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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

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

to the challenge, saying, “We need to march

ourselves out of recession”. He added that “great

leaders are found when they are truly needed”.

It’s this positive, forward-looking approach that

all managers should adopt in the coming months,

regardless of their current position or relative

success in 2009. Identify the weak points in your

team, yes, but more importantly focus on your

strengths and harness them to the full in 2010.

In this edition, we ask how best to improve team

performance without crushing morale. As our

managers and academics agree, it’s all about

positive, constructive criticism. We also look forward

to one of the most exciting developments in English

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

it’s time to take stock, professionally and personally. But good leaders won’t linger too long on the bad memories

04 kicking off News and views from the past

quarter-season.

08 tony pulis Despite lacking the budget of

many of their competitors, Stoke

City continue to perform beyond

expectations. We ask Tony Pulis for

the secret of his success.

12 the main event An impressive line-up and lively

debate made the inaugural LMA

conference a must-attend event.

Here are the highlights, including

Arsène Wenger and Archie Norman.

16 the iD carD How do you define a club’s brand –

style of play, values, logo? Steve

McClaren joins the brand experts

for the debate.

20 oDD one out In any team there will be specialists.

We ask cricket coach Duncan

Fletcher what that means for

a leader.

22 the zone What is it and how

do you get there?

With Aidy

Boothroyd and

w i n t e r i s s u e t h e l i n e - u p

1220 12

28

54

32

40

08

comedian Stephen K Amos.

27 against all oDDs Anna Hemmings’ story of

perseverence and mental strength

has resonance for us all.

28 keeping up appearances Roy Hodgson and corporate image

consultant Lucinda Slater provide

some helpful tips on making friends

and influencing people.

32 must try harDer

What’s the best

way to give

constructive

criticism?

With Stuart

McCall and Peter Jackson.

36 lawrie mcmenemy on how the manager’s job has

changed, career influences and

sport in the community.

38 the pioneers Looking back at the early greats of

football management.

40 centre of attention As the National

Football Centre

finally gets

the go-ahead,

we ask Gérard

Houllier

why France’s

Clairefontaine is

such an inspiration.

43 lma events Highlights from Leaders

in Football.

44 inspirational The LMA 1,000 Club Hall of Fame

celebrates longevity and experience

in management. We meet the 18

club members.

48 10 minutes with... Stuart Gray.

16

� The Manager� The Manager

Now for the real recovery

KicKingoffNews aNd views froM the DUGoUt

Pitch Perfect

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 curve-

ball”

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.

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.

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)

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 under-

performing 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

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.

�The Manager �The Manager �The Manager

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-year-

olds in england by highlighting the

benefits for employers.

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

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 decision-

makers 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.

R i c h a R d B e v a n

aiMiNG hiGh iN 2010

For more information on the LMa’s Corporate Management

Network, please contact Jim souter on 07769 906295

KicKingoffNews aNd views froM the DUGoUt

94% of people think it is important that firms take on apprentices during the recession

(source: Theladders.co.uk)

� The Manager

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.”

� The Manager

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.

MakIng a sTand

sun, surf, soccer

�The Manager �The Manager

Lawrie McMenemy was honoured to put his name and support

behind a new multi-disciplinary 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.”

In THe naMe of researcH

�The Manager

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

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.

PosITIve sIgns

5% INCREASE IN CHAMPIONS

LEAGUE CROWDS IN 2009/10

90% BARCLAyS PREMIER

LEAGUE GROUNDS FULL

BuT...75% OF TOPFLIGHT CLUBS FROzE OR REDUCED SEASON TICKET PRICES

eXTra TIMe

» c o v e r s t o r y

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.

team Spirit

The Manager �

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

interview:SUE MCKELLARPhotograPhs: MARiE SLAtER fRiEnd

» c o v e r s t o r y

10 The Manager

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

11The Manager

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.

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.

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.

Tactics aside, how does your

team preparation change for

each match?

For every game we play, I try to

find an angle on which to motivate

myself and the players. That might

be something an opposition player

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.

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

TOUCHLINE TO BOARDROOMAt 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.

The Manager12

» t e a m t a l k s

TOUCHLINE TO BOARDROOMAt 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.

The Manager12

13The Manager

TOUCHLINE TO BOARDROOM

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 Manager14

ARSÈNE WENGER with Damon Buffini & Tidjane Thiam

On finding greatnessA good manager buys players before they are great. Up

until the age of 20, it’s all about talent. Then come

motivation and intelligence. If you take two players with

the same level of talent, but one is highly motivated and

the other isn’t, by the time they hit 25 there will be a gulf

between them. Players can choose to go out on a

Thursday or Friday night and have all the girls or they can

stay in, because they know that the game on Saturday

really means something. There are very few people –

maybe two per cent of the population – who really push

themselves. It’s in their genes.

