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Love it or hate it, the Christmas and New Year period can be a useful marker – time to take stock, professionally and personally. Of course, looking back isn’t always a comfortable experience and this past year is more likely than most to hold some difficult memories – of failures, financial troubles, missed opportunities and disappointment. But, beyond a deep sigh of relief and a toast to better things around the corner, good leaders won’t linger too long on the bad memories. Speaking at an event for Barclays Commercial this month, business mentor and broadcaster René Carayol slammed the undue negativity of the British media during the recession and highlighted the many success stories out there. He urged leaders to be positive and to rise
It’s time to leaders are found when they are truly needed”. take stock, It’s this positive, forward-looking approach that professionally all managers should adopt in the coming months, regardless of their current position or relative and personally. success in 2009. Identify the weak points in your But good team, yes, but more importantly focus on your strengths and harness them to the full in 2010. leaders won’t In this edition, we ask how best to improve team linger too long performance without crushing morale. As our managers and academics agree, it’s all about on the bad positive, constructive criticism. We also look forward to one of the most exciting developments in English memories to the challenge, saying, “We need to march
ourselves out of recession”. He added that “great
football this decade – the National Football Centre. Now that The FA has finally given it the go-ahead, we speak with Gérard Houllier, technical director of the French Football Federation, about what France’s Clairefontaine has done for the national game and his hopes for the future of English football. There is much we can learn from the methods and approaches in other cultures, as highlighted by our article on brand development. Having taken the helm at Dutch club FC Twente, Steve McClaren has experienced one of the most distinct football styles and cultures around. We ask experts at some of the world’s biggest marketing agencies about the value of building and managing a great brand. Whatever 2009 held for you, having the support of forward-thinking organisations like the LMA will put you in the best possible position to make 2010 a winner. From the LMA and The Manager, have a fantastic New Year. Alice Hoey Editor
Published for the LMA by Caspian Publishing Ltd. Opinions expressed by contributors are their own. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Publishing enquiries: 020 7368 7177 Fax: 020 7368 7178 www.caspianpublishing.co.uk Editor: Alice Hoey Group editor: Keith Ryan Account manager: Tina Franz Creative director: Nick Dixon Art editor: Clare Meredith Production manager: Karen Gardner Advertisement manager: Matthew Blore Commercial director: Roger Beckett Founder and communications director: Matthew Rock Founder and editorial director: Stuart Rock Picture credits: Action Images/Getty Images/Alamy/Rex Features/istockphoto The League Managers Association The Camkin Suite, 1 Pegasus House, Tachbrook Park, Warwick CV34 6LW Tel: 01926 831 556 Email: lma@lmasecure.com www.leaguemanagers.com For annual subscription (£20 for four issues): 020 7368 7200 Fax: 020 7368 7201 or subscribe online at www.themanagermagazine.com
winter issue the line-up
20
12 04 kicking off News and views from the past
12
40
08
28
McCall and Peter Jackson.
36 lawrie mcmenemy
quarter-season.
on how the manager’s job has
08 tony pulis
changed, career influences and
Despite lacking the budget of
sport in the community.
many of their competitors, Stoke City continue to perform beyond
38 the pioneers
expectations. We ask Tony Pulis for
Looking back at the early greats of
the secret of his success.
football management.
12 the main event
40 Centre of attention
An impressive line-up and lively debate made the inaugural LMA conference a must-attend event.
As the National comedian Stephen K Amos.
Here are the highlights, including
Football Centre finally gets
27 against all odds
the go-ahead,
Anna Hemmings’ story of
we ask Gérard
16 the ID card
perseverence and mental strength
Houllier
How do you define a club’s brand –
has resonance for us all.
why France’s
Arsène Wenger and Archie Norman.
style of play, values, logo? Steve McClaren joins the brand experts for the debate.
Clairefontaine is
28 keeping up appearances
such an inspiration.
Roy Hodgson and corporate image
43 lma events
20 odd one out
consultant Lucinda Slater provide
Highlights from Leaders
In any team there will be specialists.
some helpful tips on making friends
in Football.
We ask cricket coach Duncan
and influencing people.
44 inspirational
Fletcher what that means for
32 must try harder
a leader.
22 the zone
What’s the best
What is it and how
way to give
do you get there? With Aidy Boothroyd and
16
32
The LMA 1,000 Club Hall of Fame celebrates longevity and experience in management. We meet the 18 club members.
constructive
54
criticism?
48 10 minutes with...
With Stuart
Stuart Gray.
Kickingoff News and views FROM THE DUGOUT
Now for the real recovery With many people facing pressure to get results fast and concerns over potential redundancies and pay-cuts, stress levels are likely to be dangerously high. For a business, that can result in a high staff absentee rate and an underperforming workforce that is suffering from poor health and low morale. Now, a new programme aims to help companies re-examine their approach to employee well-being and ensure staff are in the peak of health, happiness and
54%
of employees think supporting the same team as your boss and peers can improve your career prospects
58%
said being a rival supporter can make you the butt of office jokes
(Source: Theladders.co.uk)
The Manager
performance. Beyond the Barriers is the brainchild of Anna Hemmings, a former Olympian and world champion kayaker, and Dorian Dugmore, an expert in cardiovascular and exercise medicine and president and founder of Wellness International at adidas. Through tailored workshops, presentations and coaching sessions, delivered by experts from sport, health and business, Beyond the Barriers aims to equip individuals with the tools they need to get themselves in shape and, ultimately, help drive business forward.
Pitch perfect Some highly cringe-worthy management speak has pervaded the English language. But football managers, rest at ease – you are not responsible. Business gobbledigook, you see, makes perfect sense when spoken by the gaffer. Say what?
Boardroom
Changing room
“Going forward”
A vague and over-used term that can normally be omitted from a sentence with absolutely no effect on its meaning.
Tactic whereby players move up the pitch in order to attack and score.
“Low-hanging fruit”
The quick wins or targets that are easiest to achieve.
Area of a player that, if not carefully guarded, is most likely to result in lengthy extra time.
“Close of play”
The end of the working day. Used in the context of deadlines or orders rather than anything nice, like “shall we meet for a beer at close of play?”
When the final whistle blows. That’s it, finito. Time to assess what went wrong or right, make changes and then focus fully on the next game.
“Think outside the box”
Think laterally about something. Consider it from a different perspective (i.e. “what you’ve come up with so far isn’t good enough”).
Avoid focusing too heavily on goalmouth action. Ensure your midfield and defence are also rock solid.
“Throw a curveball”
Do or say something unexpected, like “I’d like a pay cut please – I’m really quite a waste of space” or “I think I speak for everyone when I say how much I enjoy these ‘idea showers’.”
Perform a rather impressive throw-in that heads in one direction before whizzing off in entirely the other. Sure to confuse the opposition.
Richard Bevan
aiming high in 2010 2009 was a highly successful year for the LMA. We continue to work to improve the quality and variety of our services to members, and to represent their collective views to effect positive change. Our growth is supported by the relationships that we build within the game and the
Apprenticeships
good for business According to research by YouGov on behalf of the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), 80 per cent of people are more likely to use a business if it supports young people through apprenticeship schemes. This puts it on a par with having Fair Trade agreements with suppliers and strong environmental credentials in influencing consumer spending. It will be good news for firms in the leisure, travel and tourism sector, which took on 6,300 apprentices in 2008, and should spur on more companies to consider such schemes. The research was commissioned for the launch of the NAS’ Good for Business initiative, which aims to increase the number of apprenticeships available to 16-18-yearolds in England by highlighting the benefits for employers.
94%
of people think it is important that firms take on apprentices during the recession (Source: Theladders.co.uk)
continued expansion of our commercial programme. The Manager sits at the heart of this. Meanwhile, our inaugural Annual Management Conference at the Emirates stadium, featured in this edition, reinforced the value that the LMA and its members can deliver to corporate partners. I would like to thank the team at Caspian for their support across the magazine and conference, and specifically our editor, Alice Hoey, for her outstanding contribution. In November, we also celebrated the 18-strong LMA Hall of Fame 1,000 Club at our flagship fundraising dinner. Having managed over 1,000 club first team league and cup games is a remarkable achievement in an industry characterised by instability and short-termism. We’ll continue to provide world-class support, advice and development programmes to the next generation of managers so that more can reach or get near this milestone. We all look forward to South Africa 2010. After the carnival atmosphere at the draw in Cape Town, it will clearly be a unique event. But something else stands out from recent months – the handball that saw France qualify. Incorrect decisions such as this are preventable. We will challenge the game to explore new ways to ensure better, more accurate decision-making. With the engagement of our members, we reviewed the use of additional assistant referees during the first part of this season’s Europa League. While not yet perfect, it is a step in the right direction. We applaud FIFA and UEFA for continuing the trial into the new year. But more can be done. The trialling of goal-line technology is a must, as is continuing to improve the quality of refereeing in professional football. We call on all decisionmakers in the game to seize any opportunity to change the status quo and make the game fairer, more professional and better for managers, players and fans. On behalf of the LMA, I wish you all a very happy New Year.
