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

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Pav1878

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How much of that is actually down to VDS? I don't know enough about Ajax.

Either way, I want him at United. I don't know if it's because when I look at him I'm reminded of a sure, calming presence because he was our keeper though.
Exactly this. He just seems like an assured guy, who is measured and diligent in his approach, which is what we desperately need.
 

ti vu

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:houllier: that was completely his own doing by buying Mahrez. I don't see how you read that interview the way you did. He has an extremely good track record of promoting good youth players and actually has a philosophy behind his methods. Also his comments on transfer deadline day is encouraging too.
The expectation is different. City expectation is clearly winning everything out there. Mahrez as underwhelming as he has in comparison to the expectation of him, is a proven player in PL and also a PL winner. Sterling of last few seasons had issue with finishing. Sane being young and inconsistent in decision making. He was on the bench more this season. Even Pep realizes you can't flood first team with young players and still expect to go for everything. Remember that infamous protest with empty bench Pep pulled to make a statement?

Shalke was supposed to be this stable financial backed team with good academy system. Guess what? Dortmund on the brink of bankruptcy turning around and now is richer, and a preferred destination of players breaking in first team. Here and there Shalke couldn't even stand as third best team in Bundesliga. Not exactly impressive.

Shalke can promote youth easily because they don't really have big ambition. Guess what? Their players, even Mesut Ozil became top player at Werder Bremen when Bremen was in promp! This whole situation sounds like West Ham of the early 00s before their relegation than even Tottenham or Arsenal.

The DOF we need for most is to work with the mananger to improve the first team level first and foremost to get back to be a top club. Getting short term transfer in & out right. Then starting looking at long term. The whole long term without any plan for short term was what got us into this situation in the first place. We weren't short of young talents promotion in our rank and buying players in good age in recent times. Problem is there is no leader in the team since the leaders weren't properly replaced. Sound like a ploy to spend less by Woodward and return of no value in the market policy.

So yeah, read that interview and compare to Monchi's again. This guy sounds like he doesn't understand different expectation at all. He doesn't understand the PL. Moyes version of DOF?
 
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eltigreFalcao

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As much as I admire and respect VDS, I dont really see him thriving in a DoF kind of role at United. First of all is not what he is doing at Ajax. Moreover what hes doing there has very low impact on football matters and their current success. on the pitch They are doing that good because of the football management of things that there's going on there ran by Overmas & co.

I remember an article from last year that criticised the way VDS was running things as Ajax CEO, mainly because he was having a lot of problems with the staff, some of them down by arrogance and discussions, and by now he has backed down a little, concentrating on his own job. He's definitely an icon and a leyend, and I love him as such, but not quite the man for the job.
 

Lash

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The expectation is different. City expectation is clearly winning everything out there. Mahrez as underwhelming as he has in comparison to the expectation of him, is a proven player in PL and also a PL winner. Sterling of last few seasons had issue with finishing. Sane being young and inconsistent in decision making. He was on the bench more this season. Even Pep realizes you can't flood first team with young players and still expect to go for everything. Remember that infamous protest with empty bench Pep pulled to make a statement?

Shalke was supposed to be this stable financial backed team with good academy system. Guess what? Dortmund on the brink of bankruptcy turning around and now is richer, and a preferred destination of players breaking in first team. Here and there Shalke couldn't even stand as third best team in Bundesliga. Not exactly impressive.

Shalke can promote youth easily because they don't really have big ambition. Guess what? Their players, even Mesut Ozil became top player at Werder Bremen when Bremen was in promp! This whole situation sounds like West Ham of the early 00s before their relegation than even Tottenham or Arsenal.

The DOF we need for most is to work with the mananger to improve the first team level first and foremost to get back to be a top club. Getting short term transfer in & out right. Then starting looking at long term. The whole long term without any plan for short term was what got us into this situation in the first place. We weren't short of young talents promotion in our rank and buying players in good age in recent times. Problem is there is no leader in the team since the leaders weren't properly replaced. Sound like a ploy to spend less by Woodward and return of no value in the market policy.

