are Novices that lack experience at this level or higher or this brand of football
The Fitness / Performance personnel are, in the main, utter Novices to football fitness. I can’t claim to know much about that but the needs of a cyclist would be somewhat different to a footballer I’d imagine.
Have you heard of any of the other coaches really? Novices
So to have the main man who sculpts the policy top down, picks the team for League Cup games, identifies and signs players also be a Novice seems bang on. At least he hasn’t employed good friends of his in his empire……..
Good old QPR….. like an epileptic dancing with a hand grenade.
Who knows what’ll happen next? |
If younave a Brief look at his cv it’s about one page long .
Run a website on French footballers whe he was mid teens
Went to uni
Left uni worked for his mates recruitment company who funnily enough one of his placements was from a physio for PSG i belive . That company was around 6 people he’s not run a company or indeed beeen in charge of a company .
He’s now in charge of a major company employing around 150 people .
He must interview damn well to get a job of this size a most companies would look at his cv and go , thanks for showing an Intrst But beryl the rea lady’s got more experience , we will of course keep ur cv on file .
I wonder how many members of staff have left since he came in ?
If he’s done a good job in the summer I’ll gladly eat humble pie but so far it’s emperors new clothes form him |  |
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 23:18 - Jan 27 with 768 views | Boston |
We're better than we were two years ago. It would appear to me the Mr Nourry has had a hand in this. | |
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 08:40 - Jan 28 with 637 views | thehat |
So reading all the responses which are very mixed it looks like the overall consensus after two years is “the jury is out”. I guess we will be better placed in another two years to really judge his tenure. (another 4 year plan anyone).
I wonder if we had held on for those two minutes on Saturday been level on points with the play offs if the needle might have moved more into the positive camp.
We have been told “fine margins” (copyright Mark Warburton) for quite some time and two minutes does seem to reinforce that statement.
Two bloody minutes - Apologies it still grates me on this fine Wednesday morning and will do for quite some time yet. | | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 09:46 - Jan 28 with 559 views | nadera78 |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 08:40 - Jan 28 by thehat |
So reading all the responses which are very mixed it looks like the overall consensus after two years is “the jury is out”. I guess we will be better placed in another two years to really judge his tenure. (another 4 year plan anyone).
I wonder if we had held on for those two minutes on Saturday been level on points with the play offs if the needle might have moved more into the positive camp.
We have been told “fine margins” (copyright Mark Warburton) for quite some time and two minutes does seem to reinforce that statement.
Two bloody minutes - Apologies it still grates me on this fine Wednesday morning and will do for quite some time yet. |
I don't think that's true. The on-field performances are only part of what's been discussed on this thread, there are lots of other issues being raised. | | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 10:12 - Jan 28 with 507 views | Wegerles_Stairs |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 22:41 - Jan 27 by wombat |
If younave a Brief look at his cv it’s about one page long .
Run a website on French footballers whe he was mid teens
Went to uni
Left uni worked for his mates recruitment company who funnily enough one of his placements was from a physio for PSG i belive . That company was around 6 people he’s not run a company or indeed beeen in charge of a company .
He’s now in charge of a major company employing around 150 people .
He must interview damn well to get a job of this size a most companies would look at his cv and go , thanks for showing an Intrst But beryl the rea lady’s got more experience , we will of course keep ur cv on file .
I wonder how many members of staff have left since he came in ?
If he’s done a good job in the summer I’ll gladly eat humble pie but so far it’s emperors new clothes form him |
Our owners have always seemed like the type who'd trade their cow for magic beans. Maybe less so now Uncle has left the building but you can imagine them being wowed by a good PowerPoint presentation. | | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 10:18 - Jan 28 with 509 views | TheChef |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 10:12 - Jan 28 by Wegerles_Stairs |
Our owners have always seemed like the type who'd trade their cow for magic beans. Maybe less so now Uncle has left the building but you can imagine them being wowed by a good PowerPoint presentation. |
Sadly true.
Although in the case of Nourry, Hoos just wanted out and found his patsy fairly quickly. For better or for worse... |  |
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 10:27 - Jan 28 with 486 views | SW_Ranger |
Definitely defined camps around Nourry (and the wider club possibly). The haters, the likers and the in-betweeners. I’d probably stick myself in the likers to in-betweeners. The strategy has only really just started but it’s not doing too bad to be fair to him/the club. But there’s a way to go yet before we look to see the full benefits we are after.
