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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Crikey, better take that back…
Malc
That geezers a 9 million pound player…..NOT!
Goal made by Broonie
Needless to say VP, am no’ expectin’ a call fae Dermot any time soon…
malc
21:07 on 28 May, 2014
Why is Alan Hu’n in this squad, never mind actually getting a game Scotland? Offers absolutely nothing.
…………………….
As you were sayin …………..:-))
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy
Thought that too at the time.
Very disrespectful
aye broonie is a braw braw player ….
BBC:
Own Goal by Azubuike Egwuekwe, Nigeria. Nigeria 1, Scotland 2.
No idea if it’s true…
Dallas
How you doing bro?
Just about every game you have posted about in the last few days, I attended. Your memory of them, amazes me. Is it being teetotal, that helps?? :)))
jamesgang
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E2cKosa6Siw/UNHYrMWFzeI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/Zaz53qGAJ-s/s1600/queue-1.jpg
jamesgang
21:01 on
Have to agree mate, for an end of season freindly this is very watchable and very entertaining. Could be good times ahead for our national team.
The half time commentators were hunbelievable though, only in Scotland could they get away with promoting a second tier league during an international game.
TOSB
Ferret faced fecker ….aaaaaaaaahhhhhhaaaaa
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy
21:12 on
28 May, 2014
Sometimes you have to be a man. Sometimes, enough is enough.
Roy would have my support (only if he re-locates)
As would any other manager of my club
Acgr,
Not long up and had a wee lurk….ya bassa :))
2-1
Burghbhoy,
Aye, just seen that. Rip indeed.
Strachan really is a genius.
Let Hutton run at them, they’ll be so busy laughing at him he’ll be able to put some crosses in, then you just never know your luck!!!!!!!
I think it’s a bit unfair to the noble ferret nation comparing them to Ratsy Nevin…
Is that Provo Joe in the Hoose;-)
Rat Nevin.
Im saying nought. ..
Malc
It’s a wonder that the famous Lee Wallace isn’t there as well to keep the zombies interested.
Well done, GS?
Cultsb…
Scott Brown is great for…Celtic!
HH
Blinking spellchecker. ..
….pfayr supports weeoscar
21:15 on 28 May, 2014
TOSB
Ferret faced fecker ….aaaaaaaaahhhhhhaaaaa
…………………………..
I wish I had coined that phrase but it’s copyright of Big Nan. Brilliant isn’t it?
Pet Navan…………
*unspeakable*
MALC
No how you feel. I wanted Henrik subbed at ht in the 6-2 game.
Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh ready to come on for the Eagles.
Is Efe on yet?
Maloney goal
Offside
Correct call
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
I posted a few months back the same view you have about Broto.
One of the guys (can’t remember who) posted that MON didn’t sign him as he turned up late having spent the night in an Edinburgh hotel. He apparently was distraught.
b b 1
Thats when you use the mute button
After an hour of the match I am prepared to stick my neck out here and proclaim that Nigeria will not win the World Cup.
As for Zlato Mulgrew – now worth £20 million easy.
gincher67
21:15 on 28 May, 2014
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy
21:12 on
28 May, 2014
Sometimes you have to be a man. Sometimes, enough is enough.
Roy would have my support (only if he re-locates)
As would any other manager of my club
sipsini
……………………
I admire Roy’s combative qualities. It’s his ability to manage the team I doubt. Moyes has the gravitas to deal with referees and the SFA.
Bankiebhoy, you are probably correct about misguided media speculation but it is fun to ponder the attributes of potential new managers to the Bhoys, especially when there is a dearth of football.
Aceliergone,
your posts have been hilarious. Good on you for dealing with lowlifes who do the hacking into email accounts. Keep stringing them along.
praecepta
Aye, and a second “goal” now disallowed!
It’s One Of These Nights!
Tosb,
Irvine Welsh.
Voguepunter. Brilliant mhate. Tip of the iceberg?
eddieinkirkmichael
I must have anticipated their ‘best league in the wuuurld’ pash. Was in the garage finishing the weights. Need to get in shape for the CQN speedos day oot!!
JapaneseWhalerCSC
HH jamesgang
Lot of Celts involved with Scotland now. Might go back.