Your Top Qualities of a football manager (5 Viewers)

[Grendel]

Clarrie...

No one on here acts like the 'grammar' police unless you make errors on the same line as calling someone else illiterate. Practice what you preach, a little consistency and balance leads to a healthier discussion. I do not consider myself 'pro-Thorn', only 'pro-Coventry', but am not as relentlessly anti-Thorn as you, Grendel, sickboy, lordsummerisle, etc.

You keep mentioning balance as of adopted a balanced view gives you some kind of moral high ground. I neither agree with or accept this notion.

People can have firm views on a subject without suffering ignorance or bigotry. I am sure that a miner in the 80's had a less than balanced view on Thatcherism for example or a victim of persucation from a tyrannical institution will not probably view the despotic regime "objectively".

So on this issue I have no where to go as I see only failure and under achievement ahead. This is a judgement I have formed from observations and drawing conclusions from them.

 

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[Sutty]

So, we've got another Thorn thread now have we?

Christ on a bike.

 

[DiveDiveWhereverYouMayBe]

You keep mentioning balance as of adopted a balanced view gives you some kind of moral high ground. I neither agree with or accept this notion.

People can have firm views on a subject without suffering ignorance or bigotry. I am sure that a miner in the 80's had a less than balanced view on Thatcherism for example or a victim of persucation from a tyrannical institution will not probably view the despotic regime "objectively".

So on this issue I have no where to go as I see only failure and under achievement ahead. This is a judgement I have formed from observations and drawing conclusions from them.

I mention balance, because it would be nice to discuss something without the same old bobbins coming out ad infinitum. People can have firm views on subjects without coming across as ignorant or dismissive, that much is true. As is the reverse (note - willing to listen to the viewpoints of others and attempting a reasoned comment; I am a fucking dreamer, I know).

 

[Otis]

A good motivator. Has the respect of the players. Has tactical nous. Ability to change things and alter formations and plans. Someone who does his homework on the opposition and has the ability to out think the opposition.

 

[SkyBlueM]

Man management - ability to get the best out of each player

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Man management
Motivation skills
Leadership
Risk taker

Tactical knowledge is important but if you have a good coaching team and assistant manager behind you they can contribute to that

 

[thegameaintstraight]

What did Napoleon say about his battles and his Generals, "I have plenty of clever generals but just give me a lucky one" It does not matter just how hard you try, or train but there are so many things that can go wrong and often do. With a lucky general if things go wrong other things just seem to go right and counteract and cancel out what has gone wrong, even if he has not planned it that way.

 

[TheBoss]

What do you feel are the top qualities a football manager needs to be successful against the odds?

This isn't a slanging match thread - so please try to stay on topic.

Add as many as you like.

I'll kick off

• Able to inspire a commitment to the cause

To be a manager and not a scout.

 

[Hateley's Heed]

Pick the players up, put the nets up, collect the subs money from all players, pay the ref, wash the kit and attend disciplinary meetings when one of your players gets sent off for pole axing the opposition striker. Or is that just me with my under 9's side?

 

[dongonzalos]

To be able to take a rabble on freefall and turn their season round.

Then nearly keep up a team that just lost 8 players some if whom were the best players in the team. Who were mostly replaced with kids.

That will do for me give a manager who can do that the chance to sign some players then see what he can do.

 

[dongonzalos]

To be a manager and not a scout.

No way how the bloody hell can an ex professional footballer at the top level. Who then stayed in football as a scout. How could someone like that ever be a manager.
Surely no managers are ex professional footballers.

 

[cloughie]

Be a strong leader
Act as an ambassador to the club both through local and national media
Be a figure that gets respect just by being in the room

The last person who was at City as you describe that i can remember and I had the privelige to be in that inner circle at the time was George Curtis

 

[dongonzalos]

the bigger this list grows the more it begins to sound like a description of me, hmmmm

Yep as it keeps growing I am sure someone will eventually come up with suitable words

 

[Grendel]

No way how the bloody hell can an ex professional footballer at the top level. Who then stayed in football as a scout. How could someone like that ever be a manager.
Surely no managers are ex professional footballers.

No scouts go straight into the job - name one.

 

[dongonzalos]

No scouts go straight into the job - name one.

Thorn did play professional football at the top level didn't he.

So many professionals go straight into management.

What difference does it make if he was a good scout in between. Just another string to his bow.

Really can't see the logic with anyone having an issue with this.

If he had never played football I could possibly understand the way you make reference to it.

But top professional footballer scout for a couple of years manager. Really can't see your point.

 

[Astute]

No scouts go straight into the job - name one.

Andy Thorn

 

[Sutty]

No scouts go straight into the job - name one.

Andre Villas-Boas
Brian McDermott

McDermott was actually manager of a couple of non-league sides before becoming scout at Reading, but did a very Thorn-esque progression from scout to caretaker manager to permanent manager.

Now any chance of this not being a Thorn in or out debate?

 

[Astute]

So there are 92 managers in the football league and you are saying only one was previously a scout?