For more information on the LMA’s Corporate Management Network, please contact Jim Souter on 07769 906295
The Manager
Sun, surf, soccer Having coached in California for five weeks over the summer, Aidy Boothroyd predicts a positive future for football in the US and great opportunities for UK managers. “The game is growing very fast and particularly at youth level,” he says. “The Californian climate provides a year-round opportunity to take a break, experience a totally different culture and help teach the game to some very willing students.” Boothroyd took 34 coaching sessions at Cal South, West Coach, San Diego Surf and
Laguna Niguel, and spent several days observing the Surf Cup, a tournament for under-14s and under-16s. While football has an established and growing following in California, he found that the facilities were still sadly lacking. “I played on a polo field, a baseball outfield and a gridiron,” he says. Boothroyd was also struck by the fact that stadia are treated primarily as a source of income in the US. “After one Galaxy game, as soon as the final whistle went and the players were off the pitch, lorries loaded with dirt drove on
and prepared the surface for the Motorbike World Championships,” he recalled. But one of the main differences between youth clubs in the UK and California’s coaching organisations, says Boothroyd, is that players who are scouted in California are asked to pay for their coaching. However, the investment can pay off. “Football can be a great way into a university degree in the US, so investing in their child’s talent early on can save parents a lot of money further down the line.”
Making a stand Ipswich Town have renamed their north stand in honour of the late Sir Bobby Robson. In his 13-year spell as manager of the club, Sir Bobby took Ipswich to FA Cup and UEFA Cup glory. Meanwhile, West Ham have renamed their Centenary Stand after Sir Trevor Brooking, whose allegiance to the side spanned his entire 29-year career. Brooking, now director of football development at The FA, also had short stints as caretaker manager of the club and as a director.
The Manager
Positive signs
5%
increase in Champions League crowds in 2009/10
90% but...75% of topflight clubs
barclays Premier League grounds full
froze or reduced season ticket prices
EXTRA TIME Hull City manager Phil Brown and six of his coaches have completed the BUPA Great North Run. Wearing the club stripes, the “magnificent seven” joined 54,000 runners to tackle the 13.1 miles from Newcastle to South Shields. Bryan Robson, OBE, and Bryan Gunn have taken part in a celebrity football match at Truro City FC to help raise funds for the Children’s Hospice. When Burnley’s reserve team were a man down against the Liverpool reserves at Tranmere’s Prenton Park, Owen Coyle stepped into the breach. While his side lost
In the name of research Lawrie McMenemy was honoured to put his name and support behind a new multidisciplinary football research and consultancy centre at Southampton Solent University. The Lawrie McMenemy Centre for Football Research was opened by sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe in September and builds on the university’s position as a leader in sports-related courses. Speaking at the launch, McMenemy said, “The football industry is increasingly recognising the importance of strengthening relationships with the academic community and the expertise it offers.”
the game, Coyles proved he hasn’t lost his touch. Phil Parkinson held a Q&A session with aspiring football coaches at Charlton’s Sparrows Lane. The event was held in conjunction with The Prince’s Trust and in support of the Charlton Athletic Community Trust. Arsène Wenger joined four of Arsenal’s players to meet patients and help raise money for Great Ormond Street’s Children’s charity. The players, who dressed up as furry animals for the occasion, also donated a day’s wages to the fund. Reading hosted the Heroes Cup charity game in November, in which a team of celebrities represented England against The Rest of the World, managed by Lawrie Sanchez. The match raised money for Help for Heroes, the Coca-Cola Football League’s official charity for 2009/10.
The Manager
»
cover story
team Spirit
interview:SUE MCKELLAR
Photographs: marie slater friend
An experienced manager, Tony Pulis is adept at pulling together teams that exceed expectations. His solid leadership has achieved consistent success on moderate budgets, and saw Stoke City return to the topflight after 23 years.
Why did coaching appeal to you from such an early age? When I left home at 16 to sign for Bristol Rovers, I was one of six children living in a three-bedroom terrace in South Wales. With no disrespect intended, I had no plans to return. I wanted to keep playing football and to take advantage of the opportunities further afield. When I was about 20, I took the advice of respected coach Dave Burnside and did my preliminary and intermediate coaching badges – I passed. Dave was impressed with how I handled them and urged me to go on to take the full coaching badge. Not only would it be good experience, he said, but it would be two weeks of great preparation for the new season. I’d been out injured, so the chance to get fully fit was a real bonus. I was as surprised as anybody that I actually passed. Taking the coaching badges opened up another field of opportunities for me. From an early age, it made me look at the game from a different angle. Players tend to be concerned
The Manager
»
cover story
only with themselves and don’t question things or look at them from other perspectives. How important was your coaching apprenticeship under Harry Redknapp to your later success? I have worked with many great people in football and learned an awful lot, good and bad. Harry Redknapp is a very good coach and I don’t think he gives himself enough credit for that. He has a great knowledge and understanding of the game and taught me a lot, not only about coaching, but players and the football industry as a whole. We travelled the length and breadth of the country to watch games and, on the way, we’d go through the Rothmans Football Yearbook and test each other on players. Harry knew them all. He also knew which ones would bring him success. Football is his passion. The approach to football management is different today than when I was starting out. Back then, I doubt that anybody would have taken a job in the topflight without having first gained experience at a lower level. For me, working for Harry for a year as his assistant manager was very beneficial – it was my first taste of being responsible for professional players. Have those players also changed in nature over the years? Footballers today are a different animal than they once were. Although the manager was in charge, in every dressing room there would be strong characters
10 The Manager
How do you get a team to perform at their best for you? You need good characters who you know will always give it their all, whatever happens. If you lose a game, you have to know that they will dust themselves down and go out fighting again. That’s what I demand of my players at Stoke City. Our success is the result of a real team effort from everyone at the club. Everyone plays an important role, right down to our kit lady, Winnie, who I always make time to have a cup of tea and a chat with. If we can stay in the Barclays Premier League for the next three years, it would be an unbelievable achievement.
who would step forward and help if things were going wrong. Players used to serve an apprenticeship, where they would work every hour of the day to prove themselves as footballers. That was hugely beneficial. Today, players tend to be spoiled from a very early age – we don’t give them the opportunity to become leaders. What stages of your career have been the most formative? I believe you actually gain more strength from the bad times in your career. From a very young age, I learned to face glory and defeat in the same context; a pat on the back is only two feet away from a kick up the backside. You have to understand that football can be fickle – you can be flavour of the month one minute and perceived as absolutely useless the next. I try to keep my feet on the ground, believe in what I’m doing and work hard.
From a very young age, I learned to face glory and defeat in the same context; a Tactics aside, how does your preparation change for pat on the back is team each match? only two feet away For every game we play, I try to find an angle on which to motivate from a kick up myself and the players. That might the backside be something an opposition player
What’s the secret to success on a modest budget? Whereas the football market was once quite open, today there are divisions according to wealth. That affects what people can achieve. Some managers work incredibly hard – week in, week out – with very small budgets, while also having to handle many off-field issues. However, they still manage to achieve relative success, and often don’t get the credit they deserve. To achieve that, you have to be very focused and driven. The budgets of the top four or five
clubs in the Barclays Premier League mean they can attract the best players in the world. If you’re lucky enough to be able to sign that level of talent, you can relax a little bit in the knowledge that it should win you games. We have to work at a different level to them, and that takes drive, great spirit and togetherness. At every club I have managed, I’ve always tried to generate a positive atmosphere. I believe we’ve achieved what we have over the last three years by having very professional players, who have worked well together as a team.
has said about us to the media or a reporter who has written something uncomplimentary. I will feed off that and use it to motivate the players before the game. Outside of matchdays, what motivates you from day to day? The desire to remain working in football – I want to be there tomorrow and everyday thereafter. I have been in football since I was 16 and it’s what I have always wanted to do. Playing was brilliant and, while management is tougher than it ever has been, I love my job. If it all ended tomorrow, I’d still be the happiest man alive.
The Manager 11
TOUCHLINE TO BOARDROOM At the inaugural LMA conference in September, a gripped audience learned from the experience and insight of some of the finest leaders in football and business. The event, chaired by Greg Dyke, former director general of the BBC, highlighted the many
issues and challenges that are faced by managers in any field. It also reinforced the message that there are many parallels between leadership in business and sport and much that we can and should learn from one another. Discussing topics from leadership in adversity to managing talent, a stellar cast of speakers hit on some of the core requirements of management at the top and provided a personal insight into their own experiences. Some of the LMA’s most experienced and respected members – among them, Arsène Wenger, David Moyes and Alan Curbishley – were cleverly paired with business leaders at the very top of their game – including former Asda CEO and now ITV chairman Archie Norman, chairman of British Airways Martin Broughton and Tidjane Thiam, CEO of Prudential. Here, we bring you extracts from two of the day’s most entertaining and insightful speeches, along with some of the highlights of the event’s packed programme.
