Is this the start of some exciting news?

https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2025/june/09/appointment--dr-david-rhodes/

Though similar in age, personally I can't see him replacing Didsy? 🤔

This is also interesting. Top notch recruitment company https://www.forsythbarnes.com/sports

It sounds like it's a good thing, as I have mentioned, I believe we could be much better in the fitness department, something we seem to have lost with Luke Williams. Not that I felt we were miles away, but some players tended to appear like they struggled in spells. It also makes me wonder if the club feels certain players haven't quite been at the grade they went in terms of fitness when signing. Will Randall seems to stick out as a player who never looked exactly what was advertised, we will have to wait and see.

This shows real ambition from the Reedtz brothers. Not only will Dr Rhodes help with injury prevention and fitness, but his involvement in recruitment could be a game-changer. If we can build a squad that competes physically, we’ll have a much better chance of pushing for promotion!

i think it is a good thing, and quite possibly why we have waited so long to make a managerial appointment. fingers crossed in a few days time we will have news about that, then as said before me the season can start to build up nicely.

This looks to be a good acquisition for the Club. Notts suffered with so many injuries & if Dr David Rhodes can improve the fitness, performance & physicality of the squad it will be a very positive development for our prospects in 25/26.

So Notts will be having a Coaching team under a new Football departmental structure. Are we to see the return of a Notts Football Manager?

These kinds of appointments need to be effective for the club to see improvements. Since it's a new role, it's hard to feel too excited about it, but it does seem beneficial.

Will it work at Notts? If it helps us climb the leagues, then I certainly hope so.

It's a good move, but why now?

Has the club looked back at last season and decided this is the best way to improve the squad?

With a club doctor and physio, it could give us an advantage over other League Two teams. Still, I do wonder why we didn’t invest when Stuart Maynard needed support.

@NiftyNick, we have to look to the future now.

If lessons are being learned, then it's just going to help elevate Notts to the next level. With players who have an injury history, we might be able to get the best out of them more. Individuals like Jodi Jones and Lucas Ness come to mind.

I hope so. Whoever comes in needs full support from our fans.

We won’t get anywhere without that, but I’m happy to welcome Dr David Rhodes.

Having someone with this kind of experience handling performance can really change the game. Keeping the players in shape and ready to go is super important for a successful season, so it’s awesome to see the club putting money into this part of things.

If he can get an extra 5% out of a squad of 20 that's an extra player available. Well nearly 🤓

Times have certainly changed for the better......well done to the owners.....PS Jack Wheeler only had a sponge!!!!!

I think the Reedtz Brothers said after Richard Montague left, they would look into re-structuring the club slightly. I’m guessing they had to wait for Roberto to officially join and get his input as he is our director of football. It would be odd to do it without him.

Sounds like a very useful addition to me, if he can increase the player availability it’ll help us massively and being able to add another dimension to the recruitment model is great to. The title ‘Director of Performance’ does make him sound more fitting to a theatrical academy than a football club though!

@gtownjohnno, Jack Wheeler didn't even need that from all the stories I have been told.

It's a good appointment. If the club have been planning this before bringing in the head coach, it makes sense. The coaching staff, along with the squad, stadium, and fan base, will help sell the club to whoever takes over from Stuart Maynard.

We finished well last season and had a strong first year back in the EFL. I hope having Dr David Rhodes at the club will help us push for League One football.

Welcome to Meadow Lane, David Rhodes!

@Chris

Those were the days Jack Wheeler & his magic sponge. It certainly used to cure most of those niggles & even some of the serious ones, to keep a player on the field.

1 hour ago, Chris said:

@gtownjohnno, Jack Wheeler didn't even need that from all the stories I have been told.

Come on Chris....you have to elaborate.........please

9 minutes ago, gtownjohnno said:

Come on Chris....you have to elaborate.........please

I just meant that Jack Wheeler didn't need the wet sponge. Just the magic in his hands, and the experience he had from being such a good coach. 👍🏻

1 hour ago, Mapperley Pie said:

If he can get an extra 5% out of a squad of 20 that's an extra player available. Well nearly 🤓

it could make a significant difference, as our recruitment and squad building as shown we can spend what budget we have wisely. i know the past two seasons could have been different, with higher finishes but maybe this appointment is a sign of trying to stay the course? its positive news from the club.

I think with all the injuries we had last season, we had to do something. It also seems they are thinking differently about recruitment. Need less injury prone players and more who are physically robust.

Anything Notts can do to cut down on injuries will be a positive step, and this appointment seems like a strong addition.

His CV looks solid for a director of performance. The club could benefit from a couple of trainee junior analysts to help gather and break down data for him and whoever takes charge. It’s good to see Notts thinking outside the box.

It looks like the club is taking steps to evolve, making things smoother and more crucial for our future success. If they get this right now, it will give Notts a small advantage over clubs that can't afford it, and it ensures we are ready when we move up, provided we can claim the leagues.

Football is an expensive business. Injuries and fitness do affect teams, and hopefully, this is a step towards better protecting ourselves.

Interesting interview with David Rhodes

It's good that he recognises that it's down to individuals, and not something you can pull from a book. So, much of my own journey with hEDS has been physios telling me what suits others, and ultimately I think I would be worse off if I didn't find out what works for me. For guidance, I can understand why textbooks are useful, but to have someone who doesn't rely on them for all the answers is a very good thing.

I would hope he can be around for the long haul. If his work does make a difference, it sounds like a crucial step forward.