Where is this from?
There is a reddit user who frequently drops info (usually trivial stuff like sponsorship announcements) with pretty remarkable precision on the Man Utd subreddit to the point where he must have at least a minor contact within the club. Whether it's 100% true or his speculation I cannot say either way.
I imagine it's because when you have a constant turnover of managers, all who are famously control freaks who want to be involved at every level, doing anything at all takes a long time.Point #3 is frustrating. If they knew the structure was outdated under Fergie, why didn't they revamp it after he left? Why are we still in this position 5 years later.
That's what I am talking about, that all the point sound she like Woodward is infallible and he has no part in any of the problem. I swear these briefing and ITK makes it sound like Woodward is a Scouse.Point #3 is frustrating. If they knew the structure was outdated under Fergie, why didn't they revamp it after he left? Why are we still in this position 5 years later.
People who want a DOF need a reality check. LVG was a director of football I doubt you'd be OK with him.
This is just a way for Woodward to put a buffer between himself and the managers so he's no longer in the firing line. At the end of the day any DOF will just be a Glazer puppet.
This is an absolute disaster.
No thanks, I'd actually like to close out a transfer where another club wants to buy the player once in a while.David Gill would be the perfect choice. He’s experienced at transfers. It’s like he’s being wasted sat on the board when instead he could have a more impactful role at the club and more importantly, on football affairs.
I imagine it's because when you have a constant turnover of managers, all who are famously control freaks who want to be involved at every level, doing anything at all takes a long time.
Copying a comment from someone who has shown at least vague ITK creds.
He then went on to say the person we leaned on wasn't Zorc but was in the same league.
The transition period between managers (including the point during the season when you make the determination to terminate the manager) is the time to do this. We've had ample opportunity from Moyes to LVG to make the necessary structural changes. We even got close with Monchi a few years ago. I think it's clear that either the club chose not do this or that they didn't historically provide enough opportunity/power for the proposed DoF position to do something meaningful. Either way, that's the club's fault.
So Mourinho will go to Gareth and say, "I need a 29 yo center back, so I can play 3 at the back." What is the approved range of the GS responses?
1. "Utd plays 442 only. You have to play 442."
2. "Great idea! Let me get you (all the players Mourinho asked for originally, making the DoF position superfluous)".
3. "Varane is a great defender. Let's wait for him to become available." And nothing happens.
4. "We need better attackers instead. Let's go for --- instead, you'll just have to make it work."
5. "The board don't want to spend any money or sell anyone. You'll have to make due."
I'm not seeing that you're doing much more that making a not-particularly great manager the boss of a world class manager. Because?
What problem are you trying to fix?
Christian Heidel another potential name. Could also have been Sammer given the timeline but thats less likely.Hmm...Ralf Rangnick maybe?
People who want a DOF need a reality check. LVG was a director of football I doubt you'd be OK with him.
This is just a way for Woodward to put a buffer between himself and the managers so he's no longer in the firing line. At the end of the day any DOF will just be a Glazer puppet.
This is an absolute disaster.
What’s a job description for a DoF?
My take. Administration and diplomatic skills, collecting data, organize our scouting network, negotiator, financial sense, eye for talents, probably a doos of charisma and charm and finally a bit of authority.
I think that being from the British Islands is a good start. International experience is a must. Good manners, professional attitude, hunger and proven work ethic will help.
Gareth Southgate is someone who maybe can fit the above profile. Comes with a good reputation, perfect age and has a proven track record regarding football knowledge. The day he’s available he could be a candidate.
But which manager did they want to undermine to do this? Between SAF and Moyes and you're pissing Moyes off, between Moyes and LvG and LvG isn't happy and then there's no way Mourinho would have happily taken the job if we installed a fresh DOF. There's also the issue of actually finding the right person for the job who will gel with the new manager. The best time would have been between SAF and a new manager who wasn't Moyes, sadly... Moyes.
Correct recruitment processes take time, I'm not sure we've ever had enough stability to vet a DOF and then vet a manager.Why couldn't they hire a DoF and then hire the coach? Why couldn't the coach be hired knowing they'd be working under a DoF? We can argue this for ages but I just don't believe that they didn't have ample opportunity to correct this. They chose to perpetuate the manager model, they chose not to revamp the scouting system (Ribalta came in what, 2017?). Is Jim Lawlor still the fecking chief scout at this club at this point?
Correct recruitment processes take time, I'm not sure we've ever had enough stability to vet a DOF and then vet a manager.
Can you explain the last paragraph unless you are still high from Englands over hyped WC run
let's agree that executive and management team wants the best for the club.
What turnover has their been in our executive management or ownership structure that would cause sufficient instability to not be able to accomplish that? Gill left in 2013 and Woodward's been Chairman since. The Glazers have been in place for more than a decade now. Arsenal, with their ownership turmoil, managed to onboard Sanllehl and Mislintat within a couple of months of each other in late 2017.
