You've just been hired as the Director of football (DOF), what do you do?

[OverratedOpinion]

It's a lesser business role compared to the CEO, let alone that of your home town club. It would be like pursuing Bruno and then tabling a contract making him the kit man at United. You wouldn't just yell "United are about 30 times the size of Ajax! WHY ISNT HE SIGNING."

It would be more like offering the manager of a much smaller club the chance to be the assistant manager, maybe like going from being Rangers manager to assistant at Man Utd for example. Or like going from being a talented chief executive in a medium sized business to head of marketing at Apple. You wouldn't need to shout anything at anyone as they would understand that it was a significant step up, as Van Der Sar's previous comments indicate he does.

Wait, do you imagine that the manager at your local Burger King has the same esteem than the manager of a Premier League football club? The title is what matters right?

 

[Grande]

I think the first thing I'd do, would be to hire a director of football other than myself.

 

[klayton88]

RKO Woodward then take early lunch.

 

[MichaelB1807]

Commission a statue of Jesse Lingard outside the ground.

Take a short holiday.

We need to stop putting so much pressure on our kids.

 

[Passitlikescholes]

Hold an immediate press conference and tell everyone I'm just here for free tickets to the game as woodward and judge are incompetent can get things done

 

[Class of 63]

1) Find the grave of the Headmaster who told me at 16 that I would amount to nothing, and have the Mother of all shits on his headstone
2) Go home and Google: What the feck does a Director of Football do?
3) Arrange to meet Ed Woodward for a game of Badminton, and let him win
4) Sell Carrington, arrange for the players to break into the City training complex after dark and use that for free
5) Buy it back
6) Resign

 

[Red_toad]

Get Big Sam in until the end of the season! Least we’ll be a threat on set pieces

 

[Gio]

Winning a few cups in a league where only 1 team can win the league like in Germany or France does not equate to being an elite level manager or a 'winner' as we found out with Van Gaal.

Elite winner is a fair career description of somebody who has reached 3 Champions League Finals from said leagues. All you found out with Van Gaal was that he was at the tail end of his career in a club poorly suited to his strengths.

It would be more like offering the manager of a much smaller club the chance to be the assistant manager, maybe like going from being Rangers manager to assistant at Man Utd for example.

Take your point, although (pedant alert) I don’t see Gerrard joining United in any capacity and funnily enough it was Rangers who poached United’s assistant to do the same job at Ibrox the last time such a switcheroo took place.

 

[KingCantona87]

Shit in Woodward's handbag

 

[Strelok]

If Ed still has the final say and no change in the board: nothing, it's useless anyway. Just hanging around trying to look busy and ready to be the next scapegoat.

Otherwise, help Ole to buy or loan immediately at least 2 good midfielders and a forward. Then spending the next 5 months helping Ole to clear out the deadwoods and identify summer targets. We'll need at least two good midfielders, one forward, one right winger. And a wage structure.

By summer if there'd be any better option, sack Ole and hire that one. Keep in mind that this new one must at least accept to play attacking football, develop youth, respect wage limit and a top 4. And he must have a solid football plan for the next 3 years.

Contrast to popular belief our scout system, medical team, youth academy etc. are pretty ok, don't need much work there imo. The current direction of our football style (the one we want to play not the one we're playing though) is ok too. Only the senior squad is crap and need a lot of work there. Ole seems to be out of depth and a better option would be much appreciated.

 

[DeepSpace]

I'd have redcafe nominate three of their best football men/women and hire them as my assistants. I think a poll would work

 

[Bobcat]

I think the first thing I'd do, would be to hire a director of football other than myself.

True. As fun as it is being an armchair expert i honestly dont think any of us caftards would have what it takes

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Take your point, although (pedant alert) I don’t see Gerrard joining United in any capacity and funnily enough it was Rangers who poached United’s assistant to do the same job at Ibrox the last time such a switcheroo took place.

I'm sure you know I was referencing Walter Smith.

 

[ISMAIL-007]

Tell Ed "there's no place you can run where i can't find you"

 

[ghaliboy]

It would be more like offering the manager of a much smaller club the chance to be the assistant manager, maybe like going from being Rangers manager to assistant at Man Utd for example. Or like going from being a talented chief executive in a medium sized business to head of marketing at Apple. You wouldn't need to shout anything at anyone as they would understand that it was a significant step up, as Van Der Sar's previous comments indicate he does.

Wait, do you imagine that the manager at your local Burger King has the same esteem than the manager of a Premier League football club? The title is what matters right?

I don't think you understand how employment works. You don't go down several tiers on the employment ladder and take a job significantly lower because a club is a bigger club. He's a CEO, at his home town club - if we were to replace anybody with VDS it will be Woodward, which won't because its Woodward.

 

[Freak]

Have a wank because I have gotten a high paying job at Manchester United.

 

[Gio]

1. Carry out a strategic review of the type of football United wants to adopt based on an assessment of what works in the modern/future game and what the fans want to see.
2. Remodel the club based on the results of the review. Develop player profiles that fit the club’s direction and use them to recruit at all levels from first team through to the academy.
3. Carry out a structural review to ensure we have the right staff in the right places doing the right things. This includes the first-team staff and the manager’s position. But it also extends into youth coaching, recruitment, strength and conditioning. All parts of the club need to be pulling in the same direction established in no1 above.
   
