Director of Football

[Yogi]

If we’re making changes to our recruitment team then I’d like it to be someone who’s equivalent to Mitchell but responsible for European scouting. Wilder and Mitchell’s domestic record has been very strong so having someone in a similar role looking on the continent, making suggestions and then coming to a joint decision with wilder and Mitchell would help.

 

[nopigfansintown]

If we’re making changes to our recruitment team then I’d like it to be someone who’s equivalent to Mitchell but responsible for European scouting. Wilder and Mitchell’s domestic record has been very strong so having someone in a similar role looking on the continent, making suggestions and then coming to a joint decision with wilder and Mitchell would help.

Van Winkel. He's on the transfer committee already and just as responsible for the signings as CW/AK. I'd hazard Berge, Verrips, Restos, Coulibaly etc have his fingers all over them. We know Bogle was Wilder's doing as the online fans forum revealed that Wilder was initially refused the funds to sign him.

 

[Yogi]

Van Winkel. He's on the transfer committee already and just as responsible for the signings a s CW/AK. I'd hazard Berge, Verrips, Restos, Coulibaly etc have his fingers all over them. We know Bogle was Wilder's doing as the online fans forum revealed that Wilder was initially refused the funds to sign him.

If that’s the case then that’s a roughly 50% hit rate which isn’t bad.

 

[nopigfansintown]

If that’s the case then that’s a roughly 50% hit rate which isn’t bad.

Berge would be the one I'd query as he was by no means a hidden diamond. I knew about him so not beyond the realms of possibility that CW/AK did. Wilder was also very involved in showing him around Sheffield etc.

 

[Ridgeway Blade]

I think the days when a manager looks after every aspect of the team are going to be a thing of the pasrt. Of course the team manager must have an input but the strength of Wilder's position has been weakened by our recruitment in the last year which, one assumes, he had a say in. We signed a number of decent championship players in Robinson, Osborne, Burke, Bogle and Lowe and you could class McBurnie and Brewster in that category really. None of them has moved us up a level. I think the Board were unrealistic in thnking we could continue with the same wage structure and still attract top players. The promotion players would have had to have a massive boost in wages to level up the wages if we had paIid some of the sums that other clubs seem to be paying. We have yet to see the full imact of the pandemic on club finances so that will be interesting going forward.

 

[Sean Thornton]

In light of recent reports it definitely is worth discussing.
I don’t want one Chris has got more right than wrong and of the ones he has got wrong in previous seasons we have not taken a big hit when we have shipped them out ... but can see why some would want one.
Is there any names out there for the role apart from Van Winkle ... and what has he ever done ?

If we do go down the DOF route l’d guess Van Winkel would be a shoe in. Didnt Wilder put a stop to that once?

 

[Yogi]

Berge would be the one I'd query as he was by no means a hidden diamond. I knew about him so not beyond the realms of possibility that CW/AK did. Wilder was also very involved in showing him around Sheffield etc.

Yeah I remember the signing video him saying that both wilder and knill had been to watch him play in Belgium and for Norway. Incidentally Norway would appear to be a market which isn’t exploited to its maximum I wonder if we could use deano’s contacts to try and help us build a network there.

 

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

I think the days when a manager looks after every aspect of the team are going to be a thing of the pasrt. Of course the team manager must have an input but the strength of Wilder's position has been weakened by our recruitment in the last year which, one assumes, he had a say in. We signed a number of decent championship players in Robinson, Osborne, Burke, Bogle and Lowe and you could class McBurnie and Brewster in that category really. None of them has moved us up a level. I think the Board were unrealistic in thnking we could continue with the same wage structure and still attract top players. The promotion players would have had to have a massive boost in wages to level up the wages if we had paIid some of the sums that other clubs seem to be paying. We have yet to see the full imact of the pandemic on club finances so that will be interesting going forward.

Agreed, but without actually knowing what we are paying, wages seems to be our stumbling block on recruitment. It sounds as if the players Wilder would have bought cost more than we are willing to pay or their wages are above what we would offer. Watkins and Maupay spring to mind, both were talked about but we ended up with Brewster and McBurnie.

 

[The Vicar]

Other than Sundays I am available to join a 'Transfer Committee' to consider future acquisitions!

I would be happy to get by on £2k per week. For that the club would get a man of sound mind, good Biblical knowledge, who is opinionated. I see myself no less capable than any other applicants.

PO Box 666

 

[Andy67]

No we don’t. Bettis has been the bearer of bad news or good news for Wilder. This season he has been bringing bad news on many of the targets promised from defenders, midfielders to attackers and particularly lingard which was one of our last hopes of getting out of the shit we are in. Bettis has been lauded before for his skills but he has not delivered between the board and Wilder and this will all be over as Wilder will walk and unfortunately he won’t end up at a highly rated club but one that we will be in close competition but with a lot more money in the lower reaches of the premier league. Everyone on this board that slates Wider will whinge that we should have given him another go next year.

 

[1889]

Exactly!
They won’t give DoF more money so the standard he would be buying would be similar !

everyone is having a pop at wilder about his dealings in the transfer market but imo if we sold the lot now we would be in profit !

Are you seriously suggesting that, in the last couple of seasons, we got good quality additions to the squad for £130m, signings that could not be improved on, even with a different approach?

As for making a profit, who is going to give us more than £20m for McBurnie and more than £10m for Mousett? I reckon your looking at a £20m loss there, before you start?

The fact is Wilders transfer dealings were far more successful, when ‘he was looking down the back of the settee’

Personally, I’d like to see a recruitment team that studies player analytics and has a network of trusted scouts across Europe and beyond, rather than an individual DoF.

But whatever, it is an area we desperately need to improve upon and I’m pleased that has been recognised.

