Mo Gosfield
Well-known member
- Aug 11, 2010
- 6,284
In the midst of political and economic upheaval, with most of us uncertain as to the immediate future, isn't it reassuring to sit back in the comfort of your armchair, safe in the knowledge that two things will never change. Firstly, the England football team, will never fail to disappoint at major tournaments and secondly, the FA will never fail to appoint a safe, uninspiring and ultimately, unsuccessful manager.
For a number of post war years, the England football team had a manager called Walter Winterbottom. He didn't pick his team. It was picked for him by an FA committee, an eclectic bunch of business men steeped in everything bar football knowledge. They were heavily involved in their own clubs and therefore had individual agendas. They would promote their own players. They knew best and the admirable Winterbottom had to pay lip service to them. He accepted his lot and kept a low profile. He had some very good players at his disposal, including two of the greatest of all time, Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney and later on Johnny Haynes and Jimmy Greaves. Despite regularly being one of the best two or three sides in the world, England failed to progress past the quarter finals of any tournament (sound familiar!)
In 1962, after they had controlled Winterbottom for over 15 years, the FA decided to replace him with Alf Ramsey, who had amazingly won the top division with Ipswich Town, a small backwater club then. He had moulded a bunch of ordinary players into title winners, by playing to their strengths, within a tight system. Before he started, he demanded full control over selection and they agreed. Before long, he was moulding England into a decent outfit. Picking players he trusted, working to a plan that could also be flexible, he built toward 1966. He protected his players from the press and built a team spirit second to none. He was brave as a manager, typified by his decision to leave the best striker in Europe out of a World Cup Final. The single biggest decision in England football management history. His players loved and respected him and rewarded him with the greatest prize of all.
At last, a blue print for success. Identify the right man for the job. A man who has proved that he can achieve big things at club level and not always with the best players. A man who knows how to set a team up, irrespective of their individual ability. A coach who often lets the players lead, without them really knowing it. All they know is that they are enjoying it. A man who leaves every player in no doubt as their individual and collective responsibility.
The future was set fair. English football knew the way forward, Except for one thing. The men who sat in responsible positions in the FA, were not fit for purpose. Lions led by donkeys. Occasionally, over the years, they stumbled on a good candidate, Robson and Venables for example but invariably they fell back into the trap of a safe candidate. Someone who talks well to the press, looks reasonably good in a blazer and tie ( green track-suit wouldn't do!!! )
The FA was crying out for new blood. Men steeped in the game at the highest level. Who did they get? Adam Crozier, fresh out of Asda supermarket group. Now Crozier was really clever and went in search of someone different. He found this quietly spoken, bespectacled genius who had created an aura about himself. Crozier made him the highest paid manager in history and despite him failing to achieve anything with a good group of players, he kept extending his contract on ever increasing money. Sven loved this, as the only two things he was ever interested in were money and women.
Exit Crozier. Enter Barwick. Enter Steve McClaren, with all the pedigree in the world but not a clue how to manage. Enter Copello. Football is all about communication. No one could understand a word he was saying. Enter Gregg Dyke. Another man steeped in football, I think not. TV and owning a golf club. Ideal preparation. But not to worry. Dyke could look at other sports and see where we were getting it right. Rowing. Appoint the best coach in the world, Jurgen Groebbler, result...15 years on, best rowing nation in the world. Cycling. Appoint the best coach in the world...result....best cycling nation on earth. Andy Murray. Appoint an all time great (Lendl) to work with you...result....success. Athletics....get in the best coaches...result.... success (Farah/Salazar etc)
Lesson learnt.......enter Roy Hodgson. A benign, establishment figure who has spent his whole career being a nice guy and talking football speak. Examine his career and you will see consistency.....underachievement. He appoints a heavyweight assistant in Ray Lewington and Gary Neville, wet behind the ears and still smarting from managerial failure.
Never mind, Roy has gone now, after two of the most abject tournament performances ever witnessed. He somehow managed to survive the World Cup debacle because Dyke knew he had the right man to take England forward to Euro 2016. As English rugby have appointed Eddie Jones and been transformed in months, surely Dyke and his cronies will take notice. Surely they can lift their heads up and see it working elsewhere. Surely...surely....but wait....I have just seen the favourite to be new England manager.....Gareth Southgate......of course....ideal.....success with the U21's...now he can manage the big boys.
