John Ruddy - Talking Wolves Interview

[Flump]

"He just went: 'In my opinion, we all reach a point in our career where the body won't allow you to play football. We're at it now. I would not feel comfortable with you playing one minute for me. The ball's too quick for you, you're too old, you're not moving, you've got no strength in your body.'

That's hilarious, I hadn't seen that.

Fully on Team Nuno on this one though, Hart was finished as a top player years ago.

 

[Skrilla]

Great watch that, well done to the Talking Wolves lads, they do a stellar job covering the club.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

What did he say that confirmed that?

What did he say that confirmed the failure to act decisively undermined the team?

 

[MikeH68]

That's hilarious, I hadn't seen that.

Fully on Team Nuno on this one though, Hart was finished as a top player years ago.

Agree, harsh but he did ask for the reasons.

 

[Streathamwolf]

No surprise another hint that Bruno hasn't got the best man management.

Very much a coach.

Doesn't try and befriend his players and it runs up some characters, I think Traore is another one who doesn't mesh well with Bruno.

Unsure how you have made that conclusion about Traore. Ruddy doesn't say Bruin rubs people up the wrong way, jus that he wears his heart on his sleeve.

 

[Dan W]

I enjoyed that part when he was talking about Rui leaving whilst having dinner at Rubens house.
John dropping the info about Jose Sa coming in. With Ruben basically confirming it with Sa wanting to leave.

 

[Deleted member (smith)]

Could be of course that Shi took the blame for them, as there's no need for players to like a chairman.

Indeed that is very likely the case but it should have been decided before any offer was made…reality is that good servant as he was once SA settled they might prefer to give a younger keeper bench experience….

 

[Timberwolf]

Confirming what a lot of us suspected. Sellars is Shi’s puppet.

Lol…what a daft statement. Of course he is, Shi is the boss. Sellars is as much an employee as any of us.

 

[Matt]

Lol…what a daft statement. Of course he is, Shi is the boss. Sellars is as much an employee as any of us.

Yes because it’s totally reasonable that Jeff Shi should be the one deciding whether or not we exercise the option on a players contract, rather than the DoF or manager.

People are usually employed to do a job, not just be a mouthpiece for their boss.

 

[OLDGOLD]

I think there's a correct way to treat human beings and whilst I don't think Nuno is perfect, I have very little sympathy with Joe Hart here. I've pasted the interview with Hart below. Nuno told him he was surplus to requirements and wouldn't play a minute while he is manager. Fine, but Hart didn't want to leave it there and asked Nuno for his reasons. He said, as a former goalkeeper can you give me your reasons, "SPEAK FREELY." So Nuno did speak freely and then Hart got upset about it. If he didn't want to hear what Nuno really thought he shouldn't have pushed it further and asked Nuno to speak freely.

Interview with Hart below:

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Joe Hart has revealed why he left the club for Scottish giants Celtic last summer.

Hart spent just one season with the Lillywhites, registering a total of 10 appearances for the club before former manager Nuno Espirito Santo told him he had no future with the north Londoners. Speaking about his exit from N17 on In The Stiffs podcast, he said: "There was a big change going on at Tottenham.

"They needed a lot of people out and a lot of people in. [Nuno] proceeded to call me in. I knew they were signing another goalkeeper and I was like: 'Do we need to have a conversation?' He said that we'd speak after training.

"He was like: 'I'll speak first. Let's be absolutely clear, no matter what happens, you'll not kick a ball this year.

"I had got on really well at the club, people had bought into what I was trying to bring and I was like: 'Right, okay.' He said you'll be free to work with the sporting director to get yourself out. However you want to play it, play it.

"I said just out of interest, remove yourself from the situation, you used to be a goalkeeper, why has it come to this? Why have I gone from being whoever I was to being completely surplus to requirements in a squad, to not even being able to back up the first-choice? Speak freely.

"He just went: 'In my opinion, we all reach a point in our career where the body won't allow you to play football. We're at it now. I would not feel comfortable with you playing one minute for me. The ball's too quick for you, you're too old, you're not moving, you've got no strength in your body.'

"He literally buried me and I'm laughing because, whether I'm deluded or not, I was like, I don't agree with any of that. I asked for your opinion, you have given it, it's not what I wanted to hear and I am going to have to take myself out of this situation.

"I literally went home and I am completely baffled here, I think I'm done, I can't be (expletive) anymore. I can't sit in a room anymore and have that said to me by him."

Well done Nuno. I always felt Hart was over rated even when at his best.

 

[SoCal_Wolf]

Truly great managers in any field adapt to the individual they are dealing with by understanding their personality, what makes them tick etc.
This one size fits all stuff makes me shudder. That’s not managing. It’s dictating.

I agree with you here. Good managers are adaptable and work with their employees. But, you also have to have clear values, vision, and directives for employees to follow. These should not be so malleable.

Bruno does work with the players individually and designs improvement plans with them based on the players' feedback, goals, and wishes just as much as what the coaching team identifies for improvement. In that sense, I do think that Bruno adapts to the individual players. And he's probably pretty approachable.

