"Backing the Manager"

Adnan

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My error on Monaco v Lille. Not sure on Valdano, those other roles are different to a DoF but even ignoring that, Zidane credited Mou with his appointment after Valdano left:

‘Mourinho has been fundamental in this, and so has the President’

I’d add Valdano likely wasn’t a DoF because you can find a BBC article which suggests Zidane might take up some of his responsibilities after he left. Surely if Valdano was a DoF, Zidane would just replace him and wouldn’t have a different title? See below.

www.bbc.com/sport/football/14067827.amp

On your bolded point, that’s because Woodward had reportedly said no to a full time DoF which is the entire point of what I’m trying to tell you.
Valdano was the Sporting director/director general at Real Madrid, and Mourinho fell out with him because he (Mourinho) wanted more autonomy on the football side of the club like what occurs at English clubs. And Perez allowed Mourinho his wish.

And it's not a surprise that when he arrived at United he was allowed the luxury of having his own recruitment staff according to Jason Burt of the telegraph.
 

Crashoutcassius

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Agree. As much as people will hate it, the time has come to back murtough and Fletcher and the new deputy technical director in the transfer market, and not the new manager. These are the guy who will be here for the long term.

Before anyone says it, I also think we could improve that team. But it is the team going into this summer. They are the ones that needs to be backed. They picked new manager and should be given a chance to bring continuity to the club
 

Adnan

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The below is a report from the BBC about Mourinho wanting autonomy on the football side similar to what happens at English clubs after Valdano had queried his request to sign 'another striker' (sound familiar?) due to the injury to Higuain. Mourinho then stopped speaking to Valdano and started ignoring him.

BBC: "We have decided to end the contractual relationship with Jorge Valdano," said Real president Florentino Perez.

"Valdano's removal is part of a Real reorganisation that strengthens coach Jose Mourinho's position at the club."

"The pair fell out after Valdano queried Mourinho's request for another striker as cover for the injured Gonzalo Higuain earlier in the season."

"The experience of this just completed season demonstrated a need for more autonomy, including within the coaching unit," said Perez.

"Mourinho demanded an autonomy on the sporting side like that which works with English clubs. I think for the sake of the institution that this is a reorganisation that has to be done."

"We signed the best coach in the world, so we want to be sure that even when he leaves one day and we sign another of the world's best, the structure is there."

At a later media conference, Valdano revealed that he and Mourinho had not spoken "for a long time".

"I am not the one who turned Real Madrid into a battlefield," said the Argentine. "All my efforts this season were directed toward restraint.

"It has been a long time since I have spoken personally to Mourinho. We greet each other politely, but he sought to deal with people other than me.

"My responsibilities with the first team were reduced. I did not feel comfortable in that situation."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/13553663
 

tomaldinho1

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They are not different, the term DOF doesn't exist in Spanish or even french, if you are looking for that exact term you won't find it and none of them are defined differently anyway. Zidane wasn't appointed by Mourinho who never had the power to appoint someone at that level, Zidane was the president special advisor, he then became Valdano"s assistant and then he replaced Valdano in 2011, he was appointed by Perez and Sanchez.
When did I say Mou appointed Zidane? I made the point he obviously was open to bringing him in and the article specifically refers to his title as Director of Football for the 1st team. Which is different to Valdano’s title.

@Adnan post makes the article make sense, in that Zidane picked up some of Valdano’s role and not all (assuming not the parts Mou didn’t like).

I don’t see how any of this however distracts from the question I’ve asked you three times now about how can you say Woodward wanted a DoF when there is evidence to the contrary?
 

JPRouve

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When did I say Mou appointed Zidane? I made the point he obviously was open to bringing him in and the article specifically refers to his title as Director of Football for the 1st team. Which is different to Valdano’s title.

@Adnan post makes the article make sense, in that Zidane picked up some of Valdano’s role and not all (assuming not the parts Mou didn’t like).

I don’t see how any of this however distracts from the question I’ve asked you three times now about how can you say Woodward wanted a DoF when there is evidence to the contrary?
I told you that Woodward wasn't anti-DoF(which is what you claimed) and the evidence is that he created the role of DOF and gave it to Murtough. What more evidence do you need that he wasn't against it?

And I misread your post about the appointment.

Edit: Regarding titles, Valdano was the Director general deportivo for the Direccion Futbol which is the DOF. The DG at the time was already José Angel Sanchez which translate to the CEO. Now in their organigram Real Madrid simply put Direccion Futbol which is the name of department but they don't actually name the role, you can use whatever you want for it.
 
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tomaldinho1

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I told you that Woodward wasn't anti-DoF(which is what you claimed) and the evidence is that he created the role of DOF and gave it to Murtough. What more evidence do you need that he wasn't against it?
He literally said he wanted a DoF and then didn’t interview anyone for the entirety of LVG and Jose’s careers which is the period we’re talking about given your original comment. Don’t you think that’s slightly mixed messaging?

The fact he finally gave in and appointed someone internally without prior experience is hardly proof he was all for it.
 

JPRouve

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He literally said he wanted a DoF and then didn’t interview anyone for the entirety of LVG and Jose’s careers which is the period we’re talking about given your original comment. Don’t you think that’s slightly mixed messaging?

