Another Soccer Club Appoints a Young Inexperienced Manager - Right or Wrong?

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With the walkout of Keane at English Premier League Club Sunderland and under pressure Ince at another Premier League Club Blackburn, both young inexperienced managers, is it too much to expect in such a high pressure, almost instant results expected environment that such inexperienced managers are not given enough time to make their mark.

Now another inexperienced young ex-premiership player has been given his chance - Lee Clark (Fulham and Newcastle United) at Huddersfield Town. Although Huddersfield is not a Premier League Club, it is in the next division down, in the Championship, they have a long term plan even though Clark will be the fourth manager there in tow years! Clark has only managed Norwich's reserve team (another Championship Club) for the last couple of seasons or so. So what has he got, why have thee club's management teams (read Chairmen) made these risky decisions. Well, I guess they are cheaper (no experience, right?), young, enthusiastic, possess lots of energy, have great ideas (probably naive ones but hey!) but have they got innate people management experience to deal with all levels, all types and abilities of player. Generally this tends to come with age and of course lots and lots of experience.

However and I think this makes a huge difference, they have this embedded in the manager's back up team. Now Huddersfield have two highly experienced and successful individuals to give Clark all the help he needs. He has Derek Fazakerley who has immense coaching experience with England, Manchester City and Newcastle United and Steve Black a great motivational, performance and fitness coach with experience at Newcastle Falcons Premier Rugby Union side, Newcastle United and personal fitness trainer to Jonny Wilkinson. This is potentially a great combination. Clark can use his own football experience as a quick passing midfielder, draw on his strength of character and then all has to do is listen (to his back up team). We'll see!

Keith
Keith Irving
iStadia

Tags: business, derek fazackerley, football management, football, huddersfield town, jonny wilkinson, keith irving, lee clark, motivation, newcastle united, performance coach, performance psychology, soccer, steve black

Posted December 11, 2008 at 3:28 AM by keithirving | Permalink | Comments(4)

Comments

I don't know much about Lee Clark the man, and whether he has the qualities needed, but I think that going into the Championship with reserve team experience isn't that big a deal. Look at Roy Keane. He had nothing when he took on Sunderland.

Clubs increasingly seem to be looking for something different. For a lot of them, they have to either buy that at a premium or take a risk on someone relatively unproven. It's either that or get a middle of the road guy, a relatively safe(ish) pair of hands but someone you can't expect anything great from.

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Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com

Posted by robrobson | December 11, 2008 at 4:30 AM

Paul Ince manager/head coach at Premier League Blackburn Rovers was sacked today 16th December. Giving him time to turn things around (Blackburn are in the relagation zone) versus staying in the top division was a losing battle and the Blackburn board decided survival in the top flight was paramount.

Keith
Keith Irving
iStadia

Posted by keithirving | December 16, 2008 at 5:09 AM

Not such a big deal to whom - Huddersfield Town, their Chairman or their fans. To a great extent the choice of manager means success or failure - on both sides. The choice of manager is a huge step for any club at any level and probably greater than some premier league sides as some like Manchester City can spend their way out of trouble. Money doesn't guarantee success but it sure can ameliorate failure.

Keith
Keith Irving
iStadia

Posted by keithirving | December 12, 2008 at 1:56 AM

In my opinion, the role manager/coach is highly overated. Seldom does a young or inexperienced coach get an opportunity with the material to win. In many cases such as Ince, they are last minute signings with very limited opportunity to shape a team in their image. To add fuel to the fire, from the onset, they are second guessed in a highly public forum which undercuts them with players. So called great managers have players that I would be hard pressed to screw up. Its so obvious it sounds absurd. Seriously, I know I have no business being an EPL manager, but I couldn't get any of the Big Four relegated. Blackburn is another matter. Very shaky situation and one not likely to improve. The bigger problem is that the system keeps regurgitating mediocrity in the name of experience. What 's even more amusing is that the same management that hires a series of "failures" generally keeps their jobs.

Posted by zrwoodard | December 23, 2008 at 10:28 AM