I'm sure during the long chats Dan had with TB, PB and CH that the threat of relegation came up more than once. I don't think it matters even if we were, it's about the long term project and what he feels he can contribute to this which I guess he is signing up for.
What makes me laugh is that...
Wasn't he at West Brom before going to the FA? He did a good job there, saw this post on their Forum which highlights what a good Director of Football brings:
Appointing a Director of Football (supported by a strong, broad scouting network) is absolutely vital to the medium and long-term...