Habits And Determination Of A Great Manager

[YankeeCanary 0]

For Those That Remember Or Care To Know

In 1959-60 season Norwich won promotion back to the second level for the first time since the second world war had begun. Although Archie Macauley was our manager, and doing a great job for us, however, he is not the subject of this note of recollection.

In our first season back in the second level we performed very, very well. Six games to go in the season, and even though Ipswich and Sheffield United were holding on to the promotion spots, there was excited anticipation in the Norwich fans. Could we make it to the top level for the first time in our history? Not only did we have to catch the front two teams but we also had to overcome Liverpool. We faltered and finished fourth. Liverpool did also, finishing third. Despite that, I remember to this day the game we played against Liverpool at Carrow Road that April in 1961. It was a great game and we beat them 2-1. What I did not realise at the time was the influence that Bill Shankly was having at Liverpool.

Liverpool had enjoyed success at the top level but had been relegated at the end of the 1953-54 season. Bill Shankly was approached to take over as manager of Liverpool at that time. Even though he had never managed at that level he declined the job because the policy at Liverpool was that the directors picked the team. Liverpool went on to spend the next eight seasons in the second level ( kind of like us after the mid 90''s ). However, they were smart enough to go back and recruit Bill Shankly in late 1959 on his terms. What were his terms?

When he arrived at Anfield the ground and training facilities were in a rundown condition. The will of the directors was that the players had to train hard and be very fit, so running and calisthenics was very big. Also, Liverpool had loyal fans but the club had forgotten how to treat them as in days of old. Shankly fought tooth and nail with the directors to change their attitude towards investment. He fought for upgrading the training facilities. However, his most telling legacy was the way that he dealt with the players. All of the players. First of all, he instituted immediately constant 5 a-side games. He demanded that players learn how to move themselves at a rapid pace into open space and execute rapid passing. This dedicated training allowed Shankly to see who could perform and execute what he wanted, and the players who did it the best were selected on match day. There were no stars, and they all knew it. Shankly also instilled an attitude that when they went out on the pitch they could beat anybody. They went out totally committed to winning the match. Above everything else, Bill Shankly taught the players and the club that you must always treat the fans right and respect their views, good or bad, above all else. He knew, to the depths of his shoes, without the fans, there was no club.

This would become the doctrine that moved Liverpool forward and they never looked back. In the first 5 years after Shankly took over, Liverpool won promotion back to the top level and stayed there, they won the League Championship twice, won the FA cup, made it to the European Cup Winners Cup final, and to the semi-final of the European Cup. All within 5 seasons. Little did I know that on that Saturday in April of 1961 I was witnessing the beginnings of a great manager.    

[nobbyg 0]

Is this a thinly veiled attack on Worthy, the board or even Craig Fleming?

[Budgie 0]

Yankeecanary,

A really good post about a manager who I feel gained the respect of most football-loving fans from around the country.

Just one thing. I remember that Liverpool game ''cos I went with my future brother-in-law - a devoted Liverpool fan, and I seem to remember that City lost 2-1.

Maybe the loss was the following season(?) but I do remember taking a fearsome ribbing for the rest of the day!

[Bernard Futter 0]

The attribute that I most admired about Bill Shankly was his farsighted policy of buying players well before they were required for the first team.The ilk of Clemence and Keegan were no stranger to Liverpool''s reserve side until they made the step up to the big time.(Comparison with any other living person, or N. Worthington, is purely coincidental.)

[Gentleman Jim 0]

[quote]Yankeecanary, A really good post about a manager who I feel gained the respect of most football-loving fans from around the country. Just one thing. I remember that Liverpool game ''cos I went with m...[/quote]

Yes Budgie, Norwich won  2-1 April 5th 1961 and then lost 1-2 in September same year, ( but next season). Roger Hunt was Liverpools top scorer.

Morbidly enough Ipswich successively won the div2 and div1 in those particular  seasons.