Personally I think they’ll go with the committee idea and he’ll be part of it with his knowledge of the academy and we’ll maybe appoint more with more specified roles to look at certain criteria or something because I would imagine the scouts will all report to either Butt or this committee. Although I’m sure I read Marcel Boutt I think his name is is already in that position.
Nicky Butt promoted to Head of First Team Development
- Thread starter dwd
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We haven’t signed some fancy arsehole who works in Seville so no doubt there will be complaints.
A working group that oversees the club’s football operations, full of people who understand the club, doesn’t sound like a bad move to me. Because that is how that press release reads.
A working group that oversees the club’s football operations, full of people who understand the club, doesn’t sound like a bad move to me. Because that is how that press release reads.
Makes sense to try and manage the gap between the academy and first team. We have invested heavily in u18s scouting so we want as much of a return as possible.
Also why buy squad players for £10s of millions (as the market is going) when we could develop our own? We need someone to manage the development of the non-ultra elite players from 18-23 by getting the loans right.
From what I recall, Fergie used to help get reserve players good moves when they left the club too. Would be nice if we got that culture back, as I think the 23s feels like a graveyard for careers at the moment.
Also why buy squad players for £10s of millions (as the market is going) when we could develop our own? We need someone to manage the development of the non-ultra elite players from 18-23 by getting the loans right.
From what I recall, Fergie used to help get reserve players good moves when they left the club too. Would be nice if we got that culture back, as I think the 23s feels like a graveyard for careers at the moment.
Bout is chief scout yes
Ole likes a big ole butt
Should have signed Wilfried Bony then
He's basically a technical director. Just a different name for the job.
can confirm.
A big Ole Bony Butt.
Now? Couldn't they have completed this months ago and focused on signings
Doesn't sound like it.
To me looks like we are going the Liverpool route.
I can't believe Simon didn't predict this.
I don’t think his role is just related to youngster.
I think he is also helping Ole to make decision whether which players should he sell in first team for the sake of developing youngster to first team. To ensure not wasting too much money buying players because there are youngster coming from academy who can be big part of the future of the club.
May be the main reason why we haven’t really splashing money to sign midfielder because Butt recommended it to Ole that we have Gomes, Mctominay & Garner coming in.
And obviously he will be dealing of which youngster we will buy to our academy.
I wonder if he has recommended Longstaff
Already have Luke Shaw.
Could be, he might think 25m has great potential value. But 50m is not anymore.
What’s he done that’s so fantastic? I’d love to know
It's all a bit vague to properly comment on this appointment really. Lot of questions. What exactly will he do? Is this instead of the a DOF or some other type of interpretation? We'll just have to see how it all plays out.
However I think it's a little bit of a shame as he was doing some good work in the academy.
However I think it's a little bit of a shame as he was doing some good work in the academy.
We have a fantastic group of young players coming through at the minute and a fairly young squad, hopefully this will help us get the most from them.
Just look at the talent that's coming through and the young players we've signed while Butt has been head of academy.
I'm guessing he will be advising on whether to recruit externally or promote from within when an area needs to be strengthened.
What I'd like to see though is a more proactive approach with planning in the other direction: predict which positions would most likely need addressing in five years' time, and re-train our most talented 13/14 year olds to see if they can play there. Not like molding Rashford into a left back, but perhaps something like turning McTominay into a central defender (even though he probably wasn't recognised as one of the biggest talents of his age group).
What I'd like to see though is a more proactive approach with planning in the other direction: predict which positions would most likely need addressing in five years' time, and re-train our most talented 13/14 year olds to see if they can play there. Not like molding Rashford into a left back, but perhaps something like turning McTominay into a central defender (even though he probably wasn't recognised as one of the biggest talents of his age group).
At that age McT was a midget so I dare say that plan would not have been an option at the time
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This is nothing like a DoF role.
There has been a concern within the hierarchy that we have developed players well until they hit the 1st team, but that younger 1st team players have not been developing at an expected rate and that we have been 'wasting' talent. Additionally we are now buying younger players and have a number looking to step up from our academy ranks.
This role will be internal for the most part, planning younger players welfare, nutrition, training, schedules, development plans, and generally keeping them grounded.
This is why he is reporting to the 1st team manager.
There has been a concern within the hierarchy that we have developed players well until they hit the 1st team, but that younger 1st team players have not been developing at an expected rate and that we have been 'wasting' talent. Additionally we are now buying younger players and have a number looking to step up from our academy ranks.
