Two clear recent examples can illustrate this from two of England’s British counterparts. Under Bertie Vogts, the Scottish media wrote that he suffered from having to work with the worst ever generation of Scots’ players as the team slipped to 88th in the world. Yet just two years after that lowpoint, the same group of players under different management have dragged Scotland up to 14th in the FIFA Rankings and been rechristened as “potential legends”. Similarly, Northern Ireland went 10 games without even scoring a goal under Sammy McIlroy. Lawrie Sanchez took over and led the same players to wins over England, Spain and Sweden. Their leap up the FIFA Rankings was even more impressive than Scotland's: 124th to 33rd under Sanchez.
There are countless examples like this that prove that football is as much played on the training field and the tactics board as it is on the pitch on matchday. It’s not always easy for the press or fans to pinpoint exactly where the problems lie, meaning Eriksson was probably criticised for his tactics just as much as McClaren. It’s what we don’t see – the training methods, the team-talks, the dressing-room relationships – that determines whether players perform above and beyond their usual form (as with the Scottish and Northern Irish players), or are pale shadows at International level of their true capabilities, as with the current English squad.
English fans are not being delusional in believing players like Gerrard and Terry are world-class: they consistently prove at club level under top managers that they are. England don’t need knee-jerk reactions; they don’t need to close the borders to foreign imports or make sweeping changes at youth level. They just need to hire a manager who can foster a positive and determined atmosphere within his squad, and communicate his tactical instructions clearly to his array of top players. If he can do that in the dressing-room, we’ll all see the evidence on the pitch.
Article comments
1 - alessandro
Mourinho is reported to be the big banana now. We'll see if it's about coaching. I suspect the problem runs a little deeper.
2 - Christopher Rose
McClaren was seriously lacking in managerial experience, having only managed one club, and it was simply a poor decision by the FA to give him the job.
Evidence of McClaren's lack of experience can be found everywhere, not least in his poor tactics and his failure to resolve England's midfield issues.
It will be evidence that the FA executive committee have learned nothing at all unless they come up with someone with deep experience and a sharp understanding of the English game as the new manager.
Despite Mourinho's track record, I think he is simply too young to manage England and will wisely make the decision to remain in club football.
3 - STM
I saw a TV report today where the British media doorstepped Mourinho outside his place in Portugal.
When asked whether he'd be prepared to coach England, he grinned and said "Why not?" before speeding off in an expensive car.
The FA obviously want him.
4 - troll
...I thought that 'doorstepping' had been banned under the Geneva Conventions as torture
5 - Christopher Rose
Stan, well, he's not going to say no outright is he? Wouldn't want to upset people in case he either manages another English club or, in the fullness of time, even the national team. The FA are buffoons!
6 - alessandro
So then who's "old" enough? Capello? From what I have read from British soccer mags it doesn't sound like England is healthy on the managerial side of the equation. I think it was World Soccer mag who predicted that Mclaren was going to end in disaster.
7 - Christopher Rose
Capello is certainly a possibility. Other countries have done well using a foreigner to manage their national team so why not England?
A "young" manager is at an automatic disadvantage as the manager of England because with the current busybody structure of the FA, it's completely different to managing a club, where the manager can do things their own way.
It takes a lot of compromise and negotiation with both the FA committees and individual club managers to manage England and I just can't see Mourinho having the patience to put up with that. To say nothing of the long periods of inactivity between international fixtures as opposed to working closely with a group of players on a day to day basis.
8 - alessandro
I definitely agree that it matters not where a manager comes from but for a soccer nation like England one would have to wonder why England can't find a homer to coach the team. Sure in a nation of 59 million and with a soccer tradition like England they should find someone?
Well, to me, Mourinho was not going to just "manage." He would, like Capello I suppose, have to revolutionize the present prevailing ethos that exists in England. Maybe he would have to change how players are developed (tactics etc.) and the FA as you just explained. He strikes me as the type to do that - like Wenger at Arsenal.
Yeah, he sure is a firecracker. He doesn't seem to tolerate complications.
I just hope England gets its act together. They need to find goalkeeping too!
Love their jersey.
9 - Dr Jetlagful
The fact that England, the birthplace of soccer, needed Sven the Swede in the first place - whatever his credentials as a coach - was downright embarrassing. It's at the point now where there's no-one you would really even consider.
Just as telling is that as far as I know, there isn't one single solitary Englishman coaching in any of the top European leagues either. It's not like we can go and lure a Venables away from some trophy-laden megaclub.
I say let the Special One do it. Then we can blame him for being Portuguese (failed Brazilian) and mental when he becomes the latest in a long line of fuck-ups.
Bah humbug.