So yeah, read that interview and compare to Monchi's again. This guy sounds like he doesn't understand different expectation at all. He doesn't understand the PL. Moyes version of DOF?
You’ve totally skewed the reality of the situation at city. Giving Sancho a chance would hardly be “flooding the first team with youth”. Peps infamous protest was mocked by everyone, as it was fecking retarded. Now Sancho is tearing up the bundesliga, it makes it look every more stupid. Plus Sane wasn’t anything to do with being “inconsistent” as such, it was found out to be a clear power play by pep as his attitude stunk.

At the time he was there, they came 2nd and 3rd in the league. Not sure what you’re on about. Also looks like he may have had a hand in bringing in Kevin Kuranyi. Seems like he also left in 2009...

He also helped with lokomotiv break a dominant league - short term success. Monchi has been a pile of shite at Roma comparatively to his time at Sevilla, I’m not sure why you’re holding him up as some sort of beacon for the PL.
 

ti vu

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You’ve totally skewed the reality of the situation at city. Giving Sancho a chance would hardly be “flooding the first team with youth”. Peps infamous protest was mocked by everyone, as it was fecking retarded. Now Sancho is tearing up the bundesliga, it makes it look every more stupid. Plus Sane wasn’t anything to do with being “inconsistent” as such, it was found out to be a clear power play by pep as his attitude stunk.

At the time he was there, they came 2nd and 3rd in the league. Not sure what you’re on about. Also looks like he may have had a hand in bringing in Kevin Kuranyi. Seems like he also left in 2009...

He also helped with lokomotiv break a dominant league - short term success. Monchi has been a pile of shite at Roma comparatively to his time at Sevilla, I’m not sure why you’re holding him up as some sort of beacon for the PL.
Which period he reign as DOF at Shalke? The article says he left in 2014 to Canada. He was like head of academy during that period you're saying about 2nd and 3rd place finish if Google translate is to trust. That period as I said was a miss chance showing lack ambition as Bayern was at their weakest going through transition/rebuild. Other teams than Bayern pre Klopp Dortmund were able to claim the title. Shalke was supposed this more financial healthy club, yet they lost talent like Ozil to Bremen a direct competitors at the time.

Giving DOF too much like winning one title especially in Russia league is not fair. Instant impact like that would still lean much on coaching. DOF role impact is more about medium and long term goal. Something like getting through transition, rebuilding team after team even if head coaches change names.

Monchi failed in different environment just prove the point it's not easy to move to different environments and replicate same thing. Many times it requires one to adapt and reinvent themselves. Monchi's interview however, shows that he understands the situation more re: PL financial dope vs La Liga. Different level of expectation.

This guy interview shows the detachment, lack of understanding. He threw cliche which many of this fan base love to hear about promoting youth, English talent playing in PL... just like Moyes did. Still there is plenty of questions needed to be raised reading the whole interview. There is a reason, Bayern doesn't necessarily get all the young players in Germany, even sell their youth to smaller teams, yet able to cherry pick many talents down the road when they reached their peak. It's not applicable in PL at all (already explained in previous post).
 
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Cheesesandwich

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

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

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VDS' project at Ajax has been wildly successful, but with most of their star players leaving this summer, this could be the best time to start another rebuilding project albeit with more resources backing him.
What, insofar as they’ve won absolutely nothing during that period and the footballing side is nothing to with him?

This is the same pish people talk about Zorc being a success at Dortmund.
 

ti vu

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Uh? Let's say thing wouldn't go as Phelan thought, would he just walk and leave Ole on his own?

Sound a proper mess with Ole somehow being announced as permanent manager without Phelan committing as his second, and this DOF thing.
 

croadyman

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I still reckon Paul Mitchell could be the best candidate for the role. Can anyone shed some light on this Patrici guy as don't know much about him.
 

cyril C

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How much of that is actually down to VDS? I don't know enough about Ajax.

Either way, I want him at United. I don't know if it's because when I look at him I'm reminded of a sure, calming presence because he was our keeper though.
Overmarcs is their technical director. But I guess VDS does know a thing or 2, better than anyone in-house.
 

