Improving on a shoestring - Can it be done?

[NE5]

Yet another decent thread has been spoilt by NE5.

 

What do you expect?

 

He breathes, therefore he is alive and therefore he types, which in turn ruins a decent thread its all he can do.

 

Glad to see HTL distancing himself from him though.

 

End of an era on the horizon?

 

 

Someone else who just wants to post in threads where everybody agrees with him. It escapes you, that if you had any idea or knowledge of the club, then I might.

 

 

Its this sort of arrogant tripe that marks you down as an oaf in most peoples books. Your persistent claim that most people on here, other than yourself, know little about NUFC is wrong and quite frankly an insult, as many of the folk you slag off put a great deal of time and effort into supporting the club.

 

I have yet to see ONE football post from you yet BooBoo

 

Why don't you think toonstaylor is arrogant ? Because you agree with him ? Shame you appear to have so little knowledge of the toon, which is why you agree with others the same, making you - in my opinion - the oaf.

 

There are quite a lot of posters who post good stuff. I can tell who they are, and that they are good supporters of the club.

 

If you think I am posting comments you don't agree with, what is the difference between you posting comments that I don't agree with ? Why don't you debate the points with me, like an adult instead of moaning saying I am ruining the thread when I am just posting my opinion, which is different to yours and that is all ?

 

Now, THAT is arrogant. Because I don't tell YOU what you should and shouldn't post ....

 

 

[Dave]

Nooooooooo...

[Baggio]

Nooooooooo...

 

Isn't he trolling?

[Dave]

Nooooooooo...

 

Isn't he trolling?

 

Just as much as you.

 

Let's just get on with the topic at hand, twas a good read this one.

[NE5]

Yet another decent thread has been spoilt by NE5.

 

What do you expect?

 

He breathes, therefore he is alive and therefore he types, which in turn ruins a decent thread its all he can do.

 

Glad to see HTL distancing himself from him though.

 

End of an era on the horizon?

 

 

Someone else who just wants to post in threads where everybody agrees with him. It escapes you, that if you had any idea or knowledge of the club, then I might.

 

 

 

HTT talks about a ceasefire, yet he can't see all of the bickering and point scoring is all to do with NE5.

 

He is at the centre of all of it.

 

Sure I am Baggio, like I'm trawling around your old posts ........ [what does this show exactly ?] FWIW, I'm more than happy to stop the "bickering", but there is a difference between "bickering" and having a different opinion.

 

ToonsTaylor has openly admitted he would like me banned, so what exactly is that, if it isn't point scoring and muck-raking ?

 

 

[Dave]

[Guest Knightrider]

Take it to PM fellas man.

[Guest elbee909]

Shouldn't some of this stuff be done by... <shock> private messages?  Take it outside, eh lads.

[NE5]

Nooooooooo...

 

Isn't he trolling?

 

Just as much as you.

 

Let's just get on with the topic at hand, twas a good read this one.

 

I agree, I can take it if someone doesn't agree with me, so lets get back to it and I would rather not go down this road again .

 

 

[indi]

Bringing in actual coaches who know how to coach (for specefic area such as a defence and skills) would be improving vastly. The whole "jobs for the boys" mentality with our coaching has to go.

 

Was just about to post the same thing.

 

Backroom staff are cheap and they can have a massive impact upon the team if you get the right people in.

 

With a quality defensive coach and a couple of half-decent (nothing special, just cheapos) fullbacks we could have a good back four. Our problem is not about lack of talent, it's about lack of organisation.

 

With a quality scouting network, we could bring in better players and for less money, which could easily turn the club's fortunes around pretty quickly.

 

However, a change in attitude needs to happen, we need to stop pretending to be one of the big-boys, no more buying big-names, we're going to have to start making big-names and flogging them on to the real big-boys, then using the ridiculous fees from that to improve the squad. We need to start thinking and behaving like what we are: a mid-table club, who wants to become a top six club, and that's going to require the deflation of a few egos and the biting of a number of bullets. However, if it's started quickly and done right, it won't be too long before we have something genuine to be proud of, if it's not then the only way is down, as far as I can see.

