A-League clubs undervalue most important position

The specter of football directors, or at least the lack of them, has been looming large over Australia’s domestic competition these last few days, particularly following the “move upstairs” of Dave Mitchell at Perth Glory.

The decision to make the now former Glory manager the club’s Football Director smacks of the same “what to do with him now” mentality as Central Coast Mariners decision to do a similar thing with Lawrie McKinna during the A-League off-season did.

As WA Today’s Joseph Sapienza wrote yesterday, Mitchell’s new role has Glory fans scratching their heads.

“One question that has confused some pundits and Glory supporters – What does a football director actually do?,” explained Sapienza.

“Sure the big clubs of Europe have football directors in their ranks and these personnel often come to light whenever a transfer rumour heats up.

“But what exactly does Mitchell’s new job entail in this competition?

“This wasn’t brought up by the club last week so we’re left in the lurch on issues such as who picks the team and how much “power” a football director has on day-to-day issues involving the team.

“Is it a good idea to put someone who has struggled to get the team to play to its awesome potential in such a position?”

While I’m not sure “awesome” is a word I’d use to describe any team with Andy Todd in it, Sapienza has a point. Exactly how do the few A-League clubs with football directors view the role?

On the au.fourfourtwo.com podcast last week Francis Awaritefe summed up what club’s should be looking for in a football director.

“This is why it’s critical, because it helps to build the future of the club,” said Awaritefe.

“Because if you‘ve got a strategy in terms of how you want to play the game, in terms of the sorts of players you’re going to have, in terms of your coaching philosophy, in terms of your youth team, your recruitment and talent policies and all that sort of stuff.

“You need to have all that because the game’s too big these days for a traditional English manager, so to speak, to manage every aspect of those things.”

“Managing a salary cap, you need to have financial qualifications being able to manage a budget… now the average manager doesn’t have those skills, so you need to bring somebody who has business experience but also has a football pedigree to actually manage that.”

It always amuses me when I hear pundits say they’re glad the likes of Sydney FC, Brisbane Roar or Perth Glory are doing well “because it’s good for the A-League”.

My response is what use is one good season on the pitch, when all the good will with fans evaporates throughout the next campaign?

This is where the director of football role comes into it’s own.

I wonder if Sydney FC, who former Socceroo Alvin Ceccoli thinks “haven’t recruited at all well”, might have been helped by the right person in properly utilised Football Director role.

Yes it costs money to implement the position, but I assure you it’s an investment that a club will make back in no time at all.

Until A-League clubs learn this lesson, these mistakes will continue to repeat themselves.