Is Thomas Driesen Gone? - he popped in on p16, and back out on p26

Rock Spectacle said:

Don't use twitter but this young man's reappearance out of the blue is intriguing. OK, he's had the gumption (assuming it is him) to pop up on here, but strikes me he's trying to distance himself from the stench that unfortunately is involved in a freehold and an inept individual that is equally unpopular with our forthcoming opponents on Saturday. To this individual, the 2 underlings did irreparable damage that we still have to live with to this day. Would love to see where they end up next.As long as it's nowhere near SE7 I'm content, though alas the man that gave them work experience is still about. So frustrating we can't move on from him. 

Garrymanilow said:

I don't think it's a coincidence, I think that unfortunately signing players isn't an exact science, and some DoFs have their moment and it passes. I hope that isn't the case with Gallen but he did seem to do excellent work bringing in players he was aware of from previous years and experiences and that well may have run a little dry. Driesen didn't scout anything, he looked at data, which is essentially what Martin Sandgaard will be doing. The problem we had in the early days of Driesen was actual football people were being overuled based on data and only data. It's very important that that isn't the case now and we will see. There's no evidence that the pool of players we're signing from has reduced because of Driesen, none whatsoever. We have been for the last few years and continue to be now recruiting players exclusively from the UK, and we know that it was Gallen and his contacts who were unearthing the Gallaghers and the Bieliks, we're hardly missing out on the finest League Two talent because Tommy is no longer reading data reports on Rochdale's left back.  With Gallen at the moment I think of Steve Walsh. At Leicester, he identified Mahrez, Vardy and Kante among others and contributed to Leciester's ridiculous title win. He then went to Everton and recommended £150m worth of dross. He also says he suggested Andy Robertson, Harry Maguire and 16 year old Erling Haaland, but I find it hard to believe anyone chose Davy Klaassen, Morgan Schneiderlin and Michael Keane over them. He now works as a special adviser for Charlotte FC in the MLS. His moment has passed.

I also think the difference this season is we aren't necessarily buying bad players, we're getting decent players and wrecking them. Alex Gilbey was MK Dons' player of the year for two successive seasons at this level, and last night looked like a non-league player against that same team. MacGillivray was Pompey's player of the season last year, Scott Fraser was everyone's favourite player but I'm sure we'll ruin him yet. Chuks was a logical signing based on how well he did for us in League One, Stockley was good for actual Charlton before looking like an imposter the whole time Adkins was there after we signed him permanently. DJ was excellent for Swindon at L1 level and looked ready for a step up, Leko was good for us in the Championship but now looks atrocious in League One. There's some signings in there that aren't great, mostly last season under the cap at short notice, but there's few signings I've looked at this season and thought were a terrible idea. In fact, the players who arguably seemed least logical - George Dobson run out by Sunderland and Sean Clare unwanted at Oxford, CBT let go by L2 Tranmere - have given better accounts of themselves than most of the others. The loans have gone sideways, there's no doubt Gallen is struggling to identify usable potential, but the profile of our signings has actually been pretty good on paper. I don't know how far he can be blamed for the failure of the coaching staff to get that talent onto the pitch where others have succeeded. Fresh ideas might be the answer, but as Airman says Driesen was nothing more than an obstacle that has been removed.