NEXT HOME GAME - TBC
NEXT AWAY GAME - SUPPORTERS XI ARE PLAYING WORCESTER AT MALVERN ON SUNDAY AUGUST 3rd AT 3.00pm

Monday, June 16, 2008

Stability is the Key to Success

The situation at Chelsea where hardly a season goes by without a change of manager has been compared to that at Hereford United and two other slightly more well known clubs by Alan Dawson in an article on goal.com

The author asks whether the appointment of Luiz Felipe Scolari is the correct long-term move at Chelsea. He notes that several other possible managers were not available.

Whilst the pedigree of winning a World Cup is impressive, you have to question the logic of his appointment. He has never managed a club in Europe. He hasn't even managed a club side for seven years, and that was in Brazil, a league that has striking contrasts to a European league, let alone the Premiership. How long is he even going to be around for?

The man himself said: "I'm 59 and I don't want to work as a coach until I am 70. I want to retire in four or five years, so it was a financial matter."


Dawson does give Scolari some credit as he has master-minded three wins against the English in three successive international tournaments.

It just strikes me as odd that if you are scouting the Euro internationals for footballing talent, in terms of both players, and managers, then why not go for one of the up and coming coaches who are certain to have successes in front of them given the right opportunities. In the English leagues stability and success seem synonymous. Look at Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, and even, to a lesser degree, Hereford United and Graham Turner. All at their clubs for 22, 12, and 13 years respectively.

Turner to manage Chelsea if Scolari doesn't bring new-instant success? Probably not. But even to be mentioned in the same article as the 'big three' is a tribute to the recent success of Turner at Hereford and the stability he has achieved at the club.