Maybe he wasn’t one of our own after all?

[FMBlade1]

That doesn’t apply to anything you post

You ok hun? x

 

[Sean Thornton]

You ok hun? x

Fine thanks Babe. You?

(no kiss)

 

[FMBlade1]

Fine thanks Babe. You?

(no kiss)

Yeah good, thanks for the free accommodation in your mind

 

[Sean Thornton]

Yeah good, thanks for the free accommodation in your mind

That’ll be the cause of the headache and nausea then.

 

[The Crab]

This, exactly this.

And it always makes me laugh when anyone presents their opinions as facts whilst shutting down other peoples' opinions because they couldn't possibly understand. There's far too many people like that on both sides of the debate here.

I'm fairly sure there's blame to be apportioned to all parties, just as there is when there's any falling out.

Very few of us know the facts, just a version of the truth eh?

I've been ITK very few times. The last one was when I used to work with John Egan's Mrs. I knew for a fact that he was going to miss the Man Utd game (IIRC) because he'd already told his family not to come over as he wasn't going to be playing. Yet after I found that out CW said in his presser that he had a chance.

Facts are subjective. And I'd be very suspicious if a "friend" of mine was divulging stuff on social media I'd be asking questions of that friend.

 

[scouseblade]

For anyone who is embarrassed by Wilder's interviews this season I implore you to try and find some of Warnock's from the relegation season. That was true embarrassment.

Warnock gave up way way before we were relegated.

 

[Rusty]

Fuck me, you don't have to read further than that. A fact? Do you actually understand what a fact is? "engineered" it all.... what utter bollocks.
It now seems that wanting a manager to stay who single-handedly saved the club from obscurity and propelled it to its best season anyone can remember is being a "fanboy".
What a stinking cesspit this forum has become this season.

Bang on the money. The first 4 years obviously count for fck all after this horrendous season. Ok I'm a bit of a dinosaur and old school at 58, but the DNA of a blade is definitely changing with the younger generation. Sad, what a couple of seasons in the premier league cess pit can do.

 

[Le Cynique]

Bang on the money. The first 4 years obviously count for fck all after this horrendous season. Ok I'm a bit of a dinosaur and old school at 58, but the DNA of a blade is definitely changing with the younger generation. Sad, what a couple of seasons in the premier league cess pit can do.

I think the first 4 years would count for a lot more if there hadn't been such an incredible volte-face from the manager from last season to this. Last season he was full of passion, not allowing anyone to underestimate us, shouting from the rooftops that we were where we were on merit and making sure that if any of our players left anything on the pitch they were going to be told about it.

This season... well, he's not the same person is he? Defeated before a ball is kicked, moaning about how we can't compete, saying the Premier League won't have to put up with us for too much longer, allowing players like Lundstram to stroll about the pitch and then get picked again for the next match.

It's a massive fucking shame, but you can't say that he's unnacountable, and nor can you say that he's not been given ample time to change (more than pretty much any other manager at any other club would be given with those results and performances). He's as much an architect of the situation as the board and the players.

 

[Mojo]

I think covid and injuries has had the biggest impact on results.

Wilder was clearly being hurt and frustrated by the situation and clearly it was taking it's mental toll on him.

In the background he must have been getting pressure from Bettis and the board to accept a DOF, hence Wilder being very defensive about his signings in recent weeks, saying things like it was the strategy to sign young players and we all signed Brewster. To us fans it sounded like excuses but if behind closed doors he was being threatened with his job and criticised for his signings it does make a bit more sense why Wilder was very defensive and full of excuses in most press conferences.


I feel all parties have handled this situation terribly. It was too much of an emotional time to try and force through changes now. I feel let down by everyone if I'm being honest, the board, wilder, bettis, the players.

We had a glorious chance to finally establish ourselves, global recognition and praise, a unique style and an amazing united club. And now less than a year later we have never been so divided.

 

[Woodys Thunderbolt]

Since the likes of Wilder & Warnock have had long careers in the game as Players & Managers they will have hardly ever stood on the terraces/sat in the stands and watched the Blades home and away so can they really be classed as ‘One of our Own?’

