The Devious Director Of Football

It's been a stressful season for the title of Director of Football, with various undermining believed to have taken place in the Premier League, resulting in two resignations. Yesterday, the vacancy was thrown into disrepute again, as Sven-Goran Eriksson, the former England manager, was appointed in the role at League Two side Notts County. Perhaps it shows just how the mighty can fall although, the Swede, clearly saw enough ambition at the club that could re-propel his reputation as one of the best 'managers' in the world, because if you get a minnow to the top division it certainly deserves some praise.

Of course, he's not a 'manager' any more though. Or that's what his new title suggests. He is a director of football. A cunning term which throws the currently employed 'manager' off guard and can disrupt a football club.

There's no doubt you will recognise the term 'director of football' before for that reason. If it wasn't for Dennis Wise giving that position at Newcastle United, the club would probably still be flying high in the Premier League. But then-manager, Kevin Keegan believed he wasn't signing the players or selecting the team, which is what as 'manager' his contract states he was brought in to do, 'King Kev' resigned, and Newcastle, quite clearly, never fully recovered. Wise did insist that "I'm here to help Kevin, bringing young players through and also recommend certain players to him,", in an interview with BBC Sport, shortly after his appointment. "He'll say yes and no, he has the final word, no-one else. Everything that happens will be run past him." This was clearly not for-filled, and both had left the Magpies prior to their relegation. Wise, who's actual title was 'executive director', had previous managerial experience, at Millwall, Swindon and Leeds United, and was evens to be handed the Newcastle hotseat for the week after Keegan's departure. The date, 4th September 2008.

September 2008 was the month that the discussion really began to hit the headlines. Just a day before Keegan was 'pushed', Alan Curbishley left West Ham United. His statement read: "However, the club continued to make significant player decisions without involving me. In the end such a breach of trust and confidence meant that I had no option but to leave. Nevertheless, I wish the club and the players every success in the future.". Gianluca Nani appears to be the culprit in this case. His title was technical director. Despite these alternative terms, they all mean roughly the same thing. They try to control where someone else is in charge. Curbishley was linked with the England managerial position on both occasions it has become available in recent years, which suggests he is the best manager in the country. He did a magnificent job at Charlton Atheletic, where he built his reputation, and was deservingly offered the Hammers position.

No manager should be undermined. They do what's asked of them. They train the players and select the XI mostly likely to win the match based on the past week's work. Someone without any daily experience should take charge of the situation. If they do they will make a selection based on reputation, and funnily enough, during his time as England manager, that is what Sven did. Based on these facts is it a problem waiting to explode?

I don't know what to think about County. On the one hand they show plenty of ambition capable of something big, but on the other hand it's a recipe for disaster. Which way will it go? Something's going to happen that will grip the football world but will it be a good thing or something that the public will view as negative?

Richie Wellens

There was a mixed reaction when midfielder Richie Wellens joined us in 2007 on a free transfer from Oldham Altheletic. The playmaker had a bit of an ego, a reputation, with fans of his previous clubs - Oldham and Blackpool.

For a then-27-year-old, it was an astonishing feat that Wellens had never been 'sold'. No money had ever, in his entire career, been payed between two different clubs for his signature.

There's a simple reason why. Richie Wellens, at Manchester United and his other two clubs whom I have already mentioned, he had 'run down' his contract. He refused to enter negotiations with the clubs because he always believed he could get payed more elsewhere. By doing this he gave no commitement to his parent club, and therefore caused a feud with their supporters.

It should never be taken away that Wellens was a remarkable player, even the doubters knew that. He had, when he arrived at Donny, just been named in the League One Team Of The Year, and was quite possibly the best player in the division. He was bought by Sean O'Driscoll because he was looked upon as the ideal candidate to form a partnership with Brian Stock which would be the foundations for a new Rovers team.

This idea worked a threat as by the following May, Rovers gained promotion at Wembley by beating Leeds United in the play-off final. Wellens was then part of the 'great escape' Rovers side that survived the drop from the Championship at the first attempt, despite sitting bottom of the table at Christmas.

In July 2009, following weeks (not months) of speculation, Wellens signed for Leicester City. It was the highest fee that the keepmoat-outfit had ever recieved, quadrupiling the fee of the sale of Darren Moore in the 90's.

This time Wellens broke his own personal duck. He left because a club met his asking price. The comments he made after the move showed he did not want to leave, and he showed a passion and commitement for the cause that he had never shown in his entire career. He left in a way that he had become an extra-ordinary player. Now, you can't become a legend in two years, but Richie Wellens' consistant performances in two different divisions and without leaving in a negative way, Richie Wellens came unbelievably close.

Rising and Falling, or should that be falling and rising?

"Whatever goes up must come down", is a famous quote in the English language, and it's right in many senses. Physically, according to gravity if you throw something up in the air, within a few seconds it will hit the ground.

