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

[Castia]

A chief scout isn't a DOF and why Juventus let him go since they decided a year later to let Marotta go and promote their DOF?

Well what is required to be a DoF and why is almost all our links to the job not currently in DoF roles? (Phelan, Butt etc)

I believe most DoF positions are filled by people with great player knowledge and an understanding of how the side wants to play two things somebody in a top scouting/player recruiting role would know.

United aren’t looking for a true DoF anyway, Woodward won’t give that amount of power to an outsider. He wants a yes man who will basically take the heat for his shortcomings.

 

[JPRouve]

Well what is required to be a DoF and why is almost all our links to the job not currently in DoF roles? (Phelan, Butt etc)

I believe most DoF positions are filled by people with great player knowledge and an understanding of how the side wants to play two things somebody in a top scouting/player recruiting role would know.

United aren’t looking for a true DoF anyway, Woodward won’t give that amount of power to an outsider. He wants a yes man who will basically take the heat for his shortcomings.

What is required is analytical, managerial and organizational skills, have the ability to create and implement a plan for the short, medium and long term. You need peoples skills that will allow you to create and maintain a certain culture within the organization and bring people that contributes positively to it, you also need to be good at networking and negotiating. A DOF is part of management, a scout isn't.

Maybe Ribalta had the competences but neither of us have a clue about it.

 

[golden_blunder]

If Edwin van der Sar is interested, it would bring in a hard working football man, also with business skills and lot of experience.

Amazing work in Ajax. Would fit Ole`s style and build a great academy.

Yeah but that’s Marc Overmars job, VDS is the CEO

 

[glazed]

United aren’t looking for a true DoF anyway, Woodward won’t give that amount of power to an outsider. He wants a yes man who will basically take the heat for his shortcomings.

This appears to be accurate. Fundamentally the problem remains what it has always been - the Glazers have a different set of priorities to the fans.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Yeah but that’s Marc Overmars job, VDS is the CEO

I know. Why don't we get rid of Ed Woodward and make VDS our CEO.

 

[golden_blunder]

I know. Why don't we get rid of Ed Woodward and make VDS our CEO.

Because Ed is a financial wizz?

What they should do is split Ed’s job into finance and football - hire someone to be the football head man

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Because Ed is a financial wizz?

What they should do is split Ed’s job into finance and football - hire someone to be the football head man

That would make sense. Ed is probably like most football fans, thinks he knows who United should buy.

 

[croadyman]

There is a video interview with Mitten on Twitter where he says he can't see Phelan being appointed as DOF, more worryingly he also says Utd have been approached by the best DOF's around the world and have been told they are not interested in implementing this strategy.

I really hope that there is no truth in this at all but looking at how badly this club is run I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest.

 

[Maradona10]

There is a video interview with Mitten on Twitter where he says he can't see Phelan being appointed as DOF, more worryingly he also says Utd have been approached by the best DOF's around the world and have been told they are not interested in implementing this strategy.

I really hope that there is no truth in this at all but looking at how badly this club is run I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest.

Woodward will not give away power. His briefings are just to appease the fans. At best he is gonna employ a puppet dof.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

There is a video interview with Mitten on Twitter where he says he can't see Phelan being appointed as DOF, more worryingly he also says Utd have been approached by the best DOF's around the world and have been told they are not interested in implementing this strategy.

I really hope that there is no truth in this at all but looking at how badly this club is run I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest.

There's some truth in this, how much I have no idea. It was mooted on a 5Live discussion just after the PSG game where some pretty knowledgeable pundits did state that Utd seemed to have no idea what they want.

How much truth there is in the above statement, was not mentioned but it shows the lack of direction the club seems to have.

They may shock the world by a sudden announcement but I'm not holding my breath...

 

[Chesterlestreet]

I don't see what the owners have to lose by appointing a DoF. And the "they've gone full Arsenal" argument makes no sense. Relying 100% on the manager has been hit and miss for them post Fergie, it's not like they have a model in place which all but guarantees that 4th place trophy. Competition for said trophy is pretty stiff and not likely to get less so in the foreseeable.

A DoF works within limits set by budgets and overall "visions". You can do an Arsenal with a DoF. In fact, doing an Arsenal should be easier with a reliable DoF in place.

To be clear, I'm not saying we are doing - much less that we should do - an Arsenal, merely that the argument some people vaguely put forth - i. e. that the Glazers having no ambitions beyond 4th explains why they won't hire a DoF - doesn't make sense to me.

 

[captain666]

Typically, you know what a role is before you try to fill it.

Methinks the Board have no idea what the role entails!

 

[captain666]

They obviously aren’t serious about the position we had the perfect candidate walk out to fecking Zenit because he had zero input.

