Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

[Gary]

Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

Nottingham Forest chief executive Mark Arthur has described manager Billy Davies' first year in charge at the City Ground as "remarkable."

Davies has taken the Reds to third in the Championship and they ended 2009 unbeaten in 17 games.

Arthur told BBC Radio Nottingham: "He's been absolutely remarkable, and great to deal with.

"Billy is not the sort of person you micro-manage, you let him get on with the football side of things."

Forest's goalless draw with in-form Premier League side Birmingham City in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday also means Davies' men have not conceded a goal in six games.

Arthur said: "He's started to successfully build a team here, and what we really hope he does is build a club.

"We haven't had that for many years here at Nottingham Forest."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/8439188.stm

 

[Daniel]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

Funny, I was just about to post this very article....

Correct me if I am wrong, but is this the first statement from MArthur in respect of Billy Davies? :nowink:

 

[BigRed1]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

I think we all have to agree with Mr Arthur on this one. He has done a fantastic job. He's proved me wrong in showing a fantastic ability to create team harmony and desire. I hold my hands up and say I expected him to freeze out Earnie, but a huge amount of respect goes out to Billy for resolving their 'differences'...Earnie too! Someone as bitter and twisted as Megson would have got rid of him asap.

So, on and off the pitch Billy you are a breath of fresh air!

 

[Daniel]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

We could all agree with him, but if rumours are to be believed, Mr Arthur was not in favour of this appointment and neither was Mr Pleat for obvious reasons. This was a Nigel Doughty appointment all the way and it is he who deserves the credit.

Coincidence though that at the end of 2008 Mr Doughty seemed to be taking a more active role in the control of the club.... :nowink:

Still, a cracking appointment and the best appointment since Frank Clark and quite possibly the great man himself!

 

[Cooky]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

Could also be a positive sign for this transfer window. Will we finally see a good January? This article makes me believe we will

 

[nffc59]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

We could all agree with him, but if rumours are to be believed, Mr Arthur was not in favour of this appointment and neither was Mr Pleat for obvious reasons. This was a Nigel Doughty appointment all the way and it is he who deserves the credit.

Coincidence though that at the end of 2008 Mr Doughty seemed to be taking a more active role in the control of the club.... :nowink:

Still, a cracking appointment and the best appointment since Frank Clark and quite possibly the great man himself!

Sorry Dan, But 2 things. First, I didnt want him, like 80% of Forest fans, so if rumours are to be believed, MA was on the same wavelenth as a majority of Forest fans. and second rumours are just that, RUMOURS. Lets not look at the negatives. Davies has been a revalation for this club.

Like the fact that Doughty is getting more and more positive comments on most forums

 

[zigga-zagga]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

I actually heard the interview on Radio Nottingham on Saturday and it was actually quite refreshing to hear from MA that the Club appears to be going in the right direction.

He was asked about signings in January and was perfectly honest when he said that what we all must realise is that the players Forest are targeting are playing at Premier League level and some won't want to drop down a level and others belong to clubs who won't want to sell

 

[WorcsRed]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

'but if rumours are to be believed, Mr Arthur was not in favour of this appointment'

Not rumours! Fact!! He did everything he could to convince Doughty not to appoint him.

The fact he has the audacity and two faced public nature to come out and say this now just confirms for the umpteenth time just what a shameless character he is.

Where was he two, three and four years ago giving interviews when we were up against it in League One and backing his yes man Calderwood he was so happy to appoint?!

Davies should get every bit of praise going but Doughty saying it would have been far more appropriate and given him the public seal of approval he deserves.

MA is among the most skin crawlingly awful men you could ever meet. Forest deserve better.

 

[nunuschmu]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

I'd like to hold my hand up and say that I too was unsure about Billy and even more so after the first few weeks of his arrival, I thought he was divisive, I thought he picked the wrong team, I though he was too stubborn to listen to others and wanted to stamp on the players first and foremost with little thought of what was best for the club.
I am happy to say he has proved me wrong, whilst he may still have some of those traits he is building a team and a club we can be proud of.
And don't belive him when we syas he doesn't want us to get promoted, he'd love it like the rest of us.

 

[RedMark]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

'but if rumours are to be believed, Mr Arthur was not in favour of this appointment'

Not rumours! Fact!! He did everything he could to convince Doughty not to appoint him.

The fact he has the audacity and two faced public nature to come out and say this now just confirms for the umpteenth time just what a shameless character he is.

Where was he two, three and four years ago giving interviews when we were up against it in League One and backing his yes man Calderwood he was so happy to appoint?!

Davies should get every bit of praise going but Doughty saying it would have been far more appropriate and given him the public seal of approval he deserves.

MA is among the most skin crawlingly awful men you could ever meet. Forest deserve better.

How do you know any of this to be true ?

Is this through solid contacts or just pub talk and personal dislike ?

 

[WorcsRed]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

Both.

A family member was in the press up until the end of last season.

I had the mispleasure of meeting our lovely chief exec on one occasion. That was enough to actually find out his private character is even worse than his public one if that's even possible.

 

[winnits]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

So, Mark Arthur was micro-managing the football side of things with former managers, eh?