You need to be able to objectively assess performance

and find basic ways to improve. If I ask a player at the end

of a match, “how do you think you played?” nine times out

of ten, he’ll ask what I think. But I want to hear his opinion.

If he can give a good analysis of his performance, the guy

has a future. There are two key qualities for a player to

reach the top and stay there in the long term – persistence

and the ability to analyse performance.

The fantastic thing about sport is that you can be the

son of a president or a king – but if you’re not good

enough, you don’t play. In sport, that’s something I

respect and find fantastic. You can come from the poorest

village in Africa, but nothing can stop quality in sport.

» 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

they were better than me and made me look stupid or

slow. We had to be exposed to the best so that we

could compete with the best.

On himselfI grew up in a pub and there’s no better psychological

education than that. When you’re five or six and you’re

surrounded by people drinking beer, calling each other a

liar or stupid, you try to work out the reason for these

sometimes cruel statements. You get a practical,

psychological education from being largely around adults

at such an early age.

People can rarely tell when they’re no longer good

enough. Only other people know. In this job, you need

physical strength – you need to be an animal, almost, to

convince people that they need to win. Once that strength

has gone, you have a handicap. You can try to compensate

with experience, but you need physical power. Do I ever

have days when I think I can live without this job? No, never.

On losingWhen you lose a game as a manager, it’s a disastrous

feeling. The whole thing goes through your mind

afterwards. It takes special motivation to survive and get

over that and fight for the next one. This job is about

surviving disappointments and it gets worse as you get

older. I can deal with it better, physically, now than I used

to. I used to wonder if I would survive. We are all fighting

to show ourselves and others that we are good enough

and that we have what it takes. You always question that.

» Tidjane Thiam, CEO, Prudential: I often tell people in

my team, it’s not how high you can go, but how low

you can go. I have a motto: raise your minimum,

because you can ruin everything in a bad moment or

by making a bad decision. The ability to deal with

failure is key.

» Damon Buffini: We also have to deal with

disappointment and are judged pretty harshly.

People used to come to us with their inventions

and, on one occasion, a partner of mine said to

someone, “Don’t give up your day job”. With that,

James Dyson took his vacuum cleaner and left

the building! It’s easy to be successful. It’s much

harder to pick yourself up and figure out what

you’ve done wrong. The companies that perform

the best over the long-term are those that learn from

their mistakes.

15The 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

Winning at all costs“If a club chairman is in the directors’

box and the results aren’t going well,

the emotion and pressure from the

fans mean they’ll make decisions they

wouldn’t make in the boardroom of

any other company,”Alan Curbishley

Managing a team through difficult times“On my first day, I sent an email to

every employee and replied to every

response. It became a weekly thing – I

knew I’d find out what was really going

on in the company,” Fru Hazlitt, former

CEO, GCap Media

“What sport can learn from business is

long-term planning, personal

development and goal-setting.

Business can learn not to be afraid of

taking emotionally based decisions,”

Iain Dowie

“The relationship between the

manager and the board is the most

important of all,” David Buchler,

turnaround guru

Building enduring success“Long-term success depends on an

enduring brand. You have to know

what you are and what you want to be.

Everything must be coherent,” Martin

Broughton, chairman, British Airways

“Supporters don’t make allowances for

you as a manager. No one ever says, ‘It

doesn’t matter that we lost today

because the manager’s got a fantastic

business plan’,” Stuart Pearce

The future of English football“The national side is at the heart of the

football culture in this country, which is

the envy of the world. However, if we

carry on as we are, we are going to find

it increasingly difficult to produce a

successful England team,” Howard

Wilkinson, chairman, LMA

“Managers in cricket aren’t under the

same kind of pressure – it’s easier for us

to introduce young players into the

team,” Michael Vaughan, OBE

“With the sheer number of British

players in the academies, you have to

hope there will be some top quality

players coming through,” Dan Johnson,

head of comms, Premier League

How to manage talent“People will tell a comedian exactly

what they think of them. That’s difficult

to deal with. You have to train them to

think and respond on the spot,” Maria

Kempinska, founder and creative

director, Jongleurs comedy clubs

The big debate“What I have to do is very similar to

what Wenger does with great skill. I

bring people together from different

horizons and cultures and unite them

in a common goal,” Tidjane Thiam,

CEO, Prudential

In conversation with“Stability is so important in a club. It

shouldn’t be seen as a strange thing for

a manager to be with a club for a long

time,” David Moyes

“Chelsea was a fantastic club for me

as a player, but now I have a new job.