Waynne

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The issue with a DOF for me is I don't really know our identity at the moment. Simply taking Edwin (or their actual DOF Overmars) wouldn't guarantee success. Difference is more subtle but important:

With Ajax, the philosophy is ingrained in the club and so former players coming through from various eras will have similar ideas of how the game should be played (a generalisation of course but I think overall very true) so if Overmars quit and another former player came in, the type of player they recruit and general way the club operate wouldn't necessarily change. That's not to dismiss Overmars' work in any way but Ajax are a collective. Edwin is the CEO so he's more involved in strategies and the commercial side as I understand it, however he comes from the same system and understands the club. They have a clear idea of what they want and how they want to do it.

Another example is Barcelona, since Rijkaard they have brought in a number of former players who continued their success and play (with some differences) a similar style of possession based football. I believe the one manager they who wasn't a former player (Martino) was the least successful. When we watch Barcelona the world expects to see a certain brand of football.

With us, SAF was the identity and in many ways was an embodiment of the club. How many times did people speak about him dragging players across the line, not playing well but winning and also building different teams with different styles. The guy was a genius but the issue now is what do United want to be, how do we want to play and how do we think we can differentiate ourselves. Generally people attribute direct, counter attacking football with wingers with SAF but we never had, at least in my mind, a set philosophy and we seem very uncertain about our future. Since SAF retired we have hired Moyes, LVG, Mou and Solskjaer - you couldn't find a weirder list of managerial appointments and stylistic clashes and that's the reason we have such a random assortment of 'big' players who don't really suit us.
Agreed.

Been saying to to my mates as well. We first need to establish an identity on the pitch. Recruit staff who are able to work towards cultivating that said identity and then start to recruiting the necessary players who fit the style of football we want to play.
I will be happy for the club to spend the time now to first build up a proper footballing structure behind the scenes and THEN when that is done start to recruit players and clear out the deadwood.
You can't start fine tuning the engine when the wheels and suspension is fecked.
 

devilish

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Which period he reign as DOF at Shalke? The article says he left in 2014 to Canada. He was like head of academy during that period you're saying about 2nd and 3rd if Google translate is to trust. That period as I said was a miss chance showing lack ambition as Bayern was at their weakest during their own transition/rebuild. Other team than Bayern pre Klopp Dortmund was able to claim the title. Shalke was supposed this more financial healthy club, yet they lost talent like Ozil to Bremen a direct competitors at the time.

Giving DOF too much like winning one title especially in Russia league is not fair. Instant impact like that would still lean much on coaching. DOF role impact is more about medium and long term goal. Something like getting through transition, rebuilding team after team even if head coaches change names.

Monchi failed in different environment just prove the point it's not easy to move to different environments and replicate same thing. Many times it requires one to adapt and reinvent themselves. Monchi's interview however, shows that he understands the situation more re: PL financial playing vs La Liga. Different level of expectation.

This guy interview shows the detachment, lack of understanding. He threw cliche which many of this fan base loves to here about promoting youth, English talent playing in PL... just like a Moyes did. Still there is plenty of questions need to be raised reading the whole interview. There is a reason, Bayern doesn't necessarily get all the young players in Germany, even sell their youth to smaller teams, yet able to cherry pick many talents down the road when they reached their peak. It's not applicable in PL at all (already explained in previous post).
TBF Monchi faced an impossible task. Roma has ridiculously high demands and little money to match. Monchi was expected to replace big names (ex Salah) with bargains with great resale value who also had to hit the ground running. Meanwhile club legend Totti was breathing at the board's neck while salivating for a top job.

Monchi's signings weren't bad tbh. Under, Pellegrini, Zaniolo and Kluivert form very solid foundations for a top side. Unfortunately they weren't enough to compensate for the horde of top players that left.
 
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Aloysius's Back 3

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Agreed.

Been saying to to my mates as well. We first need to establish an identity on the pitch. [/B]Recruit staff who are able to work towards cultivating that said identity and then start to recruiting the necessary players who fit the style of football we want to play.
I will be happy for the club to spend the time now to first build up a proper footballing structure behind the scenes and THEN when that is done start to recruit players and clear out the deadwood.
You can't start fine tuning the engine when the wheels and suspension is fecked.
This is literally the first thing LVG said.

Then everyone started craving instant successes and went for the no style but grind to victory method.
 

Big Ben Foster

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This is literally the first thing LVG said.

