Johan Lange - Sporting Director

[Ace Face]

Can you share examples of that? Genuine question.

Sure. I had to do some research to make sure I get my facts straight on this but here is a list of players we have signed since he joined...

Jan 2024 - Dragusin, Werner (Loan)
Summer 2024 - Bergvall, Gray. Odobert
Jan 2025 - Kinsky, Danso, Tel (Loan)
Summer 2025 - Kudus, Tel, Palhinha (loan), Xavi, Muani (loan)
Jan 2026 - Souza, Gallagher

I have rather crudely listed them as good signings (green), Jury is still out (yellow) and below the quality required (red).

For the "jury is still out" players, I think we have to take into account the environment they have been under, the management and genuine lack of squad cohesiveness during that time. Most are well/highly rated players or talents who have not lived up to expectations since they joined us but that doesn't necessarily make them bad signings. If they had gone into a well-coached and stable club, say Villa or Saudi Sportswashing Machine, then it is very likely we would be complaining about us not having signed them.

Now, I do have to state that his time in the DoF role has 100% been an unmitigated failure, and he absolutely should not be allowed to continue in this role. But if we had some level of stability and continuity at the DoF and Manager positions who are responsible for identifying the type of player needed, then he would not be the worst person to have around to go and draw up a list of suitable options and get one of them.

But when it comes to squad building, he should not be allowed in the room for that discussion. Or even the building for that matter. And he has the personality of a wet fish. But it is fair to say that better managers would have gotten a sweeter tune out of the vast majority of those signings.

 

[Ace Face]

He's brought it some good players.
Whether he's done a good job is more nuanced - have his signings matched our strategic objectives?

Agree the answer is a lot more nuanced and we have no way of knowing what the strategic objectives he was given were.

It would seem fairly obvious he was directed to focus on up-and-coming talent in the 2024 summer window, when he was not in the DoF role, and it is probably too soon to judge many of the under-20 players he signed but that doesn't change the fact they were highly-rated talents at the time who were being watched or courted by other big clubs.

As for the last windows when he was part of the DoF setup, that is another debate and one in which he will not find many supporters, myself included.

 

[Ace Face]

The priority should be now, not the summer. A DoF needs to be ready for the summer to execute transfer policy. Not turning up just as you need to make your biggest decisions.

Fair point and agree the process of identifying Paratici's (and hopefully Langhe's) replacement should already be started. But should we not also have a new manager in mind too who will fit the new DoF's view of how we want to proceed moving forward?

The proverbial chicken-and-egg issue if you like.

 

[Benny_Lad]

Sure. I had to do some research to make sure I get my facts straight on this but here is a list of players we have signed since he joined...

Jan 2024 - Dragusin, Werner (Loan)
Summer 2024 - Bergvall, Gray. Odobert
Jan 2025 - Kinsky, Danso, Tel (Loan)
Summer 2025 - Kudus, Tel, Palhinha (loan), Xavi, Muani (loan)
Jan 2026 - Souza, Gallagher

I have rather crudely listed them as good signings (green), Jury is still out (yellow) and below the quality required (red).

For the "jury is still out" players, I think we have to take into account the environment they have been under, the management and genuine lack of squad cohesiveness during that time. Most are well/highly rated players or talents who have not lived up to expectations since they joined us but that doesn't necessarily make them bad signings. If they had gone into a well-coached and stable club, say Villa or Saudi Sportswashing Machine, then it is very likely we would be complaining about us not having signed them.

Now, I do have to state that his time in the DoF role has 100% been an unmitigated failure, and he absolutely should not be allowed to continue in this role. But if we had some level of stability and continuity at the DoF and Manager positions who are responsible for identifying the type of player needed, then he would not be the worst person to have around to go and draw up a list of suitable options and get one of them.

But when it comes to squad building, he should not be allowed in the room for that discussion. Or even the building for that matter. And he has the personality of a wet fish. But it is fair to say that better managers would have gotten a sweeter tune out of the vast majority of those signings.

The problem with your greens is they are either young or not even first team.

15 signings and no first 11 impact/game changers.

That collectively makes it pretty shocking for me.

 

[Kandi1977]

Who’s Bournemouth’s DOF? They seem to have a good strike rate. Huijsen. Semenyo. Kerkez.

And now Kroupi who has the 3rd best goals to minutes in the league this season and Rayan who looks a massive powerful talent cutting in from the right.

Rayan signed in January btw for £24m when we sold Johnson in that position and didn’t replace.

Kerkez?? He's about the worst left back I've ever seen in the premier. He's terrible! Not only at Liverpool, he was just as bad for Bournemouth! Just got highlighted because of a couple of Hollywood crosses.

 

[Kandi1977]

And he has the personality of a wet fish.

Do dry fish have better personality?

 

[Ace Face]

The problem with your greens is they are either young or not even first team.

15 signings and no first 11 impact/game changers.

That collectively makes it pretty shocking for me.

But many of them, Kudus, Xavi and Gallagher in particular, maybe even Muani and Palhinha, have all had standout seasons prior to joining us. They were good players before we signed them.

If his job is to scout them and then secure the transfer, you can’t necessarily blame him for their performances after they have joined. That’s on the manager. You can only judge him from a scouting perspective by the job he did of getting the player to the club, not what the manager did with that player after the fact.

 

[Benny_Lad]

But many of them, Kudus, Xavi and Gallagher in particular, maybe even Muani and Palhinha, have all had standout seasons prior to joining us. They were good players before we signed them.

If his job is to scout them and then secure the transfer, you can’t necessarily blame him for their performances after they have joined. That’s on the manager. You can only judge him from a scouting perspective by the job he did of getting the player to the club, not what the manager did with that player after the fact.

Part of scouting is picking players that will thrive here. He’s failed.

Gallagher is woeful. No standout season.
Kudus 5 goals last season.
Muani….just use your eyes
Palhina I like

Look at Tel. Just got starry eyed cos of Bayern. Summerville a better played in all aspects, pace, dribbling and finishing.

 

[Ace Face]

Part of scouting is picking players that will thrive here. He’s failed.

Gallagher is woeful. No standout season.
Kudus 5 goals last season.
Muani….just use your eyes
Palhina I like

Look at Tel. Just got starry eyed cos of Bayern. Summerville a better played in all aspects, pace, dribbling and finishing.

Going on the players you mentioned…

Gallagher was good enough to captain and be one of the better Chelsea players, before being a regular started at AM in his first season.

Kudus had 20 G/A the season before at WHam as a RW, before Potter moved him to LW last season.

Muani has enough talent that he has played for PSG and Juve, as well as France in a WC final. Was a standout striker in the Bundusliga before that. Has perhaps the most talent in the squad (ducks for more cover).

The common theme here is all were very good players before they joined. Join the dots and the issue is what we have done with these players after they joined.