I bet you could name the number of 'football people' on boards in the this country on the fingers of one hand. It is very rare, and directors of football are not members of the board generally.
What is important is that the board are getting good football advice, both from someone with lots of football administration experience (e.g Catlin) but also from someone with knowledge of the game itself, which ideally is something the manager should be doing.
Harry was never on the board when he was our DoF but he was advising Mandaric, a role he carried on performing just as effectively when he became manager, until they fell out.
IMO having a DoF splits the proper job of the manager into half, and undermines the manager's job by its very existence, relegating the manager to the role of head coach with reduced strategic influence. It can work but I don't think it can ever be better than having a good manager.
What is important is that the board are getting good football advice, both from someone with lots of football administration experience (e.g Catlin) but also from someone with knowledge of the game itself, which ideally is something the manager should be doing.
Harry was never on the board when he was our DoF but he was advising Mandaric, a role he carried on performing just as effectively when he became manager, until they fell out.
IMO having a DoF splits the proper job of the manager into half, and undermines the manager's job by its very existence, relegating the manager to the role of head coach with reduced strategic influence. It can work but I don't think it can ever be better than having a good manager.