 

[Robboblade1889]

Like I have said it doesn’t take a rocket scientist listening to interviews etc. I have had the pleasure of some dialogue with local journalist in the last few days and this has been going on for some time.
People who say he’s thrown his teddy out of the pram due to the situation this season couldn’t be further from the truth. He threw his teddy out of the pram when we were at the height of doing well. The board have always wanted to do it the way they are going to do it. But obviously they didn’t want to rock the boat too much because results on the pitch dictated that.
Why do you think Van Winkel was brought into the club a few years ago. Even when we were doing well on the pitch they still wanted to change it. Chris Wilder has fought against this since the Prince came in charge. If we had not got promoted when we did they would have changed it the following season. Very very clever from the owners, wait for it to start going sour that then gives them a perfect excuse to change the model. If you listen to Chris’s last couple of interviews and also local journalist all Chris wanted was to still be manager and have control over who is brought in. The owners want a coach and that coach to work with the players someone else brings in.
Can anyone say this is the right approach? That’s not saying people should be brought in to help the manager but it isn’t like that at all. They want someone to make the decisions fully on recruitment. This may work with a club who have an endless supply of money but not us.
This is where constructive dismissal comes into it, they have inherently tried changing his job description/contract from manager to coach etc. He firmly believes this is the wrong model and didn’t want to work that way and I for one fully support him.
Time will tell and it could work and I hope to god it does but in my opinion it won’t and it’s going to end in tears.

 

[blades78]

I think covid and injuries has had the biggest impact on results.

Wilder was clearly being hurt and frustrated by the situation and clearly it was taking it's mental toll on him.

In the background he must have been getting pressure from Bettis and the board to accept a DOF, hence Wilder being very defensive about his signings in recent weeks, saying things like it was the strategy to sign young players and we all signed Brewster. To us fans it sounded like excuses but if behind closed doors he was being threatened with his job and criticised for his signings it does make a bit more sense why Wilder was very defensive and full of excuses in most press conferences.


I feel all parties have handled this situation terribly. It was too much of an emotional time to try and force through changes now. I feel let down by everyone if I'm being honest, the board, wilder, bettis, the players.

We had a glorious chance to finally establish ourselves, global recognition and praise, a unique style and an amazing united club. And now less than a year later we have never been so divided.

Great post. On one hand I feel like a Wilder has left us in the lurch and on the other I feel like Wilder has been thrown under a bus. I think if the fans had been in the stadium backing him, we wouldn't be in this situation.

 

[Mojo]

Like I have said it doesn’t take a rocket scientist listening to interviews etc. I have had the pleasure of some dialogue with local journalist in the last few days and this has been going on for some time.
People who say he’s thrown his teddy out of the pram due to the situation this season couldn’t be further from the truth. He threw his teddy out of the pram when we were at the height of doing well. The board have always wanted to do it the way they are going to do it. But obviously they didn’t want to rock the boat too much because results on the pitch dictated that.
Why do you think Van Winkel was brought into the club a few years ago. Even when we were doing well on the pitch they still wanted to change it. Chris Wilder has fought against this since the Prince came in charge. If we had not got promoted when we did they would have changed it the following season. Very very clever from the owners, wait for it to start going sour that then gives them a perfect excuse to change the model. If you listen to Chris’s last couple of interviews and also local journalist all Chris wanted was to still be manager and have control over who is brought in. The owners want a coach and that coach to work with the players someone else brings in.
Can anyone say this is the right approach? That’s not saying people should be brought in to help the manager but it isn’t like that at all. They want someone to make the decisions fully on recruitment. This may work with a club who have an endless supply of money but not us.
This is where constructive dismissal comes into it, they have inherently tried changing his job description/contract from manager to coach etc. He firmly believes this is the wrong model and didn’t want to work that way and I for one fully support him.
Time will tell and it could work and I hope to god it does but in my opinion it won’t and it’s going to end in tears.

If that was the case it would have better for Wilder to resign at the end of last season with his head held high and his legacy intact.

