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

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It would be a lot easier to have head coach rather than a manager, that way everyone would know where they stand and what their role is.
 

UnofficialDevil

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I'm not anti Scottish, I just wanted Moyes out.
Give it a rest! The DoF at Liverpool was not a 'name', promoted from within and look what has happened there. As long as Fletch ( or whoever), Ole and the Senior Scouts can work as a team the job will get done well. Someone remarked that the reason it works at 'Pool is because Klopp doesn't have an ego that gets in the way. I would think the same applies to Ole.
He had plenty of experience before he was signed by pool as dof. Fletcher has none
 

IrishRedDevil

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I seen Dan Asworth on TV once speaking to the BBC about his role at England and what’s required from a DOF etc. He spoke very well and seemed like an impressive guy who was getting a lot of praise for all his work behind the scenes. That was a couple of years ago.
 

bond19821982

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Ole , Fletcher , Carrick - we don't seem to learn anything. Go through another couple of years as transition .
 

Saf94

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Unpopular opinion. A DoF is just as liable to mess up the team as a manager if they aren’t the right fit. Mourinho was the most decorated manager in the world but couldn’t get it right, LVG one of the greatest of this generation likewise. Just because someone’s good doesn’t mean they fit.

I’d rather have someone like Fletcher who fits an actual vision than randomly assemble the best guys we can find with no plan or continuity.

A vision and plan is better than a random galactico type policy
 

Adnan

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I seen Dan Asworth on TV once speaking to the BBC about his role at England and what’s required from a DOF etc. He spoke very well and seemed like an impressive guy who was getting a lot of praise for all his work behind the scenes. That was a couple of years ago.
Ashworth looks the best candidate for the role of technical director by far, if his CV is anything to go by.
 

DomesticTadpole

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I seen Dan Asworth on TV once speaking to the BBC about his role at England and what’s required from a DOF etc. He spoke very well and seemed like an impressive guy who was getting a lot of praise for all his work behind the scenes. That was a couple of years ago.
Was he at WBA at one time?
 

Chesterlestreet

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When the DoF thing first started doing the rounds, Ashworth's name was mentioned, I recall. That was towards the end of last season, but obviously nothing seriously was done about it. Or you'd think, anyway. We may be a shambles, but I find it unlikely that he'd have turned us down to head to Brighton.

Anyway, this "glue" business doesn't sound like a DoF position at all, so there's that. Can't say I like it at first glance. Nothing against Fletcher, but I'm not sure a middle man (who doesn't deal with transfers) between Woody and the manager is what we need.

Unless it's just a minor role and we intend to hire someone else as well.
 

Dec9003

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Are sky right by saying Fletcher is pretty much the leading candidate for the job?
I honestly have no idea if he'd be any good or not.
What I don't understand is why we've left it this late, the season is over and the transfer window is looming; this should've been sorted out a while back.
 

JPRouve

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Are sky right by saying Fletcher is pretty much the leading candidate for the job?
I honestly have no idea if he'd be any good or not.
What I don't understand is why we've left it this late, the season is over and the transfer window is looming; this should've been sorted out a while back.
Around 264 people have been the leading candidate in the last 18 months. So my guess is no, they don't really have a clue.
 

Sopicmufc

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We could appoint Dong Fangzhuo as our director of football and it would still be an upgrade on Woodward. Really though there are two footballing models that every club should be copying now - Ajax or the Red Bull model at Leipzig (and Salzburg). These are the two most efficient organisations at identifying talent, maximising resources and having everyone at the club working on the same page.
 

Adnan

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It does look like Fletcher is gonna be working at the club in some capacity at the very least.
 

Dec9003

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Around 264 people have been the leading candidate in the last 18 months. So my guess is no, they don't really have a clue.
You're probably right, to be fair to Sky I doubt Woodward has a clue either. :nervous:
 

dave1956

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Can you just see the scene this time next year, Ole and Phelan have both left by mutual agreement, Darren Fletcher is our DOF., Woodward is interviewing a top of the tree, highly experienced manager for the new position. " You will of cause be working with our experienced DOF., Mr Darren Fletcher "., to which manager X replies " Darren who ". After Woodward has explained who Darren Fletch is, manager X " No thank you "., leaves room shaking head.
 

dutchred

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Can you just see the scene this time next year, Ole and Phelan have both left by mutual agreement, Darren Fletcher is our DOF., Woodward is interviewing a top of the tree, highly experienced manager for the new position. " You will of cause be working with our experienced DOF., Mr Darren Fletcher "., to which manager X replies " Darren who ". After Woodward has explained who Darren Fletch is, manager X " No thank you "., leaves room shaking head.
Why are people so against this? What experience did Marc Overmaas have when he became DOF at Ajax and see what a great job he has done
 

Garethw

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Please tell me that these Fletcher rumours have no substance?
 

Garethw

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Why are people so against this? What experience did Marc Overmaas have when he became DOF at Ajax and see what a great job he has done
Because United are in a fecking mess mate. We’ve just stupidly appointed an inexperienced/not good enough manager. We need stability and we don’t need another key appointment learning on the job.
 

