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

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2. By all accounts he’s done a very good job at Ajax, in a similar role. I doubt he would do any pressers.
Did he? How many 75 million pound acquisitions did he negotiate? How many inexpensive, young, world class defenders did he find?
Are you sure it's not just that's it's vds?
 
I hope we don’t muck up this appointment too, it’s a huge task to get us wining the league regularly again. Unfortunately it wouldn’t even surprise me if this takes ages to click or we hire the completely wrong person and start making horrible transfers while still winning nothing meaningful... what do we do then??
 
Christian Heidel from Schalke04 would be a smart acquisition. Spotted two brilliant coaches in Tuchel and Klopp. Has brilliant negotiation skills. Just needs a functioning scouting department to work in tandem.

Just hope we'll let someone else handle the contract extensions if we get Heidel. At Schalke he seems to forget about those.
 
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Van der Sar doesn't have a DoF role at Ajax. He was first marketing director, and now is CEO. Overmars as technical director is the one handling transfers and such. While Ajax have done very well financially under them, they haven't won the league in 4 years, if they don't win it this season Van der Sar will likely resign. He has hinted last season he'll do that if this trainer also doesn't work out. It's been kind of a shit show. Which even resulted in a falling out with Bergkamp last season, who they pushed out of the club.
 
What’s the chances that any DOF is a Jose man?
Almost nil, the DOF would probably someone who aligns with the "United way" with a view to the long term.
I'll love VDS a lot but will he leave Ajax ?
I'm not sure he would, he has a very deep connection with the club and whilst I'm sure he has very fond memories with United but he's at the top of Ajax and seemingly producing some good results, I doubt he'd leave at least not yet. That said I'm only speculating.
 
From what I've seen he's brought in alot promising talent,the most notable name being Justin Kluivert from AJAX.
Must be said though AS Roma's expectations (similiar to Mochi's last role at Sevilla) cant necessarily be aligned with United's, though that is depandant on what future route United want to take. Do we want to go through a phase of transition where,not only trophies,but a top 4 placement is in doubt even if we are progressing in the style fans want ? Certainly debatable.
Isn't Cengiz Under one of their better prospects? Not sure if that was under Monchi. Also, Kluivert really isn't in the top bracket of talents from what I've read.

Tbh, unless i've missed something, I haven't seen any astute transfers for Roma so far.
 
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Van der Sar doesn't have a DoF role at Ajax. He was first marketing director, and now is CEO. Overmars as technical director is the one handling transfers and such. While Ajax have done very well financially under them, they haven't won the league in 4 years, if they don't win it this season Van der Sar will likely resign. He has hinted last season he'll do that if this trainer also doesn't work out. It's been kind of a shit show. Which even resulted in a falling out with Bergkamp last season, who they pushed out of the club.

I don't follow the Eredivisie...how much of a competitive advantage does Ajax have over PSV and the rest of their rivals? Are they underperforming or have they just been passed up?
 
Van der Sar doesn't have a DoF role at Ajax. He was first marketing director, and now is CEO. Overmars as technical director is the one handling transfers and such. While Ajax have done very well financially under them, they haven't won the league in 4 years, if they don't win it this season Van der Sar will likely resign. He has hinted last season he'll do that if this trainer also doesn't work out. It's been kind of a shit show. Which even resulted in a falling out with Bergkamp last season, who they pushed out of the club.

Well that's not promising.
 
We should just get someone like Gary Neville. Has a clear vision on how we should play and I think would be good at picking out our weaknesses and assessing who can improve us etc.

Obviously has strong ties to the club too.
 
We should just get someone like Gary Neville. Has a clear vision on how we should play and I think would be good at picking out our weaknesses and assessing who can improve us etc.

Obviously has strong ties to the club too.

I'd be a bit wary of having any of the Co92 in on something like this.
 
We should just get someone like Gary Neville. Has a clear vision on how we should play and I think would be good at picking out our weaknesses and assessing who can improve us etc.

Obviously has strong ties to the club too.
But what does Neville know about transfers and finding hidden talent like other DOFs have proved their capable of, how do we know what sort of coach he might employ? His stint at Valencia didn't show him with an obvious footballing identity, the football they played was awful in all honesty. He gets the club, sure, but this is a huge role and I don't think I'd be comfortable with Neville there with such little experience.
 
