Smith postponed where we are now by six or seven years and deserves credit for that. But we were on our way here one way or another from January 2008 which to me was the moment we became a 4th division club.
The previous decade had seen us add around 1500 punters to match day. They were lost that January (they stopped attending the season after as many were ST holders) and even Smiths tenure didn’t lure them back as regulars.
That loss of support effectively made us fourth division. Smith’s work in swimming against that tide remarkable but Smiths departure very much a symptom of swimming against that tide evidenced by season upon season budget cuts and him needing to build two very good teams from buttons due to much of his first being sold.
Anyway, im a big fan of the idea of us getting a director of football.
I think it would benefit us greatly, in that we could appoint something of a head coach rather than a manager. It also appears to be a much more sound way of running a “business”.
Its used all over Europe it amazes me its not used more in this country.
It is used more than you think now. They don’t call them director of football but loads of clubs have people in place that deal with recruitment.
Problem for Walsall is, how can you recruit for a manager that doesn’t know how he is going to play from one week to the next. That is what these people who deal with recruitment do, search out players that fit the style of play.
“Technical Directors” i think they are called now, makes the coaches more disposable. The modern game. I think its creeping in more due to the heavy foreign owner influence.
I suspect DC took the job with us because he got loads of control of how things were done, which is fine but your taking on a ton of work these days. Also, the academy was mentioned time and time again when he was appointed and then his tune changed. We might as well close it down…
Majority of the defence and midfield can go, too many limited players who are currently not the sort who will get us out of this division.
Most of the senior player signings have not worked out and have proved to be unreliable. We cant carry that number of underperforming players.
Also, Clarke needs to stick to a main play system and sign players that fit into that correctly rather than trying to maintain multiple systems of play.
For a director of football or technical director role to be of any use the football club has to have a recognised style of play from the u10s all the way through to the first team , I’m afraid I have seen absolutely no evidence in the last 18 months of the first team having a clue what it’s doing from one game to the next .
Since Dean Smith left this has been one of the main problems none of the intervening managers have had a recognised and effective style of play .
You need to be bringing player’s in to fit your system and not keep changing the system to fit the player .
It’s not rocket science.
That’s my point really, it looks very much like a suck it and see approach all the time.
Does appear to be any real long term vision, im assuming Pomlett see’s flogging youngsters as the future, we need more Rory Holden’s basically, which was the best bit of business the clubs done in years probably. Its also clear we have some serious budget restraints even without COVID, lack of investment is never good in football in only ends in tears.
To be fair i backed Clarke signing his guys, and it was clear why he signed them. They’re all good on paper but its probably been one promotion push too far for some of them. Chuck a lot of them in June and go again. DC will still be in charge i have no doubt.
If Plymouth hadn’t broken the rules they wouldn’t have had ten points deducted. We of all clubs shouldn’t suggest the playing field has been skewed in our favour when a club gets done for operating beyond its means.
Director of football ? You having a laugh mate ! We ain’t got a scout !! Besides we’ve got enough " Directors " at this club who achieve ■■■■ all , also to everybody that thinks keeping Clarke and Scarr next season give your heads a massive wobble, Jesus they are the worst pairing of centre backs in the EFL
Indeed. Maybe we could blame Dagenham, for not taking advantage of all those games in hand, for keeping us up. Or Southampton, for missing all those chances when we beat them 1-0, for keeping us up, or any number of reasons,rather than giving credit to the best manager this club has had in living memory?
We have a Chairman, a CEO. whatever Mole is and a number of non exec Directors. Replace one of them with a director of football, which is the proven, modern way.
It results in continuity and less potential damage from a crap manager, providing of course a good choice is made.
It always allows the club to select a coach whose focus is on getting the best out of the players.