Managing Director Football: Fabio Paratici

[shelfsidespur]

Have just been revisiting the threads about the January window. FP hammered left, right and centre.. It turns out to have been one of the best windows in memory. and contributed significantly to our achievements this season. Nothing is certain in respect of transfers but this guy has earned the right to be trusted.
Good luck to hm!

 

[mil1lion]

Us signing Kulusevski and Bentancur while our rivals for top 4 signed nobody proved crucial. Top job Fabio!

 

[Huddlebone]

Don Fabio! <3

 

[lennon180]

What an amazing January he had. It’s also telling that since the Don’s arrival he’s been nowhere near the bench as he was in the Nono days. Think that speaks massively to the fact we have someone in Conte who won’t abide that on his bench. He can do his job and Fabio can do his. Italian perfection.

 

[GMI]

What an amazing January he had. It’s also telling that since the Don’s arrival he’s been nowhere near the bench as he was in the Nono days. Think that speaks massively to the fact we have someone in Conte who won’t abide that on his bench. He can do his job and Fabio can do his. Italian perfection.

I think that also speaks to covid regulations that were in place earlier in the season if I recall. Fabio had to sit with the rest of the bench.

 

[chrissivad]

Hopefully he is already racking up a huge phone bill

 

[$hoguN]

Needs to get a couple of early buys under his belt now

 

[Yiddo100]

Needs to get a couple of early buys under his belt now

Could see Forster Spence and hopefully Eriksen in early

 

[ButchCassidy]

Thinking back to last summer, I actually think now there was more of a plan in place than I did at the time. We failed pretty quickly to attract any of the top-class managers, and we knew H wanted to leave and City wanted to buy him. So instead of committing to a manager we were less convinced by (Ten Haag, Gerrard, etc) who would have expected to build their own project, we simply started looking for a manager who would be cheap, on a shorter deal, and accept not having all that much control over the team. Surely the plan was to let Harry go, spend on a lot of 20-24 year old talents, and take a season (maybe two if things went well) letting them play together and form a better understanding - sort of like Arsenal’s rebuild, but hopefully successful. Then when a top manager (I’m sure Poch was seen as the most likely and maybe ideal) became available again, you plug him in and ramp up to compete again, sort of attempting to recreate the first Poch era. Signings like Gil fit this profile, not quite ready for a top PL team but after 18 months or so may have been coming into his own.

Then City ran out of money, and suddenly we had a problem. Harry was staying, so we had a squad capable of competing for top 4 and the fans expected as much, but now the squad was well off-balance and we didn’t have a manager who matched those expectations. Plus Harry was angry, so you had a morale problem at the core of a squad who didn’t really respect their (caretaker in all but name) manager. It was a recipe for disaster.

The fact that Paratici navigated himself and us out of that hole, first with Conte - I’m still in shock that we pulled that off - and then plugging the gaps by absolutely nailing both incomings and outgoings in January, is honestly incredible. Sure, he played a role in digging that hole last summer, but he was also handed a real mess and in less than 12 months has just about put everything right. So well done Fabio, and here’s hoping you’ve got more magic in store for us this summer - keep those plates spinning!

 

[Snarfalicious]

This dude is legit. And I love the fact he’s shaking up our scouting department. Seems long overdue.

 

[bat-chain]

I’m so sorry for ever doubting him and the Juve boys. When he signed them I said it looked a bit dodgy. The only thing dodgy was my dog dirt, opinion. (And many Juve fans who led me into peril)

I said it in another thread but even the much maligned Royal has actually proven to be a brilliant signing in his own way. Romero, Kulusevski and Bentancur and Royal is better than almost any window we've had.

Thats before we see the potential of Gill and Saar.

You are the man Fabio.

 

[whitechina]

Other clubs have already announced deals today- I'm hoping for something to be announced this week- either a new shiny first team option player or one of our loans out to be confirmed as leaving
COYS

 

[ShelfWatcher]

Yep, I was unconvinced but am convinced now. The man's dun good, nay great.
Go Fabio, take us to new heights in the Prem era

 

[mil1lion]

Villa made a signing already, come on Fabio announce Eriksen and Johnstone this week

 

[djhotspur]

Villa made a signing already, come on Fabio announce Eriksen and Johnstone this week

And byt he sounds of it, Spence.

 

[FibreOpticJesus]

And byt he sounds of it, Spence.

Nooooooo

 

[whitechina]

And byt he sounds of it, Spence.

Where'd you see this?

 

[SpartanSpur]

Hopefully Fabio can work some free transfer magic in the next week or two as some are starting to be announced.

Eriksen and Johnstone/Forster feel like obvious ones to go for. Perisic would be ideal too.

 

[rossdapep]

Said it last summer but this guy has experience of working with the biggest and most successful team in Italy, so he will work with the same standards and that is EXACTLY what this club needs.

He will target players with a good mentality and if players don't work out, he will be quick to let them go.

I know he had a lot of detractors at Juve, but it does seem he was hamstrung by having to bring in free transfers and the Ronaldo transfer did effect a lot of what they did/could do.

We have typically gone down the 'project' route of Sporting Director's but I don't think we are longer in that situation and that's why we have been struggling with the transition. We needed to behave like a big club.

Leave the 'projects' to Arsenal. We should be aiming for titles and I believe FP is well versed in this.

 

[Aphex]

So 12 months in almost. How do we feel he's done?

His signings have been excellent.

Romero/Bentancur/Kulu - immense.
Royal - really solid defender, doesn't suit RWB but wasn't signed for that.
Gil - talented but lightweight, could go either way
Gollini - not good enough but served his purpose as back up and only a loan anyway