I can see talks breaking down, when he actually tries to talkHe probably does think he would do a great Job
Paul Ince the United hero.
Man Utd set to appoint Director of Football (when hell freezes over)
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Honestly promoting from within sounds like the same people with new names. Just find it hard to buy that someone within had the ability to transform our operations all this time but we just hadn't discovered it. Time will tell I guess
IF Cantona was appointed DOF what would everyone’s thoughts be? Too inexperienced? Too romantic? feck it it’s Eric?
Cantona is way way too romantic for me and he's my hero. His personality also just doesn't fit someone who's going to run a football club's operations and meant to be good at diplomacy or be tact with dealing with player issues.
It'll be about him doing open audience tours or something, where he doesn't give a shit about what he says.
It'll be about him doing open audience tours or something, where he doesn't give a shit about what he says.
Love Eric as DoF. I’d genuinely love it.
Cantona as our Director of Football.....sorry 
Why is the DOF appointed so late? Isn't the whole point of a DOF to set the foundations for the future footballing philosphy, which includes setting the summer targets?
There will be limited time to work with Ole or the new manager.
There will be limited time to work with Ole or the new manager.
It would be like the Queen playing a role in Brexit...a joke.
I'm pretty sure he'll turn to be a very good signing for them. He's a good player, back to Spain and Simeone as a coach will do wonders for him.So was Berta responsible for bringing Morata to Atletico?
If so, no thanks!
Probably that.
Definitely that.
What a friend we have in Jesus...
I have a theory. What if Mislintat's leaving Arsenal is actually a gardening leave until the end of the season before joining Utd?
Again, a Director of Football is a broad term. It could just mean someone who oversees the playing aspect of the club in some way who isn't the manager.
It ranges from a guy that scouts out awesome players on the cheap and awesome players who fit perfectly into Utd's style of play at the time. It could be someone who watches all levels at Utd who decides which academy prospects get to be promoted for a shot at the first team. It could be someone who's a general manager who's somewhat de facto on first team affairs and is a helping hand out of the media's eye (rumoured that SAF could be this right now).
Again, a Director of Football is a broad term. It could just mean someone who oversees the playing aspect of the club in some way who isn't the manager.
It ranges from a guy that scouts out awesome players on the cheap and awesome players who fit perfectly into Utd's style of play at the time. It could be someone who watches all levels at Utd who decides which academy prospects get to be promoted for a shot at the first team. It could be someone who's a general manager who's somewhat de facto on first team affairs and is a helping hand out of the media's eye (rumoured that SAF could be this right now).
It will be Mislintat.
Eric’s directing Manchester United the musical
Eric’s directing Manchester United the musical
Just as long as he doesn't scout Willem Prunier's nephew.
Find it interesting that some wouldn't mind the guy who recommended William Prunier to SAF becoming the DOF @ Old Trafford.
Anyhow the news is that Eric will become part of Zidane's backroom staff in the Summer, oops i've said too much....
Anyhow the news is that Eric will become part of Zidane's backroom staff in the Summer, oops i've said too much....
Raphel Honigstein also apparently said last week that Mislintat sees his future at a different Premier League club...
Would be peak Arsenal.
People mentioning Cantona are hilarious, I love the King but that would be mental. He thought Pastore is the best player in the world, not that long ago ha..
He'll have Ole composing writing poems to Pogba.
people thinking Eric is going to be DoF.We all love Le Roi but he hasnt been in football for decades now. Cmon folks.
I like the idea of promoting from within, or it at leadt going to an ex-United player, especially one with connections to our Academy so that the overall strategy isn't just about buying in but also giving youth a chance. Its hard for someone outaide the club to truly get us or adapt to our style, as we hsve seen with our post SAF appointments, and how much more United we are with Ole and Phelan back. Phelan might be a good candidate himself. But finding someone who is also a good negotiator, good with the financial side of dealing with contracts and agents, is the hard part.
I want the best man for the job, not just promoting for within/giving the job to former players just for the sake of it. It's an extremely important time for us and we have to get this appointment right. They need to actually sign quality players (and not some of the dross we've had over the last few years) if they're taking on the primary recruitment role, they need to have an eye for hidden gems, which was as much the "United way" as playing youth players. It's not a job that any old person can do, it requires a very specific skill set.
Eric should not be Man Utds new DOF! It should be the likes of Paul Mitchell or Mislintat, someone with a proper pedigree in doing that job role. I love king Cantona, but he's the wrong man.
There’s definitely an argument for giving it to an ex United player. Someone who understands the culture of the club.
Step forward Eric*
*Djemba Djemba
Step forward Eric*
*Djemba Djemba
We all love Le Roi but he hasnt been in football for decades now. Cmon folks.
This
His IG post is definitely promotion for something.
Ole is manager is romantic enough. Cantona as DoF would take things too far.
It’s great banter to consider poaching someone else from Arsenal, but is Mislintat actually that good? Seem to remember our resident Dortmund fans saying a lot of the work he was credited with at Dortmund wasn’t solely down to his influence. Or I could be remembering it completely wrong.
Hard to think of a less appropriate candidate
Yes to both. Mislintat would be great.
Neither one of those two has ever worked as a DOF though.
Correct, Mitchell and Mislintat were head of recruitment equivalent to head of scouts. Important role but not exactly DOF, which should be 1 level upwards. However, this HOR is much closer to the intended role compared with some ex-players who spent the past decade as pundits or actor. VDS is probably the only person who was ex-player, legend, DOF as he is GM of Ajax. Just not sure his experience on agent negotiation.
Eric as DOF is a pretty insane idea but it really depends on how involved we intend the role to be. If we expect it to involve quite granular scouting and transfer initiatives then yeah it’s madness. If it’s basically a glorified ambassadorial role then the irrational, romantic side of me thinks it might create a bit of an added buzz within the club.
If it is the latter then it is pointless because we are just going to make the same transfer mistakes as before, which is the important thing not laughing at Eric witty videos. We need a competent DOF. We are already overflowing with club ambassadors.
I honestly think we should give Ole (or Poch) a chance with transfer autonomy. Considering the style of football they opt for, the optimist in me thinks they’ll go for progressive signings that coincide with United’s DNA.
Our signings since 2013 have been mostly a disappointment down to giving ill-suited managers carte blance to bring in who they feel comfortable with (Moyes with Fellaini, LVG with weird requirements like left footed CBs, Mourinho trying to offload Martial and Pogba to bring in Willian etc), or they’ve likely been Hollywood signings enforced by Woodward.
Now that we have or will have genuine United calibre managers id feel more comfortable trusting them with recruits.
Not sure. Has Poch ever had to recruit players or has he had someone do it for him? Does Ole have the kudos with players who are not United fans?
A good theory. I would imagine a type like Mislintat, a head of recruitment type, is exactly what Woodward would want.
He was part of building Dortmunds structure and could help us do a similar job. We have a lot of scouts with good credentials, but our structure might need some improvements?
Forget Eric's Insta surprise, we've yet to figure out what Zlatan's big secret was last summer.
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