I was thinking today how odd it is that we've seen a rise in yesmen as managers of big clubs over the past few years. It seems like a total shift from an era defined by coaches whose competitiveness often caused rifts both at player and board level. You know, the type associated with old school managers like Fergie (disputes with Magnier about the horse), Wenger (complaining all the time) and of course Mourinho, who has seemingly dialled back since he went off the rails during his tenure here.
With all due respect to Ole, and not meaning to get into negative criticism of him as our manager, I think we're all agreed that one of the reasons he's still in the position is because of his willingness not to rock the boat with Ed and the Glazers. I'm sure he was as annoyed as most posters here that he we didn't get a right winger this Summer but we didn't hear a pipe out of him about it. Just that cheeky grin he does. The cheekiest of all grins.
Southgate is another as he's footballing manager equivalent of a head prefect, especially compared to stronger international managers like Deschamps and Luis Enrique. Lampard is possibly another - basically somebody who's so happy to be where he is that he doesn't make any criticism of the club hierarchy. Not that Chelsea need it right now but I couldn't imagine him doing it even if they did. Arteta is in this exact same mould too.
Of course not all managers are this way. We still have madmen like Bielsa and Simeone. Pep wouldn't hold back. Klopp too and also Dyche who seems to have some leverage given how much he's overachieved at Burnley in recent years.
Still, I can't help but think there's been an increase in managers who are reluctant to ever step out of line. Charismatic personalities like it seem to be on the wane in the new era of what defines a football manager.
Is it the amount of money in football now which has created a need for people who just get on with the football side of things?
