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" THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "

Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:49 am

' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '


" THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "



Who is Cardiff City chief scout Glyn Chamberlain?

Meet the man Neil Warnock has tasked with finding players to aid promotion

By Dominic Booth

Thursday 23rd March 2017

For many years, Cardiff City's transfer policy has appeared — from the outside at least — a little haphazard.

So it's no surprise to see Neil Warnock stress attention to detail and value for money will be cornerstones of his summer transfer blueprint.

The Bluebirds boss wants to bolster his squad , both in terms of depth and quality, for a tilt at promotion next term. Cardiff have been threadbare at times this season, even if the current first XI seems strong.

The man charged with finding the perfect players to ignite the promotion push is Glyn Chamberlain, an old friend of Warnock's and a former manager and assistant in his own right.

But what is Chamberlain's background? And does he have the right credentials to seek out players capable of bolstering the Bluebirds?






This is what his CV looks like...

Playing career

At 58, Chamberlain is very much part of the old guard in footballing terms. He was a professional in the English top tiers during the 1970s and 80s and later carved out a career in non-league football.

After coming through the youth ranks at Burnley, Chamberlain played for Chesterfield, Kettering Town, Hyde United and Macclesfield Town as a defender.

Chamberlain also had a spell with Gainsborough Trinity — the first club Warnock managed back in the early 1980s.

He hung up his boots in 1987 and has since become a manager, coach and (very successful) scout.

As a manager and coach

The 58-year-old has had only brief dalliances with management, primarily in non-league.

He led Northern Premier side Newcastle Town from 1994 to 1999, before moving into the North West Counties Premier Division with Cheshire-based Congleton Town.

Chamberlain would return to management very briefly after two years as assistant boss at (then) League Two Macclesfield Town. He was Gary Simpson's No.2 but got a fleeting shot at the No.1 job — just as the Silkmen had plummeted into the National League, ending a 15-year stay in the football league.

Chamberlain left Macclesfield as Steve King — the man who masterminded that shock FA Cup 3rd round win over Cardiff in January 2013 — arrived as the new boss.

It triggered a return to scouting for Chamberlain; a field in which he had previously excelled during his nine-year absence from coaching.

Matthew Barnes-Homer of Macclesfield scores during the FA Cup win over Cardiff City in 2013 (Photo: Getty Images)
As a scout

In 2000, alongside his job as Congleton boss, Chamberlain worked as a scout at Fulham, eventually becoming full-time and working for six years at Craven Cottage alongside Jean Tigana and now-Wales manager Chris Coleman.

During Chamberlain's time with the Cottagers, a high proportion of French players were brought to the club — mainly because of Tigana's influence and the work of chief scout John Marshall. Steed Malbranque, Sylvain Legwinski and Papa Bouba Diop were among the more successful signings from the French market in Chamberlain's time at the club.





Chamberlain's work was spotted by Crewe Alexandra boss Dario Graidi, who hired the 58-year-old as chief scout in 2006.

Chamberlain's tenure saw a high turnaround in playing staff at Gresty Road: Wales internationals Simon Church and Owain Fon Williams were among those to join the Railywaymen. Whether Chamberlain continues Paul Trollope's policy of seeking out Welsh talent at Cardiff remains to be seen.

One thing Crewe were able to do with Chamberlain as chief scout was negotiate loan moves with Premier League clubs. Tottenham's Jake Livermore and Lee Barnard arrived on short term deals, as did Manchester United's David Gray.

Another hallmark of Crewe's transfer policy during that period was free signings — an area of the market Warnock has already successfully exploited with Junior Hoilett and Sol Bamba. He may look to do the same again.

Junior Hoilett and Sol Bamba have proven hugely astute free transfers for Cardiff City


Chamberlain left Crewe to become a scout at Burton Albion in 2009 during the club's staggering rise from non-league to the Championship. The club were competing in the National League in 2009-10, but have been alongside Cardiff City this season.






Return to scouting and role with Bluebirds

A year after Chamberlain's intermittent spell at Macclesfield came to an end, he returned to scouting with Doncaster Rovers in 2012 before moving to Burnley — his most recent job until this current job with Cardiff — and spent three years with the Clarets.

Warnock has revealed he will hold regular talks with Chamberlain, as well as Vincent Tan, Ken Choo and Mehmet Dalman, as Cardiff assemble their transfer strategy.







So what type of players might Chamberlain target?

Burnley achieved two promotions in three seasons from 2013 to 2016 and the Clarets' transfer policy in their Championship days focused on acquiring previously unfancied players and developing them.




