I was thinking today how odd it is that we've seen a rise in nice managers (previously referred to as yes men) as managers of big clubs over the past few years.
It seems like a 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), Wenger (complaining all the bloody time) and of course Mourinho, who has seemingly dialled back the animus since he went off the rails here.
With all due respect to Ole - and not meaning to get into negative criticism because I think he's doing an okay job - I think we're all agreed that one of the reasons he's still in the position is partly because of his willingness not to rock the boat with Ed and the Glazers. I'm sure he was just as annoyed as most posters that he we didn't get a right winger this Summer, yet we didn't hear a pipe out of him about it. No pipe. Just that cheeky grin he does. The cheekiest of all grins, if you will.
Southgate is another along these lines; one I like to think is the footballing manager equivalent of a head prefect. He's never been prone to negativity, hence why I think he got the job in the first place after Big Sam proved to be a bit of a rascal. Lampard is another too - somebody who seems so chuffed to be managing Chelsea that he might not even house the ability to be critical of the club hierarchy, not that he needs to be right now. Arteta seems akin, which might be why he gets less flack in the media despite doing a pretty poor job so far in mon opinion.
Of course not all managers are this way inclined because we still have madmen like Bielsa and Simeone. Pep doesn't hold back, nor Klopp. Dyche too for an old school brit.
Still, I can't help but think there's been an increase in managers who are just so friendly and jolly, whose mouths wouldn't melt even if you inserted hot butter inside them. It seems like we're entering a world where charismatic, volatile personalities are on wane in favour of comity at all costs. A brave new era of what defines a football manager at a top, top club.
I wonder, good folk of rouge cafe, why this might be? Amuse me with your responses please.
** Edit - Changed title to look less like I'm referring to a country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula and also edited some text to make the overall point less shit (hopefully).
It seems like a 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), Wenger (complaining all the bloody time) and of course Mourinho, who has seemingly dialled back the animus since he went off the rails here.
With all due respect to Ole - and not meaning to get into negative criticism because I think he's doing an okay job - I think we're all agreed that one of the reasons he's still in the position is partly because of his willingness not to rock the boat with Ed and the Glazers. I'm sure he was just as annoyed as most posters that he we didn't get a right winger this Summer, yet we didn't hear a pipe out of him about it. No pipe. Just that cheeky grin he does. The cheekiest of all grins, if you will.
Southgate is another along these lines; one I like to think is the footballing manager equivalent of a head prefect. He's never been prone to negativity, hence why I think he got the job in the first place after Big Sam proved to be a bit of a rascal. Lampard is another too - somebody who seems so chuffed to be managing Chelsea that he might not even house the ability to be critical of the club hierarchy, not that he needs to be right now. Arteta seems akin, which might be why he gets less flack in the media despite doing a pretty poor job so far in mon opinion.
Of course not all managers are this way inclined because we still have madmen like Bielsa and Simeone. Pep doesn't hold back, nor Klopp. Dyche too for an old school brit.
Still, I can't help but think there's been an increase in managers who are just so friendly and jolly, whose mouths wouldn't melt even if you inserted hot butter inside them. It seems like we're entering a world where charismatic, volatile personalities are on wane in favour of comity at all costs. A brave new era of what defines a football manager at a top, top club.
I wonder, good folk of rouge cafe, why this might be? Amuse me with your responses please.
** Edit - Changed title to look less like I'm referring to a country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula and also edited some text to make the overall point less shit (hopefully).
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