David @undervalu Twitter profile

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Sporting & Technical Director Thread of Threads🧵 Retweet to share & Bookmark for future reference

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Ex Chelsea Director Michael Emenalo on the academy: “My argument was that all big clubs had great academies. Ajax, Barcelona, Real Madrid. But creating a new identity at Chelsea, rooted in the academy, while his [Abramovich] ambition is to win trophies, was difficult."

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David

@undervalu

1 year

I love Pep Guardiola's perspective on players moving on:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Develop players & you can build a brand that attracts players to wear your club's crest. @gremio has been developing youth talents for decades. We all know Ronaldhino, Lucas Leiva, Douglas Costa & Emerson. But here's 16 more.

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David

@undervalu

1 year

“There are many people who can say that a team are playing badly. There are few people who can say why they play badly. And there are even fewer people who can say what should be done to make them play better." Johan Cruyff

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Per Mertesacker on @arsenal academy vision:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Per Mertesacker, Academy Director of @arsenal on the 4 pillars in their setup:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"It was the end of the discussion. The academy became even more important to Chelsea.”

Michael Emenalo: ‘The narrative that white is good has to change’

Michael Emenalo helped steer Chelsea to great success but despite his pioneering efforts there remains a glaring absence of black directors of football in the Premier League, he tells Donald McRae

www.theguardian.com

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David

@undervalu

10 months

In 2011, Dietrich Mateschitz, the owner of the Red Bull clubs, looking for a new coach for Red Bull Salzburg. He wanted Ralf Rangnick. When Rangnick declined, Mateschitz asked: “Mr. Rangnick - what are we doing wrong in the world of football?” Rangnick's answer:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

“My scouts had identified something was happening in Belgium. Hazard, De Bruyne, Lukaku, Chadli, Vertonghen, Courtois. The manager looked at me & said: ‘When did Belgium become Brazil? Who’s this Kevin De Bruyne?’

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"I told him: ‘I don’t look at passports. I just watch the player. And this player doesn’t miss a pass. I don’t know if he will be a superstar but there’s something here.’”

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David

@undervalu

1 year

“He was 18, a super talent, but the first time I mentioned that De Bruyne can eventually replace Lampard there was a guffaw of laughter. Romelu] Lukaku was the same. He’s 18 & I say you have to put five years into him."

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David

@undervalu

1 year

“At 1st everybody said: ‘Nobody’s come from the academy.’ But a kid who comes to the academy at 7 won’t be ready to challenge Frank Lampard when he’s 19. It became key to look at that space between 19 & 22 where we can prepare him to be a Chelsea player. We did that with KDB."

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David

@undervalu

1 year

True fit & alignment is rare. It takes time & trust. Mikel Arteta on the alignment in decision making at Arsenal:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"We signed Pedro from Barcelona for £30m. It was a good opportunity for me to say: ‘That’s why we need the academy. Either you put £12m into the academy & develop Ruben Loftus-Cheek or you pay £30m to Barcelona for a 28-year-old.’

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David

@undervalu

8 months

“There are many people who can say that a team are playing badly. There are few people who can say why they play badly. And there are even fewer people who can say what should be done to make them play better." Johan Cruyff

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David

@undervalu

2 years

The best recruitment setups have more than 1 key talent evaluator in their setup. It literally takes a team. @FCBayernEN Technical Director Marco Neppe details their setup:

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David

@undervalu

8 months

25 Interesting Managers to Monitor:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

In recruitment you must know the value of a euro. Real Madrid is one of the best clubs in the world at balancing value in recruitment. But getting return on capital invested is hard. It is doable. Here is a balance of key transfers since 2012/13:

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David

@undervalu

11 months

@LigadeCampeones Falcao

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Marcus Mann of Hannover just extended his contract until 2027. He has led the rebuild at the club with 3 core ideals:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

In 2015 Johannes Spors was *not* a big name in recruitment. He was at that time Chief Scout at TSG Hoffenheim and gave an interview to a Chinese website on how to find talented players. Here's his 3-part framework on how to build a scouting network...

