Kian Harratt

I like Chapman, second only to Cook in the goals/assists contribution and didn’t play in the Micky mouse trophy to help his stats. People moan about our players not playing it forward, then moan at someone like him who takes risks by trying to take players on and pass forward. Sometimes a player can’t do right for doing wrong. All while probably not in his most natural position.

 

You could say the same about Sutton

 

Reminds me of Billy Clarke in that respect.

 

Why is he up there in the goals/assists stats?

 

Nope.

 

It was very much rhetorical Kev

 

Not really?

 

It can’t be much else

 

I like Chapman, but was disappointed with his performance on Saturday - but it was a bit of an off-day for a few players against a determined Walsall side, so not going to hold it against him.

This Saturday's a really interesting game... pretty excited even though I haven't got tickets.

 

He’ll blow hot and cold as will the rest, I know it’s an overused saying but they wouldn’t be at this level if they were consistent. What has been consistent is his goal contributions, nearly 1 in 2 a good record at any level. Especially someone who imo is out of position. I see him as someone cutting inside on the left like Banks on the other side, but with Walker out long term I can’t see him playing there any time soon. Hughes picks him through thick and thin so far and I can see why. People asking him to be replaced by players who are far less effective in front of goal should be careful what they wish for.

I imagine it’ll be Gilliead and but no other changes. Personally I can’t see a result I believe they’ve won 16 in 18 at home and every game this season, they’ll be no shame in losing here if we do. But can’t wait to test ourselves against a team I expect for the autos.

 

You have to wonder what the thinking was in having strikers who don't suit the one up front role. Cook doesn't hold the ball up and bring players in, Oliver is struggling to make an impact, Harrat looks the type to play off a striker and Young looks like he's best in a 3 up front.

There's plenty of time for Harrat to make an impact. He clearly wanted to be starting but he's getting on the pitch and will probably be in most match day squads. Sometimes you can try too hard though.

 

The Steven Gent interview in the T&A today says 4-5 weeks for Walker.

 

what a player to come back ....

 

Having seen him I very much doubt that

 

When I had a leg op it was 6 weeks no load bearing after supports were removed! I can’t see it tbh.

 

I posted Walker was sat just behind us on Saturday and he was still on crutches as the article says he's not even supporting his own weight as yet, I'd say 4/5 weeks is optimistic to get him back playing games.

 

Certainly gonna miss him and surprised this wasn't addressed in the transfer window but still could be with maybe a short term OOC signing...

 

To be fair, I think Gent knows better than most how long he will be.

 

Interview PART ONE to follow. (Apologies)


Part two of interview with Bradford City head of recruitment
thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/20954914.part-two-interview-bradford-city-head-recruitment/

Simon Parker

STEPHEN Gent has revealed the family connection that helped pave the way for Richie Smallwood’s move to Valley Parade.

The capture of the former Hull captain was the real eye-opener in City’s hectic summer business.

And in the second part of his exclusive interview with the Telegraph & Argus, head of recruitment Gent spoke about the part his sister played in initiating the deal.

“Richie is married to my cousin Amy and I’ve known him since I was a kid,” he said.

“We grew up in Dormanstown near Redcar. My dad and his dad used to play together and I used to play with Richie’s brother Michael.



“Richie was younger than us but he obviously came through Middlesbrough’s academy and into the team so I’ve known him a long time.

“My sister works and lives in Dubai and Richie and his wife were over there on holiday in the summer when it got announced that he had been released by Hull.

“My sister texted me to say Amy had asked if I could take Richie to Bradford … I said,’ absolutely, no problem’.

“I texted Richie and we had a conversation and agreed to speak when he got back.

“I told Ryan and the manager there was possible interest from him. We met Richie and they were impressed, obviously with the level he’d played at with 240 games in the Championship.

“That’s the calibre we wanted to attract at the football club.

“He knew the size of the football club, and was interested about working with Mark Hughes but obviously he had a lot of interest from being captain at Hull.

“There were League One clubs in for him and he did give us a few sleepless nights, to be honest, but we got there in the end.

“That triggered Harry Chapman, Brad Halliday, other Middlesbrough lads who we knew, and it showed the intent from the club.”