The board are also in the wrong for trying to force this through when Wilder was clearly struggling mentally to the point they have broken him. Wilder has made mistakes but to apportion all blame on him is absolutely ridiculous with the covid situation and injuries. Our board have contributed massively to Wilder not being himself this year and being so defensive. Publicly backing him while privately chastising him and trying to force changed on him was not the way to go. Especially not right now.

 

[WeAreBlades1889]

Bang on the money. The first 4 years obviously count for fck all after this horrendous season. Ok I'm a bit of a dinosaur and old school at 58, but the DNA of a blade is definitely changing with the younger generation. Sad, what a couple of seasons in the premier league cess pit can do.

If Wilder had still been the Wilder of the first 4 seasons, then I'd get behind him and agree with you.
The fact that he changed so drastically and people expected him to bring us straight back up with this poor excuse of a team, meant that change was inevitable.
Everyone agrees that having someone in charge who loves and supports the club is the ideal situation, but when that person fades and no longer has the passion, then we have to look elsewhere.
Do you honestly think he would have brought us straight back up with this aging, dejected team? I would personally say no.
This team was incredible last season and yet every player to a man has let us down big time time season. This can only be the fault of the management team and the decisions within in.
Age makes no difference...some people are speaking with their heart and some people are speaking with their head. All parties within the club are at fault and we can either bitch and moan for the rest of the season or be constructive with regards to how we can get our confidence back.

 

[Mojo]

Great post. On one hand I feel like a Wilder has left us in the lurch and on the other I feel like Wilder has been thrown under a bus. I think if the fans had been in the stadium backing him, we wouldn't be in this situation.

I totally agree. Wilder has made mistakes but it's terrible circumstances that have led to where we are more than anything.

People having a go at Wilder for being miserable, defensive and negative but put any of us in the same position and it would have likely broken us too. It's easy to say Wilder took the easy way out but to me he was already way past his breaking point.

 

[The Crab]

I totally agree. Wilder has made mistakes but it's terrible circumstances that have led to where we are more than anything.

People having a go at Wilder for being miserable, defensive and negative but put any of us in the same position and it would have likely broken us too. It's easy to say Wilder took the easy way out but to me he was already way past his breaking point.

We don't know what has gone on behind the scenes to make Wilder feels like he has come across.

Work and personal stuff has impacted me, to the point where I'm not what I was, a miserable twat basically. Mental pressure is mental pressure

 

[Mojo]

We don't know what has gone on behind the scenes to make Wilder feels like he has come across.

Work and personal stuff has impacted me, to the point where I'm not what I was, a miserable twat basically. Mental pressure is mental pressure

We don't know for sure but but it's pretty obvious he was being criticised for his signings. And pretty obvious the way the season was going was massively hurting him mentally. Like you say work can be an emotive place anyway and thats without any real emotional attachment.

 

[Bill puntin]

Don’t let’s forget he threatened to leave us for Sunderland job if he didn’t get the contract he wanted so it was always going to happen I’ve loved these passed 5 years like all blades have but always had a niggling feeling he thought he was bigger than the club just my feelings but I’m hurt like all of us and I’ve seen worse things in my 60 plus years of watching my team.

 

[bypassblade]

We all knew it would end one day but not so acrimoniously, I think fans and Wilder wanted to leave us with a legacy and sound footing to go forward. This has sadly not happened and CW has left under a cloud no matter what folk say, it is silly if going to get rid it should have been months ago not now.

There was no backing in January and promises broke, but CW is also stubborn and didn't want to accept the changes proposed to him. We as fans can sit here and moan all we like it won't bring him back so now is the time, to regroup and think of Sheffield United Football Club.

On saying that the Prince and his board should also be doing the same.

 

[Bladeulike]

If that was the case it would have better for Wilder to resign at the end of last season with his head held high and his legacy intact.

The board are also in the wrong for trying to force this through when Wilder was clearly struggling mentally to the point they have broken him. Wilder has made mistakes but to apportion all blame on him is absolutely ridiculous with the covid situation and injuries. Our board have contributed massively to Wilder not being himself this year and being so defensive. Publicly backing him while privately chastising him and trying to force changed on him was not the way to go. Especially not right now.