12 The Manager
ARCHIE NORMAN Former CEO of Asda, and incoming chairman of ITV. My career has been about managing failure. I occupy the relegation zone; I go into businesses that are struggling, failing and require transformation. That’s what I like doing. In 1986, I went to Woolworths, at that time a loss-making company, and created Kingfisher, the largest general merchandise business in the UK. In 1991, I was recruited to go to Asda as chief executive. Now, rather like a farmed-out, semi-retired football manager, I commute to Australia to look after the turnaround of Coles Group, the second largest retailer in Australia. For me, the biggest test of success is the difference between your first day and your last day. That’s what you have achieved; that’s what you have created. Instant change is no change. If you give the impression that you can transform a failed business in 12 months, then you’re defining your own failure. Too many chief executives want to declare victory too soon. Don’t pull your punches. If you tell people the hard facts – the truth – you’ll get a cheer, because it’s likely they’ll have waited years for someone to say it. They know what it’s like to work on the front line, while the guys at the top are living in their own delusional worlds. It’s not a popularity contest. Chief executives today sometimes look like they’re running for an election. You have to do the tough things first. The root of all financial failure is organisational failure. If you want to bring about change fast you have to change the people. At Asda, we changed the board. At Energis, we changed half of the people we employed. Recruitment is the responsibility of the chief executive; even hiring store managers was my responsibility. The days of hierarchy are dead. You have to earn credibility and that comes from the way you behave personally. It comes from creating a single-status company. Success is measured by the motivation of the smallest guy in your company. The days when people came to work just to earn a daily crust are gone. They come to work for something more than that. Just as work is voluntary, the pace of work is voluntary – and pace matters. You have to give people respect and a reason to be there. Success is not just the profits you make. It’s not the silver you win or the dividends you pay. It’s what you leave behind. There are no statues of chief executives that I’ve seen. In business, there are no monuments. Once we’re gone, we’re gone – but the organisation lives on. People come to work to shine. It’s our job to let them.
The Manager 13
ARSÈNE WENGER with Damon Buffini & Tidjane Thiam On finding greatness
psychological education from being largely around adults
A good manager buys players before they are great. Up
at such an early age.
until the age of 20, it’s all about talent. Then come
People can rarely tell when they’re no longer good
motivation and intelligence. If you take two players with
enough. Only other people know. In this job, you need
the same level of talent, but one is highly motivated and
physical strength – you need to be an animal, almost, to
the other isn’t, by the time they hit 25 there will be a gulf
convince people that they need to win. Once that strength
between them. Players can choose to go out on a
has gone, you have a handicap. You can try to compensate
Thursday or Friday night and have all the girls or they can
with experience, but you need physical power. Do I ever
stay in, because they know that the game on Saturday
have days when I think I can live without this job? No, never.
really means something. There are very few people – maybe two per cent of the population – who really push
On losing
themselves. It’s in their genes.
When you lose a game as a manager, it’s a disastrous
You need to be able to objectively assess performance
feeling. The whole thing goes through your mind
and find basic ways to improve. If I ask a player at the end
afterwards. It takes special motivation to survive and get
of a match, “how do you think you played?” nine times out
over that and fight for the next one. This job is about
of ten, he’ll ask what I think. But I want to hear his opinion.
surviving disappointments and it gets worse as you get
If he can give a good analysis of his performance, the guy
older. I can deal with it better, physically, now than I used
has a future. There are two key qualities for a player to
to. I used to wonder if I would survive. We are all fighting
reach the top and stay there in the long term – persistence
to show ourselves and others that we are good enough
and the ability to analyse performance.
and that we have what it takes. You always question that.
The fantastic thing about sport is that you can be the son of a president or a king – but if you’re not good
» Tidjane Thiam, CEO, Prudential: I often tell people in
enough, you don’t play. In sport, that’s something I
my team, it’s not how high you can go, but how low
respect and find fantastic. You can come from the poorest
you can go. I have a motto: raise your minimum,
village in Africa, but nothing can stop quality in sport.
because you can ruin everything in a bad moment or
» Damon Buffini, chairman, Permira: When I became chief executive 15 years ago, I decided I needed the very best people around me, regardless of whether
by making a bad decision. The ability to deal with failure is key.
» Damon Buffini: We also have to deal with
they were better than me and made me look stupid or
disappointment and are judged pretty harshly.
slow. We had to be exposed to the best so that we
People used to come to us with their inventions
could compete with the best.
and, on one occasion, a partner of mine said to someone, “Don’t give up your day job”. With that,
On himself
James Dyson took his vacuum cleaner and left
I grew up in a pub and there’s no better psychological
the building! It’s easy to be successful. It’s much
education than that. When you’re five or six and you’re
harder to pick yourself up and figure out what
surrounded by people drinking beer, calling each other a
you’ve done wrong. The companies that perform
liar or stupid, you try to work out the reason for these
the best over the long-term are those that learn from
sometimes cruel statements. You get a practical,
their mistakes.
14 The Manager
You can be successful in any job if you can identify the one quality in which you excel and then hide your weaknesses” Arsène Wenger THE BIG ISSUES Winning at all costs
football culture in this country, which is
“If a club chairman is in the directors’
the envy of the world. However, if we
box and the results aren’t going well,
carry on as we are, we are going to find
the emotion and pressure from the
it increasingly difficult to produce a
fans mean they’ll make decisions they
successful England team,” Howard
wouldn’t make in the boardroom of
Wilkinson, chairman, LMA
any other company,”Alan Curbishley “Managers in cricket aren’t under the
Managing a team through difficult times
same kind of pressure – it’s easier for us
“On my first day, I sent an email to
team,” Michael Vaughan, OBE
to introduce young players into the
every employee and replied to every response. It became a weekly thing – I
“With the sheer number of British
knew I’d find out what was really going
players in the academies, you have to
on in the company,” Fru Hazlitt, former
hope there will be some top quality
CEO, GCap Media
players coming through,” Dan Johnson, head of comms, Premier League
“What sport can learn from business is long-term planning, personal
How to manage talent
development and goal-setting.
“People will tell a comedian exactly
Business can learn not to be afraid of
what they think of them. That’s difficult
taking emotionally based decisions,”
to deal with. You have to train them to
Iain Dowie
think and respond on the spot,” Maria Kempinska, founder and creative
“The relationship between the
director, Jongleurs comedy clubs
manager and the board is the most important of all,” David Buchler,
The big debate
turnaround guru
“What I have to do is very similar to what Wenger does with great skill. I
Building enduring success
bring people together from different
“Long-term success depends on an
horizons and cultures and unite them
enduring brand. You have to know
in a common goal,” Tidjane Thiam,
what you are and what you want to be.
CEO, Prudential
Everything must be coherent,” Martin Broughton, chairman, British Airways
In conversation with “Stability is so important in a club. It
“Supporters don’t make allowances for
shouldn’t be seen as a strange thing for
you as a manager. No one ever says, ‘It
a manager to be with a club for a long
doesn’t matter that we lost today
time,” David Moyes
because the manager’s got a fantastic business plan’,” Stuart Pearce
“Chelsea was a fantastic club for me as a player, but now I have a new job.
The future of English football
West Ham has been great to me and
“The national side is at the heart of the
Gianfranco Zola
I want to repay that with results,”
The Manager 15
»
brand management
Playing the id card Few brands can command the kind of media coverage that football clubs receive almost daily. But what does brand mean in football, and how can clubs harness that power? words: alice hoey
“A brand is an incredibly intangible thing,” says Tom Vicks, joint managing director at JWT, one of the world’s largest advertising and communications companies. Research carried out by JWT has shown that when you mention a brand to someone, it isn’t just the product that they think of, but a series of memories and associations. “A person’s perception of a brand will be formed from many different sources – a particular marketing campaign, direct or indirect exposure and more simple aesthetic things like colour and logo,” explains Vicks. “For a football club, it will include the players, stadium, logo, colour of the strip and even memories of past matches.” In that sense, football clubs stand out, says David James, executive professor of marketing and growth management at Henley Business School. “When it comes to most brands, people are habitual – if it’s not available, they’ll simply buy something else. However, people are incredibly loyal to their football club,”
16 The Manager
he says. Whereas for most products, aesthetics and messages are a major factor part, allegiance in football goes far deeper. “People very rarely switch football clubs – it’s something you inherit or align yourself to early on in life according to friends or family,” says Prof James. “You’re supporting something that’s in your soul.” Football clubs are also interesting, adds Vicks, because while they are actually quite small businesses, they can be massive brands: “The biggest brands in the country would love to get the level of media exposure that the leading clubs in the Barclays Premier League receive.”
Partner for life People’s perceptions about a club or brand can be both positive and negative, and can last a considerable time – sometimes long after the product or business has changed direction or switched allegiances. Any partnerships that are formed, therefore, need to be very carefully considered, on both sides.
A business that is planning to sponsor a club or organisation must ensure it shares its values and be wary of any lingering negative associations. “The last thing a business wants are photos of crowd trouble or players misbehaving with its logo all over their shirts and billboards,” says Prof James. Such negative associations don’t simply dissipate over time, he adds: “They are often so ingrained that a conscious effort is required to change people’s mindset. For example, while Chelsea had an appalling reputation in the 1970s and early 1980s, they have successfully shed that and moved upmarket.” And it’s a two-way street – clubs should look carefully at any potential sponsor. “Often, people will associate a club with a business long after that relationship has ceased,” explains Vicks.
A business planning to sponsor a club must ensure it shares its values and be wary of any lingering negative associations
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brand management
“For example, it’s now four years since what is now the Blue Square Premier was called the Nationwide Conference League,” he says. “Yet many people still call it by its former title. Likewise, in the 1970s and 1980s, shirt sponsorships lasted for much longer than they do today. For many years, Manchester United had Sharp and Liverpool had Candy, and you’ll still see fans wearing shirts with those brands on them.” There is also a danger, adds Prof James, of guilt by association: “When Sugar Puffs ran a commercial with Newcastle United, for example, it’s likely they alienated Sunderland fans. Ideally, if you’re going to sponsor a club, there should be a strong local connection or, for the bigger clubs, a brand with global reach.”
