Damien Comolli

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42566.msg1220026#msg1220026 date=1290020271]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42566.msg1220024#msg1220024 date=1290019990]
[quote author=rurikbird link=topic=42566.msg1219810#msg1219810 date=1289990943]
[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=42566.msg1219797#msg1219797 date=1289989274]
Mark is definitely being sarcastic.

I don't see this working either, but I'm not sure what other choice exists.
[/quote]

But why not? 3 individuals who share the same vision should be able to work together fine. 3 is better than 2. And the veto power ensures that once a decision is made and a transfer goes through, everyone on the panel will share the responsibility.
[/quote]

I think we may be looking at this in a cautionary way, because of how badly we've done in some instances with transfers, it's kinda missing the wood for the trees though, even if it is a good concept, it'd be nice to just get a manager who knows his stuff, otherwise it just seems like we're compensating.
[/quote]

but what do you mean by 'knows his stuff'?
plays in the correct manner?
makes subs at the correct time?
knows how to get the best out of players?
technically a manager could have all not and not have any say in transfers.
[/quote]

Just the basic stuff Neil, like having a set way of playing, identifying essentials like pace and athleticism in key areas, the ability to control the play in others, while having the ability to identify the players that fit those requirements, instead of buying players that play different roles and then trying to turn them into something there not, or generally just buying shite.

I think Ged, Rafa and Roy have all suffered from the above, and it's fucking frustrating because it's basic stuff. It annoys me watching my lad play for teams and seeing managers not having a clue about the basics, like pace and trickery on the wings, strength and height through the middle, yet these managers at the top of the game over complicate things and over analyse everything to the point where you fail to see where the fuck they're going.

That might be over simplifying things but it's not rocket science, it's a game of two sets of XI players and a piece of leather.

 

[King Binny]

Just for read, but the Wenger remark is new to me. Seems like he's singing in the same tune as Steve Rowley (http://sixcrazyminutes.com/forums/index.php?topic=42566.msg1211496#msg1211496). Anyway, hope Comolli will prove his worth and his doubters wrong.

Damien Comolli faces a frosty reception on his return to Tottenham Hotspur , after the manager Harry Redknapp joined his Arsenal counterpart Arsène Wenger in questioning the director's worth.

Comolli, who was appointed as Liverpool's director of football strategy earlier this month, held the position of sporting director at White Hart Lane from 2005 to 2008 and, before that, he had worked as a European scout at Arsenal for seven years.

The Frenchman has angered prominent figures at both north London clubs by talking up the role that he played in the recruitment of certain players. His claim, for example, that it was he who conceived the signing of Dimitar Berbatov at Tottenham in 2006 has numbered among the many to go down badly at the club. His predecessor in the role, Frank Arnesen, had done the legwork on the Berbatov deal.

Sources at Tottenham say that the only discovery Comolli made was that of the left-back Benoît Assou-Ekotto, while they also mock him for electing to pursue the signing of the striker Darren Bent from Charlton Athletic in 2007 rather than follow up the club's initial interest in Fernando Torres, who would join Liverpool from Atlético Madrid that same summer. It ought to be noted that Torres was realistically only ever going to leave Spain for Anfield.

Comolli has been happy to accept the credit for some of Wenger's signings – in particular, Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Eboué and Gaël Clichy – but, again, this has not been well received at Arsenal. Wenger's relationship with Comolli is strained.

"I let you write what you want [about Comolli]," Wenger said. "He was a scout here and not a director of football. He worked under Steve Rowley [the chief scout]. That is it. Only one person decides who comes in here and that is me. Nobody else."

Comolli was sacked by Tottenham in October 2008, together with the coach Juande Ramos, to pave the way for Redknapp's arrival in a more traditional management structure. At the time of his departure, Tottenham were bottom of the Premier League, with two points from eight matches.

Comolli was criticised by the Spurs chairman Daniel Levy for overseeing the sales of Berbatov and another striker, Robbie Keane, in the summer of that year, and failing to replace them adequately, leaving the squad unbalanced. Comolli points out that on his watch, Tottenham signed success stories such as Berbatov, Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Heurelho Gomes and Assou-Ekotto.

"I am happy when people around Europe come to me and say they're my players and that they're doing well," Comolli said, in a recent interview. "I've had so much positive feedback since I've left Tottenham and I hope people now understand what the job was about. I give Harry full credit for adding a resilience which wasn't there before, but he had very good players to work with. He was fortunate to get into a club which is wealthy, organised and well run."

