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

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roonster09

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Reading the article in The Athletic on Woodward, if just a quarter of those things are true then we are truly fecked with or without a DOF. There is no way such an attention seeking incompetent egomaniac and his cronies will deliver anything close to success at this club. Shocking arrogance and incompetence.
Yeah, if that article is close to truth then we are fecked.
 

roonster09

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So would Rangnick, a sporting director with a proven track record, be interested in an approach from Old Trafford? “I am happy where I am but if any club wanted to speak to me, the question would have to be: ‘Can I be somebody who can influence areas of development across the whole club?’ Otherwise you are only getting half of what I am capable of. If, after that, you can work together in a trustworthy and respectful way, then you are more likely to be successful.”

Rangnick understands the reluctance of some clubs to change a traditional set-up. “It’s always difficult to follow someone like Sir Alex Ferguson, who was so successful and in place for a long time – and that’s even harder if you are often changing coaches,” he says. “With every coaching change, the identity changes and this is reflected in the sporting development. You can look at the money that team has had available in the last five years and say there has been an underperformance.”

It is no coincidence, he adds, that the two teams currently dominating the Premier League have a clear playing style. “They have their identity and know what they need to develop, and so it’s no coincidence that they are dominating the league.”
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...interview-sporting-director-manchester-united
 

Fosu-Mens

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Ragnerick and Campos taking shots at Woodward and the higher ups at United. Must be a reason for them to be so vocal about it? And VDS saying that he might consider a return to the club. Hopefully there is something in this?
 

Sterling Archer

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Ragnerick and Campos taking shots at Woodward and the higher ups at United. Must be a reason for them to be so vocal about it? And VDS saying that he might consider a return to the club. Hopefully there is something in this?
Based on Ole's interview, this won't happen til we have a new manager and Ed finally accepting the need for it.
 

robinamicrowave

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What do you lot think about replacing Solskjaer with Allegri or Pochettino and sending Solskjaer upstairs to be DOF?
 

ivaldo

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What do you lot think about replacing Solskjaer with Allegri or Pochettino and sending Solskjaer upstairs to be DOF?
Sure, we can appointment me as head scout while we are at it. I've got as much experience as Ole has as DOF.
 

MadDogg

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Ragnerick and Campos taking shots at Woodward and the higher ups at United. Must be a reason for them to be so vocal about it? And VDS saying that he might consider a return to the club. Hopefully there is something in this?
VDS would be more of a future thing, and he'd probably be looking more at the job of CEO rather than DoF. Although not being a banker or otherwise directly involved in the financial world, I can't see the Glazer's being interested in him for that role.

The other two though, I'm hoping (most likely in vain) that perhaps the club have put out feelers to them and others.
 

red thru&thru

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Just imagine being the figure head to bring Manchester United back to competing for top competitions again? We are a massive draw and the prestige that comes a long with this is just massive. Guys like VdS, Rangnick & Campos would thrive at being the guys to bring United back to where they belong.

They are holding out the olive branch to Ed and the board. They're indirectly telling them where they're going wrong and what they could achieve at the club. There's no coincidence Rangnick mentions Lfc & City in the article.
 

Johan07

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Sure, we can appointment me as head scout while we are at it. I've got as much experience as Ole has as DOF.
Its a lot of semantics in threads like this. One could reflect upon how much Sir Alex actuallly was as much a DoF as a manager.
Did not coach trainings; Phelan or Quirouz did. Seems to be the same with OGS and the first team coaches McKenna/Carrick now.
Our manager role has always been pretty close to a DoF. Is there really that big of a difference?
We are a ltb different from other top-6 clubs like that; maybe with the exception of Arsenal under Wenger.
This is a much more complex question than just shouting "DoF in". Especially if you dont consider what a DoF really is.
We practically have one already now. We just name him manager instead.
(And I know that this does not really hold up, because our "managers" are much more involved in team selections and game management, but its still something to think about).
 
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Infra-red

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What do you lot think about replacing Solskjaer with Allegri or Pochettino and sending Solskjaer upstairs to be DOF?
I would be opposed. We signed three players in the summer who have done reasonably well thus far, but Solskjaer's overall record in the transfer market is utterly abysmal. He's not a man you'd want running recruitment:

http://josimarfootball.com/the-double-agent/
 

AneRu

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Its a lot of semantics in threads like this. One could reflect upon how much Sir Alex actuallly was as much a DoF as a manager.
Did not coach trainings; Phelan or Quirouz did. Seems to be the same with OGS and the first team coaches McKenna/Carrick now.
Our manager role has always been pretty close to a DoF. Is there really that big of a difference?
We are a ltb different from other top-6 clubs like that; maybe with the exception of Arsenal under Wenger.
This is a much more complex question than just shouting "DoF in". Especially if you dont consider what a DoF really is.
We practically have one already now. We just name him manager instead.
(And I know that this does not really hold up, because our "managers" are much more involved in team selections and game management, but its still something to think about).
This is precisely why we need a FOF as the manager's stay at the club is largely dependent on results and Sir Alex had that side covered which also gave him an untouchable status in dealings with the board. If Ole takes us into the bottom 3 he will have to be sacked and any new incoming manager will come with his new philosophy and demands.

