If you're going to do it properly then no. In theory a Director of Football is like the General Manager in American sports. Part of that job is not just signing players but also hiring managers/head coaches.

We don't have one because we've recently favoured managers who want to do everything like Pardew and Allardyce. If we were going to bring in a DOF that would need to happen before the manager was confirmed. Otherwise you're hiring a manager and then instantly complicating things by adding in someone above him.

That's how it works at Southampton I believe, Reed has a huge role in finding the new manager to ensure their system and ethos is the same.

For what it's worth, I don't think there is a definite right or wrong way to run a club. If you're going to have a DOF though you have to really want that structure, and I'm not sure it suits Parish or the managers he seems to like.

I'd say that it would be an excellent investment and might help to put an end to all the prevarication that goes on with recruitment. What we need is someone with good contacts whose happy to let the manager do his job and Parish to look after the money, the infrastructure, the PR, etc. We might also be able to keep a manager for more than a season as well if there's someone to act as a buffer between him and the owners.

What experience does he have of the role?

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

I think as a club we do just fine without a DoF.