Serbgeth Singh, or simply Shebby Singh, has now been appointed the Director of Football at Blackburn Rovers FC by the owners, Venky’s. For most Indian audiences, he has become the face of football after his punditry exploits on television. A self-confessed Tottenham Hotspurs fan, Shebby has helped analyse countless English Premier League matches with a popular panel. Now, with this step towards greater involvement with one particular club, how much of an impact can Shebby really have is the question.

Background

Shebby started his career as a defender and was part of the Kuala Lumpur FA team which claimed the coveted Malaysia Cup for three consecutive years from 1987 to 1989. He also has nine years of international football for Malaysia in his resume and has also made the team for three Asian Games. He is also a South East Asian Games Gold Medallist from the games in 1989. So, all in all, an experienced soldier who played domestic football for eighteen years who knows what the game involves.

Director of Football

Usually it is referred to as a General Manager or a Sporting Director, but the United Kingdom prefers ‘Director of Football’. The responsibilities would depend on the nature of the appointment. Sometimes it would be just as a face to the public, which is usually the case when a former legend is appointed by the club. In other cases, it is a job that is designed to relieve the manager of the extra burden of taking care of transfers, contracts and other off field activities. Being only an ambassador would obviously mean lower accountability, but if it is the latter, often also referred to as a technical director, then it calls for experience and a smart head.

Shortcomings (Apparent)

Change of Philosophy

On the panel with other pundits, Shebby always had his ideas and he staunchly stuck by them. In this particular position, as Director of Football, he may need to have the same attitude, but how far it will take him is to be seen. As the Director of Football, he would act as the g0-between for the owners and the manager and he needs to be careful not be seen by the manager or the owners as someone who is not on the same page.

Experience

Another reason would be his lack of experience. Of course, Shebby has been a part of football in the global arena, but how qualified is he for the job is an open ended question. He can certainly hold his own with Steve MacMahon in the studio but how will he stand up to the demands of a club in trouble is something that needs to be seen.

The Desi Touch

Take this with a pinch of salt, but adding another Indian name to the mix may not work wonders for the Blackburn fans. The Venkys’ lackadaisical attitude towards their beloved club has taken its toll on the supporters and the one-club-town doesn’t want any more similar situations. Steve Kean is still in charge, much to the chagrin of the faithful, and bringing in Shebby in such a powerful position may not help matters.

Now, Blackburn certainly aren’t in the best position and they can always slide further down if these experiments continue. So does Shebby’s appointment signal the end of the downfall or is it just another nail in the coffin? This can only be answered with time and Blackburn have another year to ponder. Online forums are already taking the appointment of Shebby Singh apart and are calling him a ‘Shabby’ choice. Well, at least, he’s off the telly!

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