Far and wide As clubs try to develop as businesses and eat into their debt, building and managing their brands could prove vital. “If clubs are to continue to do business at the top level they can’t afford to stay still,” says Vicks. “The challenge is to develop and expand their brands on a global basis, because it’s from those additional supporters and revenue streams that the growth is going to come. Clubs in the Barclays Premier League are already looking to the Far East and the Middle East.”
18 The Manager
However, Prof James warns clubs looking to go global with their brands to think carefully about their target markets. “You have to consider what part of the market your brand is strong in and what competition there will be,” he says. “For example, clubs looking to break into the Middle East will find that the local market in Abu Dhabi is saturated with Manchester City fans, while in China Everton is very popular. It’s also important to think long and hard about your local fan base, because it will be the strong brands with good connections in the local community that will survive best in the long run.” As sponsorship becomes harder to come by and spectators have less cash to spend on match tickets and merchandise, clubs may need to place more emphasis on harnessing their brands. According to Vicks, it has already started to rise up the agenda. “The top clubs now seem to be very conscious of the commercial power of their brands and the need to exploit them to generate revenue,” he says. However, he and Prof James agree that football clubs have much further to go. “Far more time should be spent on the planning and marketing involved in branding,” says Prof James. “With a few exceptions, it simply isn’t happening yet.”
Having coached FC Twente since May 2008, Steve McClaren has a unique perspective on the Dutch brand of football and the renowned Total Football style of play. interview:sue mckeller
He’s with the brand It is, he says, totally different. “Win, lose or draw, the crowd stays after the game and the team does a lap of the pitch as a thank you. That sums up how the Dutch feel about football,” says McClaren. “The fans want the team to win, but also to watch good football, built on tactics and technique.” At FC Twente, McClaren found a solid team with a distinct style of football. “We build from the back and very rarely resort to the long ball,” he says. “Whatever the result, we always stick to our principles.” It has earned the side a good reputation, described by Johan Cruyff as a throwback to the old and successful Dutch style of play.
Best fit However, it isn’t only what happens on the pitch that creates a club’s distinctive brand of
football. At FC Twente, players are actively recruited and selected with their cultural fit in mind. “It would have been easy for me to change our style of play and revert to a more conventional 4-42 or 4-4-1 system,” says McClaren. “But when we lose wide players, we recruit more in order to keep our distinct style. Having worked previously at Manchester United, I see parallels with how Sir Alex Ferguson recruits players who fit the Manchester United mould.” The other distinctive thing about Dutch football is the strong emphasis on not only intelligent football, but intelligent coaching. “The first thing that hit me is that it is a football and coaching nation,” recalls McClaren. “Opposing managers here throw up all kinds of challenges; nothing they do is simple or conventional.
They’ll organise their teams purely to target your strengths and weaknesses; change tactics and make substitutions after only 20 minutes, and they’re not afraid to take risks.” According to McClaren, that’s down to a training regime that’s even more intensive than the English system. “Before becoming a head coach or manager, they must take a rigorous coaching licence, which involves shadowing a first team for a full season.” Learning from the bottom up is, he says, fantastic experience, the likes of which De Boer, Cocu, Bergkamp and Kluivert have all been through. The approach has clearly produced results, gaining the Netherlands an enviable reputation for high-calibre managers, over 100 of whom are currently working at clubs around the world.
Money spinner In any business or club, it’s easy to lose sight of the long-term picture while you focus on the short-term wins. However, if you have a successful brand, remaining loyal to that can have considerable benefits. At FC Twente, McClaren believes it is vital. “The club isn’t run by one wealthy person and we don’t have a board. Our income is generated by tiers of business clubs who are sponsors,” he says. “There is an enormous effort within the club to go out into the community and generate income. Therefore, we need a great brand that people want to be associated with.”
The Manager 19
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leadership
The odd one out
In most teams there will be specialists. How, then, do you lead and motivate people whose jobs you may have little or no experience of? Alice Hoey asks former England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher. You may be a highly qualified and experienced manager, but unless you’ve spent the best part of your life taking courses and switching jobs, you’re unlikely to be versed in every aspect of an organisation. Few chief executives understand accounting and IT; a football manager may have played but never saved a goal; and a theatre director probably knows nothing of lighting rigs. But there will be important individuals in their teams who do. “It’s important to understand the technical differences and difficulties of specialist roles, as well as the mental challenges that go with them,” says Duncan Fletcher. Growing up as an allrounder in cricket was, he says, invaluable, as was captaining sides from junior school. “I’ve spent my lifetime trying to understand spin-bowling, wicket-keeping and opening the batting,” he says. Understanding what makes a specialist tick is also essential if a manager is to influence their productivity. Often, in very niche roles, motivation will come less from money and power and more from success and advancement in that particular field. But most wicket-keepers, says Fletcher, are not driven by different goals. “They tend to be so immersed in what everyone else is doing that their goals are even more team-oriented
20 The Manager
You have to be careful that a successful team doesn’t override individuality than most batsmen or bowlers,” he says, adding, “It’s an odd situation because, while it is a very specialist role, the wicket-keeper is the focus of play. They control the pace – they’re the gears.”
Leading role Addressing any divisions and ensuring everyone gels as a team takes a skilled and experienced leader. “Selecting a team has as much to do with character as it does ability,” agrees Fletcher. “You need ambassadors for the culture you want to develop, as well as
other players that will grow with it. However, you also have to be careful that a successful team doesn’t override individuality.” Whereas culture and personality tend to be easier to influence in young teams, he adds, selection becomes more important in an older team, where character traits are more established. To unite a team, says Fletcher, you have to first empower the individual. “Emphasise to them what is required to succeed and make them accountable for it. That way, each individual leads rather than waiting to be led.” Gaining the respect of team members is essential for any leader if they are to implement changes and have an impact on team direction. However, that respect is normally earned through experience and a indepth knowledge of the sport or business – what works and what doesn’t. How, then, do you get someone to follow you if you have little or no direct experience of their particular role? “You need to show the specialist that there may be alternatives – to challenge the status quo and guide them to improved performance,” says Fletcher. “But it’s also vital as a leader to improve your own knowledge in any areas that you know it to be lacking. Demonstrate your desire and willing to learn.”
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performance
Welcome to the
z ne It is recognised by many sports psychologists as being key to superior performance under extreme pressure. But what does it really mean to be “in the zone” and how do you get there?
Louise Ellis, sports psychologist and performance specialist In psychology, what does it mean
about how others might be evaluating
a manager is about to make a
to be “in the zone”?
their performance. In some cases, this
substitution, but changes his mind
Sports psychologists use the term
can make it difficult for them to recall
because it doesn’t feel right, he’s
to define a very high level of
what actually happened in their
accessing a higher part of his mind.
performance that is achieved during
moment of brilliance.
The subconscious knows everything
a heightened state of consciousness.
and is incredibly powerful.
It’s an incredibly powerful experience
Does it only apply to sportspeople?
– one that can leave you energised,
No, it can happen to anyone, because
Is it something you can train for?
physically and mentally relaxed,
we all have the potential to tap into a
Yes, but it’s also about personal
confident and in total control.
higher state of mind. A manager will
commitment. When athletes are in
In this state, a person has a loss
know when they’re in the zone or
the zone, their vital organs are
of self-consciousness and becomes
peak performance, because they’ll
working in sync, so it’s important to
detached from the external
make decisions and substitutions at
monitor and train these areas. If the
environment. They allow in no
the right time, be creative with their
mind is in good shape, the body has
distractions and are not worried
ideas and communicate well. When
a better chance of following.
22 The Manager
Sally Gunnell Speaking about her outstanding performance at the 1993 World Championships: It’s weird, but I forgot everything. It was only when I was standing past the finish line that my life started again – it had been on hold for the last 52 seconds. I didn’t know what had happened – that I’d won the gold and broken the world record. During my mental preparation for a race, I go over and over the thought of winning – it’s almost like a taperecording. Then, when I actually get out there and run, I go into my subconscious. It feels very alien at times, almost like being in a trance.
Many factors can prevent an
to underperform. Fatigue, from
There are also things they can
athlete from getting into the zone
over-training or under-recovery, will
do to help individual players or the
or achieving their ideal performance
also prevent someone from reaching
whole team to reach the zone. I use
state (IPS). Emotions can have a
their IPS, let alone the zone.
specialist biofeedback equipment –
huge influence on performance, in
also used in AC Milan’s “mind room”
a positive and negative way. This is
How can a manager and his team
– which monitors an athlete’s thought
because our memory pays more
focus in this way?
activity, muscle tension and fatigue,
attention to thoughts that have
Most football managers will say that
and heart rate variability. This sort of
strong emotions attached to them.
they thrive off the intense pressure
information is invaluable for both the
of the job, but they still need to find
manager and his players, because
to focus on its most recent thoughts.
time to take care of themselves. If
it provides tangible evidence that
A footballer who has under-
they are in a good place, mentally,
can be used to monitor and fine-tune
performed and who doesn’t have a
they’ll be able to see things more
their mental and physical training.
coping strategy in place might dwell
clearly, make the right decisions
on his errors and, as a result, continue
and tap into a higher state of mind.
