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As patience takes its toll over Club’s directors and owners, the Managerial merry-go-round continues with its latest sackings and replacements. We look at three most important managerial changes over the summer and their probable impacts come the business end of the season.
Stephen Clarke
For years seen as the ideal assistant manager (having held that post for Newcastle United, Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC), Stephen Clarke has finally got the opportunity to hold the reins for a Club in his own hands. He has always been a ‘hands on’ manager or rather an assistant coach more than an assistant manager, which is probably the reason he is appointed Head Coach at West Bromwich Albion as well.
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The reason I deliberately mention Head Coach as compared to a Manager is that someone like Steve has always been enthusiastic about getting himself involved in the training methods and animatedly showing his tactical knowledge about football. Being a defender throughout his life, Steve Clarke was primarily roped in as an Assistant to seal leaky defences. Now that he has been given an opportunity at West Brom, one could expect his side to be rock solid at the back. Although that is the case with Goalie Ben Foster having sealed his switch permanently from Birmingham City, Clarke has surprisingly acted towards the fan’s wishes of seeing a more attacking brand of football at the Hawthrones and brought in Romelu Lukaku (albeit on Loan from former club Chelsea FC) and Markus Rosenberg from Santander.
A smart move from the Scotsman certainly, considering the defensive stability and experience Roy Hodgson had provided in his rein before departing for greener pastures to the National Team. And the fans certainly wouldn’t be complaining with 4 goals from the opening two games (including Liverpool at home and Spurs away)
A certain mark of improvement over the years for Clarke has been his team analysis considering his smart moves in the Transfer Window and thus could take West Brom to greater heights seeing how well balanced his team looks on paper. He is a certain man to watch out for this season.
Michael Laudrup
Having himself been an attacking playmaker for a number of teams during his playing career, which included both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF, Michael Laudrup’s managerial style should be easy to guess. Always one to introduce a brand of attacking football in his teams, he fits in perfectly with Swansea’s brand of football. Having seen manager Brendan Rodgers move to Liverpool FC, Swansea’s directors have been successful in the search for his right successor.
With a sea of tactical knowledge, he has always induced that into whichever team he has been at the helm of. A natural lover of wingers as well, no one would have been more near perfect man to take the Swans ahead after a great first season in the English Premier League. A more critical point of his managerial career would be that he hasn’t really been all that successful in terms of trophies, but given the opportunity and the cash to bring in the right players, I am sure the Dane wouldn’t disappoint.
Another important aspect of the Dane’s philosophy is making his players work without the ball. Although, it might sound to similar to the Guardiola inspired Barcelona philosophy, it can be narrowed down to their football education having been a part of the same team under Cruyff in 1988.
Thus, it’s all ups to the Swans’ Directors having found out a natural successor to Rodgers whose side also gained comparisons to Barcelona’s play last season.
Brian McDermott
Having been promoted from being a Chief Scout (since 2000) to the reserve team Boss and subsequently caretaker manager following the departure of Brendan Rodgers in September 2009, Brian McDermott knows Reading FC in and out. There has been absolutely no doubt in the fans’ as well as the managements’ mind regarding his ability to lead the side. Taking a reasonable two seasons to get them promoted from the Championship, memorably getting the better of Liverpool FC at Anfield for the first time in their history, there was no reason for him not to be a fans’ favourite.
Having started out more than 15 years ago as a manager of Slough Town, where his managerial style was “pretty confrontational” as on of his ex-players describes him, he has come a long way from that style. He often tries to support their players with whatever they should get having himself experienced difficulties in managing moving to various cities during his playing career. More than a tactical trainer, he can be described as someone who is always ready to help his players no matter what the situation. And sometimes, that is what motivation is all about.