   

 

[Member 101269]

Resign after finding out it’s not a genuine role

 

[Tarrou]

first off, hire a damn good PR guy as I am clueless

then I'd hire Fat Sam to teach us how to attack and defend set-pieces

probably hire some people to do an independent review of our scouting network, coaching team and youth set-up.. fire a bunch of people based on the analysis, thus sending a message that I don't accept mediocrity

get in some more experienced coaches, who are adept at an attacking, passing style of play

get some market researchers to compile a list of all the players with low release clauses

set-up a business intelligence department, that includes a team of data analysts so we can data the feck out of everything

 

[dove]

Sack Ole, sack our medical team and fitness coaches, slap Ed in the face and resign.

 

[wolvored]

I would bring in a young or youngish proven manager who looks to attack first, not counter attack. I would also try and get whatever first team coaches he felt comfortable with.
I would want total control of transfer money, and who to bring in, so before June I would know exactly what the club has to spend.
By April/May I would have the scouts report their last 6 months findings to a head scout, who would prioritise in order which players were the best for the positions needed covering and how much they were likely to cost. With the manager we would then work together to see who would be the best fit to get in, without getting ripped off.
I would make sure we had a WC or as near as dammit spine. GK CD CM ST. Let the manager then build around this.
I would assign a seller/negotiator whose main job would be to move on the deadwood, me and the manager had decided on. That way me and the manager could concentrate on bringing players in, in any transfer window.
I would encourage the manager to bring in the best 2 youth players into the squad every season and give them ample playing time to see if they can hack it. Too many at one time can result in what we are seeing now as inexperience and ability in some isnt good enough yet for the first team and weakens it.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

I don't think you understand how employment works. You don't go down several tiers on the employment ladder and take a job significantly lower because a club is a bigger club. He's a CEO, at his home town club - if we were to replace anybody with VDS it will be Woodward, which won't because its Woodward.

I don't think you know how employment works. See how that works.

 

[Maticmaker]

If I were the DoF then I would, from 'top to toe' in the Football side of the club look for where there are clearly square pegs in round holes, from the manager through all levels and operations, playing or supporting, to the kit-man.
Devises a strategy for either having a 'round hole' football policy, or a square hole 'football policy' and implement accordingly. If it becomes necessary to have and operate both types of policies, then make sure all the round pegs are kept stored separate from the square one's and can never get mixed up. Make sure that if round pegs/holes and square pegs/holes need to operate in close proximity, that there is a failsafe way to ensure they cannot be deployed other than in the holes they were designed for. Instant dismissal for anyone who cocks it up!

Sounds overly simplistic? Well we are constantly told "Football is a simple game", so keep it that way, clear ideas, and objectives, clear ways to achieve, clear timescales and to make sure everyone knows what they have to do and they don't mix things up and don't stand for any excuses (other than your own).

 

[Bestietom]

1. Demand full control of transfers in and out.
2. Keep Woody and Judge well away from transfers ( sack them if necessary)
3. Bring in 6 Top players straight away.

 

[Vooon]

I'd just copy all the measures they've done over at Liverpool.

1. I think it's fecked to sack another manager, but I'd go after Poch asap and get him in at the end of the season. He's a top ten manager, Ole's frankly comes across as pretty average at this point.
2. Get rid of all the various backroom types left over from our previous managers.
3. Hire the best backroom staff possible, focus on technology and all aspects of team analysis.
4. Set up a transfer committee which focuses on transfers full time, not the half assed part time Ole/Woody business we're dealing with now.
5. Start structuring the rest of the staff, our scouting, youth recruitment, investing in infrastructure.

Despite all these measures I still think we have a deep seated issue because of the way the Glazers are running the club though. As long as they're more interested in the business side than the football and continue to suck resources out of the club it's like an endless uphill run with headwind.

 

[johanovic]

For me the size of the rebuild still needed at United is enormous.
I do not see the need/future for these players: Jones,Bailly,Rojo,Matic,Pereira,Lingard,Mata, Fosu Mensah and Dalot
I think Pogba will have to leave and I think we should seriously consider having Henderson as N1 and sell De Gea as I feel there is something going on with De Gea and I belive Henderson is a future England and Man Utd N1.


I think players like Fred,Lindelof,Shaw have huge question marks over them.
I think letting Smalling leave on loan without a recall option was a huge blunder and I do not see much difference between him and Maguire to be honest. At least Smalling wins far more headers in the box than Maguire does and goes for every ball. He has also not done to bad in Italy despite many stating how awful a player he is.