What I can’t get my head round is that if the Board were enforcing different recruitment strategy then the first question is why was that needed? To screw Chris over or because it was in the best long term interests of the club? By common consent Willder’s recruitment was dreadful of late. Berge is class but really looked like a fish out of water in our system, McBurnie has never delivered, Mousset likewise, Burke really doesn’t cut it, Bogle and Lowe were a Championship not Premiership buy and Brewster is a luxury seat warmer. Even the most ardent Wilder fan would say that he lost the plot in the transfer market and opposition to a DOF feels more like a pride thing by Wilder than an objective appraisal of what the club really needs if it wants to survive in the Prem. So maybe the Board was right in that respect?

I’m not a natural supporter of our Board after decades of supporting the Blades so it’s hard to acknowledge that the DOF strategy may have been a good one. That doesn’t exonerate them from the calamitous mess we are now in and how it could and should have been handled better. I would have liked to see Chris wilder working alongside a DOF - surely some compromise terms could have been worked out to save face and produce an operational model that suited both sides? As it is we have a car crash instead. Bloody typical.

 

[1987]

Who says he got a pay off?
He would certainly (well almost certainly) get one if he was sacked.
But he wasn’t sacked.

It was widely reported the delay at the end was negotiating his settlement.

If not sacked, which I never said he was, then you could be looking at constructive dismissal, which would get a payoff. Or a lawsuit.

 

[Mojo]

What I can’t get my head round is that if the Board were enforcing different recruitment strategy then the first question is why was that needed? To screw Chris over or because it was in the best long term interests of the club? By common consent Willder’s recruitment was dreadful of late. Berge is class but really looked like a fish out of water in our system, McBurnie has never delivered, Mousset likewise, Burke really doesn’t cut it, Bogle and Lowe were a Championship not Premiership buy and Brewster is a luxury seat warmer. Even the most ardent Wilder fan would say that he lost the plot in the transfer market and opposition to a DOF feels more like a pride thing by Wilder than an objective appraisal of what the club really needs if it wants to survive in the Prem. So maybe the Board was right in that respect?

I’m not a natural supporter of our Board after decades of supporting the Blades so it’s hard to acknowledge that the DOF strategy may have been a good one. That doesn’t exonerate them from the calamitous mess we are now in and how it could and should have been handled better. I would have liked to see Chris wilder working alongside a DOF - surely some compromise terms could have been worked out to save face and produce an operational model that suited both sides? As it is we have a car crash instead. Bloody typical.

I'd say Wilders biggest mistakes in the transfer market were not signings adequate replacements for JOC and Lundstram when our only other options would seriously weaken our team. The young expensive players we have signed were the clubs strategy and I will give them the benifit of the doubt as I think some of them will go on to be very very good players.

Either way I think without the many injuries and with a crowd behind us we would still be battling to stay up now

 

[BlairBlade]

It was widely reported the delay at the end was negotiating his settlement.

If not sacked, which I never said he was, then you could be looking at constructive dismissal, which would get a payoff. Or a lawsuit.

Agreed.
I don't think I said that you said he was sacked.
I said that if he was sacked he would get a pay-off.
I assume there was something along the lines of a pay-off, ie sorting out terms/pay-off/non-disclosure, etc., in trying to agree on how to bring it to an end from Friday morning to Saturday night.
It seems that on Friday morning CW tendered his resignation. I am at a loss to understand how there would be constructive dismissal involved in all of this.
I am sure he had a very good contract (very well paid, good incentives, hopefully a relegation clause, etc.) but surely it was not so one-sided and totally advantageous to him as to allow him to claim constructive dismissal if the board wanted, say, a DoF or insisted some players would be sold next season.
Any employment contract would, invariably, provide for changes as and when times, situations, change, etc.