West Ham has been great to me and

I want to repay that with results,”

Gianfranco Zola

THE BIG ISSUES

16 The Manager

“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,”

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 lifePeople’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.

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?

Playing the id card

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.

words: alice hoey

» b r a n d m a n a g e m e n t

A business planning to sponsor a club must ensure it shares its values and be wary of any lingering negative associations

18 The Manager

“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 wideAs 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.”

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.

» b r a n d m a n a g e m e n t

interview:sue mckeller

19The Manager

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 fitHowever, 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 4-4-

2 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 spinnerIn 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.”

he’s with the brand

20 The Manager

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 all-

rounder 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

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 roleAddressing 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

» l e a d e r s h i p

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 in-

depth 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.”

The odd one outIn 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 have to be careful that a successful team doesn’t override individuality

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» p e r f o r m a n c e

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?

In psychology, what does it mean

to be “in the zone”?

Sports psychologists use the term

to define a very high level of

performance that is achieved during

a heightened state of consciousness.

It’s an incredibly powerful experience

– one that can leave you energised,

physically and mentally relaxed,

confident and in total control.

In this state, a person has a loss

of self-consciousness and becomes

detached from the external

environment. They allow in no

distractions and are not worried

about how others might be evaluating

their performance. In some cases, this

can make it difficult for them to recall

what actually happened in their

moment of brilliance.

Does it only apply to sportspeople?

No, it can happen to anyone, because

we all have the potential to tap into a

higher state of mind. A manager will

know when they’re in the zone or

peak performance, because they’ll

make decisions and substitutions at

the right time, be creative with their

ideas and communicate well. When

a manager is about to make a

substitution, but changes his mind

because it doesn’t feel right, he’s

accessing a higher part of his mind.

The subconscious knows everything

and is incredibly powerful.

Is it something you can train for?

Yes, but it’s also about personal

commitment. When athletes are in

the zone, their vital organs are

working in sync, so it’s important to

monitor and train these areas. If the

mind is in good shape, the body has

a better chance of following.

The Manager22

Louise Ellis, sports psychologist and performance specialist

Welcome to the

z ne

23The 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 tape-

recording. 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

athlete from getting into the zone

or achieving their ideal performance

state (IPS). Emotions can have a

huge influence on performance, in

a positive and negative way. This is

because our memory pays more

attention to thoughts that have

strong emotions attached to them.

The subconscious mind also tends

to focus on its most recent thoughts.

A footballer who has under-

performed and who doesn’t have a

coping strategy in place might dwell

on his errors and, as a result, continue

to underperform. Fatigue, from

over-training or under-recovery, will

also prevent someone from reaching

their IPS, let alone the zone.

How can a manager and his team

focus in this way?

Most football managers will say that

they thrive off the intense pressure

of the job, but they still need to find

time to take care of themselves. If

they are in a good place, mentally,

they’ll be able to see things more

clearly, make the right decisions

and tap into a higher state of mind.

There are also things they can

do to help individual players or the

whole team to reach the zone. I use

specialist biofeedback equipment –

also used in AC Milan’s “mind room”

– which monitors an athlete’s thought

activity, muscle tension and fatigue,

and heart rate variability. This sort of

information is invaluable for both the

manager and his players, because

it provides tangible evidence that

can be used to monitor and fine-tune

their mental and physical training.

www.louiseellis.com

23The Manager

The Manager24

There are so many distractions in

football that to get into the zone

requires a lot of training and self-

awareness. The ability to control your

emotions is an absolute prerequisite

to success as a manager and player.

A manager has to prepare well

and have a plan for what he wants

to do in a game. However, things can

change very quickly, so you need to

have various different scenarios in

your head and be able to react

quickly. That comes with experience,

but also from gut instinct.

The amount of human error on the

pitch – from your players and the

officials – and how the fans react can

all influence your state of being.

Therefore, the manager’s ability to

remain calm, stay in the moment and

make effective on-the-spot decisions

is essential. In the same way,

players must be able to remain

entirely focused and in control.

When a young player starts out,

he has no concept of what it’s really

like to perform in front of a crowd. It’s

like the difference between making a

ten-yard pass in training and during a

game, when the opposition is trying

to tackle you. During a match,

different criteria and distractions

come into play – how the crowd is

reacting, what’s happening on the

bench and whether the decisions are

going in your side’s favour.

For me, the best players are those

who don’t only work extremely hard

physically, but mentally, because

they want to win and ensure they

remain totally focused on the game

and their part in it.