Saf94

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Because United are in a fecking mess mate. We’ve just stupidly appointed an inexperienced/not good enough manager. We need stability and we don’t need another key appointment learning on the job.
We need vision and a long term plan. Ajax got guys like Overmars because they know the club and can continue the identity and see out the vision.

Our mistakes haven’t been getting ‘inexperienced’ guys, Mourinho and Van Gaal were 2 of the most experienced managers in the world. Those 2 guys set the whole vision for the club and Woodward just executed their plans. But they both failed because they tried to radically change the whole structure and identity of the club and it just didn’t work.

We need an actual plan and identity and getting guys who know the club is a good step towards it. It doesn’t matter what the plan is as long as we have a plan and execute it. If we wanted to be the next Ajax it would be good to get Overmars or Van Der Sar but if we’re trying to be a counter attacking direct team then getting those guys makes no sense. Everything needs to align to a proper vision and plan
 

dogwithabone

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One of my favourite United players of all time. Massively under rated. Ok, so this has nothing to do with this supposedly new role he’s being lined up for but why not him ? A more honest, hard working and credible footballer you could not find and those attributes alone are a fantastic starting point for Fletcher to embrace the job and make a success of it.

Too much emphasis in football is put upon appointing robots with a shed load of paper qualifications. Look at the England set up over the years, we’ve had old codgers with heaps of technical boxes ticked while instinctive football men watch from afar.

I, for one, would welcome on board a man who you know will do everything in his power to help restore the club to greatness.
 

bucky

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Seeing the thread title I thought Ralf Rangnick might have been an interesting candidate.
He obviously hasn't worked at a club of United's size and owing to the budgets of his clubs his transfer strategy has been centered around youth, so he would be a bit of a gamble in that regard but he pretty much built both Hoffenheim and Leipzig from scratch, so he has a successful experiences when it comes to building a functioning structure with a clear plan from scratch.
He's also fairly ruthless, demanding discipline from his players and not hesitating to take action when a coach can't deliver.
Coincidentally I thought of him as well today. I think he might be favourite choice, too. His approach and eye for younger players could work really well for United. Whether he would actually leave Leipzig is a different matter though.
 

passing-wind

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Realistically a solid director of football is the only good news we are going to get while Ole is the manager.

I can see us having a fantastic summer in terms of numbers and quality and still being inept next season due to the useless management we are being guided by.
 

Keeps It tidy

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Can you just see the scene this time next year, Ole and Phelan have both left by mutual agreement, Darren Fletcher is our DOF., Woodward is interviewing a top of the tree, highly experienced manager for the new position. " You will of cause be working with our experienced DOF., Mr Darren Fletcher "., to which manager X replies " Darren who ". After Woodward has explained who Darren Fletch is, manager X " No thank you "., leaves room shaking head.
A highly experienced manager would know who Darren Fletcher is.
 

manUfan2005

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At this point I don't care if it is Fletcher or somebody else. I just want that role created in our club and somebody appointed.
 

Castia

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The glue between the manager and the board? What the feck does that mean.

Nonsense. Sounds like Woodward wants somebody to take the heat off himself for being shite at his job.
 

manUfan2005

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At this point I don't care if it is Fletcher or somebody else. I just want that role created in our club and somebody appointed.
At pool Michael Edwards was head of performance and analysis before becoming director. I guess being some kind of game/performance analyst would definitely help at this position. Do we have somebody internal or a former player with this kind of experience/ability.
 

AdNani

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People love to criticise anything the club does, I guarantee if we got some one foreign in and he made a mess of it there would be people in here saying we should of went for someone who knows the club. Fletch always seems very intelligent, was obviously a very driven guy, knows football, knows the club.

But yeah, Banter Club blah blah
 

jem

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I love Darren Fletcher - fantastic player and seems like a great guy. That being said, he just wrapped his playing career this year. As such, it seems doubtful that he's had time to put in the necessary preparation that such a job would require. It just seems like one more hopeful punt from Woodward and co., one that they hope they will be able to leverage into hashtag-driven nostalgia.
 

Fanatic 00237

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People love to criticise anything the club does, I guarantee if we got some one foreign in and he made a mess of it there would be people in here saying we should of went for someone who knows the club. Fletch always seems very intelligent, was obviously a very driven guy, knows football, knows the club.

But yeah, Banter Club blah blah
People want the shiniest everything, owners, DoF, manager, players, tea lady. This place is in complete meltdown.
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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We need vision and a long term plan. Ajax got guys like Overmars because they know the club and can continue the identity and see out the vision.

Our mistakes haven’t been getting ‘inexperienced’ guys, Mourinho and Van Gaal were 2 of the most experienced managers in the world. Those 2 guys set the whole vision for the club and Woodward just executed their plans. But they both failed because they tried to radically change the whole structure and identity of the club and it just didn’t work.

We need an actual plan and identity and getting guys who know the club is a good step towards it. It doesn’t matter what the plan is as long as we have a plan and execute it. If we wanted to be the next Ajax it would be good to get Overmars or Van Der Sar but if we’re trying to be a counter attacking direct team then getting those guys makes no sense. Everything needs to align to a proper vision and plan
Not this nonsense again.

They didn't fail, because they didn't adhere to the 'United way' or they didn't 'get United'.

They failed, because BOTH were/are has been managers at the time we appointed them.
 
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