Redknapp told Levy that he would not come to Tottenham if he had to work under a sporting director and he made it clear what he thought of Comolli. "Yeah, I think he should take all the credit, for sure," Redknapp said, sarcastically. "They were all doing well when I arrived, you know. They were all good; they were all great."

Liverpool's new owner, John W Henry of New England Sports Ventures, appointed Comolli, with the manager Roy Hodgson not involved in the recruitment process. Hodgson has insisted that he retains the final say on transfers.

"Damien has got a big network in France and abroad," Redknapp said. "And if he can work with Roy and they discuss who they're going to bring in, which I'm sure they will, then it's not such a problem perhaps. They may get on great together."

In an interesting twist, Comolli has taken Tottenham's principal overseas scout, Steve Hitchen, to Liverpool. "He's nicked him off us," Redknapp said. "Steve was excellent, an English boy who lives in France. We liked him a lot."

Harry Redknapp has revealed that former Spurs director of football Damien Comolli has poached his most popular scout for Liverpool.

Ahead of Liverpool’s visit to Tottenham, on Sunday, Redknapp admitted his disappointment at losing French-based scout Steve Hitchen to the Anfield staff.

“Damien knows the French scene especially, and he’s got a big scouting network,†said the Tottenham manager. “In fact, we have just lost our French scout, who is excellent.

“He’s just gone to Liverpool, so he’s nicked him off us a bit lively. It’s a boy called Steve Hitchen and he was really good, an English boy who lived in France.

“He’s gone to Liverpool. But he was very, very good and we liked him a lot. He would have been ur main scout abroad.â€

 

[Hansern]

Improving our scouting network is brilliant. We really need that. Up your Redknapp.

I also think he should pay Comolli a bit more respect, as 6 of the players that started against Inter was brought in by him. Juande Ramos having Spurs at the bottom of the table wasn't his fault.

And I dare say that without Bale Spurs wouldnt have got 4th or qualified for the knock out stages.

 

[King Binny]

LIVERPOOL'S new owners have been handed a warning: Beware, Damien Comolli can seriously damage your club.

Bernard Caiazzo, co-chairman of St Etienne, has issued a stinging parting swipe to Anfield's new Director of Football Strategy.

He claims he wanted to fire Comolli for a series of poor signings before he was poached by the Reds' hierarchy last month.

His comments follow similar broadsides from Spurs boss Harry Redknapp and Arsenal's Arsene Wenger, who have accused the French scout of taking credit for their successes.

Caiazzo, 37, said: "Damien spent 22million euros of our money on seven players in summer of last year. Only one is a first-team regular now.

"We gave him the keys to our club and are now in financial difficulties while trying to make free transfers."

Comolli quit St Etienne to become owner John W Henry's first major Anfield appointment.

He has been given a key role in overseeing the footballing infrastructure of the club from the academy upwards.

But Caiazzo, 56, said: "We are not crying into our handkerchiefs.

"You need some humility in football and Damien was convinced he was right 100 per cent of the time. There was never any question of dialogue.

"Damien enjoyed total power in his first year with us. His was the last word on all transfers and that is how he wanted it.

"The manager at the time, Alain Perrin, had not even seen some of the players he was given. Damien was his boss.

"His powers were much reduced in January after the failure of his transfer policy the previous summer - and he was not pleased.

"I would have fired him then but my co-chairman defended him for months, even when results were poor.

"I know he sees Damien's departure as something of a personal betrayal. It was a mistake bringing him back to the club.

"We do not have money to throw around and the players he signed for us have lost at least 30 per cent of their value.

"We lost the chance to make a lot of money, too, when Damien refused to sign Laurent Koscielny, for who Wenger paid more than 12million euros.

"Koscielny was in the Second Division with Tours, whose manager used to play for us. He said we should sign him. He'd cost only 1.5million euros.

"Damien told me that, if you signed Second Division players, you ended up with a Second Division team. So the player went to Lorient and made them a fortune instead.

"My own view of Damien is he favours size and strength as the qualities he goes for first. Perhaps, he will do better with more money at his disposal at Liverpool than he did with us."

Comolli owes his new post to a recommendation from American baseball manager Billy Beane, who shares his enthusiasm for statistical data.

