Working a proper job

[NeverBeatDaveHiggins]

Let's say you're a shipbuilder on the docks. If you throw a hissy fit and threaten to not turn up to work... would you expect to get laughed out the door?

If you didn't turn up for work, would you expect to get paid? Of course bloomin not!!

The point I'm vaguely wandering towards is that Les' employment previous to being a physio, unless I'm mistaken, was working as an apprentice shipwright? Now given that background of application, hard graft, a decent work ethic and not expecting others to pander to your whims... do people think that is a disadvantage or an advantage when dealing with footballers?

I mean the words 'professional' and 'footballer' don't always sit too well together.. there are some, probably many who work hard and are model professionals. I'm thinking men like John Achterberg, Ged Brannan and John Welsh. But there are many who aren't so rock steady, yet can offer something special, something difficult to pin down - characters, who can astonish and surprise!

So is football -particularly at our level - a flair sport that invention and the unexpected can partially excuse a poor attitude to training, colleagues and the manager, or is it a job like any other where showing respect and putting in the graft are what matters?

 

[SonkORLY?]

So is football -particularly at our level - a flair sport that invention and the unexpected can partially excuse a poor attitude to training, colleagues and the manager, or is it a job like any other where showing respect and putting in the graft are what matters?

From an inside perspective, it's a job where results matter, by any means. From an outside perspective, watching football is an expensive hobby, and fans quite reasonably expect to get value for money by watching their side play entertaining football. Clubs need paying fans to drive revenue, to drive investment in the playing squad, to drive results, so for the sake of everyone it's really important that a manager is able to achieve a balance between results/entertainment.

Les has proved fairly efficient at grinding out points over the course of a season, but despite back-to-back campaigns in which we've avoided the drop against the odds, many fans are feeling disillusioned because his approach is so heavily focussed on commitment, attitude and 1 dimensional 'negative' football. Yet at the same time our fans tend to lynch erratic flair players (Barnett immediately springs to mind) because of their supposed poor attitude/lack of commitment to the club while heaping praise on the likes of Enoch for their hard-work and desire. I'd rather we were relegated losing 4-3 every week. Imagine last season without Jenno!

Les continually states that despite his credentials he has learnt a great deal about football management from having worked under some good managers at Tranmere, yet the "great" TRFC sides of the early 90s featured the integration of some good attacking/creative players in addition to the hard-working pros. You might have thought Les would have remembered that. Every club needs a majority of hard-working consumate professionals but we are currently lacking in exciting individual players that people would pay to watch. So people aren't paying to watch us, and we are where we are. That's why, for me, it's really important that Robbo signs.

If we can't stay up by playing good football, I'd rather we were relegated.

 

[Boz]

It's what's delivered on the pitch that's important, either in terms of skill or work-rate/motivation. I don't think Les' pre-physio role is important either way, though he will have learned the benefits of teamwork. However I'd tend to agree with SonkORLY? to the extent that Les needs to start applying some of the footballing principles that he'll have witnessed in his time at Tranmere from the likes of Johnny King.

 

[TheBunnyBellEnd]

Les has a one dimensional apporoach to football management and unfortunately seems unable to adjust his mind set or tactics to suit different opponents or circumstances.

He has done what he has needed to do over the past two seasons and has kept us in L1. However Les has stated this season he will be looking to play better football and will be disappointed if we are still not in touch with the playoffs with 3 games to go. :shock:

While I admire his optimism I cant help feeling he may have made a rod for his own back.

Many teams over past seasons have shown that a good work ethic and a willingness to work for each other can be very effective at this level. The likes of Millwall had very little in the way of flair players rather they had 10 players who would run and run and when they didnt have the ball would press the play and put pressure on the ball all over the pitch. Flair players are a luxury who look good in short bursts (like Jenno) but at this level on a limited budget are not always the way to go..

 

[SonkORLY?]

Flair players are a luxury who look good in short bursts (like Jenno) but at this level on a limited budget are not always the way to go..

I could actually picture Les saying that.

I've no issue with a manager who generally favours caution, but when you have Akins deployed out wide in a "4-3-3" because of his work-ethic (rather than his contribution to attacks) you have a problem, especially so at home against beatable opposition.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Les continually states that despite his credentials he has learnt a great deal about football management from having worked under some good managers at Tranmere, yet the "great" TRFC sides of the early 90s featured the integration of some good attacking/creative players in addition to the hard-working pros. You might have thought Les would have remembered that.

If we can't stay up by playing good football, I'd rather we were relegated.

Agreed. Kingy's teams played the same way regardless of whether they were bottom of the fourth (as we were for 9 months when he first came back to the club) or pushing for promotion to the Premier League. Even with some mediocre players at his disposal early on in his second spell, his sides always looked to entertain, which is probably why we took so many players from non-league and made them good players (Higgins, Bishop, McCarrick, Martindale etc.) and took underachieving but talented players from other clubs and turned them into greats (Harvey).

Les doesn't have the understanding of football or charisma to get teams playing that way, but he could at least tip the balance a little in the direction that King would have favoured.

 

[NeverBeatDaveHiggins]

This thread has gone in a rather predictable direction of those who do and don't like Les going down the road of making it clear they aren't enamoured with Keep It Simple Stupid tactics that Les has employed in trying to be effective in our league.

But what I was driving at wasn't Les himself, or his tactics, but rather the players and what kind of attitude they should or shouldn't have to fit in at a club like ours.

I for one applaud the resigning of Danny Holmes, some people have slagged it off along the lines of he's a reject, that it shows no ambition etc etc... but to me one of the first and most important qualities in a player is committment. Not loyalty, just the understanding that the club who pays your wages deserves you to put in the effort.

Chief - for example - was a journeyman footballer and so often you don't know what to expect from such a well travelled past, yet his committment on the pitch could never be questioned and he won our hearts.

 

[SonkORLY?]

This thread has gone in a rather predictable direction of those who do and don't like Les going down the road of making it clear they aren't enamoured with Keep It Simple Stupid tactics that Les has employed in trying to be effective in our league.

But what I was driving at wasn't Les himself, or his tactics, but rather the players and what kind of attitude they should or shouldn't have to fit in at a club like ours.

You don't see that the two are directly correlated?

 

[amplesou]

trying to play football in out league is a mugs game...imo

if the opponents press the back four in possession,we have no option than to launch the ball ,too risky to play it down as last line of defence etc...

no player wants that responsibility week in week out ....

launch and then get players in on the second ball ...its always been tranmere,s way even under JK....
:-k

 

[amplesou]

You don't see that the two are directly correlated?

correlated is that what our main stand roof is made of ......?
:roll:

 

[SonkORLY?]

if the opponents press the back four in possession,we have no option than to launch the ball ,too risky to play it down as last line of defence etc...

no player wants that responsibility week in week out ....

You would be surprised how often we do this when we are under no pressure whatsoever.

It's not a burdensome responsibility to be expected to pass the ball on the floor once in a while.

 

[amplesou]

http://www.where-are-they-now.co.uk/tranmere-rovers/y.php