Director of Football Model

[catcherintherye]

My big concern is that it should offer a bigger plan and continuity, but there's no evidence that it is in our model. Obviously things may be a lot better behind the scenes, but from the outside you'd have to say that things look a bit haphazard, and it isn't always clear who's behind what. In theory I like it, in practice i'm yet to be convinced.

I think this is a relevant point. In essence we had the DOF fudged between Moyes/Kenwright for many years who performed aspects of the role. Without doubt, Moshiri now partakes in large aspects of the role now, and there is some evidence to suggest now Bill has returned to health he has his imput.

We have got lucky with Ancelotti, but I don't for 1 second believe this was Brands decision. So it's hard to judge Brands as to me he has aspects of his remit clipped away from him in all areas of his job (including some widely suggest the academy with Unsworth).

What I'd also add, is however bad it's been the last 2 years, I think it would have been much much worse had we not have had a DOF. We are led to believe that Silva was very keen on the likes of Rojo etc. We'd have signed more dross, maybe even Zaha for massive money as well without the stop check of Brands.

 

[TheSecondComing]

This got off to a bad start when we gave a scout the job he had never done before at a club never using the model before.

Can it work? Yes.

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

I don't see the point of it when Ancelotti is our manager and is a lot better qualified to judge a player than the DOF.

There's been a complete lack of accountability and strategy ever since we appointed Walsh. Maybe I'm naive, old fashioned or unaware how these things work, but I don't see how this system has made us better on the pitch.

Ancelotti has always worked with a DoF, though, and explains why in his book.

 

[Jim Hopper]

I felt Richarlison aside, under Silva it was a case of Brands decides the players based on what system we played. I felt like although Silva would have had some input in to what players we signed, it was a case of get what you’re given and “I make the shots” from Brands. I think/hope it will be different under Ancelotti, I’m hoping one of the reassurances given to him was that he could have complete say on what players he wants. Silva was a nothing manager and had to do as he was told, Ancelotti is the don and the last thing Moshiri would want is him walking away.

 

[blue61]

Re incarnate Cloughie and bring back envelopes stuffed with used readies, clips round the ear hole and jumpers for goalposts, and get rid of VAR, all the agents and hangers on. Give us our game back ffs! Take that as a no.

 

[Saint Domingo]

The scouting/academy/commercial infrastructure is too big for a manager to handle now and coach the first team like we saw Moyes do. The roles have to be split but as with anything you need competence in all areas. We’ve got that with Ancelotti and I thought we did with Brands but some of the players bought in recently look as poor as the terrible ones we replaced. There’s a rotten core somewhere at Everton and we neeed to find it.

 

[brieverton]

I don't think whether its right or not is the question.

All clubs will have a DOF or equivalent, its just a reality in modern football. Ancelotti has said he prefers this model as well.

If its good enough for Man City or Barcelona to have one, its good enough for us.

The man makes the role, and what oversight they have with transfer strategy and policy is obviously key.

There is certainly an agrument to be made for limiting their role to the academy / u23s and aspects of sports science rather than taking a central role in signings.

Ultimately I think it can work if its restricted to the DOF implementing as good and as thorough a scouting system as possible, and then presenting candidate signings to the manager who has the only, and final, yes or no. I hardly think Ancelotti will have time to scout players in detail.

The waters muddy when the DOF goes further than that, and makes contact with agents and players outside of the managers remit.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

I don't think whether its right or not is the question.

All clubs will have a DOF or equivalent, its just a reality in modern football. Ancelotti has said he prefers this model as well.

If its good enough for Man City or Barcelona to have one, its good enough for us.

The man makes the role, and what oversight they have with transfer strategy and policy is obviously key.

There is certainly an agrument to be made for limiting their role to the academy / u23s and aspects of sports science rather than taking a central role in signings.

Ultimately I think it can work if its restricted to the DOF implementing as good and as thorough a scouting system as possible, and then presenting candidate signings to the manager who has the only, and final, yes or no.

The waters muddy when the DOF goes further than that, and makes contact with agents and players outside of the managers remit.

Very valid point.

Every club has a version of it, even under Moyes/Kenwright we did.

But I'm just not convinced Everton's application has worked so far.

 

[mkrudden]

My big concern is that it should offer a bigger plan and continuity, but there's no evidence that it is in our model. Obviously things may be a lot better behind the scenes, but from the outside you'd have to say that things look a bit haphazard, and it isn't always clear who's behind what. In theory I like it, in practice i'm yet to be convinced.