 

[nopigfansintown]

It’s an interesting dynamic that is emerging in this thread. Apart from the ‘bollocks’ and ‘bilge’ and ‘shit’ insults that my OP generated there’s also been a lot of targeted polarising so I have now become, apparently, one of ‘them’. Not entirely sure who ‘they’ are but, presumably I can longer, by definition, be ‘one of us’. The irony isn’t lost on me that at least I am still here posting a point of view rather than in the car up to Glasgow...allegedly. Also interesting that I have ‘turned my back on Wilder at the first opportunity’. That’s a good one. If you can bothered to read posts I have made throughout the season (no, I don’t blame you if you can’t be arsed) I have been a strong supporter of Wilder all the way through until now. The now is because he’s gone and as far I can make out the only back I can see is his going off into the distance.

Please cut out the abusive comments, or at least shape them into something reasonably coherent. Please stop castigating me as if I belonged to some group that I neither recognise nor belong to. Lastly, please try and stop the rewriting of my position so that it fits more neatly into the limited range of insults you wish to hurl. Of course you disagree with me,honestly that’s fine but attack the post not the poster.

For the record, I don’t blame Wilder for leaving if the relationship with PA had turned toxic and I am not saying he engineered his departure to earn a big cash payout. I am not saying the club has behaved well either. What I am saying is that if you clear away the smoke and mirrors on all sides he has left us with a team today that would get mullered by the team that first came up and has spent shedloads of money in doing so. It has ultimately been an abject, humiliating failure but the ride to get here was exhilarating along the way. I absolutely credit him for the ride. What I don’t give him credit for is the timing and manner of his departure and I believed him when he said, many times, that we would be ‘leaving by the front door’. For me, that would mean seeing out the last few games out and getting to the end of the season as a team, albeit not a very good one any more. That would be what I believe the Chris Wilder of old would have done. I don’t recognise this guy slipping out of the back door when there are still games to play as much as I don’t recognise this team of shadows that he has left us with. In criticising him for that I am not apportioning all the blame for this sorry state of affairs, I’m simply saying he has to take some responsibility for his actions as well as others

Wow! The "bollocks" wasn't aimed at you personally; it was aimed at your diatribe which was basically a set of falsehoods masquerading as an opinion. I'll take the word "bollocks" back and replace it with "fabrications" if it makes you feel better? I don't know you and will never resort to personal insults online, and am a bit annoyed that you've tried to twist a vigorous refutation of your incoherent narrative as personal insults or abuse. I was merely pointing out the irony of your post, which was dropping with it. The so called "targeted polarising" is all in your head as far as I'm I'm concerned. It's be interesting for you to back that up with some facts or maybe apologise if you can't; you know, like I did earlier in this riposte? Nice deflections though...

 

[BushBlade]

West Ham settle Curbishley claim

West Ham have settled the claim for compensation from former manager Alan Curbishley.

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Robboblade1889]

It’s an interesting dynamic that is emerging in this thread. Apart from the ‘bollocks’ and ‘bilge’ and ‘shit’ insults that my OP generated there’s also been a lot of targeted polarising so I have now become, apparently, one of ‘them’. Not entirely sure who ‘they’ are but, presumably I can longer, by definition, be ‘one of us’. The irony isn’t lost on me that at least I am still here posting a point of view rather than in the car up to Glasgow...allegedly. Also interesting that I have ‘turned my back on Wilder at the first opportunity’. That’s a good one. If you can bothered to read posts I have made throughout the season (no, I don’t blame you if you can’t be arsed) I have been a strong supporter of Wilder all the way through until now. The now is because he’s gone and as far I can make out the only back I can see is his going off into the distance.

Please cut out the abusive comments, or at least shape them into something reasonably coherent. Please stop castigating me as if I belonged to some group that I neither recognise nor belong to. Lastly, please try and stop the rewriting of my position so that it fits more neatly into the limited range of insults you wish to hurl. Of course you disagree with me,honestly that’s fine but attack the post not the poster.