Same old, same old.
For a number of post war years, the England football team had a manager called Walter Winterbottom. He didn't pick his team. It was picked for him by an FA committee, an eclectic bunch of business men steeped in everything bar football knowledge. They were heavily involved in their own clubs and therefore had individual agendas. They would promote their own players. They knew best and the admirable Winterbottom had to pay lip service to them. He accepted his lot and kept a low profile. He had some very good players at his disposal, including two of the greatest of all time, Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney and later on Johnny Haynes and Jimmy Greaves. Despite regularly being one of the best two or three sides in the world, England failed to progress past the quarter finals of any tournament (sound familiar!)
In 1962, after they had controlled Winterbottom for over 15 years, the FA decided to replace him with Alf Ramsey, who had amazingly won the top division with Ipswich Town, a small backwater club then. He had moulded a bunch of ordinary players into title winners, by playing to their strengths, within a tight system. Before he started, he demanded full control over selection and they agreed. Before long, he was moulding England into a decent outfit. Picking players he trusted, working to a plan that could also be flexible, he built toward 1966. He protected his players from the press and built a team spirit second to none. He was brave as a manager, typified by his decision to leave the best striker in Europe out of a World Cup Final. The single biggest decision in England football management history. His players loved and respected him and rewarded him with the greatest prize of all.
At last, a blue print for success. Identify the right man for the job. A man who has proved that he can achieve big things at club level and not always with the best players. A man who knows how to set a team up, irrespective of their individual ability. A coach who often lets the players lead, without them really knowing it. All they know is that they are enjoying it. A man who leaves every player in no doubt as their individual and collective responsibility.
The future was set fair. English football knew the way forward, Except for one thing. The men who sat in responsible positions in the FA, were not fit for purpose. Lions led by donkeys. Occasionally, over the years, they stumbled on a good candidate, Robson and Venables for example but invariably they fell back into the trap of a safe candidate. Someone who talks well to the press, looks reasonably good in a blazer and tie ( green track-suit wouldn't do!!! )
The FA was crying out for new blood. Men steeped in the game at the highest level. Who did they get? Adam Crozier, fresh out of Asda supermarket group. Now Crozier was really clever and went in search of someone different. He found this quietly spoken, bespectacled genius who had created an aura about himself. Crozier made him the highest paid manager in history and despite him failing to achieve anything with a good group of players, he kept extending his contract on ever increasing money. Sven loved this, as the only two things he was ever interested in were money and women.
Exit Crozier. Enter Barwick. Enter Steve McClaren, with all the pedigree in the world but not a clue how to manage. Enter Copello. Football is all about communication. No one could understand a word he was saying. Enter Gregg Dyke. Another man steeped in football, I think not. TV and owning a golf club. Ideal preparation. But not to worry. Dyke could look at other sports and see where we were getting it right. Rowing. Appoint the best coach in the world, Jurgen Groebbler, result...15 years on, best rowing nation in the world. Cycling. Appoint the best coach in the world...result....best cycling nation on earth. Andy Murray. Appoint an all time great (Lendl) to work with you...result....success. Athletics....get in the best coaches...result.... success (Farah/Salazar etc)
Lesson learnt.......enter Roy Hodgson. A benign, establishment figure who has spent his whole career being a nice guy and talking football speak. Examine his career and you will see consistency.....underachievement. He appoints a heavyweight assistant in Ray Lewington and Gary Neville, wet behind the ears and still smarting from managerial failure.
Never mind, Roy has gone now, after two of the most abject tournament performances ever witnessed. He somehow managed to survive the World Cup debacle because Dyke knew he had the right man to take England forward to Euro 2016. As English rugby have appointed Eddie Jones and been transformed in months, surely Dyke and his cronies will take notice. Surely they can lift their heads up and see it working elsewhere. Surely...surely....but wait....I have just seen the favourite to be new England manager.....Gareth Southgate......of course....ideal.....success with the U21's...now he can manage the big boys.
Same old, same old.
