Director of Football.

Mentioned a few times in posts about our current plight and the owners incompetence.
Imo that’s what we need someone who can merge what the owners want and what’s best for the club ,supporters etc .
Someone who is constant and oversees CEOs and the needs of the playing staff instead of the upheaval every season which leaves us riderless and clueless and steadies the ship when the inevitable happens .
Imo it needs to be someone who is well versed with the way clubs deal with each other and preferably with an affinity with the club or at least the region and understands the fans as well as the owners (if that’s possible )
I’d like to think someone like Big Mick but not sure he’d want to settle back into the region but someone of that ilk at least .
I’m sure he could find a way to work within the owners remit whilst insisting on balancing the squad.
Just a thought and maybe a proposal to the owners .

 

Your first problem is the assumption that the owners give a monkey’s what happens to the club

 

I've said for ages that this should be Danny Wilson who has a great eye for a lower league player but couldn't actually use them effectively. I believe that this role would suit him with the way he Carrie's his self and his knowledge of the level we're at.

 

Tommy Wright could sniff out a bargain.

 

We could do with one for sure. Give it Big Mick

 

Yes definitely need those qualities but a. Understanding of the game , players , managers , fans etc is crucial imo .
Mr Conway is supposed to be all those attributes you’ve just quoted without really having a clue about the deeper understanding of the player , coach , fans etc and that’s why we’re in the mess we’re in it needs good business sense but also needs the understanding of the football side more importantly from the country/ community you are investing in . The needs of Nancy won’t be the needs of BFC for instance .
Chairman in the past were were ridiculed if they tried to interfere with the playing ide of the business , Cloughy used to frog march them out of the dressing room .
These owners obviously know nothing of how clubs operate at grass roots which is what is killing their investment imo .
A DOF would take the burden away from that part of the buisness whilst having a remit from the owners with a flexibility imo.

 

The argument you have straight away with your sensible suggestions Marlon is ...in my opinion you have the narcissistic character that is Paul Conway in charge who failed as a coach when he was younger..yet out to prove everyone wrong therefore thinking he knows better than everyone else and won't listen.....
All this Conway out stuff in my opinion has been brought on by himself.and deservedly...greed plays a factor too....bring in 2 older heads to Marshall the defence and mid field that leaves him 9 places to fill the team with youngsters that they can nature for future sales...appeases the fans gives them hope plus it strikes a healthy balance on and off the pitch....not rocket science

 

It's Cool Runnings.

 

As I said they need all the modern attributes you’ve quoted but imo they also need to be clued up about the game otherwise We get the same situation we are in now with Mr Conway thinking he knows how to run an English club based on his playing days in the US .
His business model makes sense imo but his execution and naivety of a business that’s also a community , passion etc is miles away and he’s nowhere near to solving the balance imo.

 

The main problem is that a DOF would be appointed by ... yes, you've guessed it ... Mr Conway. So it'd be one step forward and many steps back.
In other words, a complete waste of time.

 

That was going to be my call too. Would love to see Danny involved with the club again on some level. MIght help bring about some connection to the club once again cos its hanging by a thread at the mo.

 

I didn’t mean for them to be pushing paperwork in the office .
Maybe the position needs a tweak or advertised as some other heading .
My main meaning was for someone who can help run a business to something like the owners want but with enough Nous to know what’s needed on the pitch or coaching role to stop this boom and bust type appointments .

 

Weren't the owners going to improve revenues by selling the club to a wider audience and improving match day experience etc etc.
I think we definitely lack someone at senior level with experience and nous for the footballing side of things especially if we are going to have a conveyor belt of coaches that are learning English football on the job.

 

With the last 2 owner appointed CEO's, I'd suggest a director of football isn't in their thoughts.

Given it would add a significant salary at a time we absolutely can't afford it, I'd veer away from such an appointment too.

 

But it would surely have been beneficial to have such a role .
Last lot of player inputs have been done it seems with no thought of the team needs whatsoever and have cost us more than an executive wage imo.
Someone who understands the owners mantra and what balance is needed in the team would have been ideal imo .

 

But if the owners mantra is flawed and they don't value experience anywhere in their business, why would they appoint someone with experience to try and sort out their approach which they don't perceive to be flawed?

Personally, I just want them gone. Then when we have a fresh start, build the structures properly and I think most of the issues we've endured go away.

 

Sorry but Howard Wilkinson was perfect at that job.That type of person we need.