Simon Clegg says taking flak during the tough times comes with the territory of being the chief executive or owner of a football club. Like former boss Paul Jewell, Clegg was on the end of calls for him to go after last night’s 2-1 home defeat to Derby County.

Clegg said: “I accept that people aren’t happy, they want to vent their frustration and I accept in situations like this that the chief executive and owner of the football club have to take some responsibility and expect to take some flak.

“It happens at other clubs around the country and it’s happened at this club before. That goes with the territory. All I can tell our loyal fans is that we’re determined to get the next manager in here as quickly as possible and we’re going to get the right individual to take us forward.”

He says he and Marcus Evans know the type of manager they want but wasn’t keen to discuss the parameters within which they were working publicly at this afternoon's press conference: “With the benefit of hindsight, the last two appointments didn’t work.

“There are lessons we can learn from those appointments, I don’t want to go into too many specifics because I don’t want the media to narrow down the field in terms of where we’re likely to focus.

“But the owner and I are very clear in terms of how we want to take this forward and the type of individual that we want to bring into the club.

“I’m not going to narrow it down through the media so you can speculate as to who is likely to succeed Paul Jewell.

“All I can tell you is that the owner and I are clear in terms of going forward and we need to bring someone into this club as soon as possible who will be able to take us forward.”

The chief executive says owner Evans has trusted advisors, managers and ex-managers amongst them — with ex-Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp understood to be one along with former Blues coach and scout Charlie Woods — who he liaises with but wouldn’t go into detail regarding their identities: “I think that that would be inappropriate. The owner is a very private person but he has extensive contacts across football.

“I’m not going to get into the specifics in terms of who Marcus is taking advice from over this particular appointment.

“All I can tell you is that he does take soundings from the highest levels within the football industry and he gets advice that he values, but ultimately he will make the decisions because he is the owner of this great football club.”

He says those advising him - “a relatively small circle of trust” - won’t all be those who have been spoken to when the previous two appointments were being made: “I didn’t talk about the same advisors advising again, I said advice is being taken. I’m saying that soundings will be taken from different places as well.”

Clegg, who says the club would be prepared to pay compensation to another club if the man they want is currently employed, says he has a long-list of 34 names — 39 by the time of this evening’s Supporters Club AGM - which will now be reduced: “When you start this process it’s important to look at everyone who is available or might be available and who you think might be able to contribute to giving us the success we aspire to.

“[The list of names is] where we started off. That long-list is now being driven down to a short-list and interviews will take place shortly.”

Clegg has ruled out involving respected Blues stars of the past in the selection process: “No, because ultimately the decision comes down to the owner and myself.

"We need to find someone who we passionately believe has the right background, the right experience, the right drive, the right motivation and someone we can work with.”

He also dismissed suggestions that the club might look at appointing a director of football between himself and the new manager: “I think that you’ll find that Marcus has a lot of advisors from the game that he knows on a personal basis that he takes advice from and I don’t think that a director of football — and I’ve listened to the arguments — would be a route that he would want to go down at this moment in time. I think that he feels he gets enough advice as it is.”

Clegg says he’s confident that he and Evans can get the appointment right this time despite Jewell and Roy Keane not working out: “Everyone’s talking about the last two appointments with the benefit of hindsight.

"When I was sat here three and a half years ago with Roy Keane and 21 months ago with Paul Jewell, a lot of people felt that they were the right people to take this club forward.

“There are a lot of people with the benefit of hindsight now speaking slightly differently. I’ve admitted that it’s been a steep learning curve over the last couple of years, but I feel very confident in terms of our ability to make the right decision for this appointment going forward.”

Photo: Action Images

Marcus added 04:08 - Oct 25 Clegg just needs to positively enhance his verbal and written interactions with the proletariat.
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Whymarktonomarks added 07:47 - Oct 25 Hate to be negative at a time when we should be all very positive , but has Mr. Clegg already made the wrong decision by putting Hutchings at the realm ? Surely , whoever gets the post will wave goodbye to Hutchings & Co., so would it not of made more sense to charge Klug an Osman with the responsibility , as hopefully ,they will be the ones who are staying around for the long haul and therefore , presumably ,the ones who give a damn . Maybe I'm insulting Hutchings proffesionalism but seems a strange call to me .

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thebeat added 08:39 - Oct 25 i heard from sum1 at the club that jewell used to call clegg "coco" as in clown to his face. so Coco out!!!
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Help added 08:47 - Oct 25 Just checked ITFC website and nothing for manager appears in the job section, just bar staff. Also no contact section. how does one apply
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mannos6 added 08:50 - Oct 25 I don't blame clegg I think he's doing his best... We all get frustrated with lack of results and we find a scapegoat pj's gone and what if we lose on Saturday who will get the blame it won't be "sack the players" or "he should cancel his contract and go" no it will be clegg he said it himself it's known territory to get those chants but atleast he has the balls to go to these supporters meetings and that. Unlike pj did when we wanted him out. Lets get behind the owners and behind the new manager and the team.. Booing the team or saying their crap isn't the way to go that's expected by the away fans whom must have field days down here...

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itsonlyme added 08:53 - Oct 25 I did not hear the obscenities but whoever did it brings shame on the good name of IT supporters. PJ tried his very best for the club and we should all say thank you and let him walk away peacefully. A new era begins which is going to be the toughest task ever faced by a new manager, so he needs to be strong and resilient and good at plucking players from the lower divisions and please, whoever it is, whether he is your choice or not, give him and the players 100% support in these very trying times. Make no mistake, the club needs it fans more than ever!

