Possible Director of Football

[Walken]

virtually all English teams have this already, they just tend to avoid using the term or drawing attention to it, because it alarms the duller supporters/pundits. sort of like how peasants and the Catholic church used to be frightened by potatoes.

you can't have a manager like Pelligrini, deBoer, Koeman et al without having someone in this role, whatever you call it

why?

 

[LAToffee]

more clubs than you think have some form of 'director of football'.
interesting article about recruitment at the PL clubs
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/jul/03/premier-league-transfers-who-decides-club-buys

Looks like no one with any stature does it successfully apart from Man City and frankly their "bang for their buck" strikes me as pretty poor. In England so far, this model seems to add up to paying far too much for overrated players (exhibit 1: Raheem Sterling)

 

[abelard]

why?

because none of them have much experience working without one and probably don't want the extra burden

 

[duncan's pigeon]

There's good management reasons for separating managing the club, handling personnel and dealing with transfers (the administration and negotiation, but not the selection exclusively) and the coaching of the first team.

Firstly it relives some of the burden of management on the head coach, secondly it provides a single reporting structure for the junior team management and the general coaching staff.

In the case of Everton there's possibly a more Machiavellian reason - it significantly reduces the roles of our existing Chairman and CEO. It paves the way for Bill to be just a figurehead for the time he remains on the Board (if he's not looking for investors (as he was 24/7) or being involved directly with the manager what does he do?) other than a figurehead there's really no role for him. Similarly it frees up the CEO to just manage the business and as I said earlier today concentrate on growing revenues and building infrastructure. You can guess where I am going here

This sounds extremely plausible mate, both in terms of the candidates at the top of the list all being used to / comfortable with the principle and the reducing effect on the influence of the previous regime.
Being brave and bold in the way we now do things is the way forward and i'm looking forward to seeing it unfold over the summer.
Do you think this appointment has a significant influence on the selection / recommendation of the new manager?

 

[mightymoyes]

Looks like no one with any stature does it successfully apart from Man City and frankly their "bang for their buck" strikes me as pretty poor. In England so far, this model seems to add up to paying far too much for overrated players (exhibit 1: Raheem Sterling)

i take from it that utd and arsenal are the only ones that dont and they havent exactly been great lately.

 

[bluesb1970]

Looks like no one with any stature does it successfully apart from Man City and frankly their "bang for their buck" strikes me as pretty poor. In England so far, this model seems to add up to paying far too much for overrated players (exhibit 1: Raheem Sterling)

I agree so far with Sterling but he'll improve next season. By all accounts he was guardiolas signing anyway.

 

[Blue Cheese]

Get Ken Loach.

For a moment I thought you meant William Roach, AKA Ken Barlow

 

[bring the ghost on]

Seems to have worked well for Leicester.

I think it requires excellent communication between the manager and DOF, otherwise you will end up with a Balotelli or Shevchenko who the manager doesn't want or need.

Otherwise though, I like the idea, it puts more onus on securing good talent.

 

[Logans run]

Extremely bad idea for every club that it works there are four who end up like Newcastle, across the park cliperty Klopp would only take the job if he controlled all transfers if it did not work there after spending £300 plus why on earth should we hire two men to do one job with nothing in common, if they are stupid enough to go down this, you better start making those new out banners

 

[mythbuster]

Interested to know then how much input the manager would have with signings. Does he identify players and then it's up to the DoF to pursue them or something different?

This, for me.

The manager has to work with the players daily, and he has to select the team. It's imperative that he picks our signings, imo.

 

[Logans run]

i take from it that utd and arsenal are the only ones that dont and they havent exactly been great lately.

Is that a serious comment? I wish we had been as unsuccessful as them in the last 26 years.

 

[Dymak]

Extremely bad idea for every club that it works there are four who end up like Newcastle, across the park cliperty Klopp would only take the job if he controlled all transfers if it did not work there after spending £300 plus why on earth should we hire two men to do one job with nothing in common, if they are stupid enough to go down this, you better start making those new out banners

I completely agree with this. You can add Sunderland to your list of examples as well, their DOF setup was a total disaster for them, and BSA only went to Sunderland on the condition they got rid of their DOF. Having a DOF is a bad idea that would end in disaster.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Could be wrong, but there doesn't seem to be that many examples in English footy where a DOF has actually worked, it seems to be the norm on the Continent though to have a DOF.

 

[waggy27]

because none of them have much experience working without one and probably don't want the extra burden

It cuts both ways I think - a lot of top managers will have an arrogance about them that suggests they will want to decide on who is signed rather than having to compromise. Not that I think he would come, but the likes of Mourinho would want full control of transfers rather than work with a Director of Football.

 

[Mutzo Nutzo]

It cuts both ways I think - a lot of top managers will have an arrogance about them that suggests they will want to decide on who is signed rather than having to compromise. Not that I think he would come, but the likes of Mourinho would want full control of transfers rather than work with a Director of Football.

Nah - he's very comfortable working with a DoF. He brought in Zidane at Real Madrid to do that job. As long as he has a say in who it will be then I don't belive its an issue for Jose.