David wagner was the one who I think bucks the trend. Nuno santo had a team including champions league players so that playing field isn’t even close to level. I feel the cultural differences show and a knowledge of the leagues is a huge asset. For any foreign coach a clear grasp of the language is required and a quality record.
Simon Grayson and Chris Coleman had Premiership players at Sunderland. As did Hull. As did many other teams that failed to gain promotion. The manager/ coach plays a huge part in how they play, how they are organised and how the players are motivated. Experience can help, of course it can. But so can fresh perspectives. Younger managers generally have less fear. As has been mentioned before.... the managers who have had most success with us in the last 30 odd years with us were all first time managers and "cutting their teeth" as they say. The longer you are in football, the more you fail generally, the more you're sacked. Not that I'm advocating a young manager. I just want us to see good football again. That's all.
Good football with the current playing staff unfortunately won’t happen. What I saw all last season was techinically deficient players all over the park. So unless there is a large player turnover it will take a miracle to get the ball on the deck. Agree with most of the above I just think a young English manager has an advantage over a young foreign manager. With the same token I wouldn’t be backing many young English coaches abroad as Neville showed.
Can you enlighten me what this unique knowledge is, or if it's too technical or complicated to explain.... just point me in the general environ. If its understanding of the opposition, then scouting and the multiple tech packages that summarise stats and players do that these days. Diet, tactics, practice, fitness? Well they seem part of what we've been doing anyway... and obviously we have to replace when we get the next appointment. But i'm not sure what this special knowledge is that is the holy grail to getting out of league 1 into the championship. Depending on whether you thought Heckingbottom or Johnson or a combination were the key to us getting up last time, both were very new to coaching first teams.
I’d say living in a different country for a start is a massive barrier to quick success. The football played, length of season, away days, refereeing, previous success, players. This is a two way street as I’ve said, I don’t see any young English coaches going abroad and pulling up trees in their first job. Johnson was not new to first team football but Hecky certainly was. However having played his entire career through the leagues and coached the academy he had a head start on the culture. Tech packages only get you so far as you saw with the players recruited last season.
The thing is, when you start to break down last season.... how many games did players play together. They had little time to form partnerships and understanding. I don't think Heckingbottom helped by berating such young lads so publicly so early, i di think that crushed confidence. and when Morais tried to resurrect our season, that was beyond car crash. I still think if we add to this squad and trim the excessive lop-sidedness, there is a team in there. They have ability. I think much of their problems was thought and decision making. And when youre under pressure and when your confidence is low, that's exactly what is impinged most. The team I saw for large parts looked terrified. Lack of movement or lack of a tackle for fear of getting it wrong. They aren't the best players we've ever had, obviously, but given time, practice and structure with a coach that motivates.... we might have a better basis in a league lower than we currently think. But we wont know til next season, if at all.
Johnson had what, about season ish muddling along playing non descript football at Oldham. is that what experience is that's needed? Not sure about refereeing. They are a lottery, and you could argue, continental coaches actually use diving more cutely than uk coaches. Length of season, players, style, away days.... there may be a bit of a steepish learning curve, but I don't see anything that's a barrier. If a uk born coach can learn that, over about a season if Johnson is the basis of gaining the L1 knowledge, a foreign coach certainly could too.
I’m sure over time they can learn, just surely there’s more ambition than languishing in league one for a couple of seasons?
Disagree. If that's the coaches intent and plan, players can improve. We've had many examples of players getting better (just like some get worse). If a coach can instruct a player to stand on a touchline while we hoof it back to front, then we can start to encourage people playing to feet, or the thing that really got my goat.... movement. When players actually move and want the ball, then you can start to see the basis of a team. That's down to whichever coach we employ to find the way of doing that.
Ambition has to start with the owners. They're the only ones who can translate that from decision making behind the scenes into actions or words that we can interpret and get on board with.
Agreed and thats why the appointment is key. We’ve discussed foreign coaches but if they appoint Grant McCann you will know the level of ambition.
There's sumat going off darn at Well, McCann as had his odds slashed from 1/8 to 1/4 and Heckingbottom as entered the betting ring at 14/1 3rd favorite all on sky bet.
I don’t mind so much now because they’ve got the time to learn about the team, the league & the style of football not like Morais going straight into something he’d never experienced before. Foreign isn’t the issue for me, it was lack of experience. If it was Uwe Rosler for example I wouldn’t have been anywhere near as worried as I was with Morais
Roberto Martinez didn’t do bad starting his managerial career in L1 , I know he played in the lower leagues beforehand
Let’s get Hecky back. And for a change give the guy some money to spend. Instead of shopping at Aldi (or was it at Lidl?) let’s have him shopping with a bit more money. I’m fully confident that Hecky would get us into the Premiership inside a few seasons. Out of ALL the British based managers that have been mentioned - Hecky suits Barnsley and Barnsley suits Hecky more than any manager that has been suggested. But - as I’ve said - I just can’t see it being a British manager.
Absolutely no problem with another non-UK born manager for me. The main criteria has to be that they are 'any good' not where they are from. Having said that I'd personally try to avoid those born in the Hampshire/Surrey area such that we don't risk ending up with another Spackman or Hodges