The subconscious mind also tends
www.louiseellis.com
The Manager 23
You need to have different scenarios in your head and be able to react quickly. That comes with experience, but also from gut instinct
Aidy Boothroyd, manager, Colchester United There are so many distractions in
is essential. In the same way,
football that to get into the zone
players must be able to remain
requires a lot of training and self-
entirely focused and in control.
awareness. The ability to control your
When a young player starts out,
emotions is an absolute prerequisite
he has no concept of what it’s really
to success as a manager and player.
like to perform in front of a crowd. It’s
A manager has to prepare well
like the difference between making a
and have a plan for what he wants
ten-yard pass in training and during a
to do in a game. However, things can
game, when the opposition is trying
change very quickly, so you need to
to tackle you. During a match,
have various different scenarios in
different criteria and distractions
your head and be able to react
come into play – how the crowd is
quickly. That comes with experience,
reacting, what’s happening on the
but also from gut instinct.
bench and whether the decisions are
The amount of human error on the pitch – from your players and the
going in your side’s favour. For me, the best players are those
officials – and how the fans react can
who don’t only work extremely hard
all influence your state of being.
physically, but mentally, because
Therefore, the manager’s ability to
they want to win and ensure they
remain calm, stay in the moment and
remain totally focused on the game
make effective on-the-spot decisions
and their part in it.
24 The Manager
Stephen K Amos, comedian Preparing yourself to get into a certain state of mind comes with experience. When I first started doing stand-up, I used to write down bulletpoints to get things to stick in my head. But I found I was beginning to rely on them like a comfort blanket – I didn’t really need them. Now that confidence and experience have kicked in, I’m far more relaxed, so I don’t have any special mantras or routines before I go on stage. I’m very aware that people have paid money to see me perform and that helps me to focus. I can’t be hungover or show that I’ve had a bad day, and if I’m ill I simply won’t go on. Like a football manager, I can’t just rely on past success – I’m judged on my last performance. When I was starting out, comedy wasn’t really a career, it was something I did for pleasure. But then you start getting paid, become more serious about it and realise that you can’t mess about. You never know you might be in the audience – a casting directo or someone from the BBC with a possible contract. As in any profession, you hope that if you focus well enough in your job you’ll be able to move up the ladder. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to be enjoying yourself
take my foot off the gas – oh my
engineered it. I don’t want people
to give a great performance. The
goodness! There was a show recently
just shouting things out, because
audience can see it and smell it. That
when I went entirely off the script
I’ve come prepared with things to
doesn’t always come easily, though,
– for an hour and a half it just flowed.
say. Regaining your flow when that
because you’re always concerned
Because the audience and I were up
happens comes down to experience.
about giving a great show and making
for it, we had such a good time.
You have to win the audience back
sure the audience are having a good
I like a bit of audience
time. But when I’m really relaxed and I
participation, but only if I’ve
I don’t want people just shouting out, because I’ve come prepared with things to say. Regaining your flow takes experience
and start over again. I have many colleagues who are brilliant on stage, but the most depressed, miserable individuals off it. I have a genuine love of people and a confident disposition, so my comedy isn’t about being nasty – it’s just an extension of myself.
The Manager 25
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positive thinking
Try, try and try again When illness hit, Anna Hemmings was told her professional sporting career was over. But instead of giving up, she came back stronger. It’s a well-worn phrase in team-
building and self-help sessions the world over – you can achieve anything if you want it badly enough. While, in practice, the link between achievement and self-belief isn’t always so clear cut, some cases highlight brilliantly the power of positivethinking and gritty determination. When Britain’s leading female marathon canoeist, Anna Hemmings, started to suffer from extreme tiredness, her doctors and coaches put it down to overtraining. Their orders to rest and turn her back on her sporting career went in one ear and out of the other. Hemmings, fiercely competitive and entirely committed to excelling in her sport, refused to accept that she wouldn’t get better. “I never give up on anything,” she says, “I hadn’t finished my career yet and I wanted to do so on my terms.” Hemmings was eventually diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, an illness about which little was, and still is, known. “I was told to rest and wait while the doctors searched for a solution,” she recalls. “I found it very difficult, mentally, to have no end in sight for such a long time.” The whole period was the most challenging thing Hemmings has ever experienced, but while she admits there were dark times, she never gave up hope. The remedy finally came in the form of Reverse Therapy, which
I hadn’t finished my career yet and I wanted to do so on my terms teaches sufferers how to eliminate their symptoms by understanding what those symptoms are telling them and then acting on it. “It isn’t a treatment where you simply take medication,” explains Hemmings. “You have to really believe in and embrace it fully, which I did. If I hadn’t, it may not have worked for me.” After her recovery, she not only regained
her fitness but, in 2005, her world champion status. She went on to defend her title the following two years, totting up a total of six gold medals in her career and confirming her status as Britain’s most successful ever female canoeist. “I value that success even more now and I realise how privileged I was to be a professional athlete,” she says. “I still set myself tough goals at every step. But now, if I don’t win a race, I know that if I gave it my all and bettered myself I can be satisfied with that.” According to Hemmings, the whole experience has made her a stronger and more balanced person. “I used to be quite consumed by sport, but I now understand how important it is to have a balance in your life and to keep things in perspective.” It also made her realise how valuable it can be to have the right people around you. “You need people you can turn to for help,” she says. “I was never very good at that before, but now I understand there’s no weakness in asking for help or admitting you can’t do something on your own.” The overarching messages of Hemming’s story are of the power of tenacity and self-belief, but also that if you can’t get there on your own, support from your team is invaluable. “While you might not succeed at first, you can’t give up. If you want something badly enough, you’ll find a way.”
The Manager 27
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self-awareness
Keeping up appearances Whether it’s journalists, staff or the board, it helps to have people on your side. But while a manager might be brilliant at holding court in the changing room, communicating well in the public arena can be a challenge. Alice Hoey asks Roy Hodgson how to make a good impression. 28 The Manager
has never been more important to get it right. Now that every creased brow, slip of the tongue and post-match grumble reaches innumerable eyes and ears in minutes, ensuring you convey the right messages – through words, appearance and body language – has become a valuable skill.
Smile for camera
The nuances in what you say and how you express yourself can have a big impact on how people perceive you In any walk of life, being liked,
respected and trusted by those around you can open doors and ease your path – professionally and personally. Making friends and influencing people works. Communicating with stakeholders, employees and the public, often via the media, has always been an important part of the manager’s job. However, since the rise of the digital age, it
With over 30 years’ experience of managing teams in the UK and around the world, Fulham’s Roy Hodgson knows better than most that the media can be your best friend or your worst enemy. “When you go into a high profile job such as this, you have to realise that you’re part of the media game,” he says. “To some extent, you display the emotions that are expected of you. If, after a match, you were to simply shrug your shoulders and say, ‘it’s only a game’, you wouldn’t get very far.” Instead, experienced managers try to strike a balance between euphoria and disappointment after a match, he says. “If you’re on a losing streak, you don’t want to give the impression that life as you know it is coming to an end. But, conversely, if you’ve beaten a top side, you wouldn’t act as if everything is perfect.” Hodgson adds that he tends to be more aware of how he comes across when things haven’t gone well. “It’s important at those times not to let your concern show too much,” he says. “But, in less stressful moments, I don’t think about it too much. I just rely on the moment and strike the right pose.”
Lost in translation The good news for managers is that coming across well in interviews – as someone who is trustworthy and credible – is largely about being yourself. “While tips and guidance are useful, especially when you’re starting out, you shouldn’t try to reinvent yourself,” agrees Hodgson. Having faced microphones and press conferences the world over, one of the biggest challenges he has found has not been what to say, but how to get it across in different languages. “The nuances in what you say and how you express yourself can have a big impact on how people perceive you,” he explains. “Once, when I was managing Inter Milan, for example, I used the incorrect Italian preposition. I intended to say that ‘we were a team currently in the middle of the league table’. But what I actually said, and what was reported, was ‘we are a middle-of-the-table team’. As you can imagine, that didn’t go down too well.” Having managed several international sides, Hodgson has also faced the problem of how to demonstrate allegiance to another country without appearing insincere. “You have to stress your commitment and show it, first and foremost to the players,” he says. “You do that by your work with them on the field and the passion you have when talking about the team and its chances of success.”
Scrubbing up Of course, making a good impression isn’t only about
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self-awareness
Behave yourself Don’t: Put on an act – stick to your natural charm and avoid appearing false. Forget to preen – poor grooming implies a lack of self-respect. Tweezers out! Slouch – it gives the appearance of disinterest. Stand or sit tall. Forget to smile – showing your gnashers puts people at ease and builds rapport. Do: Make eye contact – if not, people will think you have something to hide. Relax and stay calm – you may regret words said in the heat of the moment. Listen – more than you speak in face-to-face meetings. Show you’re interested.
what you say, but how you look. “Making an effort in how you present yourself conveys respect for others and also for yourself,” says corporate image consultant Lucinda Slater. “If you represent a world-class team, you need to look like you belong. You need to look world class,” she says. Slater adds that dressing smartly in professional situations is also what is expected. “Therefore, if you fail to meet those expectations, it naturally raises questions in people’s minds about who you really are and your ability to do the job.” But focusing on clothes alone is also a mistake. Slater points out that in a situation where people are looking at you for some time, they may well notice the finer details. “Poor grooming will undermine any positive impression that you’ve made,” she says. “It conveys messages such as lack of self-awareness, poor organisation and lack of self-respect.” The good work your mouth is doing can also be undone by what the rest of your body is up to. “However well you speak or are dressed, it may be undermined if your body language is sending out a conflicting message,” says
30 The Manager
Slater. “In fact, where there is such a conflict, it is the message conveyed by your body language that will be believed,” she adds. “Think, for instance, about the person who says they have time to stop and talk, but who constantly checks their watch.” Being aware of simple things, like not slouching and maintaining eye contact with those around you, can make all the difference.