Having a DOF, whilst not exactly the panacea, should allow us to be better in recruitment because the guy driving it will be doing so from an informed position. Would Woodward know the particular differences between managers to make the right decision wrt where we want to go as a club? Do we have anyone in the club with such competencies? The results are there to see, 4 managers post Fergie and close to billion pounds spent just have the worst start to the league in 30 years.
 

Johan07

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This is precisely why we need a FOF as the manager's stay at the club is largely dependent on results and Sir Alex had that side covered which also gave him an untouchable status in dealings with the board. If Ole takes us into the bottom 3 he will have to be sacked and any new incoming manager will come with his new philosophy and demands.

Having a DOF, whilst not exactly the panacea, should allow us to be better in recruitment because the guy driving it will be doing so from an informed position. Would Woodward know the particular differences between managers to make the right decision wrt where we want to go as a club? Do we have anyone in the club with such competencies? The results are there to see, 4 managers post Fergie and close to billion pounds spent just have the worst start to the league in 30 years.
Hey, I am one of those who are advocating a DoF.
But if you think its going to make that big of a difference you are fooling yourself. Look what is happening at Everton now, their fans have turned on their DoF instead of their manager. Its exactly what is going to happen here if we employ a DoF and we dont win things instantly. Its just changing names and hierarchy and the blame game will be placed somewhere else. Because the need of blaming someone is a normal reaction if your team does not perform.
That a DoF employment would be the solution to everything is a bit daft.
We would just switch the responsibilities around from the "manager" to what we would call the "DoF" instead.
And I disagree on the recruitment part as well. Our recruitment the nxt couple of years will be based on the clubs own and newly built scouting network. Can we judge them until in a couple of years. No, probably not. Its the exact right idea though. We need a scouting network and a youth setup that is the clubs own. Not the DoFs or the managers own setup. Those positions are interchangeble, the structure should not be. La Masia at Barca or Ajax youth setup; thats what we should try to emulate.
 

AneRu

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Hey, I am one of those who are advocating a DoF.
But if you think its going to make that big of a difference you are fooling yourself. Look what is happening at Everton now, their fans have turned on their DoF instead of their manager. Its exactly what is going to happen here if we employ a DoF and we dont win things instantly. Its just changing names and hierarchy and the blame game will be placed somewhere else. Because the need of blaming someone is a normal reaction if your team does not perform.
That a DoF employment would be the solution to everything is a bit daft.
We would just switch the responsibilities around from the "manager" to what we would call the "DoF" instead.
And I disagree on the recruitment part as well. Our recruitment the nxt couple of years will be based on the clubs own and newly built scouting network. Can we judge them until in a couple of years. No, probably not. Its the exact right idea though. We need a scouting network and a youth setup that is the clubs own. Not the DoFs or the managers own setup. Those positions are interchangeble, the structure should not be. La Masia at Barca or Ajax youth setup; thats what we should try to emulate.
The DOF isn't a panacea to our problems I have already said that but the problem with a manager led structure is that when he is sacked the club will have to start over again. With a DOF the long term plan doesn't change regardless of who is manager.

If the hiring is done well then all aspects of the club will be looking towards satisfying a set vision. The youth team set up would be structured to match up with the ethos the first team is trying to achieve. I am sure that with our spending ability, some of the players we do have now and the youth coming up our route up isn't as hard as we believe however we need to start making the right decisions and having an experienced football executive contributing to those decisions will help us a lot.
 

croadyman

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Utterly ridiculous that Utd aren't any closer to appointing a DOF. We need someone in place to appoint a manager to fit how Utd want to play. Maybe then we can actually buy players to fit that system and also experienced coaches to fit it too.
 

red thru&thru

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Utterly ridiculous that Utd aren't any closer to appointing a DOF. We need someone in place to appoint a manager to fit how Utd want to play. Maybe then we can actually buy players to fit that system and also experienced coaches to fit it too.
Yep. Guys like Rangnick and Campos have even thrown themselves at us (not literally).
 

liamp

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"I am happy where I am, but if any club wanted to speak to me, the question would have to be: 'Can I be somebody who can influence areas of development across the whole club?' Otherwise you are only getting half of what I am capable of. If, after that, you can work together in a trustworthy and respectful way, then you are more likely to be successful.
Unless something's changed in what Woodward's looking for, this one doesn't sound believable. Rangnick's the head of sport for all the RB teams right now...it'd be a major downgrade in responsibility for him to take a glorified head recruiter role.
 

devilish

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What do you lot think about replacing Solskjaer with Allegri or Pochettino and sending Solskjaer upstairs to be DOF?
Do we need a DOF to discover Maguire and take suggestions from Giggs regarding James?
 