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David

@undervalu

8 months

25 Managers with potential to lead elite clubs in Europe...

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Release clauses & transfer fees for managers will be more prevalent in the near future. Here are 27 managers that I would pay the release clause for - if I was an owner of an ambitious club in a Top 5 league:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

19 interesting managers under the age of 40:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Clubs that have development in their DNA know that for their players to perform, they have to be comfortable. They must trust the process. @RBLeipzig use Babacar N'Diaye as their team manager to build that bridge for their players. But he's so much more:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

@LigadeCampeones Falcao

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Master talent evaluation as a sporting director & you can move mountains for your club. Most clubs sadly get stuck copying other clubs patterns. Bosse Andersson of @DIF_Fotboll is one of the best talent spotters in the @AllsvenskanSE & Scandinavia. 8 transfers to illustrate:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Txiki Begiristain, Director of Football at @ManCity is their strategic architect to the galactic power. The sheer size of their operation at the top of the market doesn't diminish the expertise of this recruitment master. 🧵👇

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Impact & Long-Term focus. Per Mertesacker models this as Academy Manager for @Arsenal Here are the key points from an interview he did with @nosotrosxp I've translated:

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David

@undervalu

8 months

20 Interesting Managers to Monitor:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

The best manager in Denmark: Flemming Pedersen. I've watched 40+ @FCNordsjaelland matches over the last two seasons. The man is an institution of player development. “We are not normal. But I really like not being normal.”

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Grit, graft and genius. Ross Wilson of @RangersFC has taken the stairs to earn his place in the sporting director's chair in Scotland. Here's some insight into the man behind Rangers' revival 🧵

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David

@undervalu

1 year

20 managers I'm monitoring across the globe:

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David

@undervalu

11 months

@LigadeCampeones Antonio Valencia

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Justin Cochrane, Assistant Coach @BrentfordFC on the skills needed to develop players:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

I've shared a lot on academies & youth development recently. Here are 26 of those threads. In one thread.

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David

@undervalu

8 months

Many clubs assume player development is about teaching playing style & improving technical/athletic skills. But @FCNordsjaelland is different... Flemming Pedersen on how they encourage risk to accelerate development:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Pep Guardiola on understanding his players:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Thomas Frank, Manager for @BrentfordFC on his origins in coaching:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Chelsea has one of the most robust academies in the world. Here's a [very] short list of players that have spent time in their youth setup:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"We change, everyone changes. It is normal. Most of the time it is the players who decide they want to leave. The club is always open to do it. There are other clubs where the release clause is the most important. Someone has to pay it or you stay."

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Monchi is the best sporting director of the last 25 years. But because he doesn’t speak fluent English he doesn’t get the full credit he deserves. Monchi is an player arbitrage savant. Here are 23 of his best transfers that have generated €421m for @SevillaFC :

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Recruitment in football is like recruitment in other industries. It pays to have a rainmaker: someone able to secure top talents. Piet de Visser, master scout for Chelsea, has unearthed notable talents in his time. His is a story of mastery, curiosity & forging one’s path:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward. Ruben Jongkind left Ajax in 2015 over concern implementing the Cruyff Plan, Johan Cruyff's vision of youth development. Jongkind landed at @fcvolendam with manager Wim Jonk. Here's the vision at Volendam:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"And Barcelona had success after I left, Bayern Munich had success after I left. After I leave here, City will have success. It is part of life. I don't think it has to be a big drama." [source: @SkySports ]

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David

@undervalu

2 years

@Iconic_Mourinho @FlowSportClub Communication is crucial. In the end it boils down to respect. Does the manager respect me enough as a man to tell me the truth? Intangible but clubs are destroyed by leaders who can’t communicate respectfully

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Over the past 6 months I have profiled over 60 sporting directors. 99% of clubs want to develop young talents. Few actually do. @FCNordsjaelland generated more than DKK 557 [€75M] in less than 5 years. Here's the 3 part framework Mikkel Hemmersam uses to fuel their project.

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Johan Cruyff on the importance of the youth setup at a club:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

So much recruitment wisdom is openly available if you make yourself a student of recruitment. Model the best! Here's @leonsfdo with his Masterclass during the first lockdown (every video has English subtitles) @SevillaFC_ENG @SevillaFC

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Kevin Thelwell is the new Director of Football at @Everton He was part of interesting projects at @Wolves and @NewYorkRedBulls So WHO is he?? WHAT is his philosophy?? 🧵

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David

@undervalu

1 year

81 Transfer Free Coaches/Managers:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Patrick Vieira on the need for sporting directors:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"Throughout my entire career as a coach, I've never had a boss. Presidents have been able to hire & fire me. But that didn't make them my bosses, not even at Real Madrid . I have such a strong sense of responsibility that I exercise my profession like an entrepreneur."