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

25The Manager

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 bullet-

points 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

to give a great performance. The

audience can see it and smell it. That

doesn’t always come easily, though,

because you’re always concerned

about giving a great show and making

sure the audience are having a good

time. But when I’m really relaxed and I

take my foot off the gas – oh my

goodness! There was a show recently

when I went entirely off the script

– for an hour and a half it just flowed.

Because the audience and I were up

for it, we had such a good time.

I like a bit of audience

participation, but only if I’ve

engineered it. I don’t want people

just shouting things out, because

I’ve come prepared with things to

say. Regaining your flow when that

happens comes down to experience.

You have to win the audience back

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.

Stephen K Amos, comedian

I don’t want people just shouting out, because I’ve come prepared with things to say. Regaining your flow takes experience

25The Manager

27The Manager

Try, try and try again

» p o s i t i v e t h i n k i n g

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 positive-

thinking 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

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.”

I hadn’t finished my career yet and I wanted to do so on my terms

When illness hit, Anna Hemmings was told her professional sporting career was over. But instead of giving up, she came back stronger.

Keeping up appearances

28 The Manager

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.

» s e l f - a w a r e n e s s

Keeping up appearances

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

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 cameraWith 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 translationThe 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 upOf course, making a good

impression isn’t only about

the nuances in what you say and how you express yourself can have a big impact on how people perceive you

30 The Manager

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

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 audienceManagers 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.”

» s e l f - a w a r e n e s s

Behave yourselfDon’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.

31The Manager

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.

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

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.

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.

10 minutes with... Mark Wotte & Simon Davey

» m a n a g e r s p o t l i g h t

» t e a m t a l k s

Must try harderThere 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?

The Manager32

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.

33The Manager

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.

Will Holden, chairman of behavioural change specialists Sewells

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.

34 The Manager

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.

• 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.

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

Stephen K Amos, comedian

35The Manager

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.

36 The Manager

In conversation with Lawrie McMenemy, MBE

» p a s t m a s t e r s

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 learningWhen you manage in the lower

divisions with a small squad, you

need to be 90 per cent coach and

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.

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 communityI’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.

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.

37The Manager

» t h e p i o n e e r s

the men who changed

football

jack addenbrookeWolverhampton 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

stan cullisManager 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.

joHn nicHolsonSecretary of Sheffield United for 33 years (1889-1932) before a tragic

accident ended his career. He won three FA Cups with the club.

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 calderHeadafter 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 Mangnellstarted 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).

years with the club makes

him the longest serving

manager in its history.

Fred everissstarted working for

West bromwich albion in

1896, aged 14, as an office

Sheffield United, founded in 1857, is the oldest documented non-university football club.

the men who changed

footballWHat’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

manager Walter Winterbottom.

Herbert cHapManA 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. 2339The Manager

» i n n o v a t i o n

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.

Centre of attention

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

interview:SUE MCKELLAR

41The Manager

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 “pro-

academy”. 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

tECHNiCallYbrilliaNtthe 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

communicated. “You have to

be able to create and manage

a team of around 50 people,

including the national coach

and managers and staff of all

levels,” says Houllier. “that

takes a good communicator.”

42 The Manager

» i n n o v a t i o n

LEAdErs IN Football

» l m a n e w s & e v e n t s

Over 200 clubs from more than 30

leagues and guests from 45 nations

were represented at the annual

Leaders in Football in October.

The two-day event, at Stamford

Bridge, featured speakers from

the very top echelons of football,

including FIFA president Jack

Warner, FA chairman Lord Triesman

and chairman of the Football League,

Lord Mawhinney.

The highlight of the event was the

LMA-hosted session, entitled “The

Changing Role of Management: A

View from the Top”. The LMA panel

(above, main) included chairman

Howard Wilkinson,

chief executive Richard Bevan and

LMA members Roy Hodgson and

Sven Göran Eriksson.

The LMA was delighted to make

such an important contribution to a

high-profile event that continues to

go from strength to strength.

43The Manager

44 The Manager

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.”

inspirational

45The Manager

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 Foster-

Hill, “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.

Youth vs experience

Sir BoBBy roBSon, CBEarguably football’s greatest

ever ambassador, sir Bobby’s

knighthood recognised his

contribution as a player, coach

and manager. after a successful

stint at ipswich, he steered

england to two World cups.

considerable success in europe

followed, at psv eindhoven, Fc porto and Barcelona.

Brian CloughWhen he started his managerial

career at hartlepool united

at the age of 30, he was the

youngest in the Football

league. his success with the

club was to be replicated

at Derby county and, most

famously, nottingham Forest.

