Honeymoon periods tend to be positive and often give the impression that management isn't as hard as it's made out to be. Inheriting a talented side lacking in confidence tends to deliver positive results. And so it has been proven at Spurs under Tim Sherwood. He has done such a good job that he has been given an 18 month contract. Yet is he really of the quality Spurs want or need to help them push into the top four and beyond? Or is he proving that English coaches deserve their opportunity at the big clubs. The Whitehouse Address discusses.
There is little doubting what Tim Sherwood and his staff of Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsay have achieved since they took over the reigns of Spurs first team. Previously working with the U21 development squad these men hav become a key part of Spurs behind the scenes.
The youth setup at the club is excellent and with new links with Swindon with their ‘feeder club’ project, of which Sherwood and Ferdinand helped support, the club clearly wants to make the most from their youth academy and sees Sherwood and Ferdinand as the driving force behind it.
Powerpoint overloads
There is no doubt that Spurs have prospered under the new management team; they now look happier, freer and expressive. Andre Villas-Boas was perhaps as different to Harry Redknapp as any other coach available. It was probably what attracted Levy to him at first.
Where Redknapp was a man who allowed players to express themselves, not seeking to give them too many tactical instructions as such, Villas-Boas was the opposite. He was structured, organised and precise in his tactical details. Powerpoint presentations regarding the opposition, the system and players roles were a norm for the Portuguese coach. Nothing too dissimilar to his mentor Mourinho and Rodgers, another Mourinho ‘disciple’.
The problem was his ability to convey the information, to motivate and to inspire his players. AVB was an intelligent and knowledgeable coach who appeared to lack management skills to succeed in England, both with his players and the media.
English football is different to other nations in terms of the style and culture. The ability to control matches is not as typical and simple as in other leagues and AVB struggled both at Chelsea and Spurs for this reason. Gareth Bale helped him to have a good season yet the new arrivals and Bale's departure appeared to damage his vision or 'project'.
A failed rotation policy led to a lack of fluency and intellect between the team and they looked mentally weak in the big games. AVB perhaps had overworked the minds of his players, taking away their creativity and giving them too much to think about.
The new 'Arry
Perhaps it was strange that Levy replaced Redknapp with AVB yet there appeared a desire to have Spurs challenging higher in the league than 4th and that the free playing, information underload was seemingly not going to help the side progress. Levy was right. Yet he was wrong to think that AVB the right man to help Spurs make that step forwards. On paper perhaps he had the credentials yet he lacked the human touch to make theory into action.
To opt for Sherwood highlighted a few things; firstly that an AVB type coach wasn't seen as the way forward for the club, he had numbed the creative minds of the players and this was not helping performances. And secondly it seemed clear that in the year before the World Cup there was a lack of candidates available.
Levy appointed from within and chose a man who would help them express, enjoy and play with a freedom not seen since…Redknapp. In Sherwood Spurs have their younger model of the man who many Spurs fans still pine for.
Sherwood is evidently one who wants his sides to attack as his team selections point to. His work with Adebayor has been impressive and he has been rewarded with great performances. In fact many of those players under AVB look very different, more like what Spurs bought. Sherwood’s style is bringing results and he is proving that sometimes less is more.
However, under this style Spurs will come unstuck against the better sides, they look tactically naïve as was proven against Arsenal in the FA Cup. An attacking 4-4-2- formation does appear to give the players freedom to express and Sherwood appears intent on using as many of his attacking threats as possible. It is ambitious and positive.
However although the 4-4-2 has come back into the modern game and with relative success, the personnel is key. Spurs suffered from not improving their defence in the summer. Dawson is not good enough for a top four push and if the side is to be more open then the defence needs to be excellent. That is not the case.
Sherwood has benefited from inheriting a side lacking in confidence and needing a lift as well as been given a relatively easy schedule on which to build from. Yes his ‘English’ approach has helped him start well yet it will not bring what Levy wants and this is the downfall with English coaches.
Spurs overloaded the attack and midfield positions and they have suffered for it. Against the bottom half of the league Spurs will have enough in attack to create and score goals yet versus the better sides under this system they will be exposed by smarter and more talented players. After decades it appears English coaches cannot move away from the 4-4-2.
Behind the rest
This aspect brings us to the English coaching culture of football. Both Harry Redknapp and now Tim Sherwood both appear to dismiss ‘tactics’ in their management style, focusing more on the players and their freedom to create and attack. Redknapp was unfortunate to lose his job when he came 4th and had proven that his style of play was entertaining as well as successful.
