Nigel Pearson confirms his Bristol City backroom coaching team as recruitment begins Robins manager happy with the work taking place on the training ground so far but is looking to bring in 'expertise' to help in other areas Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson has confirmed that Keith Downing and Paul Simpson will be part of his coaching team beyond this summer. Following the 57-year-old boss being appointed permanently, attention now turns to recruitment, with both backroom team members and new players to arrive this summer. Pearson delivered an update on the situation to BBC Radio Bristol on Monday evening while speaking to Geoff Twentyman on the weekly Sound of the City radio programme. With head of performance Andy Rolls having been confirmed as joining Ipswich Town a new recruit on the medical side will be needed, while the club are also in need of replacing outgoing CEO Mark Ashton. A director of football role is being considered, with the club needing to fill the hole provided by Ashton leaving; the CEO sat at the centre of the recruitment network but with final say given to the head coach on incomings. "I think what's really important to point out is that I'm a part of the team myself," said Pearson when asked on his involvement beyond first-team duties. "It's important that everybody knows where they sit in an organisation. "It's not about control or having too much power, it's about being part of a team which is able to come to decisions which are made through a very visible process. What I mean by that is that what we can't do is invest money in players coming into the club if there's not due diligence over players. "At the moment football's in a very, very fragile state certainly for many EFL clubs having huge cash flow problems. It's amazing that we're able to still be planning ahead with a very realistic but also very competitive way in which we strengthen the squad. "We have a very strong foundation but what we have to do is make sure we spend our money wisely. "People will, I'm sure, want to know what figures we're looking at... There will certainly be opportunities to bring players in. What we have to do is make sure we build a squad which has the ability to achieve what we're trying to achieve firstly to get out of the Championship. "It's certainly not going to happen in window, and I've got to be clear on that: there will be departures and there will be additions," he added. Speaking specifically on player recruitment, Pearson gave some detail on the processes of the club. He gave little away about a head of recruitment arriving at Ashton Gate, however, with fans clamouring for a reunion between Leicester City talent spotter Steve Walsh and Pearson from their successful time in charge at Leicester City. "We have a recruitment department that is actually very, very good. I've been working very closely with a number of the staff we have in at the football club and we have a very good technical scouting system... You've used the word filter yourself and it's very importnat that we do that," said Pearson when asked to explain how recruitment will work at City now. "It's about having knowledge of people who are available of course but the criteria we'll bring players into the club will be based on what we need right at this moment in time but also they've got to be good investments for us. "It's difficult to pigeon hole every single signing into the same category. There are always going to be individuals who might sit outside that but the key thing here is to minimalise the risk of people coming in," he added, going on to explain that incoming players must be able to add to deal with the demands of the tough Championship league. New coaching staff will not arrive however, with existing assistant head coaches Simpson and Downing to remain in position. The two appointments from the FA joined up alongside Dean Holden last summer and Pearson is happy to keep them at the club, along with goalkeeping coach Pat Mountain and Kalifa Cisse, who has a wide-ranging role. "I'll bring staff in, yeah," the manager explained. "But please don't make assumptions that that needs to be someone in the coaching staff. "It's not always like that. For me when you take a new position on it's important to give people an opportunity to show what they're capable of doing. "I think we have very good coaches at the football club as it happens. I don't intend to make changes in the coaching department at all because we have very capable coaches. "There may be changes in other areas but until we can go public on that I don't think it's appropriate to make comments. "But I think it's always important to be transparent. I'm very keen to bring people in who bring expertise. And that's what it's about. It's not about bringing in people you know who just know you. It's about bringing in the level of expertise to do the jobs that we need to do to allow us to be more compettive," he added. Simpson has 20 years’ experience as a coach and is a World Cup winning manager, having previously steered England to victory in the 2017 Under 20s World Cup. Meanwhile Downing joined last summer alongside him with more than 20 years coaching experience, including in the south west with Cheltenham Town and in the Premier League with West Brom. He also worked with England Under-18s, --19s and -20s since 2015 before in 2017 leading the Young Lions - captained by Jay Dasilva - to U19 EURO victory. Mountain joined up as goalkeeper coach in 2019 from Forest Green Rovers and is highly rated by many in the game. Retired Malian footballer Cisse, meanwhile, played as a defensive midfielder or centre-half including for two years at Bristol City and his multiple languages are seen as a key skill in the dressing room. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport...s/nigel-pearson-confirms-bristol-city-5372545
"It's not about control or having too much power, it's about being part of a team which is able to come to decisions which are made through a very visible process. What I mean by that is that what we can't do is invest money in players coming into the club if there's not due diligence over players." I really do like his approach and common sense attitude, I just hope it follows through in the coming season.
This has to stop now! Bristol City and common sense doesn't sound right to me but bring it on anyway.
"We have a recruitment department that is actually very, very good. I've been working very closely with a number of the staff we have in at the football club and we have a very good technical scouting system... You've used the word filter yourself and it's very importnat that we do that," said Pearson when asked to explain how recruitment will work at City now. .. is this the same recruitment department that sourced Diony? ... oh sorry no - that was LJ personally - a friend of uncle Pete........ (Stop it R&W - Bad Llama again...!)
"I think we have very good coaches at the football club as it happens. I don't intend to make changes in the coaching department at all because we have very capable coaches. Hmmm, so I wonder what has changed in NPs mind since this statement?
Yet again you make an assumption, what clear evidence can you share that suggests he has sacked them? Simpson was installed as Skybet favourite for the Carlisle job last night (his hometown club) down from 25/1 and he and Dowling seem to be a package.
So what were you insinuating by the comment "I wonder what has happened in NP's mind, since this statement?"
It's all the other comments saying he has let one of them go, I was merely responding. I don't know the background, so wouldn't assume anything.
Well I haven't seen any comments like you describe, all I have read officially left by mutual consent.
And that might well be the case, I said the same yesterday and the odds have been slashed. But comments insinuating that somehow Pearson was the reason is ridiculous until we know for sure and later this weekend might give us the answer to that one. Who knows maybe Pearson did want them out.
should they be going then Carlisle should be paying a compensation! And can Carlisle afford £200k a year on an income of £3m? WOULD THEY WISH TO DROP from successful national team managers to relegated threatened lge 2 team?
