A fair point. The model only works if you have an expert DoF in the role who is there long term and is consistent in their approach to recruiting managers and players. But yes, the need now for instant success means it’s turning into a merry go round at a lot of clubs. Clubs like Brighton got their structures in place over a decent period of time without the pressure of having to strive for European football or trophies and now the benefits are clear in that none of those structures are dependent on one individual whether it’s a DoF or manager.
Be next week IMO.
Toffe3m4n
Player Valuation: £80m
Yep. Final touches this week, announcement next.
John from Bootle
Player Valuation: £20m
I've always found it a bit mental tbh. I understand the business, legal and contractual issues are probably all a bit much for managers. Picking good players though? Is that beyond them? Take Gary Neville for instance; tried his hand at management and wasn't cut out for it. There's so many skills required to be a good manager, and identifying talent has been just one of those skills. You'd still trust Gary Neville's opinion on a player over Dan Ashworth though, surely? Even if he's not got all the tools needed to be a good manager.
Aren't DOF's ultimately reliant on good scouting also? That's not a new concept either...
BirkenheadBlue
Player Valuation: £70m
See this all the time. Find it weird (or maybe just kinda sweetly naive)
He was given a contract, and there’s absolutely no obligation for him to walk away from a huge amount of money.
The fact he did so at all is a credit to him, not a stick to beat him with because he didn’t do it sooner.
….the DoF will have a team of trusted scouts who make recommendations to him or are sent to look at a particular player but ultimately it’s the DoF who decides.
The manager will also make recommendations but the demarcation is he’s the one responsible for team selection and tactics. The Manager ultimately works with the players provided to him by the DoF but it’s good if they’re on the same page and largely agree on the ‘type’ of player and positions that need strengthening.
The bizarre situation with Walsh and Koeman was they brought in and negotiated their own players. That position worsened by interference and acquisitions from Moshiri and BK. Despite this, Brands seemed to keep a level of control in the madhouse, apparently highly respected by players and both warring factions on the Board. Brands worked particularly well with Silva but Benitez obnoxiously refused to even talk with the DoF and his position was untenable.
I’m not surprised we’ve plummeted since Brands left, more because of his diplomacy than his player acquisition skills. From what I’ve heard of TFG, they leave key personnel to get on with their jobs.
This week
I take the point and don’t blame him for taking the cash but giving him a total bye ball for the mess the club ended up in is also a bit naive. He’s as culpable as anyone else. Im not saying he should have stormed out but he can’t go bleating about how awful it was into the bargain.
Guess or ITK?
I don't think anyone thinks he should have given up his salary, it's more a case of not being sweetly naive enough to think that just because he drops little hints about how it wasn't really his fault he must be entirely innocent and would actually have been incredible if we'd done things differently.
Billy Dean
Player Valuation: £70m
As was mentioned above Ashworth is the type of DOF who relies on putting the right people in place rather than scouting the players himself. DOFs can have very different profiles. Ashworth's successor for example is more of a recruitment specialist. Made his name in recruitment and only became a DOF relatively recently. I forget which area Ashworth came from but I think it was either coaching or youth development.
In all seriousness, most of us have absolutely no idea what a DoF actually does, it's just something we're vaguely aware of being a thing. I reckon what most of us think a DoF does and what they actually do are probably miles apart. I'd guess it's one of those roles that can vary hugely from club to club too.
brieverton
Player Valuation: £50m
I agree. Particularly when it comes to the appointment of managers, it seems naive to expect that owners will not decide who will be chosen. They are also going to be involved with any big transfers. It's as much an ego thing as anything else.
I think the best that can be expected is that any DoF proves themselves to be adept and confident enough to gain the trust of the owners and that means doing the less glamorous stuff very, very well.
Putting proper structures in place for the academy and player development, sports science, and crucially making a healthy profit on player trading. If a DoF can't deliver that or least, a level of sustainability with transfer spending, then there is no point to them.
It's still a critical role but one still in it's infancy where a lot of people are trying to find their feet without clear direction from owners as to what their roles and responsibilities actually are.
A DoF must get player trading right first and foremost. So they need leeway for that. If they do that well they can gain the ear of the owner. That has been the problem with us. Brands and the others didn't execute well. They couldn't go to Moshiri and make a case for how well they were spending his money. So they get sidelined even more.
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