Caldwell out?

[Rosencrantz]

Shankley was wrong then. Oh well.

Shankley's most famous quote is memorable and funny because it isn't true

When you get the genius managers though, it is simple for them. Pep probably thinks what he does is simple, and to an extent it is.

 

[John William]

It is at park level, but ceased being a simple game when it turned pro Geoff, before any of us were born. Human nature is to develop and innovate as well as rehashing old ideas. The trick is to get the message across to the players in a simple way. That's where the great managers and coaches excel

Yes, but...

Managers and Coaches make simple things complicated, through jargon and obfuscation, that's what managers do in all walks of life to justify their inflated salaries and exclude the rest of the world.

In the words of Laurie McMenemy:

BALL. IN. GOAL !

 

[Rosencrantz]

Yes, but...

Managers and Coaches make simple things complicated, through jargon and obfuscation, that's what managers do in all walks of life to justify their inflated salaries and exclude the rest of the world.

In the words of Laurie McMenemy:

BALL. IN. GOAL !

Laurie was a coach and manager as well though so would presumably have had some more advice to give his players over his lengthy career. Some are very good at soundbites as well

 

[Super Ronnie Jepson]

Laurie was a coach and manager as well though so would presumably have had some more advice to give his players over his lengthy career

And yet, for some reason the first thing I always think of when I hear his name is this

 

[geoffwp]

I don't buy football as complex. Any radical open surgery sure is complicated. Trying to understand quantum mechanics definitely is.
Designing a nuclear fusion reactor sounds pretty tricky too. But football ?? Nah. Shankly was right. It's a simple game. It has to be since I honestly can't see many pro footballers having a second occupation as a brain surgeon or nuclear engineer.

 

[Spanks]

I don't buy football as complex. Any radical open surgery sure is complicated. Trying to understand quantum mechanics definitely is.
Designing a nuclear fusion reactor sounds pretty tricky too. But football ?? Nah. Shankly was right. It's a simple game. It has to be since I honestly can't see many pro footballers having a second occupation as a brain surgeon or nuclear engineer.

How about both arguments being right? Footballers at the highest level are there for a reason, and make fewer mistakes (both on the ball, and awareness/concentration), but most importantly, are likely to have attributes that can minimise the impact of these mistakes (or play with teammates that have). At lower levels, mistakes increase in frequency, and the players are less likely to be equipped to overcome them. Therefore, at these levels of the game, the more complicated the tactical set up, the more likely lapses of concentration/wrong decisions are made?

When you’re going through a run of bad form, simplify things, I guess?

 

[Fareham Grecian]

How about both arguments being right? Footballers at the highest level are there for a reason, and make fewer mistakes (both on the ball, and awareness/concentration), but most importantly, are likely to have attributes that can minimise the impact of these mistakes (or play with teammates that have). At lower levels, mistakes increase in frequency, and the players are less likely to be equipped to overcome them. Therefore, at these levels of the game, the more complicated the tactical set up, the more likely lapses of concentration/wrong decisions are made?

When you’re going through a run of bad form, simplify things, I guess?

Or The Allardyce Principle as it is known. If you assess that your players are not bright enough or skilled enough to do what they’ve been asked, resort to a glorified form of kick and rush.

 

[Rosencrantz]

How about both arguments being right? Footballers at the highest level are there for a reason, and make fewer mistakes (both on the ball, and awareness/concentration), but most importantly, are likely to have attributes that can minimise the impact of these mistakes (or play with teammates that have). At lower levels, mistakes increase in frequency, and the players are less likely to be equipped to overcome them. Therefore, at these levels of the game, the more complicated the tactical set up, the more likely lapses of concentration/wrong decisions are made?

When you’re going through a run of bad form, simplify things, I guess?

As evidenced in Garry Nelson's book Left Foot in the Grave detailing his season at Torquay with an equally inexperienced in management Kevin Hodges running the team. Both used to a higher level of football but needing the advice of Colin "Neil" Warnock that the lower you go, the more drills you have to repeat regularly for the players to retain the instructions they both saw as simple. Football is a simple game at its basic level but gets less simple the higher you go due to the abilities of the players and their understanding of the game in order to take on more information. But still, those at the top end of the game won't view it as complex. It's just the standard they are at as they live it day in, day out.

 

[Antony Moxey]

Football IS a simple game, it’s just the higher up you go the more adept players are retaining possession and passing and shooting more accurately. Theres no higher functioning going on here, they’re just better, not more complicated. Gazza and George Best were two of the greatest players you could ever see - neither struck me as Oxbridge candidates.

 

[Grecian Max]

Football IS a simple game, it’s just the higher up you go the more adept players are retaining possession and passing and shooting more accurately. Theres no higher functioning going on here, they’re just better, not more complicated. Gazza and George Best were two of the greatest players you could ever see - neither struck me as Oxbridge candidates.

I suppose it depends on roles, I do think there is such a thing as a "football brain"; being able to think 2, 3 steps ahead and make the pass that most suits it

Ampadu had that for sure - people took the **** out of his pointing but he was a bigger picture player which is coming to fruition now

Other players rely more on an engine to do relatively simple roles - Niskanen and Jake Taylor off the top of my head

It's a simple game overall, I'd agree - I think Caldwell wants to attempt a top level approach at a level that possibly doesn't have enough "football brains". I've seen a lot of frustration on the pitch from players at each other, not something I've seen as much of in our "stable era"

Of course, if it does come together... it could get interesting