BOBBY Hassell admits the coming weeks may be an audition for him to get the director of football job full-time but he is mainly focusing on helping Barnsley during what he knows could be a vital transfer window.
Hassell, who played 299 games for the Reds from 2004 to 2014, was appointed director of football on an interim basis earlier this month – the first time the Reds have ever had anyone in that role.
The club are looking for a permanent appointment in the near future with Hassell one of the candidates, and seemingly set to be in the job for the January transfer window which opens in ten days. Former chief executive Khaled El-Ahmad left this week for Minnesota United with his role being split between the director of football and chief executive, currently occupied by Jon Flatman on an interim basis.
Hassell told the Chronicle: “You would probably say it’s an audition for the job full-time. The owners will see my work first hand. They know me anyway and have seen how successful the academy has been. I am just getting the job done to the best of my ability.
“There will be a lot of good candidates but I think I am the stand-out. Obviously I am going to say that. I have been at the club a long time, I know the process of every department here. I have great relationships with everyone here.
“I have been asked to do the job on an interim basis. I have not asked any other questions. I am just getting on with the transfer window which will have a knock-on effect all season. I would assume I will be in this post for the next five weeks.”
Hassell has been academy manager for seven years while he has a masters degree in sporting directorship.
“It’s something I have been developing myself into for the last five seasons.
“I had a choice to make five years ago whether I took on the coaching side or this side. I think I offer a great skillset.
“I have made no secret in the last few years to the board that this is where I want to go.”
Hassell will be working closely with head coach Neill Collins as well as the recruitment department which plays a significant role in transfers at the data-driven club. He said: “I am working extremely hard with the recruitment team and the coaching staff. I am very aligned with Neill Collins. We have regular meetings. It’s a collaboration. The data process has been highly successful in the past. Everything is presented to the manager and board. Everyone has a final decision on the number one target then we work down the list.”
What exactly will Hassell’s new job entail? He said: “In the UK the title gets chucked at a lot of different positions. A lot are heads of recruitment.
“But in Europe it encompasses everything football-wise – sports science, medicine, academy, first team, recruitment. That’s the role here. It’s very similar to being an academy manager.
“A lot of academy managers are being promoted to directors of football.”
Does being an ex-player help?
“Not many directors of football have a playing background. There are lots of people in the game who didn’t play but are doing really well because they have been in the game a long time. It’s not a necessity but, if you have played and know the environment and processes, you can be fast-tracked a lot quicker and it has to give you an advantage.”
Hassell’s main job during the transfer window will be getting deals done for incoming and outgoing signings.
He has done similar work in the academy but how different will it be dealing with first team players?
“The only difference is numbers. Everything else is exactly the same.
“The clauses are generally similar. It’s not something I am not used to. I have been doing it for a long time now.
“When I first came back to the club as head of recruitment, I was involved in some first team contracts.”