The fact he finally gave in and appointed someone internally without prior experience is hardly proof he was all for it.
Of course it's a mixed messaging but it makes sense when the eventual managers that he picked didn't really want to share power. You do realize that the vast majority of DoFs are appointed internally without prior experience? That's how they all start including at the highest level.
 

Roboc7

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The problem is the club has built a structure and appointed all these people without any clear plan and identity.

ETH will find himself in same scenario as other managers where he’ll be expected to have the plan and identity but then have people second guessing and disagreeing with him when he wants to buy/sell players. Until everyone is on same page we’re going to keep having issues with recruitment, selling players and new contracts.
 

Becks00

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The problem is the club has built a structure and appointed all these people without any clear plan and identity.

ETH will find himself in same scenario as other managers where he’ll be expected to have the plan and identity but then have people second guessing and disagreeing with him when he wants to buy/sell players. Until everyone is on same page we’re going to keep having issues with recruitment, selling players and new contracts.
If they do not have a plan or identity, then they wouldn't be going for ETH. I don't think Murtourgh and his team are perfect, but since they have been leading the direction of the first team ( Don't know anything about the overall football operations at the club) believe it's fair to say they've made fairly logical decisions. From appointing Rangnick, to retaining him as a consultant, to not panic signing any players in January and potentially appointing Ten Hag, I believe the kind of vision Murtourgh has for the first team can gradually be deduced.
 

Roboc7

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If they do not have a plan or identity, then they wouldn't be going for ETH. I don't think Murtourgh and his team are perfect, but since they have been leading the direction of the first team ( Don't know anything about the overall football operations at the club) believe it's fair to say they've made fairly logical decisions. From appointing Rangnick, to retaining him as a consultant, to not panic signing any players in January and potentially appointing Ten Hag, I believe the kind of vision Murtourgh has for the first team can gradually be deduced.
I think people get very carried away with Murtough, he simply doesn’t have the authority to be establishing any identity, reflected by his job title.

The vision will come from the manager not Murtough, he’s just helping to recruit the manager. The two leading candidates for the job are both every different which underlines the manager will have the plan and structure will support him. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, no one was raving about Liverpool’s structure until Klopp arrived, he pulled it all together and got the support to do it. That’s what we need, the idea we’ve built a structure to take power from the manager is misguided.
 

Adnan

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If they do not have a plan or identity, then they wouldn't be going for ETH. I don't think Murtourgh and his team are perfect, but since they have been leading the direction of the first team ( Don't know anything about the overall football operations at the club) believe it's fair to say they've made fairly logical decisions. From appointing Rangnick, to retaining him as a consultant, to not panic signing any players in January and potentially appointing Ten Hag, I believe the kind of vision Murtourgh has for the first team can gradually be deduced.
Tbh with you, it's not difficult to have a plan when it comes to identity. You just have to select what kind of football you want the team to play and then select the head coach for it.

And whether you want to play possession football with counter pressing capabilities or counter pressing football with very direct vertical capabilities, its fine as long as the aim is to play a proactive brand of football.

And a structure isn't there to take power away from the head coach but rather to empower him. So it's misguided to think otherwise, like the previous post suggested. Not aimed at you @Becks00
 

tomaldinho1

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Of course it's a mixed messaging but it makes sense when the eventual managers that he picked didn't really want to share power. You do realize that the vast majority of DoFs are appointed internally without prior experience? That's how they all start including at the highest level.
My dear fellow, regardless of whether I agree with that or not, why did he not hire a DoF despite ‘wanting’ one for over half a decade?
 

JPRouve

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My dear fellow, regardless of whether I agree with that or not, why did he not hire a DoF despite ‘wanting’ one for over half a decade?
You are the one who said that he was anti something. I simply told you several times that he was anti-nothing. Here is what I said, it's pretty clear and doesn't need more words.

They are spineless because instead of admitting that they were limited they have been blaming everyone else and are still doing it. It was their job to improve the scouting and recruitment team, as it was SAF's job to do it. And Woodward wasn't anti-DOF, he was pro giving the manager and fans what they asked until he had to sack the manager, it was of course a terrible way of leading a club but he wasn't anti anything.

We are not going to pretend that any of these managers wanted the influence of someone else above them or that a large part of the fanbase were and still are asking for the manager to be given all the power.
 

tomaldinho1

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You are the one who said that he was anti something. I simply told you several times that he was anti-nothing. Here is what I said, it's pretty clear and doesn't need more words.
If you want to know my reply, just read what I wrote to you after that. It’s very very clear he was never going to actually hire a DoF and only did so once pressure grew too much about 5 years after starting his search.
 

JPRouve

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If you want to know my reply, just read what I wrote to you after that. It’s very very clear he was never going to actually hire a DoF and only did so once pressure grew too much about 5 years after starting his search.
I don't want to know your reply.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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I'm not sure whether I should say this but Spurs are likely achieving top 4 now because they back Conte in January to improve their squad by signing Kulusevski and Betancur. While we and Arsenal didn't get anyone in January despite of losing players.
 

croadyman

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I'm not sure whether I should say this but Spurs are likely achieving top 4 now because they back Conte in January to improve their squad by signing Kulusevski and Betancur. While we and Arsenal didn't get anyone in January despite of losing players.
Yeah Spurs and Conte are definitely having the last laugh at both ours and Arsenal expenses