Woodward wants a yes man who he can control, a high profile director won’t stand for that hence they are looking to appoint from within.

Thats exactly why none of the Eurpean DoF's are interested in the job!

 

[roonster09]

Can I just put the name Darren Fletcher down as DOF?

Apparently he had a very successful meeting today regarding the vacancy.

Well done. Telegraph reporting this story now.

 

[KM]

Take a bow @Cheesesandwich

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...-part-revamped/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Caf's first ITK

 

[Cee90]

Why do we think Fletcher would be a good fit for the role?

 

[Adnan]

Seems like we're following a similar route to Barcelona if we bring Fletcher in.

 

[DanClancy]

There is a video interview with Mitten on Twitter where he says he can't see Phelan being appointed as DOF, more worryingly he also says Utd have been approached by the best DOF's around the world and have been told they are not interested in implementing this strategy.

I really hope that there is no truth in this at all but looking at how badly this club is run I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest.

I heard the interview, if thats the case the club must have someone in mind already and are probably waiting until the end of the season to name him.

 

[liamp]

Why do we think Fletcher would be a good fit for the role?

Knows the club.

 

[Maradona10]

Knows the club.

Next we ll hire Dong manucho and bebe as coaches cause you guessed it...

 

[JinnerJamie]

Next we ll hire Dong manucho and bebe as coaches cause you guessed it...

Dong and Manucho on finishing training and Bebe on crossing

 

[Roboc7]

I think whoever gets this job it will be Judge, Murtough and Woodward still running the show with input from Ole.

They don’t want someone like Paul Mitchell to run the scouting or Andrea Berta as a DOF, if they did it would be done by now. They just want some co-ordinator with little power.

I’d have no problem with Fletcher being part of some restructure but there needs to be someone competent running the show and there won’t be, just like there hasn’t been.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

I think whoever gets this job it will be Judge, Murtough and Woodward still running the show with input from Ole.

They don’t want someone like Paul Mitchell to run the scouting or Andrea Berta as a DOF, if they did it would be done by now. They just want some co-ordinator with little power.

I’d have no problem with Fletcher being part of some restructure but there needs to be someone competent running the show and there won’t be, just like there hasn’t been.

Mitchell has said he’s going to make a decision at the end of the season
At the moment he’s not even a DOF and we have Bout as global scout. So the DOF Would be a promotion.

As for anyone else it’s probably too late if they’re happy in their jobs

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Dong and Manucho on finishing training and Bebe on crossing

I would bet on Bebe to cross the Mersey in a steamer

 

[Roboc7]

Mitchell has said he’s going to make a decision at the end of the season
At the moment he’s not even a DOF and we have Bout as global scout. So the DOF Would be a promotion.

As for anyone else it’s probably too late if they’re happy in their jobs

Mitchell and Berta do different jobs, we’ve no idea what one we are actually recruiting for. My point is we don’t want someone with that level of competence or skill set and reality is they probably wouldn’t want to work under our current conditions.

The football side of the club isn’t going to get preference over the commercial side that’s the United way now and they don’t want anyone to rock the boat.

 

[Gator Nate]

I totally agree but you initially said that our structure was the fruit of the club being a business which is wrong, our organization is old school british which in today's game is in my opinion reckless. If the Glazers treated the club as a serious business they would have changed the structure a long time ago and they would be a lot more ruthless particularly when it comes to contract management. Clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham are businesses and they are managed totally differently from a structural standpoint but also in the way finances are controlled.

I personally suspect that the Glazers like smooth sailing and have been reluctant to rock the boat which is why they kept that structure that is very unfamiliar for American sports owners and it's worth remembering that they don't use it for the Bucs, they have the same top heavy structure that you would find in continental or american clubs.

One man: Jason Licht. He's our Ed Woodward. Without the business acumen.

But the General Manager doesn't lead the team like an English football manager would, that's the head coach's job. Which, in Licht's case, means his role is defined as exactly what everyone accuses Woodward of doing.

In the end, you get the same result. There's lots of fans that wish anyone else owned the Bucs. The longer they keep Licht, the more I'm one of them.

 

[TMDaines]

Why do we think Fletcher would be a good fit for the role?

We don’t necessarily, but it’s such a niche role that you can’t just limit potential candidates to those who have done the role or similar elsewhere.

 

[Foxtrot]

This has been going on forever. Let's just bump this only if there are concrete news.

 

[Tincanalley]

Woodward will not give away power. His briefings are just to appease the fans. At best he is gonna employ a puppet dof.

Yep. This is the horror scenario, and looks to be nail on head.