Jose likes to buy older players at the top of their game, not coach younger ones to the top. If he is demoted to Head Coach and stuck with a transfer policy opposite to his requirements, he'll cause one hell of a stink as he leaves.
 
But what does Neville know about transfers and finding hidden talent like other DOFs have proved their capable of, how do we know what sort of coach he might employ? His stint at Valencia didn't show him with an obvious footballing identity, the football they played was awful in all honesty. He gets the club, sure, but this is a huge role and I don't think I'd be comfortable with Neville there with such little experience.

I don't really think his stint at Valencia is relevant to how he would or wouldn't perform in this particular role. I'm not saying we should give him the job obviously, merely just offering up another name for consideration.

You say you'd be concerned about his lack of experience but he already does oversee the running of Salford, to what extent I'm not exactly sure but he's got some experience at least.

Van Der Sar is a name that's mentioned a lot but what more experience does he have? He seems like one of the prime candidates depending on what you read/believe too.
 

Well beyond the fact that none of them are qualified for the role, I get that 'jobs for the boys' feeling off them, and their obvious concern for their brand. The campaign to get the Giggs the manager's job being the most obvious example.

Should probably note that I wouldn't include Nicky Butt in this, as he's generally kept his head down while doing a great job in his role.
 
He is Ajax's CEO, which basically involved being a DOF.
Overmars is the one that operates in the DOF role at Ajax. His official title is the technical director or something but he oversees transfers and that sort of thing.
 
Overmars is the one that operates in the DOF role at Ajax. His official title is the technical director or something but he oversees transfers and that sort of thing.
Yup, just read that. Hence why I deleted my post.
 
Van Der Saar because he is the most important man for a successful Ajax side.

Van der Sar doesn't have a DoF role at Ajax. He was first marketing director, and now is CEO. Overmars as technical director is the one handling transfers and such. While Ajax have done very well financially under them, they haven't won the league in 4 years, if they don't win it this season Van der Sar will likely resign. He has hinted last season he'll do that if this trainer also doesn't work out. It's been kind of a shit show. Which even resulted in a falling out with Bergkamp last season, who they pushed out of the club.

:D
 
I don't follow the Eredivisie...how much of a competitive advantage does Ajax have over PSV and the rest of their rivals? Are they underperforming or have they just been passed up?

If Ajax is run well they can win the Dutch league almost annually, and supporters expect them to. They currently make about 110-120 million euros a year compared to PSV's 80-90, even when not winning the league or playing CL. And the rest of the Dutch clubs is even lower. On top of that they have alot of money in the bank, they saved like 200 million euros or more, after already having paid off all their debt. That's the part they get praise for, making Ajax financially healthy, but thus far it hasn't shown on the pitch. This season is the first time they're spending some money without selling alot, with Blind and Tadic who no doubt get high wages by their standards too. Overmars and Van der Sar know it has to happen this season. But the manager they appointed seems to be a question mark still.
 
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If Ajax is run well they can win the Dutch league almost annually, and supporters expect them to. They currently make about 110-120 million euros a year compared to PSV's 80-90, even when not winning the league or playing CL. And the rest of the Dutch clubs is even lower. On top of that they have alot of money in the bank, they saved like 200 million euros or more, after already having paid off all their debt. That's the part they get praise for, making Ajax financially healthy, but thus far it hasn't shown on the pitch. This season is the first time they're spending some money without selling alot, with Blind and Tadic who no doubt get high wages by their standards too. Overmars and Van der Sar know it has to happen this season. But the manager they appointed seems to be a question mark still.
How would that translate to Man Utd? Would we change to a club that sold young players for profit also (if vds came here) to fund buys? That sounds like an even longer term plan without trophies that I thought.
 
How would that translate to Man Utd? Would we change to a club that sold young players for profit also (if vds came here) to fund buys? That sounds like an even longer term plan without trophies that I thought.

I have no idea. Ajax's transfers and spending isn't at all comparable to that of Man Utd. But Van der Sar wasn't really involved that much with that at Ajax even. Van der Sar's main success at Ajax has been making sponsor deals, and he's also acted as a spokesman for the club. Van der Sar studied sport management, and first became marketing director, so he could learn from the CEO at that time, all part of the plan for him to eventually take over as CEO, which he did in 2016. I don't get this DoF stuff at all, why he's linked for that job.
 
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DoF should be soneosowho has vast amounts if experience and who has a penchant fir bringing in players who can contribute to the club.
 