[Guest alftupper]

When Pearson was first appointed team perfomances improved considerably, and the defence actually appeared to be getting it together. Unfortunately, this did not last long, and we have reverted to our normal level of crap!! I don't profess to know what causes this lack of guts, but wouldn't be surprised that

one of the reasons is connected to the inflated wages we have to pay some of these 'professionals' who are content to go out and kick a ball for 90 mins rather than fight for Newcastle United. (Or have an extended session/season {cross out as required} on the treatment table).

I agreed that Roeder should have been given the extension of his stewardship due to the results he achieved at the end of last season. However the novelty is over and if his team talks are anything like the toe curdling interviews he gives on the telly, I can begin to understand why there is no fire when the teams get out on the park.

We definitely need a left & right back, a centre back and a play maker in midfield. The forwards seem sufficient for the time being - although I have my suspicions that Owen may not be playing in black & white next season (although perhaps the cash could be the basis for change) - which might see a necessity for a forward. But these changes should only be the beginning and changes should be made each transfer window as weak positions are identified and players get older (sorry Nobby) otherwise the team will continue to go backwards.

Consequently I feel that the first change to the team is a new manager before any more cash is spent on  players, so at least he has some players he can call his own. BUT something drastic needs to be done quickly in order that the good work of the last 13 years is not wasted and we end up as a lower league fixture, regularly appearing in relegation battles .

 

[Baggio]

I've said it many times before over on toontastic, we need to bring in a Director of Football type figure to completely change everything behind the scenes at the club, someone who can set up a top scouting network to find all he top young players and someone who can spot cheap players in smaller foreign leagues who can come in cheap and do a job.

 

Not only would it benefit the club but it would take a lot of pressure off the manager and leave him to concentrate on the first team squad only.

 

This was my actual post.

 

"An example of a club that has had success with a Director of football is Spurs, 3 years ago Arnasen came into the club and completely altered the club from youth team up to their starting 11, he got rid of all the dead wood at the club even if it meant paying their contracts up, he then replaced with cheap young players who's transfer value could only rise (Carrick, Robinson etc)

 

On top of that he scouted youth teams to get the best young talent signed up to Spurs, even if it meant loaning them back out they were still signed to Spurs before their value went up, Lennon, Huddlestone, Dawson etc. Even with s**** like Davenport and Atouba they've managed to sell on for more than they paid for them.

 

I'll address your point about the last decade, have Spurs been better than us over that period of time? No they haven't, however in the last 3 years since they employed a Director of football they've not only caught up with us but have sailed by, they have a far superior squad and have managed to do this while remaining debt free. We on the other hand have a poor squad with no depth, average players who we can't move on as nobody in their right mind will match the wages we pay them, a wage bill that is running too high and a debt of over £80 million.

 

Such an overhaul by a DOF has made it possible for Spurs to bid £10 million for a top 17 year old without damaging their finances too much, at the same time we have to sniff around for players on loan because we haven't got a pot to piss in.

 

Have Spurs been better than us over the past decade? No, however I have no doubt that we won't be better than then them over the next decade if Shepherd is still in charge."

 

The part about them spending £10 million and not hurting their finances too much is because as far as I'm aware they already have the cash in the bank, compared to us who would have to loan it from the bank, I thought I should clear up that point before someone gets their knickers in a twist over it.

 

I'm not exactly averse to a DOF but a good manager won't need one. And just because Spurs are doing well under one doesn't mean anything really, I'd say their progress is all down to Jol and the team on the pitch more than anything else. If they were doing s****, how would the DOF get them out of it?

 

He wouldn't, however when the under performing manager is replaced the new manager will walk into a club with a great squad and an excellent scouting network, btw wasn't it Arnesen that brought Jol in as a coach?

 

Football is too big to leave it all to one man now, there was a thread on here months ago on how many staff the big clubs employ compared to us, I'll try to dig it out.

 

EDIT - http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=31057.0

 

What happens if the new manager doesn't rate some of the squad left over from the previous manager?

