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

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John O'Kane,that's a blast from the past.

Anyway,I dont expect Fletch,or anyone for that matter,be the sole DOF but they will certainly be one of a small group of individuals working on a transfer committee at all levels.
Atleast with Fletcher you get a sense of listening to him he's on a similar wavelength with the fanbase but will his views amount to anything ? We just have to wait and see.
 

Kush

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Eh, not sure why people are surprised. Ed wanted a stooge all along who'd be DoF only in name. We've been linked with our ex-boys all along. Likes of Paul Mitchell would've told Ed to feck off if he tried to pull the same framework with him.

In a catena of wrong appointments, this is another wrong one.
 

Mainoldo

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Hopefully his first job is the advise Poch and Tunchel they might be a job opening sooner than they think.
 

Mainoldo

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Eh, not sure why people are surprised. Ed wanted a stooge all along who'd be DoF only in name. We've been linked with our ex-boys all along. Likes of Paul Mitchell would've told Ed to feck off if he tried to pull the same framework with him.

In a catena of wrong appointments, this is another wrong one.
I can see it now. Ed storms in.. Get me Gareth Bale!!!!!! Paul Mitchell slams desk tells him NO, we’re spending £6m on this kid from Hamburg who’s unverified on Instagram.
 

Sterling Archer

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Darren Fletcher as our Director of Football?

My initial reaction is incredulousness. What on Earth is the rationale here?

With some pause I think it's better than nothing...but really it's just Ed positioning others in the firing line before himself when things go from rock bottom to complete sh*t
 

Infra-red

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It really wouldn't surprise me,or anyone,if this whole set-up falls apart within a year.
I assume that Ole won't last the season and Phelan, Fletcher, Ferdinand and whoever else they bring in will all be swept aside by the new manager next summer.

We're living through our own version of the Liverpool 'boot room' phase circa 1994. I expect it will be equally successful, but this is probably just something we, as a club, have to get out of our system on the long road to recovery.
 

diarm

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I assume that Ole won't last the season and Phelan, Fletcher, Ferdinand and whoever else they bring in will all be swept aside by the new manager next summer.

We're living through our own version of the Liverpool 'boot room' phase circa 1994. I expect it will be equally successful, but this is probably just something we, as a club, have to get out of our system on the long road to recovery.
I was thinking this the other day but at least they only had us to contend with during their dark days. Rupert Murdoch didn't suddenly buy Everton and fill them with every Serie A 90's galactico he could find.

It's hard enough having to see a worthy enemy standing tall while you're at your lowest. But when the piss stained tramp next door wins the lottery the same week it really is a bit much.
 

ForestRGoinUp

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Can you imagine us hiring ol Fletch to direct our football operations? A few days after he hangs up the boots for Stoke City. Florentino, Txhiki and the like will be pissing themselves.
 

RuudTom83

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We need some sort of family tree diagram from the club to get our heads around this so called restructuring of the club.

All we have to go on are tweets from nobodies and a Gary Neville rant on MNF.
 

Maticmaker

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Poacher turned Gamekeeper approach!

Here's a thought, why not appoint one of the top players agents as our Director of Football? They would have the inside track on most players needs/wants, be able to speak to Ed Woodward in his own language and Ole could be confident that he would get the players he asked for?

No wait, these agents earn to much...we could never afford it!
 

AdNani

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Can you imagine us hiring ol Fletch to direct our football operations? A few days after he hangs up the boots for Stoke City. Florentino, Txhiki and the like will be pissing themselves.
What difference would it make where he finished his playing career ffs? Fletch has had a far more decorated career than say, Paul Mitchell? But it wouldn’t make him a better or worse DOF would it?
 

golden_blunder

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IF it is him, give the lad a chance ffs.
He’s shown in his career that he’s determined, doesn’t let adversity best him (fought serious illness) and you only have to listen to him to know that he’s intelligent and knows football. I fact his views have been echoed in these boards
 

joedirt87

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whoever gets the job I just hope it's been decided for awhile now, so that they have been working with the club behind the scenes to formulate a strategy for the Summer. That is probably not the case given all the rumors recently about former players being mentioned. Last thing we need is for the person who gets this position to take all Summer to get up to speed. players who are out need to be sold fast and early, and those coming in before preseason. Can't wait until late August to get players in when Ole wants to change how the team plays.
 

