Manchester City strengthens Executive Leadership Team

[lancs blue]

No-one seems to have picked up on this, but:

"Brian Marwood, Football Administration Officer

Responsible for supporting the Football Manager by building world-leading football infrastructure which will meet Mark Hughes’ requirements in terms of academy liaison, overseeing of medical, sports sciences and performance analysis, talent identification and player support."

Hmm, interesting. Talent identification would suggest that Marwood's role will be very similar to that of a Director of Football. It's certainly a very strange appointment for that reason. My gut feeling is that the purpose of this appointment is to make sure that there is someone "vetting" potential transfer targets which Hughes or any other manager would have. However I'm sure certain newspapers recently suggested that Marwood's role would be one of "support" for the manager and the final say on player acquisitions would lie with Hughes.

Frankly, I don't see the point. If you want a director of football, get one. If you don't, then do not make "talent acquisition" part of the job description for the "football administrator".

"overseeing......talent identification" I'd read that as overseeing the scouting network.

 

[Uwe Rosler's Grandad]

No-one seems to have picked up on this, but:

"Brian Marwood, Football Administration Officer

Responsible for supporting the Football Manager by building world-leading football infrastructure which will meet Mark Hughes’ requirements in terms of academy liaison, overseeing of medical, sports sciences and performance analysis, talent identification and player support."

Hmm, interesting. Talent identification would suggest that Marwood's role will be very similar to that of a Director of Football. It's certainly a very strange appointment for that reason. My gut feeling is that the purpose of this appointment is to make sure that there is someone "vetting" potential transfer targets which Hughes or any other manager would have. However I'm sure certain newspapers recently suggested that Marwood's role would be one of "support" for the manager and the final say on player acquisitions would lie with Hughes.

Frankly, I don't see the point. If you want a director of football, get one. If you don't, then do not make "talent acquisition" part of the job description for the "football administrator".

Good points well made. This seems like a director of football type role in all but name (probably so as not to upset Hughes). If there are changes at the end of the season and a new manager brought in I'd have a little wager that Marwood's title changes!

 

[Ghost in my house]

No-one seems to have picked up on this, but:

"Brian Marwood, Football Administration Officer

Responsible for supporting the Football Manager by building world-leading football infrastructure which will meet Mark Hughes’ requirements in terms of academy liaison, overseeing of medical, sports sciences and performance analysis, talent identification and player support."

Hmm, interesting. Talent identification would suggest that Marwood's role will be very similar to that of a Director of Football. It's certainly a very strange appointment for that reason. My gut feeling is that the purpose of this appointment is to make sure that there is someone "vetting" potential transfer targets which Hughes or any other manager would have. However I'm sure certain newspapers recently suggested that Marwood's role would be one of "support" for the manager and the final say on player acquisitions would lie with Hughes.

Frankly, I don't see the point. If you want a director of football, get one. If you don't, then do not make "talent acquisition" part of the job description for the "football administrator".

There was a fair bit of dialogue about this last week - http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=110251&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=marwood

 

[Anonymous]

Good points well made. This seems like a director of football type role in all but name (probably so as not to upset Hughes). If there are changes at the end of the season and a new manager brought in I'd have a little wager that Marwood's title changes!

What worries me even more URG, is that this type of appointment, at this point in the season is a little rushed IMO. If you look at how this season has panned out, you have to imagine there will be a "review" at the end of the season and the ADUG will want to bring in new players, maybe a whole new management/coaching set up. Why not make all those changes together.

Frankly, the only manager out there who I believe would be prepared to work under a Director of Football, and who has any kind of pedigree would be Rijkaard. The likes of Mourinho, Scolari, Van Gaal, et al will all want final say on which players are brought in.

The flip side of that coin is that Hughes is actually here for the long haul. But that's an argument in itself because frankly, if ADUG give him another season, he will be under the kind of pressure which will have made the Tinkerman's season at Chelsea look like a walk in the park. It really doesn't bare thinking about.

 

[Uwe Rosler's Grandad]

Good points well made. This seems like a director of football type role in all but name (probably so as not to upset Hughes). If there are changes at the end of the season and a new manager brought in I'd have a little wager that Marwood's title changes!

What worries me even more URG, is that this type of appointment, at this point in the season is a little rushed IMO. If you look at how this season has panned out, you have to imagine there will be a "review" at the end of the season and the ADUG will want to bring in new players, maybe a whole new management/coaching set up. Why not make all those changes together.

Frankly, the only manager out there who I believe would be prepared to work under a Director of Football, and who has any kind of pedigree would be Rijkaard. The likes of Mourinho, Scolari, Van Gaal, et al will all want final say on which players are brought in.