 

Fergie et al don't have any problems managing a club without a DOF, neither did SBR who was in his 60s when he took over Newcastle, he worked 18 hours a day at times.

 

BTW I'm not disagreeing with you here or against the idea of a DOF, at times I've wondered myself whether we should go down that route but only because the manager is inept in certain areas. Again, if we had a top manager in charge, there would be no need for a DOF. Spurs appointed one because their new board came from a non-footballing background and thought they needed a middleman to help them run the club on their behalf. At the moment it looks like they have a good setup there, but Jol and the team out on the pitch will determine whether Spurs as a club succeed and not their DOF.

 

Alex Ferguson had over 20 years to get Man Utd the way he wanted, Bobby Robson was excellent for us but it's often pointed out how much money he wasted, money that we just can't afford to lose anymore, which is the whole point of this thread.

 

You say Spurs appointed one because their board came from a non-footballing background and thought they needed a middleman to help them run the club on their behalf, isn't that the case with us? Can we really trust Shepherd and Hall to bring in a manager after employing both Souness and Roeder? If you look at the other 'Big clubs' in the Premiership they are all ran by people with knowledge of football with the owners in the background, Abramovich owns Chelsea yet he isn't chairman, at Arsenal it is David Dein not Peter Hill-Wood, at Manchester United while the Glazers own it they realise their shortcomings and it is David Gill who runs the show, we need someone like that.

 

I'm not saying a DOF should come in and buy all the players he wants, I'm saying how much the club would benefit by having someone in who could set up a top scouting network and spot bargain players at other clubs, of course the manager would have the final say on all transfers for the first team but having Roeder ringing around trying to get anyone in on loan on January 31st is a bit of a joke as far as I'm concerned.

 

People talk about Keegan at Fulham and Pleat at Spurs failing as DOF, neither of these have any sort of knowledge of setting up scouting networks or anything like that, both were appointed because of who they are not what they know.

 

I would of thought the 5th best club over the past decade and the 8th biggest club in the World would have enough contacts to find someone with a proven track record as a DOF to come in and sort this club out, however I have strong doubts it would work with Shepherd as chairman.

 

Fair enough Baggio, you make some good points and put a strong case forward but would you concede that appointing a top manager and giving him complete control would reduce the need for a DOF and therfore be the best option?

 

For me a DOF at Newcastle defeats the object somewhat, it is kind of like being bought off. "OK, you can't have a top manager, you'll have to do with a s*** one, but to soften the blow, we'll bring in a DOF".

 

I'm not saying we should have to do with a s*** one, a top manager is important and what matters most as far as the first team squad is concerned, however Mourinho and Wenger, both top manager,  have someone in the background taking care of every other aspect of the club from scouting to fitness etc as the job is just too big for one man alone, football has moved on a lot since the Premiership was invented.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/4224278.stm

 

 

it never has been one man doing all those jobs.

 

Keep up the cliches though  8)

 

Instead of trying to shoot down everyone else's ideas and trying to score points all the time, why don't you tell us how the club can improve.

 

Oh, I have told you many times. By finding the new Keegan. Unfortunately, other clubs are looking for the same person. In the real world, there are only 2 winners, and the european spots are the next best,  so you must be doing something right to get into these places.

 

 

 

So you're suggesting we sack Roeder then and find another manager?

 

If we get someone better, of course. When we find the money to pay him off though, I'm sure you will agree with that. It would be a far better move than employing a "DOF"

 

 

 

So you don't think Roeder is the man to take us forward?

 

We need a new manager and a DOF tbh.

 

We need a good manager.

 

And nothing else.

 

 

 

Are you saying Roeder isn't a good enough manager then?

 

 

 

 

Did you miss this question, NE5?

[Guest Knightrider]

FFS Baggio, give it a rest , what does it matter?

[Baggio]

FFS Baggio, give it a rest , what does it matter?

