Blackwell Interview

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I listened to an interesting program on Radio 4 last night (Yes, I know, but I was in the car) about managerial changes, pitfalls, qualifications etc. I think it''s an old stat - but the 92 clubs have had something like 495 managers between them in the last 5 years!

Anyway, they interviewed Aidy Boothroyd and Kevin Blackwell (a few weeks ago, just before he was sacked by Leeds), primarily because they had both been on the same courses together and were presented as being from the same young, up-and-coming, new-school type of manager. It was interesting hearing Blackwell''s take on things: that having arrived at Leeds with 120m of debt, he sold off all the players, re-built the squad and got them to the play-offs, where they met (and were beaten by).... Watford, of course.

It does look as though Leeds were rash to sack him (compared to our board, who rightly waited a year to see if the slide could be reversed). I wonder, if Watford get relegated, how long will they keep going with Boothroyd?

Anyway, having previously been against the idea of Blackwell, I warmed to him, and his record with Leeds, and wouldn''t be disappointed if he ended up here. Rather him than someone more famous who is on their way down from the Prem....

[Evil Monkey 52]

Personally, I''d judge a manager on his career record rather than a Radio 4 interview.  Leeds should have sacked Blackwell the minute he posted the team sheet at Cardiff - a defensive 4-5-1 formation in the most important, must-win match of his managerial career to date.  Is this the kind of manager we want?

[Mook 0]

Depends if 4-5-1 is the right formation for the fixture. In that case, no. But how about Arsenal v Manure in the FA Cup final a couple of years back?

Arsenal went with 5 in the midfield, played AWFULLY but won on Pens. Does that make Wenger a negative manager? Or when they won in Madrid with the 4-5-1?

[Evil Monkey 52]

Fair point Mook, but like you say, it''s all dependant on the fixture.  It was obvious from the start that Blackwell feared Watford more than Watford did Leeds, and it was that fear that prevented Leeds from winning.  They were slow going forward, and fearful in the challenge.  The players were like a bunch of chickens seeing a fox hiding round the corner.  And it was all because the manager failed to be positive in his approach, and failed to instill belief in the team and the tactics.  He got it horribly wrong.Sure, he had reason to be fearful of Watford - they were a well-balanced team, using width and passing, and knew each other and their positions well.  It was similar to our approach in the promotion season - not a group of superstars, merely a "team".  All because of the manager.Blackwell, by contrast, had dithered with his team all season - switching wildly from 4-4-2, to 4-3-3 to 4-5-1 all season, with little consensus on which was actually the best line-up for the players involved.  It''s Sven Syndrome - I''ve got 11 world class players, so I''ll just stick them all on and come up with the formation later.By contrast, Wenger knows his onions, and knows how to work with the players he has, as do Mourinho and Ferguson.  Wenger deliberately buys players that he knows will fit into his way of working - 4-5-1/4-3-3, with the ability to change to 4-4-2 at will.  This is why he had such players as Reyes, Ljungberg and Pires, who could all play those different midfield/striker positions and knew the roles well.  Blackwell, however, stuck strikers on the wing.  Subtle though is seems, there is a major difference here - Wenger''s players know how to do it so he uses them, Blackwell''s didn''t but he put them there anyway.He was also slow in dealing with Leeds'' problem area, defence.  Gregan and Butler were stuck with despite obvious flaws, whilst promising youngster Kilgallon was relegated to the bench and token appearances, only really staking a claim later in the season.  The inadequate Dan Harding (you''ll remember Hucks toying with this lad as if he was a small, helpless animal at Carrow Road) was only replaced at Left Back when he got injured.  Gary Kelly is the only outstanding star in that line-up, and this summer he bought... midfielders, and not many of them either.Any of this sounding familiar about now?Trust me, if Blackwell is the answer, I don''t want to know the question...

[Syteanric 1]

Arsenal have the best player in the world... on his own up front just give him the ball and he will score.

thats why they won in madrid, The formation matters little when Henrys on fire

jas :)

[Leeds4life 0]

[quote user="Evil Monkey"]He was also slow in dealing with Leeds'' problem area, defence.  Gregan and Butler were stuck with despite obvious flaws, whilst promising youngster Kilgallon was relegated to the bench and token appearances, only really staking a claim later in the season.  The inadequate Dan Harding (you''ll remember Hucks toying with this lad as if he was a small, helpless animal at Carrow Road) was only replaced at Left Back when he got injured.  Gary Kelly is the only outstanding star in that line-up, and this summer he bought... midfielders, and not many of them either.[/quote]Killa wasn''t dropped, he was pushed to Leftback in the final and that did it for us, Butler and Gregan are probably the slowest players ever to have played proffesional football!Kelly has kept our defence together for the past 16 years, I do hope he gets the honour he deserves.Harding was a bit of a joke, so is Crainey, it really points out the flaw''s in Blackwell''s plans, Anyone who thinks that Blackwell is the answer to anything, please go through the thread that I opened a few day''s back, it''ll give you a rough idea of what to expect.