Coaching to Management: The Good, the Bad and Les Reed

With Chris Hughton looking set to become Norwich's newest manager I take a look at the levels of success of that magic transition from coach to gaffer.

Hughton had ten years as assistant manager at Tottenham Hotspur working under as many as six managers. It would seem that this would be the perfect scholarship to becoming a successful manager and for Hughton this seems true. His spell at Newcastle saw him achieve promotion and secure mid table status in the top division only to be controversially relieved of his duties. Being promoted to manager appears to be a poisoned chalice, similarly to Martin Jol at Spurs, Hughton was afforded less time than you would expect and an unrealistic level of consistency was required to keep his job. Jol achieved back to back fifth placed finishes (after being promoted following Jacques Santini's premature departure), at the time, the best in Tottenham's Premier League history. Poor form in the proceeding season saw all that forgotten as he was axed quicker than Cardiff's home colours. Hughton has since gone on to have an excellent season at Birmingham. With a squad in transition, Hughton relied heavily on youth, as many of his big names left. Starlet Nathan Redmond shone and loan signing Andros Townsend saw the Brummies playing some of the best football in the league. Hughton guided Birmingham to fourth place in a very competitive division littered with former Premier League teams. He also had an FA Cup run which saw them lose a fifth round replay to eventual winners Chelsea and a unique situation in the Championship, of being in Europe. After qualifying for the Europa League group stage, Birmingham held their own and only missed out on qualification for the knockout stages by one point in a very tight group. Forever being linked with new jobs, the future looks bright for Hughton and I wish him all the best at Norwich, however not everyone can make this transition from the backroom to the touchline as smoothly and successfully as Norwich's new boss or Fulham's Jol.

Over the years there have been those who have found being promoted to manager nigh on impossible. None more famous than Steve McClaren. Accused of being 'too matey' with the squad, Schteve lacked the authority to stamp his mark on the squad. Having been involved in the national set up since 2000, it was difficult for McClaren to demonstrate to the squad that he was in charge and they should do it his way. This is certainly a factor when coaches make that step up, they must have the mental rigidity to establish their own regime and not try to do things as their predecessor had, as tempting as it may be. This does not mean that you should not learn from your experience as assistant, but it is the method of application of this learning which appears to be the key to successful management. The media smear campaign was not conducive to success it must be noted, brandishing McClaren 'Second Choice Steve' and the 'Wally With The Brolly', his failure to qualify for EURO 2008 saw the end of a miserable tenure. McClaren's skill as a club manager cannot be denied, he had guided Middlesborough to the League Cup and a UEFA Cup Final and subsequently won the Dutch league with FC Twente. Perhaps the same cannot be said for other would be managers, not everyone has the raw ability to become top dog.

Phil Brown, Chris Hutchins, Sammy Lee and Les Reed. You won't find these guys in the Managerial Hall of Fame. All excellent and successful coaches in their own right, they seemed to lack the skills required of a top level manager. Les Reed even being named worst manager of all time in an unofficial online poll. Phil Brown's infamous on pitch team talk demonstrated a lack of tact and managerial nous you would never see amongst the likes of Wenger, Redknapp and Moyes. It was akin to the training ground, a place Brown was surely more accustomed to. When Bolton appointed Sammy Lee in 2007, aside from having a ridiculous touchline headset, which would have needed a direct line to the man upstairs for Lee to have success, his bewildering tactical decisions led Bolton to one win in eleven. 'Little Sam' fell well short of his larger predecessor.

The move from No.2 is clearly one which poses many difficulties and is not for everyone. In today's modern game it seems that managers can often be thrown in at the deep end, Alan Shearer and Paul Ince for example, took on jobs that were too big for them. Perhaps they would have benefited from an understudy tenure, however there seems a pattern where if one is in the backroom too long, the step up to No.1 is a bridge too far. There are certainly more cases of failure than success and it seems Chris Hughton is an exception to the norm.

JLloyd

Euro 2012 - The French Revolution?

Recently i have spent a fair amount of time discussing the Euros and in particular these three questions. Who will win it? Who will be top scorer? And who will be the break out player? And to my surprise very rarely has anybody mentioned the French. Unbeaten in their last twenty games and boasting a hungry young squad they are a team that are at the forefront of our minds due to England's opening fixture but this i feel has led to them being overlooked as tournament contenders.