For the record, I don’t blame Wilder for leaving if the relationship with PA had turned toxic and I am not saying he engineered his departure to earn a big cash payout. I am not saying the club has behaved well either. What I am saying is that if you clear away the smoke and mirrors on all sides he has left us with a team today that would get mullered by the team that first came up and has spent shedloads of money in doing so. It has ultimately been an abject, humiliating failure but the ride to get here was exhilarating along the way. I absolutely credit him for the ride. What I don’t give him credit for is the timing and manner of his departure and I believed him when he said, many times, that we would be ‘leaving by the front door’. For me, that would mean seeing out the last few games out and getting to the end of the season as a team, albeit not a very good one any more. That would be what I believe the Chris Wilder of old would have done. I don’t recognise this guy slipping out of the back door when there are still games to play as much as I don’t recognise this team of shadows that he has left us with. In criticising him for that I am not apportioning all the blame for this sorry state of affairs, I’m simply saying he has to take some responsibility for his actions as well as others

Up in his car in Glasgow! Again where is they coming from? He hasn’t been to Celtic or even spoken to them yet you throw that in. It’s shot like this people have issues with it’s all made up yet you would sooner believe this than anything anyone has put. Like I said listen all the interviews Bettis, Heckingbottom Billy etc. Read the local journos columns on it. It’s all there you just have to look hard enough to know what’s going off.
It doesn’t matter though because your version of events is truth like him going up to Glasgow in his car. Wait 6/12 months and see what happens then revisit this and see if you feel the same.

 

[bornablade]

Like I have said it doesn’t take a rocket scientist listening to interviews etc. I have had the pleasure of some dialogue with local journalist in the last few days and this has been going on for some time.
People who say he’s thrown his teddy out of the pram due to the situation this season couldn’t be further from the truth. He threw his teddy out of the pram when we were at the height of doing well. The board have always wanted to do it the way they are going to do it. But obviously they didn’t want to rock the boat too much because results on the pitch dictated that.
Why do you think Van Winkel was brought into the club a few years ago. Even when we were doing well on the pitch they still wanted to change it. Chris Wilder has fought against this since the Prince came in charge. If we had not got promoted when we did they would have changed it the following season. Very very clever from the owners, wait for it to start going sour that then gives them a perfect excuse to change the model. If you listen to Chris’s last couple of interviews and also local journalist all Chris wanted was to still be manager and have control over who is brought in. The owners want a coach and that coach to work with the players someone else brings in.
Can anyone say this is the right approach? That’s not saying people should be brought in to help the manager but it isn’t like that at all. They want someone to make the decisions fully on recruitment. This may work with a club who have an endless supply of money but not us.
This is where constructive dismissal comes into it, they have inherently tried changing his job description/contract from manager to coach etc. He firmly believes this is the wrong model and didn’t want to work that way and I for one fully support him.
Time will tell and it could work and I hope to god it does but in my opinion it won’t and it’s going to end in tears.

Excellent post.

Chris Wilder said a couple of years ago he was 'no-ones patsy'.

Most of us applauded that. We thought he wouldn't be taken advantage of could be interpreted as he would be looking out for all of us.

Well now I hope he's been true to himself and not been taken advantage of by the owners.

He's added hundreds of millions to the club over the past 4 years. The prince should have looked at his ROI and realise he will never come across a better asset.

The owners have always had their agenda. They've bided their time for this to happen.

 

[Bellypork]

Fans always want managers and players to show the same level of loyalty to a club as they do, conveniently forgetting that for managers and players it's a job of work and a career. A relatively short career too, and one that can end very quickly. I remember Tufty trudging towards the tunnel after the Palace defeat mumbling something along the lines that "he couldn't go on", whilst the commentator concurrently spoke of his "diminishing reputation". I think Wilder is United through and through, but that doesn't mean that he'll jeopardize his own career for it.

 

[nopigfansintown]

