Mateu Alemany (with added Alberto Benito and Pablo Rodriguez)

[Brazilian Villain]

Yep, if he's on say £3m a year, that's £60K a week with no initial outlay (I assume). You could cover that by selling one not especially promising youth team player a year.

€3m according to this, which is peanuts in football terms. https://twitter.com/barcacentre/status/1654076229639602177

If Todd Boehly had had the foresight to put him in charge of Chelsea's transfers he'd probably have saved that 10 times over. But then as ever, us accountants are undervalued and underpaid.

[Martyn Smith]

Sounds like we're the ones who'll be paying the alimony. As long as he makes sure the kids are alright...

Who?...

[Drummond]

Yep, if he's on say £3m a year, that's £60K a week with no initial outlay (I assume). You could cover that by selling one not especially promising youth team player a year.

Or about £3.75 on each matchday ticket for a season.

[Risso]

If Todd Boehly had had the foresight to put him in charge of Chelsea's transfers he'd probably have saved that 10 times over. But then as ever, us accountants are undervalued and underpaid.

It's a curse mate!

[lovejoy]

Yep, if he's on say £3m a year, that's £60K a week with no initial outlay (I assume). You could cover that by selling one not especially promising youth team player a year.

€3m according to this, which is peanuts in football terms. https://twitter.com/barcacentre/status/1654076229639602177

If Todd Boehly had had the foresight to put him in charge of Chelsea's transfers he'd probably have saved that 10 times over. But then as ever, us accountants are undervalued and underpaid.

Amen brother.

[BC Villain]

Aston Villa closing in on Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany
Unai Emery given permission to shake up the club's hierarchy after lifting the club from 14th to seventh in the Premier League table

By John Percy
3 May 2023

Aston Villa are in advanced talks with Barcelona's director of football, Mateu Alemany, over a key role at the Premier League club.

Villa have opened negotiations with Alemany and are hopeful of completing a significant coup for manager Unai Emery as he plots the club's short and long-term future.

Barcelona confirmed on Tuesday night that Alemany, 60, would leave the club at the end of this season after just over two years in his position.

Villa's owners, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, have given Emery permission to undertake major changes to the club's infrastructure and a move for Alemany will be regarded as a huge statement of intent.

After his appointment at Barcelona in March 2021, Alemany was involved in a number of major signings including Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.

A move to Villa Park has been rumoured for some time but it is only now that discussions are moving forward.

It is unclear at this stage whether Alemany's proposed arrival will have any effect on the position of Johan Lange, Villa's sporting director.

Alemany could be appointed to work above Lange, who has played a key role in the club's progress since promotion to the Premier League in May 2019.

Emery has guided Villa to the brink of a European place after his appointment last year and the Basque coach is preparing for a busy summer in the transfer window.

Last month, Emery appointed Alberto Benito to Villa's scouting team. Benito will be based in Spain and it is understood that Villa will be targeting a number of players in La Liga this summer.

Villa are seventh in the Premier League table and face local rivals Wolves this weekend.

Interesting to read that Unai Emery seems to have overarching control at the club.  That could be a real pull to keep him here if other clubs do come in for him, as he wouldn't have that at other clubs.  Maybe explains why he turned down Newcastle, but came to us.

And maybe push Purslow further away from football matters

[eamonn]

Hmm, I'm not at all sure of that but we can only hope.

Yep, these wet behind the ears billionaires haven’t got a clue how to run a sports business.

Succession-planning for managers is ridiculously difficult as practically every top club discovers.

No matter what our billionaires do, there's a pretty stong chance that the day Emery leaves will cause worry and panic.

[Chris Smith]

Hmm, I'm not at all sure of that but we can only hope.

Yep, these wet behind the ears billionaires haven’t got a clue how to run a sports business.

Succession-planning for managers is ridiculously difficult as practically every top club discovers.

No matter what our billionaires do, there's a pretty stong chance that the day Emery leaves will cause worry and panic.

Fair enough but the way they reacted after potting Gerrard gives me reason to think they won’t be caught on the hop.

[VILLA MOLE]

This topic has reminded me of  /got me thinking when John Gregory was looking for a Football Director when it was all quite new to us .  There was speculation of all kinds  and in the end Doug took it up himself to take the role .   Gregory was quoted along the lines of ‘the chairman knows everyone, why would i need anyone else ?’.  It tickles me now 😳

[not3bad]

Hmm, I'm not at all sure of that but we can only hope.

Yep, these wet behind the ears billionaires haven’t got a clue how to run a sports business.

Succession-planning for managers is ridiculously difficult as practically every top club discovers.

No matter what our billionaires do, there's a pretty stong chance that the day Emery leaves will cause worry and panic.

Fair enough but the way they reacted after potting Gerrard gives me reason to think they won’t be caught on the hop.

Also, isn't the appointment of a football director supposed to help with this sort of thing? Succession planning?

[Risso]

I think every club would say that they want continuity, but when it comes down to a change of manager they mostly just go with the best bloke available for their size of club at the time.

[olaftab]

If Todd Boehly had had the foresight to put him in charge of Chelsea's transfers he'd probably have saved that 10 times over. But then as ever, us accountants are constipation personified and overpaid.

It's a curse on humanity!

FTFY. 

[Brazilian Villain]

If Todd Boehly had had the foresight to put him in charge of Chelsea's transfers he'd probably have saved that 10 times over. But then as ever, us accountants are constipation personified and overpaid.

It's a curse on humanity!

FTFY. 

You're right, we don't give a shit.

[The Edge]

Hmm, I'm not at all sure of that but we can only hope.

Yep, these wet behind the ears billionaires haven’t got a clue how to run a sports business.

Succession-planning for managers is ridiculously difficult as practically every top club discovers.

No matter what our billionaires do, there's a pretty stong chance that the day Emery leaves will cause worry and panic.

To my knowledge the only club that ever solved the problem of succession was Liverpool in their boot room era. That was a dynasty.

[VILLA MOLE]

Hmm, I'm not at all sure of that but we can only hope.

Yep, these wet behind the ears billionaires haven’t got a clue how to run a sports business.

Succession-planning for managers is ridiculously difficult as practically every top club discovers.

No matter what our billionaires do, there's a pretty stong chance that the day Emery leaves will cause worry and panic.

To my knowledge the only club that ever solved the problem of succession was Liverpool in their boot room era. That was a dynasty.

Until Fallon went off on the spaceship 👀