A captive audience Managers also need to be able to adapt how they speak and present themselves according to the audience. Motivating the players at half-time requires a very different approach to charming a roomful of hacks. But interacting with the players is the priority, emphasises Hodgson. “The most important places to be a good communicator are the training pitch and the dressing room,” he says. “A good example is Sir Alf Ramsay, who was known by his players to be knowledgeable, strong and a great tactician. Yet, because he put across a very different, taciturn image in front of the press, they didn’t warm to him.”
Keeping a number of people interested and involved can also be different to engaging in a more personal tête-à-tête. “In a group, there’s a risk people will switch off if they feel you’re not talking directly to them,” says Slater. “The key is to address the group in such a way that each person feels you are speaking to them individually. Take your time, using pauses so they can take in what you are saying, and make eye contact.” An advocate of being as natural as possible in such situations, Hodgson thinks he is pretty consistent with everyone he speaks with. But he also knows when to hold his tongue. “Obviously, when you’re faced with people who will report your every word you will be much more guarded,” he says. “With your staff and team, you’ll allow your emotions to show more.” Slater sums up why all of this matters, saying, “A great corporate image actually helps you to do your job. If the signals that you are giving out visually – through your appearance and body language – back up what you are saying about yourself, your messages will come through loud and clear. You’ll be credible.”
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manager spotlight
completed my UEFA Pro-Licence four years ago. During my time under David, I watched, learned and admired his professionalism and have tried to incorporate many of his philosophies.
10
minutes with... Mark Wotte & Simon Davey What have you been doing since you left your last club? MW I found it important to take some time off to deal with the situation. However, I was constantly on stand-by, as there were all kinds of obligations and issues to deal with at the club. Aside from some commentating work, I’ve been watching matches here and in Holland to stay involved and have travelled to Hungary and Tunisia for international experience. SD I have also been watching as many games as I possibly can and have done some commentary work. I also have business links in the US with a soccer company, where I send British coaches over there to work. I held a coaching seminar and clinic in New York in November. Who has most influenced your career to date?
MW Louis van Gaal at the Dutch FA was the most inspirational. Working with him with the national teams was an amazing experience. He was very open-minded and willing to share his philosophy with me. I have worked at every professional level in Holland, and that has given me many new experiences – on and off the pitch. Here in the UK, I really enjoyed working as academy director and manager at Southampton. I have been very fortunate to gain experience of the English game.
What are your hopes and aspirations now? MW I love the commitment of the English players and the unbelievable loyalty of the fans, so I will try to stay in English Football. While some clubs may prefer a homegrown manager, I hope that Guus Hiddink and Martin Jol have opened the door for more Dutch coaches to receive opportunities here. SD In the short term, I’d like to get back into management as soon as possible. In the medium term, after reaching the FA Cup semi-finals 18 months ago, I would love to be involved with a club that could compete at that level on a regular basis. In the long term, I’d love to manage abroad and experience football in a different culture.
SD David Moyes has been the biggest influence. After my playing career ended at the age of 28 with no formal coaching qualifications, David encouraged me to take my UEFA badges and offered me a coaching role in the youth department at Preston North End. I caught the coaching bug and I
The Manager 31
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t e a m ta l k s
Must try harder
There are many ways to criticise people. Some will make them up their game, others will shoot gaping holes in morale. So what is the art of the gentle reproach? Peter Jackson, manager When you’re down at half time,
the team talk can be difficult and the approach you take is vital. Sometimes, a manager has to rant and rave at his players, but I don’t believe you can do this more than a handful of times in a season – otherwise it loses its impact. You have to be selective about when to be more direct in getting your point across. A good manager knows when is the right time and what his players respond best to. Every player is different, so you have to vary the expression and tone of your messages. It’s very important to highlight the positives. I do this with the team after every game, regardless of the result, as well as identifying any areas for improvement. However, you also need to identify the mistakes, in terms of individual and team performance. Even when things are going well or you’re in the lead, there are always things that the team and individuals can improve on. If you don’t highlight where you’re going wrong, you can’t learn from that and improve.
32 The Manager
Managers need to understand that
everyone is different. The adage “treat people how you would like to be treated” should actually be “treat people how they want to be treated”. Try to take a one-size-fits-all approach and you won’t get it right with anyone. There are three main reasons for a poor performance, all of which the manager should be able to address: 1) They don’t know what to do 2) They don’t know how to do it 3) They don’t want to do it Rather than simply criticising, identify why they are not performing at their best. If you can figure out what’s getting in the way, you can find ways to remove the obstacles.
Will Holden, chairman of behavioural change specialists Sewells
I will never attack individuals personally. They are not bad people, nor are they bad players Aidy Boothroyd, manager, Colchester United While I might criticise a player’s
behaviour and performance on the pitch, I will never attack him personally. They are not bad people, nor are they bad players. They just didn’t perform at their best on that one occasion. You want individuals in your team to be open and honest about their own performance and to understand what they’ve done well and not so well. That comes down to the feedback system you have in place at the club and the relationship that exists between the manager and his players.
The Manager 33
Stephen K Amos, comedian
The way I deal with criticism is to never read reviews or comments on the internet. People can be very cruel. I don’t understand why anyone would go online for the sole purpose of being nasty about others. How lost in your own world do you have to be to do that? My only judge is my audience. If you don’t like me, don’t come to my show. Certainly don’t come up to me in the street and tell me it to my face. Thankfully, that’s never happened. Professor Michael Hoey, pro-vice-chancellor, Liverpool University My PhD students all need criticism, but it has to be couched in such a way that they don’t lose heart. There is no one way of giving constructive criticism, but here are some of the strategies I use: • Always start with a positive: “This is very well written, well done. What we need to work on now is how to get the best out of these statistics...” I start every meeting by commenting on any improvement or, if there wasn’t any, any efforts they have made to improve. • Don’t overwhelm them with negatives and never give generalised criticism. I always focus on specifics – it’s easier to correct something particular and it shows that you have looked at their work very carefully.
34 The Manager
• Show that you understand why a mistake was made: “I don’t think this really works. I think you were trying to address two kinds of reader at the same time. It
might work better if you concentrated on just one...” • In a similar way, try to find the underlying reason for a recurrent weakness. One of my students wrote oddly at times. It turned out that he felt he should be entertaining but, being German, his attempts at humour were making his writing obscure. Another of my students wrote in convoluted English. In discussion, it came out that he thought the reader would only be impressed by complicated sentences. I persuaded him to write more simply and clearly. • Show them how confident you are in their ability to change (even if you’re not). I have found that even when I secretly doubted that someone could improve, they did so, simply because I showed belief in them.
Stuart McCall, manager, Bradford City We have given seven players their professional debuts this season, so I’ve been very conscious of the need to be calm and not take my frustration out on the players. They’re still learning and need help and guidance at half time. All players need encouragement and to know what’s going wrong, because it isn’t always easy to assess that when you’re in the heat of battle. I use those 15 minutes to show them what I’ve seen from the sidelines and to give them something to work on. The half-time talk is a little different to that at the end of the game. It needs to be more constructive, because your words and decisions can still have an impact on the result. After the final whistle, you have to be careful not to act on the spur of the moment. Managers sometimes fly off the handle at players and then have to apologise later, once they’ve watched the game back. Initially, I’ll address the team as a whole, but then I’ll focus on helping particular individuals that need it. Often that discussion will take place in groups of two or three, because there are many different partnerships and relationships on the pitch. It’s also important to ask them what problems they experienced during a game, because the manager doesn’t necessarily see everything. How much time you spend dwelling on your last performance before focusing on the next fixture will depend on how the game went. Sometimes you’ll win, but the performance wasn’t good enough. At others, you might perform well but still lose. Then, you might say to the team, “that performance may not have got us three points, but on another day things may have been different”. It’s important that they continue to believe in their ability.
The Manager 35
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»
pa s t m a s t e r s
In conversation with Lawrie McMenemy, MBE When I was starting out, managers were given more time to establish themselves at a club. There was continuity and stability. Bobby Robson, Brian Clough and I all cut our teeth at lower levels at around the same time, before moving to bigger clubs. I was at Southampton for 12 full seasons; Bobby was at Ipswich for 13; and Brian at Nottingham Forest for 18. Today, the average spell is just one year and three months. Ideally, young managers would start off at small clubs or in a coaching or assistant role. If an inexperienced manager goes to a big club too soon, it rarely works out. Some will work their way to the top and fail, but then find success again lower down. It’s like a fairground carousel. You get your footing on the steps (in the lower divisions) and if you can hang on for long enough you make it onto a horse. But, as the carousel goes round, the horse goes up and down, because you won’t always be successful. The longer you stay on the horse, the more established you will become. Otherwise you find yourself back on the steps or thrown off altogether.
On watching and learning When you manage in the lower divisions with a small squad, you need to be 90 per cent coach and
I was very fortunate to have managers such as Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Matt Busby to look up to and learn from. And Ron Greenwood at West Ham was almost like a tutor – staff and aspiring managers would crowd into his office after a match and hang off his every word.
On community
10 per cent manager. At the higher levels, it’s the other way around – your players need managing more than coaching. The skills required are very different and they come with experience. Ideally, aspiring managers should have the opportunity to work under someone more senior. I will always be grateful to Alan Brown for giving me a coaching job when he was manager of Sheffield Wednesday. I realised later just how much he had taught me. He encouraged me to go and watch games during the week, often at Leeds United, who were flying high under Don Revie. Revie would always make a point of speaking with young managers like myself after the match.