But Kop boss Roy Hodgson is adamant he will still call the shots when Liverpool make their January transfer moves.

Hodgson said: "The final say always has to be with the manager. It has to be that way because I work with the players.

"The manager picks the team and decides the tactics so you can't have someone who doesn't do that job selecting players.

"There has to be close co- operation between manager, chief scout and sporting director to decide what you need, the names you need and who you can afford.

"Damien has an enormous knowledge of European players and of the Premier League. We have the benefit of this now.

"I always wish to see the player myself but no manager can do the scouting job.

There has to be everyone working together properly."

 

[Judge Jules]

So we have the prospect of Comolli, whom not only Spurs but now also St.Etienne were apparently glad to see the back of, tussling for position with the lamest of lame duck managers over who gets the last word on transfers. Magnificent.

Incidentally, what does that piffle from Roy at the end actually amount to, when you read it all together?

 

[aquaman4]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=42566.msg1224702#msg1224702 date=1290943751]
So we have the prospect of Comolli, whom not only Spurs but now also St.Etienne were apparently glad to see the back of, tussling for position with the lamest of lame duck managers over who gets the last word on transfers. Magnificent.

Incidentally, what does that piffle from Roy at the end actually amount to, when you read it all together?
[/quote]
Roy :''Damien did you see the player you scouted?
Damien:yes i did see him four years ago.
Roy:were you wearing glasses or with your naked eyes?
Damien:I wear reading glasses when i watch youtube videos.
Roy:Great lets sign him up before someone else watches them videos .

 

[King Binny]

After failing to convince Tottenham to trust him with his vision, he believes the timing is finally right for Liverpool, and the Premier League, to embrace his approach.

“I definitely think English football is ready to understand,†he said. “Now a lot of people look back at what we did at Spurs and think it was the right thing because you see the players that are playing now.

"They see now how it has worked at Chelsea, where Frank [Arnesen] has done a fantastic job. His relationship with Ancelotti is very good and they have won trophies.

“I think people are opening up the idea now because they realise that in the world of football, especially if you are at a big club in the Premier League, is worldwide.

"Everything is global: scouting, transfers, coaching, academy methods. I think that’s why people have realised that this is probably the way forward, or at least one way forward. The bigger the club, the more useful it will be.â€

Comolli, who turned 39 last month, is a law graduate from Nice University who met Arsène Wenger while working as a youth coach at Monaco.

Wenger then took him to Arsenal as his European scout in 1997, where he helped scout Gael Clichy, Robert Pires, Robin van Persie, Emmanuel Eboué and Kolo Toure.

After leaving to become Saint Etienne’s sporting director in 2004, he returned to English football as Frank Arnesen’s successor as Director of Football at Spurs.

His time there was controversial, as Martin Jol claimed Comolli had signed players over his head and, when Jol’s successor, Juande Ramos, led the team to the bottom of the table at the beginning of the 2008-09 season, Comolli and Ramos were sacked.

Then it was back to Saint Etienne before his friendship with baseball coach Billy Beane brought him to the attention of John Henry.

“I don’t feel any different from when I started at Spurs to starting here. Maybe my relationship with Roy [Hodgson] is easier than my relationship with Martin [Jol], but then Martin’s relationship with Daniel [Levy] was not easy at the time. So it was a cocktail of complication. Here that is not the case. My relationship with John Henry and Tom Werner [the owners] is very good and my relationship with Roy is very good too.â€

Tottenham’s recent success has played well for Comolli. Many key players in that squad — including Heurelho Gomes, Alan Hutton, Younes Kaboul, Benoît Assou-Ekotto, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Roman Pavlyuchenko — arrived under Comolli’s watch. Even some of those signings who have left the club, like Darren Bent, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Adel Taraabt and of course Dimitar Berbatov, have proved successful.

There were mistakes too — Hossam Ghaly, Ricardo Rocha, Gilberto, and to a degree David Bentley — and, in some quarters, there has been intense suspicion of this revision of Comolli’s time at Spurs: he had exaggerated his role in signing players like Bale and Modric and supposedly even claimed to have scouted Thierry Henry at Arsenal.

“Find somewhere where I said I found Thierry Henry. This is ridiculous.

I never said it, of course not. Everybody knew about Bale at Southampton? Put it this way. Everybody knew Henry but the one who put his neck on the line was Arsène Wenger. He was playing left-wingback at Juventus and he brought him in to replace Nicolas Anelka as a striker.