Players like Scott Arfield and Tom Heaton — who formed the fulcrum of Burnley's solid promotion-winning side — were signed on free transfers, while others such as Ben Mee and Michael Keane joined after falling short of the mark at Premier League giants Manchester City and Manchester United. All arrived on modest wages and could now be sold on for inflated fees if the club saw fit.

It wouldn't be a huge surprise if Warnock, with help from the guiding hand of Chamberlain, pursued a similar transfer policy in the summer.

Chamberlain's track record as a scout is excellent and anybody who gains Warnock's trust is clearly no slouch.

Bluebirds fans will now wait with bated breath to see who comes through the door in a hugely exciting summer.
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Re: ' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '

Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:09 am

I hope this means that Warnock will be allowed to bring in his own players and the "Transfer Committee" take a back seat.

Re: ' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '

Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:03 am

Not an illustrious career to date. Is he good enough :?:

Re: ' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '

Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:06 am

If this is the man Warnock trust then I have no more questions.

Welcome to Cardiff.

In Warnock we trust :bluescarf:

Re: ' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '

Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:12 am

Ronnie Jepson has been out scouting of late and will continue to take training / scouting during the international break :thumbup:

Re: ' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '

Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:13 am

King Brian Clark wrote:Not an illustrious career to date. Is he good enough :?:




He's not being asked to 'manage' the club; he's employed by Neil Warnock/Cardiff City FC to 'scout' potential players and I don't see anything in there that even hints that he can't do that particular job very efficiently! :roll:

Nice first post, newbie (or maybe not!) ;)

Re: ' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '

Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:22 am

Sven wrote:
King Brian Clark wrote:Not an illustrious career to date. Is he good enough :?:




He's not being asked to 'manage' the club; he's employed by Neil Warnock/Cardiff City FC to 'scout' potential players and I don't see anything in there that even hints that he can't do that particular job very efficiently! :roll:

Nice first post, newbie (or maybe not!) ;)



Sounds like the freak show (roathie) to me.

Re: ' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '

Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:26 am

Neokutai wrote:I hope this means that Warnock will be allowed to bring in his own players and the "Transfer Committee" take a back seat.


For the first time in years,our manager will be choosing all the players,thanks to Neil Warnock :thumbright: :bluebird: :bluebird:

Re: " THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "

Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:40 am

It'll be s combination of Tan/Mehmet and Choo along with Warnock, Blackwell and the scouting team - think of the apprentice and how they sell an idea and that's what it'll look like.

No change other than the management team will have a clue unlike his predecessors - so we may actually have a decent chance of signing quality than going straight to the cheap options

Re: " THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "

Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:43 am

Blue_Barber wrote:It'll be s combination of Tan/Mehmet and Choo along with Warnock, Blackwell and the scouting team - think of the apprentice and how they sell an idea and that's what it'll look like.

No change other than the management team will have a clue unlike his predecessors - so we may actually have a decent chance of signing quality than going straight to the cheap options


This time it will be different
I disagree, It will be Warnock and his team that find the players.

The others will be consulted on the money issues and rightly so,but not the the actual type of player etc.

Re: " THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "

Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:48 am

Forever Blue wrote:
Blue_Barber wrote:It'll be s combination of Tan/Mehmet and Choo along with Warnock, Blackwell and the scouting team - think of the apprentice and how they sell an idea and that's what it'll look like.

No change other than the management team will have a clue unlike his predecessors - so we may actually have a decent chance of signing quality than going straight to the cheap options


This time it will be different
I disagree, It will be Warnock and his team that find the players.

The others will be consulted on the money issues and rightly so,but not the the actual type of player etc.


Agreed but they've still got to get the green light - and if there's someone cheaper I'd expect the board on past experience to potentially push that player - hopefully I'm wrong and I see Warnock bringing in some decent players but when you look at the Halford deal for instance seems to smell a little like the cheaper option

Re: " THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "

Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:50 am

Blue_Barber wrote:
Forever Blue wrote:
Blue_Barber wrote:It'll be s combination of Tan/Mehmet and Choo along with Warnock, Blackwell and the scouting team - think of the apprentice and how they sell an idea and that's what it'll look like.

No change other than the management team will have a clue unlike his predecessors - so we may actually have a decent chance of signing quality than going straight to the cheap options


This time it will be different
I disagree, It will be Warnock and his team that find the players.

The others will be consulted on the money issues and rightly so,but not the the actual type of player etc.


Agreed but they've still got to get the green light - and if there's someone cheaper I'd expect the board on past experience to potentially push that player - hopefully I'm wrong and I see Warnock bringing in some decent players but when you look at the Halford deal for instance seems to smell a little like the cheaper option


I honestly don't believe Warnock will have to answer to Tan/Dalmsan/Choo on what players. They've chosen for far to long thats how we are in this mess.

