On Transfer Policy, 2

Yesterday I blogged about who ought to control transfer policy. The evidence all points one way: that the manager, and no-one else, should be in charge of football matters.

But how likely are we to see this in the al-Fahim era? Will their petro-billions be spent on players that Hughes wants, or on Dr al-Fahim's superstars of choice?

As you all know, we alreay have an example of transfers under Dr al-Fahim: the signing of Robinho. The fashionable thing to do in the press is to say this was done with no input from Hughes, that it is a sign of al-Fahim's unilateralism.

In a BBC interview this week, though, Mark Bowen offered a different version of events. He said that when the news of takeover came out, him and Hughes were asked if there were players he'd like to sign; and "we did a little bit of homework, and Mark basically said that he wanted to go for Robinho if we could, amongst a few others I might add." If true, this is a positive sign.

Garry Cook, in another BBC interview, made similar comments:

Mark’s made it quite clear that he runs the football club. We’ve made it quite clear to anybody that is not inside the football club that he runs the football side of the business. And he’s anticipating nothing changing from that. He’s far more knowledgeable about football than many of us.

By far the most significant comments come from Dr al-Fahim himself. He was quoted in Manchester Evening News this week as saying:

"The coach will choose the players and we as investors will assess his choices, their abilities and their financial cost."

And Mark Hughes talked to the newspapers yesterday about the transfer issue. Ian Herbert writes in The Independent that Hughes was responsible for the list of strikers we bid for on deadline day:

Was he asked by the Arabs for help in drawing up a list? "It was something like that." Hughes adds that it is his "understanding – and it has to be – that I recommend players and they see if they can get them," but there is a sense, in the wry smile as he predicts that, "I'm sure January will be an exciting time for everyone again", that he is prepared to give reign to the owners' desires.

There are similar pieces in the Telegraph and Guardian today, carrying the same quotes and making the same points. Hughes does seem to recognise the need for some degree of compromise, an acceptance that he may not have total autonomy on transfers:

“If you understand that and you understand where the business side overlaps with the football side and you understand the owners' point of view - and equally they have to understand where you're coming from and respect you - you can avoid disruption and dispute. You have to work together"

I think this points towards the ultimate direction: a hybrid of managerial and 'trophy' signings. Hughes will submit a list of players in key positions (left back and centre forward I imagine primarily), who ADUG will bring to the club, probably for inflated fees. But if Dr al-Fahim really wants to buy Ronaldo, Figo and del Piero Hughes can't really stop him.