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mark1969 added 08:59 - Oct 25 So Clegg wants no director of football , is he frightened he would be shown up? The next appointement is crucial , if he fails again he must go. Did i miss the accounts at the AGM last night or did i dream they were not presented ? The new manager must stand up and be counted whoever it is i wish them luck. Still think Clegg should leave and be replaced by a Director of Football .

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runningout added 09:07 - Oct 25 would like to know how much Mr Clegg knows about the game of football..
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BlackandBlue added 09:08 - Oct 25 Flak doesn't just go with the teritory. It goes with poor performance. Us fans might not understand the specifics of how the club operates, but we can see the effect. All these buzz phrases like "learning curve" and "lessons learnt" translated into everyday language say " I haven't got a clue" Clegg out.
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thechangingman added 09:14 - Oct 25 Purely out of interest - who made ChrisITFC the arbiter of what can and can't be said on this web-site? I happen to not care very much at all about Clegg in/out and yet I strongly object to anyone pre-setting the parameters of our debate. This is still an Independent Town site and so people can say whatever they like. If others disagree then the issues can be debated. Just a thought...

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Brazils_Hair added 09:47 - Oct 25 I hope Terry Butcher managed to get a nice light. I really do. He deserves it. Clegg out! Get out Clegg!
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newboy added 09:47 - Oct 25 Do us a favour anf jog Clegg you know nothing about football, how to run a football club and certainly since you came in you have been a laugghing stock with staff and players at the club because of it
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itfc1981 added 10:00 - Oct 25 What a Cleegtastrophe! Resign man!
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petermorris added 10:02 - Oct 25 Evans and Clegg have sacked 3 managers in 3 and a half years. We are botton of L1. Do Evans and Clegg know what they're doing? I don't thinks so. Evans and Cleg should be taking ALL the flak - not just 'some' of it.
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itfc1981 added 10:03 - Oct 25 Cleggtastrophe even, thats twice as bad!
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hancockingoal added 10:03 - Oct 25 What is all this about a director of football? What exactly is a director of football? I think it is usually an ex player who is friends with the chairman/owner who undermines the manager! Why do clubs these days have more coaches than Beestons? We had Jewell, Hutchins, McCarthy, Liddle, Webster and Kennedy. In contrast our successful managers kept it simple. Ramsey had Jimmy Forsythe, Robson had Cyril Lea and then Bobby Ferguson and McGarry had Sammy Chung. Is there some government grant given to football clubs to reduce unemployment these days? Whover get the job has got to be lucky, its a pity Napolian isn't our chief exec!

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 10:24 - Oct 25 KernewekBlue - you have absolutely no proof of any of your allegations, it is all total supposition, as others have stated we dont really know what goes on at the club but you choose to lay it all at Clegg's door simply because you dont like him.
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mannos6 added 10:36 - Oct 25 Interesting to read EADT chops put on twitter he wants shearer?? Never actually mentioned Also reported burley has thrown his hat in for contention and butcher wants to be interviewed. Still like to see Paola do canio though.
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Lightningboy added 10:46 - Oct 25 Fairplay to Clegg..he went up in my estimation (slightly) last night by turning up at that AGM. Still would rather see an ex Town man in his job though.
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TheBoyBlue added 11:59 - Oct 25 So we just carry on as before, the same clueless people contributing towards a decision-making process that has failed badly twice already. Their stubbornness in refusing proper help — not just ad hoc advice from people in the football business but not necessarily connected to the club in any way — is frustrating and fills me with dread. I have little confidence in whoever they choose as the next manager.

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Help added 12:16 - Oct 25 "we're going to get the right individual to take us forward" A sentence that willbackfire in 22 months time I have no doubt "When I was sat here three and a half years ago with Roy Keane and 21 months ago with Paul Jewell, a lot of people felt that they were the right people to take this club forward." Some of us never thought RK was the right man for the job, and hoped PJ would be better. I dont trust your judgement SC.

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newboy added 12:19 - Oct 25 Clegg is instrumental in bringing the club down and everyone inside knows it . Keane could not do what he wanted because Clegg would screw up the deal and Jewell was easy for Clegg because he did not have Keanes backbone. This club will only move forward with someone who knows football at the helm not some idiot who drives round in a company jag takes a fat wage spends more time on other sports than football has a room full of olympic crap for his office and has no passion or interest in the game or club.

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Help added 12:22 - Oct 25 1st job of the new manager sort out the bloody defence. If this is not done then it dont matter.
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TimmyH added 12:25 - Oct 25 Whatever you think of Simon Clegg love him (not many) or hate him he certainly is one for the 'sweet talk' and a few are saying he's seen the light but will that be the case if we get another duff manager in? it took an awful lot of bad results and being rock bottom of the Championship for PJ to walk - they didn't fire him!! Can he and ME be third time lucky or just be plain reluctant to see they've got the wrong man again (let's hope not).

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blues1 added 12:41 - Oct 25 mark. the deal for davies didnt go ahead because jewell stated he wasnt willing to pay above £500,000, tho ultimately we did apparently bid more, but was too late. as for the pompey players. we only agreed a fee with them for 1 player, j. ward who decided he wanted to go to palace as it closer to his family. as for you kernewek blue. what a load of tosh. only some1 who simply wont give the guy a chance would have made your quote from what he said. as a few have already said on here, think they will do their utmost to get the right man(as they did before to be fair). but at the end of the day, there are no guarantees in football. you could get guardiola but wouldnt guarantee success. they can only appoint some1 based on what they hear in interviews. i remember when john duncan was appointed & i thought, great, used to play for tottenham so we should get to see some good football. how wrong could 1 be. while his record wasnt too bad, the football was garbage. did i blame the board for that? no, was one of those things

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