Expectations of a Modern Blades Manager

[SwissBlade]

I don't want this to be a performance, playing style or even results thread, there are enough of those. So please try keep on subject.

NW made comments when we were in the PL that his role changed. He was expected to do a lot more media work and this was very demanding, he said at the time that this meant that he had to hand over more responsibility to his staff on a lot of the day to day work.

He also said that when we played Man U, Fergie was very hands off on the match day, sticking on the racing channel and sky sports before the game and chilling, whilst NW had to dash around and excuse himself from the prematch banter with Sir Alex. Sir Alex since his spat with the BBC, doesn't even talk do the post match BBC interview.

I've noticed a few things recently with Blackwell, these are neither criticisms or praise. Just observations.

- Match day warm up - A lot of this is done by the coaches but Blackie is always involved and always has his last few minutes with the defenders routine. How many other managers do this?

- Coaching - I've not been up to Shirecliffe, but I understand that he is very hands on here as well.

- Media - He spends an awful lot of time commenting in the media. I don't remember NW doing so much before we went up. Even today, deadline day he's commenting on how much there is to be done before the deadline. Ok so this interview was probably done over the weekend or at the end of last week, but do we really need to have an update every few minutes?

- Transfers and Contracts - I'm not sure how involved he is, does he just give a list of names to a secretary and get her to make the calls/ send emails or is he involved in the transfer from ringing around to signing on the dotted line. Same with contracts. I get the impression again that he is the focal point.

Have I missed any other areas of responsibility?

To me, with a small playing and coaching staff, I would have thought that he'd have no option but to be involved in a lot of the none footballing activities as well as coaching,

What do we expect a manager to get involved in, should a manager be coaching the team or should he leave this to his staff? Should the manager have so much media responsibility?

Its said that good managers surround themselves with a good team and the art is in the delegation and "managing" of the situation. Or is a football manager much different? Do they have to get so involved in the grunt work? Afterall, PL managers are required to have coaching badges, so the Authorities would suggest that they need to be coaches?

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Personally i don't give a monkeys if i don't hear anything from Blackwell all week, but then i don't have a bladesplayer subscription...

 

[Micalijo]

Somone who doesn't come with Andy Leaning and Sam Ellis

Someone with a bit of humility and awareness that people also watch the game and have views on it

Someone who occassionally says no to an interview, politely.

Someone who doesn't launch high balls to Morgan in the 20 minutes before kick-off

Someone called Sean O'Driscoll

 

[LouTheBlade]

My expectation is for a manager to have us playing a reasonable style of football. By exact definition this would be;

-Coaching movement amongst the attacking players
-Playing the ball into feet
-Playing the ball in the air when it is necessary
-Encouraging the midfield to play in the other teams half when we are in front

Did I miss anything?

As for any of his non-coaching duties I dont care as long as we have the above!

 

[Grecian2000]

I find it strange that he bothers with the pre-match warm up (especially as it looks exactly the same every game). Surely there are others who could simply launch the ball to the match day back four whilst Blackie pours over the opposition team sheet and tinkers with our tactics to gain the magic 1%.

I have no idea how the coaching is split up between Blackie and the coaching staff but I would have thought that that's what the coaches are there for.

There is far too much media chat going on but this is a reflection of the media rather than something I would have thought the manager is instigating.

I would also have thought that he would spend a lot of time watching potential targets (I would be mortified if I thought he ever signed anyone without seeing them play a couple of games in the flesh).

So my manager would:

Establish a method of playing the game (and if it's hoof then it's hoof).
Watch the coaches do their thing at the training ground.
Meet with the coaches to debrief on how it's gone.
Read through the scouting reports to see if anything catches his eye.
Arrange to view potential signings.
Talk to chief exec (or whoever holds the purse strings) regarding potential recruitment.
Go and watch a game to see future opponents or transfer targets.
Pick the team.
Meet the press on a Friday to talk about forthcoming game.
Team talk to get the lads up for it pre-match.
Watch from the stand and leave shouting etc. to someone else.

Fuck me that sounds like a top job.

 

[Bramley]

I don't want this to be a performance, playing style or even results thread, there are enough of those. So please try keep on subject.

NW made comments when we were in the PL that his role changed. He was expected to do a lot more media work and this was very demanding, he said at the time that this meant that he had to hand over more responsibility to his staff on a lot of the day to day work.

He also said that when we played Man U, Fergie was very hands off on the match day, sticking on the racing channel and sky sports before the game and chilling, whilst NW had to dash around and excuse himself from the prematch banter with Sir Alex. Sir Alex since his spat with the BBC, doesn't even talk do the post match BBC interview.

I've noticed a few things recently with Blackwell, these are neither criticisms or praise. Just observations.

- Match day warm up - A lot of this is done by the coaches but Blackie is always involved and always has his last few minutes with the defenders routine. How many other managers do this?

- Coaching - I've not been up to Shirecliffe, but I understand that he is very hands on here as well.

- Media - He spends an awful lot of time commenting in the media. I don't remember NW doing so much before we went up. Even today, deadline day he's commenting on how much there is to be done before the deadline. Ok so this interview was probably done over the weekend or at the end of last week, but do we really need to have an update every few minutes?

- Transfers and Contracts - I'm not sure how involved he is, does he just give a list of names to a secretary and get her to make the calls/ send emails or is he involved in the transfer from ringing around to signing on the dotted line. Same with contracts. I get the impression again that he is the focal point.

Have I missed any other areas of responsibility?

To me, with a small playing and coaching staff, I would have thought that he'd have no option but to be involved in a lot of the none footballing activities as well as coaching,

What do we expect a manager to get involved in, should a manager be coaching the team or should he leave this to his staff? Should the manager have so much media responsibility?

Its said that good managers surround themselves with a good team and the art is in the delegation and "managing" of the situation. Or is a football manager much different? Do they have to get so involved in the grunt work? Afterall, PL managers are required to have coaching badges, so the Authorities would suggest that they need to be coaches?

To be honest I'm a layman so I've no idea.

 

[Tihane]

So my manager would:

Establish a method of playing the game (and if it's hoof then it's hoof).
Watch the coaches do their thing at the training ground.
Meet with the coaches to debrief on how it's gone.
Read through the scouting reports to see if anything catches his eye.
Arrange to view potential signings.
Talk to chief exec (or whoever holds the purse strings) regarding potential recruitment.
Go and watch a game to see future opponents or transfer targets.
Pick the team.
Meet the press on a Friday to talk about forthcoming game.
Team talk to get the lads up for it pre-match.
Watch from the stand and leave shouting etc. to someone else.

Thats exactly what I had on my mind.

Manager should have coaches, but should give them limited freedom on how to coach. Manager should have agents, who gather the info - but he makes the decisions. Similarly he could have communication managers, who deal with the unimportant media questions - but he should be there for pre/post-match commentary.

He has to be there for the match-day warm up, and during the change of ends if needed - it is not about coaching there, it is about leadership/motivation/discipline/routine etc.