Man Utd set to appoint Director of Football (when hell freezes over)

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Solskjaer needs help.

A structure with a;

a) DoF (with some sort of financial or business back ground) who’s in charge and have the final call regarding our wage structure and contracts
b) a committee of (preferably) ex players (including first team manager, the head coach of the academy and a former agent who knows the business from the other side) who are responsible of recruiting, terminate or sell/buy new players
c) a head coach of the academy
d) a first team manager

is a good start.

The CEO should every year give the DoF and the committee a transfer budget to deal with. Outgoing sales and the wage structure should be included in the budget.

The first team managers main priority is to develop and deliver best possible results with his squad, not worrying about players in and out, wages and contracts.

The committee should work together with the academy so we make room for upcoming talents, the manager so he gets support and input how to deal with every day problems, the DoF about wages and contracts so he receives support regarding structure of wages and contracts.

If we start with a committee of Fletcher, Ferdinand and Phelan (and in the future a qualified DoF) then I think we have a embryo to something good.
 
Why does it have to be someone who has history at the club? We should be modernising our club from top to bottom not looking back. Not so long ago we were linked with highly regarded names with experience in this role and now it's gonna be someone like Phelan or Ferdinand. Woodward and the Glazers have no ambition and want some yes men who have no real authority.
 
Fosu-Mens said:
OGS was critical of the Glazers at the beginning, and supported MUST. Now he seems to have gone over to the dark side. Or maybe he is naive and thinks that he will be able to change it from within.
Who knows. I for one, wonder how long time it will take for the club to detoriate to such an extent that the incompentence at the club are causing more damage financially than the financial growth in football as a sport can offset.
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We are just treading water at the moment - matchday and commercial revenues flat for the last three years, annual wage bill increases are being paid for by regular increases in the Premier League/UEFA's TV deals.

If the TV bubble bursts (or even just stops growing), we're knackered.
 
Bastian said:
Great post. A cash cow to average players evolving into a cash cow to ex players with no experience as non-playing staff.

I think it's also a key reason why ex players haven't gone on to name Woodward and the Glazers as the rotten foundations.
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There are ex players who haven’t criticised the Glazers who don’t have a chance or show no interest of being involved in the set up, so not sure if that an valid point.

It seems they’re dammed if they show they care enough to put their names in the hat and they’re damned if they voice opinions as pundits.

It’s not all about the money. We could offer VDS or Overmars a shed load as posters want but I doubt they’d take it immediately
 
jem said:
That's pretty absurd - I think Rio comes across very well whenever I see him talking on TV. Perhaps he just doesn't string them together in a way you're comfortable with?
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I’m comfortable with, what does that even mean?
 
Hawks2008 said:
Why does it have to be someone who has history at the club? We should be modernising our club from top to bottom not looking back. Not so long ago we were linked with highly regarded names with experience in this role and now it's gonna be someone like Phelan or Ferdinand. Woodward and the Glazers have no ambition and want some yes men who have no real authority.
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Having some of the old guard around is good for 'brand United' and will also insulate Woodward from some of the criticism he's been getting in the last 2-3 years. Also, since we have no Champions League football to offer, a novice manager in charge, and a history of shite football over the last 6 years, a big name like Rio might be useful in helping Ed sweet-talk his coveted superstar signings (Gareth Bale etc) when it comes to making a deal.
 
Infra-red said:
We are just treading water at the moment - matchday and commercial revenues flat for the last three years, annual wage bill increases are being paid for by regular increases in the Premier League/UEFA's TV deals.

If the TV bubble bursts (or even just stops growing), we're knackered.
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They could still sell the naming rights at OT(last resort, as this will angry the fans --> last thing the owners want are angry fans, hence all the "legends" appointments)
They could increase ticketprices (again, angry fans)
They could sell even more "non-voting shares".
And Amazon and other streaming services wants to get into the sport-streaming market --> TV-bubble is unlikely to burst.

As things are now, we are slowly detoriating like a animal bleeding slowly out. Better to have a big crash (Glazers forced to sell) then a fresh start, compared to this agony season after season.
 