It seems the emotional fanboys are out in force again.
The facts are that Chris engineered his way out of the club with a payoff, although not as substantial as he would have liked.
It is quite clear to those who can control their emotions that Wilder was acting like a petulant kid when he wasn't getting his own way!
The board have evert right to talk about bringing in a DOF, as his signings since we got promoted (and a lot before that) have been appalling. He has wasted millions and he didn't deserve to spend a penny more.
Chris said he didn't want to risk the financial stability of the club, so he can't moan about paying higher wages. Maybe the Chairman wanted us to have a similar plan to Norwich. Yo yo for a few years, but live within our means and build year on year.
At the end of the day, Chris presided over one of the worst runs in history and made us the second worst team to ever compete in the Premiership.
Questions to the Wilder fanboys:
Why did Chris refuse to change our formation when we were getting beat week after week and where was this tactical genius' plan B?
Why did Chris keep playing Lundstram, when he wouldn't commit? Duffy was thrown out for a similar reason.
Why did Chris come across as downbeat and uninspiring in interview after interview, throughout the season?
Why did he buy players and not play to their strengths?
The answer overall is that he orchestrated his way out of the club, knew he couldn't save us from the drop and wanted the sack, so that he could get a substantial pay out. Thr Prince wouldn't play ball, so a compromise has been reached.
Chris has now left us with an aging first team squad and a load of players who are probably league 1 level at best.
What has happened has happened.
We shouldn't cry for a man who no longer represents us, so we move forward as a club.

I probably shouldn't bother with you as your post count, sign up date, and tenor of posts indicate that you're a pig troll? If I'm ight how's your season going However for clarity for the hard of thinking: I'm not "emotional" or a "fanboy". Your post and the cult of the Prince however...

 

[Hamburg Blade]

Like I have said it doesn’t take a rocket scientist listening to interviews etc. I have had the pleasure of some dialogue with local journalist in the last few days and this has been going on for some time.
People who say he’s thrown his teddy out of the pram due to the situation this season couldn’t be further from the truth. He threw his teddy out of the pram when we were at the height of doing well. The board have always wanted to do it the way they are going to do it. But obviously they didn’t want to rock the boat too much because results on the pitch dictated that.
Why do you think Van Winkel was brought into the club a few years ago. Even when we were doing well on the pitch they still wanted to change it. Chris Wilder has fought against this since the Prince came in charge. If we had not got promoted when we did they would have changed it the following season. Very very clever from the owners, wait for it to start going sour that then gives them a perfect excuse to change the model. If you listen to Chris’s last couple of interviews and also local journalist all Chris wanted was to still be manager and have control over who is brought in. The owners want a coach and that coach to work with the players someone else brings in.
Can anyone say this is the right approach? That’s not saying people should be brought in to help the manager but it isn’t like that at all. They want someone to make the decisions fully on recruitment. This may work with a club who have an endless supply of money but not us.
This is where constructive dismissal comes into it, they have inherently tried changing his job description/contract from manager to coach etc. He firmly believes this is the wrong model and didn’t want to work that way and I for one fully support him.
Time will tell and it could work and I hope to god it does but in my opinion it won’t and it’s going to end in tears.

All of that rings true. I would only say that I don't think a DoF, in the role of sole recruiter, works or doesn't work based on how much money the club has to spend. I think people make a link because it tends to be the rich clubs who have one, but I think that's down to the ability of the club to pay the extra wages of a DoF plus it only makes sense to have one if you're also shelling out for a scouting network.

It can work if you've got the right personnel. One advantage is you can employ a manager based on his coaching/tactical ability and it doesn't matter whether he's useless in the transfer market. With us, the stupid thing the board have (allegedly) done is force it on someone who has been clear he wants to control the transfers. Fine if you don't want to keep him, but he has been highly successful on the pitch and is liked by the fans.
I don't think our board are experienced enough to understand how precious that can be. Or too stupid to recognise it. They don't grow on trees. A manager who's got the support of the fans even in our position? I doubt it'll happen again. We could be back to the hiring and firing cycle.

Wilder may have made some duff signings, or signings that will turn out well but were wrong for this season, but no doubt the board a) knew and signed off on his targets/signings, b) could easily have worked with him to set up a scouting network and recruitment team under his management and c) knew which signings he would have prefered but didn't stump up the cash, (not that I'm saying the cash was there in the first place).
All in all, I just don't see how a DoF would have been guaranteed to do any better than Wilder or how it helps to have someone delivering players to the manager, who the manager might not even want. But because some of the signings haven't delivered what was hoped, despite the realism of the constraints on getting the first choice players it turns out we needed, some fans are clutching at the idea of a DoF being the answer to all the problems. Just as they think Europe is awash with top PL players who are available for a pittance, will play for low wages and are piss easy to spot and sign.