Welcome Change Forever

Imagine waking up to a world where you felt a time shift had elapsed around you. Sceneries had changed, processes had shifted, yet more importantly societies perspectives differed greatly from those that you held so closely. For many coaches in football this is very much a reality, and we have trainers the world over who are experiencing this epiphany every day. Sure we have the traditionalists in the game who practice "tried & tested" methods, resorting to measures that have served them well in the past and seem utterly resilient in this approach. We do however have a breed of coach out there, one that is transient, progressive & receptive to new ways of cultivating talent. Footballs backdrop is an ever shifting myriad of miniscule facets, which stands to reason why those who are successful can quickly shed their proverbial skin, and acclimatize quickly to their new setting. In this piece I intend to explore how we as trainers must challenge our philosophies & get on board the football train before it leaves us behind.

In the summer of 1974 Leeds United appointed Brian Clough as manager. Amongst the many articles & publishing's of Clough's ill-fated Leeds tenure, it was quoted that the Leeds board wanted to go with a "track suited" manager, as it was perceived that he would be more integrated in the day to day running of the clubs playing squad. Fast forward into the modern era and all too often we see managers imprinting a 1st team coach to run practice, while the now re-suited manager can look on from afar, judging how things are going from the directors box. Perception is often misread as reality in football, therefore it's important that we do not misappropriate the truth and look deeper into the individual. For example, being a young coach in the game doesn't make you "progressive" nor should it make you "wet behind the ears." The same could be said of a manager approaching his senior years. Does tenure really quantify "Veteran" status, yet at what stage does one become a "dinosaur?"

Let's start off by looking at Bobby Robson. He is a glowing example of a coach that worked at the top of the game for over 3 decades. With each of his clubs, of which there were 8, he managed to adapt to an array of changes within the game, but also integrating himself into new cultures & social settings. He transformed lowly Ipswich from minnows into European champions in the mid 80s, and later progressed onto working with the free flowing Romario/Stoichkov Barcelona team of the 90s. Robson proved that he could continue to adapt and find success, such was his ability to lead players into portraying his beliefs. One other such proponent of the Robson effect is Eddie Howe. This name to most is largely anonymous, but he is undoubtedly one of the UK's most prized coaching assets. He took charge of AFC Bournemouth at the spritely age of 31, and while he hadn't amassed a huge volume of work prior to appointment, he has since presided over one of the clubs most successful periods. His ability to work with players on a ground level and relay information effectively, has allowed him to progress his side significantly. It's worth noting that in his 1st game in charge, 4 of the starting 11 were older than he was, which further underlines his ability to break down pre-set ideas and connect with his players. Moving from League 1 to a solid Championship side, Howe's Bournemouth recently tackled Liverpool in the FA cup. While the Merseysiders ran out 2-0 victors, it was wasn't without a fight, which furthermore signifies the job Howe has done with Bournemouth.

West Ham were once a bastian for expansive & possessive football, where as they have since degenerated into a team of weak & uninspiring individuals. In my opinion this has been predicated by the clubs coach, and his sheer refusal to adapt his style to portray the strengths of his players. In the early 00's Allardyce's Bolton side achieved notoriety, after employing a framework that for a short period proved very cumbersome. This small period of success has purported the concept that the formula could somehow be replicated elsewhere, yet Allardyce's tenure at Newcastle & Blackburn would suggest otherwise. It's Sam's failure to recognize that he himself has to change his philosophy, that will undoubtedly be West Ham's down fall this year, and it's a spiral I can only see continuing to coil. If rigidity is a component of Allardyce's short comings, David Moyes is on a similar track. Man Utd disastrous season continues solely due to Moyes' lack of trust within his playing staff. This is a side that under Ferguson employed so much attacking vigor, yet the newest incarnation seem to have developed an ability to coast through games, rarely getting out of 2nd gear. Moyes rigidity in basic fundamentals has now brought about an air of caution, that flies in the face of his predecessor's mandate for the club. Quite frankly I cannot say I'm surprised as Moyes time at Everton was fraught with overly defensive displays, and players constantly playing on the back foot. Bravery is a commodity defensive minded managers simply do not have, so it would seem for the time being that Moyes' inability to transition into the modern era will continue United's plight.

Ultimately football is tomorrow's game, and while any form of practice is based on experience, it's how we prepare for future endeavors that will increase our chances of success. Where we could once live in a wholly incubated world where players came from similar backgrounds and were all schooled in like-minded endeavors, those days have simply passed us by. Today the modern coach must look, listen & adapt. We do so much talking when we coach that we sometimes need to take a step back, and take on board what our players are telling us. This doesn't need to be verbal, actions as they say speak louder than words. Players who are non responsive in practice, lack energy, are often injured, mouth off at the ref or throw their arms up at every mistake, are likely displaying traits that signify they aren't entirely enjoying their footballing experience. Quality coaching for me is not about what type of technical exercises my teams take part in, or how often my practice gets them to repeat a function. We should grade ourselves on how stimulated our players are in being part of our practices and delve deeper into finding what motivates them as individuals. The grind of being an elite level player should be in finding a successful means of excelling within a specific environment. It's therefore our role to structure that environment accordingly, and pre-set our collective expectations. No two groups of players will ever be the same, so its pivotal that we work hard to build individual bridges, and foster a unified identity that makes it feel like a true team effort. With a forged unity between all parties, information transfer becomes easier and we are now able to articulate our philosophy in such a way, that any participant can buy into our concept. I believe age is utterly irrelevant in gauging a coaches ability to perform, as our primary function will always be to connect with those who continually change, evolve & progress. Let's take a moment this week to open our eyes and ears a little wider, and understand that our greatest teacher is each other.

"A man only becomes wise when he begins to calculate the approximate depth of his ignorance."

 Gian Carlo Menotti