What is the primary indicator of a good football manager?

[BlyBlyBabes 0]

There are several key indicators, but I think that paramount is the capacity to get a team to consistently produce performances that are superior to the sum of the capabilities of the 11 individual players on the field.

This is why the chairman of Reading rates Steve Coppell  so highly. On any particular day he does not necessarily pick the best players available, but those who can do the job that day. You may have a blinder but be out for the next game. 

Or you can do it the Archie Macauley way. Find your best 11 players and field them every week through thick and thin. 1958-59 and 1959-60 bear testimony.

I truly hope that Worthington can get himself together and produce a season like Archie Macauley, or Ron Saunders, or even (yes) one Nigel Worthington in his promotion season - by consistently achieving performances above the capabilties of the players available. After all he signed 26 of our squad of 28 (Green and Fleming being the exceptions as I recall).   

OTBC.

[Rotherhithe Canary 0]

simple answer : they win

[Rotherhithe Canary 0]

simple answer : they win matches

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Italy: Top manager, a few top players but essentially round pegs in round holes playing to a system and a plan.

England: Wrong manager, a wealth of talent but round pegs in too many square holes playing to a system they could not adapt to with no plan B.

Watford: Top young manager, no star players, round pegs in round holes, all knew their jobs and worked to a plan.

If money is no object you could afford Steven Gerrard to play in midfield with Frank Lampard but it wouldn''t work.

It isn''t about money, Clubs with much smaller resources than Norwich put out better equipped and balanced squads made up of good professionals.

The very best managers, and they are rare, can do this time after time. The rest have their success cycle or get snapped up by other Clubs.

Worthington had his peak the year we were promoted and has been in decline ever since, he shows no indications of being a perennial acheiver at Norwich; he has had his time and should not still be here.

The acid test of the top manager is knowing the market and finding the right players. On that score Worthington is previously lucky, mediocre over the long term and currently inept.

[blahblahblah 2]

[quote]The acid test of the top manager is knowing the market and finding the right players. On that score Worthington is previously lucky, mediocre over the long term and currently inept.[/quote]

It''s all very well finding the right players.  What if the club don''t have the money for you to buy them ?

I would argue that a good manager makes the best out of the resources he has, and recognises players that will bring the best out of those already in the club.

For a very simple example, Rob Hulse would work well up front with Rob Earnshaw, if we could persuade Leeds to talk sense over money.  If a championship standard forward is worth 2 million, then I''m worth 50k, and you''re worth 75k.

[GreennYella 0]

[quote user="Rudolph Hucker"]Itay: Top manager, a few top players but essentially round pegs in round holes playing to a system and a plan. England: Wrong manager, a wealth of talent but round pegs in too many square holes playing to a system they could not adapt to with no plan B. Watford: Top young manager, no star players, round pegs in round holes, all knew their jobs and worked to a plan. If money is no object you could afford Steven Gerrard to play in midfield with Frank Lampard but it wouldn''t work. It isn''t about money, Clubs with much smaller resources than Norwich put out better equipped and balanced squads made up of good professionals. The very best managers, and they are rare, can do this time after time. The rest have their success cycle or get snapped up by other Clubs. Worthington had his peak the year we were promoted and has been in decline ever since, he shows no indications of being a perennial acheiver at Norwich; he has had his time and should not still be here. The acid test of the top manager is knowing the market and finding the right players. On that score Worthington is previously lucky, mediocre over the long term and currently inept.[/quote]

It wasn''t luck that Worthington bought Francis for 250k, Mckenzie for 500k, Huckerby for 750k and Svensson for 100k.