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IF it is him, give the lad a chance ffs.
He’s shown in his career that he’s determined, doesn’t let adversity best him (fought serious illness) and you only have to listen to him to know that he’s intelligent and knows football. I fact his views have been echoed in these boards
I reckon that you would find people on here that think the earth is flat as well.
He will be given a chance, the same as OGS will next season, but that does not mean one have to like the appointment. An appointment that only makes sentimental (fans) and self-serving (Woodward/board) sence, not much more.
 

ForestRGoinUp

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What difference would it make where he finished his playing career ffs? Fletch has had a far more decorated career than say, Paul Mitchell? But it wouldn’t make him a better or worse DOF would it?
It makes no difference. The point was that placing someone who has only just stopped playing the game this month, into a Director’s role in our front office, would be a joke.

Worse than a joke even. Sabotage.
 

golden_blunder

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I reckon that you would find people on here that think the earth is flat as well.
He will be given a chance, the same as OGS will next season, but that does not mean one have to like the appointment. An appointment that only makes sentimental (fans) and self-serving (Woodward/board) sence, not much more.
In your opinion. We don’t know yet what his mandate will be
 

AdNani

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It makes no difference. The point was that placing someone who has only just stopped playing the game this month, into a Director’s role in our front office, would be a joke.

Worse than a joke even. Sabotage.
Was it sabotage when Ajax hired Van der Sar? Was it Sabotage when Barca hired Pep? Madrid with Zidane?

You can’t judge until he’s preformed the Role. Just because he’s inexperienced doesn’t mean hes wrong. Van Gasl and Mourinho are hugely experienced
 

Fosu-Mens

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Would you cnuts give it a rest?

“Why is there no DOF?”

Potential DOF to be hired: “Why him??”

No end to complaints with some of you. Give whoever is hired a chance ffs
Because he is not a DoF. He does not have experience in the field.

We are going to appoint our first DoF, operating in a unstable environment, with a structure seeming not to be working, and with massive changed needed to be made in the squad. Appointing Fletcher does not meet the criterias needed for taking this job.

We will of course give him a chance...
 

mu4c_20le

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Can you imagine us hiring ol Fletch to direct our football operations? A few days after he hangs up the boots for Stoke City. Florentino, Txhiki and the like will be pissing themselves.
Txiki himself worked as a commentator for a few years before becoming director at Barca after hanging up his boots, Fletch already has punditry experience, not sure whats so funny?
 

ForestRGoinUp

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Was it sabotage when Ajax hired Van der Sar? Was it Sabotage when Barca hired Pep? Madrid with Zidane?

You can’t judge until he’s preformed the Role. Just because he’s inexperienced doesn’t mean hes wrong. Van Gasl and Mourinho are hugely experienced
Do I have it wrong that VDS spent at least a few years being groomed? And that’s at Ajax, a club with probably the best support system in Europe.

And the Pep and Zidane stuff again? Both of those guys would’ve been eaten alive if this Man United team was their first job. They walked into the best team’s in the world.
 

Fosu-Mens

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In your opinion. We don’t know yet what his mandate will be
Either way, does not make sense from a standpoint were one wants to improve our recruitement whatever his mandate may be.

If we already had someone experienced at the club performing the DoF/recruitement duties, and we brought in Fletcher to work under this person for 1/2 seasons to learn the grips. Or we already had a well run system in place, with clear roles. Then yes.

Bringing him into a mess, performing a role with no prior experience and expecting him to perform. Well, you are not setting him up to succeed.
 

AdNani

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Do I have it wrong that VDS spent at least a few years being groomed? And that’s at Ajax, a club with probably the best support system in Europe.

