Leigh Pomlett thrilled with Walsall restructure
Walsall chairman Leigh Pomlett has thoroughly enjoyed having a head coach and technical director working together, insisting: “I wish I had done it earlier.”
The Saddlers overhauled their football operations during the summer, with Matt Taylor made head coach and Jamie Fullarton technical director.
Several months on, Pomlett feels that move has paid off so far and they are benefitting from the ‘right approach’.
He told the Express & Star: “I wish I had done it earlier.
“But you need the right manager to accept a technical director.
“Not all managers want to work with a technical director.
“What I’ve said is that I don’t ever want to be in the position I was approaching the January window (last year), being left high and dry by someone who suddenly decides to go somewhere else.
“That’s not the way any business should be run, let alone a football club. I’m trying to prevent that being the case.
“You’ll find managers who want to do everything and be responsible for everything.
“Well, no thank you, because the moment they’re responsible for everything and then they walk out, you’ve got nothing left.
“The strategy of having a technical director and a first-team coach is, in my judgment, the right approach to have.
“There’s lots of discussion and debate – whether we need a new left-back, right-back etc.
“All the discussions are had with Jamie and Matt, and I have a technical review with Jamie on a Thursday at 10am every week.
“We review the performance of the whole club and go over what we feel is needed for the future.
“We discuss the budgets, how much we’ve spent, and everything to do with the football side. They’re broad discussions.”
Fullarton oversaw Walsall’s summer recruitment, making 13 signings, and could help bring one or two new faces in next month.
On his work, Pomlett added: “He advises me, advises the board, and works with Matt.
“The whole football health is the responsibility of Jamie while Matt, as head coach, fulfils the most critical part of that, which is the first-team performance.
“Jamie’s knowledge of footballers, in all divisions, is almost encyclopaedic.
“If I throw a name at him, he’s either seen him, scouted him or he’s on a list somewhere.
“He spends his time looking at players, all the time, to bring into the football club.
“He gives me advice on the direction we should go. He’s tough, pretty direct. He manages like he played – tough and direct. He’s made a difference, certainly.”