Fosu-Mens said:
They could still sell the naming rights at OT(last resort, as this will angry the fans --> last thing the owners want are angry fans, hence all the "legends" appointments)
They could increase ticketprices (again, angry fans)
They could sell even more "non-voting shares".
And Amazon and other streaming services wants to get into the sport-streaming market --> TV-bubble is unlikely to burst.

As things are now, we are slowly detoriating like a animal bleeding slowly out. Better to have a big crash (Glazers forced to sell) then a fresh start, compared to this agony season after season.
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A slow but inexorable slide into mediocrity (rather than insolvency) was always the most likely outcome of Glazer ownership. Here we are.
 
vanderpants said:
I hate the way our club is run, the media and rival fans are having a field day, I don’t get what the difference would if Micky was assistant coach or technical director. I’d personally give it to rio
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Owners are a joke. Absolute farce. From owners to Woodward. Extremely frustrating how they've turned the most successful club in Britain into a joke.
 
jem said:
good question. Just trying why you think he has trouble stringing a sentence together
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Ok why should someone with no background as a director football be given the job?

Because he knows the club? Being a director of football is about identifying players from other clubs. We have an inexperienced manager as it is, with an incompetent Chief Executive. How is adding a third line of inexperience going to help matters.

The fact Rio isn’t articulate when talking doesn’t help him either. Can you imagine him negotiating a contract?
 
Inigo Montoya said:
There are ex players who haven’t criticised the Glazers who don’t have a chance or show no interest of being involved in the set up, so not sure if that an valid point.

It seems they’re dammed if they show they care enough to put their names in the hat and they’re damned if they voice opinions as pundits.

It’s not all about the money. We could offer VDS or Overmars a shed load as posters want but I doubt they’d take it immediately
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Yeah, I'm not sure there is only one reason for them not calling them out. But it is very strange to me that none of them has. I would have expected Keane or Eric to have done something like that already.

With regards to VDS and Overmars, those are two people already at a club that's reaping what they've sown. There are loads of others around. Campos, Mitchell, Berta to name a few.
 
freeurmind said:
IS Rio willing to delve and watch games from the Belgian Second Division to unearth hidden talents? Is he willing to take time away from his family, meeting with potential signings, scouting games, developing contacts in other leagues to find players? I don't see it. Only recently he said he would not be willing to go into management because it would mean spending too much time away from his family.
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Does the role require him to be a scout?
 
Fosu-Mens said:
OGS was critical of the Glazers at the beginning, and supported MUST. Now he seems to have gone over to the dark side. Or maybe he is naive and thinks that he will be able to change it from within.
Who knows. I for one, wonder how long time it will take for the club to detoriate to such an extent that the incompentence at the club are causing more damage financially than the financial growth in football as a sport can offset.
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But they’re also his boss. Would you say how your boss is sh*t when you’ve just been given a job?

In fact, have you ever heard a manager complain about their owners? It just doesn’t happen because you’re supposed to be working in tandem.
 
This is all a bit weird, Woody maybe thinks if he surrounds himself with enough old 'legends' then the fans are bound to back him, and if it actually works out he might be become one himself!

I'm not against Rio, but I'm just not sure if this is done it'll be for the right reasons.
 
Adam Robertson said:
But they’re also his boss. Would you say how your boss is sh*t when you’ve just been given a job?

In fact, have you ever heard a manager complain about their owners? It just doesn’t happen because you’re supposed to be working in tandem.
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I'm talking about when he was not a manager, but he supported MUST when he played for the club as well. I'm not expecting him to say it as it is, that the Glazers do not give a rats *ss about football...
 
C'est Moi Cantona said:
This is all a bit weird, Woody maybe thinks if he surrounds himself with enough old 'legends' then the fans are bound to back him, and if it actually works out he might be become one himself!

I'm not against Rio, but I'm just not sure if this is done it'll be for the right reasons.
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Very cynical outlook - which is probably fair.

I think he's fighting for his job, uproar and protests are a season away in my opinion - finances will be hurt with a lack of CL football - even more so if we miss 2 seasons on the bounce. He has to start to make strides on the pitch to maximise profits too (sigh).
 
Was a bit surprised to see that Hugo Viana is sporting director at Sporting.