 

[PokerBlade]

As others have said DoF is a very broad title and what they actually do comes down to the remit set by the individual club.

So what do people expect a DoF to do for us? Because my suspicion is it all boils down to "We need to expand our scouting network", which is something we're all very aware of. I'm not sure it needs the special job title and if it's anything else then I'm always deeply sceptical of taking control of the playing squad away from the manager who has to use them.

Like anything in football I'm sure you can point to a failed DoF for every one that works. The title doesn't matter, the set up and the personnel do. If we were talking about bringing someone in with the knowledge and understanding to widen our net in terms of players to choose from, I guess I'm all for it. If it means having someone select the squad for Wilder then I don't see that working.

 

[McGrath]

I don't like the idea of a Director of Football.

Invest in the scouting network, yes. But a DOF just strikes me as someone else at the club with an agenda and more behind the scenes politics.

 

[JJBlade]

Have you not seen Fulham’s wage bill ?
They are made up of the type of players you are on about !

Have you seen Brentford's ?
These players do exist out there

We'd never find them of course, but they are out there

 

[FallowfieldBlade]

The Prince deserves a lot of respect for putting up with CW shit this season

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

We have a transfer committee. We have a statistics-based model. Obviously, we can improve, but people need to stop acting like our recruitment is just based solely on Chris Wilder's opinion.

 

[sitwell]

Is Wilder going to be choosing the DOF ? If not it is deemed to failure ,who wants to manage a team with players you dont want.
Bad bad idea.

 

[blade_ben]

Not saying CW looses all power but he could say I want “Watkins” bid 25 million and 40k a week wages
DoF could then use contacts/knowledge and say to CW what about “x” he’d cost 10 million and 20k a week wages

 

[sitwell]

Are you seriously suggesting that, in the last couple of seasons, we got good quality additions to the squad for £130m, signings that could not be improved on, even with a different approach?

As for making a profit, who is going to give us more than £20m for McBurnie and more than £10m for Mousett? I reckon your looking at a £20m loss there, before you start?

The fact is Wilders transfer dealings were far more successful, when ‘he was looking down the back of the settee’

Personally, I’d like to see a recruitment team that studies player analytics and has a network of trusted scouts across Europe and beyond, rather than an individual DoF.

But whatever, it is an area we desperately need to improve upon and I’m pleased that has been recognised.

McBurnie ,Ramsdale ,Berge and Brewster are are all young long term signings ,Wilder isnt looking to sell them on.

 

[benn5712]

Other than Sundays I am available to join a 'Transfer Committee' to consider future acquisitions!

I would be happy to get by on £2k per week. For that the club would get a man of sound mind, good Biblical knowledge, who is opinionated. I see myself no less capable than any other applicants.

PO Box 666

What we do need Vicarage, is a hotline straight to the late great John Harris.
Shrewd. Look at the players we picked up when he was around. Obviously had a scout or two, but never the less.
You've got my vote, nah gerronweit.
Ta.

 

[Maidenhead]

A lot of talk about director of football here but I reckon that this spat is as much about the (non) development of the off field facilities as anything else.

 

[1889]

McBurnie ,Ramsdale ,Berge and Brewster are are all young long term signings ,Wilder isnt looking to sell them on.

I know, I was just referring to Chingos post in which he suggested that if we did sell them, we’d make a profit.

On the subject though, I think Wilders ‘stepping stone’ remark hints that he’d be happy to move Berge on for the right money and realistically he is the only player who may realise a profit for the club, at this moment in time.

 

[Yogi]

I know, I was just referring to Chingos post in which he suggested that if we did sell them, we’d make a profit.

On the subject though, I think Wilders ‘stepping stone’ remark hints that he’d be happy to move Berge on for the right money and realistically he is the only player who may realise a profit for the club, at this moment in time.

I think there’s a few others who would turn a profit but probably to a lesser extent. Baldock for example bought for peanuts and is certainly worth many times what was paid for him. Egan is worth more than the 4 million paid. Fleck brought in on a free certainly worth a lot more than that. Bogle even if he commanded all of the reported 10 million paid for both him and Lowe is worth more than that given what he’s shown at this level and his age.

 

[JackSUFC]

When the Football Editor of the Daily Mail is saying it, surely there’s some truth behind it.

 

[Bashamed]

 

[Bashamed]

When the Football Editor of the Daily Mail is saying it, surely there’s some truth behind it.

Feel sick

 

[Big Hitter]

Not saying CW looses all power but he could say I want “Watkins” bid 25 million and 40k a week wages
DoF could then use contacts/knowledge and say to CW what about “x” he’d cost 10 million and 20k a week wages

Shoulda bin a scriptwriter for Corrie

 

[JackSUFC]

Feel sick

Yeah not looking good is it. I’m not opposed to having a DoF but I want Wilder to stay above all else.

 

[Bashamed]

Yeah not looking good is it. I’m not opposed to having a DoF but I want Wilder to stay above all else.

Same here, dont mind it if wilder is on board but don't lose him over it. Can see how we can easily drift into obscurity again. They decide to go for a DoF so wilder goes. Average season next season with fans not too happy then we're back in the cycle of selling our best players and slowly getting worse.

 

[1889]

I think there’s a few others who would turn a profit but probably to a lesser extent. Baldock for example bought for peanuts and is certainly worth many times what was paid for him. Egan is worth more than the 4 million paid. Fleck brought in on a free certainly worth a lot more than that. Bogle even if he commanded all of the reported 10 million paid for both him and Lowe is worth more than that given what he’s shown at this level and his age.

Yeah definitely, lots of individual squad members could easily be sold for profit, particularly 90% of the Championship squad.

But I was specifically referring to the players brought in during our £130m Premier League spending spree. as a whole, after someone suggested that if we sold them all, we’d make a profit?