It doesn't stack up that Brands was fully on board with Silva's appointment.
I'm not defending him (Brands) but in this aspect, the worst that can be levelled at him is that he didn't stop the appointment if he disagreed with it but that all seems last minute to me and the wheels were already very much in motion. It would be asking a lot (though very brave) for Brands to rock up at Finch Farm and say he wasn't having Silva, at a time people were still reeling from Allardyce and desperate for an appointment asap.
Moshiri wanted Silva in November and Brands was appointed the following June. There is no doubt obviously that he was aware of Moshiri's first choice but all the while he was employed by PSV and surely therefore entirely focused on them?
If Silva goes and the whole process to recruit and appoint a successor isn't fully within Brands control and remit, then his DOF role is primarily redundant and meaningless. Whatever the valid criticisms levelled at Brands for the summer transfer window, I at least expect him to drive the hire and fire process if it happens, and not to go for another flavour of the month manager with a paltry CV.
Most importantly, any new appointment should be made as quickly as possible after any announcement that Silva is gone. Given the air of crisis at the club, and the predisposition to panic, we cannot under any circumstances have a repeat of the aftermath of Koeman's sacking. Under no circumstances.
It would be interesting to see who would ultimately end up in the dug-out after a Brands-led process. I don't think we can land any "big" name and we might get a left-field appointment. Nor do I think Brands and the club will go for someone like Eddie Howe and pick a costly compensation fight with another PL club.