The flip side of that coin is that Hughes is actually here for the long haul. But that's an argument in itself because frankly, if ADUG give him another season, he will be under the kind of pressure which will have made the Tinkerman's season at Chelsea look like a walk in the park. It really doesn't bare thinking about.

Agreed.

 

[Soulboy]

Good points well made. This seems like a director of football type role in all but name (probably so as not to upset Hughes). If there are changes at the end of the season and a new manager brought in I'd have a little wager that Marwood's title changes!

What worries me even more URG, is that this type of appointment, at this point in the season is a little rushed IMO. If you look at how this season has panned out, you have to imagine there will be a "review" at the end of the season and the ADUG will want to bring in new players, maybe a whole new management/coaching set up. Why not make all those changes together.

Frankly, the only manager out there who I believe would be prepared to work under a Director of Football, and who has any kind of pedigree would be Rijkaard. The likes of Mourinho, Scolari, Van Gaal, et al will all want final say on which players are brought in.

The flip side of that coin is that Hughes is actually here for the long haul. But that's an argument in itself because frankly, if ADUG give him another season, he will be under the kind of pressure which will have made the Tinkerman's season at Chelsea look like a walk in the park. It really doesn't bare thinking about.

Excellent post. And I never thought I'd say that ;}

But what does it all mean? Like you, I've read into it that Hughes might actually be here for the long-term and that structures are being put in place to help him.

However, as others have commented, it all lives and dies on the playing field, and should Hughes get next season as well, then nothing less than top 5 might be acceptable. And is the manager capable of that?

I personally doubt it, but fair do's to the owners if they think he can.

All I will say, though, is that if this season has been one of divison and uncertaintly with the supprt, then you ain't seen nothing yet if Hughes is still here next season!

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

There's two ways you can look at it.

One way says that Hughes is just another executive. There's Cook at the top and people responsible for the off-field stuff reporting to him (Aldridge(?) and the two new guys) and people responsible for the on-field stuff (Marwood, Hughes, Cassell). There's an awful lot of work involved in running the team and building the infrastructure behind it and there's an argument that Hughes shouldn't need to be directly responsible for a lot of it. You could also argue that a lot of the backroom/support structure should be part of the strategic direction of the club and not at the whim of a first team manager.

There's also the view that there are possibly too many fingers in the pie and unless everyone understands and accepts their specific role then there will be problems. United seem to manage quite well but if it means greater professionalism then it could be good.

 

[Anonymous]

There's two ways you can look at it.

One way says that Hughes is just another executive. There's Cook at the top and people responsible for the off-field stuff reporting to him (Aldridge(?) and the two new guys) and people responsible for the on-field stuff (Marwood, Hughes, Cassell). There's an awful lot of work involved in running the team and building the infrastructure behind it and there's an argument that Hughes shouldn't need to be directly responsible for a lot of it. You could also argue that a lot of the backroom/support structure should be part of the strategic direction of the club and not at the whim of a first team manager.

There's also the view that there are possibly too many fingers in the pie and unless everyone understands and accepts their specific role then there will be problems. United seem to manage quite well but if it means greater professionalism then it could be good.

The part I've highlighted above is the crux of it for me. I hope that what ADUG are doing, is simply putting in place an infrastructure whereby, managers/coaches may come and go, but there is a continuity to the kinds of players the club purchases, and the overall direction the team takes.

I wonder if this appointment has anything to do with the protracted and frankly embarrassing pursuits of RSC, and Kaka.

 

[Soulboy]

I said at the time of the Kaka deal that when it fell through it was, in my humble opinion, a reflection on the failure of Garry Cook to finish it off.

At that level of an organisation, when everything is set up to conclude a major deal, it is only ever about finalising it. Personal insults or sleights or perceived inappropriate behaviour all goes out the window... you just have to make sure the deal is done.

And it wasn't.

I thought Cook failed, and with this appointment of Marwood it seems that maybe the owners share that view.

Cook is not a "football man" and that showed up in Milan. At least Marwood can point to a career in football to strengthen his arguments. To be honest, these 3 appointments look excellent and should put us in a much strongher position come next saeson.

However... it STILL all stands or falls on what goes on on the playing field.

Ah, but maybe that's for another day...

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

I'm not sure about Marwoods role but one thing is for sure and that's that we desperately needed a football man on the board.

I'll look at it in only a positive light for now and I personally very much doubt he will stand in the way of many projected transfers and if he does it will only be obviously dodgy ones.