Take Roy Hodgson for example. Eyebrows were raised when he was appointed as Rafael Benitez’s successor in July 2010. Many fans were skeptical over the idea that this genial man could steady the ship and restore Liverpool’s glory years. Six months down the line and Hodgson looked like he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. Liverpool’s dismal form coupled with a poor squad built by his predecessor meant that Hodgson had to go and yet he probably departed Anfield thinking that he never got the time to prove what he could do. However in this day and age, time and patience are commodities few managers can count on.
About two weeks ago the Chelsea players and staff were greeted to anti-Ancelotti and Abramovich graffiti daubed on bedsheets at their training ground in Cobham. How Ancelotti must have shaked his head in disbelief. After all, one of the world’s most decorated coaches lead Chelsea to both a league and cup double last season sweeping aside all before them only to be at the wrong end of an ever growing trend of fan myopia. Barring a miracle, Chelsea will not retain the title this season, but surely their fans can recognise that patience is required while they go through a period of transition.
Of course, it doesn’t help if the owners of a club have delusions of grandeur. Blackburn Rovers were recently taken over by Indian poultry giant the Venky Group. To show their complete lack of football knowledge, their first move was to sack a man who had Blackburn at a steady 13th in the table. Secondly, they then tried and predictably failed to sign Ronaldinho; a player whose party boy lifestyle has led to a sudden and dramatic decline in form. With owners like these how does any manager stand a chance? Sam Allardyce may well be looking back with a degree of relief.
Many people will read this article and have very little sympathy for coaches in the top flight. After all, they get paid a king’s ransom to manage in the most exciting league in the world and if it doesn’t work out they will receive a seven figure pay off when they get the boot. Still, can you imagine if Martin Edwards the then Manchester United chairman had bitten the bullet and fired Alex Ferguson when the club were struggling just over twenty years ago? Many claim that if Mark Robins had not scored the goal to win United’s cup tie against Nottingham Forest in 1990 that Fergie may well have been consigned to United’s history. As it happens, United went on to win the cup that year and twenty years on they are on the verge of eclipsing Liverpool’s league title haul of 18 league championships. United’s patience paid off and now only Alex Ferguson is immune to receiving his marching orders in the modern football era. Even a footballing professor like Arsene Wenger is under pressure after five trophyless seasons although his sides have produced the most thrilling easy on the eye football the game has ever seen.
The buck stops with the manager. If a team isn’t performing and winning then the manager will always take the heat over the players. The highs can make it seem worthwhile but the lows of thousands of fans wanting you to go can make you wonder if it’s worth the aggravation. Every club has different expectations, whether it is staying in the Premiership to winning at least a trophy a season. Yet, if we continue in this fashion will we ever find the next great footballing coach after Ferguson or is he the last remnants of a bygone era where common sense and patience were all the more abundant?
Source: Ainsley Jacobs, A Football Report on 16 Jan 11
No comments:
Post a Comment