Originally posted by DarkAuror
I don't have a problem with the concept of a Director of Football as it works very well in Spain and Italy. My problem which is what appears to have happen in Newcastle and Spurs is where the DOF and the coach/manager are not singing from the same hymn sheet. The whole point is of the DOF to look for players that the manager fully endorses, try to sign them and to get the best value for players leaving the club. The DOF also takes away the non footballing parts away from the manager leaving him to concentrate on the footballing parts.
So, in Newcastle's case, the whole 1st team squad is up for sale and Wise brings in players without Keegan's knowledge. In Spurs case, Comolli brings in Bentley, Gomes, Modric, Del Santos, Pavylchenko with Ramos's knowledge but he also bring Darren Bent and paid over the odds for him (ok, last season). Comolli then sells Berbatov and Keane for a great piece of business but not replacing them with good players afterwards.
Ramos is used to having a DOF from working in Spain. I think that it's English clubs are not used to working with this structure and how it's suppose to work.
There is only one case of it working properly in England and that's Chelsea.
But I agree with you Will, it doesn't matter what players Ramos has at his disposal, he is responsible for tactics. It doesn't help if he has one hand tied behind his back if he doesn't have a wealth of strikers.
Of course it is always much easier for the manager to get his bit of spin out into the media than it is for the DOF. Personally, as with most situations in football, I think it is half a dozen with one and six with the other.
One would hope that the DOF is listening to Ramos' needs and has enough knowledge of the game to be aware of what players are needed. Surely these two men are communicating on a regular basis?
Chelsea's situation only works because everyone is scared of Roman (heck the guy must have some pretty beefy bodyguards!). Having said that there are players that have been a waste of money for Chelsea, SWP, Sidwell and that other guy who they splashed out 10 million for and then didnt even get in the reserves! The difference for Chelsea is that they have so much money they can go and buy anyone, stick them on the pitch and let them play.
I agree I think a bit of consitency works well. Sadly the days of allowing managers time is over. Ferguson was utter rubbish in his first couple of years at MUFC. He won pretty much nothing and they were miles off the leaders. If he had results like that today, he would have been sacked, no question about that. Just look at Rafa, the guy wins a couple of big trophies, makes a couple of big finals and still the board want to sack him.
