crosscourt
05-05-2006, 07:38 AM
There have been a few threads over the last few months where people have posted something like ....."Well my coach played for their national team so what they say must be right". This seems a strong argument but I started having second thoughts on the train this morning coming to work when I read that Steve Maclaran had been appointed as the England football team manager.
The top jobs in English football (Steve Maclaran (England), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal), Alex Ferguson (Man Utd), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)) are held by men who never really made an impact on the international stage as players, but they know how to get the best from their players, they understand tactics and how to express themselves. Compare them with some top international players who have tried their hand at management (Kevin Keegan, Tony Adams, David Platt, Glenn Hoddle, Bryan Robson)) and there is a vast gulf in terms of success.
Whose opinion would your trust, Arsene Wenger's or Kevin Keegan's? Kevin Keegan was England Captain, was voted European footballer of the year twice etc. Arsene Wenger played a few pro games with Racing Strasbourg, a minor team in France. An equivalent in Badminton would be to ask whether you would prefer to be coached by Lin Dan or Lee Jae Bok.
On the other hand being a top player presumably means that you have learnt from the best and so you should have a level of knowledge that others would not have.
It would be interesting to hear everyone's experience of different coaches. Have you found that you have learnt more with a coach who has always specialised in coaching and has perhaps not played at the top level or whether you have learnt more from ex-international players who have had exposure to top level coaches. I've never been fortunate enough to have been coached much at all so I really don't know!!:)
The top jobs in English football (Steve Maclaran (England), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal), Alex Ferguson (Man Utd), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)) are held by men who never really made an impact on the international stage as players, but they know how to get the best from their players, they understand tactics and how to express themselves. Compare them with some top international players who have tried their hand at management (Kevin Keegan, Tony Adams, David Platt, Glenn Hoddle, Bryan Robson)) and there is a vast gulf in terms of success.
Whose opinion would your trust, Arsene Wenger's or Kevin Keegan's? Kevin Keegan was England Captain, was voted European footballer of the year twice etc. Arsene Wenger played a few pro games with Racing Strasbourg, a minor team in France. An equivalent in Badminton would be to ask whether you would prefer to be coached by Lin Dan or Lee Jae Bok.
On the other hand being a top player presumably means that you have learnt from the best and so you should have a level of knowledge that others would not have.
It would be interesting to hear everyone's experience of different coaches. Have you found that you have learnt more with a coach who has always specialised in coaching and has perhaps not played at the top level or whether you have learnt more from ex-international players who have had exposure to top level coaches. I've never been fortunate enough to have been coached much at all so I really don't know!!:)