I’m not sold on the Rio/Fletcher-idea, but it would probably be an improvement on todays system and not that different from plenty of well driven clubs in Europe (I’m aware Sporting is not one of them).

Question is what you expect from that position. I guess many expect and want some sort of wizard. I think we have a tendency to overrate the ability of one man to transform us. To transform the structure in the organization is probably the right way to go. And if we try to emulate/copy the structure of Bayern, Ajax, Dortmund and Barcelona I’m all in favour of that.

Woodward has his limitatiom but I would not be surprised to see him talking with for instance van der Sar on the matter.
 
Bastian said:
Do you honestly believe that candidates for that position would turn it down if it meant they were given adequate authority in a club that has enormous wealth, and if run by competent people can only improve? I don't. It's a dream job.
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Its not a dream job though. I think it will be a really hard job with no guarantee of success. You and me dont know whats been said, what control there is, the enormity of the job, the short term remit for example.
 
Mark Pawelek said:
1) It should not be up to Woody to do that, he should hire a head hunting firm to find people and offer them terms. Here is what we want. Interested?, then we can arrange a meeting with Woody.

2)

it might just work​

What is this a £3 billion valued company or Police Academy X? It must work, no ands, ifs, buts, sorrys, try again, about it. It must work because it must have shown itself to have worked elsewhere and succeeded.
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Mourinho worked at other clubs delivering the title. It didnt work here. VG the same. Just because it worked elsewhere and succeeded doesnt always follow, especially at Utd.
 
Dumb question, do you think that Wenger could do the job for a few years and set up a solid base?
 
Josep Dowling said:
Ok why should someone with no background as a director football be given the job?

Because he knows the club? Being a director of football is about identifying players from other clubs. We have an inexperienced manager as it is, with an incompetent Chief Executive. How is adding a third line of inexperience going to help matters.

The fact Rio isn’t articulate when talking doesn’t help him either. Can you imagine him negotiating a contract?
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I think you’re way off-base calling him inarticulate.
 
youmeletsfly said:
Dumb question, do you think that Wenger could do the job for a few years and set up a solid base?
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No. He's into manager model. And he's too idealist without the required ruthlessness, which is necessary for this club at the moment.
 
If this club hires another friendly face to stick between themselves and the support it’s a fecking joke, pure and simple.
 
Josep Dowling said:
Ok why should someone with no background as a director football be given the job?

Because he knows the club? Being a director of football is about identifying players from other clubs. We have an inexperienced manager as it is, with an incompetent Chief Executive. How is adding a third line of inexperience going to help matters.

The fact Rio isn’t articulate when talking doesn’t help him either. Can you imagine him negotiating a contract?
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Let’s hire Prince William instead then. Grow up, this isn’t the 90’s with your articulate. England is very very multicultural in this day and age. Who’s not going to like his lingo? The Spanish?
 
ForestRGoinUp said:
If this club hires another friendly face to stick between themselves and the support it’s a fecking joke, pure and simple.
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It's like the GOT or something. Way too incestuous!
Like someone mentioned above, a DOF is supposed to be looking outside the club for talent and as long as they are experienced and know what United is about (which they likely will at their level) I don't know why we should be limiting our search like this.
 
USREDEVIL said:
It's like the GOT or something. Way too incestuous!
Like someone mentioned above, a DOF is supposed to be looking outside the club for talent and as long as they are experienced and know what United is about (which they likely will at their level) I don't know why we should be limiting our search like this.
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The person who takes on this role needs to be a professional who immerses themselves into this job. This isn’t some glamour position where you can throw on a suit and turn up for the cameras. Hell, this person should rarely even be in front of the cameras, if ever.

I’d feel much much better if there were some names I’ve never heard of being considered.
 
If you want to have a re-engineer of the entire club you will always need to look at the very top and their objectives. Otherwise, it's pointless and all changes will be either cosmetic or will be doomed to fail.

Let's start with the owners, the Glazers. What's their objective? Its to be a financially profitable organisation, commercially high profile, marketing-wise and most importantly, the financial value of the company for its shareholders -- with the possibility of being sold off at a later stage.