 

I'll tell you why it matters, everytime anyone has any sort of suggestion on how to make the club better they are shot down by NE5 as "know nothings" yet the best he can come up with is "We find a new Keegan"

 

The bloke is an idiot and is responsibly for ruining the majority of threads on here, if you don't like all the bickering caused by him then grow some balls and do something about it.

[NE5]

FFS Baggio, give it a rest , what does it matter?

 

I'll tell you why it matters, everytime anyone has any sort of suggestion on how to make the club better they are shot down by NE5 as "know nothings" yet the best he can come up with is "We find a new Keegan"

 

The bloke is an idiot and is responsibly for ruining the majority of threads on here, if you don't like all the bickering caused by him then grow some balls and do something about it.

 

Baggio, accept that I have a different view. What is wrong with looking for the new "Keegan", don't you think that metaphorically that is what the club has been doing ? Of course it has. You are following me around and raking up old posts I've made, so as HTT says, give it a rest and debate the point if you disagree rather than accusing me of causing the "bickering".

 

You are harping on about a "plan". A good manager, like Keegan, will do us a damn sight better than a "plan".

 

Now. I would like to get on with the thread, but don't tell me who I have to agree with.

 

 

[Baggio]

FFS Baggio, give it a rest , what does it matter?

 

I'll tell you why it matters, everytime anyone has any sort of suggestion on how to make the club better they are shot down by NE5 as "know nothings" yet the best he can come up with is "We find a new Keegan"

 

The bloke is an idiot and is responsibly for ruining the majority of threads on here, if you don't like all the bickering caused by him then grow some balls and do something about it.

 

Baggio, accept that I have a different view. What is wrong with looking for the new "Keegan", don't you think that metaphorically that is what the club has been doing ? Of course it has. You are following me around and raking up old posts I've made, so as HTT says, give it a rest and debate the point if you disagree rather than accusing me of causing the "bickering".

 

You are harping on about a "plan". A good manager, like Keegan, will do us a damn sight better than a "plan".

 

Now. I would like to get on with the thread, but don't tell me who I have to agree with.

 

 

 

Oh the irony!

 

The only old post I've raked up of yours was to look for where you claimed you asked me about Santini, which you didn't, however LeazesMag asked me on toontastic but thats not you is it?

 

Seriously, seek psychiatric help.

[Guest Gemmill]

This was a very good thread three pages ago.

[Dokko]

Yet another decent thread has been spoilt by NE5.

 

What do you expect?

 

He breathes, therefore he is alive and therefore he types, which in turn ruins a decent thread its all he can do.

 

Glad to see HTL distancing himself from him though.

 

End of an era on the horizon?

 

 

Someone else who just wants to post in threads where everybody agrees with him. It escapes you, that if you had any idea or knowledge of the club, then I might.

 

 

 

HTT talks about a ceasefire, yet he can't see all of the bickering and point scoring is all to do with NE5.

 

He is at the centre of all of it.

 

Sure I am Baggio, like I'm trawling around your old posts ........ [what does this show exactly ?] FWIW, I'm more than happy to stop the "bickering", but there is a difference between "bickering" and having a different opinion.

 

ToonsTaylor has openly admitted he would like me banned, so what exactly is that, if it isn't point scoring and muck-raking ?

 

 

 

*Pats troll on head

[Guest Knightrider]

FFS Baggio, give it a rest , what does it matter?

 

I'll tell you why it matters, everytime anyone has any sort of suggestion on how to make the club better they are shot down by NE5 as "know nothings" yet the best he can come up with is "We find a new Keegan"

 

The bloke is an idiot and is responsibly for ruining the majority of threads on here, if you don't like all the bickering caused by him then grow some balls and do something about it.

 

You're just as bad tbh for baiting him on here and doing what you accuse him off. As for growing balls, I'll flip the coin and suggest you do the same by ignoring NE5 and being man enough to rise above any daft stuff, which I had pleaded for in the other thread from ALL involved in this because it is boring, pointless and making the NUFC forum a shit place to read and post, just look at this excellent thread. FFS its like "he started it"

[Matty_Lash]

Leaving this boring convo between the people who have ignored the pleas to stop arguing on every thread and getting back to the point .....