During 16 years at the club, he achieved promotion and

a league championship win, two successive european

cups and four league cups.

alEC StoCkstock’s long

and successful

management career

started at Yeovil

town, before he

moved on to leyton

orient, as roma, Qpr,

luton town, Fulham

and aFc Bournemouth. achievements included

consecutive promotions and a Football league

cup win with Qpr.

Sir Matt BuSBy, CBEManchester united’s longest-

serving manager, sir Matt’s

youthful squad – the Busby

Babes – achieved several Fa

cup and three league wins.

after the Munich air tragedy, he

rebuilt the side, which went on

to win an Fa cup, the european

cup and become league champions

twice more.

late greats: living legenDs:

meet the members

alan BuCklEyhaving started his management career

at Walsall at only 28 years of age,

Buckley had spells at West Bromwich

albion, lincoln city and rochdale. But it

was at grimsby town, which he managed

for three separate periods, that he saw most success,

including several promotions.

JiM SMitha former lMa chief executive, smith is

a highly experienced manager with

five promotions under his

belt, at colchester, oxford

united, Birmingham city

and Derby county.

smith also played

an important

role in helping

harry redknapp’s

portsmouth into the

topflight. smith returned

to oxford as manager in

2006 and is also on the

board of directors.

Sir alEx FErguSon, CBEawarded premier league Manager of

the Year nine times, lMa Manager of the

Year twice and Manager of the decade

in 1999, sir alex won ten trophies in

seven years with aberdeen before he

even arrived at Manchester united. there, the long list

of achievements include 11 league titles,

five Fa cups and several champions

league wins.

harry rEdknappafter a first taste of success at aFc

Bournemouth, including two league

wins and a promotion, redknapp

reigned at West ham for seven years,

leading them to success in europe.

several spells at portsmouth followed, highlights

of which were a promotion, an Fa cup win and the

club’s first appearance in europe. since joining

tottenham hotspur in 2008, the club has gone from

strength to strength.

46 The Manager

meet the members

dario gradi, MBEgradi is currently director of football

and caretaker manager of crewe

alexandra, a club he has been

associated with for nearly 30 years. as

well as establishing a youth academy at

crewe, gradi took the side to four promotions.

Brian hortonhorton has managed clubs in every

division, starting at hull city, with

which he achieved promotion in his

first season. spells at oxford united,

Manchester city, huddersfield town,

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.

dEniS SMithsmith first made his mark as player-

manager at York city, winning the

league title and becoming the first club

to top 100 points. he then beat this with

sunderland, topping the table in his

first season and again a few years later. after spells at

Bristol city, oxford united and West Bromwich albion,

smith landed at Wrexham. there, despite financial

difficulties, he inspired a shock promotion. nEil WarnoCkDuring his 28-year career, Warnock

has managed at all levels of english

football. highlights have included

promotions at scarborough, notts

county, huddersfield town and

plymouth united. at sheffield united, he led the side

to Fa cup and league cup semi-finals and promotion

to the premier league.

grahaM turnErafter shrewsbury town and aston villa,

it was at Wolverhampton Wanderers

that turner first really made his mark.

he took a bottom division club, heavily

in debt, and won two successive

promotions. it was a similar story at hereford united,

with which he achieved several promotions despite

very limited resources. turner, who is lMa chairman,

won the lMa service to the game award in 2009.

grahaM taylora former england manager and

president of the lMa, taylor is

most famous for having transformed

Watford, taking the club from the fourth

division to the topflight in only five years.

he is one of only three managers to have done so. a

place in the ueFa cup and an Fa cup final are also

among his many achievements.

JoE roylEafter 12 years at oldham athletic, royle

made an immediate impact at everton,

turning around a struggling side and

leading them to an Fa cup win. skilled

at building successful teams on limited

resources, his next move was to Manchester united, with

which he achieved several promotions, followed by a

spell at ipswich town and a brief return to oldham.

davE BaSSEttnot only is Bassett an experienced

and successful manager, he’s also a

record-holder, having achieved seven

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.

lEnniE laWrEnCEnow director of football at Bristol

rovers and in charge of the ueFa pro

programme for the Welsh Fa, lawrence

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.

StEvE CoppEllit was at crystal palace, coppell’s first

club as a manager, that he had most

notable success. he took the club to

three promotions and their highest ever

placing. after a move to reading, he

guided the club to the topflight for the

first time ever – a title success that

featured a 33-game unbeaten run.

48 The Manager

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.

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

whether those were the right

decisions to make?

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.

Catching up with... Stuart Gray

» m a n a g e r s p o t l i g h t

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