Gus Poyet took time this weekend to talk about the vacant Director Of Football role at the club, and his plans for the summer.
In speaking with The Journal, the Uruguayan manager said of the maligned Director Of Football role that the club were looking to appoint someone to the position, having not had one since Roberto De Fanti left the club;
We kind of started because we want to leave all this craziness (behind). It's not decided what it's going to be or how it's going to be. It's just a (decision about the) way (of doing things). There's no secrets.
With Poyet confirming that the club were looking to make a new hire in the position, it's thought that names in the frame for the role are Lee Congerton from Hamburg and Gwyn Williams, once of Leeds United are in the frame. It's understood however that the job is Congerton's for the taking if he wants it.
Poyet also spoke about the difficulty in trying to plan for the preseason at the same time as bringing in a Director Of Football that he can get along with.
We need to plan in the next three months. We need to start looking for next year but it depends where we are and before it looked like there were two situations: whether we're in the Premier League or the Championship.
Now if we qualify for Europe there is one in the middle, a third way. And you can be in the Championship playing in Europe or the Premier League playing in Europe and it's totally different. The standards (in Europe) are incredible. So we are waiting - I don't know what will happen.
The gaffer did however hope everything, including the installment of a Director Of Football by the end of March though;
I wouldn't say we are in limbo but it's very difficult. Me, I would like to have everything decided by the end of March - pre-season dates, when we start, where we're going and the first few friendlies. I may have a plan for each of the two scenarios - I don't want to have to think about a third, which would be more complicated but it would be great in another way because it would mean we've won the Cup.
The subject of having a Director of Football is a touchy one after the club's first foray into such a set-up ended in disaster. It seems however this is the route we're going down for the foreseeable future.
Understandably there's a large swell of support that think we don't need one and that Poyet can do things perfectly well by himself. After all, it worked pretty well in January and moving forward. However it also seems that Poyet is happy to work in such a set-up, and in describing the difficulties he has on his hands -- trying to save the club form relegation and also planning for next year -- he could do with just focusing on the team.
Perhaps there'll be news by the end of March on who will take the role, and hopefully they'll have more success than their predecessor.