[Maresca Was A Baggie]

We are at a point where no self respecting manager will take the role. The club has no structure so how is any manager going to build a squad that's 'expected' to get promotion. Only a young unknown lower league manager would probably give it a go. At least we will have a local derby against Walsall soon.

[Mister AT]

We are at a point where no self respecting manager will take the role. The club has no structure so how is any manager going to build a squad that's 'expected' to get promotion. Only a young unknown lower league manager would probably give it a go. At least we will have a local derby against Walsall soon.

If it’s true Appleton turned us down then that speaks volumes. A league one manager who has previously been at our club and has friends here, has openly been keen to manage us at some point, ultimately turning us down to stay in league one.

Looks like we might have to take McInnes up on his interest as he’s slowly becoming the only one who wants it 

[Albion79]

24 hours ago we were shopping in a small pool because many managers / head coaches would not be interested in reporting to a Director of Football at a club where the model doesnt work well (as the number of sackings show)

However with Dowling gone, there is no DOF to report too and we should be appealing to the right manager, say this is your budget, get your staff, players, etc and let them get on with it, getting The right manager for that responsibility is so important though, we cant be lazy and go for a Lambert, Hughes, etc we need a quality one.

[tambag]

Its a very weird year for football managers jobs available.  There is Tottenham, Everton, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and us looking for new managers/head coaches.

We won't be looking at the same people as most of these clubs but there could be people like Lampard (only a guess) that will wait to see if those clubs appoint before comitting to us as an example

[AidantheBaggies]

I wonder how long this will go on for? I understand getting the right man is important, but how are long are we prepared to wait....pre season??? august???

[Standaman]

24 hours ago we were shopping in a small pool because many managers / head coaches would not be interested in reporting to a Director of Football at a club where the model doesnt work well (as the number of sackings show)

However with Dowling gone, there is no DOF to report too and we should be appealing to the right manager, say this is your budget, get your staff, players, etc and let them get on with it, getting The right manager for that responsibility is so important though, we cant be lazy and go for a Lambert, Hughes, etc we need a quality one.

This is not true there isn't a pool of managers who won't work with a DoF. Or least ways not ones that want to work in the higher levels of the English game.

There are a few old school managers like Hughes Pulis Coleman(?) etc... who would be happier but it really doesn't change the realistically available options.

[seteefeet]

We are at a point where no self respecting manager will take the role. The club has no structure so how is any manager going to build a squad that's 'expected' to get promotion. Only a young unknown lower league manager would probably give it a go. At least we will have a local derby against Walsall soon.

This is just not true and will be proven so when the decision is finally made.
We are second favourites for the Championship, with a healthy budget and strong squad, can we please get a bit of perspective.

[Albion79]

Apologies i meant many would not work with a DOF in our setup.

In the Ashworth era it was well respected, we got a very high profile manager to fit in (Hodgson)

However with how we have been lately (sacking a manager when 4th in the league, sacking a manager 3 months after getting promoted) i think a lot of managers / head coaches wouldnt be interested, those that are soley money motivated maybe but as a career move i am not sure we would be that appealing.

That may well remain the case even without a DOF, it depends on what direction we go and what responsibility we offer to potential managers.

[baggie82]

Apologies i meant many would not work with a DOF in our setup.

In the Ashworth era it was well respected, we got a very high profile manager to fit in (Hodgson)

However with how we have been lately (sacking a manager when 4th in the league, sacking a manager 3 months after getting promoted) i think a lot of managers / head coaches wouldnt be interested, those that are soley money motivated maybe but as a career move i am not sure we would be that appealing.

That may well remain the case even without a DOF, it depends on what direction we go and what responsibility we offer to potential managers.

Managers may be put off joining a club that shows them zero loyalty or patience but that has nothing to do with having a director of football, which is as normal as a having a groundsman. Without a DOF we are even less attractive, as we have no-one to manage the academy, the contracts, to negotiate for players and to oversee the scouting and analytics.

[Mr Cynical]

I think the big question is... where to start?

I think the first thing to do is get a wise old football head into the club.  It could just be for 3-6 months - until bodies are firmly in place.  That person could be Allardyce, Pulis, Hodgson, Wile, Batson, Redknapp, O'Neil...  a long list of people who know and understand football in the UK.

Without this person (or a full time DoF) our head coach/managerial choices are limited to people like Allardyce, Pulis, Hodgson, etc.  Managers than can be self sufficient and don't need the entire recruitment structure behind them.  Having this person in place means that we can pick a younger coach or an overseas coach - and they'll have the resources they need to successfully fill out the skeleton squad we currently have - and bring in an acutal midfield - to compete at the top of the championship.

They can then recruit the right DoF with the manager as part of the selection process.  Then the old head can leave  with the right pieces in place.

[Mr Cynical]

This is just not true and will be proven so when the decision is finally made.
We are second favourites for the Championship, with a healthy budget and strong squad, can we please get a bit of perspective.