I think that we all can see Bruno's main flaw - he wears his heart on his sleeve and can be a little too honest with his thoughts at times. It can get him into trouble (Hoever comments being the best example, but probably also got out ahead of his management team with his transfer needs). Nuno, on the other hand, never gave anything away and could be uncommunicative. Some players probably felt frozen out. Different communication styles no doubt. I bet both can be a bit prickly when upset though...

 

[North West Wanderer]

I agree with you here. Good managers are adaptable and work with their employees. But, you also have to have clear values, vision, and directives for employees to follow. These should not be so malleable.

Bruno does work with the players individually and designs improvement plans with them based on the players' feedback, goals, and wishes just as much as what the coaching team identifies for improvement. In that sense, I do think that Bruno adapts to the individual players. And he's probably pretty approachable.

I think that we all can see Bruno's main flaw - he wears his heart on his sleeve and can be a little too honest with his thoughts at times. It can get him into trouble (Hoever comments being the best example, but probably also got out ahead of his management team with his transfer needs). Nuno, on the other hand, never gave anything away and could be uncommunicative. Some players probably felt frozen out. Different communication styles no doubt. I bet both can be a bit prickly when upset though...

The two combined would be ideal!

I work in coaching and development, and it's shown treating people as individuals, with bespoke, specific treatment according to need and desire is the right way to truly realise someone's potential.

 

[Timberwolf]

Yes because it’s totally reasonable that Jeff Shi should be the one deciding whether or not we exercise the option on a players contract, rather than the DoF or manager.

People are usually employed to do a job, not just be a mouthpiece for their boss.

Shi pays the bills, so yeah, suck it up buttercup!

 

[WickedWolfie]

Yes because it’s totally reasonable that Jeff Shi should be the one deciding whether or not we exercise the option on a players contract, rather than the DoF or manager.

People are usually employed to do a job, not just be a mouthpiece for their boss.

Jeff Shi is the owner's man and controls the purse strings.

 

[Milijas]

Well done Nuno. I always felt Hart was over rated even when at his best.

Ridiculous! When at his best (admittedly for 2 seasons at most) he was the best English goalkeeper since Seaman!
Back in 2015 Messi said he was the best goalkeeper he ever faced.
I'll take your opinion over Messi's though

 

[BlahBlah]

Yes because it’s totally reasonable that Jeff Shi should be the one deciding whether or not we exercise the option on a players contract, rather than the DoF or manager.

Of course, it's his job.

This reminds me of a hilarious discussion with Steve Claridge on R5 years ago who was arguing with a woman from the CBI over qualifications required for being responsible for a football clubs finances.
They were discussing how Keegan, O'Leary and O'Neill had nearly bankrupted Newcastle, Leeds and Villa by wasting untold millions of other people's money on stupid decisions that were at best, hare-brained and riddled with emotional decisions and hunches.

Claridge was quite sexist to her anyway because she wasn't "in football", arguing that an ex-player should do everything even if he had no business qualifications "because they understand the game".
This woman destroyed him by saying that he was arguing that a postman could take over Royal Mail because he knew how to deliver a letter.

 

[sillytuna]

You can read Joe harts character assassination of nuno, his man management and his training methods and dismiss it or believe depending on your view of nuno

Joe hart did not do that and he was at great pains to point that out in the podcast edwards does.

Nuno clearly was very particular and you were either in or out. He felt hart didn't have it any more and despite joe sounding like a great person, he was probably right - certainly at the time. Has to be said tho, hart really did get seem to get shafted contractually in his career by city when he was at his prime.

 

[Aimless Balls]

Think the boys did a good job on this one.

 

[CelebrityWolf]

He obviously hadn’t got the hint as he was bounced out of every other club from Pep arriving at Man City. Perhaps a bit of reflection by him might have come to a conclusion that whilst harsh there maybe a semblance of truth.

Lets not kid ourselves here, what Nuno said is pretty ****ing ridiculous regardless of whether Hart is a bit of a bell or not. If Hart was even a quarter of those things he wouldn't have gone to Celtic and played 50+ games. Fairly clear Nuno had a disliking to something in Harts character and didn't want him at the club.

 

[sedgwolf1980]

Joe hart did not do that and he was at great pains to point that out in the podcast edwards does.

Nuno clearly was very particular and you were either in or out. He felt hart didn't have it any more and despite joe sounding like a great person, he was probably right - certainly at the time. Has to be said tho, hart really did get seem to get shafted contractually in his career by city when he was at his prime.

That Hart podcast was one of the most interesting footballer interviews I had ever listened to. If anything, Joe Hart went up massively in my estimation listening to that.

Still love Nuno though.

 

[Matt]

Shi pays the bills, so yeah, suck it up buttercup!

He doesn’t, he’s just employed by FOSUN, who pay the bills, buttercup. May as well **** everyone off then and let Shi do everything then. Save Sellars’ wages.