It’s quite easy to say ’we all knew him’ but who has made the decision to buy him? I remember we got a lot of criticism for Bale. He cost too much money, he can’t defend, he’s weak mentally. It was so far from the truth.â€

Comolli is keen to deal with the argument that a Director of Football imposes players on a manager that he does not want. “It is about collaboration,†he said. “A lot of people ask: who is going to make the final decision? I can guarantee you, 100 per cent, that in this job - especially in England - I have never signed a player without the manager agreeing to it. Never, ever. I don’t care what people say. And it won’t happen here. If you sign a player that the manager doesn’t want you are just throwing money into the bin.

“We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said ’This one, I really don’t like him, I know him well and I’m not comfortable with him.’ So we take him off. It is not issue.†If ever there was a club that needed some long-term strategy, it is Liverpool. Since the inauguration of the Premier League, the club has been in stasis, refusing to modernise, trading on its traditions.

Gerard Houllier, who returns to Anfield with Aston Villa on Monday, and Rafael Benítez tried to change things but after years of mismanagement, the new American owners, NESV, want the club to think about the next five years. They want to foster a club culture that reflects Liverpool’s standing.

“You have to respect these traditions and history. That’s probably why the very first person I sat down with when I came here was Kenny [Dalglish], because I want to understand the history, the tradition, what a Liverpool player is made of, understand the DNA of the place. This is absolutely crucial.â€

The brief is wide. He is in charge of transfer negotiations and reforming the scouting network. Then there is dealing with the mess of the contracts and a wage bill that is not reflected in the quality playing staff. There will be a focus on the use of data analysis in recruitment and squad management, something the owners have used very successful in baseball. But above all, and this Comolli calls his “obsessionâ€, the academy must start to deliver players again, over a decade since Steven Gerrard became the last graduate to become an established first-teamer.

Liverpool won the FA Youth Cup in 2006 and 2007 but have not translated that success into the first-team squad. “The question we have to ask is: are we producing teams? Or are we producing players?†he said. “We need to produce players, not teams who win. We need to individualise training for these players and make sure they have their own specific programme, with a long-term view. You have to get it right at the academy level because it is part of the genetics of the club.â€

The future will also mean a new training ground. At present Liverpool’s first team train at Melwood while the reserves are based at Kirkby. While both facilities are good, their geographical separation might go some way to explaining why so few graduates are making it to the first team. “The first time I went to see the academy with John Henry we said it at pretty much the same time — it should be together,†Comolli said.

“We have discussed it and, in the long term, want to do something about it. Melwood is great but if you want to create a culture in the club you need a single entity, a single faclity. I was involved with planning the new training ground at Spurs and I am sure that they will have the best in the world when it is finished. If we build one here it will be better.â€

 

[zlatan18]

“We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said ’This one, I really don’t like him, I know him well and I’m not comfortable with him.’

i wonder who he is talking about..

 

[Squiggles]

I have no problem with the DOF position - I actually think it makes sense. But I have a lot of doubts about whether or not Comolli is up to the task.

We shall see...

 

[Buddha]

[quote author=zlatan18 link=topic=42566.msg1228798#msg1228798 date=1291522914]
“We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said ’This one, I really don’t like him, I know him well and I’m not comfortable with him.’

i wonder who he is talking about..
[/quote]

Probably Aguero or something.

 

[Rafiagra]

Haha. I'm going for Messi

 

[mr_moo]

[quote author=Buddha link=topic=42566.msg1228807#msg1228807 date=1291537082]
[quote author=zlatan18 link=topic=42566.msg1228798#msg1228798 date=1291522914]
“We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said ’This one, I really don’t like him, I know him well and I’m not comfortable with him.’

i wonder who he is talking about..
[/quote]

Probably Aguero or something.
[/quote]

Nah, heard it was messi

 

[Stulikesdrums]

Thanks for posting those articles/interviews Binny. Interesting.

 

[Ryan]

I heard we're signing Comolli's son 'Gua'.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Ha. Dreadful. But Ha.

 

[Judge Jules]

Oy veh.