City can currently boast two senior players for every position in the squad - something that Gent, Mark Hughes and chief executive Ryan Sparks wanted to avoid the risk of getting caught short at any point in the season.

Gent added: “We knew the gaps that we wanted to fill within the budget that Ryan gave us.

“We’ve utilised the loan market but the idea was that with every team that’s a success, no matter whether it’s the Premier League or League Two, you look at the strength and depth in the squads.

“That’s what is going to get you out the league.

Stephen Gent found it "surreal" driving to Mark Hughes' home

“At the moment, we’ve got Manny Osadebe out who’s going to be out probably until December or January; Jamie Walker who will probably be out for another four or five weeks and Abo Eisa, who’s on the way back now but effectively he’s been out for 12 months.

“But look at the lads who came on at the weekend. Obviously, I worked with Neil Warnock for a spell at Middlesbrough and he always said that you know if you’ve recruited well when you turn round and look at your bench.

“We had the two wide players who came in on deadline day, Dion Pereira and Tyreik Wright, Vadaine Oliver, Kian Harratt, Ryan East and Yann Songo’o.

“Then you had lads who unfortunately weren’t in the squad like Lee Angol and Timi Odusina who are talented players.

“That’s going to be one of the ways we’re going to do it by having that depth throughout the squad and competition for places. We know we’re going to pick up injuries and suspensions during a long season.



“Andy Cook’s been a prime example of that competition with the way he’s playing. He’s a very good goal scorer anyway but seeing Vadaine Oliver walk through the door, you can see he’s ready for the fight and he’s the one wearing the shirt at the moment.”

After Hughes was appointed in February, City were keen to bring in someone to oversee recruitment once again - a role that had been disbanded by previous manager Derek Adams.

But Gent was not angling for the position when he contacted the club about potentially placing a few Middlesbrough youngsters in his role as Boro’s loans manager.

“I first spoke to Robbie Bloodworth, one of the analysts, about the possibility of a few players coming to Bradford on loan.

“He then put me in touch with Ryan and we had a conversation. I went to Valley Parade to meet him and we discussed things around recruitment.

“He didn’t have a head of recruitment in place, telling me he was doing it himself at the time, and it just built from that.

“I was in the car driving home and I don’t think I’d even got out of Bradford when he rang and asked me to come back on Thursday to meet the manager and have a chat about the role.

“Then he texted me the manager’s address. I’m thinking, ‘blimey, I’m going to Mark Hughes’ house!’”

Gent’s late grandad and a couple of uncles were big Manchester United fans and he was a bit gob-smacked when he rolled up at the manager’s plush Cheshire residence.



“It was a bit surreal at first. I was outside the house wondering what my grandad would be saying now!

We disagree respectively, we don’t have blazing rows in the meetings.

“I pulled into the driveway, it’s obviously a beautiful house, and I rang Ryan to say I’d arrived.

He said to just knock on the door and I’m like, ‘but this is Mark Hughes’ house!’

“We had a chat and just spoke about football for an hour and Bradford and my opinion from the business side of it as well, generating our own income bringing assets into the club.

“Mark and Ryan set out the objective of the club and how I would play my part.

“It all happened so quickly. Ryan called the next morning to offer me the job and said I was the perfect fit.

“I then had a decision to make over the weekend.

“I discussed it with my wife and family and a few people I know in the game to see what their thoughts were. Ultimately, I called him back and said, ‘yeah, I want to do it’ and they’ve been brilliant.”

Gent speaks to Sparks every day and the relationship between them and the management team is a close one.

“Ryan’s given me and the manager what we’ve asked for.

“He is very passionate and driven and wants to take this football club back to where it belongs. He’s been fantastic.

“Even when he was on holiday and I was on holiday over the summer, we were doing deals and talking about players, doing Zoom meetings with the manager and Glyn (Hodges) as well.



“One good thing is we are all in it together.

“I think we’re all comfortable with each other. We don’t always agree.

“There are so many opinions in football. I won’t throw something in without some logic or evidence behind it.

“We disagree respectively, we don’t have blazing rows in the meetings.

