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Technical Director Search

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Oh_Snap

Well-Known Member
herectical question: do we actually need a TD? Having a WC-scout and a coach that knows what he wants sounded more like it. but thats out of the window with Sven gone.

Best case is you get someone who has an amazing vision for the future, who gets along with Emery, has the right scouts and the budget to actually fullfill this vision. With budget still being an issue it'll be hard, risky and expensive to find someone who would be better at this than Emery himself. Only the workload could be a little overwhelming but somehow he comes along to me as if he'd breath Arsenal and that it wouldn't be a problem for him.
 

Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator
herectical question: do we actually need a TD? Having a WC-scout and a coach that knows what he wants sounded more like it. but thats out of the window with Sven gone.

I think yes, Arsenal definitely needs that. Ferguson and Wenger were the last two guys to outlast the mounting pace of football. Look at how quickly managers are changed at most clubs nowadays. The average duration with most guys is somewhere between 1 and 2 years, 3 years is regarde as solid now, and tenures over 5 or more are regarded as long and are very rare.

So if you change managers every 2,3 to 5 seasons, you need to establish some sort of consistency in another way. You can't make 180 degree turns every time you change managers with the pace this happens nowadays. We might well see an above average tenure by Emery at Arsenal, but eventually the pace of the business will catch up with post-Wenger Arsenal, too. So if the club doesn't want excessive "transition periods" every couple of years now, we need to get in some other sort of consistency. And that's where the backroom hierarchy comes into play.

Ideally you have a 2 or 3 man hierarchy who are longterm at the club and work on establishing and keeping a core identity. There are various examples how this could look and what kind of jobs you can give these people. In the end the exact job designation isn't as important as group dynamics and synergies as well as having a clear structure and competences. Everyone else - other backroom staff, managers, players - will be hired according to the identity/philosophy set out by the hierarchy.

Ralf Rangnick's work at Hoffenheim and Red Bull is a very, very good example of this. You can see the core values he implemented in any of RB's choices and if you look at who's working at those clubs you see the same qualities in those people. A good example is his choice of managers as the Red Bull franchise's Sporting Director. For Salzburg, he got Roger Schmidt, for Leipzig Alexander Zorniger. His other manager choices for these clubs include Hasenhuettl, Huetter, Zeidler and Nagelsmann - there's a clear pattern here in regards to a footbaling idea. Hoffenheim have kept to the identity he had implemented even after he left.

So, yes, I think a manager and a scout isn't enough nowadays that the duration of managers has singificantly decreased - you need more guys. I don't think you need big names and lots of exposed executive positions, there are tons of highly esteemed people who are absolute experts and nobody knows who they are because they like to remain behind closed curtains as "Analysts" or whatever, but they are exceptionally important to their club's work in terms of expertise and professionalism. But right now at Arsenal it's not enough. A manager and a half CEO/half DoF in Sanllehi won't work out.

Also remember that the biggest factor in Wenger's downfall probably was being on his own after Dein left. Arsenal could've done so much more with an able and shrewd DoF/Technical Director at Wenger's side.
 
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Garrincha

Wilf Zaha Aficionado
Trusted ⭐
herectical question: do we actually need a TD? Having a WC-scout and a coach that knows what he wants sounded more like it. but thats out of the window with Sven gone.

Best case is you get someone who has an amazing vision for the future, who gets along with Emery, has the right scouts and the budget to actually fullfill this vision. With budget still being an issue it'll be hard, risky and expensive to find someone who would be better at this than Emery himself. Only the workload could be a little overwhelming but somehow he comes along to me as if he'd breath Arsenal and that it wouldn't be a problem for him.

The talent above & around the manager just seems lacking right now. We have room for a CEO, hands on TD & a head scout... That was the structure we started building this time last year & was rightly praised by fans, press & those round the footballing industry.

Add in the hands off owner, his son having multiple business interests & the board mainly old figureheads now its a mess at best or more worryingly cost cutting.
 

Mark Tobias

Mr. Agreeable
I think yes, Arsenal definitely needs that. Ferguson and Wenger were the last two guys to outlast the mounting pace of football. Look at how quickly managers are changed at most clubs nowadays. The average duration with most guys is somewhere between 1 and 2 years, 3 years is regarde as solid now, and tenures over 5 or more are regarded as long and are very rare.