I said regarding wages etc then they will have the last word and rightly so :thumbright: :bluebird:

Re: " THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "

Thu Mar 23, 2017 5:59 pm

Blue_Barber wrote:
Forever Blue wrote:
Blue_Barber wrote:It'll be s combination of Tan/Mehmet and Choo along with Warnock, Blackwell and the scouting team - think of the apprentice and how they sell an idea and that's what it'll look like.

No change other than the management team will have a clue unlike his predecessors - so we may actually have a decent chance of signing quality than going straight to the cheap options


This time it will be different
I disagree, It will be Warnock and his team that find the players.

The others will be consulted on the money issues and rightly so,but not the the actual type of player etc.


Agreed but they've still got to get the green light - and if there's someone cheaper I'd expect the board on past experience to potentially push that player - hopefully I'm wrong and I see Warnock bringing in some decent players but when you look at the Halford deal for instance seems to smell a little like the cheaper option



Halford was brought in as a utility man for our ever depleting squad... He's not been brought in to be anything other than a stopgap and he knows it.

Re: " THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "

Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:39 pm

Forever Blue wrote:
Blue_Barber wrote:
Forever Blue wrote:
Blue_Barber wrote:It'll be s combination of Tan/Mehmet and Choo along with Warnock, Blackwell and the scouting team - think of the apprentice and how they sell an idea and that's what it'll look like.

No change other than the management team will have a clue unlike his predecessors - so we may actually have a decent chance of signing quality than going straight to the cheap options


This time it will be different
I disagree, It will be Warnock and his team that find the players.

The others will be consulted on the money issues and rightly so,but not the the actual type of player etc.


Agreed but they've still got to get the green light - and if there's someone cheaper I'd expect the board on past experience to potentially push that player - hopefully I'm wrong and I see Warnock bringing in some decent players but when you look at the Halford deal for instance seems to smell a little like the cheaper option


I honestly don't believe Warnock will have to answer to Tan/Dalmsan/Choo on what players. They've chosen for far to long thats how we are in this mess.

I said regarding wages etc then they will have the last word and rightly so :thumbright: :bluebird:


To be fair they did bring in Zohore. ;)

Re: ' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '

Fri Mar 24, 2017 7:57 am

King Brian Clark wrote:Not an illustrious career to date. Is he good enough :?:



Are you even qualified to ask such a question?What are your credentials big boy? 8-)

Re: ' NEIL WARNOCKS / CHIEF SCOUT '

Fri Mar 24, 2017 1:04 pm

Neokutai wrote:I hope this means that Warnock will be allowed to bring in his own players and the "Transfer Committee" take a back seat.


I wonder how many of them they chose anyway, I would think Fred and Zohore but to me most of the others seemed like players the managers wanted.

I hope the transfer committee duties will be along the line of making sure we don't over spend and making sure we buy what we can afford rather than choosing players.

Re: " THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "

Fri Mar 24, 2017 1:18 pm

Rydogsccfc wrote:
Forever Blue wrote:
Blue_Barber wrote:
Forever Blue wrote:
Blue_Barber wrote:It'll be s combination of Tan/Mehmet and Choo along with Warnock, Blackwell and the scouting team - think of the apprentice and how they sell an idea and that's what it'll look like.

No change other than the management team will have a clue unlike his predecessors - so we may actually have a decent chance of signing quality than going straight to the cheap options


This time it will be different
I disagree, It will be Warnock and his team that find the players.

The others will be consulted on the money issues and rightly so,but not the the actual type of player etc.


Agreed but they've still got to get the green light - and if there's someone cheaper I'd expect the board on past experience to potentially push that player - hopefully I'm wrong and I see Warnock bringing in some decent players but when you look at the Halford deal for instance seems to smell a little like the cheaper option


I honestly don't believe Warnock will have to answer to Tan/Dalmsan/Choo on what players. They've chosen for far to long thats how we are in this mess.

I said regarding wages etc then they will have the last word and rightly so :thumbright: :bluebird:


To be fair they did bring in Zohore. ;)


Ryan, they did, amongst many failures and so was Johore until Warnock got hold of him :thumbup: :thumbup: :bluebird: :bluebird:

Re: " THE MAN WHO FINDS THE PLAYERS FOR NEIL WARNOCK "

Fri Mar 24, 2017 1:40 pm

Does anyone know when this Transfer committee actually started and who they bought?

To me the majority of them seemed like the type of player the manager wanted and the committee job seemed to be to authorise them if we could afford them.

However in saying that I doubt Slade picked the likes of Saadi, Zohore and Fred, doubt Slade knew players even existed beyond the UK. So the Committee must have also been buying players they had potentially been tipped on. Its interesting but I expect Warnock to have control over who he buys and the Committee to then work on getting them in if its possible.