There is little doubting what Tim Sherwood and his staff of Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsay have achieved since they took over the reigns of Spurs first team. Previously working with the U21 development squad these men hav become a key part of Spurs behind the scenes.
The youth setup at the club is excellent and with new links with Swindon with their ‘feeder club’ project, of which Sherwood and Ferdinand helped support, the club clearly wants to make the most from their youth academy and sees Sherwood and Ferdinand as the driving force behind it.
Powerpoint overloads
There is no doubt that Spurs have prospered under the new management team; they now look happier, freer and expressive. Andre Villas-Boas was perhaps as different to Harry Redknapp as any other coach available. It was probably what attracted Levy to him at first.
Where Redknapp was a man who allowed players to express themselves, not seeking to give them too many tactical instructions as such, Villas-Boas was the opposite. He was structured, organised and precise in his tactical details. Powerpoint presentations regarding the opposition, the system and players roles were a norm for the Portuguese coach. Nothing too dissimilar to his mentor Mourinho and Rodgers, another Mourinho ‘disciple’.
The problem was his ability to convey the information, to motivate and to inspire his players. AVB was an intelligent and knowledgeable coach who appeared to lack management skills to succeed in England, both with his players and the media.
English football is different to other nations in terms of the style and culture. The ability to control matches is not as typical and simple as in other leagues and AVB struggled both at Chelsea and Spurs for this reason. Gareth Bale helped him to have a good season yet the new arrivals and Bale's departure appeared to damage his vision or 'project'.
A failed rotation policy led to a lack of fluency and intellect between the team and they looked mentally weak in the big games. AVB perhaps had overworked the minds of his players, taking away their creativity and giving them too much to think about.
The new 'Arry
Perhaps it was strange that Levy replaced Redknapp with AVB yet there appeared a desire to have Spurs challenging higher in the league than 4th and that the free playing, information underload was seemingly not going to help the side progress. Levy was right. Yet he was wrong to think that AVB the right man to help Spurs make that step forwards. On paper perhaps he had the credentials yet he lacked the human touch to make theory into action.
To opt for Sherwood highlighted a few things; firstly that an AVB type coach wasn't seen as the way forward for the club, he had numbed the creative minds of the players and this was not helping performances. And secondly it seemed clear that in the year before the World Cup there was a lack of candidates available.
Levy appointed from within and chose a man who would help them express, enjoy and play with a freedom not seen since…Redknapp. In Sherwood Spurs have their younger model of the man who many Spurs fans still pine for.
Sherwood is evidently one who wants his sides to attack as his team selections point to. His work with Adebayor has been impressive and he has been rewarded with great performances. In fact many of those players under AVB look very different, more like what Spurs bought. Sherwood’s style is bringing results and he is proving that sometimes less is more.
However, under this style Spurs will come unstuck against the better sides, they look tactically naïve as was proven against Arsenal in the FA Cup. An attacking 4-4-2- formation does appear to give the players freedom to express and Sherwood appears intent on using as many of his attacking threats as possible. It is ambitious and positive.
However although the 4-4-2 has come back into the modern game and with relative success, the personnel is key. Spurs suffered from not improving their defence in the summer. Dawson is not good enough for a top four push and if the side is to be more open then the defence needs to be excellent. That is not the case.
Sherwood has benefited from inheriting a side lacking in confidence and needing a lift as well as been given a relatively easy schedule on which to build from. Yes his ‘English’ approach has helped him start well yet it will not bring what Levy wants and this is the downfall with English coaches.
Spurs overloaded the attack and midfield positions and they have suffered for it. Against the bottom half of the league Spurs will have enough in attack to create and score goals yet versus the better sides under this system they will be exposed by smarter and more talented players. After decades it appears English coaches cannot move away from the 4-4-2.
Behind the rest
This aspect brings us to the English coaching culture of football. Both Harry Redknapp and now Tim Sherwood both appear to dismiss ‘tactics’ in their management style, focusing more on the players and their freedom to create and attack. Redknapp was unfortunate to lose his job when he came 4th and had proven that his style of play was entertaining as well as successful.
The lack of English managers in the top levels of the game highlights
the worrying admission that English coaching is not good enough. While our
league is one of the worlds best it is dominated by foreign coaches. An
Englishman has never won the Premier League, this is incredible.
Foreign coaches and the influx of foreign players have opened many eyes to methods and approaches which occur outside of England and the British Isles. The English game this past decade has been transformed into a more European based style yet with the English culture working (or fighting) alongside. Mourinho, Benitez, Wenger, Ancelotti and Quieroz have all brought new ideas across and being successful.