So my thinking for the squad would be something like this:
GK: Henderson,Romero,Pereira
RB: Wan Bissaka, Laird,Williams(I think Williams would be better at RB than LB)
CB:Koulibaly,Maguire,Smalling, Lindelof? Tuanzebe,Mengi(I belive he is a great talent)
LB: Digne,Williams,Shaw?
CM: Ndidi,Kalvin Phillips,McTominay,Fred?,Garner,Levitt
AM:Fernandes,Gomes,Mejbri
RW:Sancho,James,Ramazani
LW: Rashford, Martial
Striker:Kane,Greenwood

So this is what I would do and what I think would be doable;
Kane is 26 year old on 200k per week at Spurs. Double his wage offer and try as he´s surely worth spending 400k per week. Him and Greenwood together as a partnership in some games at least would be great to watch.
Fernandes is probably joining us?
We should go big in for Sancho to solve your right wing dilemma
Ndidi is by far the best DM in the league and I like the look of Phillips at Leeds
Digne for me is a top left back and better than Chilwell
Koulibaly is top CB and leader

 

[Xeno]

Anichebe is available.

 

[lex talionis]

Assess all aspects of the management of the footballing operations of the club over the last six seasons, all the way down to the youth development program. Make decisions after that assessment is complete.

 

[Bilbo]

As the title says really.

What is a Director of football?

Their responsibilities can vary from club to club, with some being heavily involved in all aspects of the business, including the hiring and firing of managers, scouting, recruitment of players, long-term strategy and the improvement of facilities.

GO!

No idea, because like everyone else I have no idea what a DoF really does

 

[Giuliano Maiorana]

1) Find the grave of the Headmaster who told me at 16 that I would amount to nothing, and have the Mother of all shits on his headstone
2) Go home and Google: What the feck does a Director of Football do?
3) Arrange to meet Ed Woodward for a game of Badminton, and let him win
4) Sell Carrington, arrange for the players to break into the City training complex after dark and use that for free
5) Buy it back
6) Resign

 

[RedCoffee]

I'd hire all the experts on this forum to act as PR agents, scouts, journalists, tactician for club. Win win.

 

[manunited1919]

VDS is already the CEO of Ajax. Why would he take a director of football role at another club? If we hired VDS it would be to replace Woodward and that probably won't be happening in our lifetime.

VDS has already indicated he is open to the move.

 

[Zen86]

Exactly a year ago on this forum you'd have been slaughtered for labelling Klopp a winner, considering he had supposedly just bottled the CL final against Madrid. But the progress Liverpool were making was suggesting what was to come.
In the past 2 season in the CL, Spurs beat Real Madrid, Inter, Dortmund twice, and dumped Man City and a much fancied Ajax team out in the QF and SF on the way to the final last season. We're talking about Spurs here, a team who been on a par with say Everton in terms of spending and achievement before Pochettino took over.
Winning a few cups in a league where only 1 team can win the league like in Germany or France does not equate to being an elite level manager or a 'winner' as we found out with Van Gaal.

Klopp was clearly a very good manager before he went to Liverpool, levels above Poch even then. Comparing the two is ridiculous in my eyes.

And for what it’s worth, Spurs had gone on decent cup runs under Redknapp beforehand. They were a team that had been there or thereabouts before Poch came in, his arrival happened to coincide with some of the traditional top 4 sides’ fall from grace.

 

[jesperjaap]

Klopp was clearly a very good manager before he went to Liverpool, levels above Poch even then. Comparing the two is ridiculous in my eyes.

And for what it’s worth, Spurs had gone on decent cup runs under Redknapp beforehand. They were a team that had been there or thereabouts before Poch came in, his arrival happened to coincide with some of the traditional top 4 sides’ fall from grace.

Agree, Klopp was a great manager before he went to Dortmund even, was my number one choice to replace Ferguson when he retired. Though I think Pochetinno is a bit overhyped I do feel he is the best option for us at the moment. Especially given that he is very good at working with young players.

 

[sunama]

Hire David Moyes - 6 year contract
Not sign Felliaini with current buyout clause
Chase Gareth Bale very publicly
Chase Cesc Fabregas very publicly
Not sign either
Makes comments comparing my club to Disneyland
Wait until Fellaini's buyout clause has expired - then buy him for more than when the window began

Then just sit back and wait for the pay-rise...

Some people may think that the above is made up, but it actually did happen. Woodward is an absolute disaster.
In most companies, that man would be fired.
Only at MUFC would you get a pay-rise and be lauded as some sort of commercial genius*, after doing all of the above.

*it does not take much skill to sell sponsorships to companies, when the brand you represent is MUFC, watched by billions every year. He is terrible at his job, over-seeing the decline of MUFC, over a 7 year period. He is so bad, that if he continues in his current role, MUFC will continue to decline.

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Sell Pogba to the highest bidder, retire on a beach with fifty cent beer and satellite football.

 

[Tiber]

Check who owns the club, if it's the current lot? Resign because I have zero chance of success

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Check who owns the club, if it's the current lot? Resign because I have zero chance of success

Could at lease work against em pal, come on your better than that.

 

[Mark Pawelek]

Adopt a sensible transfer policy. This would bring in a stack of free and (relatively) cheap players in the summer. Free players on Bosmans. Cheap players from recently relegated clubs. United need to replace about half their playing squad with either technically better, more experienced or less injury prone players.

 

[Drainy]

Resign

The Ribalta method. Nice