“The manager and Glyn have been great with me. They are obviously very experienced people and they’ve bought into what I think and the way I want to do things with the recruitment side.

 

PART ONE

Bradford City head of recruitment Gent has no time to waste
thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/20908099.gent-role-bradford-city-head-recruitment/

Simon Parker

STEPHEN Gent is 10 minutes into the game between Leyton Orient and Tranmere when he pauses to take the call.

The transfer window may have closed last week but there’s no chance of City’s head of recruitment putting his feet up for a while.

“There’s no rest for the wicked,” he smiles, “you’re already looking towards January and then next summer.

“Now it’s an opportunity to get across everything, players and teams.

“I’m getting round the league now, going to games and watching them on Wyscout, getting to know the teams and the players.



“I’ve got a database of players that I refer to and that’s constantly growing. The work never stops but I prefer it like that.”

Bantams fans would forgive Gent wanting to take a break after overseeing a summer market that brought in 17 new faces.

It has been a whirlwind start for the head of recruitment who only took up the post at the end of last season.

Speaking exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus, Gent felt the club’s first window under Mark Hughes went well.

“I’m really pleased with what we’ve done. I’ve heard a few people comment that, on paper, this is the best Bradford City squad they’ve seen in a number of years.

“For me, only time will tell. Our objective is to obviously get promotion and the players should be judged over the course of the season, not after seven, eight, 10 games.

“There were a couple of targets who we didn’t get for whatever reason. You look back and think about what we could maybe have done differently.

“But it was only one or two and that’s why you have a list. If target A doesn’t come off, then you look at B and then C.

“The main thing, from my point of view, is that the manager is happy and he’s got the tools to do the job.

“We know how tough the league is. It’s going to be a long season with plenty of twists and turns but I do believe we’ve certainly built a squad to get us up.”

Gent was presented with pretty much a blank canvas when he took the job after 13 years working his way up at boyhood club Middlesbrough in various scouting, analyst and recruitment roles to become a key member of the backroom staff.

business, and if it does happen we’ve got to have adequate replacements for each player.

It will be my head on the block. They are my recommendations and I’ll live or die by that.

“If Ryan turns round to me in January and says we’ve had a bid from a Championship club and we’re going to accept it, then it’s my job to show who we’ve got lined up to take their place.

“That’s what we would do at Middlesbrough, continually be out there looking for players. Even though the window’s shut, you’re still working towards the next one and maybe the next one after that.

“I’m pretty much the modern-day head of recruitment, so to speak.

“I won’t go to a game, see a player and say we should sign him just like that.

“There will always be substance in terms of data, information, character checks, everything.



“Every player I presented over the summer to Ryan and the management team, it’s never been on a whim.

“I will find out everything I need to know before that player goes in front of Mark Hughes and Ryan.”

Gent’s background at Boro, he feels, has given him a more rounded approach to the recruitment post. He has seen the operation from different angles.

“I was exposed to a lot of different things. It does shape you to move into the head of recruitment role.

“You’re not only out there identifying players but dealing with agents, negotiating deals. You do get the full package and I’m really grateful to have had those different experiences.

“It was a bit of a wrench to leave. I’m from the area, I’ve supported Middlesbrough since I was a boy and had a season ticket for a number of years.

“My dream was to play for the club, I didn’t get there but the one after that was to work for them in a footballing capacity. I had a lot of successful years there and experiences working with some great people.

“Working in different parts of recruitment, analysis, and obviously finishing being the loans manager certainly stood me in good stead.

“It was a step into the unknown coming here. But where I wanted to go with my career, the size of the club, the project on offer and the chance of working with Mark Hughes was all very appealing to me.

“I wanted to prove to myself more than anything that I could do it. So far, so good but I know, like the players and the management team, I’ll be judged over the season.



“I will take full responsibility for every player, good, not so good, indifferent, that has come into this football club for as long as I’m here as head of recruitment.

“It will be my head on the block. They are my recommendations and I’ll live or die by that.

“I’ll certainly be going into the next summer window, hopefully when we’re a League One club, looking back on what we’ve done and learning from it.”