But it's not it's physical aspects that have given the statement it's noticeable reputation. For the last few decades, possibly longer, the saying has been associated with the magical sport - football.

Football is an extraoridinary game. That's obvious. You don't get the crowds that football manages to attract on a weekly basis if your rubbish. That's why football's a lot more popular for spectators than another sport such as tennis, which is also high up on the list of most watched sports in the country.

Why do I hold football in such high regard, is a question I get asked by non-football fans all the time. To the non-football enthusiast, its just two teams trying to use their feet to kick a sphere-shaped object between two posts. I also got told by a friend, who has no interest in the game whatsoever, that people only play football for the money. At this suggestion I remember being outraged.

Football, is the best sport in the world. That is my opinion and it is shared by millions of people worldwide. Why is this the case? Because anything can happen. The new season is just around the corner, and I know in twelve months time when it starts again I could be watching football in any of three divisions, the heights of the Premier League or the dark ditch of League One. I got shot down in flames by my friend. He said, and I remember this quote "But if I'm not mistaken, the top five have been unchanged - the same teams; Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton - for a number of years". I can't defend this argument because many people, unfortunately seem to think their is one division in English football, similarly to the uneducated thinking their are only four people in tennis, because the top appears unbreakable.

My way out, was to tell him to look down the football pyramid as it is today, then look through the top five divisions, from the Premier League to the Blue Square Premier/Conference, then compare it to the tables of 6 or 7 years ago. He did this and he was amazed. He couldn't believe how teams could get from the top to the bottom in such a short space of time, and vice-versa. The demise of certain teams is unrealistic. How can someone fall so quick.

The examples of who have been well publicised before. Leeds United are the most obvious example. In 2001, under David O'Leary, they were in the semi-finals of the European Cup (Champions League). However, after stealing the tag of 'too good to go down' from West Ham United, the Yorkshiremen lost 3-0 in the play-off final to Watford, and failed to return at the first attempt. The next season, with Dennis Wise replacing Kevin Blackwell at Elland Road they were relegated to the third tier, where they are now spending their third consecutive year in.

Leicester City are another example. Under Martin O'Neill they were in the Premier League and also reached the League Cup final two years running. In 2003-04 they were relegated, by 2008 they were playing in League One.

If you think that's one hell of a drop, then your jaw will drop in awe at the downfall of Charlton, Southampton and Norwich.

The latter two were relegated on the same day from the Premier League, and within just a few years both went down in consecutive weeks from the Championship in 2008-09. Just four years later.

Charlton were challenging for UEFA Cup football under Alan Curbishley, but two relegations since they went down as recently as 2007, means that they too will be in League One next term. Bradford are now in the bottom division, whereas they were in the Premiership ten years ago.

I said unpredictable earlier, because that's what football is. It's not always negative, as I will go to explain but when you reach the top the only way is down. Perhaps you could use this is as a reason not to be a 'glory hunter'. It's happened to Leeds, Leicester, Southampton, Norwich and Charlton in terms of top clubs dropping like stones. But Premier League relegation now seems inevitable. This season Newcastle United, North-East giants with the fifth biggest stadium in the country found themselves swept from the top flight, along with Middlesbrough, who reached the UEFA Cup final in 2006, in the Championship. The 'Big Four' will have to stay on their toes, it could possibly just happen to them.

Now the positives. The term 'punching above their weight' is another overused phrase in football. Used by fans of the big clubs, probably those that I have recently mentioned, are used for overachievers in football, and there are just as many of these as there are underachievers.

The overachievers chart was published last year. This explained who a Sunday paper believed to be doing better than they should the most. Doncaster Rovers topped this table. Rovers, were in the Conference in 2003 and have achieved since, 3 promotions, won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and reached the quarter finals of the Carling Cup, losing only to Arsenal on penalties. It's one hell of a rise up the league's ladder.

While they were under-taking these three promotions, they won Division Three (Now League Two), ahead of Hull City. City can now be seen playing in the Premier League after promotions under Peter Taylor and Phil Brown.

Burnley were, according to the bookies, going down prior to 08-09. After a day out at Wembley, however, the Clarets will be seen at Old Trafford and Anfield next season, of course this won't be too unique for them as they did well in various cup competitions last season and even won on 'Big Four' turf.

Portsmouth, Wigan and Reading can all be seen in the top five, after they all have had at least two seasons in the top flight which just a few years previous looked a remarkable feat.

What is my purpose of writing this? It's to give the lower teams hope. The Leagues are turning into long drawn-out cups where anyone can beat anyone else. It's used to be a 'one-off' but now teams are doing it regularly. Get behind your team because you can easily achieve successive promotions and dreams, look increasingly likely to become reality.

For the big clubs. You need to keep supporting your clubs but you could well be doomed. All you can do is cross your fingers and hope, just hope, that it won't happen to you.