Sorry but this is not true. Modern football is proving you need a system in place, at present we do not have one and it's clear we've suffered from it.
A buffer would be a tremendous improvement on what we have now. The public spat between Jose and Woodward has been awful. Maybe the DOF is a puppet, maybe he or she isn't. Can't make that judgement now.
But worst case - it's no worse than now . Best Case - we see a big improvement in all our football dealings , the manager is happier and the execs also get what they want
A coach will choose what system to play, not a DOF. If you sacked Mourinho and brought in Poch he wouldn't play the same system, and if you sacked Poch then brought in Anchelotti he wouldn't play the same system.
There are dozens of clubs around europe with DOF's who are atrocious, just ask the guy who replaced Matic with drinkwater and Bakayoko.
A DOF will just add another layer of blame, if the DOF brings someone in who the coach doesn't like/play then he'll go to the board and say coach X isn't using him right, coach X will say the player is useless and it's just a vicious cycle.
We had Fergie and no DOF for for 20+ years. No one should be able to tell him who to buy.
A DOF won't stop public spats, Mourinho had plenty of them with the DOF at Madrid and Chelsea. A manager should be able to choose his own players and live or die by them.
Ok. I will give you my view but the bolded part is where you go wrong.
First of all being a DoF is a different job then being a manager. Your conversation example will never happen because that’s not how it works. One of the first thing a DoF should do is to create a framework based on our history and identity who defines the clubs DNA and philosophy.
Another important thing will be to resuming the great network of local British scouts that Sir Alex started over 30 years ago. At the moment we are behind in that departement. Delle Ali, Maguire, Sterling, TAA and Robertson are type of players who should be identified much earlier by our network instead of buying expensive and short term because a new managers.
Third important thing to do for a DoF is to take care of middle and long term planning. Short term the manager make the calls but if we are going to invest heavily we need a broader view about what kind of profile we should buy or sell.
The manager first priority will be to coach the players he has to his disposal based on the framework created by the DoF, the DoF will be in charge of transfers, scouting network and contract negotiations.
The final say regarding changing philosophy, buying and selling star players is a teamwork between the board, the CEO and the DoF. A manager in today’s world is short term that’s why his input is just second opinion and not a final decision.
That’s my take on how a co operation between the manager and the DoF would work.
How much of experience in being DoF, our ex players have? And no, I don't wont any of them doing it, (we might see some Salford City players), only because it is very romantic thing, that only United would do! Right. Wrong.
That guy from B.Dortmund, or that guy from Atletico. We need a great DoF, and experienced one, and respected one, and we need him now!
If you want romance, go and watch Bridget Jones.
hmm, no, I'm aware he knows the game, and loves the club, but so does Giggs/Scholes, all of them. No, he is too much of world wide celebrity, with other things and business plans on his mind.I think Bechkam can do a good job here. Forget about Giggs/Scholes..etc. I can't see them in such jobs.
Beckham? Hmmm, interesting, at first I thought this was an dumb suggestion, but transfer recruitment is such a major factor for the director position which Beckham with his level of respect in the game would be great at, but there are a lot of other facets of the job that would concern me with him, the day to day details and grind, not sure he would be up for it.I think Bechkam can do a good job here. Forget about Giggs/Scholes..etc. I can't see them in such jobs.
@goin4glory like I said, a DOF will do no harm and be no worse than it seems now. So if there's only the risk of betterment, why not ?
DOF's job
1. Create "framework", which means?
2. Recreate network of great British scouts.
3. Do middle (5 years out?) and long term planning (10 years out?)
4. In charge of buying/selling players
5. Negotiating contracts
Manager's job
1. Coach existing players, except he has to do it to the DOF's framework (I guess this means that if the DOF wants 442, the manager plays 442?)
2. In charge of short term buying/selling -- except not really, because the DOF wants that budget for longer term
It looks like the manager's job would be for someone like Mike Phelan and the DOF would be for Mourinho. Rather than going to Gareth Southgate (not particularly extraordinary as a manager) to make the big decisions, and hiring the world class manager to handle day to day training.
Are you sure that's how DOF works?
hmm, no, I'm aware he knows the game, and loves the club, but so does Giggs/Scholes, all of them. No, he is too much of world wide celebrity, with other things and business plans on his mind.
How about Beckham + Rio or Gary Neville.Beckham? Hmmm, interesting, at first I thought this was an dumb suggestion, but transfer recruitment is such a major factor for the director position which Beckham with his level of respect in the game would be great at, but there are a lot of other facets of the job that would concern me with him, the day to day details and grind, not sure he would be up for it.
About fecking time.
Daft tweet text. Did City invent the DoF?