 

[crossy1686]

Next we ll hire Dong manucho and bebe as coaches cause you guessed it...

You don't have to be Messi to be good at other things in life. Fletcher might make a great DoF!

 

[Al-T]

Well what is required to be a DoF and why is almost all our links to the job not currently in DoF roles? (Phelan, Butt etc)

I believe most DoF positions are filled by people with great player knowledge and an understanding of how the side wants to play two things somebody in a top scouting/player recruiting role would know.

United aren’t looking for a true DoF anyway, Woodward won’t give that amount of power to an outsider. He wants a yes man who will basically take the heat for his shortcomings.

This is my fear. That the DoF becomes just a 'marzipan layer' of bureaucracy between Ole and Woodward with no real authority but insulating the latter and his puppet masters from the ire of the fans.

I can only see that leading to more confusion and inertia. Real, effective, structural change requires the departure of the Glazers.

 

[Stobzilla]

Why do we think Fletcher would be a good fit for the role?

I'll take this.

Fletch has always been someone who has thought out the game, he has been involved in coaching from a relatively young age when he was out with his illness. He has been said to be a "student of the game" type of person.

Now, I wouldn't have had guys like Overmars or Van Der Sar down as people who.would be good at their respective jobs, but here we are and Ajax are resurgent. The same may not happen with us but this could be as good an appointment as any.

 

[Tyrion]

This appears to be accurate. Fundamentally the problem remains what it has always been - the Glazers have a different set of priorities to the fans.

I think that's a bit simplistic. They've spent plenty of money so I think the issue is their competence, not their priorities (though I'm not disagreeing that their priority is money). If they just wanted to coast on commercial deals, why is the wage bill so high?

Because Ed is a financial wizz?

What they should do is split Ed’s job into finance and football - hire someone to be the football head man

Seems the obvious choice. If a single centre back was asked to do the job of two, he'd fail. The solution isn't to sell him but to get another and give the first a reasonable workload.

 

[glazed]

I think that's a bit simplistic. They've spent plenty of money so I think the issue is their competence, not their priorities (though I'm not disagreeing that their priority is money).

The two go together. They don't care about football so neither does Woodward. They spend enough to keep us in the top four but no more. The rest they take as profit. They are parasites.

 

[Cee90]

I'll take this.

Fletch has always been someone who has thought out the game, he has been involved in coaching from a relatively young age when he was out with his illness. He has been said to be a "student of the game" type of person.

Now, I wouldn't have had guys like Overmars or Van Der Sar down as people who.would be good at their respective jobs, but here we are and Ajax are resurgent. The same may not happen with us but this could be as good an appointment as any.

Fair enough.

I'm not saying that I think Fletcher would be a bad appointment, but a part of me does fear we may be going a bit over the top in regards to bringing in ex employees who supposedly know about 'the United way'.

A part of me wanted to bring in someone who has prior experience and clout in the role already, as they are likely to have good contacts throughout the game and can hit the ground running.

Anyway, time will tell if he does a good job.

 

[scotty18]

I actually think it would be great appointment, it’s an Ajax, Bayern Munich, Barcelona style move.

Take a look at Dortmund to see what an ex player can do in sporting director role.

Why would you united ever want to move away from what made them successful, and academy lads and the coaches associated with that academy understand what it takes for us to be successful.

We tried to go down a route of experienced outsiders trying to bring us success and it failed.

Ferguson’s dream was ex united players in decision making positions within the club. His dream didn’t lead us far wrong in the past.

 

[Maradona10]

You don't have to be Messi to be good at other things in life. Fletcher might make a great DoF!

This club is not a local community club for retired. Its a professional position and should be run by one of best in world. Not just some ex player using hit and trial.

 

[KM]

This club is not a local community club for retired. Its a professional position and should be run by one of best in world. Not just some ex player using hit and trial.

There are loads of examples of ex players coming back to their clubs as sporting directors and doing well.

 

[crossy1686]

This club is not a local community club for retired. Its a professional position and should be run by one of best in world. Not just some ex player using hit and trial.

How do you know Fletcher hasn't got the potential to be a great DoF? Most jobs outside of football aren't dependant on your footballing ability you know? Most of us would never work otherwise.

 

[roonster09]

This club is not a local community club for retired. Its a professional position and should be run by one of best in world. Not just some ex player using hit and trial.

How do you know he doesn't have the qualification or the knowledge to do so? All the best DoFs and most of their best work was done when they were promoted from within or someone who spent time at the club.

Mochi was some kind of hipster hero, now he did a shit job at Roma and was removed, same with Arsenal and Dortmund guy. Just because some DoF did good job at 1 club doesn't mean they are fit for all clubs.