Jim SpearsGreat Coach; Bad Player
October 24th 2008 15:51
World Cup qualifying always brings trouble for someone. Changing manager mid campaign has exciting precedent Hiddink got Australia in to 2006 and Scolari won 2002 World Cup after taking over in 2001. Argentina are very strong and after losing to lowly Chile manager Alfio Basile knew it was time go. Somehow this has made Argentina look more dangerous; the resignation of Alfio Basile was greeted with unrestrained joy by Lionel Messi "When things do not work, it is better to make changes. It's been a long time since Argentina have been playing bad and maybe the team needed a change. The idea of Batista taking over seems very good to me." Batista is the gold winning coach from Beijing 2008. Carlos Bianchi four time championship winning coach with Boca Juniors has also been mentioned. Then there is the other candidate...Diego Armando Maradona.
Like most religious icons Maradona comforts the people with his credentials but the Argentina Football Association (AFA) needs direct evidence of managerial miracles before they'll take the leap. In limited administrative roles, Maradona was vice-president of Boca Juniors for two years, he was successful but his managerial stints have been brief and no one really wants to talk about them. President of the AFA selection commission Noray Nakis said "I'd like Maradona to be the next coach" you feel the "But" trickling its way free. It would take a significant leap of faith from the AFA to award the job to Maradona; tantamount to converting Thor to Christianity.
There is little doubt Maradona will miss out, his popular support will not overcome the potential and experience of his competitors. Argentina's squad looks good enough to win a couple of World Cups, with the best players still under 25 the AFA would not be willing to leave it to chance. The 2014 World Cup is being held in Brazil making it almost impossible for any non-Brazilian nation to win, especially South American one. A neutral South Africa in 2010 might be a very tempting target for the AFA.
International football is arguably more difficult than club management. The time with players is far shorter making relationships more difficult while limiting options for tactics, formations and systems. Argentina's team would not require too much tweaking with Messi (21), di Maria (20), Augero (20), Mascherano (24), Tevez (24) able to play most viable systems. Italian great Marcello Lippi said that the manager must "find a balance between talent and organisation of the game." Managing egos is one thing but communicating complex organisation and manoeuvres effectively to all players are things two and three respectively.
Any fan of Dr Phil will tell you: communication in team sports is a pre-requisite for success. Noted Rugby League, player, coach and pundit, Phil Gould argued that Ricky Stuart, great rugby union/league player and league coach, had trouble appreciating players couldn't meet or understand his expectations. Great players rarely work well as managers. It is the average players that go on to gaffer greatness; Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Guus Hiddink, Helenia Herrara (coach of the Great Inter sides of the 60s). Average players understand limitations, know which players to push where as Glenn Hoddle, Ruud Gullit, Bryan Robson have natural talent and expect discipline and hard work to bring it out in others.
Trophies have been won by these big name bosses but consistency is the measure of greatness. Starting at the top means a manager must deliver consistent success; if he can't deliver it then he will soon be consenting mutually to seek new challenges and so on. Glen Hoddle looked good bringing Swindon Town up, albeit as Player Manager. Gullit won the F.A. Cup but started out with an emerging Chelsea and then a demanding Newcastle so more was expected. Gullit moved in to management at 34 with Chelsea, again player manager, in 99 and wasn't ready. An astronomical managerial career; bright lights burnt out despite galactic hopes.
Mark "Sparky" Hughes, Roy Keane, Paul Ince and Steve Bruce were all good, hard working, players and the best of the emerging Ferguson acolytes. Roy Keane has been receiving a lot of recognition for his ability to attract and work with players. Paul Ince had year long stints with Macclesfield Town and MK Dons before landing in Blackburn for the 2008/09 season. Mark Hughes' management of Wales between 1999-2004 provides him with invaluable experience and ideas before consistent work with Blackburn Rovers. Steve Bruce has been off the radar but is earning respect and at 47 he is in the age range to start flying.
The forties are the destiny decade where managers set out to "Greatness" (if they have it in them). Arsene Wenger was 47 when he started at Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson was 45 at Manchester United. Bill Shankly (46) and Herbert Champman (47) were also in this bracket. Frank Rijkaard was 42 before Barcelona won the European Cup. He got Holland to the semi-finals of the 2000 Euro in his thirties but his success with Barcelona is his "mark". Gullit was 34 as Player-Manager and 36 as Manager at Chelsea so mathematically, he was bound to fail.