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David

@undervalu

2 years

"It is fundamental to plan your work, especially in football, where from the outside the only important thing is to win the next game."

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Recruitment in football is hard. Being a public figure is even harder. But even in failure, you can communicate leadership. Monchi may have 'failed' at Roma yet he may see Sevilla through one of the roughest patches in his time at club. His honesty on his time at Roma:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

What Stuart Webber has done @NorwichCityFC is remarkable. He knows what "game" he is playing and how to align his resources to that end. Don't fixate on promotions or relegations - his body of work speaks volumes to his elite vision. thread..

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David

@undervalu

2 years

If used right, communication is the most effective tool a sporting director has in his toolbox. But most directors sadly just use their platform for 2-3 sentence updates. Edu of @arsenal is different. Here are 3 key concepts that Edu has illustrated superbly:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"I know Jurgen in person & I know Pep from his time in Germany managing Bayern Munich; he also has a clear idea how he wants to play. This is the secret behind their success: they know exactly how they want to play, a corporate identity."

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Small market recruitment is endlessly fascinating to me. So many ways to win yet so many clubs copy other clubs blindly Be bold. Be different. Take Florian Ghisoli of @RCLens .. Small yet fearless. 🤿🧵

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David

@undervalu

7 months

Here we go! Can confirm that studying leadership & excellence in football never stops…

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"I completely disagree with that. Always, when they are not comfortable working with the manager, the staff, the club, the city, whatever, they have to try to move on. Of course, there has to be an offer."

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Leadership is about more than good recruitment, analytics & winning trophies. It's about leading people. Sporting Directors in football can always learn from other sports. Here is Toto Wolff, @MercedesAMGF1 Principal in @F1 on leadership:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

An interesting way to judge the strength of an academy is to see how many players are playing in the top tier. But in other countries. @riverplate is a strong academy. Here is a short list of some of those players:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"People always think the coach is the strongest person at a club, the boss, but in truth, he's the weakest link. We're there, vulnerable, undermined by those who don't play, by the media, by the fans. They all have the same objective: to undermine the manager." Pep Guardiola

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Mikel Arteta on illustrating the project to Declan Rice:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

The Sporting Director title has different roles at different clubs. Victor Orta with @LUFC ( @LUFCes ) has shared a lot about his growth and how the role has evolved. He's also very generous in sharing his strategies. When the student is ready the teacher(s) will appear...

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Luis Campos is the undisputed undervalued talent identification king in the modern era. His recruitment nous at @AS_Monaco_EN & @LOSC_EN coupled with transfer fees received is eye watering. Yet he is underrated. Still. Here's why he shouldn't be🧵👇

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David

@undervalu

1 year

15 Interesting Managers to Monitor:

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David

@undervalu

8 months

"It is better to fail with your own vision than to fail with another man's vision." Johan Cruyff

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David

@undervalu

3 months

Alex Inglethorpe, @lfc Academy Director, on building the academy. Differently:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"It is better to fail with your own vision than to fail with another man's vision." Johan Cruyff

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David

@undervalu

1 year

“I think training of better Youth Coaches is essential.” Arsene Wenger

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"Those attachments are something special, of course. But at the end of the day it is all part of it. There is a natural way. I was born in Barcelona. Barcelona is my everything. But I still left."

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David

@undervalu

2 years

I've spent 500+ hours studying: • Sporting directors • With tight budgets • Still finding undervalued talent Use my research to get ahead. Here is a 4 part framework for punching above your weight with Cristoph Spycher [ @BSC_YB ] as your professor:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

“Quality without results is pointless. Results without quality is boring." Johan Cruyff

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David

@undervalu

7 months

Ruben Amorim on a recent conversation he had with Carlo Ancelotti:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Most sporting directors know how to recruit & scout for talent. But they don't always grasp the big picture and what's best for the club in the long run. Simon Rolfes of @bayer04fussball is different. He is in tune what his club needs now & in the future:

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David

@undervalu

6 months

Frank Lampard on how Carlo Ancelotti managed tension:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

The KING of Recruitment: Luis Campos He is a strategic advisor for PSG. He also is a strategic advisor for @RCCelta - a club that is strong in youth development & player arbitrage. Here are 24 transfers to illustrate Celta's developmental strengths.