Then everyone started craving instant successes and went for the no style but grind to victory method.
LVG ditched his back 3 "master plan" after our 5-3 loss to Leicester early in his first season, long before any fan discontent popped up.
 

Gopher Brown

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Why are people advocating for van der Sar when the actual DoF at Ajax is Marc Overmars? Why aren’t people clamouring for him instead?

If it’s because Overmars never played for us, well neither did Monchi or Paul Mitchell or any of the other people mentioned in this thread.

If it’s jobs-for-the-boys then why not just stick Nicky Butt in charge and be done with it? This thread makes no sense!
 

Inigo Montoya

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Why are people advocating for van der Sar when the actual DoF at Ajax is Marc Overmars? Why aren’t people clamouring for him instead?

If it’s because Overmars never played for us, well neither did Monchi or Paul Mitchell or any of the other people mentioned in this thread.

If it’s jobs-for-the-boys then why not just stick Nicky Butt in charge and be done with it? This thread makes no sense!
Mitchell isn't the DOF either,it's Rangnick. It'd be a role created for Mitchell and a step up.
 

Cheesesandwich

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Where you heard that from?
Someone who is close to the United setup, could be rubbish obviously, but you never know.
Mentioned that Mike Phelan doesn’t want the assistant job as he doesn’t like the politics at the club at the moment.
And last but not least, this nameless chap said De Gea is definitely going to Madrid.
So three hearsay stories really.
 

KM

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So Andy Mitten says in this latest article that United have said "no thanks"to some of the best sporting directors
 
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Inigo Montoya

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So Andy Mitten says in this latest article that United have said "no thanks"to the best sporting directors
"some of the best," " indicating that the club know what they are going to do with regards to that appointment."
 

Majima

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So Andy Mitten says in this latest article that United have said "no thanks" to some of the best sporting directors
Hang on. We've had top sporting directors offer themselves to us and we've turned them down? :lol:

Woodward & co deserve everything they get.
 

andersj

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Ole is surprisingly good in the media. Appreciate that after Moyes, LvG and Mourinho. Wonder if he can keep it up. At first I worried that he would continue to be positive and only talking in cliches, but he is not.

Its nice to have a manager that is able to critizice but without splitting the club. Some argue that JM would get «trashed» for saying the same. Why is that do you think? Maybe because of how it is delivered?
 

Kill 'em all

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Is this a case of Woodward not wanting to lose some of the power and control he currently has? Most likely if we decide not to recruit a DoF.
 

JPRouve

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Is this a case of Woodward not wanting to lose some of the power and control he currently has? Most likely if we decide not to recruit a DoF.
No, he is the CEO. Outside of the owners no one will ever take any power away from him.
 

Cloud7

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Is this a case of Woodward not wanting to lose some of the power and control he currently has? Most likely if we decide not to recruit a DoF.
There’s no appointment short of him being fired that makes him lose any power. People need to stop saying this over and over. Any DOF we hire will be reporting for him. He can just as easily say no to them as he can to a manager. He loses no power by hiring a DOF and so that makes no sense as the reason for us not hiring one.
 

C'est Moi Cantona

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Just don't get it, Ed was happy to spout off about getting Poch and a DOF when Jose was sacked, us not going for Poch is hard to take, but not getting a DOF, is just madness.

I'd really like to give them the benefit of the doubt, and think something is going on 'behind the scenes', but it's hard to, and we just seem set to use the same failed approach all over again.
 

Al-T

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I'm afraid I have come to the conclusion that what the club are in fact looking for is a puppet that will distract the flak from Woodward rather than someone with real strategic authority.

Woodward is the pitch man for the parasites that own this Football club. He makes a decent fist of the commercial side, but is not a football man and is not popular with supporters, the majority of whom, think he's a fud.

So, we have a populist managerial appt in Ole we eventually get round to appointing a 'DoF' with 'authority' in all football matters. But who actually exists simply to create the illusion that Woodward is devolving authority on the playing side while in fact doing nothing of the sort. Thus the Glazers can continue to milk the club until they eventually decide they can flog it off for an acceptable margin.

This club will not return to the very top of the game until the Glazers are gone.
 
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