 

[Ryan]

*bows*

 

[Rosco]

[quote author=Buddha link=topic=42566.msg1228807#msg1228807 date=1291537082]
[quote author=zlatan18 link=topic=42566.msg1228798#msg1228798 date=1291522914]
“We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said ’This one, I really don’t like him, I know him well and I’m not comfortable with him.’

i wonder who he is talking about..
[/quote]

Probably Aguero or something.
[/quote]

It wouldn't be the first time we've passed up an opportunity to sign him

 

[Peatcheo]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=42566.msg1228829#msg1228829 date=1291545069]
I heard we're signing Comolli's son 'Gua'.
[/quote]

Haha thats terrible Ryan. Very good though!!

 

[Halmeister]

Haha.

I don't trust Comolli. I'm not getting a very good vibe from him. Time will tell.

 

[Squiggles]

[quote author=Buddha link=topic=42566.msg1228807#msg1228807 date=1291537082]
[quote author=zlatan18 link=topic=42566.msg1228798#msg1228798 date=1291522914]
“We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said ’This one, I really don’t like him, I know him well and I’m not comfortable with him.’

i wonder who he is talking about..
[/quote]

Probably Aguero or something.
[/quote]

I'm not sure Roy would be so wrong if it were.

Good though he is, I've never been sold on Aguero. At least not in the 30M+ bracket.

 

[spider-Neil]

kudos to ryan, hilarious ;D

 

[The Slugmonster]

[quote author=zlatan18 link=topic=42566.msg1228798#msg1228798 date=1291522914]
“We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said ’This one, I really don’t like him, I know him well and I’m not comfortable with him.’

i wonder who he is talking about..
[/quote]


Its probably Paul Konches........oh wait!!! :'( :'( :'(

 

[Stulikesdrums]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=42566.msg1228958#msg1228958 date=1291568470]
[quote author=Buddha link=topic=42566.msg1228807#msg1228807 date=1291537082]
[quote author=zlatan18 link=topic=42566.msg1228798#msg1228798 date=1291522914]
“We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said ’This one, I really don’t like him, I know him well and I’m not comfortable with him.’

i wonder who he is talking about..
[/quote]

Probably Aguero or something.
[/quote]

I'm not sure Roy would be so wrong if it were.

Good though he is, I've never been sold on Aguero. At least not in the 30M+ bracket.
[/quote]

He's been around for a few years now and no one has made a move for him so far.
A couple of season ago I thought he would destroy the Premiership but he seems to have stagnated in recent times.

 

[Hansern]

Aguero has 11 goals in 15 games this season, thats arrright.

 

[Fabio]

[quote author=Hansern link=topic=42566.msg1228997#msg1228997 date=1291582800]
Aguero has 11 goals in 15 games this season, thats arrright.


[/quote]

Pfft. Who needs him. Cole scored TWO the other night

 

[dee]

[quote author=Ryan link=topic=42566.msg1228829#msg1228829 date=1291545069]
I heard we're signing Comolli's son 'Gua'.
[/quote]

:-D

 

[TheBunnyman]

[quote author=Stulikesdrums link=topic=42566.msg1228995#msg1228995 date=1291582230]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=42566.msg1228958#msg1228958 date=1291568470]
[quote author=Buddha link=topic=42566.msg1228807#msg1228807 date=1291537082]
[quote author=zlatan18 link=topic=42566.msg1228798#msg1228798 date=1291522914]
“We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said ’This one, I really don’t like him, I know him well and I’m not comfortable with him.’

i wonder who he is talking about..
[/quote]

Probably Aguero or something.
[/quote]

I'm not sure Roy would be so wrong if it were.

Good though he is, I've never been sold on Aguero. At least not in the 30M+ bracket.
[/quote]

He's been around for a few years now and no one has made a move for him so far.
A couple of season ago I thought he would destroy the Premiership but he seems to have stagnated in recent times.
[/quote]

The same was said about Torres just before he moved to us.

 

[King Binny]

Hodgson reveals he is holding daily meetings with director of football strategy Damien Comolli to ascertain future transfer targets.

“Damien is very much in charge of the scouting now and organising the scouting,†he says. “We meet every day and we talk players every day.

“Names come up from his contacts, we discuss them and, if I don’t know them, he provides videos so I get some idea of who we are talking about before I get to see them. That’s one way of doing it.

“We have a very close relationship. Not a day goes by that we don’t spend half an hour together talking players, but I am quite happy that he has organised the scouting and that he has a lot of agents ringing him.â€

 

[HC]

I like the way woy gives us some idea of what's going on,regardless of it being good or bad.

With rafa it was all very card close to his chest