[kris_boing]

http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/west-bromwich-albion-fc/2012/03/29/west-broms-dan-ashworth-linked-with-fa-top-job/
 
West Bromwich Albion are on alert to tackle a double-whammy from the FA in this summer’s search for a new managerial team to take England forward.

The Baggies’ hopes of persuading Roy Hodgson to extend his Hawthorns stay is already entangled in their Head Coach’s running to succeed Fabio Capello.

Now West Brom’s Sporting and Technical director Dan Ashworth is being linked to the vacancy announced from Soho Square on Tuesday which sees the FA looking for their own Technical Director.

Hawthorns sources stress that there has been no contact involving Ashworth, but it is inevitable the 41-year-old will be on the FA radar having established a reputation as one of the country’s leading performers in a role not always easily integrated in English football culture.

That Ashworth’s name is being linked to the post by London media sources adds to a confusing picture for the Baggies as this season enters its final phase.

Hodgson has also been named as a potential candidate for the Technical Director’s post as an alternative to the job of running the team for which Spurs boss Harry Redknapp remains a marginal favourite.

Also in the running for the Technical Director’s post will be ex-England defender and Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate who is already head of the FA’s elite development programme.

Steve Wigley, a close associate of current caretaker boss Stuart Pearce, is also being linked to the opening.

But former England manager Steve McClaren has ruled himself out

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This would be a huge blow to our club if it happens.  Ashworth is arguably more important to us than Hodgson.

[DaveWBA]

This would be far worse than losing Hodgson, coaches can be easily replaced. It will be a lot harder for Peace to find another Ashworth. I wish the FA would just p**s off, no-one even cares about international football!

I would accept Roy leaving if it meant we could keep Ashworth.

[BB74]

Dan makes no secret that we are always updating our shortlists for potential left backs,  defensive midfielders and even new head coaches. I wonder if someone is keeping tabs on potential new Sporting and Technical directors?

[tuamigos]

The thing is that with a position like this being offered i doubt he could be swayed by JP offering loads of cash to keep him here.
41 and offered one of the top football jobs in the country? He'd be mad not to give it a go

[KnaveofAlbion]

As discussed in previous threads, Ashworth has been very good at his job for us. But it isn't Ashworth himself that is reaping the rewards for Albion. It's our overall set-up and having someone very able in that role.

If Ashworth left it would be a shame, but someone else would fill that role and the job would continue.

I hope he stays, but if he goes we will hardly notice the difference assuming his replacement is of similar capability.

[hardtobeat]

Dan Ashworth has a deputy so i assume he would step into the top position and things would carry regardless whilst we searched for a suitable underling to take Andy Marriotts position as no2,thus ensuring minimum disruption after all 'if it aint broke dont mend it'. Obviously if an absoltely outstanding candidate was immediately available that would alter the situation.

[A5HB]

Dan Ashworth has a deputy so i assume he would step into the top position and things would carry regardless whilst we searched for a suitable underling to take Andy Marriotts position as no2,thus ensuring minimum disruption after all 'if it aint broke dont mend it'. Obviously if an absoltely outstanding candidate was immediately available that would alter the situation.

I mentioned about Marriott to CL on twitter earlier, he told me Marriott is long gone, left to get a job in Formula 1 so we now no longer have a back up.

[Standaman]

Tricky appointment if Ashworth leaves any successor must combine a comprehensive knowledge of the game and its inner workings but critically cannot be seen as a threat to the Head Coach. Whenever  Avram Grant has been appointed Technical director he seems to have designs on the Head coach's job which cannot be good for the relationship between Head coach and Technical director nor the smooth running of the club.   

[Baggies]

It would be a disaster if Ashworth was to go. There would be other technical directors out there who could come in but finding the right one would be tough. We know at the moment we have a very good Tech Director so having to find a replacement would open ourselves to risk (look how Simon Hunt worked out).

I hope the FA hire Southgate really. He is a good football man and crucially, would allow us to keep Ashworth. The worry is that the talk around Ashworth continues and it will only take so long before a club like Newcastle with more money decide he is the worth bringing in.

[Sealandair]

Let him go, any idiot can spend 8 hours a day making 'shortlists'

Over-rated . Roy took Fulham to a uefa cup final without the aid of some kid making 'lists'

[Hunnington Baggie]

Let him go, any idiot can spend 8 hours a day making 'shortlists'

Over-rated . Roy took Fulham to a uefa cup final without the aid of some kid making 'lists'

however we are not Fulham. we are similar in the size of the club. but we are built upon a more continental base, where the technical director is key. many of the transfers are actually his. If Hodgson wants a player, it goes through DA and the scouting system and the DA makes the call. Other than that many are his and his alone.

Yes Hodgson took Fulham to a european cup final, how did he do at liverpool?
Ashworth has been a constant at Albion since 2004. since then the team's strength has improved for not much more money.

I know who i want if we only kept one....

[Baggies]

I think that's a short sighted view sealandair.

Is it a co-incidence that since Ashworth has come in, we have been able to stay in the premier league for 2 seasons on the trot, while not actually spending much more money than we were before?

