Si Phillips contends that our frustrations should be directed not at our talent spotters like Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, who do understand the assignment, but at the sporting directors and ultimately the owners who have imposed a one-sided project. The article criticises the current strategy—a youth-focused rebuild—that has seen over £1bn spent on new signings yet left us with glaring gaps in key positions such as striker, winger, and defensive cover. Phillips highlights that numerous transfer opportunities were either mishandled or delayed during the January window, leaving us scrambling for cover in almost every area of the pitch. He notes that while our current sporting directors are good at spotting talent, they are not equipped for full squad building or negotiating the best deals, and therefore suggests that a top director of football should be brought in under a new regime, ideally with Todd Boehly leading a more balanced project. The article further outlines a litany of specific issues—from failing to secure a top striker and a goal-scoring winger, to the mismanagement of players like Felix and Chalobah—that underline the overall imbalance of our current recruitment strategy. Phillips warns that unless these structural issues are addressed, our squad rebuild may continue to leave us short in crucial areas, risking our competitiveness both on and off the pitch.