Director of Football - angel or Devil

[bigwheel]

There's been a lot of chat in recent times about whether we should have a DOF...here is an article on this topic in today's Guardian. A good read IMO ....I really like the points around longer term strategy and consistency of playing style...

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/30/sporting-director-tottenham

[Jack]

You don't need to convince many on here, its sold on us. It seems so obvious for a club like ours.

However while our current chairman is in place the likelihood of it happening are zero to nil with no chance of appeal.

Hibs have a great history of being at the cutting edge of football but it seems to me the way our club is run just now is almost prehistoric. What's particularly galling is the system we have for running the football side isn't as good as it should be, in fact it's broken, and there are no signs of any appetite to change it.

[Pedantic_Hibee]

John Collins would be ideal for the role to implement a root and branch review of the club, it's methods, playing styles, ethos and approach.

I miss Roger Propos.

[The Falcon]

We have had a DoF before and he had a far superior pedigree to anyone thats been mentioned. It didnt go well.

[bigwheel]

I think the issue with a DoF is it has to be someone who doesn't want to be manager. Therefore, trust can be built up between DoF and the Manager. JC certainly had the vision and disciplines , there are others out there. It would take a change in thinking at our football club..

[Pedantic_Hibee]

We have had a DoF before and he had a far superior pedigree to anyone thats been mentioned. It didnt go well.

Who? I'm sure he was killing the club every day.

We need to copy the big teams and hire someone like Jim Duffy.

[offshorehibby]

Billy McNeil was a few years back now and to be honest i don't think he grasped the concept of a DoF.

A very good article in the Guardian, I've been warming to the idea of a DoF recently but it has to be set up correctly.

[matty_f]

We have had a DoF before and he had a far superior pedigree to anyone thats been mentioned. It didnt go well.

Just because it didn't work before doesn't mean it wouldn't ever work.

[bigwheel]

Billy McNeil, a good player, decent manager, but in no way what a modern DoF should be...we need a a strategist, football performance developer and recruiter....I agree, setting up in the right way is key. clear roles and separation of account abilities . And we have to hire the right individual..

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

If this role had a different name, I believe that an awful lot more clubs would employ one. Where it works, it is hailed as inspired but where it doesn't it is seen as insidious. A current example of an appointment that has maybe not had enough thought put into it would be Joe Kinnear at Newcastle. Alan Pardew has had to come out and say that he has no problems with him, even before the season has got going.

[Eyrie]

I've always been in favour provided that the two roles are clearly defined and both DoF and manager aware of the boundaries. That article sums up both why the DoF role is necessary and how it should operate very well.

[snooky]

I've always been in favour provided that the two roles are clearly defined and both DoF and manager aware of the boundaries. That article sums up both why the DoF role is necessary and how it should operate very well.

Haven't read the article yet but, in my personal experience in the workplace, working under two bosses has been negative.
Unless the roles are clearly divided - which I think is very hard to totally achieve - I don't think it works.
So, it's a 'no' from me.

[Eyrie]

Haven't read the article yet but, in my personal experience in the workplace, working under two bosses has been negative.
Unless the roles are clearly divided - which I think is very hard to totally achieve - I don't think it works.
So, it's a 'no' from me.

I work for a partnership, so have two bosses to answer to. They have similar roles and it works fine because they co-operate well.

The dividing line for the DoF role is pretty simple - the manager is responsible for the first team squad including all signing decisions and the DoF is responsible for everything else. Their interaction is largely limited to the DoF maintaining a library of scouted players which the manager can then consult. The board are in overall control, including ensuring that both manager and DoF share the club's football philosophy.