Adnan

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He's turned Bayern down due to possibly not being given the responsibility he desires? It's time for United to give this chap free reign and get him in. It's time to shine Woody and Honigstein did report we were monitoring the situation with him closely.

 

Inigo Montoya

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The caretaker/DoF problem would be solved.

And then what? Who follows him? There has to be continuity in style and strategy or it will be more wasted seasons implementing new players etc. God knows we’ve wasted enough time...

If Rangnick is appointed it needs to be for 3 years or as DOF. I can’t see the sense in a “caretaker”
 

AneRu

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Unless something's changed in what Woodward's looking for, this one doesn't sound believable. Rangnick's the head of sport for all the RB teams right now...it'd be a major downgrade in responsibility for him to take a glorified head recruiter role.
I think when Ole is inevitably sacked something will definitely change, can't see Woodward continuing with his role unaltered after a fourth expensive sacking that has set the club back. The club's wage bill and transfer fees paid are ridiculously high for the performance we have had and a review should be undertaken. After Jose there were murmurings of a DOF being brought in before a permanent manager was appointed, I think we will return to that thinking after Ole. The Glazers want money and to make money you need efficiency so I don't think its beyond the Glazers/board to do some research or just speak to a few experienced heads in the game to get an independent opinion of why things are so horrible even after spending close to a billion pounds on players. Nearly every person with a brain in football knows what United need and after a 4th failure Woodward won't be able to avoid this for much longer if he survives.
 

El Zoido

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You’d better hope we lose every game from now until Christmas because that’s the only way Ole is getting sacked any time soon.
 

el3mel

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And then what? Who follows him? There has to be continuity in style and strategy or it will be more wasted seasons implementing new players etc. God knows we’ve wasted enough time...

If Rangnick is appointed it needs to be for 3 years or as DOF. I can’t see the sense in a “caretaker”
No manager should get a guaranteed number of years. He does well in first season he gets more time, otherwise he leaves, as for the plan, it should be done by the club not the manager in charge, and the manager should be following it.
 

Cassidy

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And then what? Who follows him? There has to be continuity in style and strategy or it will be more wasted seasons implementing new players etc. God knows we’ve wasted enough time...

If Rangnick is appointed it needs to be for 3 years or as DOF. I can’t see the sense in a “caretaker”
He would pick the manager just like he did at Liepzeg
 

AneRu

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And then what? Who follows him? There has to be continuity in style and strategy or it will be more wasted seasons implementing new players etc. God knows we’ve wasted enough time...

If Rangnick is appointed it needs to be for 3 years or as DOF. I can’t see the sense in a “caretaker”
I think he means caretaker manager and then permanent DOF after the end of the season. The guy is literally throwing himself at Woodward's feet but Woodward is more concerned with saving face after the Ole debacle, six weeks before the winter window is the right time to draw the line on this disaster and start moving forward.
 

dove

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And then what? Who follows him? There has to be continuity in style and strategy or it will be more wasted seasons implementing new players etc. God knows we’ve wasted enough time...

If Rangnick is appointed it needs to be for 3 years or as DOF. I can’t see the sense in a “caretaker”
What style exactly? We currently have no style. Strategy should not be dependant on the manager, it should come from the club. And no, he does not need 3 years, can we stop this nonsense that Ed has invented? You don't get a free pass for 3 years at any other club in the world, you are doing shit work you are out, that's how it should be.
 

Hambley

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I believe that DOF will never be appointed under Glazers. This summer was a crucial moment if to appoint him or not. It was clear we desperately needed him to regularize our situation, avoide disastrous transfers in future and make a conclusion about mistakes in past. DOF wasn't appointed so that comes Glazers don't see any problem about current situation and will never change their strategy. That's one of the reasons why I take so called "rebuilding" as a total lie. They feed us with fake abstract cliches and try to throw dust in the fans eyes to pacify thier anger. Unfortunately, it really works for many fans.
 
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Adnan

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And then what? Who follows him? There has to be continuity in style and strategy or it will be more wasted seasons implementing new players etc. God knows we’ve wasted enough time...

If Rangnick is appointed it needs to be for 3 years or as DOF. I can’t see the sense in a “caretaker”
Getting this particular individual makes alot of sense regards the longterm. Getting him in as caretaker with a view to then making him DoF would pave the way for either Rose or Nagelsmann to take up the Head Coach position. Rangnick would assess the team from a DoF/coaching stand point which would be hugely beneficial to the Head Coach he wants taking the role. Rangnick would also have looked at what positions need strengthening, which would be very beneficial for us as a club and him as a DoF.
 
