Hi Tes,
An excellent reply. I do wonder why they felt it important to hire a director of football now if they don't feel there is value in the January market. Surely a British CE such as Dein or Barwick would be more important to help them with other appointments. I'm sure they're doing their homework on 'soccer' but it doesn't take an expert to know when the fans are unhappy. A quick Google of results against Stoke would show it was a bad result.
Things seem to have stalled in the last couple of weeks which isn't good. They need to take some advice about whether Hodgson is a capable manager. Listening to fan groups is a start but they also need to listen to others and keep an open mind. Unless we start winning games we will lose the chance of finishing 4th with all that that entails. This is proving a strange season and no one club has a stranglehold on the league. This opportunity must not be lost.
If it does take 1-3 years as you suggest I fear we will lose our keeper and Torres and who could blame them. That makes any rebuilding even more difficult. One month into their ownership the momentum MUST not be lost. I hope we see some senior club appointments by the end of the month.
Dein is 67 unbelievably, which is why I think a consultantcy role would have probably suited him more.
Barwick is a good shout, at least on the surface, however below is a couple of interesting articles about his tenure at the FA, but I would never put too much weight behind considering success or failure at the FA, as it's like trying to turn a battleship around in your average English river, getting anything done at that place.
Ivan Gazidis at Arsenal, who tookover from Dein, was someone who I'd never heard of and so far I am impressed, so maybe there are others out there. However, Gazidis has the advantage of having an established and experienced board, and of course Wenger.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/more-fa-jobs-to-go-after-exit-of-barwick-907117.htmlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/oct/05/brian-barwick-faAs far as rebuilding goes, I think there will inevitably be some collateral damage unfortunately and losing Reina and Torres would be the worst case scenario. I don't think there are two better players at the club to spearhead our hopeful rebirth and they are the sort of players we need to get back to attracting, good but not great before coming to us. Greatness being achieved whilst with us. I hope it doesn't prove to be Roy's legacy.