Thursday, August 28, 2008 The truth about managers By Steve Mcmahon Special Contributor
BEING a football manager is one of the toughest jobs in the world.
There is no job security for these men who take on immense pressure from the board, the fans and the media.
When players under-perform, it is usually the manager who takes the blame. And then when things get out of hand in terms of results, the axe falls on the manager.
Sir Alex Ferguson was close to being sacked in 1989 when results went against him and his team. But they stuck by him. Look at them now!
The same goes for West Ham’s Alan Curbishley. Just a few games into the new season and rumors are rife over his impending sacking. Where is this world going to?
So, there should be a law in football forbidding a club to sack the manager during the season. If there is a transfer window for players, there should be one for the managers.
Over the weekend Arsenal’s loss to Fulham demonstrated again that the Gunners do not have enough strength in midfield.
Maybe I am biased but I feel that any midfield is the engine room and it is the most important area in the team. Once you cede that territory to the opposition, you cede the game.
Arsenal is especially physically weak in that area. The players do not know how to mix the play. To be honest, they have been too nice on the field.
The other problem is William Gallas. I don’t think he’s a good leader for Arsenal. He doesn’t set a good example for the Arsenal players as senior players should do.
Gallas lacks the leadership and authority once shown by Tony Adams or Patrick Vieira. Gallas does not even match up to Dennis Bergkamp.
You don’t have to talk about it, you just do it.
Arsenal needs reinforcement in midfield but I don’t think Xabi Alonso is what the Gunners need right now. I mean he is the Arsenal-type of player—a classy player who is a great passer of the ball.
But Arsene Wenger’s team does not need a player of the Arsenal-mold. What Arsenal need is a midfielder with authority. A Gennaro Gattuso or a Roy Keane type of player if you like.
Someone who can mix it up. Someone who can get stuck-in where it matters, when it matters.
As I mentioned in my earlier columns, Chelsea has the kind of midfield which can mix it up. Players who can dictate play, score or defend. Arsenal should take a leaf out of Chelsea’s book on how to win by grinding out results.
I think Liverpool has learned to grind out results even when it is playing poorly. The two games against Sunderland and Middlesbrough were below-par and on both occasions it was fortunate to win.
But sometimes you make your own luck. How many times have we seen Manchester United snatch late, late winners as well? They just keep going at the end. For Liverpool, six points from two games is a fantastic return.
Winning games only helps to ease the pressure off the players especially on new signings like Robbie Keane. As long as the Reds keep winning, the confidence and morale of the team will grow.
The great thing about this is that Liverpool knows it can play better. Rafael Benitez will be telling the players to build on this.
(Steve McMahon is a former Liverpool midfielder and England International.
He is the resident football analyst on ESPN’s Football Focus and Football Forecast.)