DoF should be soneosowho has vast amounts if experience and who has a penchant fir bringing in players who can contribute to the club.
In theory that's pretty much every signing that has ever been made by anyone.

The role should be to identify weaknesses in the team and find players in that position to improve the team.
 
Hope we have a look a Jon Rudkin. Will provoke derision I know but is the silent man overseeing Leicester City from the Championship to the Premier League title. Academy director there for 10 years, with caretaker first team manager cameos, then Director of Football from 2014 onwards; Steve Walsh was initially credited with the 2016 title win but funnily enough their recruitment efficiency doesn't seem to have changed since he left. Was just made a board member of Leuven by Leicester's famously ruthless owners so he must be doing something right.
 
VDS will surely not have the same strategy here as Ajax. The ambitions and targets of both clubs are different. Otherwise no point getting any DOF from outside the top clubs then. Monchi is also working for a non title challenging team.

It doesn't work like that imo. Each DOF changes his approach according to the club he's working at.
 
Hope we have a look a Jon Rudkin. Will provoke derision I know but is the silent man overseeing Leicester City from the Championship to the Premier League title. Academy director there for 10 years, with caretaker first team manager cameos, then Director of Football from 2014 onwards; Steve Walsh was initially credited with the 2016 title win but funnily enough their recruitment efficiency doesn't seem to have changed since he left. Was just made a board member of Leuven by Leicester's famously ruthless owners so he must be doing something right.

Yeah, Leicester have done some shrewd business. Kante, Maguire, Ndidi, Pereira, Maddison etc. If he was the brain behind that, he could be a good option.
 
VDS will surely not have the same strategy here as Ajax. The ambitions and targets of both clubs are different. Otherwise no point getting any DOF from outside the top clubs then. Monchi is also working for a non title challenging team.

It doesn't work like that imo. Each DOF changes his approach according to the club he's working at.

But Van der Sar isn't even working as a DoF, at least Monchi is. They do very different things at their clubs, not so much related to strategy, but to their tasks. Van der Sar has little to do currently with the football side of things, even though as a CEO he's responsible for the club as a whole.
 
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I have no idea. Ajax's transfers and spending isn't at all comparable to that of Man Utd. But Van der Sar wasn't really involved that much with that at Ajax even. Van der Sar's main success at Ajax has been making sponsor deals, and he's also acted as a spokesman for the club. Van der Sar studied sport management, and first became marketing director, so he could learn from the CEO at that time, all part of the plan for him to eventually take over as CEO, which he did in 2016. I don't get this DoF stuff at all, why he's linked for that job.
I just keep getting the idea that we're going to get some complete neophyte for a DoF, but a utd-related one, so people will be thrilled. Won't make the team play better and won't help transfers, but it will look like the club is doing something. (and no money involved)
 
But Van der Sar isn't even working as a DoF, at least Monchi is. They do very different things at their clubs, not so much related to strategy, but to their tasks. Van der Sar has little to do currently with the football side of things.

That doesn't mean he doesn't understand football very well.

Imo, anyone who understands both football and business will work for us.
 
That doesn't mean he doesn't understand football very well.

It doesn't mean he does understand football very well either. I'll take a proven track record as a DoF over a former top player any day. Van der Sar would be a better fit for a commercial job with his experience.
 
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It doesn't mean he does understand football very well either. I'll take a proven track record as a DoF over a former top player any day. Van der Sar would be a better fit for a commercial job with his experience.

I agree on the principle and will love having Monchi. My point is VDS will still be a very good choice too imo.
 
I feel like Jose will leave at the end of the season. And he wont be sacked. I hope the manage we get in suits the director.
 
I feel like Jose will leave at the end of the season. And he wont be sacked. I hope the manage we get in suits the director.

At least we still have money from last summer window budget so we can use that fund to cover compensation if we sack Jose right? But I hope we do when we found the perfect DOF and coach, I'd be so worried if we didn't find any coach after sacking Jose.
 
So... a DoF is meant to guard against managers having a short-term outlook in terms of signings? But what if fans demand success in the short term?
 
Van der Sar and Teti are unknown candidates in terms of being DoF. Can someone compare Monchi and Paratici? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Obviously Monchi is rather famous and rumored to be the top choice for the job.

Should the DoF be someone who understands the club, the heritage and culture?

PS: Weren't we looking to hire Monchi earlier? and he rejected us for Roma?
 
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