gc7969 Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 In light of the ongoing questions regarding whether or not, the present management team are capable of progressing Saints, I ask the question, "What do you think a Saints manager has to offer to the club." In my opinion for far too many years Saints managers have neglected to grow our own home grown talent at the expense of journeymen professionals who whilst capable of doing a reasonable job, if properly coached, do not have the ability to progress further. Since Davidson, McCluskey and Griffin, we have struggled to bring any youngster through and the only time they appear to be given a chance is when injuries force it. Even if they were man of the match they then disappear from the scene. It appears that the motto has been to protect the managers job rather than improve the team, allowing that young players are variable in their performances. The play from the team in patches can be very good and enjoyable but those few moments of pass and move, creating opportunities and exposing the fralities of the opposition are seen less and less. Now it is the punt the ball and wonder in surprise as it comes straight back. The fact that players are played outwith their strengths does not help. The manager has to be a Saints supporter and while respecting the opposition, his focus should be on the positives about his own team. In essence I would like the Saints manager to have the following qualities. 1. Ability to guide all levels of the playing staff from the youngest teams through to the first team where skill and tactical knowledge are prized more highly than being able to run about. 2. To play football which involves the players being comfortable in passing and moving the ball. This does mean a lot of work on the training field but it is necessary. This also means being a good judge of a player and placing them in a role which suits their particular skill set. 3. To bring on the youngsters and give them opportunities to improve rather than bring in loanees from other clubs. This will benefit the club in the longer term. 4. To engage with the Saints fans and the local community to entice supportters back to the club. Be a positive ambassador for Saints. If the axe does fall on the present management team, I would suggest the club look at the record of Sean Dyche, the former Watford manager who was grossly unfairly treated after the takeover of the club given what he had achieved. thesaint 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candalan Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 Not being an Ex-Rangers supporter then! But loves the Newco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY5565 Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 non Scots and ambitious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the mad referee Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 (edited) the ability to do what he is being paid for!!!!!!!!!!!ie put a decent team on the park Edited August 20, 2012 by the mad referee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slf Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 and doesn't look like the mad referee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancientsaint Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 Gie the job tae Ghostie St Mikey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy rhodes fancy watch Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 Its not the managers decision to scale down the youth set up , as whats happened at saints , the board made the decision to cut the youth development budget . Thus giving a competative first team budget . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dev Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 In my opinion for far too many years Saints managers have neglected to grow our own home grown talent at the expense of journeymen professionals who whilst capable of doing a reasonable job, if properly coached, do not have the ability to progress further. Since Davidson, McCluskey and Griffin, we have struggled to bring any youngster through and the only time they appear to be given a chance is when injuries force it. Even if they were man of the match they then disappear from the scene. It appears that the motto has been to protect the managers job rather than improve the team, allowing that young players are variable in their performances. I know that the main topic of this thread isn't the youth system, but I'm going to comment on this anyway. I don't think any of the youngsters we've had in recent years has been worth putting into the team, with the possible exception of Moon. I don't think our youth system has been attracting players of real prospect for years and years now, certainly not the kind of guys that United, Hearts and Hibs have brought through of late. We just aren't attracting the standard of player required and that's not down to the size of the club as you can see successful youth players coming through at the likes of Livingston (Griffiths, Davidson, McPake, etc) and Hamilton (McCarthy, MacArthur, Easton). None of the guys who we've released have gone on to have any sort of professional careers, they've all gone down to playing part-time in the lower divisions. If they've just not got it, playing these young guys doesn't make any sense and would be to the detriment of results. Andy Jackson is an example of someone who was given plenty of opportunities but eventually turned out not to be up to the standard required. You missed out Parker as well, he was good enough so he got in the team on merit. If the talent isn't there then there's nothing the manager of the day can do about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dev Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 The manager has to be a Saints supporter Do you actually believe that? Perhaps that's not what you meant, if you mean that he has to be positive about the club then I agree with that. Thinking about it, have we ever had an actual Saints supporter in charge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Mikey Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 I saw Nick Dasovic in the pub with Nathan Lowndes last night. I'd prefer someone who can motivate players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smarmy Arab Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) For success to endure clubs need a system that is less dependent upon any individual manager. 'The Celtic Boys' club or the 'Anfield Boot Room' are historical examples of regimes who can somehow produce teams, coaches and mangers who can continue a successful trajectory, for a period of decades. More recently, Olympique Lyon in France won 7 league titles in a row, beginning in 2001. A club who enjoyed only moderate success prior to this, (they were a yo-yo team till the 90's), demonstrated incredible staying power. Even more incredible was the fact that the 7 titles were achieved with 4 different managers. Their model is one every club should look closely at. They decide on signings targets/tactics/formations by committee, with a core of coaches and scouts who share a vision, working closely with the manager to identify suitable players who will fit into the set-up. Evidently the manager can go (Gerard Houllier, Paul Le Guen best known to us) and it will not upset the system too much! They also accept that they are a selling club who must factor players sales cleverly into their medium term plans, and again always be ready to replace a player in the system, the system that is never dependent upon any given individual. If a player comes form another country or culture (and they have sold a few for huge profits) a great deal of care it taken to ensure they settle and integrate into the city and the system. They rarely compete with the 'big' European clubs when it comes to purchasing power, but have made a good fist of competing on the pitch with the same clubs. Craig Levein, Peter Houston, Gary Kirk, Steve Banks, Paul Hegarty, John McGlynn are IMO similarly influenced, they appear to be adept at selling then replacing good players without upsetting the team, this lot have worked closely together for a decade and more, and they share a philosophy on the game. All of of them worked together at Hearts and McGlynn accepted a string of loanees from Utd to Raith, and each one returned better, fitter, stronger and ready to fit into the 'system'. Levein and Houston recruit players by telling them they want them to move to bigger clubs! To get the move they must be a standout at Tannadice, it has been a remarkably successful policy. In the 6 years of our system we have moved on to 'bigger' clubs (or certainly bigger wages); Mark Wilson, Barry Robson, Noel Hunt, Christian Kalvenas, Luckas Zaluskas, Craig Conway, Prince Bauben, Jimmy Gomis, David Goodwillie, Paul Dixon, Scott Robertson, all players who would walk into any team in the SPL, all players the system has replaced with the minimum of disruption. Such a change from a decade ago when we lost Billy Dodds then won only 3 games for the next year! Paul Sturrock laid the foundations of a system at Saints but is was not built upon for reasons best known to his replacement, and to be fair to Sandy Clark, Saints made some policy decisions that enforced major changes. What's required is a bit of vision and a culture change, with perhaps less dependence on 'a manager' and more from the other elements essential to a successful club. Nothing depresses me more than hearing fans dismiss mangers who apply for the post as never having 'never set the heather alight' with spectacular results at his previous posts, lets face it any manager who 'sets the heather alight' in the SPL will be gone south pretty quickly! Edited August 21, 2012 by Smarmy Arab Dev 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancientsaint Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 I saw Nick Dasovic in the pub with Nathan Lowndes last night. I'd prefer someone who can motivate players. Hows about this guy -looks a decent midfield he has with him too Teamwork 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Mikey Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Hows about this guy -looks a decent midfield he has with him too No sure he knows much about football but a great motivational man. L o l. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uphallsaint Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Hows about this guy -looks a decent midfield he has with him too I thought he supported Scumdee. Is that not their away strip from 1982-96? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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