Berta from Atleti has been linked to us in the past
Man Utd set to appoint Director of Football (when hell freezes over)
- Thread starter RedMachine03
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Yup, agree with this completely.
It’s often overlooked on here that DOF’s:
Often suffer the same fate as their managers when sacked.
Pay a price when transfer business doesn’t meet expectations.
Are in demand, like you mentioned.
Often fall out with managers, and a popular, successful manager can decide to leave if that relationship deteriorates. Conversely, the DOF Might suffer the sacking in support of the manager.
Installing a DOF isn’t the silver bullet some might think, IMO. Perhaps it is the right thing for the club structurally based off what we’ve seen recently. It’s very difficult for me personally though to not link it as a more direct response to Mourinho though.
Things haven't been working for the last 5 years, when Ed was listening to manager wishes. We have spent more money than any club in the world bar City, but are still quite bad. We started a rebuild under Moyes, continued it under LVG, Mourinho came and started his own, and 2 years later he seemed to want another one, with players he signed (bar Matic) having all not performed that well, and not a single player bar Lingard and Young improved under him. Maybe Ed is thinking that what didn't work for 5 years, won't also work on the sixth year, so it is changing the way how we deal.
Give it Giggsy till the end of the season 
Hooray, all of our problems solved finally.
I think the team has improved year on year results wise. Admittedly not style of play and definitely not to the extent of money spent.
Perhaps, but the executives will be very aware of the branding, as well. It’s Manchester United the brand that they have to protect, and that is very much grounded around the football, the traditions, the style, and success. Lose that and the brand suffers, and they may be recognising that.
Should have done it a long time ago.
Wasn't this rumoured last season though? Is there anything to suggest it will actually happen this time?
Wasn't this rumoured last season though? Is there anything to suggest it will actually happen this time?
Giggs? Until the end of season.
I've honestly no idea who could fill this role. Would be interesting to read some expert views on it though.
I've honestly no idea who could fill this role. Would be interesting to read some expert views on it though.
Interesting...But I don’t think that this is the right time to appoint a DOF...But either way,I”m sure that the manager will be consulted before zeroing in on the DOF...
The squad deserved 2nd. The way we play as a team didn't. Our squad shouldn't have been 20 points back. Jose underachieved.
Paul Merson would be a good shout
Agreed Sults, it’s too easy to paint a very negative picture.
The more I think about it, if this news is true, it’s most likely something very simple. Putting in the groundwork for the post-Mourinho transition, and probably an acknowledgment that Woordward doesn’t have the bandwidth to play the CEO and DOF roles, that there needs to be a full-time person dedicated to that DOF role.
Giggs is coaching Wales and I think he'd want to be more active in that role than be a DoF type in an office and no direct interaction with the players.
We can go the ex-player route or go for an experienced continental hire like Monchi or Milinstat type who is more of a professional scout. If we go for an ex-player, an ideal hire would be someone like Van Der Sar who is handling a similar role at Ajax.
Honestly I can't imagine any British person who has experience in this role.
We can go the ex-player route or go for an experienced continental hire like Monchi or Milinstat type who is more of a professional scout. If we go for an ex-player, an ideal hire would be someone like Van Der Sar who is handling a similar role at Ajax.
Honestly I can't imagine any British person who has experience in this role.
I’m sure you’ll get plenty of expert views on it here
Give it to Moyes, he’ll finally finish what he started
Give it to Moyes, he’ll finally finish what he started
The branding suffers more if we play bad football and don't win trophies, rather than if we change managers or appoint a DoF.
I thought vds was the finance director or something.
DOFs don't move much, in fact if you look at the names mentioned in this thread Marotta, Paratici, Berta and Monchi. The first two are in their 8th year, Berta in his 5th year and Monchi is in his second year but stayed 18 years at Sevilla. There are examples of clubs that have changed DOFs regularly like PSG but Leonardo was going nowhere until his suspension for attacking a referee, after that they never seriously replaced him until Antero Henrique.
He's no DoF. He's the managing director at Ajax currently, so more like a CEO. Before that his focus was on the commercial side of things. Marc Overmars is the guy who does the transfers.
It is very arguable if we improved on second year. Sure, 2nd (without ever competing for the title) is much better than 6th, but winning Europa and League Cup is also much better than nothing and losing from Sevilla (an Europa League tier team). Regardless, eventhough we might say that there has been some progress, it hasn't been respective to the massive investment we have made, and something definitely needs to change.
Steal Atletico’s DoF.
There is no expert views on this subject on football forums. It's an ITK thing.
I'd love If we got Monchi off Roma. Done a brilliant job everywhere he has went but I don't think he'll leave Roma so soon.
Would want someone connected to the club previously. Not there for a paycheck.