This is a completely different team from the one that crashed and burned at the World Cup. No longer are they an unsettled squad but the new coach Laurent Blanc has brought a cohesion and happiness to the French camp. In fact it has been argued that the current squad is too inexperienced with many players plying their trade in the French league and possessing less than 20 caps. However this contrast's with the star studded squads that have braced previous tournaments and has led to a lack of egos and an increase in unity in the squad. Something that can be viewed as nothing but positive. 

Blanc is likely to utilize an effective 4-2-3-1 formation which places strong emphasis on keeping the ball and using it efficiently. This is possible due to the attacking and flexible threat players such as Benzema, Nasri, Martin and Ribery bring to the team. They are complemented nicely by the defensive base that can be provided by the likes of Cabaye, M'vila and Diarra. Although there are worries about the French central defenders, the Mexes and Rami partnership looks shakey with some even calling for the much improved but inexperienced Laurent Koscienly to start against England , they have the magnificent Lloris in goal and a number of solid full backs to choose from (Evra, Clichy and Debuchy). If the French can overcome some defensive issues and their tricky opening fixture they will be well placed to perform strongly throughout the rest of the tournament due to the strength of their squad.. Odds of 10/1 to win the tournament look very appealing. 

This brings me on the subject of top goalscorer. Robin Van Persie and Mario Gomez are in some sense the rightful favourites to win the golden boot. However many are talking about Jelavic or Lewandoski as potential dark horses due to their blistering club form. Yet criminally, Karim Benzema is being overlooked. His impressive goal tally for Real Madrid (32 goals in 52 games) has been overshadowed by the astonishing feats of Ronaldo and Messi and although it is true that he is yet to light up the international stage he is currently in the form of his life. He will be the sole focal point of the French attack and will be given plenty of opportunities to score from the creative three behind him with Ribery in particular determined to impress. Therefore not only do France possess the squad to challenge at the Euros they also have a world class striker who could light up the tournament. 

Finally my last question - biggest breakout player? Every international tournament always throws up a player or players that makes their name on the world stage with some dazzling performances. In the 2010 World Cup  it was Muller, whilst the 2008 European Championships gave us Arshavin. Players who although relatively well known in their own league or country had yet to have their class appreciated on a global scale. My tip for the break out player of the tournament is Mathieu Debuchy. Almost certain to start at right back due to absence of Sagna. Debuchy is a tough tackling, adventurous full back who is able to produce consistently good crosses. He needs some work on the defensive side of his game but with top class sides like Man United and Barcelona supposedly on the look out for a new full back a good tournament for Debuchy could lead to great things. 

Could Euro 2012 herald a new era for the French? Unfortunately for England the signs are positive but we will find out soon enough. 

jgeorge 

England's Liverpudlian Squad - Time to 'Calm Down'

As the UEFA Euro 2012 Championship draws near the England squad are dropping like flies. The latest inclusion of Liverpool's Martin Kelly has brought their representation in the squad up to 6. With their poor league form, this has drawn a great deal of controversy. But if they have invested heavily in English youth unlike many other top teams, then why should there not be a heavy Merseyside presence. Liverpool have provided some of England's finest young talents over a number of years. In addition senior players such as Steven Gerrard, Stewart Downing and Glen Johnson, with 162 caps between them would likely help Henderson, Carroll and Kelly bed in.

I am a big believer in having club contingencies within the national set up. The successful Spain side of recent years has incorporated successful combinations within club sides into the national side. Of course I am not suggesting that Henderson and Carroll are like Xavi and Iniesta, however the bond of club football and consistency this brings is surely something which would benefit at least the team camp and morale if not on pitch performances. Although this heavy presence from the red side of the Mersey was largely due to unforeseen circumstances, one would suggest that it is not all doom and gloom. Their league form was poor, they drew far too many games at home, but the European Championship is not a league, its a cup. Cup football is a different animal as Chelsea showed us with their seemingly impossible cup double and 6th placed league finish, a feat that we will seldom see again. Liverpool weren't too bad in the cups. Reaching the final of both domestic tournaments, in which we saw some of their best performances both as a team and from individuals such as Downing and Carroll. The FA Cup in particular saw Downing score 2 and gain 2 assists in 6 games and Carroll put 4 in the back of the net en route to second place. With both in with a shout of featuring in the opening game of the tournament perhaps the boys from the North West will paint the East red, again.


