Suggestion: Director of Football

Hi guys,

Been thinking recently about the role of the Director of Football in FM. It's something we often see in real life, particularly on the continent. In some games I find myself liking the idea of having a Director of Football there, suggesting transfers (both in and out).

Perhaps it could be an option at the start of the game, rather than a mandatory part of FM.

What do you guys think?

I basically play as the Director of Football, using my assistant as the team's manager.

I buy the players, suggest tactics, handle the contracts and scouting etc, but as soon as the game kicks off, it's all down to my 'manager'.

I basically play as the Director of Football, using my assistant as the team's manager.

I buy the players, suggest tactics, handle the contracts and scouting etc, but as soon as the game kicks off, it's all down to my 'manager'.

I'm sure I've seen before, from a an SI employee, is that Director of Football have no affect on the game, that's why they aren't in. I could be wrong though.

So essentially you manage?

No. That's what a director of football would do, opposed to a head coach who handles training, picks the team and decides about any tactical suggestions.

Anyway, from somebody who's been lurking on here for more than a year I'd expect doing a search. That would find you 100+ threads about this suggestion, many of which were accompanied by a poll in which the suggestion has been overwhelmingly refused.

No. That's what a director of football would do, opposed to a head coach who handles training, picks the team and decides about any tactical suggestions.

Anyway, from somebody who's been lurking on here for more than a year I'd expect doing a search. That would find you 100+ threads about this suggestion, many of which were accompanied by a poll in which the suggestion has been overwhelmingly refused.

You're right. In hindsight, I should have done a search.

Always been intruiged by the idea, and I'd like the option of someone taking care of transfer negotiations. I suppose, in theory, an Assistant Manager could do this role.

No. That's what a director of football would do

Director of Football does do that, so you are wrong. West Brom have this in place and Forest have or did have an Aquisitions Panel.

At some clubs the DoF is a glorified scout, at others he handles practically everything.

Utter tosh. Buying players and sorting out tactics is 100% the manager's job. There are some clubs who have tried to change this philosophy and most attempts, particularly in England, have been met with vehement hostility.

Each case is different. A Director of Football is essentially there to liaise between the board of directors and the head coach. As NF said, WBA have this system in place. I can't recall who the DoF is there, but they certainly have one and Hodgson is the 'head coach' as opposed to the 'manager'.

On the game he's the scout and he's on about £3k a week iirc. His name is Dan Ashworth.

Utter tosh. Buying players and sorting out tactics is 100% the manager's job. There are some clubs who have tried to change this philosophy and most attempts, particularly in England, have been met with vehement hostility.

If you have a DoF, you don't have a 'manager' anymore, just a head coach. That's the principle of it. The whole point of introducing a DoF is that the head coach does not decide on transfers anymore. This is the way it works for most clubs in continental football.

Of course, indirectly the head coach does still have a say in transfers as it would make no sense if the DoF signed players who the coach doesn't like and wouldn't field. Would be an utter waste of money. But the idea is that the DoF will be at the club for longer than the coach usually and be in a position to align his decisions to the long-term interests of the club rather than short-terms success which may be what a coach is after in order to keep his job. This leads to a smaller likelihood of managers putting the club in financial danger.

The problem of this division in a football management sim is that either job just by itself would be very boring to have in a video game. Imagine, just being responsible for tactics and training and maybe a few other bits. Or imagine being responsible only for transfers, facilities, hiring and firing backroom staff and maybe a bit more of the economic side while the real thing is beyond your control.

That would make boring and bad-selling games. So I doubt, it will happen.

Then, if you want both, you can turn to the English tradition of footie management sims, of which FM is the best. There, you are a classic manager who can do most of the important stuff on his own, while being restricted in some areas like facilities and all the business stuff.

Or you want to be in charge of everything. Then games from the German tradition of fm sims are for you. There you can expand the stadium, set ticket prices, negotiate sponsorship deals, select merchandise to sell and much, much more. EA's game may be the prime example of that school. The increased opportunities come at the price that the classic manager's tasks are in less detail and not with the great logics which made FM stand out for years.

This is the choice you have. I would find it sad, if FM took a strong turn the German way. That would actually eliminate the choice, assuming there is no actual alternative to FM within the English tradition games. I'm sure there would be a great market for a combination of FM's unique qualities combined with a German school game, but rather than FM changing schools I'd hope that EA or anybody else in the German school finally get closer to FM in terms of background logics.

I always look at players that my assistant recommends in staff meetings. I take that as him coming to me and saying he really wants this player for his team.

Admittedly most of the time I overrule him because the player he wants isn't needed, but still...

I always look at players that my assistant recommends in staff meetings. I take that as him coming to me and saying he really wants this player for his team.

Admittedly most of the time I overrule him because the player he wants isn't needed, but still...

Haven't you created a thread about this approach to FM? May be intersting to read for those who like a somewhat different challenge...

However, my understanding of the OP is the opposite approach, as in being restricted as the 'manager' by a DoF who will make decisions over your head.

this sounds like a "different" approach to the game. will try it

Haven't you created a thread about this approach to FM? May be intersting to read for those who like a somewhat different challenge...

However, my understanding of the OP is the opposite approach, as in being restricted as the 'manager' by a DoF who will make decisions over your head.

I have, but can't for the life of me remember when.

At Reading we have Nicky Hammond as our DoF - his job is to go out and negotiate the best price for players that the manager has identified. He will also handle the contracts and the selling of players leaving Brian McDermott to concentrate on the tactics/training etc. It doesn't mean they dont speak - he just does the donkey work for the manager.

I've always been very much in favour of this idea. Not only is it more realistic in many cases (and I'm all for realism), but it would also differentiate between clubs much more and make deciding whether to accept a job much more difficult - am I prepared to take this job knowing that I won't have much control over the players who are bought?

