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The concept of having a director of football has been recently introduced and integrated into the English game. Before that, the role had a negative perception, as the managers considered the football director to be their competitor in the club hierarchy. However, contrary to the previous perception, the role is meant to complement that of the manager.
They act as a catalyst and work with both, the owners and the managers to devise and implement the club's philosophy. Furthermore, having a football director ensures that the club has a long-term and sustainable recruitment plan in place. This helps the club in the transition process, if and when they decide to part ways with their manager.
As the game has evolved, the importance of a Director of Football has grown immensely. Several clubs have massively benefited from having a quality Director of Football- Liverpool and Manchester City being the prime examples.
Here we look at three Premier League clubs that are in dire need of a quality Director of Football.
1. Manchester United
One of the major reasons behind the downfall of Manchester United has been the lack of a Director of Football. Previously, the club never required a football director as then manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, and chief executive David Gill had a great understanding between them. They ensured that the club was always on the right path. However, since their respective departures, the club has been on a downward spiral.
Despite spending nearly £700m in the last seven years, there is still no sign of significant improvement. Players such as Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, and Memphis Depay were signed for hefty fees but made negligible contributions for the club. The club lacks a consistent and sustainable recruitment plan. Furthermore, successive managerial changes have added to the trouble as they had to rebuild on each occasion.
Moreover, the current man-in-charge for their recruitment, Ed Woodward, has come under severe scrutiny in the last couple of seasons. Hence, it is high time Manchester United sign a Director of Football.
2. West Ham United
To realize their ambition of playing European football, West Ham United appointed Manuel Pellegrini and Mario Husillos as the manager and director of football in 2016. The duo was provided with financial backing to sign quality players and take the club to new heights.
Unfortunately, things have not gone according to plan for the Hammers. Despite the big-money signings, the Hammers have not only failed to realize their expectations but are currently languishing in the relegation zone. Their disastrous display this season resulted in the sacking of both, the manager as well as the football director.
One of the major reasons behind their downfall was the failure of Mario Husillos. The Argentine has been responsible for the abysmal recruitment done by the club. The Hammers have spent more a £100m in the last two seasons on players such as Pablo Fornals, Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmalenko, Roberto, etc. Most of these players have failed to perform, which has left the club in all sorts of trouble.
3. Tottenham Hotspur
Another club suffering due to the absence of a Director of Football is Tottenham Hotspur. Despite building a strong team and a high stature over the last decade, Spurs have failed to realize their potential. One of the main reasons behind this has been their notoriously shrewd chairman, Daniel Levy.
There is no denying the fact that Levy has played a crucial part in Spurs' rise. He has utilized his business acumen and has spearheaded the financial growth of the club. However, he has been equally responsible for not taking his team a step further to win silverware.
Despite lacking the required expertise, Levy handles several football-related matters of the club, such as squad management. One of the prime examples being his failure to offload the players who were not required and replace them with some quality signings. This caused the squad to stagnate which further led to a disconnect between him, the manager and the players. Most of this could have been avoided if the club had appointed a Director of Football.
Hence, to avoid repeating the same mistakes under their new manager, Jose Mourinho, Daniel Levy must appoint a quality Director of Football to oversee the football-related matters.
