Johan Lange to still play ‘major role’ at Aston Villa despite director of football hunt – Sky Sports journalist
We’re delighted to welcome Sky Sports and The Athletic’s Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Johan Lange will still play a major role at Aston Villa despite the ongoing search for a director of football, according to Dan Bardell.
Lange, 43, has held the position of sporting director at Aston Villa since the summer of 2020 after the sacking of Jesus Garcia Pitarch.
Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany was widely tipped to be taking up a senior position at Villa Park this summer, but The Athletic (17 May) reported that he changed his mind after a meeting with president Joan Laporta last month.
If Alemany had sealed his move to the West Midlands, Lange was still set to remain on Villa’s recruitment team with a specific remit on scouting operations and data. [Ashley Preece, 11 May]
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell tipped Lange to still undergo his day-to-day operations if a new director of football is brought into the club this summer.
“What he does day-to-day might change ever so slightly, so Lange is still going to be a big part of what Villa do,” he said.
“I think he is well-liked within the set-up and the structure of the club. He works heavily with data, from what I am led to believe, so he has implemented a number of strong policies and directives into the way they operate and work.
“So he will still play a major role.
“It will essentially be somebody coming in, above him, who maybe has more contacts and is used to operating in a larger environment.
“Because Lange has not really been at that type of club who are playing in a European competition before, and that’s where Villa want to consistently be.
“His role might change slightly, but I’m unsure his title would change at all. It would be somebody coming in above him in a more senior role, and he would still do a lot of the day-to-day work.”
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