Spot on. Even as recently as last summer when you hear rumours that Moshiri has spoken to Zaha and has guaranteed he will get him to the club.

If true, more evidence of Moshiri having a dog and barking himself.

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

I felt Richarlison aside, under Silva it was a case of Brands decides the players based on what system we played. I felt like although Silva would have had some input in to what players we signed, it was a case of get what you’re given and “I make the shots” from Brands. I think/hope it will be different under Ancelotti, I’m hoping one of the reassurances given to him was that he could have complete say on what players he wants. Silva was a nothing manager and had to do as he was told, Ancelotti is the don and the last thing Moshiri would want is him walking away.

According to Don Carlo him and Brands have a daily meeting on recruitment etc.

 

[degsy]

Is it right for Everton?

It offers a bigger plan and continuity?

Or does it muddy the water?

Who is responsible for every transfer this window? Ancelotti, Brands? Or do you accept the narrative around a seamless collaborative approach.

Poll added, no middle ground of course. Pick a side and argue to the death.

If I got the sack based on a team of players somebody else picked for me, Id be a bit miffed.

Also, I don't hold with this...you're the coach, coach them so they can do the job you need them to do.
It just doesn't work like that.
Horses for courses, silk purses / sows ears, etc.
You shouldn't buy a Tony Cottee and say to him, today, I want you to be Andy Grey

 

[toffee-L]

Ancellotti won't be doing any of the things that a DoF is expected to do after his training sessions end, so we do need one in theory, but our results on both the pitch and in the transfer market are undoubtedly worse that when we used to let the manager sign his own players (particularly Moyes, Martinez admittedly had a more blotted scrap book).

We used to be the most shrewd team in the market, we were outperforming sides who spent to tens of millions more than us. We were the side that unearthed gems from the lower leagues and sold them on for huge profits (Lescott, Stones), or we retained them and they were stellar servants for us for many years (Jags, Baines, Cahill). We could either rely on players who had come out of our academy or look forward to a decent player about to make that step.

Nowadays clubs can see us coming for a mile away and can charge pretty much what they want knowing we will pay it. Every player that comes out of our academy just looks lost in a Premier League team. We hand out whopping contracts to average players and extensions to players who scantly deserve them. We used to be the model for clubs on small budgets could compete, now we're the example of what not to do when you have a few quid to spend.

Brands is on thin ice. He wasted last summer, not a single player he signed has had any impact at all and that can't happen again. I don't doubt that the DoF model is here to stay, the current incumbent might not be.

 

[Billy Dean]

We introduced DoF model in 2016.

Look how erratic the bigger picture continuity has been;

Koeman, Allardyce, Silva, Ancelotti.

The problem is Moshiri appointed Koeman before appoint Walsh as DoF. Walsh had a role in hiring Allardyce. Moshiri then appointed Silva before Brands and I don't know what Brands' role in hiring Ancelotti was. There's nothing wrong with the "DoF Model" itself. We just have executed it in a muddled way. Having a DoF is absolutely necessary IMO.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

The problem is Moshiri appointed Koeman before appoint Walsh as DoF. Walsh had a role in hiring Allardyce. Moshiri then appointed Silva before Brands and I don't know what Brands' role in hiring Ancelotti was. There's nothing wrong with the "DoF Model" itself. We just have executed it in a muddled way. Having a DoF is absolutely necessary IMO.

Part of the problem that though isn't it?

Or at least a problem fans conjure up as a problem - a lack of transparency.

We don't really know.

Walsh gave Koeman a ringing endorsement, as did Brands with Silva.

I also find it hard to believe both DoF didnt come in having had a conversation about the manager appointed a month before.

How can we judge a DoF?

Can we even judge them given we don't have possession of the facts? Like who signed Richarlison? Brands, or Silva?

 

[davek]

Been arguing since day one when Moshiri brought this post into the club that, while it might be a good fit for mega brand clubs where the manager simply cant stretch themselves to cope, at Everton it's an extra layer of bureaucracy we never needed.

Moshiri was a new broom and wanted to leave his business-like imprint on the organisation. We just needed a strong manager coupled with a clued up CEO, not another spoon stirring the player pot with the manager.

It's been an utter fiasco at Everton. Roughly half a billion wasted in 4 years or so.