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Sven Mislintat of @VfB_int is nicknamed 'Diamond Eye' If you track what he's done at BVB, Arsenal & now Stuttgart.... Mislintat is an undervalued prospect genius🧠 "Creativity is always required when certain resources are not there." [german]

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David

@undervalu

1 year

28 interesting managers between ages 40 & 45:

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David

@undervalu

8 months

I'm a firm believer that assistant managers can be prime choices to be 1st Team managers. Here's a list of assistants to keep an eye on in the @SkyBetChamp

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David

@undervalu

2 years

Small market club? 4 simple ways to improve your recruitment: - Define your playing style - ID manager(s) to implement vision - Define player roles in playing style - Recruit for those roles, not resale value Hammer just these things and you’ll excel. Add layers later.

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David

@undervalu

2 years

PSG has one of the most talent rich regions to recruit from in Paris. But they don't have many open pathways to the 1st team from their academy. Here's a short list of players from their academy playing football across Europe:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

How the best Sporting Directors think:

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David

@undervalu

1 year

The Austrian KING of undervalued talent & squad planning. Andreas Schicker, Sporting Director of @SKSturm He's known for the Rasmus Höjlund transfer. But he's so much more than a 1 transfer wonder. I spent hours researching him so I can figure out his vision.

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David

@undervalu

9 months

Francesco Farioli shares how he was interviewed for the manager role at @ogcnice_eng Clarity is crucial..

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Interview with @BrentfordFC Technical Director Lee Dykes So much to learn...

A detailed look at the recuitment department

www.brentfordfc.com

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David

@undervalu

1 year

"But if you come with an offer, I am pretty sure we are going to reach an agreement." That does not make it easy, though? Absolutely, because there are feelings. We live many things together through the good moments and the bad moments."

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Good management in football is more than tactics and training sessions. Communication, vision & passion are vital. Here is my framework on how to evaluate managers for your club’s project:

David

@undervalu

2 years

In the Top 5 leagues this season 22 managers have been sacked or left their post so far this season. It's November 1st. Hiring the right manager is the most important hire a Sporting Director must make. Here are 9 thoughts on hiring a new manager:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

•Neuton -> sold for €3m •Marion Fernandes -> €450k buy, sold for €3m •Fernando -> sold for €11m •Leandro -> sold for €2.5m •Walace -> sold for €9.2m •Marcelo Hermes -> sold for €2.91m •Arthur Melo -> sold for €31m •Tete -> sold for €15m

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David

@undervalu

1 year

Graham Potter on learning the craft of coaching & communication:

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David

@undervalu

8 months

Johan Cruyff on the importance of the youth setup at a club:

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David

@undervalu

9 months

4 simple ways to improve your recruitment: - Define your playing style - ID manager(s) to implement vision - Define player roles in playing style - Recruit for those roles, not resale value Hammer just these things and you’ll excel. Add layers later.

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David

@undervalu

7 months

Player development is more than training with the 1st team. It's detailed. Repeatable. And fundamental. Ruud Van Nistelrooy on his time as a coach at PSV:

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David

@undervalu

10 months

Thomas Tuchel on having a growth mindset:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

•Marcelo Grohe -> sold for €2.65m •Leo Jardim -> sold for €1m •Luan -> €110k buy, sold for €5m •Everton -> €100k buy, sold for €20m •Pepe -> €125k buy, sold for €15.4m •Vanderson -> sold for €11m •Ruan Tressoldi -> sold for €5m •Leo Chu -> sold for €2.5m

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David

@undervalu

1 year

If you like Tweets like this, you might enjoy my weekly email, The Saturday Sporting Director. 1 insight on recruitment. Always 3 minutes or less. Join over 700+ subscribers to learn more on directors:

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David

@undervalu

2 years

This is it 👇🏽 Players are people first. Through the peaks and valleys. They are still human.

AI

@nonewthing

2 years

People only want to talk about players as caricatures, as symbols of something, usually a failure: perhaps a bad season, defensive frailty or a tendency to 'bottle'. It has happened to Granit Xhaka. It has happened to Harry Maguire. And it is happening to Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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