West Brom CEO Ron Gourlay looking to appoint Director of Football
West Brom chief executive Ron Gourlay is set to continue his Baggies overhaul by appointing a Director of Football, according to the Express and Star.
Gourlay was appointed to the position of CEO in February after spells at Reading and Chelsea and set about changing how Albion operated completely.
His first big priority has been overhauling how decisions are made at the club and he has told the Express and Star that Albion are now working on appointing a Director of Football as part of that change.
Gourlay’s vision is to install a “football board” in order to make all footballing decisions by committee, replacing the previous system of the manager and technical director making all decisions.
According to the report, this will consist of Gourlay, the manager as well as “medical, financial and administrative experts.”
Tony Strudwick was appointed as medical director early this week and will form part of that board and a Director of Football will come inside the next 12 months.
A welcome change
It has been clear that a cultural change has been needed at West Brom for some time and the football board is a big step toward that.
Albion’s previous system of a technical director and a manager to handle decision-making only works when both are at least one of them remains for a long time to provide stability and a consistent vision.
The last decade has seen Albion burn through several technical directors, including the likes of Dan Ashworth and Richard Garlick, as well as 10 different permanent managers.
Albion’s previous culture of hiring and firing managers and directors has seen the club lack a clear vision and appear directionless.
The football board, so long as the members remain in place for more than just a few years, can provide that vision and stability that the club has sorely needed in recent years.
For the club’s sake, let’s hope this change sticks and the club can finally put the troubles of the past behind it.
In other West Brom news, a second loan has been disclosed after the club’s accounts was revealed publicly.