Lawrie McMenemy was one of the most successful managers of the post-war era, best known for his achievements at Southampton. He managed for 19 seasons across all four divisions and for six years at international level, for England and Northern Ireland. He is vice-president of the LMA and is heavily involved in a number of charities.
36 The Manager
I’ve always felt strongly about engaging with the community. At Grimsby, I took the team to the fish docks early one bitterly cold morning and we had tea with the workers. I said to the players: “Never forget, these people get up at the break of dawn every day to earn enough money to come and watch you play on a Saturday”. The players responded and, over the course of the season, the crowds went from 4,000 to 24,000. As well as being involved with various charities, I’m chairman of the Special Olympics, which is not the same as the Paralympics, as many people think, but is for people with learning difficulties. I’m doing everything I can to raise awareness about the Special Olympics and to highlight the fact that, as it’s not for elite sportspeople, it doesn’t get the funding that the Olympics and Paralympics receive. We recently launched the Global Football Initiative, which aims to bring football to millions worldwide, provide them with quality coaching and help build valuable skills for on and off the pitch. Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan have already thrown their support behind it, and we’re hoping to sign up many more.
The Manager 37
»
the pioneers
the men who changed
football john nicholson Secretary of Sheffield United for 33 years (1889-1932) before a tragic accident ended his career. He won three FA Cups with the club. jack addenbrooke Wolverhampton born and bred, Addenbrooke was a true one-club man. A founding member of Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1877, he played for the club before being appointed its first ever paid secretary-manager in 1885. His 22
years with the club makes him the longest serving manager in its history.
Fred Everiss Started working for West Bromwich Albion in 1896, aged 14, as an office
stan cullis Manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers from 1948 to 1964, Cullis presided over the club’s most successful period, including three league titles, two FA Cups and glory in Europe. He was known as a strict disciplinarian, with an uncompromising and scientific approach to training.
boy, and appointed assistant-manager in 1902. Went on to hold the post for 46 years, making him the longest-serving manager in English football. In 1927, Everiss became secretary of the Football League Secretaries’ and Managers’ Association, the forerunner to the League Managers Association.
David Calderhead After a successful playing career, he moved into management at Lincoln City (1900-1907). He became Chelsea’s first full-time manager in 1907 and after nearly 26 years with the club, its longest serving.
Ernest Mangnell Started his managerial career at Burnley in 1899, but best known for leading Manchester United to its first League Championship and FA Cup titles and going on to become the only man to have managed both Manchester United (1903-1912) and Manchester City (1912-1924).
Sheffield United, founded in 1857, is the oldest documented non-university football club.
what’s in a name? ›› In the early years of professional football, clubs were run by manager-secretaries, the first appointment of a manager being in the 1880s by Sunderland. Everton only introduced their first manager in 1939.
›› The name badge may vary from club to club and through the ages, but it is the man that picks the first team who is eligible for LMA membership. Until the 1950s, it was common for the board of directors to make these decisions, and it was even the case for the first England team. The final 11 were picked by a committee and not
herbert chapman A manager from 1907 to 1934, Chapman turned around the fortunes of Huddersfield and Arsenal, and became one of the most influential managers of the early 20th century. He is credited with introducing new tactics and training methods, as well as innovations such as floodlighting and numbered shirts.
manager Walter Winterbottom.
3 2 The Manager 39
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i n n o vat i o n
Centre of attention
The National Football Centre, now finally given the go-ahead, will be based in part around France’s Clairefontaine. It will train not only players, but coaches, sports scientists and administrators. But can it replicate Clairefontaine’s success? Gérard Houllier, technical director of the French Football Federation, gives his perspective.
interview:SUE MCKELLAR
Why was Clairefontaine built and what have been the benefits? When the French Football Federation opened Clairefontaine in 1988, it gave all of the French national sides a base. They had five-star accommodation and terrific training facilities in which they could prepare for international fixtures. Its medical centre also enabled players from across France to benefit from treatment and rehabilitation. Clairefontaine also became the home of the coaching education courses in France and a centre for research. Coaches can work with young players and experiment
and develop new techniques. Importantly, because we can gather all of the teams together at the centre, it has enabled us to have a united philosophy and a clear direction. Team France has a club feel to it and the players all understand the club culture. The fact that Clairefontaine is available for business functions means it can also bring in commercial revenue, which is very important. You developed the blueprint for French football; how crucial was Clairefontaine for that to work? When I was assistant manager to
Michel Platini, I realised that, as a footballing nation, we needed to develop our creative skills. We fought against one-touch football because we wanted our players to have more initiative. There are three phases of player development in France. Between the ages of eight and 12 is viewed as a period of learning about the game. Then, from 12 to 15, promising players move to Clairefontaine, where we work specifically on technical ability. They are schooled at Clairefontaine, but return home each weekend and are still able to play at their local clubs, so they’re
The Manager 41
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i n n o vat i o n
not totally uprooted. The success of this experiment gave rise to 12 other football centres around France. In the third phase of development at the national football centre, boys of 15 or 16 sign a pre-professional contract for what we call the “proacademy”. There, they receive training in much the same way as a doctor, teacher or engineer learns their trade. Over four or five years, they learn how to cope with the physical, tactical and mental demands of playing 70 matches a season. By that age, they must have good technical abilities, because the focus is more on team skills, tactics and strength.
technically brilliant The role of technical director in France is a powerful one, coming with a big budget and responsibility for everything associated with the technical side of football in France. According to Gérard Houllier, the role requires experience of management and competition at all levels of the game. “You have to know football inside out, be more proactive than reactive and have a strong personality,” he says. Part of that is about creating the right atmosphere and ensuring your vision and strategy for the game are clearly
How much has Clairefontaine contributed to the success of French football? Players make phenomenal progress at Clairefontaine. When we won a European Championship four years after it opened, around a third of the squad had been through the centre. Today, some of the best players in the French national team have come through the original scheme that I set up. If you look at what we achieved between 1996 and 2006, at first team and youth team level, the results are incredible. We could never have achieved what we have without Clairefontaine. Furthermore, a study at the centre has shown that, after Brazil, this nation has the most players working in overseas leagues. And, over the last five years, France have come second only to Brazil in the number of our players in Champions League competition.
42 The Manager
able to pass on your message, philosophy and direction. That doesn’t mean you all have to think the same, but it does create a unity of vision and targets. It also fosters a sense of national identity and pride for the coaches.
communicated. “You have to be able to create and manage a team of around 50 people,
French referees also have a home at the centre. How does that work? The French refereeing association is based at Clairefontaine and we work hand in hand. Every year before the season starts, I gather together the 20 French league managers, their team captains and the 20 professional referees at Clairefontaine. They are, in effect, the actors or artists in the play, and if there is a good understanding between them all, the result will be a better show. This could happen in England too.
including the national coach and managers and staff of all levels,” says Houllier. “That takes a good communicator.”
In this regard, the centre is not only an academy for France, but for Europe. How important has it been to the standard of coach education? It is a domino effect – if you want better players, you need better training sessions, and so better coaches. That requires a great coach education programme. I gather together the 120 or so people in charge of teams throughout France at Clairefontaine. If you want to influence the standard of coaching in your country, you need to be
Why is the National Football Centre important for English football? England is the home of football. With the National Football Centre, you could not only increase the quality of your players, but you would have more of them. I believe that England failed to qualify for the last European Championships because when they played Croatia too many top players were missing or not at full strength. A National Football Centre would mean a bigger pool of strong players to cover those not fully on form. It’s about generating quality and quantity. I believe that if the centre was handled correctly, England would be up there with the very best in every single tournament. You could even win the World Cup.
»
lma news & Events
leaders in football Over 200 clubs from more than 30
Warner, FA chairman Lord Triesman
Howard Wilkinson,
leagues and guests from 45 nations
and chairman of the Football League,
chief executive Richard Bevan and
were represented at the annual
Lord Mawhinney.
LMA members Roy Hodgson and
Leaders in Football in October. The two-day event, at Stamford
The highlight of the event was the
Sven Göran Eriksson.
LMA-hosted session, entitled “The
The LMA was delighted to make
Bridge, featured speakers from
Changing Role of Management: A
such an important contribution to a
the very top echelons of football,
View from the Top”. The LMA panel
high-profile event that continues to
including FIFA president Jack
(above, main) included chairman
go from strength to strength.
The Manager 43
inspirational Success and longevity in any field is an achievement, but in the volatile world of professional football it is truly something to celebrate. At the LMA Hall of Fame 1,000 Club Dinner, in association with Barclays and the Premier League, all eyes were on the members of the LMA’s 1,000 Club. The club recognises those managers who have managed 1,000 or more domestic league and cup matches in first team competition in English League Football. Only 18 managers have achieved this milestone to date (turn over to meet the 1,000 Club members). Over 500 guests attended the event at the Hilton Park Lane in November, including around 40 LMA members and sporting greats such as Michael Vaughan, OBE, and Colin Jackson, CBE. “The evening brought together a group of truly remarkable men, each and every one of them a managerial great, and demonstrates the wealth of knowledge and experience in this unique club,” said Richard Bevan, chief executive of the LMA. “Football is a results-driven business and these managers have defied the odds in reaching this fantastic milestone.”
