What's your verdict on Marcel Brands?

[ClausThomsen]

I highly doubt Brands scouted Gray, he’s spent most of his life in England, I reckon Benitez has definitely looked at him in the past.

Or possibly Brands set his Footy Manager filter to under £2m and all our new players showed up.

I'm no expert but I don't think scouting networks work like that.

 

[radiostar]

Not surprised by this poll at all.

Hes been a complete disaster.

No doubt his fans will be on here soon to try and convince everyone that 4 years of going backwards is fine and none of it is brands fault.

 

[AmericasToffee]

@MikelsGoat honest thoughts from the former namesake about the man's performance this window?

 

[BlueToff]

Bold bit is exactly right. And it's not just Benitez - Ancelotti signed James and Allan, Silva got Richarlison, Allardyce got Tosun.

Brands has apparently had successes like Godfrey, Branthwaite etc. but it's actually impossible to know for sure that WAS him given how many signings have been blatantly manager led.

tbf Brands wasn't here when BFS was

 

[BlueToff]

I thought it was ‘a known fact’ Brands scouted and signed Gray? I have no clue either way, but this doesnt seem like a factually based article. Im certain Brands would be in the loop with any signing, painting it as tho Benny did it all on his own doesnt sound likely at all.

Either way, I have no clue what Brands’ job is anymore. I thought our plan was to sign the Dignes, Minas and DCLs of the world, not noone/aging players with limited capability to help the club going forwards. And still no RB is beyond shocking.

Benitez has been banging on since he came how he was a player he tracked. Tbf, I think it's exactly the type of signing that on paper Brands would also have been after, but who knows.

Yes, Brands and the manager both sign off on signings.

 

[Tubey]

tbf Brands wasn't here when BFS was

Indeed, but that's the point - nothing has changed. What the point of a DoF if they're not directing football? He is, by every definition of the word, pointless.

 

[coollino]

A father, a son and more importantly, a friend.

 

[Steve EFC]

If all that is true (which may well be the case), then the only real criticism of him should be that he hasn't resigned. It's hard to knock someone for not doing their job well whilst also pointing out that they are actively being prevented from doing their job well by the people who employ them.

Brands is no different to anyone else at the club at the moment, he has some success and some failures; to be fair, as a DOF you'd expect that anyway, it is never going to be all amazing. Typically, he gets a kicking for the crap signings (Delph, Iwobi) etc, but doesn't get credit from some for the good ones ("they must have been the manager's signings").

I suspect we will never know if he would be a really good DOF as he will never be given the opportunity to do the job properly.

Decent counter argument. Everyone is looking for a scapegoat and he seems the obvious choice.
You’re right though in that we don’t know what really happens/discussions behind the scenes. So we jump to our own conclusions.
He probably has got his hands tied too.
If his primary remit this year was to bring our costs back in line then I’d hazard a guess he’s probably achieved.

 

[Goat]

@MikelsGoat honest thoughts from the former namesake about the man's performance this window?

I like the signings we made.

We really needed a RB, so for that 4/10.

Hands were tied and the future will tell us if we succeded in freeing money up for next Summer, if we did and we do "ok" this season, then it was a necessary evil.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Went off him as soon as he gave Michael Keane a new deal.

 

[davek]

I like the signings we made.

We really needed a RB, so for that 4/10.

Hands were tied and the future will tell us if we succeded in freeing money up for next Summer, if we did and we do "ok" this season, then it was a necessary evil.

Just apologise for having backed this utter fraud.

 

[chrismpw]

My main disappointment is that he hasn't unearthed a young gem from elsewhere on the planet - thats what I'd expect his key role to be .

Perhaps his hands have been tied satisfying a conveyor belt of managers, bad contracts and by ffp.

 

[Goat]

Just apologise for having backed this utter fraud.

I back everybody this club appoints.

So no, I wont apologise.

 

[davek]

I back everybody this club appoints.

So no, I wont apologise.

Benitez?

 

[Goat]

Benitez?

Ive cut down on the amount of abuse I give him.

Thats the best hes getting.