Jlloyd

Transfer Mill: Rumour and Assessment

Update and short analysis of this Summer's movements


Alan Dzagoev - £20m+ - Linked with Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea

After his stellar performance against the Czech Republic it is clear Russia's hopes are down to the potent partnership of  Dzagoev and Arshavin. Sitting pretty in my Fantasy Football team, Dzagoev's performance will certainly have caught the eye up of some of Europe's elite clubs. Having racked up 153 games and 37 goals at CSKA Moscow along with 21 Russia caps and 6 goals at just 21, Dzagoev is indeed hot property. With the ability to find killer passes and run with the ball from midfield, Dzagoev stretched the Czech back four into submission. The babyfaced assassin, Dzagoev has been strongly linked with the Premier League and playing in the tough Russian Premier League should certainly be an excellent apprenticeship. Although other Russian stars have failed to make a strong impact in England, Arshavin, Zhirkov and Pavlyuchenko for example, I believe Dzagoev has the appetite and determination to succeed. As the Euro 2012 competition continues I'm sure we will see his asking price rocket.


Dorlan Pabón -  £5m-£8m - Strongly linked with Galatasaray, also Roma, Rubin Kazan and Tottenham Hotspur

This 24 year old Colombian who plays for his native Atletico Nacional is on the wishlist of many European clubs this Summer. It seems as if Glatasaray have taken the lead for his signature but nothing definitive as yet. Pabón is an attacking central midfielder, both robust and skilful, with more than an eye for goal. He is currently the second highest scorer in the Copa Libertadores with 7 goals. He made a name for himself with a 40 yard free kick against rivals Penarol (right). Pabón can operate both behind the strikers and in a more traditional central midfield role. He certainly has the attributes for European football and hopefully we will see him in the Premier League soon.

Leandro Damião - £15m approx. -Linked with various clubs.

Leandro Damião is a player in high demand. With Tottenham having bids of around £14m rejected and interest from Spain and Italy, it seems it will not be long before Damião graces our European shores. At 22 he is not a raw and unadulterated talent nor is he the finished article, but he is a natural born goalscorer. At nearly 6 ft 2 in Damião possesses strength and pace and would not come unstuck in the physical Premier League. His typically brilliant Brazilian touch and composure has led to an incredible 68 goals in 111 career games. In winning the Copa Libertadores in his debut season with Brazilian club Internacional,with a goal in the two legged final, Damião has become a household name on the flair continent. With comparisons to Edinson Cavani, Damião would be a cheaper option for clubs looking to bolster their attacks. He also has international experience with 8 caps for a nation with a wealth of goal scoring talent, in addition to his maiden Brazil goal which he happened to score at Craven Cottage against Ghana and a mesmerising performance against the old foe Argentina. Damião looks set to move and is certainly a man to look out for.
e


Shinji Kagawa - Manchester United - £12m approx.


United's first ever Japanese player looks set to arrive from German champions Dortmund. The cynical view would be that of a long term replacement for Park Ji Sung, with an eye on Asian shirt sales over impact on the first team. However such cynicism would be naive, Kagawa has filled the boots of the often injured and highly lauded Mario Gotze. With back to back titles and a stellar performance in the German cup final thrashing of Bayern, Kagawa will bolster United's aging midfield. At the tender age of 23 he already has 30 caps for his country and nearly 100 career goals from advanced midfield and wide positions, 29 in his last 2 seasons on the continent along with 15 assists is an accomplished return. Much like Hernandez, Fergie will know how to get the best out of the Japanese wonderkid and he will have to work hard to garner a first team position, patience is a must and taking his chances in the first half of the season will be crucial to establishing himself in a competitive, if not star studded, Manchester squad. Overall he seems a good purchase and will have a part to play in the upcoming season.

European Championship Betting

The purpose of this section is to track my betting history throughout the Championship. It will be updated the night before game days, with trials, tribulations and hopefully some winners.

Introduction

Welcome to That White Line,

2012 is a year full of milestones for Britain. Right now we are in the midst of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Something that we wont see again for many generations.  In the eyes of many 2012 will undoubtedly be remembered for the epic amount of sport taking place. The European Championships, Wimbledon, South Africa's cricket tour of England, The Ryder Cup and of course the 2012 London Olympics.

Myself and jlloyd both possess an interest in a wide variety of sports. Currently we are humanities students at Southampton University and therefore have a lot of free time on our hands. And with the obsessive summer of sport almost upon us we feel that it is time to take our views and opinions from the living room to a wider audience.

So although it may look bare at the moment we have a lot planned for the coming months starting with a comprehensive guide to the European Championships. We will also be including a section where you can follow our betting tips and advice. I myself will be placing at least one bet on every game and you can see how i get on throughout the tournament right here. And of course no sports blog would be complete without a transfer rumor mill.

So be patient and make sure you check back.

jgeorge