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I'm not knocking FSG or anything but I'm getting really worried about how our club is starting to sound, I don't like the way they've taken away transfers from the manager, I don't want Abramovic type thing going on, it will just cause more trouble than good. I've always felt that it's the managers responsibility to buy players and identify who they want in there team.

But that's just my opinion, what do you all think?

P.S: I'm not against FSG, I'm just a concerned fan.

+1

I think this is the way Americans do their business ! It's not unusual for them to interview multiple candidates and their idea of manager is infant a head coach, dealin solely with coachin tactics etc! I think the sporting directors role will be crucial if Martinez does get job

Isn't the sporting directors position just an insult to the manager though, "we don't trust you to buy good players we'll do that for you" and it helps with player confidence if he has been singled out solely by that manager

I'm curious to know how having a Director of Football implies the manager has no input on player sales and purchases. Being "concerned" about something like this suggests you're afraid of change. I hardly see why having a DoF is an "insult" to the manager, as Azza suggests. That's like saying people calling for goal line technology is an insult to referees. People, even highly paid ones, are merely human - they make mistakes. Having more than one person qualified to provide input should help that person make fewer mistakes. Two heads are better than one, they say (with reason). Yes, one of these people must have the greater responsibility, but that doesn't mean it's an insult to either party, nor is it necessarily a disaster waiting to happen. If there is transparency between the owners, the DoF, and the manager, then there can be no misunderstandings during the transfer window. There is only a problem if one person chooses to work against the system, and because it is a system of more than two people it becomes more difficult for one person to undermine it. For instance, Purslow did exactly what Hicks & Gillett wanted - deny Benitez money from his player sales. Benitez didn't like that, and it cost him both his job and his reputation. That the backlash cost Hicks and Gillett the club should serve as a warning about what happens when people are not acting in the best interests of the club. If there is equal buy-in into the "plan" from all parties, there is absolutely no reason why the "plan" cannot succeed, regardless of the presence of a DoF.

I think in principal its a good idea. You can leave the manager / coach to do the training and playing side of things. You then have a DOF to do all the [oops] things that the manager might not want to be weighed down with. In practice though it doesn't seem to work in this country.

Thundyr not sure myself two heads are better than one remember Evans and Houllier? Personally I am not a fan of the director of football thing although I can understand why clubs do it rwe continuity. It will be interesting one Alex Ferguson goes whether Man Utd adopt the DOF route. I suspect they will.

The GM and manager/headcoach tandem is how most American sports teams operates. I have no issue if FSG wants to implement the same at LFC. IMO, it's too much responsibility and workload for a single manager to handle scouting, recruiting, signing and negotiation, plus team training, management and game tactics.

It is not American way to openly recruit and interview for a high up position. I've never seen any company openly "shortlist" executives and ex-executives without knowing if they are even interested. But then again, this could all just be the media stirring sht up.

It depends what the heads are trying to do, of course. If the DoF and the manager cannot agree on anything there will be trouble. Which is why I feel his appointment is the more critical one, though obviously the manager must be good at just that - managing the squad. They are clearly defined roles, and the only commonality is that they must agree on a style and a system for the team. Once those are in place they then each go about making the vision become reality - the manager coaching the team, and the DoF finding players and overseeing that the system is introduced at youth level etc etc. The manager is not going to say "Sure I'll take whoever you can get" because he obviously knows a bit about talented players himself and there are lemons he won't accept, and the same goes for the DoF. I think a lot of people are afraid of the DoF because they assume this is going to be some guy who is first and foremost going to be tight with money and second wouldn't know Djimi Traore from Roberto Carlos; I'm fairly sure that isn't going to be the case.

Quote from Dave Whelan earlier...

"I think it will depend on the attitude of the owners in America [if FSG can conclude a deal], because I don't think the owners from America fully understand the game of football in England.

Felt the same meself, but when someone within the game sez it, alarms are starting to ring.