44 The Manager
Youth vs experience It isn’t only in football that the value of experience is gaining recognition. The recession has taught many firms a harsh lesson – that in order to survive, great leadership is vital. It will be those leaders with the power to motivate their teams through hard times and the experience to know how and when to act, that will still be at the helm in a year from now. Because those skills tend to develop over time, age and experience in a leader have become prized. Yet, there is a flipside. Innovation and adaptability have also proven key in enabling business to sidestep problem markets and focus on new opportunities. These qualities, says Will Holden, chairman of behavioural change specialists Sewells, often come with youth. “I’ve seen a trend for younger people being brought into businesses,” says Holden. “The post-recessionary world is a very different place, so new ideas and innovation may be important.” He adds, however, that younger heads may not yet have acquired enough wisdom. “They’ll need some wise council around them,” he says, “mentors who they can bounce ideas off.” The assumptions that people make about young managers, regardless of qualifications and calibre, can also make for a tougher challenge. “It’s like they’re starting ten yards behind the start line, so they may need to employ different tactics to get some quick wins. Respect is not given, but earned,” says Holden. “At B&Q, recruitment is not about old versus young,” says diversity and engagement advisor Leon FosterHill, “but ensuring the balance within the management team is right.” While B&Q doesn’t positively discriminate, it does have a reputation for giving older applicants a fair crack of the whip. “It definitely makes for a better workforce,” says Foster-Hill. “We find that our older staff pass their knowledge and skills onto younger colleagues, who benefit greatly.” It’s also good for business. “Some customers feel they get more practical advice from our older workers, because they can often draw on hands-on, personal experience.” According to Holden, what’s important isn’t so much the number of years someone has behind them but how they’ve used those years to learn and develop. “Becoming stuck in your ways is dangerous for any manager,” he says. It is perhaps because great football managers never stop learning that makes experience something to truly value and celebrate.
The Manager 45
meet the members late greats:
Living legends:
Sir Bobby Robson, CBE
Harry Redknapp
Arguably football’s greatest
After a first taste of success at AFC
ever ambassador, Sir Bobby’s
Bournemouth, including two league
knighthood recognised his
wins and a promotion, Redknapp
contribution as a player, coach
reigned at West Ham for seven years,
and manager. After a successful stint at Ipswich, he steered
leading them to success in Europe. Several spells at Portsmouth followed, highlights
England to two World Cups.
of which were a promotion, an FA Cup win and the
Considerable success in Europe
club’s first appearance in Europe. Since joining
followed, at PSV Eindhoven, FC Porto and Barcelona.
Tottenham Hotspur in 2008, the club has gone from strength to strength.
Sir Matt Busby, CBE Manchester United’s longest-
Alan Buckley
serving manager, Sir Matt’s
Having started his management career
youthful squad – the Busby
at Walsall at only 28 years of age,
Babes – achieved several FA
Buckley had spells at West Bromwich
Cup and three league wins.
Albion, Lincoln City and Rochdale. But it
After the Munich air tragedy, he
was at Grimsby Town, which he managed
rebuilt the side, which went on
for three separate periods, that he saw most success,
to win an FA Cup, the European
including several promotions.
Cup and become league champions twice more.
Sir Alex Ferguson, CBE Awarded Premier League Manager of
Brian Clough
the Year nine times, LMA Manager of the When he started his managerial
Year twice and Manager of the decade
career at Hartlepool United
in 1999, Sir Alex won ten trophies in
at the age of 30, he was the youngest in the Football League. His success with the
seven years with Aberdeen before he even arrived at Manchester United. There, the long list of achievements include 11 league titles,
club was to be replicated
five FA Cups and several Champions
at Derby County and, most
League wins.
famously, Nottingham Forest. During 16 years at the club, he achieved promotion and
Jim Smith
a League Championship win, two successive European
A former LMA chief executive, Smith is
Cups and four League Cups.
a highly experienced manager with five promotions under his
Alec Stock
belt, at Colchester, Oxford Stock’s long
United, Birmingham City
and successful
and Derby County.
management career started at Yeovil
Smith also played an important
Town, before he
role in helping
moved on to Leyton
Harry Redknapp’s
Orient, AS Roma, QPR, Luton Town, Fulham
Portsmouth into the topflight. Smith returned
and AFC Bournemouth. Achievements included
to Oxford as manager in
consecutive promotions and a Football League
2006 and is also on the
Cup win with QPR.
board of directors.
46 The Manager
Dario Gradi, MBE
Graham Taylor
Gradi is currently director of football
A former England manager and
and caretaker manager of Crewe
president of the LMA, Taylor is
Alexandra, a club he has been
most famous for having transformed
associated with for nearly 30 years. As
Watford, taking the club from the fourth
well as establishing a youth academy at
division to the topflight in only five years.
Crewe, Gradi took the side to four promotions.
He is one of only three managers to have done so. A place in the UEFA Cup and an FA Cup final are also
Brian Horton
among his many achievements.
Horton has managed clubs in every division, starting at Hull City, with
Lennie Lawrence
which he achieved promotion in his
Now director of football at Bristol
first season. Spells at Oxford United,
Rovers and in charge of the UEFA Pro
Manchester City, Huddersfield Town,
Programme for the Welsh FA, Lawrence
Brighton and Hove Albion, Port Vale and Macclesfield Town followed. He is currently assistant manager at Hull, which he helped to guide to the topflight in 2008.
has managed at seven clubs during his career. He achieved promotions at Charlton Athletic, Cardiff City and Middlesbrough, which he also led to a league win.
Joe Royle After 12 years at Oldham Athletic, Royle
Denis Smith
made an immediate impact at Everton,
Smith first made his mark as player-
turning around a struggling side and
manager at York City, winning the
leading them to an FA Cup win. Skilled
league title and becoming the first club
at building successful teams on limited
to top 100 points. He then beat this with
resources, his next move was to Manchester United, with
Sunderland, topping the table in his
which he achieved several promotions, followed by a
first season and again a few years later. After spells at
spell at Ipswich Town and a brief return to Oldham.
Bristol City, Oxford United and West Bromwich Albion,
Neil Warnock
difficulties, he inspired a shock promotion.
Smith landed at Wrexham. There, despite financial During his 28-year career, Warnock has managed at all levels of English
Dave Bassett
football. Highlights have included
Not only is Bassett an experienced
promotions at Scarborough, Notts
and successful manager, he’s also a
County, Huddersfield Town and
record-holder, having achieved seven
Plymouth United. At Sheffield United, he led the side to FA Cup and League Cup semi-finals and promotion to the Premier League.
promotions during his eight-club career. He is also one of the three managers to have guided a club – in his case Wimbledon – from the lowest division to the topflight.
Graham Turner After Shrewsbury Town and Aston Villa,
Steve Coppell
it was at Wolverhampton Wanderers
It was at Crystal Palace, Coppell’s first
that Turner first really made his mark.
club as a manager, that he had most
He took a bottom division club, heavily
notable success. He took the club to
in debt, and won two successive
three promotions and their highest ever
promotions. It was a similar story at Hereford United,
placing. After a move to Reading, he
with which he achieved several promotions despite
guided the club to the topflight for the
very limited resources. Turner, who is LMA chairman,
first time ever – a title success that
won the LMA Service to the Game award in 2009.
featured a 33-game unbeaten run.
»
manager spotlight
whether those were the right decisions to make?
Catching up with... Stuart Gray Tell me about your move into management and how your career developed. As a player, I always knew I would want to further my football career by coaching and managing. So I made every effort to prepare myself – first attending coaching courses while still playing for Barnsley at the age of 23. Four years later, I had gained my full badge and, at 31, when injury ended my playing career, was able to focus fully on developing my coaching skills. My early coaching experiences at Southampton and Aston Villa were invaluable. They provided me with great opportunities to learn and develop, not only my coaching abilities and player management, but also the day-to-day running of a club – dealing with the chairman and board, the media, agents and, of course, the fans.
48 The Manager
What has been the most satisfying moment of your career so far? Getting the manager’s job at Southampton is one of them; beating both Manchester United and Arsenal at home while caretaker manager there probably helped. Also, seeing players that I’ve worked with at Southampton, Aston Villa, Wolves and Crystal Palace going on to represent their countries is very rewarding. What has been your biggest disappointment – the one that got away? As a player for Aston Villa in the 1989-1990 season, we just missed out to Liverpool, coming second in what was then the First Division League Championship. As a coach, I’ve turned down opportunities to move on to bigger clubs, out of loyalty. Who knows
In another life, not involving football, what job could you see yourself doing? There’s nothing else I would want to do. When, at the age of 14, I told the careers officer at school that I wanted to be a professional footballer, she thought it was a bad idea – there were better career opportunities out there. Fortunately, I didn’t take her advice. After I was turned down by my hometown club, Hull City, I was signed by Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest. Who, inside and outside, of football do you look up to? All of the managers in the LMA Hall of Fame 1,000 Club. If I have to pick one it would be Sir Alex Ferguson, for his achievements at Manchester United, his enthusiasm, passion for the game and the mental strength he instils in his players. I have huge respect for any leading individuals in sport for their dedication, desire and commitment to be top of their field. In a team game, you can play badly, but still be on the winning team. In an individual sport, there is no hiding place. Five years from now, what changes would you like to see in the game? I’d like to see more opportunities for the development of British players. I recently spent time with the England Under-21 squad and only half of those in the team were actually playing for their clubs’ first teams. That has to change.
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