The difference between us and Luton? A Director of Football

They have Mick Harford in place to act as the link between the playing/coaching staff and the recruitment team and board of directors.

As a club we've tried to modernise in many ways over the last decade but have we maybe missed a trick by not going down the DoF route?

I have no idea who is in our recruitment team but for a few reasons I'm forced to wonder what competitive football experience they have. Are decisions over signings/sales made by people who are great at looking at the stats and potential profit but with no real expertise in how they fit in to a successful football team which can compete? In terms of personalities, leadership qualities, the ability to adapt and contribute to the dynamic of a good team? And in terms of how they complement each other in a squad which has a bit of everything needed? It certainly feels that we're missing some of this at times.

I'd be fully in support of us appointing an experienced ex pro who can ensure we're getting the right blend in our squad and transfer dealings. Someone to work closely with both the Head Coach and recruitment panel, taking the pressure off and letting them get on with the other parts of their roles.

 

Said this for years since we moved from manager to head coach, we need someone with footballing nouse to bridge the gap between coaching team, directors and recruitment team

 

Often thought about Danny Wilson would do a good job as DoF.

 

So we are skint and the answer is to get a DOF which is another wage where money will have to come from somewhere.

 

Mick Harford is not a name I’d associate with a Director of Football role. More Director of Bare Knuckle Fighting.

 

Doesn't really matter if the board they report to changes 3 times in 6 years, has 5 different managers to work with & each has different ideas.

DoF is summat I'd be open to but ultimately they - like every gaffer/CEO needs some help/consistency

 

Could be more important than any signing on the field.

 

Agreed consistency is much needed. Losing any competent manager so rapidly is massively destabilising and for me makes it difficult to get as excited by or attached to our heroes as I used to.

The jury's out but there may be a drop off to some degree post-Duff and we all know how catastrophic the post-Val slump was.

 

Having someone who had a clue about football would be a good shout.

 

The Danny Wilson that signed Leroy Lita and Keith Treacy, or the one from the best part of 20 years before?

 

Listened to all the supposed improvements made over the years that have never really happened and yet watch us go backwards at the end of most seasons pretty much. Whilst I can’t control much it’s made a decision for me that I should have made this season already tbh.

 

Come on Liam, this is the same board as two years ago. Removal of the figure head who bore the brunt of the fans ire i will give you, but all of the other players have been there from the start and the ethos of slash and burn, annual reset mentality have been a constant through both. Its the same board with one absent fat boy. And the direction of travel will remain consistent.

Inability/lack of desire to retain succesful leader? Tick

Broken supply chain and commercial organisation? Tick

Annual fire sale of talent? Tick

Dismissive lack of regard/respect for potentially lucrative cup competitions? Tick.

It walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.

 

When Dane Murphy was in the club he acted as Director of Football and we reached the Championship playoffs. I think it’s an important position in the model we have adopted if you can get the right person in. Not convinced a Danny or Mick McCarthy would be the right people. It wants a young person with drive and who aligns with the club’s philosophy.

 

To be fair, hes also made plenty of good signings in his career. Every DoF has made mistakes.

 

The fact we're constantly looking to sign players with a view to sell on for profit doesn't help and also sets us apart from Luton.
I get we have to be sustainable, which on paper financially looks to have failed on current form, but there has to be a balance.
We sign so many players with promise that never cut it and reach their potential, one of the factors IMO is they aren't playing and learning with older heads around.

 

Yes. Its called investment. If done right then we would expect a return from that investment. I guess people judge if its need based in their understanding or lack of understanding of such a role and therefore the value thats placed upon it.

I've been advocating this role for a while now and many people argue its additional cost or its not needed. Its an example how we are not keeping up with modern football. I would look at someone not connected with the club, fresh eyes and someone who can be the conscience of the clubs playing side. Challenge things and push the footballing agenda. We already shifted from a manager to a set of team coaches so who manages all the footballing side today? Non football people?

The DoF should work with coaches and the board to set a football strategy. Support recruitment, retention and development at a longer term level and be strategic. Not live by each window but have a 3 year rolling plan.

coaches work operationally day to day to meet the needs of the next games. Work on fitness and game tactics. Input ideas and proposals for player recruitment.

I also promoted we had a direction of fan operations. Someone who connects with the community, listens and learns and looks to improve the fan experience. We have since appointed something similar but i’m not sure of the impact especially listening to open day feedback. Modern orgs call this type of role customer success. The only real measure of this is the fans experience positive or negative. I think there is a lot of low hanging fruit we always seem to miss.

Overall oversight. Ultimate commercial responsibility balanced with on field progression. Here is where we see our CEO. While marcomms could sit under the director of fan ops i think it should report in to the CEO as there is much more PR and marcomms than just to fans.

The question i would pose is what should be the org structure between board and the club management and personnel.

 

What's the difference between us and Luton?
AMBITION the Luton board have it the Barnsley board don't

 

Doesn't after be a director of football.. but better recruitment is a must. Not only that but we've never kicked up a level like say Brentford did. Infact this summer under our new board we've actually dropped a level to more non league than ever before

 

I agree fully. To me, it's a strategy we're getting wrong but then why is that?

Is it that the people signing our players don't have the expertise or experience when it comes to getting the blend right of a team rather than signing promising individuals?

 

That’s mainly cos we have never received big enough bids to kick on.
Vicious circle buy lower/non league you have a better chance of making money/not loosing money on player trading but less likely to get the rewards needed to kick on.
Buy from higher level more risk but the rewards are potentially greater.

I would suspect that unless they come across a buyer who will pay what they want the owners eventually will have to make a call on do they invest and have a punt or continue to just tread water.