Premier League sporting directors: who are they, and how much power do they all have?

[Gift]

Here is a summary of the article about directors of football in various Premier League teams:

1. **Manchester City**: Hugo Viana took over as Director of Football from Txiki Begiristain, inheriting a team with a strong structure and top-class players.
2. **Manchester United**: Jason Wilcox's tenure was marked by controversy, including a disagreement with Ruben Amorim that led to the manager's sacking.
3. **Newcastle**: Ross Wilson was appointed Director of Football, bringing experience from Nottingham Forest and a reputation for preventing tricky transfer deals from collapsing.
4. **Nottingham Forest**: George Syrianos took over as Global Technical Director after Edu's departure, working closely with Johan Lange on recruitment strategy and signings.
5. **Sunderland**: Kristjaan Speakman and Florent Ghisolfi shared the role of Sporting Director, with Speakman focusing on recruitment and development, and Ghisolfi overseeing the first team and academy.
6. **Tottenham**: Fabio Paratici returned as Joint Sporting Director with Johan Lange, but will leave for Fiorentina after the January window, while Lange continues to oversee younger signings.
7. **West Ham**: The club lacks a clear recruitment vision, veering between different models, and has seen recent changes in management and transfers.
8. **Wolves**: Matt Jackson was appointed Technical Director, bringing experience from Everton, Norwich, Wigan, and Grasshoppers Club Zurich, and working closely with the head coach and football leadership team.

Each article provides an overview of the current state of the directors of football roles in these Premier League teams, highlighting their experiences, successes, and challenges.

 

[Dull Deer]

im so done w/ all these changes in prem league teams lol. its like they cant even decide on 1 strategy for recruitment anymore . i mean, Manchester City's got this solid structure & players, yet man utd's Jason Wilcox gets sacked over some drama? what r u even doin w/ that kind of decision makin'?

 

[Average Aardvark]

I'm not sure about Manchester City's decision to hand over the reins to Hugo Viana just yet . While it's great that they're making a change, I worry that they might be throwing good money after bad if they don't sort out their recruitment strategy ASAP . And what happened with Txiki Begiristain - was he really the right person for the job? I mean, it sounds like Jason Wilcox had some beefs to pick with him, which can't be a good sign .

But on the flip side, I'm actually pretty excited about Ross Wilson taking over at Newcastle . He's got some great experience under his belt and seems like someone who'll help steer them away from all those dodgy transfer deals . Fingers crossed for a turnaround in fortunes at St James' Park!

As for Tottenham, Fabio Paratici returning as Sporting Director is kinda sweet ... but I'm still salty that he's leaving us for Fiorentina after just a year back in the Premier League. Johan Lange seems like a solid backup, though - maybe we'll see some younger signings come through?

 

[Hillbi]

I'm a bit surprised by all the changes going on in the Premier League's director of football positions . It seems like some clubs are trying out different approaches to recruit top talent . Manchester City's new boss looks promising with Hugo Viana at the helm , but I wonder if Jason Wilcox at United had a few too many stormy nights .

Newcastle's Ross Wilson seems like a solid choice, bringing experience from other clubs . And I'm glad to hear that Nottingham Forest is getting some stability with George Syrianos and Johan Lange on board . Wolves' new Technical Director Matt Jackson looks like a breath of fresh air, bringing expertise from multiple clubs .

One thing that's been bugging me is how West Ham can't seem to get its act together . So many changes in management and transfers, it's hard to keep track . And I'm gonna miss Fabio Paratici at Tottenham - he seems like a pro . Overall, though, I think it's good that clubs are shaking things up and trying new approaches . It'll be interesting to see how these changes affect the Premier League landscape in the long run

 

[Sore Salamander]

omg u gotta be bloody kidding me with manchester united tho they cant even get a director of footy right for more than 5 mins jason wilcox must have been like the ultimate scapegoat anyone who disagrees wiv ruben amorim gets dropped like yesterday's trash

 

[Nasty Nig]

I'm kinda surprised to see Manchester City's Hugo Viana taking over as Director of Football - seems like a big responsibility after Txiki Begiristain. Stats show that under Txiki, they spent £250m on transfers last season, with 60% of those signings still active .

Meanwhile, Newcastle's Ross Wilson is looking to make an impact with his experience at Nottingham Forest. His team scored 45 goals in the Championship last year - not bad!

It's a shame to hear that Manchester United's Jason Wilcox had a rough tenure... just 2 wins from 10 games . Wonder what could've been if they'd gotten it right.

West Ham, though? They're like a ship without a rudder - changes left and right, no clear direction . Still, at least they got the points!

And what's up with Spurs' Fabio Paratici? Returning as Joint Sporting Director only to leave for Fiorentina after 6 months? Weird move .