Towards the end of last season there were 10 Championship clubs on the verge of going into 'special measures', transfer bans, etc.  So, with the exception of Bournemouth and those that were relegated with us, we have a very real advantage, are in a strong position and we really need to take advantage of that fact.

[baggie82]

Towards the end of last season there were 10 Championship clubs on the verge of going into 'special measures', transfer bans, etc.  So, with the exception of Bournemouth and those that were relegated with us, we have a very real advantage, are in a strong position and we really need to take advantage of that fact.

Tue, but we are working 24/7 to ensure that by the time the season starts we will be at least as disorganised and unlead as all of those teams. The players are due back in in a couple of weeks.

[baggiejohn]

This'll be the same Ken who knows next to nothing about the playing side of football. The structure you're suggesting would be a void because there would be no-one at senior level who knows anything about the playing side.

He doesn't need to know about the playing side of football, he just needs to find & trust someone who does.
He's been in and around the job for about 3 years now, as others have said, it's an agent's job to make themselves known to decision makers, he will have a network of contacts.

[SirTonyM]

He doesn't need to know about the playing side of football, he just needs to find & trust someone who does.
He's been in and around the job for about 3 years now, as others have said, it's an agent's job to make themselves known to decision makers, he will have a network of contacts.

We don’t have football men on the board but we do at the club. At some point do Brunt, Morrison, Stevens, Halsall give their perspective and opinion?

[seteefeet]

He doesn't need to know about the playing side of football, he just needs to find & trust someone who does.
He's been in and around the job for about 3 years now, as others have said, it's an agent's job to make themselves known to decision makers, he will have a network of contacts.

Spot on.
Dowling would not have had autonomy, he would have headed up a team. That team will still be working behind the scenes until a replacement is found.
Anyone who thinks the whole thing grinds to a halt because of the departure of one man, can never have been involved in any successful business.
As for Ken, he's a very successful business man, so will be fully aware of his own strengths and weaknesses and will have appropriate people around him to assist with the restructure.

[KN22]

He also "achieved" the second worst win percentage by a permanent manager in the history of the club, as well as lying to the fans and the media about his potential willingness to manage us in the Championship. He had his chance and failed dismally.

How right you are Worcs. He should not and will not be considered. He walked out let's remember!

[OhBilics]

As for Ken, he's a very successful business man, so will be fully aware of his own strengths and weaknesses and will have appropriate people around him to assist with the restructure.

I can't speak about "Ken" particularly, but let's just say that several of my experiences with "very successful businessmen" must be different to yours.

[baggie82]

I can't speak about "Ken" particularly, but let's just say that several of my experiences with "very successful businessmen" must be different to yours.

Ken CV is blank. Or as Steve Madely puts it: "Xu Ke, the young CEO who took the role less than a year ago and who even his supporters within the club agree has minimal knowledge of the game."

“It’s very messy,” one source familiar with the inner workings of the club tells The Athletic. “That said, it might be a good thing that the owners are taking a more direct approach. There’s a very young CEO in there, who now needs a director of football as well as a manager. “There is no other football nous in the building. That is the biggest concern.”

The last time Lai appointed a football consultant we ended up with Giuliano Terraneo.

[Evo_Baggies]

 Parker leaving Fulham. Any takers?

[Baggies]

Twitter rumours of Pulis coming back. It is Twitter and they are just rumours, but I still shuddered.

[bradleysrocket]

Parker leaving Fulham. Any takers?

Id take him, off to Bournemouth though I thought I’d seen somewhere.

[tuamigos]

Twitter rumours of Pulis coming back. It is Twitter and they are just rumours, but I still shuddered.

In that case I think I might hold off paying for my season ticket.
I cannot, realistically, see a scenario where Pulis would show up here.

[gazberg]

Parker leaving Fulham. Any takers?

Probably better than anyone else we can realistically get until Lai changes his tune.

[alex1]

Parker leaving Fulham. Any takers?

Wouldn't be surprised to see Lampard snapped up by Fulham. Wouldn't even need to move house. Anyway our loss would be Fulham's gain.

[NJS]

...
Lets keep it simple, football worked fine for over hundred years without DOF, Football operations, etc a forward thinking club needs those things, we are not a forward thinking club, we are going here and now so dont keep wasting money on DOF, their entourages, etc.
...

Like almost every other business, football has much changed over the past hundred years.  The number of responsibilities in running such an undertaking has vastly increased.  The money involved and the opportunities for underhand practise with powerful agents also did not exist.  Some sort of dual key system must be place for agreeing on a player.

It's quite enough for a manager to look after the players and coaches and sort out tactics as well as to be continually taking calls from importunate agents, to be monitoring the academy and to be setting up scouting networks.

The days of the superhero manager I fear are past and stories of attracting someone like Benitez to our club are just as mythical.