Failure might be something like karma that has to be balanced out across the football universe. Great players seem only to succeed when their managerial career overlaps with their playing career. Perhaps karma gets confused but over time this is corrected. Managerial success is the universe rewarding the hard-workers and journeymen for their devotion to the game over so many decades. It might be unfair to say great coach; bad player, maybe great coach; adequate player, is better. Either way great player; bad coach, remains solid.
Maradona with World Youth Cup in 1979
Like most religious icons Maradona comforts the people with his credentials but the Argentina Football Association (AFA) needs direct evidence of managerial miracles before they'll take the leap. In limited administrative roles, Maradona was vice-president of Boca Juniors for two years, he was successful but his managerial stints have been brief and no one really wants to talk about them. President of the AFA selection commission Noray Nakis said "I'd like Maradona to be the next coach" you feel the "But" trickling its way free. It would take a significant leap of faith from the AFA to award the job to Maradona; tantamount to converting Thor to Christianity.
There is little doubt Maradona will miss out, his popular support will not overcome the potential and experience of his competitors. Argentina's squad looks good enough to win a couple of World Cups, with the best players still under 25 the AFA would not be willing to leave it to chance. The 2014 World Cup is being held in Brazil making it almost impossible for any non-Brazilian nation to win, especially South American one. A neutral South Africa in 2010 might be a very tempting target for the AFA.
International football is arguably more difficult than club management. The time with players is far shorter making relationships more difficult while limiting options for tactics, formations and systems. Argentina's team would not require too much tweaking with Messi (21), di Maria (20), Augero (20), Mascherano (24), Tevez (24) able to play most viable systems. Italian great Marcello Lippi said that the manager must "find a balance between talent and organisation of the game." Managing egos is one thing but communicating complex organisation and manoeuvres effectively to all players are things two and three respectively.
Any fan of Dr Phil will tell you: communication in team sports is a pre-requisite for success. Noted Rugby League, player, coach and pundit, Phil Gould argued that Ricky Stuart, great rugby union/league player and league coach, had trouble appreciating players couldn't meet or understand his expectations. Great players rarely work well as managers. It is the average players that go on to gaffer greatness; Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Guus Hiddink, Helenia Herrara (coach of the Great Inter sides of the 60s). Average players understand limitations, know which players to push where as Glenn Hoddle, Ruud Gullit, Bryan Robson have natural talent and expect discipline and hard work to bring it out in others.
Trophies have been won by these big name bosses but consistency is the measure of greatness. Starting at the top means a manager must deliver consistent success; if he can't deliver it then he will soon be consenting mutually to seek new challenges and so on. Glen Hoddle looked good bringing Swindon Town up, albeit as Player Manager. Gullit won the F.A. Cup but started out with an emerging Chelsea and then a demanding Newcastle so more was expected. Gullit moved in to management at 34 with Chelsea, again player manager, in 99 and wasn't ready. An astronomical managerial career; bright lights burnt out despite galactic hopes.
Mark "Sparky" Hughes, Roy Keane, Paul Ince and Steve Bruce were all good, hard working, players and the best of the emerging Ferguson acolytes. Roy Keane has been receiving a lot of recognition for his ability to attract and work with players. Paul Ince had year long stints with Macclesfield Town and MK Dons before landing in Blackburn for the 2008/09 season. Mark Hughes' management of Wales between 1999-2004 provides him with invaluable experience and ideas before consistent work with Blackburn Rovers. Steve Bruce has been off the radar but is earning respect and at 47 he is in the age range to start flying.
The forties are the destiny decade where managers set out to "Greatness" (if they have it in them). Arsene Wenger was 47 when he started at Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson was 45 at Manchester United. Bill Shankly (46) and Herbert Champman (47) were also in this bracket. Frank Rijkaard was 42 before Barcelona won the European Cup. He got Holland to the semi-finals of the 2000 Euro in his thirties but his success with Barcelona is his "mark". Gullit was 34 as Player-Manager and 36 as Manager at Chelsea so mathematically, he was bound to fail.
Failure might be something like karma that has to be balanced out across the football universe. Great players seem only to succeed when their managerial career overlaps with their playing career. Perhaps karma gets confused but over time this is corrected. Managerial success is the universe rewarding the hard-workers and journeymen for their devotion to the game over so many decades. It might be unfair to say great coach; bad player, maybe great coach; adequate player, is better. Either way great player; bad coach, remains solid.
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