If the head coach and director of football want to activate a pre agreed clause to extend the contract of a player by a year it should be extended and Shi should not be involved. It’s as simple as that. If Shi was influencing team selection would that be cool too? It ain’t his job.

 

[Matt]

Jeff Shi is the owner's man and controls the purse strings.

Yes it’s his job to set a budget, not dictate who gets retained.

 

[SA Wolf]

I don’t think he should have been kept on at all. he should have left to play rather than be happy sitting on the bench

Are any players 'happy' sitting on the bench! I would think the vast majority want to play, whether that is fighting to make the team at their current club or leaving as Ruddy did.

 

[Matt]

Of course, it's his job.

This reminds me of a hilarious discussion with Steve Claridge on R5 years ago who was arguing with a woman from the CBI over qualifications required for being responsible for a football clubs finances.
They were discussing how Keegan, O'Leary and O'Neill had nearly bankrupted Newcastle, Leeds and Villa by wasting untold millions of other people's money on stupid decisions that were at best, hare-brained and riddled with emotional decisions and hunches.

Claridge was quite sexist to her anyway because she wasn't "in football", arguing that an ex-player should do everything even if he had no business qualifications "because they understand the game".
This woman destroyed him by saying that he was arguing that a postman could take over Royal Mail because he knew how to deliver a letter.

It absolutely is not his job. His job is to keep the club in a sound financial position and part of that is setting budgets for what we can afford for player transfers and wages. It is definitely not deciding who we keep and who we let go.

 

[old wittonian]

Yes it’s his job to set a budget, not dictate who gets retained.

I wonder what is football expertise is.

 

[old wittonian]

He doesn’t, he’s just employed by FOSUN, who pay the bills, buttercup. May as well **** everyone off then and let Shi do everything then. Save Sellars’ wages.

If the head coach and director of football want to activate a pre agreed clause to extend the contract of a player by a year it should be extended and Shi should not be involved. It’s as simple as that. If Shi was influencing team selection would that be cool too? It ain’t his job.

Didn't Ruddy say that he was told the clause would be activated but it was withdrawn the day before actual date by which it had to be activated.

 

[A3wolf]

Really enjoyed watching that and full credit to Ruddy for doing it as think a lot of players would think it was a bit beneath them or just think their time was better spent doing something else.
Surprised me how much he seemed to rate Bonatini’s impact.
Also the Semi Final defeat seems to genuinely hurt him as much as the fans.

 

[BlahBlah]

It absolutely is not his job. His job is to keep the club in a sound financial position and part of that is setting budgets for what we can afford for player transfers and wages. It is definitely not deciding who we keep and who we let go.

Actually it is. He's run the show since he moved over here after Zenga was fired, then after the Managing Director left he absorbed those duties into his Exec Chairman role, which is why we don't have a managing director anymore.
Included in that is the right to interfere in daily activities as he sees fit, if he thinks there is ANYTHING wrong with finance or policy not being followed. That is exactly the reason for the approval of any transfers.

 

[Matt]

Actually it is. He's run the show since he moved over here after Zenga was fired, then after the Managing Director left he absorbed those duties into his Exec Chairman role, which is why we don't have a managing director anymore.
Included in that is the right to interfere in daily activities as he sees fit, if he thinks there is ANYTHING wrong with finance or policy not being followed. That is exactly the reason for the approval of any transfers.

Lol, no it’s not! Obviously he CAN do these things but that doesn’t mean he should, or that it’s right to do so. If it’s his right to interfere in daily activities, I’m guessing you’d see no issue with him running training? Picking the team? Again, not his job, but he could do those things given the position he is in.

Jeff Shi should not be cancelling a contract extension after it being agreed with Bruno and Sellars. He can, but he shouldn’t be.

 

[Beastier]

That's hilarious, I hadn't seen that.

Fully on Team Nuno on this one though, Hart was finished as a top player years ago.

Even at the top of his game I've always though Hart was overrated - pretty sure his England cap tally would have been significantly less had it not been for Matt Murray's injury problems.

 

[sillytuna]

That Hart podcast was one of the most interesting footballer interviews I had ever listened to. If anything, Joe Hart went up massively in my estimation listening to that.

Still love Nuno though.

Totally. It did also show what absolute confidence you have to have in yourself at that level.

 

[Fifty Niner]

I suspect that Bruno is one of those managers (and I've had them in my career) that has high expectations and clearly communicates them--no sugarcoating or kids' gloves--and you don't have to wonder what he's thinking. If you work hard and do your best everyday (like he does), then he won't have a problem with you. You can see this from the very first interview: very passionate and knowledgeable, very open, no BS. While you have to have tougher skin to work under these types of leaders, you also have a better opportunity to grow and succeed. In today's world and with the pro athlete, I can see how this style might rub people the wrong way; but, I've always appreciated the straight shooter over the politically correct, nicey nice types.

I actually think that he's a brilliant coach and knows what he's doing on the training pitch. If he gets some of the right players in the right spots, then I really believe that we'll see some exciting, attacking football.

Last dozen games or so last season showed the team were unable to respond to Bruno and that the current squad had maxed out.