The rise of Spain pointed towards the need for technical excellence and tactical intelligence which required a coach who could work these two elements to make a cohesive and successful side. The future game will require intelligent players who need intelligent coaches, those who understand tactics yet who are also master psychologists and communicators, as well as being able to speak several languages in an ever growing multi-national game.
Foreign coaches and the influx of foreign players have opened many eyes to methods and approaches which occur outside of England and the British Isles. The English game this past decade has been transformed into a more European based style yet with the English culture working (or fighting) alongside. Mourinho, Benitez, Wenger, Ancelotti and Quieroz have all brought new ideas across and being successful.
The rise of Spain pointed towards the need for technical excellence and tactical intelligence which required a coach who could work these two elements to make a cohesive and successful side. The future game will require intelligent players who need intelligent coaches, those who understand tactics yet who are also master psychologists and communicators, as well as being able to speak several languages in an ever growing multi-national game.
The truth is that top players and teams require key tactical instructions and
those teams who succeed in the modern game are those who understand their roles in
and out of possession. “Go and out enjoy yourselves” may allow certain players
to play with freedom and expression yet it often leaves a team exposed and
lacking in tactical understanding.
Redknapp brought out the best from his wide players who were given more licence to attack yet against the better sides his team was often exposed defensively because of this. Sherwood is gaining points right now, yet in a game where analysis of opposition is critical opposition coaches will be finding ways to expose a side which looks extremely vulnerable.
Perhaps Sherwood will adapt and show some nous or perhaps he will throw more caution to the wind and seek to attack more, using the Keegan-esque style of management of “we’ll score more than you”. Unfortunately that approach never helped Keegan to win the title, in fact it damaged his chances of it.
After the success of Guardiola at Barca clubs are looking to find their own version and in Sherwod you can see the similarities. Both were midfielders who wee successful, both were leaders and both embarked on coaching youth players after their retirement. And like Guardiola did Sherwood has taken a side of disillusioned players and turned them into one of England's most inform sides.
Yet if Levy expects Sherwood to create what Guardiola did then that may be a little too optimistic. Although they share similar experiences they are two very different coaches. Guardiola is one of the most of intelligent, detailed and tactically astute coach in the game. His success proves his methods work. Sherwood is more of the Redknapp cavalier way yet the game is more technical and tactical than ever before and cavalier attitudes will be punished not rewarded over the long term.
This blog hopes more English coaches get the chance to manage top sides yet they must adapt to the needs of the modern game and learn what is required if they genuinely want to succeed. It is difficult to imagine an English coach winning the Premier League in the coming years, this problem should highlight the key issue which is holding English football back, while we look at the quality of our players it is in fact a lack of world class quality coaching which stopping us develop world class players and managers. Attitudes and culture needs to change.
The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address
Related articles
Redknapp brought out the best from his wide players who were given more licence to attack yet against the better sides his team was often exposed defensively because of this. Sherwood is gaining points right now, yet in a game where analysis of opposition is critical opposition coaches will be finding ways to expose a side which looks extremely vulnerable.
Perhaps Sherwood will adapt and show some nous or perhaps he will throw more caution to the wind and seek to attack more, using the Keegan-esque style of management of “we’ll score more than you”. Unfortunately that approach never helped Keegan to win the title, in fact it damaged his chances of it.
After the success of Guardiola at Barca clubs are looking to find their own version and in Sherwod you can see the similarities. Both were midfielders who wee successful, both were leaders and both embarked on coaching youth players after their retirement. And like Guardiola did Sherwood has taken a side of disillusioned players and turned them into one of England's most inform sides.
Yet if Levy expects Sherwood to create what Guardiola did then that may be a little too optimistic. Although they share similar experiences they are two very different coaches. Guardiola is one of the most of intelligent, detailed and tactically astute coach in the game. His success proves his methods work. Sherwood is more of the Redknapp cavalier way yet the game is more technical and tactical than ever before and cavalier attitudes will be punished not rewarded over the long term.
This blog hopes more English coaches get the chance to manage top sides yet they must adapt to the needs of the modern game and learn what is required if they genuinely want to succeed. It is difficult to imagine an English coach winning the Premier League in the coming years, this problem should highlight the key issue which is holding English football back, while we look at the quality of our players it is in fact a lack of world class quality coaching which stopping us develop world class players and managers. Attitudes and culture needs to change.
The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address
Related articles
- Southgate - A Failed Decision by The FA
- Did Spurs Make a Big Error Hiring Villas-Boas?
- The Rise Of A New Generation
- If Redknapp is the best choice, what does this say about the state of English football?
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