Explains why they've mostly gone on to do better elsewhere lol

 

[Brolin]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

This widespread belief that Mark Arthur is the devil and a very negative influence on the club, I'm not so sure.

Many of the people who talk down Arthur point to decisions that they believe he has made, before distancing Nigel Doughty from the same choices.

Does Arthur operate on major decisions without the go-ahead of Doughty? I doubt it. It's chain of command, no different to where the rest of us work. Arthur is Doughty's employee and if Doughty was dismayed with a series of bad business or football decisions, as many seem to suggest, then he could get rid of Arthur much easier and cheaper than he could a football manager.

Our club has endured 10 very lean years, although thankfully this looks like it is coming to an end. I can understand why people would be pissed off with the managers and the players, but when they come and go, the focus moves to the boardroom.

Doughty is difficult to criticise because he has continually put so much of his own money into the club, and as an aside, I've been one of the people that has believed in him as a chairman.

Arthur, however, is linked to all the same decisions that can be taken apart with the benefit of hindsight, such as buying and selling players, appointing and sacking managers and the new stadium. He seems to cop a lot of flak that Doughty is spared.

My point is that Arthur cannot win. Every success story is someone else's victory and every defeat is landed at his door. And if you don't agree with what he's done, that is fine, but is Doughty as far removed from any blame you attribute to Arthur? No.

I haven't met Arthur and he could well be an arsehole for all I know.

But do successful business people that are here to drive Forest forward have to be the sort of people you would like to meet down the pub? Disagree with what he does if you want, but as long as he doesn't bring the club into disrepute or cause trouble, I couldn't care less whether he's a good bloke or not.

The last 12 months have been improbably brilliant for Forest and you would have to have been smoking something to have predicted this when Billy Davies took over. Many people at the club can take credit for that, although the manager and the players take the most.

As for micro-managing Davies - well, I wouldn't like to be the man who tries. It would be like trying to put a dog collar on a rhino.

 

[nffc59]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

Brolin.
Good point, well made

 

[WorcsRed]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

'My point is that Arthur cannot win. Every success story is someone else's victory and every defeat is landed at his door. And if you don't agree with what he's done, that is fine, but is Doughty as far removed from any blame you attribute to Arthur? No.

I haven't met Arthur and he could well be an arsehole for all I know.

But do successful business people that are here to drive Forest forward have to be the sort of people you would like to meet down the pub? Disagree with what he does if you want, but as long as he doesn't bring the club into disrepute or cause trouble, I couldn't care less whether he's a good bloke or not.'


Very fair points but as with everyone and everything in life, the manner about how you go about your business is as important as what you achieve. Many would argue not but then if you're happy to be remembered as a hated figure then that speaks volumes about what you stand for.

You do need to be a bit hard nosed to get on in business and MA maybe does bare the brunt of Doughty's decisions but it's the way he does his business and his general attitude and disposition that makes him a very easy target and exceptionally difficult to like.

 

[Daniel]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

'My point is that Arthur cannot win. Every success story is someone else's victory and every defeat is landed at his door. And if you don't agree with what he's done, that is fine, but is Doughty as far removed from any blame you attribute to Arthur? No.

I haven't met Arthur and he could well be an arsehole for all I know.

But do successful business people that are here to drive Forest forward have to be the sort of people you would like to meet down the pub? Disagree with what he does if you want, but as long as he doesn't bring the club into disrepute or cause trouble, I couldn't care less whether he's a good bloke or not.'


Very fair points but as with everyone and everything in life, the manner about how you go about your business is as important as what you achieve. Many would argue not but then if you're happy to be remembered as a hated figure then that speaks volumes about what you stand for.

You do need to be a bit hard nosed to get on in business and MA maybe does bare the brunt of Doughty's decisions but it's the way he does his business and his general attitude and disposition that makes him a very easy target and exceptionally difficult to like.

Actually a few of us more negative Marthur people have been positive of him lately so your initial point about him not being able to win is incorrect....

Although my post was slightly tongue in cheek, for someone who was allegedly against the appointment of BD who now comes out with a public show of support was a good thing. I just questionned why it took so long!!!

Personally I am quite glad he has come out with this sort of statement, it shows the sense of togetherness in the club as a whole and at last everyone is singing from the same song sheet. (possibly the first time since Frank Clarke took over)

We also have the opportunity to move to a nice new stadium and the best man in charge in getting what we the fans want in Mark Arthur.

There you go two postitives in the post towards Mark Arthur.

However ultimately one man is the catalyst for this unity and that is King Billy!

 

[chandler]

Re: Forest Boss Billy Davies has been 'remarkable' - Arthur

No time for Martha at all. Not sure really why he has felt it necessary to say anything on Billy or the transfers? Maybe he is worried that Billy will be leaving shortly...I think of what Cloughie would think each and everytime Martha opens his mouth to spout on about something. Next Pleat will start ffs....

We are 3rd, and comfortably 3rd. There is zero point in telling Davies how well he is doing, he already knows.

Let Billy do the talking! Best thing Martha can say is nothing at all.