Gary Megson believes directors of football do not work unless the team manager can trust them.
Bolton boss calls for more defined managerial hierarchies
Gary Megson believes directors of football do not work unless the team manager can place complete trust in them.
The much-maligned role has come under increased scrutiny this season following the high-profile resignations of top flight bosses unhappy with interference within their job.
Questions have been raised about who really buys the players at these clubs, while those charged with generating results on the field feel marginalised by those above them on the managerial ladder.
One club currently experiencing these problems is Tottenham, slumped at the foot of the Premier League table and doing little to inspire confidence among a frustrated fan base.
Spurs' sporting director Damien Comolli appears to be shouldering much of the flack in North London, with Bolton boss Megson fully understanding of the situation currently facing his counterpart at White Hart Lane - Juande Ramos.
Transparency
Megson said: "I don't know enough about the Tottenham situation to be able to comment on them but what I would say is that the director of football thing doesn't work unless you have complete transparency.
"I had it at Blackpool and it certainly didn't work.
"That was an appointment that was made before I got there. I didn't particularly enjoy it and it didn't last very long.
"But then again I've worked with a director of football at Stoke in John Rudge and it did work.
Plaudits
"But if you are going to go in with somebody who is going to direct the football then the manager has to choose that person and trust them.
"Everybody has to know what is actually going on.
"If the director of football of any club has signed players then they have to come out and say 'that was down to me'.
"If it goes well they get all the plaudits; if it doesn't then that must be down to them."
Language
Megson also believes Ramos' continued communication problems are causing him a problem in the dressing room.
"It has got to be a problem when you can't speak the language," he added.
"I firmly believe that jobs abroad aren't very often given to English people because of the language barrier.
"It must be really difficult, going over to Italy for example, and not being able to speak the language."