He’s shaken a few things up (you’ll get no likers for that in and around the club - eggs and omelettes etc); he’s made it pretty clear he’s on the develop and sell path, which has worked for other well run clubs; he’s not afraid to negotiate to get some good sales from players we probably would have gift wrapped in previous times; he’s building the development squad, a very hit and miss target; all in all he has brought in players other teams and media are talking about. So lots of positives.
He shows his youthful inexperience around his communication and ‘need’ to control the narrative. He needs to learn to bring people in not exclude them. I wouldn’t be extricating him too much for that, he’s young and hopefully learning (a good mentor would be really good for him).
The whole fitness thing is bewildering and if he has a blind spot for this he will definitely come a cropper if he isn’t prepared to deal with the difficult situation he has caused bringing in a buddy. Always fraught!
He’s done lots of good. He’s done some bad stuff. Nobody’s perfect and as long as it’s on the upward trajectory I’m happy to see it out with him so far. The next couple of years should tell us (I hope - I/we have all waited long enough for some bloody positivity). Top half would be a result for this season - let’s see if this group can achieve it - or maybe hilariously over achieve (not so sure on that one). |  | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 10:40 - Jan 28 with 466 views | wombat |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 10:18 - Jan 28 by TheChef |
Sadly true.
Although in the case of Nourry, Hoos just wanted out and found his patsy fairly quickly. For better or for worse... |
thats the issue hooos didnt care who took the role , hes still here , still geting a decent pay check allegedly for doing ? | |
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 10:54 - Jan 28 with 442 views | TheChef |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 10:40 - Jan 28 by wombat |
thats the issue hooos didnt care who took the role , hes still here , still geting a decent pay check allegedly for doing ? |
Slagging off Cifuentes. | |
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 11:59 - Jan 28 with 355 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 10:12 - Jan 28 by Wegerles_Stairs |
Our owners have always seemed like the type who'd trade their cow for magic beans. Maybe less so now Uncle has left the building but you can imagine them being wowed by a good PowerPoint presentation. |
That's a great line, Wegs. |  |
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 12:01 - Jan 28 with 353 views | KernowRanger |
Some things have come through in his time that will hopefully see the club in a good place long term in theory - pushing for Cat 1 Academy, increased support for women's team, better relations with the council seemingly, good signings who we'll hopefully sell for more than we purchased for.
Feels like don't have enough to judge in practise though - only one set of accounts come through so far that he was across (and that for a season where he only really had a January transfer window & second half of a season & within that there were some contract arrangements that effectively kicked the can down the road) & with all the secrecy over contracts/transfers can only really judge as the actual effects of those filter into the public domain - both good & bad. [Post edited 28 Jan 12:02]
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| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 12:10 - Jan 28 with 342 views | Hunterhoop |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 12:01 - Jan 28 by KernowRanger |
Some things have come through in his time that will hopefully see the club in a good place long term in theory - pushing for Cat 1 Academy, increased support for women's team, better relations with the council seemingly, good signings who we'll hopefully sell for more than we purchased for.
Feels like don't have enough to judge in practise though - only one set of accounts come through so far that he was across (and that for a season where he only really had a January transfer window & second half of a season & within that there were some contract arrangements that effectively kicked the can down the road) & with all the secrecy over contracts/transfers can only really judge as the actual effects of those filter into the public domain - both good & bad. [Post edited 28 Jan 12:02]
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Yes, the accounts, if they are transparent, for last season (including the summer when we signed Celar, Madsen, Dembele at al), should be enlightening. Should be March. The accounts released in March ‘27 for this current season with all our signings, will even more interesting. We’ll also know by that point where we are league wise and whether we’ve sold anyone in the summer of 2026 or Jan 2026 for big money. So March ‘27, after over 3 years in the role, would seem like a very fair point to judge based on outcomes.
In the meantime, you can only judge on inputs, which comprise of two things, broadly: actions and behaviours. Everyone knows where I stand on those two. | | | |
| Christian Nourry - Two Year Anniversary on 18:19 - Jan 28 with 158 views | Spaceman_P |
I think Nourry has done an okay job... I just can't stand his smarmy manner though. |  | | |
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