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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C’mon Paul67….where’s that New Article…please!!!
The Ronnie Simpsons
Charlie Nicholas – The Tube.
Wish You Were Nir
CrimiNEIL Minds.
Wait Till Your FAITHER Gets Home….?
Murdo, She Wrote.
(one for KevJ)
Weeminger
Been done. Still funny though.
Gary67, belter
Morning (just) bhoys and ghirls a non football related question but here goes
I have purchased tickets for the commonwealth games and both myself and husband have disabilities which impair mobility we are arriving from Ireland so need our car . the site says there are limited blue badge places(which we both have) but just keep checking for details, so my question is does anyone have any iknowledge of when this might be or how many places there are available?
Stokes & Griffiths – The Hairy Strikers
Gerry Britton’s Got Talent
Agent Green
11:50 on 29 May, 2014
Charlie Nicholas – The Tube.
———————————————
LOL!!
Charlie (mulgrew)’s angels
Terry and Juninho
Victor of Dibley
Moyes from the blackstuff..
petrovcelli….
Auf Wiedersehn Pat (McCourt)
One Foot In The Graveson…………..
Cash in the Atajic
Eric Black Adder
Pew, Pew , Barney Battles Mcgrew
Scott Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub.
OSB, MWD,
Nope.
From OC’s account of the post play off meeting with DD/PL, as told to a close relative of mine.
Syd Negakev
11:51 on 29 May, 2014
Murdo, She Wrote.
(one for KevJ)
_____________
Best post on this thread. imho :)
Bobby Murdoch She Wrote
Jarosikth Sense
Off oot while the goings good. Bye
Sutty The Vampire Slayer
Parks and Recruiting
Wheel of Fortuné
Top Izzagearie
Georgios & Mildred
Taxi! ( for mogga)
;)
hat’n’coat – gone…………..
gary67
11:49 on 29 May, 2014
Big brother’s Biton the side
Genius mhate!
HH jamesgang
How long til season starts?
How much has went into the bookies benevolent fund/new merc by speculating over new manager?
Who is Streich?
Yup.its startin to grind my gears.
HH
CloseseasonrantsarerubbageCsc:-)
Last of the Samaras Wine.
Mrs Brown’s Boys
Diff’rent Stokes
Dan Petrescu now in 9th place at 20/1 with Oddschecker
Crossas-roads