 

[Astute]

And if an ex player becomes a scout he will never make a good manager

 

[Grendel]

Andre Villas-Boas
Brian McDermott

McDermott was actually manager of a couple of non-league sides before becoming scout at Reading, but did a very Thorn-esque progression from scout to caretaker manager to permanent manager.

Now any chance of this not being a Thorn in or out debate?

Villas-Boas started at 16 working with Bobby Robson so no comparison.

Mcdermott managed Woking and Slough for 4 years before becoming Chief Scout at Reading. He then became youth and reserve team manager so very un Thorn-esque I would say.

 

[Grendel]

And if an ex player becomes a scout he will never make a good manager

After 10 years without attempting to gains qualifications to be a manager I would say no and the evidence we have with the one example suggests I am correct.

 

[dongonzalos]

And if an ex player becomes a scout he will never make a good manager

That seems to be the logic.

 

[Grendel]

So there are 92 managers in the football league and you are saying only one was previously a scout?

No I am saying I cannot see any going from scout straight to manager.

 

[dongonzalos]

Villas-Boas started at 16 working with Bobby Robson so no comparison.

Mcdermott managed Woking and Slough for 4 years before becoming Chief Scout at Reading. He then became youth and reserve team manager so very un Thorn-esque I would say.

Surely once he was chief scout any managerial ability he had was gone.

 

[Grendel]

That seems to be the logic.

No it isn't and I still have not had any examples from you to prove the contrary surely if this is a natural progression you should be able to find hundreds of similar cases - I think the roles are completely polarised by the way.

 

[ClarrieB]

oh dongonzalos, will you never learn - a good football player does not equate to a good manager - the idea of Thorn the scout rising from the Ashes to discover hidden gems and lead them back to the Championship is a fanciful romantic notion that you need to let go of. Do something to get some perspective - follow a club manager that get's results and begin to realise what AT is and is not. We have NO chance. Where do you get this blind faith?

 

[Grendel]

Surely once he was chief scout any managerial ability he had was gone.

No he had already been a manager, was qualified and had numerous other roles in Reading before becoming first team manager.

 

[dongonzalos]

No scouts go straight into the job - name one.

Frank Gregan

 

[Grendel]

Frank Gregan

Slightly contentious as he was also a qualified coach. Any way Don was he an unqualified success and where is he now?

 

[Astute]

We have no chance, but the season is still 2 weeks away.

Should we even bother going if we have no chance?

 

[dongonzalos]

oh dongonzalos, will you never learn - a good football player does not equate to a good manager - the idea of Thorn the scout rising from the Ashes to discover hidden gems and lead them back to the Championship is a fanciful romantic notion that you need to let go of. Do something to get some perspective - follow a club manager that get's results and begin to realise what AT is and is not. We have NO chance. Where do you get this blind faith?

I agree I especially hate it when people automatically think a good ex player means they will be a good manager. Bryan Robson Roy Keane.

However the debate is how does Andy Thorn previously working as a scout mean he will be a bad manager. Don't really get that one.

 

[dongonzalos]

Slightly contentious as he was also a qualified coach. Any way Don was he an unqualified success and where is he now?

Back to back promotions.

 

[Grendel]

I agree I especially hate it when people automatically think a good ex player means they will be a good manager. Bryan Robson Roy Keane.

However the debate is how does Andy Thorn previously working as a scout mean he will be a bad manager. Don't really get that one.

The role of scout is quite insular and does not require the same motivation and leaderships skills required to be a manager. The jobs are different. One does not naturally translate into another and in the very occasional case that they do you end up with Frank Gregan or Andy Thorn.

 

[ClarrieB]

I agree I especially hate it when people automatically think a good ex player means they will be a good manager. Bryan Robson Roy Keane.

However the debate is how does Andy Thorn previously working as a scout mean he will be a bad manager. Don't really get that one.

Actually the debate is "Your Top Qualities of a football manager" - I should know since I started this thread - want your own Thorn debate then start your own thread - but, before you do that (watch out for the 'boring not another thorn thread brigade) please, since you've the energy to post several times on a thread I created do me the honor of posting your actual 'top qualities of a football manager' rather than the half baked Thorn reference you posted previously.

I am really eager to know what you actually think makes a good manager quality wise because I want to understand what makes a 'die hard' Thorn Supporter such as yourself tick.

...

Thanks

 

[Grendel]

Actually the debate is "Your Top Qualities of a football manager" - I should know since I started this thread - want your own Thorn debate then start your own thread - but, before you do that (watch out for the 'boring not another thorn thread brigade) please, since you've the energy to post several times on a thread I created do me the honor of posting your actual 'top qualities of a football manager' rather than the half baked Thorn reference you posted previously.

I am really eager to know what you actually think makes a good manager quality wise because I want to understand what makes a 'die hard' Thorn Supporter such as yourself tick.

...

Thanks

In Don's case it must be;

Fail to win in 8 out of 10
Never accept responsibility for your actions
Never win an away game
Get relegated
Give a wave to your fans when the going gets tough