Back in January we discussed Mauricio Pochettino, who yesterday left Southampton to become manager of Tottenham Hotspur. He is without question the hottest management property in the most bloated league in football.
He was also an unemployed flop a little over a year ago.
In reality, Pochettino is a good manager but he is also the latest in a long line of faux guru-managers, the aura of divinity around him is illusionary. He was sacked by Espanyol in December 2012 with the club bottom of La Liga after 13 games, after propelling them up the league from a similar position two years earlier. Espanyol’s problems were not Pochettino’s problems. The club strategy had been failing for years, Pochettino was not the first manager to suffer as a consequence, in fact, he was the club’s third manager in a season when he took over.
He joined Southampton, who were on a different trajectory. Southampton have been producing some of the best youth talent in the UK for a decade but a series of self-harming boardroom battles saw the club competing in the third tier of English football. In Nigel Adkins the found a man who won two consecutive promotions and had them comfortable in the Premier League.
Then, in January last year, Southampton made one of the ballsy-est decisions in football history. They sacked the successful Adkins and replaced him with the aforementioned unemployed flop.
Chairman Nicola Cortese, who was an outsider to the football industry, figured that Adkins could only take the club so far and that, with the appointment of a man in-tune with the new strategy, Southampton could make a real breakthrough at the top of the Premiership.
Pochettino did what Cortese wanted, not through obligation, but through instinct. Unfortunately for Southampton, Markus Liebharr, who appointed Cortese, died, and his daughter-and-heir, Katharine, figured the family had spent enough of their fortune on an English football club. With strategy tending towards a breakeven point, Cortese resigned. It was inevitable that Pochettino would follow.
What are the lessons for us?
Forget looking for a guru, it’s all about the strategy. Get the strategy right, only employ people who are instinctively aligned to it, and employ an intelligent, tactical student, even if he can’t speak the language.
CQN Event in London
Lisbon Lion John Hughes is joining Brogan Rogan, Auldheid and Angela Haggerty for a CQN Question and Answer evening at the Manor Club, Wimbledon, on 21 June. The event is ticket only, so let me know if you would like to attend, celticquicknews@gmail.com
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his tome, All the Best.
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Hail hail
Congrats sipsini
ACGR from last article
Genius my Fhriend.
HH jamesgang
What kept you,Paul
Just thought…why not…enjoy you birthday Bognor bhoy :)
Hasta La Victoria Siempre!
Talllbhoy
“Wont make the golf day, but might manage the pool day.”
I hear Natknow and others will be wearing their speedos…
jamesgang,
Cheers, funnily enough, I think the last time was liquidation day for some dead mob.HH
HH to all from North Cyprus.
Natknow
The ole mankini may be adorned just 1 more time.
What’s TD going to say if we appoint an intelligent student?
Scam scam scam. Huns and scammers, their days are numbered.
Forget looking for a guru, it’s all about the strategy. Get the strategy right, only employ people who are instinctively aligned to it, and employ an intelligent, tactical student, even if he can’t speak the language.
A little nod in the direction of Oscar Garcia, or someone similar?
The Battered Bunnet
12:15 on 28 May, 2014
What’s TD going to say if we appoint an intelligent student?
GIRUY i’d imagine
You do realise big
Peter can be heard along the corridors of parkhead singing “no money on my mind ” ( i do it for the love ) by Sam Smith , jizt sayin like , offski ;))
Paul is what you have just written not diametrical to what you were writing just a couple of days ago?
tallybhoy,
Ye, that’s a pity, hopefully catch a beer at the pool bar. :)
The Battered Bunnet
12:12 on 28 May, 2014
Talllbhoy
“Wont make the golf day, but might manage the pool day.”
I hear Natknow and others will be wearing their speedos…
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I’ll have on my chirpy-chirpy-cheap-cheap Speedos to smuggle my budgie all right. I’m expecting Tallybhoy will wear something by Gucci. I’ll know how The Lions felt before they ran out the tunnel in ’67 at the ole Estádio do Sport Lisboa. Hope I remember where I left my teeth after all the excitement…
Thunder Road
12:15 on 28 May, 2014
Natknow
The ole mankini may be adorned just 1 more time.
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I heard you’d only just managed to get it off after the last time..? :-)
A little nod in the direction of Oscar Garcia, or someone similar?
Gary67
12:17 on 28 May, 2014
The Battered Bunnet
12:15 on 28 May, 2014
What’s TD going to say if we appoint an intelligent student?
GIRUY i’d imagine
—————————————————-
Chuckle out loud moment at work!
Too much emphasis is given to tactics.
If i am bigger ,stronger ,faster ,more skilful and more intelligent ,then you can ram your tactics.
If I have another 10 just like me ,and another 15 in reserve ,then all the tactics in the world won’t stop me.
It’s all about the leader and the players he chooses.
TT
Paul67
Are you softening us up for Coyle Laudrup or Andreas Villas Boas ? ;-)
HH
Kev’s not the Guru
He’s a very naughty bhoy
Our new manager will be arriving from left field any day now.
Gary Locke would have won the SPL with last seasons Celtic squad,and Neil Lennon would still have not saved Hearts from the drop.
TT
Is it right John Park is also leaving?
If this is the case – a major part of that behind scenes football ‘strategy’ has been dismantled
Sipsini
Let’s hope history repeats itself!
ACGR – ‘Scam Skelper Extraordinaire’ !!!!
HH jamesgang
TT
Don’t know if you’re a bosman looking for a deal or a big, fast strong ghuy looking for a square go???!!!!’?!!!!
;-)
Whichever. You’re pretty much spot on. The right combo of strength, speed and skill can trump most things.
HH jamesgang
I retract that Paul I’ve just re-read your ‘where to now Celtic’ article and the fault was with my memory.
Natknow
The elasticity is being tested more and more every passing year but in truth…..it breaks my heart to take it off.
Awe Naw, funny that, AVB crossed my mind today, but thankfully he’s just started a gig at Zenit.
David Moyes is the man for Celtic. Not for this season, or next, but for the coming 10 years. Give him the club and let him create the legacy he craves.
All of the other candidates mentioned, MacKay, Clarke, Laudrup etc etc would be little more than functionaries undertaking a role in a system.
The word form Paul above is… functionary is the way ahead. I get the logic, but it overlooks an opportunity with Moyes that won’t arise again. Now or never.
Now says I.
Dontbrattbakkinanger
12:24 on 28 May, 2014
Kev’s not the Guru
He’s a very naughty bhoy
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No Guru, No Method, No Teacher.
And no feckin’ idea.
Leftclicktic
Thank you my fhriend
Today’s Quote is
Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting.
ABC
Gary67 12:16 on 28 May, 2014
Forget looking for a guru, it’s all about the strategy. Get the strategy right, only employ people who are instinctively aligned to it, and employ an intelligent, tactical student, even if he can’t speak the language.
A little nod in the direction of Oscar Garcia, or someone similar?
————————————————————————————————–
Maybe Charlie Nicholas?
The Scottish Rugby Union have secured a “multi-million pound” deal with BT to rename Murrayfield Stadium.
Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson describes the deal, which will wipe out the governing body’s £11m debt, as “momentous” and said the cash would be used to grow the sport at all levels in Scotland.
Thunder Road
12:30 on 28 May, 2014
Natknow
The elasticity is being tested more and more every passing year but in truth…..it breaks my heart to take it off.
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Just in case it decides to release itself spontaneously, I’ll bring goggles as well…
:-)))
Thought it might be of interest to some ?
Natknow
lol :)