 

I think everybody is agreed that we no longer can or indeed should carry on spunking money left right and centre on the worlds best players. We havent been able to for a good number of years now but have carried on the pretence that we can by spunking just as much money on players who are from the next tier of world football (ie big names that everybody knows, but are ultimately shoite).

 

So we cant buy the best, we have had our fingers burned buying the big names, there are only two alternatives as far as I can see. We can buy experienced players who wont let anybody down (well no more than the players already at the club) or we can buy up loads of young english talent and hope some of them come good and flog the ones who dont ie spurs. The amount of times we have declared interest in young players then sat and waited for a year or two while they get better and better, more expensive, and wanted by other clubs is amazing. The latest one is giles barnes. The lad is clearly a huge talent, but no we will sit it out and wait until he has all but agreed a deal somewhere else and then try to hijack the deal at the last minute unsuccessfully (prediction for this summer)!

If we got back to this policy of buying young which robson attempted to implment we could supplement it with a couple of older heads who have played at the top level but are no longer good enough. There are plenty out there in europe. Players who are no longer good enough for the champions league regulars but could do a damn good job! Players from the summer would include sorin and sol campbell. These types of players will continuously become available so we should expect another batch this summer.

[ChezGiven]

Improving on a shoestring?

 

I’m pretty certain Roeder isn’t the right man for the job long term. My hopes from Roeder is simply stabilisation to the point we have a team that is an attractive enough proposition for the club to bring in another top manager at a time when sufficient cash is available for this man to attempt to build his team.

 

I know this is going to look like CM manager stuff  but I want to get away from the usual threads we see here and open up a new debate about this:

 

If the reality is that the club doesn’t have funds to almost completely rebuild the team how can a small improvement be achieved on a virtual shoestring? The improvement in the team has to be enough to attract a better manager than Roeder by convincing the football world that things are going pretty well on the field, that there is potential for improvement and that financial backing is available.

 

For me, I’m having pretty radical thoughts about this because:

1. I don’t rate Parker and really want us to sell him.

2. I’m strictly a 4-4-2 man and always have been.

3. I think we only have 2 decent strikers in Owen and Martins, so the top priority for me is another striker before defenders. I want us to get rid of Ameobi and Sibierski.

4. I’ve run out of patience with Bramble and would like to replace him too along with some others.

 

I’m now going to move away from all of that.

 

We’re mostly all agreed that there are weaknesses across all areas of the team, many people have said that we need almost half a team, myself included. However, splashing the cash on perhaps 5 players of the quality we want could be very dodgy if Macbeth is to be believed about £1m being lost every month. We want a football club to support and we don’t want to do a “Leeds” but we have to make progress. Bringing in this number of players of good quality would further increase the wages to turnover ratio even if we shift on some of the dross. The reality could be that this is a bad move, the club needs to get an improvement but without spending a great deal and without boosting the wage bill too much. So it’s a balancing act.

 

Are we putting square pegs into round holes by continuing with 4-4-2? Souness signed certain players to play in a narrow midfield so in the short term I think we may need to adjust the style and formation to get the best from certain individuals to achieve that small improvement.

 

The narrow midfield 3 idea imo is heavily dependant upon really good attacking fullbacks, it just won’t work without it. They must get forward providing the width and an attacking threat. So, instead of proposing we buy 5 players, I propose we sign just a quality LB and a quality CB.

 

This means:

Ameobi and Sibierski stay for now as 3rd / 4th strikers.

Parker stays for now.

Moore should be retained if possible.

 

This is where the CM bit comes in, it’s only on paper and may be bollocks. In the end, you need good enough players to make anything work and they just may not be good enough.

 

The team for me could be like this:

                      Given

Solano, Moore, New CB, New LB

              Parker, Butt

                    Emre

        Dyer,  Martins, Owen

 

The way I’d see this playing out would be both Butt and Parker protecting the back 4, covering the fullbacks who I would encourage to bomb on whenever possible. This to the extent I would discourage Butt/Parker both crossing the halfway line at the same time in general play.