So if you change managers every 2,3 to 5 seasons, you need to establish some sort of consistency in another way. You can't make 180 degree turns every time you change managers with the pace this happens nowadays. We might well see an above average tenure by Emery at Arsenal, but eventually the pace of the business will catch up with post-Wenger Arsenal, too. So if the club doesn't want excessive "transition periods" every couple of years now, we need to get in some other sort of consistency. And that's where the backroom hierarchy comes into play.

Ideally you have a 2 or 3 man hierarchy who are longterm at the club and work on establishing and keeping a core identity. There are various examples how this could look and what kind of jobs you can give these people. In the end the exact job designation isn't as important as group dynamics and synergies as well as having a clear structure and competences. Everyone else - other backroom staff, managers, players - will be hired according to the identity/philosophy set out by the hierarchy.

Ralf Rangnick's work at Hoffenheim and Red Bull is a very, very good example of this. You can see the core values he implemented in any of RB's choices and if you look at who's working at those clubs you see the same qualities in those people. A good example is his choice of managers as the Red Bull franchise's Sporting Director. For Salzburg, he got Roger Schmidt, for Leipzig Alexander Zorniger. His other manager choices for these clubs include Hasenhuettl, Huetter, Zeidler and Nagelsmann - there's a clear pattern here in regards to a footbaling idea. Hoffenheim have kept to the identity he had implemented even after he left.

So, yes, I think a manager and a scout isn't enough nowadays that the duration of managers has singificantly decreased - you need more guys. I don't think you need big names and lots of exposed executive positions, there are tons of highly esteemed people who are absolute experts and nobody knows who they are because they like to remain behind closed curtains as "Analysts" or whatever, but they are exceptionally important to their club's work in terms of expertise and professionalism. But right now at Arsenal it's not enough. A manager and a half CEO/half DoF in Sanllehi won't work out.

Also remember that the biggest factor in Wenger's downfall probably was being on his own after Dein left. Arsenal could've done so much more with an able and shrewd DoF/Technical Director at Wenger's side.

What a great post!
 

Oh_Snap

Well-Known Member
I think yes, Arsenal definitely needs that. Ferguson and Wenger were the last two guys to outlast the mounting pace of football. Look at how quickly managers are changed at most clubs nowadays. The average duration with most guys is somewhere between 1 and 2 years, 3 years is regarde as solid now, and tenures over 5 or more are regarded as long and are very rare.
Understandable. Worst case is u have a DoF and he has to fire managers over and over though. It's an interesting subject, f.e. Bigiristain is at the Helm at city since 2012 yet you hear so little. With Rangnick you chose the best example possible, but we also have the negative ones in the Bundesliga as well. Rudi Völler for example when he was at the helm at Vizekusen, didnt strike me as a visions-guy.

i asked my question with some intent to actually shine some light on the actual work and get away from the names so your post, as always, is very appreciated :).
 

Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator
Understandable. Worst case is u have a DoF and he has to fire managers over and over though. It's an interesting subject, f.e. Bigiristain is at the Helm at city since 2012 yet you hear so little. With Rangnick you chose the best example possible, but we also have the negative ones in the Bundesliga as well. Rudi Völler for example when he was at the helm at Vizekusen, didnt strike me as a visions-guy.

i asked my question with some intent to actually shine some light on the actual work and get away from the names so your post, as always, is very appreciated :).

Voller was a horrible DoF but now that he's their Chairman or whatever it's alright. Horst Heldt would be my top negative example and all the guys who've worked at HSV in recent years. But you can also see that when you've got a capeable group of people who are allowed to work longterm it gives clubs stability. But it's also not just the most pronounced names that guarantee this stability, if you look at how clubs work and who's regarded as important to that it's very often guys behind the scenes in smaller jobs.

It'll be interesting to see what Sanllehi does, but it's pretty clear the club needs more expertise. I really, really don't want Arsenal to become such a shambolic one man show as United post-Ferguson with only Woodward at the helm. E.g. in terms of manager choices Moyes, van Gaal, Mourinho, Solskjaer in the span of 6 years is shambolic and completely inconsistent.
 
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al-Ustaadh

👳‍♂️ Figuring out how to delete my account 👳‍♂️
Does he have connections to South America? Or is he just ex Barca?
 