Whats City's owner's objective -- winning (at all cost/) to elevate the profile of the Royal Family and its fiefdom.

How the two respective organisations reach their respective goals will determine what is required to be done and people required to execute those objectives.
 
This club is being run like some of the South American FAs and South Asian Cricket boards.
 
freeurmind said:
In many ways, yes. How do you expect to be the head of recruitment without watching games on TV and travelling to watch the players you're thinking of signing play?
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Is it a regular thing that you'll see DoFs at games scouting? Additionally, don't clubs usually have a DoF as well as someone with a title similar to head of recruitment?
 
Missed the boat?

I wanted United to get the best Technical Director. But it's May now and they must appoint someone ASAP so that some summer transfers can be done. Provided the guy knows the market well & agrees with club's long-term aims, I'm happy with whomever is appointed as an interim Technical Director (1 year appointment). The gives United a whole year to find a suitably qualified candidate. I want the permanent candidate to have experience in management or coaching. Steve Bruce, Phelan or Carrick over Ferdinand.

It would be reckless and crazy to appoint an inexperienced person to this position. Especially reckless if the inexperienced person is given the job permanently.
 
roseguy64 said:
Is it a regular thing that you'll see DoFs at games scouting? Additionally, don't clubs usually have a DoF as well as someone with a title similar to head of recruitment?
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DoFs don't scout players at games, they have scouts for that and like you said chiefs scouts too. If you see a DOF at a game,he is most likely networking, it's the people next to him that you need to pay attention to.
 
JPRouve said:
DoFs don't scout players at games, they have scouts for that and like you said chiefs scouts too. If you see a DOF at a game,he is most likely networking, it's the people next to him that you need to pay attention to.
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Yes, of course. But a director of football needs to know a fair bit about what scouts do. Also needs to figure out what went wrong over the past few years when the current squad were scouted. You can't fix something unless you know where it's broke.
 
Mark Pawelek said:
Yes, of course. But a director of football needs to know a fair bit about what scouts do. Also needs to figure out what went wrong over the past few years when the current squad were scouted. You can't fix something unless you know where it's broke.
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Or maybe the scouting was spot on but the recruitment team went ahead with their preferences. No one knows whether we have problem with scouting, there isn't much they can do except prepare some reports on players. It's on Chief scout/manager/Woodward to analyse them and make decisions based on what we need.

Going by the signings since SAF retired, don't think we even need scouts to know about these players. Few of them are just players who played for the manager already, or was playing at Manager's ex club/National team, or the players who were playing at high level in PL.
 
roseguy64 said:
Is it a regular thing that you'll see DoFs at games scouting? Additionally, don't clubs usually have a DoF as well as someone with a title similar to head of recruitment?
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No, We have a chief scout in Marcel Bout.

Paul Mitchell is head of recruitment at Leipzig and Rangnick is DOF as a working example
 
Mark Pawelek said:
Yes, of course. But a director of football needs to know a fair bit about what scouts do. Also needs to figure out what went wrong over the past few years when the current squad were scouted. You can't fix something unless you know where it's broke.
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There's a whole load of people who know that, it's about fixing it not looking back
 
If/when this happens he's got one huge job, what if we get this saviour DoF and we're still shite? then what!?
 
Mark Pawelek said:
Yes, of course. But a director of football needs to know a fair bit about what scouts do. Also needs to figure out what went wrong over the past few years when the current squad were scouted. You can't fix something unless you know where it's broke.
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Did Monchi have this experience when he became a DoF after being a goal Keeper? Did Begiristain after being a commentator (like Rio)? A lot of DoFs have had no real prior experience
 
roonster09 said:
Or maybe the scouting was spot on but the recruitment team went ahead with their preferences. No one knows whether we have problem with scouting, there isn't much they can do except prepare some reports on players. It's on Chief scout/manager/Woodward to analyse them and make decisions based on what we need.

Going by the signings since SAF retired, don't think we even need scouts to know about these players. Few of them are just players who played for the manager already, or was playing at Manager's ex club/National team, or the players who were playing at high level in PL.
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That's why I don't believe the idea that the managers weren't the main driving force, there are too many ex players and players they were linked with in the past.
 
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