Aim for new sporting director by end of season - Bristol Boss

Charlie Boss was appointed Bristol City's chief executive at the end of February [PA Media] Bristol City chief executive Charlie Boss said recruitment for a sporting director is "well under way" with the aim of getting someone in by the end of the season. Boss is four weeks into the role, having joined the club last month, and said filling the position was his "number one priority" and he had already been meeting with potential candidates. He was speaking as Roy Hodgson conducted his first press conference , having been confirmed as City's caretaker manager for the rest of the season following the sacking of Gerhard Struber on Friday.

"I'm now going through a process of making sure we get the best possible person in; the aim is to do that as quickly as poss while still making sure we get that best person," Boss told BBC Radio Bristol. "The aim is to have someone here in the club ready to be in place for the summer transfer window and to really lead that recruitment process for a new head coach. " Boss is a former chief executive officer of the Jockey Club and has also worked at Championship club Southampton and for Disney's sports businesses.

He said his first month at City had been "full on", leading up to a board meeting last week where it was decided head coach Struber would be replaced after a run of one win in nine games in all competitions. "I wasn't happy with what I was seeing on the pitch, and I felt like there wasn't a clear sign or plan of how things were going to get better," Boss said. "That's no criticism to Gerhard and Bernd [Eiber, assistant head coach], who are unbelievably professional and incredibly passionate the entire time here at Bristol City.

"But I felt like there was this moment to do something where I thought we could get the team to play better and be better, not just for seven games but to start to lay the foundations for success going forward. " Boss was described by incoming manager Hodgson as being "very persuasive" in getting him to come out of retirement and take the position with the Robins, while also citing the fact it was a short-term arrangement as being one of the appeals. Despite there being just five weeks and seven games to go for the rest of this campaign, Boss said he believes former England manager Hodgson's experience can still make a difference, particularly for a club that has stalled in its ambitions to reach the Premier League, with a mid-table finish now likely.