Artisan

Not Emery's Old Pal
Is he the guy Barcelona fans absolutely hated and considered useless? Other than Bartomeu I remember them really hating on one or two of their directors, I think he was one of them.
 

Slartibartfast

CIES Loyalist
Zubizarreta's name has been kicking around for a couple of weeks along with another former Barcelona sporting director, Robert Fernandez. Not really a surprise if it happens.

I'm not sure why some think it's such a terrible thing for Sanllehi to want to hire people he's worked with before and trusts. Their prior relationship means both know what to expect from the other and makes it highly likely they'll be on the same page. Why would anyone want to just hire some random person with whom they have no prior relationship when they can hire someone they already trust?

In the case of Andoni Zubizarreta, the two worked closely together for five years at Barcelona. During that time they brought players such as Cesc Fabregas, Luis Suarez, Neymar, Rakitic, Jordi Alba, and Ter Stegen to the club. They have a track record of success together. Just because Arsenal is not Barcelona and does not have the same finances does not make some random hipster a better choice. So if this is it, give it a chance.
 

scytheavatar

Established Member
I'm not sure why some think it's such a terrible thing for Sanllehi to want to hire people he's worked with before and trusts. Their prior relationship means both know what to expect from the other and makes it highly likely they'll be on the same page. Why would anyone want to just hire some random person with whom they have no prior relationship when they can hire someone they already trust?

If we are just going to hire a Yes Man then why not just save on the wages and declare Sanllehi our Technical Director? Our new Technical Director needs to be able to work with our current staff, but at the same time you expect him to provide new insights and fight for his vision when he is on a different page. Hiring someone because of "prior relationship" smacks of cronyism and there is nothing about the old Barca board that makes me think they are people I want in charge of my club.

During that time they brought players such as Cesc Fabregas, Luis Suarez, Neymar, Rakitic, Jordi Alba, and Ter Stegen to the club.

Which is not enough. The players they signed are inferior to Guardiola's golden generation. Give me Xavi over any of the players you have mentioned. The Barca midfield and defense got worse, a lot worse, after Guardiola left.
 

Slartibartfast

CIES Loyalist
If we are just going to hire a Yes Man then why not just save on the wages and declare Sanllehi our Technical Director? Our new Technical Director needs to be able to work with our current staff, but at the same time you expect him to provide new insights and fight for his vision when he is on a different page. Hiring someone because of "prior relationship" smacks of cronyism and there is nothing about the old Barca board that makes me think they are people I want in charge of my club.

What makes you think Zubizarreta will be a yes man? Are you privy to some inner workings at Barcelona between 2010 and 2015? And why would Zubizarreta be less able to work with the current staff than some other guy? Or are you advocating promoting from within here? And what guarantee do you have that someone promoted from within or some random guy from outside the club who hasn't previously worked with Sanllehi would be any less of a "yes man?" For all you know, one of the things Sanllehi respects about Zubizarreta is that they can run ideas past each other. You are making a ton of assumptions here and you know what happens when we ass/u/me.

As for just making Sanllehi the technical director, why would he want to do his own job and the job of somebody working under him? That makes no sense at all. Sanllehi's background was not in football, so at Barcelona he worked with people such as Txiki Begiristain and Zubizarreta. That was a big part of their success.

Which is not enough. The players they signed are inferior to Guardiola's golden generation. Give me Xavi over any of the players you have mentioned. The Barca midfield and defense got worse, a lot worse, after Guardiola left.

Well that's just silly. I mean, if I said give me Zidane over Xavi it would hardly mean Xavi wasn't good enough. You're talking about impossibly high standards if you expect every player -- any player -- to be as good as Xavi. Besides, Sanllehi was promoted to director of football at the same time Pep Guardiola took over as manager. Xavi, Messi, Puyol, Thierry Henry and other greats of Pep's "golden generation" were already there. Sanllehi and Pep brought in the same players because they were together through that time (as was Zubizarreta during Pep's last two seasons).

Also, as I said before, Arsenal is not Barcelona. There will be no "golden generation" to match Barcelona's. Given current realities, there will be no golden generation to match Wenger's. Football is not like it was a decade ago. But the seasons in which Sanllehi and Zubizarreta worked together at Barcelona produced three La Liga titles and two Champions League titles. You may consider that inferior, but in fact all they would need to do to become legendary figures at Arsenal would be to win one of either.
 
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