Is it a co-incidence that the FA are chasing him and football people who have dealings with him talk highly of him (Man City's Stategic Performance Manager tweeted this morning it's good to see him get some recognition).

Is it a co-incidence Roy Hodgson has praised him so highly?

Football in England is still the domain of cavemen. It is the reason we have fell behind other clubs both in our player production and in our approach to running football clubs. Despite having the biggest TV deal in world football, English football only has 1 club in the quarter final of a European competition this year. Maybe thats because our clubs waste their money due to the myth of the omnipotent, omniscient manager.

It's the Brian Clough/Bill Shankley/Sir Alex Fergusson effect of the cult of manager. Success for the few meaning it must work for everyone.

Im glad WBA has been quick to notice the benefits of change, and have been able to battle past the prejudices and naivety I once had myself.

[Quakes Fan]

Virtually every professional club in every sport in the US has a position like Ashworth's. The authority is apportioned differently according to the personnel (no one tells Bill Belichick what players he is going to get), but there's almost always someone in the job.

[dont ask me to choose luv]

Can somebody please tell me what a tech director of football does? as I was of the opinion that his primary job was to assist in the acquisition of players having drawn up a list of possibilities, however, surely players ability to represent their country is down to the manager & them players don't need to be purchased.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Let him go, any idiot can spend 8 hours a day making 'shortlists'

Over-rated . Roy took Fulham to a uefa cup final without the aid of some kid making 'lists'

Not really. It's okay making short list but then he has to travel around the world watching these players over a sustained period to make sure they're the correct player the club needs and most importantly will be able to make the grade to the Premier League. Certainly not as easy as you make out.

[Dexy]

Let him go, any idiot can spend 8 hours a day making 'shortlists'

Over-rated . Roy took Fulham to a uefa cup final without the aid of some kid making 'lists'

Can they?, can they find your Odemwingies/Olsson's/Scharners for the sort of deals we can offer?......unlikely.

[lewisant]

Let him go, any idiot can spend 8 hours a day making 'shortlists'

Over-rated . Roy took Fulham to a uefa cup final without the aid of some kid making 'lists'

Once again I'm looking at my screen shaking my head in disbelief at a sealandair post. He clearly I pivotal to our club, you on the wind up?

[B_H_Baggie]

Can they?, can they find your Odemwingies/Olsson's/Scharners for the sort of deals we can offer?......unlikely.

Lets face it someone else probably could identify players like that and get equally good deals even though Ashworth appears to be doing a very good job in that respect.

However, could they have such a good working relationship with the other directors and be fully trusted like Dan Ashworth appears to be?

[Dexy]

Lets face it someone else probably could identify players like that and get equally good deals even though Ashworth appears to be doing a very good job in that respect.

However, could they have such a good working relationship with the other directors and be fully trusted like Dan Ashworth appears to be?

I know Dan isnt the Corberan but if you look at his predecessor Simon Hunt and the likes of Sluraski,Pele and Tininho i think it shows Dans worth.As you say he appears to be fully trusted,he has certainly had a huge impact on us as a club.

[B_H_Baggie]

Thing is we only have Simon Hunt to compare him to in this role at the club, don't think we have had anyone else.

Its such an important role that you need to get the right man for the job and there is no doubt that Dan Ashworth is that man for us as he has proven so would be a massive loss. Some of us worry about losing our manager and the upheaval that could cause in the summer, its entirely possible that losing Ashworth would be a much bigger hit to the club than losing Hodgson.

[KnaveofAlbion]

Once again I'm looking at my screen shaking my head in disbelief at a sealandair post. He clearly I pivotal to our club, you on the wind up?

I honestly think SLA does it to get a rise out of people. Either that, or he's the more angry/negative person in the history of humankind... one or the other?!

As stated before, I hope Ashworth stays, getting another guy in could work ut fine, but why take the risk?

[alex1]

If you are a football club with a Board and Chairman that writes out cheques for several million on a regular basis, then maybe you can get by without a Dan Ashworth. The alternative for clubs of our size is to have a well set up and organised scouting network. That seems to be happening due to DA. That can save you a helluva lot of money. It is also a lie to the theory that you can never develop top players on a medium budget. I don't know exactly what DA does, but it seems to be working for Albion. Sure someone else could do that job, but would he have the qualities of DA? I presume there's more to it than just being able to spot a talent.

[WBArgo]

Ashworth has been our life blood in recent years, and has been more valuable than any recent manager.

The money made in transfers must add up to the over £100 million when you factor in promotions and stuff.

I like the way Everton pay Moyes. He's one of the highest paid managers in the world, at just over £3 million a year. When you think about it, £3 million is nothing when he's consistently good and £3 million wouldn't even get a great player these days. It would be sensible to give Ashworth/Hodgson big deals imo, rather than to go after a few players.

[chipperclark]

  What about Roy doing Dans' job ? Bring in Chris Hughton or McInnes and Roy keeping an eye on them?
Perfect solution. Roy can go get us some gems.

[Semaj Riatsila]

DA would be a very big loss.  He is well respected in the football management fraternity for his abilities.

This could be an interesting summer break for the Albion.