Sporting Director

Turner the Cat

Turner the Cat

Central Defender
I see Liverpool have appointed a new Sporting Director. A former footballer himself.


From what I can tell, it looks like most Sporting Directors have previous experience as players at least at some level. Dan Ashworth, Christoph Freund, Txiki Begiristain, Edu.

Those that havent appear to have at least experience as head of recruitment at senior level previously.

Ours on the other hand has never played professionally as far as I understand and only ever previously worked at academy level. I think it shows.

What do you think makes a good Sporting Director and who do you think the best examples are?
 


Turner the Cat said:
I see Liverpool have appointed a new Sporting Director. A former footballer himself.


From what I can tell, it looks like most Sporting Directors have previous experience as players at least at some level. Dan Ashworth, Christoph Freund, Txiki Begiristain, Edu.

Those that havent appear to have at least experience as head of recruitment at senior level previously.

Ours on the other hand has never played professionally as far as I understand and only ever previously worked at academy level. I think it shows.

What do you think makes a good Sporting Director and who do you think the best examples are?
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We know what a bad one makes well in all but name
 
Turner the Cat said:
I see Liverpool have appointed a new Sporting Director. A former footballer himself.


From what I can tell, it looks like most Sporting Directors have previous experience as players at least at some level. Dan Ashworth, Christoph Freund, Txiki Begiristain, Edu.

Those that havent appear to have at least experience as head of recruitment at senior level previously.

Ours on the other hand has never played professionally as far as I understand and only ever previously worked at academy level. I think it shows.

What do you think makes a good Sporting Director and who do you think the best examples are?
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where did dan ashworth play prifessionally?
Dan Ashworth went straight from academy manager to being a DOF...
 
kildaremackem said:
where did dan ashworth play prifessionally?
Dan Ashworth went straight from academy manager to being a DOF...
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Wrong or as you would say rwong.

Ashworth continued to be involved with football after retiring as a player, and was appointed academy director at Peterborough United in 2000.[5] In 2001, he went on to become center of excellence director at Cambridge United until March 2004 when he moved to West Bromwich Albionassisting youth team manager Aidy Boothroyd. After Boothroyd's departure in the July of that year he took over as youth team manager until he was promoted to the club's sporting and technical director in December 2007.[6]
 
Mackem2017 said:
Wrong or as you would say rwong.

Ashworth continued to be involved with football after retiring as a player, and was appointed academy director at Peterborough United in 2000.[5] In 2001, he went on to become center of excellence director at Cambridge United until March 2004 when he moved to West Bromwich Albionassisting youth team manager Aidy Boothroyd. After Boothroyd's departure in the July of that year he took over as youth team manager until he was promoted to the club's sporting and technical director in December 2007.[6]
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exactly AS I said he didnt play pro and started as an academy manager
 
Turner the Cat said:
He played for Eastbourne Town. I said played at least at some level.
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im sure gthose 17 games made him the man and football expert he is today...imagine if he had played 18 games...how good he would be now
wschmidt said:
Was Di Fanti an ex footballer
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michael edwards the previos sporting dircetor at liverpool diont have a playing career either..
neither did either of the two the sporting directors at chelsea..
or the lad at everton..thelwell...
 
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kildaremackem said:
im sure gthose 17 games made him the man and football expert he is today...imagine if he had played 18 games...how good he would be now

michael edwards the previos sporting dircetor at liverpool diont have a playing career either..
neither did either of the two the sporting directors at chelsea..
or the lad at everton..thelwell...
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I'm sure his time playing at academy level at Norwich was also useful and I'm sure the experience of both were key to getting his coaching roles in the US and then getting a job at academy level. So, as limited as it was and as dismissive as you are, yes it must have been useful for his career.

There are indeed quite a few Sporting Directors that havent played before. It seems a lot more acceptable than at the coach level where there are far fewer examples.
 
The present day game is almost incomparable now compared to when people who are currently coaching played it, so it's little to no advantage IMO and a perfect example of why so many managers who were top of the pile 15 or so years ago have been left for dead.

There's loads of coaches and people involved at higher levels of the game with no playing experience at all now.

Of the 92 managers in the EFL, over 20% have basically had no experience whatsover at playing any sort of decent level and that number increases by the season.

"Career Coaches" will be commonplace within the next decade.
 
kildaremackem said:
im sure gthose 17 games made him the man and football expert he is today...imagine if he had played 18 games...how good he would be now

michael edwards the previos sporting dircetor at liverpool diont have a playing career either..
neither did either of the two the sporting directors at chelsea..
or the lad at everton..thelwell...
Click to expand...
Unlike Charlie Metvhen he once said to me he played semi pro, except I seen him play 5 a side at AOL, ducking hopeless he was I mean truly embarrassing.. 😂
 

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