And the Pep and Zidane stuff again? Both of those guys would’ve been eaten alive if this Man United team was their first job. They walked into the best team’s in the world.
Bollox, under Rikjaard with the same players bar a few Barca were 3rd In the league. And under Benitez Madrid were poor as well. They were huge risks and they paid off
 

ArjenIsM3

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Look on the bright side. At least the club recognize the need for a DoF and are looking for the right man. This has probably been mentioned on here already but Ole pretty much confirmed this during his presser. From the MEN:

Technical director latest?
It will, the club will announce when they feel they have found the right man. Until then we will work under the same structure we have until now.
 

golden_blunder

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Do I have it wrong that VDS spent at least a few years being groomed? And that’s at Ajax, a club with probably the best support system in Europe.

And the Pep and Zidane stuff again? Both of those guys would’ve been eaten alive if this Man United team was their first job. They walked into the best team’s in the world.
Totally wrong. First of all he’s the CEO of Ajax not a lowly DoF, people seem to be getting very confused.

He went back to college and studied business and marketing then became marketing manager of Ajax for a few years before promotion to CEO.

Marc Overmars is actually DoF for Ajax.
 

golden_blunder

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Was it sabotage when Ajax hired Van der Sar? Was it Sabotage when Barca hired Pep? Madrid with Zidane?

You can’t judge until he’s preformed the Role. Just because he’s inexperienced doesn’t mean hes wrong. Van Gasl and Mourinho are hugely experienced
You mean Overmars not VDS
 

ForestRGoinUp

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Totally wrong. First of all he’s the CEO of Ajax not a lowly DoF, people seem to be getting very confused.

He went back to college and studied business and marketing then became marketing manager of Ajax for a few years before promotion to CEO.

Marc Overmars is actually DoF for Ajax.
I didn’t suggest VDS was DoF just that he gained some experience before taking on a big front office role. I guess the better question would’ve been did Overmars spend any time being groomed?
 

golden_blunder

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Just for clarity because it seems to be hard to grasp throughout this thread (and others)

VDS is CEO of Ajax

Marc Overmars is the DoF
 

Ballache

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IF it is him, give the lad a chance ffs.
He’s shown in his career that he’s determined, doesn’t let adversity best him (fought serious illness) and you only have to listen to him to know that he’s intelligent and knows football. I fact his views have been echoed in these boards
No no no, we need someone with experience just like VDS who had years of experience when Ajax hired him :rolleyes:
 

golden_blunder

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I didn’t suggest VDS was DoF just that he gained some experience before taking on a big front office role. I guess the better question would’ve been did Overmars spend any time being groomed?
Maybe I misunderstood you, but personally I don’t see what VDS has got to do with the conversation at all. He studied, took a marketing job and got promoted
 

golden_blunder

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I didn’t suggest VDS was DoF just that he gained some experience before taking on a big front office role. I guess the better question would’ve been did Overmars spend any time being groomed?
From Wiki:

In February 2005, Overmars became a shareholder of Go Ahead Eagles.[145] Two months later, he joined the club's supervisory board to deal with technical matters. Hans de Vroome, chairman of Go Ahead Eagles, said he was "more than satisfied" with Overmars' arrival, adding, "The board needs someone with a solid football background."[145]

In 2011, Overmars took up a position as youth coach of Ajax for one day per week.[146] At the end of the 2011–12 season, Overmars left his post at Go Ahead Eagles. He said, "I have been active on a voluntary basis at the club for seven years. That's a big time in my life."[147] The club's disappointing league form "accelerated" his decision.[147]

Overmars became director of football at Ajax in June 2012.[148]

So I guess the answer is no grooming by Ajax and limited experience of advising football matters
 

future2future

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What about Marcel Brands? Has a lot of experience, isn't a bandwagon kind of guy, did a solid job at PSV and is doing a good job at Everton. I think he would be a solid choice
 

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When VD Sar and Overmars took over, not a lot of people had faith in them here in The Netherlands. They made some questionable decisions as well and soon there were internal problems with Bergkamp and them as well. They got a lot of critique, but look where they're at now. I applaud every form of getting back legends into the club, even if it looks like a strange move at first.
 
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