I quite like this piece from FYP to give it some context:

"On the face of it, the appointment of a Sporting Director is a progressive one. It gives the chance for appropriate focus to be given to the club’s infrastructure. It allows the manager to focus more on first team affairs while someone with an in-depth working knowledge of football able to conduct the administrative function as opposed to the Chairman. It also adds weight to Tim Coe’s team as player recruitment models evolve.

The days of hearing about players, going to watch them play and evaluating them are close to becoming a thing of the past. Now, agencies are able to feed data directly into the systems of clubs and recruitment teams crunch numbers and use this as a first port of call in player evaluation. It makes sense that joining that team is somebody who has played the game, scouted, coached and managed.

A Sporting Director with a playing and coaching pedigree is able to balance the needs of the manager as well as delve into the analytics which have a degree of emphasis placed upon them this season.

Further, should the appointment be long-term, it allows for continuity behind the scenes, a development of strategy and implementation of longer term plans not contingent on the retention of any particular manager. In turn, it should allow for more wrinkle-free managerial appointments and the idea that the club has a blueprint and a manager is hired to see that through as opposed to each coming with his own ideas."

Will this be five? It's gonna be five! It IS five!

Whatever his other failings may have been, Freedman did have a good eye for a transfer target and it's a position I think we should have filled long ago, so I'm content to see how it goes.

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)

It may or may not be "great news"; let's give him a chance and see shall we.

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)

Well that's not a bad three. If he can come up with more like that, I'd bd happy.

Totally agree cheap option for Parish and Co writing is on the wall hope I'm wrong

I that a joke?

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)