Quite honestly it’s probanly a name that we aren’t too familiar with. People doing the good work in these departments are the people who work intelligently and diligently behind the scenes. It’s not necessarily a famous former ex player or coach.
If I had to choose, I would be looking for someone with the following qualities:
- Demonstrable experience working well with others in various management roles.
- A high level of language competency in a minimum of 2-3 languages.
- Extensive European experience in multiple countries.
- A working knowledge of players, staff and analytics from around the world game.
- A clear footballing ethos and vision.
- Long term strategic intent.
- Expertise than commands respect amongst players and coaches alike.
- As a bonus, a historical and emotional attachment to the club.
Of the candidates that I am aware (because I am sure there are many behind the scenes of which I am not) the outstanding candidate to me is Carlos Quieroz. Ticks every box.
Td;lr Carlos Quieroz.
If I had to choose, I would be looking for someone with the following qualities:
- Demonstrable experience working well with others in various management roles.
- A high level of language competency in a minimum of 2-3 languages.
- Extensive European experience in multiple countries.
- A working knowledge of players, staff and analytics from around the world game.
- A clear footballing ethos and vision.
- Long term strategic intent.
- Expertise than commands respect amongst players and coaches alike.
- As a bonus, a historical and emotional attachment to the club.
Of the candidates that I am aware (because I am sure there are many behind the scenes of which I am not) the outstanding candidate to me is Carlos Quieroz. Ticks every box.
Td;lr Carlos Quieroz.
Agree totally, that’s why I mentioned it. In that article Jackson said a DOF would be hired for “expertise designed to maintain United’s style and ethos”, which to me implies they are linking DOF directly to the brand, IMO. Again, it’s Jackson, it’s all a rumour, etc. Also, apologies, I should have done a much better job in pointing this quote out in direct relation instead of just randomly talking about branding
Carlos Quieroz please.
This! Giggsy would be amazing indeed. Maybe Gary Neville? Useless coach, but the things he say about United is usually spot on.
Of course it means you're buying players the manager doesn't want ... Otherwise you may as well just let the manager buy his own players.
If you want a consistent attacking philsophy you hire a proven manager who plays that style. He buys his own players and instills his own style, is fully accountable and the wins are his and losses likewise.
That's not true though is it? If the director of football brings in shite players... You presumably have to sack him and bring in a new DoF that has to revamp the team? Or do you blame the manager for not getting the best out of them? What if 3 managers on the bounce can't get the best out of them because they're shite?
You have exactly the same problem but in addition a convoluted blame structure where the fans and board don't know who is accountable.
It's a stupid idea.
@simonhch Quieroz would be my pick too. He was behind Ferguson's last great team, he's been with Iran a long time and the actual managerial thing probably hasn't quite worked out as he hoped it would.
I wonder if Ferguson himself would be interested.
I wonder if Ferguson himself would be interested.
Fair, but I’ve always had a sneaky suspicion there’s sometimes a habit on here to cherry pick the most successful DOF situations and ignore the disasters.
Didn’t Tuschel and Nagelsmann leave after falling out with their DOFs?
We need a fecking innovator. We need to be leading not following. No idea who that is but that’s who we need.
Tuchel fell out with everyone, from players to the board. It had nothing to do with the DOF. The particular issue concerned the bus attack.
Quite like that idea! If this is not some smokescreen and we actually appoint a DoF in the future it's fundamental we get it right.
So many times there are moronic appointments, Patrick Kluivert suddenly popping up at PSG comes to mind, it was bizarre considering that Patrick had feck all experience and frankly is a bit thick. He was released within 10 months with stories emerging that some gambling syndicate was blackmailing him because of a personal debt, and to this day no one understands why they gave him that job
In the footballing world where emotions seem to cloud the judgement a lot, there seems to be this standard trajectory for ex players. Have a failed stint as a manager, then try somewhere as a DoF and failing again, after which you never hear from them again.
Surely given his age and recent medical condition that makes no sense? The fact that he said he hoped to be able to watch the team later in the season at Old Trafford is pretty telling.
I would like to see us copy the Bayern model of having club legends involved at boardroom level. Would there be an opportunity for Gary Neville, Nicky Butt or even some more left field like a Peter Schmiecel or Jaap Stam? Brian McClair might fit the profile actually too. No doubt it will being some crony of the Glazers to maximise our sales potential.
Someone like Rio - who deeply understands the club identity and has flawless reputation
No offence, but I think they would all be horrible options.
a DoF is the link between the board and the team - the football and the business. You need someone who knows both sides of the game.
Ah. I just remembered there being some noise that there was no way Tuchel was an option for Arsenal because he fell out with their DOF previously.
I suppose my only point is that I suspect some on here think we’ll get someone like a Monchi and it’s a magic bullet to heal all that ails. For example, both Aston Villa and Everton sacked DOFs this season. My only point is we should at least consider that a DOF might fail here, too.
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