A few versions ago there was a chance for sugar-daddy chairmen to buy players without your so agreement which I also thought was a great feature, but most people didn't like it and it was taken out. Given the hostility to the idea of DoFs, I expect SI could only implement it if there was an option to turn it off, which probably means we'll never see it. It's a shame, in my opinion.

At Reading we have Nicky Hammond as our DoF - his job is to go out and negotiate the best price for players that the manager has identified. He will also handle the contracts and the selling of players leaving Brian McDermott to concentrate on the tactics/training etc. It doesn't mean they dont speak - he just does the donkey work for the manager.

This is more what I was getting at.

At a lot of clubs the scouting team will come to the manager with a list of players they have identified. The manager subsequently selects the players from this list he wants, and presents this list to someone above his head, who goes out and tries to get them.

I like the idea of presenting a list of targets and then leaving the negotiating up to the money men - but, ultimately, having the final say.

Utter tosh. Buying players and sorting out tactics is 100% the manager's job. There are some clubs who have tried to change this philosophy and most attempts, particularly in England, have been met with vehement hostility.

Hardly utter tosh. Although this concept is alien to the UK, in Europe this is very common. Most big clubs operate with this system, in particular, Real Madrid. The DOF and the board identify and sign the players and the head coach then prepares and selects the team. Under Mourinho, Real have had to amend their policy at the moment for Jose, especially as he fell out with many key board members. However Bobby Robson worked under this system at Barcelona and in Portugal with Sporting and Porto. The big Italian clubs have operated this way for some time. So FM could easily adapt this for the European teams.

I quite liked the interfering chairman in FM signing players you didn't want. Perhaps it happened too often but at big clubs this is a fact that managers have to deal with. Certainly until managers get a certain level of reputation. Maybe that would have been a better way to have implemented the feature. That way when you're offered a job, the interference of the chairman/owner would be a factor in whether you'd want to job.

Hardly utter tosh. Although this concept is alien to the UK, in Europe this is very common. Most big clubs operate with this system, in particular, Real Madrid. The DOF and the board identify and sign the players and the head coach then prepares and selects the team. Under Mourinho, Real have had to amend their policy at the moment for Jose, especially as he fell out with many key board members. However Bobby Robson worked under this system at Barcelona and in Portugal with Sporting and Porto. The big Italian clubs have operated this way for some time. So FM could easily adapt this for the European teams.

I quite liked the interfering chairman in FM signing players you didn't want. Perhaps it happened too often but at big clubs this is a fact that managers have to deal with. Certainly until managers get a certain level of reputation. Maybe that would have been a better way to have implemented the feature. That way when you're offered a job, the interference of the chairman/owner would be a factor in whether you'd want to job.

Good points.

I like the continental model, and the idea of working in tandem with a DoF on transfer decisions. Something I'd really like SI to implement in the next game.

I quite liked the interfering chairman in FM signing players you didn't want. Perhaps it happened too often but at big clubs this is a fact that managers have to deal with. Certainly until managers get a certain level of reputation. Maybe that would have been a better way to have implemented the feature. That way when you're offered a job, the interference of the chairman/owner would be a factor in whether you'd want to job.

Personally, I'd find it annoying. The main reason why I play this game is not because it feels like I'm a football manager, but because I feel like I'm in full control over the club.

I'd prefer a more role-based approach where when you sign a contract, you specify what responsibilities you want, and the board/DoF takes care of the rest. Over time, you may accumulate more responsibilities, or delegate some of those back to the board.

The problem with that feature in FM07 was that the chairman was happy to bankrupt the club signing big players.

Personally, I'd find it annoying. The main reason why I play this game is not because it feels like I'm a football manager, but because I feel like I'm in full control over the club.

I'd prefer a more role-based approach where when you sign a contract, you specify what responsibilities you want, and the board/DoF takes care of the rest. Over time, you may accumulate more responsibilities, or delegate some of those back to the board.

Not being interested in any restrictions on my ability to take decisions which I cannot revoke at any time, this solution would be very fine with me.

I'm always in favour of any option which allows the user to tailor the gameplay to his likings.

However, I would object an introduction of this in a way which creates the need for you to earn the trust of a club via reputation or experience. This would on the one hand create an interesting challenge but at the other hand cripple the game for anybody who starts with a low past experience. It would have to work one way only, and that is that you tell the club what you will be in charge of and what not. Otherwise you get the issues I described in my longish post above.

I'd be a semi-quasi-quantum-manager-football director.

The only thing I do in the game is sign players, pick tactics, watch team, renew 1st team contracts when necessary.

Signing players - a cinch.

Pick tactics - 1 tactic that rules them all takes minutes to setup.

Renew players contracts - annoying rigmarole but takes about 10 minutes.

Ass Man looks after everything else.

I actually kinda have a triple role - manager - director of football - scout.

I spend more time in the boardroom arguing over improving facilities and networks - and also in scouting players. I spend hours doing these things.

For tactics, matches, renewing contracts etc. takes a few minutes of actual game play.

I think per transfer window I'm spending about 2-3 hours scouting players, reading their reports etc. I may not even sign anyone. The matches actually kinda get in the way.

... The matches actually kinda get in the way.

Amen.

I have been inspired by the way Ackter plays the game and recently began a game as a Director of Football with Boreham Wood whilst patiently waiting for the final patch. 13 years of in game time have never flown by so fast and we now sit solidly in the Championship.

I have had to intervene a couple of times to ensure that the squad is playing a tactic I approve of, this seems to have changed as we rose up the leagues, currently trying to enforce a 4-1-3-2. It's an interesting way to play the game, I particularly enjoy judging the appropriate time to sack my manager and bring in a new one.