Graveyard

[Longtime Blade]

Is there a club in the whole league that has proved to be a bigger graveyard of managerial ambition than
Sheffield United over the last fifty years?

Steve Bruce is the only one, of the 21 managers, who has become a good top class manager - and he took some time to achieve it.

Gary Speed took a step up and made a promising start with Wales but we'll never know whether he would have succeeded in the long run.

Howard Kendall went back up to Everton but didn't last long there

John Harris did well with United but he never managed afterwards - possibly because he didn't want to due to age.

Bassett and Warnock later managed other clubs but their subsequent best was never better than in their years with United.

Fifteen of them never managed a league club again (Rowley, Furphy, Haslam, Peters, Spackman, Heath, Robson ), or they did so at lower levels (Sirrel, Porterfield*, McEwan* Thompson*, Blackwell, and Adams) and Wilson and Weir seem very likely to end up in this group too.

Of the caretaker managers none did anything subsequently although Russell Slade may do so this season
but then only to the level at which he was caretaker at the Lane.

* I'm not sure if these managed in the lower leagues after their spells with United.

 

[Grecian2000]

Didn't Porterfield manage Chelsea in the top flight in the 90's?

 

[BladeFisher]

Didn't Porterfield manage Chelsea in the top flight in the 90's?

Yes he did and overseas as well.

 

[LardSardine]

Spackman managed Barnsley and Milwall after us, but that doesn't change the point you're making since he was rubbish in both jobs!

 

[Toronto Blade]

Is there a club in the whole league that has proved to be a bigger graveyard of managerial ambition than
Sheffield United over the last fifty years?

Steve Bruce is the only one, of the 21 managers, who has become a good top class manager - and he took some time to achieve it.

Gary Speed took a step up and made a promising start with Wales but we'll never know whether he would have succeeded in the long run.

Howard Kendall went back up to Everton but didn't last long there

John Harris did well with United but he never managed afterwards - possibly because he didn't want to due to age.

Bassett and Warnock later managed other clubs but their subsequent best was never better than in their years with United.

Fifteen of them never managed a league club again (Rowley, Furphy, Haslam, Peters, Spackman, Heath, Robson ), or they did so at lower levels (Sirrel, Porterfield*, McEwan* Thompson*, Blackwell, and Adams) and Wilson and Weir seem very likely to end up in this group too.

Of the caretaker managers none did anything subsequently although Russell Slade may do so this season
but then only to the level at which he was caretaker at the Lane.

* I'm not sure if these managed in the lower leagues after their spells with United.

Joe Mercer went on to manage Aston Villa after the Blades ,he then joined Manchester City. He appointed Malcolm Allison as his assistant in 1966 and over the next few years he had great success winning the Second Division (1967), First Division (1968), the FA Cup (1969), League Cup (1970) and European Cup-Winners Cup (1971). In 1974 Mercer was the temporary manager of the England national side.

 

[BouncinBlade]

I'd put warnock on par with Bruce!

 

[broomhillblade]

"Is there a club in the whole league that has proved to be a bigger graveyard of managerial ambition than
Sheffield United over the last fifty years?"

I think you could produce a set of similar random 'statistics' for most clubs.

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

A lot of those you metioned went on to manage other clubs.
I don't get how what they achieved or didn't achieve elsewhere has anything to do with us?
The ones who didn't were shit.

The more relevant point is why do we consistently employ crap or inexperienced managers?
And we know why that is, you only have to look at who we've had running the club down the years.

 

[Dkc]

Didn't Robson go on to manage the Thai national team?

 

[1889]

I think the point you are inadvertently making is, aren't the majority of Football Managers useless. Many get the opportunity because they recently retired from playing and therefore ought to be good, but invariably they are crap.

Those who are mediocre ride the managerial merry go round for a number of years, somehow getting one job after the other, until eventually their stock reaches it's natural level and no one will entertain them.

But those that have sustained a successful career over a number of years in football management, you could count on the fingers of one hand.

 

[Sirius]

Joe Mercer went on to manage Aston Villa after the Blades ,he then joined Manchester City. He appointed Malcolm Allison as his assistant in 1966 and over the next few years he had great success winning the Second Division (1967), First Division (1968), the FA Cup (1969), League Cup (1970) and European Cup-Winners Cup (1971). In 1974 Mercer was the temporary manager of the England national side.

IMO the Manchester City success was primarily down to Allison.
Mercer left Utd for Villa, after presiding over one of our relegations. He was with Villa, when they too were relegated . He received the famous telegram "Congratulations Joe. You've done it again"

 

[Kev Gee]

If the line is true that most managers wind up with the sack, then its true for most clubs. (unless your Fergie of course)