Three in the frame, I hear; Venables, McClaren and Taylor.

Taylor I wouldn't mind put please for the love of god not the other two.

I wouldn't want any, certainly not as director of football.

Graham Taylor hasn't really been involved with the game since 2003. He may be a pundit and vice president at Scunthorpe, but I'd liken his appointment to that of Keegans disastrous second stint at Newcastle.

Terry Venables took Leeds to the brink of relegation (before they started selling off all their players) and was sacked (Leeds avoided relegation thanks to Peter Reid). His only forrays into football since 2003 have been as a pundit, and as assistant to McClaren's awful reign as England manager.

So that's 5 years out of the game (bar Venables stint as McClaren's assistant). Not really what you want to take a club forward.

I'd be more receptive to appointing McClaren as a manager, but I don't really understand why he would be sought after as a director of football.

At risk of sounding thick, what would a director of football do?

Presumably he'd oversee the overseas operations! Thats what Robson was going to be asked to do.

I personally don't see why we need a DOF its not as though we have a huge transfer budget or theres masses of money flying around

At risk of sounding thick, what would a director of football do?

I've always thought of them as glorified scouts and middlemen.

They are supposed to assist managers in finding players to suit an overall style of play and to provide a link between the manger and the board, so that the manager doesn't need to get involved with things like transfers, budgets etc.

The problem is that as this is something that doesn't go on that much in England (in comparison to Europe), nobody is really sure what a director of football is, and managers seem to feel undermined when they have a senior figure placed above them.

I personally don't see why we need a DOF its not as though we have a huge transfer budget or theres masses of money flying around

My sentiments exactly. It doesn't really make much sense, unless they are being appointed solely to monitor developments at feeder clubs and those others we have forged links with.

I've always thought of them as glorified scouts and middlemen.

They are supposed to assist managers in finding players to suit an overall style of play and to provide a link between the manger and the board, so that the manager doesn't need to get involved with things like transfers, budgets etc.

The problem is that as this is something that doesn't go on that much in England (in comparison to Europe), nobody is really sure what a director of football is, and managers seem to feel undermined when they have a senior figure placed above them.

I've always thought of them as football managers who either aren't good enough to manage or can't handle the pressure of management!

My sentiments exactly. It doesn't really make much sense, unless they are being appointed solely to monitor developments at feeder clubs and those others we have forged links with.If hes going to be there purely to smooth links with the clubs in Belgium, Australia, Brazil, Hungary and China and help bring the players from there over here and vice versa and between all the clus then it makes sense to have one but I don't see any wisdom in the person looking at United itself. I just don't think there'd be enough to do

If hes going to be there purely to smooth links with the clubs in Belgium, Australia, Brazil, Hungary and China and help bring the players from there over here and vice versa and between all the clus then it makes sense to have one but I don't see any wisdom in the person looking at United itself. I just don't think there'd be enough to do

Aye, and lets face it we aren't Man Utd, and we aren't in the top flight, and we aren't going to be for some time yet... We need a damn good manager, not a director of football...!

I think Taylor would be a good person to have around the club... I think the idea is for him to be a bit more hands-on, helping out the first team coach. That's the impression McCabe gave last week when talking about Taylor, anyway.

Remember when David Pleat was Director of Football at Spurs?
Not sure of his role but there was little end product!

Remember when David Pleat was Director of Football at Spurs?
Not sure of his role but there was little end product!

When I hear David Pleat speaking about football, such as when he commentates on ITV, I am amazed at how little he seems to know. I can't think of any other pundit who comes over quite as cluelessly as he does.

Remember when David Pleat was Director of Football at Spurs?
Not sure of his role but there was little end product!

Oh yes there was.
He was in charge of media relations and if you remember he brought the club much unwanted publicity regarding him and kerbcrawling.

Oh yes there was.
He was in charge of media relations and if you remember he brought the club much unwanted publicity regarding him and kerbcrawling.

Sorry, but he was manager of Luton when that incident of notoriety took place.

Sorry, but he was manager of Luton when that incident of notoriety took place.

He was manager (not director of football) at Spurs, at the time. It was the given reason for Spurs firing him.

Pleaty. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Pleat#Tottenham_Hotspur_.281986.E2.80.931987 .29)

He was manager (not director of football) at Spurs, at the time. It was the given reason for Spurs firing him.

Pleaty. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Pleat#Tottenham_Hotspur_.281986.E2.80.931987 .29)

"Pleat left the following October after rumours began to circulate that he had been caught kerb-crawling. Indeed, Pleat has a criminal conviction for the offence and has been caught committing it on three separate occasions.[1][2]" -

As I'd seen a Google thread from which I took the Luton quote - might he have been caught at both clubs, given the three occasions?

Another great song started by Blades

All together now


Cheer up David Pleat :hihi::hihi::hihi:

If hes going to be there purely to smooth links with the clubs in Belgium, Australia, Brazil, Hungary and China and help bring the players from there over here and vice versa and between all the clus then it makes sense to have one but I don't see any wisdom in the person looking at United itself. I just don't think there'd be enough to do

Wouldn't a decent scout in France, Spain and Portugal be a lot better value for money?

Presumably he'd oversee the overseas operations! Thats what Robson was going to be asked to do.

I personally don't see why we need a DOF its not as though we have a huge transfer budget or theres masses of money flying around

The DOF is mainly for the international side of the business, he will ovesea stuff inthe uk, but the main part of this job, will be in Hungary & Australia

Wouldn't a decent scout in France, Spain and Portugal be a lot better value for money?

We already have d'jaffo as our scout in france :D :D

At risk of sounding thick, what would a director of football do?

He's the one who takes over when the manager gets the boot. ;)

Wouldn't a decent scout in France, Spain and Portugal be a lot better value for money?Very probably

Blades hold fire over head of football job - The Star

"SHEFFIELD UNITED will wait until their Championship status is mathematically guaranteed before unveiling their new head of football.
"But Kevin McCabe, United's plc chairman, remains committed to hiring a senior figure to oversee the new coaching infrastructure set to be implemented at Bramall Lane.
"Graham Taylor heads a list of three former England managers being considered for the post with Steve McClaren and Terry Venables also believed to have been discussed at boardroom level."