WHAT CAN you really say after a 9-0 drubbing except sorry? You had to feel some sympathy for pale-faced Ralph Hasenhüttl, facing the TV cameras after a seismic home defeat that extended Southampton’s current run to one point from five league games. Southampton have said they have no interest in sacking Hasenhüttl, but look at the fixture list and see what’s on the horizon – … Continue reading Hasenhüttl’s house of horror
EVERYONE loves Jürgen Klopp, even those that do not especially warm to Liverpool Football Club. The current talk is of the popular German coach presiding over the creation of a “dynasty”, not the first time we’ve heard this from Liverpool or indeed a number of clubs, who can afford to talk boldly when things are going well. However, Liverpool are arguably the only club who … Continue reading Football Media Watch: Klopp, Liverpool and the pursuit of dynastic excellence
FOOTBALL MANAGERS at the highest level don’t seem to be too upset when the axe falls. For a start, you never get to hear about the end of a managerial reign, most victims undoubtedly sign NDAs (non-disclosure agreements), the tool of the employer who feels uncomfortable about sacking an employee. The corporate world has long used these documents to silence people that have been “terminated” … Continue reading Management – it’s business, not personal
AFTER some years bemoaning the fact he hasn’t had a chance to become a manager, the eccentric character that is Sol Campbell has been appointed “gaffer” at Macclesfield Town, the 92nd-placed club in the Premier/Football League structure. The Guardian’s Daniel Taylor said that Campbell doesn’t always realise how he comes across, referring to some of the comments he made when being given the job. At … Continue reading Football Media Watch: Campbell’s kingdom
IT’S not fashionable to defend José Mourinho, especially after his poor impression of Ted Rogers on the TV Show, 3-2-1, but is it really so big a crisis at Old Trafford? Mourinho has the best win rate of any Manchester United manager – 61.48%, a figure that beats even the records of Sir Matt and Sir Alex. But there’s two things that are really agitating … Continue reading Finding galactico gaffers – why United may be better off with the status quo
UNAI Emery was not a failure at Paris Saint-Germain, not by any means. But his time in Passy, the 16th arrondissement of Paris, was never going to last long given the impatience of PSG’s owner to become European champions. The taxi to Gare du Nord was ordered as far back as March 8, 2017. Impatience is not a quality you would normally associate with Arsenal, … Continue reading The right choice – Emery’s arrival at Arsenal
THERE’S a lot to be said for continuity and familiarity when it comes to football teams and invariably, successful teams only use a small group of players in pursuit of glory. Some of the best champions have depended on 11 or 12 players that perform like a well-oiled unit that becomes telepathic in its interaction. The importance of squad stability has been underlined in a … Continue reading Stability breeds success… if time permits
FIRST of all, Arsenal will have to get used to the idea their next managerial appointment will probably not be a dynastic move that changes the face the football. The problem is, they’ve had a guy in charge who created, to some extent, the shape of modern football in England. A cosmopolitan who was relatively unknown but had ideas that English football had never before … Continue reading If it is Ancelotti, it’s a good fit
EVERTON don’t generally act rashly when it comes to managers, but despite their poor form this season, the most relevant factor in the disposal of Ronald Koeman may just have been the shifting sands at the club. Everton are under new management in the boardroom, with Farhad Moshiri owning almost 50% of the club. Bill Kenwright may be chairman and 12.2% stakeholder, but Moshiri gave … Continue reading Toffees couldn’t fudge the issue
SO we’re off! The non-league season has started and we can expect the usual catalogue of thrills, spills and mishaps. This year, it seems to be earlier than usual – it is literally only a month since we saw Portugal win Euro 2016 and the kids have only just broken up for their summer break. What can we expect over the next eight or nine … Continue reading 2016-17? The non-league script will be familiar
