What Now?

Monday 24 December, 2001

Jim Jefferies has resigned from Bradford City leaving the club looking for a new manager and a new direction.

What now for Bradford City?

In the short term Bradford City need a new manager who can united the two reported factions in the team: Those who backed Stuart McCall and those who backed Jim Jefferies. A second consecutive external appointment would seem to be appropriate should that be the aim although with cash strapped at the it is doubtful that the club will be paying a manager to break contract.

Jim Jeffeire frequently complained at the lack of support for the manager at Valley Parade in terms of scouting and youth development. A new manager should be furnished with enough of a budget to put a scouting system in place and the much promised youth academy should be established, but it is doubtful that these will be priorities of the club or the new boss.

Bradford City are crying out for stability of management on the field but benefit from consistent and constant management off it in the form of Geofrey Richmond. Richmond's number one priority for City is to build a mid to long term structure for the club and while this is annoying when it comes in conflict with short term playing aims it is no doubt the best way to run the club.

What now for Geoffrey Richmond

If as it seems Geoffrey Richmond and Jim Jefferies were at logger heads over funds for transfer one has some sympathy for Jefferies, but one has to side with Richmond. Coventry City are £40m in debt, Wolves more, Sheffield Wednesday haemorrhage money and Nottingham Forest are classed as a business impossibility. It is for clubs like these, club that would be Premiership, that Richmond and co press for a Premiership Two. Whenever Mr Richmond takes a course of action that prevents City from joining the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest I have to back him. It is my opinion that a crush of clubs will go out of business in the next ten years. Bradford City surviving that emerging is a far better aim than signing various players to cover injury.

Geoffrey Richmond must protect the long term interests of Bradford City. Jim Jefferies could have been allowed access to millions for transfer but as Wolves show us that is no guarantee of promotion and while Jefferies would be able to walk away from Valley Parade, the club would be damaged. When Richmond bought City the club was still suffering from the mismanagement of the late 80s that saw Terry Yorath and John Doherty squander club funds.

Ideally City need a manager who will be in place for at least five years and will get a chance to build something at Valley Parade and the club does itself no favour with a series of curious appointments and sackings. The likes of Hutchings and Kamara were odd movements on the management team, but as counter argument Richmond would say that his policy produced Paul Jewell, then a management find.

What now for Stuart McCall?

Stuart McCall is many people's favourite to take over as manager of Bradford City even though his appointment would, for some, be a case of blind fingers crossed rather than the clear logic that brought us Jefferies.

McCall has previously stated that his ambition is to manage the club, although he has also said that he would like to continue as a player as long as possible. The irony of the situation should Stuart be appointed would be that in taking up the role of Bradford City manager he would be accepting the very point that has hastened Jim Jefferies departure, that his playing days are coming to an end.

What now for Jim Jeffeires?

Not that many City fans will care it seems that Jim Jefferies will head back to Scotland where his reputation is untarnished. Expect him to get another SPL job within the first three months of 2002 and to take Billy Brown with him.

Of the current squad Jeffeires would probably like to take Gary Locke, Juanjo, Eoin Jess and hopefully Lee Makel with him although with the former three sit wanted by the club it is hard to see how he will find a team in Scotland with the funds to buy them should City want to keep hold.