I can’t remember how I reacted in the playground, when I was unleashed from my Mum’s grasp, finally trusted to big kid’s apparatus and ready for the next step, which I couldn’t take because the way was blocked.
Slides, swings and the merry-go-round the domain of the older kids, who weren’t ready to step a side, or share.
Vague memories of ‘park-gate’ came trickling back to me during the week, when Neil Warnock was appointed as manager of Crystal Palace for the second time. In what to me is a strange appointment and symptomatic of the English attitude towards coaching, ahead of the future release of area three of the FA Chairman England Commission report, relating to coaching development.
Now, I can see on the face of things why Warnock would be seen as a safe pair of hands, in what has been a difficult time at the club, for reasons, I won’t delve into on this blog. But, he’s been at Selhurst Park before; a familiar face trusted to steer the ship through a difficult period. To a degree, I can see the logic, certainly from a PR perspective. Fiery characters like Neil Warnock are never far from controversy, which will shift focus, which in the short term Palace could use in the wake of the M&M debacle. But, as a football decision, it flies in the face of progress, the very crux of why we proceed with a manager unfit for purpose at international level, simply because there are no other options.
To say Warnock’s training methods have been coined archaic would be an understatement in the extreme, regardless of the source, these stories have been routinely leaked down the years. A man, who is well entrenched in the role your sleeves up, work hard and get stuck in brigade that continues to contribute to the stagnation of British coaching methods. These values have their place in football no doubt and if you ask Steve Parry, he will tell you, “I don’t care how we do it, just stay in the Premier League”, for reason’s which don’t need to be explained. After all, he is a business man, that’s his focus, the Premier League carrot dangles just before his eyes and a short term view is adopted.
How does this help development of our younger coaches?
I would urge Steve Parry to look past a 65 year old manager, with a checkered past and dated view of the game, in favour of a young, driven English manager, with a philosophy that will be imprinted on the club for life. Not only will this provide a better chance of success in the long term, but lays the foundations for future appointments, creating a blueprint of play which can be carried and developed down the years.
I don’t see that at this point in English football, time and again the style and philosophy of a club changes from appointment to appointment, it’s not beneficial and it hasn’t helped. I take Swansea as a shining example of how we move forward as a nation. Since Roberto Martinez laid the foundations, young managers have reaped the rewards, because as a club, Swansea have a vision, a direction which they are all travelling together. I applaud Hugh Jenkins, because this is the only way forward, the only way we will ever produce a top level manager in today’s climate.
How this is enforced is another matter entirely, the FA hold no control over club’s on a decision making level and nor should they. But, they can apply pressure in the right area’s, these owners and chairman need to understand that they and their employee’s benefit greatly from the national game and by association are accountable for its growth and progression. This means opportunities, active involvement in the assurance of development of young English players and coaches. It means telling people like Neil Warnock, thanks, but no thanks, you have had your chance and we will now go another way.
This will probably come across as some sort of personal attack motivated by my dislike for Warnock; but this couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m just tired of the propaganda released by numerous ‘pundits’ in the media, regurgitating the same jargon I have heard time and again, pushing the same names forward… You know whom I am talking about; Alan Curbishley, Neil Warnock, Glenn Hoddle and even George Graham for god sake, the list goes on, all pushed forward inexplicably for roles, without any thought given to their suitability. Opinion’s blurted out from a vague memory of their previous successes and no consideration given to the requirements of the modern game, it’s lazy and we cannot afford to be lazy.
What worries me is the appointment of Neil Warnock is not an isolated incident it’s role after role.
Where are the fresh young managers, with new ideas and philosophies?
The answer is simple; there isn’t enough out there to shout about, because time and again, they are passed over for a safe pair of hands. Or, when they do get the opportunity, one failure and that is the last we see of them.
I await the release of the FA’s commissioning report part 2 with baited breath, in the hope that opportunity and professional progression are high on the agenda, because at the moment that route to the top is blocked to the young English managers, like Eddie Howe, who I venture was not even consulted about the Crystal Palace managers position… In favour of a man, who declared himself ill prepared to lead the club through administration during the 2009/10 season, only to join QPR in March 2010…
The big kids will find it hard to move on from the merry-go-round, its addictive and fun. But, its down to the adults to ensure everyone gets their turn, if indeed continued development is our aim.
fksports 