Nottingham Forest chairman Nicholas Randall admitted that recruitment is a 'collective process' but insists that Chris Hughton will have the final say on who arrives at the City Ground.

Having just missed out on a play-off place on the final day of the previous campaign, it was a surprise to see the Reds have a ridiculously busy window under former boss Sabri Lamouchi.

The high turnover of players prompted fears of interference from above, with the approach backfiring as Lamouchi was sacked shortly into the season with Chris Hughton succeeding.

A productive January window has helped steady the ship, but the summer is going to be crucial as the former Brighton chief looks to make his mark on the squad.

And, speaking to the club's official site, Randall explained how 'recruitment is a collective process' but he made it clear that Hughton will be the one making the decisions.

"The manager will always play the lead role in identifying where the gaps are and will always have the final say. Chris Hughton is famed for his preparation and knowledge so by getting Chris I am fully satisfied that things are well run."

The verdict

There's no denying that recruitment has been a major issue for Forest over the years, but the signings made in January were mainly players Hughton knew, so that was a good sign.

These comments from Randall are encouraging for the fans. Having a team focusing on recruitment is perfectly normal, then it's down to the boss to make the call on who he wants.

Given Hughton's record, the owner needs to trust him to deliver and history suggests he will be able to build a team capable of competing for promotion to the Premier League.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.