WHAT's in a NAME?
When is a football manager not a football manager? When he's a Director of Football or a Technical Director or some other nom de plume for the man in the hot seat. It seems the latest craze in boardrooms across the country to sack their manager and replace him with a bloke with a poncy title. It all started back in 1990 when Franz Beckenbauer joined Marseille after that year's World Cup as a 'Technical Director.' Then Andy Roxburgh was appointed 'Technical Advisor' to UEFA although why they hired a Scot to advise countries like ltaly or Holland on football matters is beyond me. It wasn't until Carlisle United appointed Mick Wadsworth as Director of Sheep Sh... sorry, Coaching that the flowery titles really caught on over here. Now clubs from Blackburn Rovers to Darlington are trying to go all posh and continental by inventing titles like 'Director of Football,' 'Football Advisor' and 'Director Responsible for Football.' Perhaps this type of job naming could spread to other posts at clubs. Bert Friars could become 'Director of Physical Rehabilitation.' Neil McDonald could become 'Director Responsible for Pre-Match Lateral Pitch Movement.' Players could also gain new titles. For example, Eddie Kennedy - 'Director of Free Kicks Hit Against Sports and Leisure Club Windows'; Jimmy Brown - 'Director of Headless Chicken Impersonation'; Franny Ventre - 'Advisor of How to be Utterly Crap and Still Get Selected.' Maybe Stephen Vaughan could be 'Chairman Responsible for Building a New Stand'. Well, at least he's made a start. HF Sloan Issue 024 - January 1996