 

I’d expect rotation and movement from Dyer, Owen and Martins. The first two I think would be ok with that but Martins would have a learning curve.

 

The problems I see are these:

1. Emre likes to drop deep and collect the ball from the CB’s. He’d have to play 10 yards further up the field most of the time and receive the ball further up, but he is dangerous there.

2. The poor passing ability of Parker. However, we know Solano can pass, I’d expect the new LB and CB to be able to pass and so can Butt despite what people say, so it may still work.

 

To finish off, if the club has funds I’d prefer to get shot of a number of players and stick with 4-4-2, but that opens up the question of whether or not Roeder should be binned in the summer. It could be hard to attract a top manager given the shambolic displays we’ve seen this season and impossible if the club doesn’t have enough money to spend.

 

What I’ve done here is look at the players we currently have, try to fit them into roles I think suit them best and then look at where the limitations are suggesting new players for just those positions. LB and CB. If we stick with 4-4-2 I think we do need half a team to be effective.

 

I hope this makes sense even to those who disagree.

 

 

 

I'm re-quoting this post as am interested in what HTL was really suggesting. From the title of the thread and the positions highlighted as needed attention something like..

 

That we are on a shoestring, that we should accept that even with the additional money we are still in the same relative position and that we should see the present state of the club as at a crossroads. In terms of leadership and direction, we dont know whether ownership will remain the same of transfer completely to Shepherd. We should therefore not assume any great investment and that we need to change our mindset because of this. Whether the incumbents in the job are the people to manage this change in mindset is a case in point. However, the club has to change the way it thinks about the near future and we have to alter our expectations in response to this. Perhaps then we might appreciate what we have got. We are not Leeds, we are still a relatively big club with great potential. Shrewdness and patience are needed.

 

HTL may of course completely disagree he meant this though. 

[Howaythelads]

Hmmm. Thought I'd say I haven't been distancing myself from anything. I made a post and have then been busy, that's all.

 

Some interesting points have been made.

 

If the money is there to support the backing of a new manager I would be to get rid of the s**** players, change the manager and rebuild going for 4-4-2, it's a proven system that works in England. Ultimately you need good players and even in that original post there are still below standard players in a few areas of the team. All I'm doing there is thinking of making better use of what is already at the club.

[NE5]

Hmmm. Thought I'd say I haven't been distancing myself from anything . I made a post and have then been busy, that's all.

 

Some interesting points have been made.

 

If the money is there to support the backing of a new manager I would be to get rid of the s**** players, change the manager and rebuild going for 4-4-2, it's a proven system that works in England. Ultimately you need good players and even in that original post there are still below standard players in a few areas of the team. All I'm doing there is thinking of making better use of what is already at the club.

 

people flattering themselves by suggesting it tbh .... 

 

Anyway, Chez Given .....

 

I probably agree with most of what you say. While we have to accept that we have given it our best and biggest shot in the last 15 years, it hasn't quite worked, but got damn close. If you had said to people 15 years ago would you take 2 FA Cup Finals, a massive challenge for the title and numerous appearances in europe, everybody would have taken it.

 

Ultimately though, disappointing, because basically, I think the club - and supporters as always - have deserved more for their efforts, and coming close is so disappointing in the league and the FA Cup.

 

We've been unlucky on occasions, and been badly let down on many more others.

 

I agree that the mindset has to change, and accept a period of sensible patience must be adopted. I also agree that we are Leeds, and Leeds will never have as big a crowd as Newcastle, even when they were winning the cups under Don Revie they didn't really get crowds to top what other successful clubs would get.

 

I also think that the irish windbag O'Dreary is just as much to blame for their current plight as Ridsdale, because he should surely have known he was overspending, not that I care about Leeds ... !!!

 

 

[Martin Lol]

Baggio has put forward a very strong argument for a DoF/coach partnership instead of an 'old style' manager.  As someone who supports a club that has run with both options and having seen the best and worst of each (Nicholson/Gross > Comolli/Pleat), I totally agree with what Baggio is saying, I would dread the option of Spurs going back to the manager option, it is too big a job for just one man unless that one man gets the right staff around him in all the right places.

