Levy views a strong DOF leading scouting and player recruitment and overall sporting philosophy as the ideal setup, and one that then allows managers to come and go, but retain a stable identity.
The Lyon of last decade as constructed by Levy's man crush Jean-Michel Aulas has always been his dream model.
But in practice, Levy's insistence and methods of personally negotiating deals just doesn't leave enough room for a DOF, nor does he have the patience to stand back and let them work. Plus, managers in England want more control and influence than is implied in that setup.
ENIC have done a lot right in their tenure, but they've never managed to create a stable and productive backroom leadership structure. And the one they have currently seems like a car crash just waiting to happen, but I guess we'll see.