Sporting Director / Director of Football

[80]

It's a bit self-fulfilling, but I'm inclined to think anyone who chooses not to come here shouldn't be offered it in the first place. As Kaka said, it's all in or no thanks.

 

I realise the Sports Director position is a bit different, but you need someone with a clear vision of what the future should be.

[Whitley mag]

Fucking time wasting cunt be interesting if they fall back on the 777 guy, or go in a different direction altogether.

[r0cafella]

4 minutes ago, Whitley mag said:

Fucking time wasting cunt be interesting if they fall back on the 777 guy, or go in a different direction altogether.

Naaa, the process wouldn’t have been handled any different even if he wasn’t a thing, his preference was to stay at palace which is fair enough, massive risk for him to stay there imo. 

[Sibierski]

Wouldn’t be surprised if another is leaked by weekend that a deal is close. Be amazed if we were all in and negotiating with just one guy, and have to start back from square one. 

[SUPERTOON]

The frustrating thing is that we apparently turned down some really exciting candidates to make Freedman the number one choice. Wonder if we go back to them or just offer it to that 777 fella.

[STM]

Fair play to him. His choice.

 

Hopefully we've held a good relationship with other candidates.

[Toon No9]

If you have interviews with two guys, I assume you doesn't turn any of them down before it's done and dusted with your first choice.

 

In case your first choice backs off at the last minute you just continue with your second choice.

[80]

47 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

The frustrating thing is that we apparently turned down some really exciting candidates to make Freedman the number one choice. Wonder if we go back to them or just offer it to that 777 fella.

They might sound exciting to us, but the club might not have been impressed in reality. I wouldn't be stunned if we stick with Steve Nickson.

[r0cafella]

Just now, 80 said:

They might sound exciting to us, but the club might not have been impressed in reality. I wouldn't be stunned if we stick with Steve Nickson.

Nickson is chief scout, we kinda want someone who has experience negotiating complex deals amongst other things. 

[SUPERTOON]

4 minutes ago, 80 said:

They might sound exciting to us, but the club might not have been impressed in reality. I wouldn't be stunned if we stick with Steve Nickson.

We apparently want a sporting director and a performance director. Not sure Nickson is either one of those? 

[Checko]

Seen Brentford have a 'director of elite performance'. Should get one of those rather than a regular performance director!

 

 

Edited May 23 by Checko

[80]

8 minutes ago, r0cafella said:

Nickson is chief scout, we kinda want someone who has experience negotiating complex deals amongst other things. 

 

5 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

We apparently want a sporting director and a performance director. Not sure Nickson is either one of those? 

There was talking of him putting himself forward for the position and being taken seriously due to the quality of his performance in other areas. He's handled some negotiations for us before and since Ashworth, seemingly well. 

 

It's conceivable they'll promote him, everyone's got to start somewhere. Particularly as they're now looking at splitting the position and having a separate Performance Director. 

 

I like the idea of getting a vastly experienced guy in, but I think the quality of the person is most important, and my suspicion is the marketplace of sports directors is riddled with charlatans. CVs pumped up with hot air and salt water.

[Dr.Spaceman]

On 15/02/2024 at 09:48, Dr.Spaceman said:

One that helps us sign some players and in turn win some games of football. Although I really do think people are overestimating the influence that this role has on visible (to us outsiders) outcomes. We've got much bigger priorities in terms of the playing squad, training ground, SJP & commercial deals IMO.

 

Still this tbh. Folk are spending a lot of time thinking / worrying about something that's fairly inconsequential imo. A good SD or DoF improves our prospects 2 or 3 years down the line by a fairly negligible amount. We'll still have a good manager working with great coaches, scouts and physios regardless of who replaces Dan Ashworth.

[RS]

We are hardly renowned for leaking everything we do to the press so why take any of this as gospel.  The club will get the person we want. 

[STM]

Can't remember who it was... but when signed Tonali or Botman, Nickson was greated by the agent like a long lost brother.

 

Don't under estimate the amount of networking Nickson has done. He's been absolutely crucial to the signings we have made.

 

The issue is that he's not a DOF. He's not going to know how to build the women's team or fix the medical department etc.

[SUPERTOON]

18 minutes ago, 80 said:

 

There was talking of him putting himself forward for the position and being taken seriously due to the quality of his performance in other areas. He's handled some negotiations for us before and since Ashworth, seemingly well. 

 

It's conceivable they'll promote him, everyone's got to start somewhere. Particularly as they're now looking at splitting the position and having a separate Performance Director. 

 

I like the idea of getting a vastly experienced guy in, but I think the quality of the person is most important, and my suspicion is the marketplace of sports directors is riddled with charlatans. CVs pumped up with hot air and salt water.

Im comfortable either way, I do think having a sporting director with a track record in the transfer market is the war for us to go.

[kingxlnc]

Giles or Pinto

[80]

4 minutes ago, STM said:

Can't remember who it was... but when signed Tonali or Botman, Nickson was greated by the agent like a long lost brother.

 

Don't under estimate the amount of networking Nickson has done. He's been absolutely crucial to the signings we have made.

 

The issue is that he's not a DOF. He's not going to know how to build the women's team or fix the medical department etc.

Agreed - although again, it's not obvious to me what Paolo Maldini knew about that before he became a director - but if they're talking about splitting those kinds of technical responsibilities off, I guess that improves Nickson's chances. He was the one that flew out to Brazil to onboard Bruno too, and I think I read he was the one who fronted Joelinton's recent contract negotiations after Ashworth fucked off.

 

We'll see. His candidacy seems to have gone more quiet so maybe it's not happening, but we'll only really know what they're thinking once the appointment/s are announced.

[The Prophet]

It sounds like we know what we want and there's plenty of talent out there.

 

Although a knock back isn't great optically, I still have every condlfidence we'll get someone of quality in and when we do, no one will really notice 

[The Prophet]

 

[Jack27]

We move on. Trust them to get the right person in

[Jack27]

Quote

Newcastle were informed of Freedman’s choice on Thursday and it represents a setback in their attempts to fill Ashworth’s void. The 53-year-old Englishman was put on gardening leaveafter expressing a desire to join the Old Trafford side.

The Newcastle leadership are looking to appoint a sporting director specialising in player trading, which was never Ashworth’s primary focus.

Freedman and Johannes Spors, global sporting director of 777 Group, topped the St James’s Park shortlist following a lengthy interview process.

As recently as earlier this week, Newcastle were confident of finding an agreement with Freedman before the end of June. Yet his decision should have little material impact on their summer transfer window plans, which are already in place.

 

[Tiresias]

Disappointing but people are allowed to think things through and change minds, it's jumping ship after being tapped up less than a year into a long term project that sticks in the craw somewhat

 

More fish in the sea

[duo]

12 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

He probably used reports in press as leverage for an improved contract 

[Nucasol]

Fair dos to Freedman, his decision. Plenty of times people have those conversations but don’t make the big jump. Done it myself for a range of circumstances with roles. I’m sure we’re disappointed but will have a Plan B. Think a Spors-Nickson double act might be the outcome.