 

But under Comolli's reign we are beginning to see what a good DoF can bring to the party.  Berbatov signed for Spurs in spite of being wanted by Manchester Utd, Arsenal wanted Assou-Ekotto and Zokora was wanted by both of those clubs.  Berbatov said that he resisted the temptation to sign for the Mancs as Comolli had been talking to him for over 2 years and Zokora first spoke to him when Comolli was still with Arsenal.  It's that attention to detail which I personally think is impossible to maintain without a DoF.

 

Ironically, Comolli made his name attracting youngsters to Arsenal and that is his strength.  Since he joined Spurs he's recruited Tomas Pekhart, Dorian Dervite, Dean Parrett, Adam Smith, Takura Mtandari, Alex Olsen and (maybe) most importantly, Adel Taarabt who was wanted by just about every major club in Europe and in the end came down a choice of Barcelona and Spurs.  As Comolli had been talking to him for 5 years since he was 12, he opted for us.  Comolli reckons if he keeps his feet on the ground, he could be as good as Zidane and openly admits Taarabt is his best signing.  Maybe some will not live up to expectations but what those 7 youngsters have cost is roughly equal to what Berbatov cost. 

 

I don't believe that those players could have all been signed by a single club operating a manager only system, it would have been impossible to have maintained the contact with the kids whilst they were developing .  I very much agree with Baggio, a good, knowledgeable DoF is the logical way forward in the modern game as it is now.

[NE5]

Baggio has put forward a very strong argument for a DoF/coach partnership instead of an 'old style' manager.  As someone who supports a club that has run with both options and having seen the best and worst of each (Nicholson/Gross > Comolli/Pleat), I totally agree with what Baggio is saying, I would dread the option of Spurs going back to the manager option, it is too big a job for just one man unless that one man gets the right staff around him in all the right places.

 

But under Comolli's reign we are beginning to see what a good DoF can bring to the party.  Berbatov signed for Spurs in spite of being wanted by Manchester Utd, Arsenal wanted Assou-Ekotto and Zokora was wanted by both of those clubs.  Berbatov said that he resisted the temptation to sign for the Mancs as Comolli had been talking to him for over 2 years and Zokora first spoke to him when Comolli was still with Arsenal.  It's that attention to detail which I personally think is impossible to maintain without a DoF.

 

Ironically, Comolli made his name attracting youngsters to Arsenal and that is his strength.  Since he joined Spurs he's recruited Tomas Pekhart, Dorian Dervite, Dean Parrett, Adam Smith, Takura Mtandari, Alex Olsen and (maybe) most importantly, Adel Taarabt who was wanted by just about every major club in Europe and in the end came down a choice of Barcelona and Spurs.  As Comolli had been talking to him for 5 years since he was 12, he opted for us.  Comolli reckons if he keeps his feet on the ground, he could be as good as Zidane and openly admits Taarabt is his best signing.  Maybe some will not live up to expectations but what those 7 youngsters have cost is roughly equal to what Berbatov cost. 

 

I don't believe that those players could have all been signed by a single club operating a manager only system, it would have been impossible to have maintained the contact with the kids whilst they were developing .  I very much agree with Baggio, a good, knowledgeable DoF is the logical way forward in the modern game as it is now.

 

Peter Taylor did a similar job for Brian Clough. On the basis that 2 sets of eyes are better than one, of course that is correct, but the principle is nothing new. All you are describing is a scout. Bill Shankly did it himself, with his scouting staff. So does Alex Ferguson, and his scouting staff, nowadays, having nurtured a good percentage of the players who have played a major part in the clubs success.  At the end of the day, it isn't the system that works, but the ability of the person doing the scouting, and the manager when they start to get near to the first team. If everyone employed a "DOF", could everyone be successful ? Of course not.

 

It seems you have a good chief scout, mind, although we will see if he can find them again for another club.