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do.ob

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I believe that DOF will never be appointed under Glazers. This summer was a crucial moment if to appoint him or not. It was clear we desperately needed him to regularize our situation, avoide disastrous transfers in future and make a conclusion about mistakes in past. DOF wasn't appointed so that comes Glazers don't see any problem about current situation and will never change their strategy. That's one of the reasons why I take so called "rebuilding" as a total lie. They feed us with fake abstract cliches and try to throw dust in the fans eyes to pacify thier anger. Unfortunately, it really works for many fans.
The Glazers should be the first ones to welcome someone like Rangnick, who as a one man unit ruthlessly works his way through the club reforming/building structures. Who stands for great scouting and cost efficient transfers. Installing a distinct philosophy that gives his clubs a clear identity and gives them to continuity. He's already built two clubs (Hoffenheim, Leipzig) from scratch.
I think as a dof his biggest problem is that he's quite authoritative, especially being quite a capable coach himself. Which can cause friction with high profile coaches who have a mind of their own, but if I were the Glazer's I'd gladly take that risk to take the chance of him giving the club some much needed structure.
 
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AneRu

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I believe that DOF will never be appointed under Glazers. This summer was a crucial moment if to appoint him or not. It was clear we desperately needed him to regularize our situation, avoide disastrous transfers in future and make a conclusion about mistakes in past. DOF wasn't appointed so that comes Glazers don't see any problem about current situation and will never change their strategy. That's one of the reasons why I take so called "rebuilding" as a total lie. They feed us with fake abstract cliches and try to throw dust in the fans eyes to pacify thier anger. Unfortunately, it really works for many fans.
The Glazers' objective is clearly to make money and to make enough or to grow the value of the club the team has to meet a certain level of performance and Woodward states the performances they expect to achieve; I believe its at least 3rd in the league and to be in the K.O stages of the CL. That's their optimum performance level and anything more is a bonus and they usually sack guys who fail to qualify for the CL. That the club has failed to reach or maintain those targets is not for lack of trying its simply failure.

We have the biggest wage bill in the League and maybe the 3rd or 2nd highest in Europe and we are the 2nd biggest spenders after City over a five or six year period. That's something that is done by someone who doesn't care but by someone who cares but doesn't know what to do. I believe that Woodward enjoys, far too much for the club's good, the thrill and glamour of the transfer business and seeing his name being associated with huge deals hence the occasional leaks during the summers of Woodward leaving tours to accelerate transfer dealings. Their error has been to overindulge him on this, something he is clearly not good at and could have been simply solved by confining him to the commercial side of the business and bringing in someone to head the football side. That decision was seemingly made when we sacked Jose but Ole's bright start allowed Woodward to convince the Glazers otherwise and avoid making the necessary changes.
 

red thru&thru

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We should give Rangnick the managers job till the end of the season. Do all we can to bring in Mitchell as head recruiter (hopefully would be easier to convince him as we'd have Rangnick). Then at the end of the season, move Rangnick to DoF and lure Marco Rose in. Even if not Rose, I'm sure between Mitchell and Rangnick, they would know a good coach to bring in.
 

AneRu

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We should give Rangnick the managers job till the end of the season. Do all we can to bring in Mitchell as head recruiter (hopefully would be easier to convince him as we'd have Rangnick). Then at the end of the season, move Rangnick to DoF and lure Marco Rose in. Even if not Rose, I'm sure between Mitchell and Rangnick, they would know a good coach to bring in.
This.
 

Roboc7

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Rangnick would be good appointment as DOF or whatever title is. But he’d only come if given full control and would straight away want new staff and to create new roles.

That would mean Ed’s football experts being sacked or pushed aside. His University mate Judge would be first casualty and Ed himself would lose control and involvement.

There is little interest in appointing any person in this role but zero interest in someone like Rangnick. Despite failing everyone wants to continue in their roles, there’s no accountability or desire for change.
 

JPRouve

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Rangnick would be good appointment as DOF or whatever title is. But he’d only come if given full control and would straight away want new staff and to create new roles.

That would mean Ed’s football experts being sacked or pushed aside. His University mate Judge would be first casualty and Ed himself would lose control and involvement.

There is little interest in appointing any person in this role but zero interest in someone like Rangnick. Despite failing everyone wants to continue in their roles, there’s no accountability or desire for change.
This is a pet peeves of mine. Judge main job is as a subaltern of Baty, he is in charge of equity and debt management and there is literally nothing that can see Woodward lose control or involvement since he is the CEO. Now the reason why Judge ended up with the transfer negotiations is because Bolingbroke left the club for Inter, which led Woodward to do it for one window and he then got rid of it. Also nothing suggests that a DOF wouldn't use Judge in the same capacity, someone like Judge is merely a water carrier, he only follows instructions.
 
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