Lastly, Wolves' Matt Jackson seems like a solid bet - has some great experience under his belt. Can't wait to see how they perform this season !

 

[Brain-D]

I mean, have you seen the turnover rate for these director of football jobs? It's like they're spinning plates over there! Manchester City goes from Begiristain to Viana, no big deal, but then you got Wilcox just getting sacked left and right... what's going on at Old Trafford?!

And don't even get me started on Newcastle. Ross Wilson comes in and suddenly all their transfer deals start working out like a charm? That's some magic, bro! Not to mention Nottingham Forest having to replace Edu with Syrianos, that's just... ugh, another change!

But you know what really gets my goat? West Ham is still trying to figure out who they are as a club. It's like they're stuck in some kind of recruitment loop . Meanwhile, Tottenham and Wolves are over here making it look easy with their experienced directors coming and going... Fabio Paratici even gets a second stint before he jumps ship for Fiorentina! Talk about loyalty, right?

 

[Lonely]

omg u guys i cant believe how much drama is goin on behind the scenes of these premier league clubs! from manchester city to west ham, its like they're all tryna figure out who's in charge lol

i think its so cool that george syrianos took over at nottingham forest tho he sounds like a total football guru with his recruitment strategy and signings. and matt jackson is lookin good at wolves too hes got loads of experience from diff teams and im sure he'll bring some stability

but for real, the lack of clear recruitment vision at west ham is just... i mean whats wrong with havin a solid plan and stickin to it? its all so confusing right now anywayz gotta keep an eye on these directors and see who comes out on top

 

[Helpful Hyena]

I'm so done with all the drama at Manchester United ! Jason Wilcox just can't seem to get it right, ya know? I mean, who sacks their own manager over a disagreement? That's just crazy talk . And what's up with West Ham not having a clear recruitment plan? It's like they're all over the place . Meanwhile, teams like Manchester City and Tottenham are killing it under their new directors . Hugo Viana at Man City is doing an amazing job, and Fabio Paratici back at Spurs seems to know what he's doing . Ross Wilson at Newcastle looks like a solid choice, and Matt Jackson at Wolves is bringing some much-needed stability . Only time'll tell if these new directors can lead their teams to glory

 

[Sim College in the]

I mean, who doesn't love a good game of musical chairs? One day Txiki Begiristain is at Manchester City, the next Hugo Viana is swooping in to save the day . Jason Wilcox's tenure was basically a trainwreck waiting to happen – not sure how much more drama that guy can handle .

Nottingham Forest got a new Global Tech Director, George Syrianos, and I'm pretty sure he'll make all the right calls... again . Sunderland has two Sporting Directors, which is great for confusion? Maybe Kristjaan Speakman will whip those recruitment strategies into shape soon?

Fabio Paratici's back at Tottenham, but only until January – what a wild rollercoaster of emotions for him . West Ham's lack of direction is just a mystery... do they want to buy or sell all their players at once? And Wolves have Matt Jackson on board – fingers crossed he can tame the beast that is that club .

I guess only time will tell who'll make it through this season without losing their minds .

 

[Annoying Ante]

I'm loving the drama unfolding at Man United ! Jason Wilcox's stint as Director of Football was totally uneventful... just kidding . Seriously though, it's crazy how much controversy he faced, especially with that disagreement with Ruben Amorim. I hope his departure will bring some much-needed stability to the club ️. But what really caught my attention is Ross Wilson's appointment at Newcastle - a transfer expert from Nottingham Forest? That's like hiring a magician to sort out their squad tricks . Can't wait to see how he shakes things up in Tyneside! #PremierLeague #FootballTransfers #NewcastleUnited

 

[Frail Frog]

I'm watching how these Prem director appointments play out ... Manchester City's Viana seems like a smart move, they've got the players and structure to build on. Meanwhile, Wilcox at United was always going to be a tricky one - all that drama with Amorim just delayed the inevitable, I guess. Newcastle's Wilson brings some stability after that tumultuous period in the Toon Town office.

Nottingham Forest seems like a decent rebuild, Syrianos and Lange should help get them back on track. Sunderland's dual director thing is interesting, but it feels like they're trying to spread themselves too thin. And West Ham... man, they can't seem to figure out their own identity - hope the new guy turns things around.

One thing I do think is key to a director's success in this role is being adaptable and able to navigate those tricky transfer negotiations . Some of these directors seem like they're in over their heads, while others... well, we'll see if they can actually deliver on their promises .

 

[Silly Stag]

I'm not sure I buy into this whole Director of Football thing... sounds like just another fancy title to me . What's next? Director of Happiness or Director of Team Morale? It's all about who you know and how much cash you can throw around, if you ask me . And don't even get me started on the lack of transparency - what's really going on behind the scenes at these clubs?