This role will be internal for the most part, planning younger players welfare, nutrition, training, schedules, development plans, and generally keeping them grounded.
This is why he is reporting to the 1st team manager.
Admittedly, it wasn't a great example. Like I said, he wasn't a stand out at the time (figuratively, but I guess also literally, speaking).
I would have thought that is what he was doing as Head of the Academy, to me this means he will be tasked with the job of identifying, with the manager and coaching staff, the requirements of the first team, and where they will need to replace and upgrade over the next few seasons, will be watching specific players in the academy, instead of the academy as a whole, and also scouting missions to view prospective signings.
Seems to be great at what he does, and it's always nice to have ex-players behind the scenes, especially those who know what it takes to mix it with the best.
I'm a little confused as to what this particular role is all about but as long as its a promotion I'm very happy to see it.
Rewarding people for good work! At United?! Can you believe your eyes.
I'm a little confused as to what this particular role is all about but as long as its a promotion I'm very happy to see it.
Rewarding people for good work! At United?! Can you believe your eyes.
Great news.
Nicky is a top football man and united through and through. His work with the academy has been top class. No better appointment.
Many of the other top clubs in the world have an ex pro in this position, they all know what to expect as a player, and can relay that to new signings.
Nicky is a top football man and united through and through. His work with the academy has been top class. No better appointment.
Many of the other top clubs in the world have an ex pro in this position, they all know what to expect as a player, and can relay that to new signings.
In fairness, Ole has said himself he doesn't coach the players as much as McKenna and co do. So he is essentially our director of football and manager just like SAF was (obviously not yet to the same degree).
The only drawback is hiring talent- something most good DOFs have scouting connections Solskjaer probably doesn't.
The only drawback is hiring talent- something most good DOFs have scouting connections Solskjaer probably doesn't.
Great news, let’s hope he has a plan to get Angel involved at signed for the first team.
Are you more interested in the duties being carried out or in the trend of having someone with the job title ‘Director of Football’?
As academy head he was doing it for players outside of the first team squad. Now he'll be focused on developing players in the first team squad too. Essentially the likes of Martial and Rashford can no longer run about accountable to only the first team manager, whose focus it is to win matches, not develop them.
I'm unsure how much academy scouting and recruitment he'll still be doing; I know nothing of the academy. From the sounds of the announcement though, it'll still be within his remit to an extent.
Precisely. It sounds like the Head of Academy never talk to the 1st team manager before. And how do you differentiate the role of various assistant Manager compared with this Head of development? On training? On personal fitness? On tactics?
And yet, we are still searching for a role this is to recruit external talents.....
Like I said, would just like to see what the role is to entail... I like the direction it appears OGS is taking things in so just curious what this entirely new position is about. In general, I think investment in the youth is the way of the future so anything they do to improve is fine by me. I think Butt is a valuable asset in that regard so hope things don’t take a step backwards because of this move.
IMO... signing established players, as has been the norm for big teams in the past, will not work for sustained long term success. We are already seeing smaller teams refuse to sell slightly above average players for a ransom (Maguire . Zaha . Longstaff) since they don’t need to make their money that way.
Teams that start looking at developing their youth players as the primary way to fill future holes and use high dollar signings as a last resort are the ones that will have sustained success. Pick your opportunities on the top notch players (frees, expiring contracts, disgruntled at current situation and club wants rid, buy-outs) or when forced (fill a hole when the unexpected injury occurs...) but spend extravagantly at the 16+ level (or whatever is legal).
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I thought he was already doing this before?
What's different about this role now from what he was doing earlier?
Also do you lot still have Kieran McKenna somewhere on your coaching staff or in the youth set up?
What's different about this role now from what he was doing earlier?
Also do you lot still have Kieran McKenna somewhere on your coaching staff or in the youth set up?
Doesn't make any sense to me . Surely the head of first team development is the Manager.
Yes that’s one role of the manager. He has decided to delegate it to someone. It’s not a big deal. It happens all the time too, some people don’t place names on it. He could have just made Nicky butt one of his assistant coaches and he would be doing that job. But I guess he wanted the role to specialized. That is , Nicky butt will mostly 95% focus on developing young promoted players who are in the first team. That’s his priority. That way the manager can focus on the whole team in general and not worry that he isn’t giving the young boys enough attention. So that we don’t end up having another macheda, Janujaz, Wilson case.
This move is very good. It’s to make sure the players who have been promoted don’t stagnate.