Either Google AI is confused or something else is at play but just looked up who was the manager when Grealish played for Notts and this was the result.👇

"Shaun Derry wss the manager of Notts County when Jack Grealish played there on loan during the 2013-14 season. Grealish joined Notts County on a youth loan from Aston Villa in September 2013 and made his professional debut for the club under Derry's management". 

Source Google AI.

That's why you shouldn't rely on AI @Robbie! Kiwomya and Jones were in charge when Grealish and McGregor joined in August/September 2013. They were then sacked a couple of months into the season, with Derry joining in November 2013, but the loanees were both already first team regulars by then.

I think the thread has drifted off topic.This is a reminder of the original question.

Do PON members think that the Director of Football should be replaced by an experienced League 2 Manager/ Head Coach type or just amalgamate the two roles of Head Coach and Director of Football into one?

Is it important that the Club has a Director of Football or not. Can a First Team Manager do both roles successfully at Notts?

As @DangerousSausage correctly says, Mick Jones as Kiwomya's assistant. Mick Jones brought in Grealish and McGregor. How do I know, Mick Jones told me.

What isn't in doubt is that Grealish spent the vast majority of his loan time at Notts under Shaun Derry. Grealish had his loan period extended under Derry. It was unfortunate that Derry couldn't extend MacGregor's loan period too.

I agree with the 'super scout' description. The priority is to get the recruitment back on track. That's not a manager - they have their favourites, are hand in glove with agents, then get sacked or clear off and leave a mess. We just need someone who can find those gems we've had in recent years - talented players who in terms of pure skill were way above the level we were at but were persuaded to come here - Rodriguez, Jones, Bostock, Crowley, Abbott, McGoldrick.

There is a significantly higher number of Football Managers in the EFL than there are Head Coaches with a Director of Football above them. Head Coaches are much more prevelent in the Premier League.

Notts are in the minority when it comes to having a Manager as opposed to a Head Coach/ Director of Football.

Personally, I prefer the traditional Manager role where the Manager has a broader scope of influence & responsibility, overseeing not just the team's performance but also the wider running of the club.

I think that giving the Manager more responsibility gives the manager the ability to implement a unified club strategy, which is so important, the power to influence player acquisition & development through direct involvement in contracts & transfers,

As far as recruitment is concerned, the Manager can delegate that responsibility to an Assistant Manager who would oversee the scouting personnel at the club.

Managers can also delegate training, development & team tactics to a First Team Coach, however, the manager would be overseeing those operations & have overall responsibility.

Some argue that a Manager has too much responsibility which takes his focus away from team operations, however the Manager can still delegate if he recruits competent staff that report to him.

I don’t always think it’s best for managers to make the signings themselves. Even when the Trews owned Notts, I felt a good director of football could have helped bring more stability and given better advice on recruitment. With the Reedtz brothers, we’re lucky to have access to proper football data, and it’s helped us bring in players from outside the UK. I don’t think a director of football should make every decision, but when it comes to finding players and giving the head coach more time to focus on the team, it’s a smart move.

Getting the Director of Football role sorted before climbing higher in the league feels quite important. Some might see it as a role we don’t really need or as a bit of a luxury, but having stability in key positions can make a big difference in football.

When it comes to networking, I like knowing the Director of Football is the one making contact, looking at players and having those early talks. It means the manager can focus on coaching. Football has changed a lot since the days when managers did everything themselves. While some might still prefer that, it does come with problems, like being less open to feedback.

It depends on the manager’s style. If he enjoys scouting and has a good eye for talent, it can work well. But it’s easy to fall into bad habits, like signing mates or missing what makes a player truly good. Martin Paterson has said he watches the opposition, which makes me think he’s fairly confident when it comes to judging players.

Still, having someone who understands the data side of things and can handle the time-consuming jobs is a real help. I like knowing the head coach has choices and people around him suggesting players. I’d be interested to know how much say Paterson actually has, especially since he asked for reinforcements and nothing came of it.

Was it someone above him who decided not to bring anyone in? The interview with Chris Reedtz made it sound like they were happy enough and maybe thought Paterson was just being cautious because of the injuries. I do think the head coach should have a voice in these matters, and I wonder if Paterson shares the fans’ view about needing another striker.

I’m fine with the head coach not being too involved in the early stages of signings and scouting. But once things move forward, his input should count. It’s about finding the right balance.