In structures such as 'football manager', is 'football' a modifier or a complement of the head noun?

Question

I thought I'd post this as it illustrates a problem often encountered on ELU.> In structures such as 'football manager', is 'football' a modifier or> a complement of the head noun?I've seen both terms used as if there were only one possible correct answer. However, I've come across widely differing definitions of both 'modify' and 'complement' as used in grammar. I believe that people stating baldly that this is either one or the other are assuming a grammar that they prefer, rather than giving a balanced overview.Notice that I intend this question to explore the usage/s of the term 'modify' and of the term 'complement' in this context. There may be overlap with the question of which word-class 'football' fits into, but that decision hardly answers the question.

Answer 1

The difference between a baseball manager and a football manager explains why football is a complement.