How to handle a woman...or a young footballer?

[david in sweden]

The title "How to handle a woman" was a song in the long-forgotten 1960's musical " Camelot ", but it occured to me that some managers don't understand how to handle young talent.

 

Recently watching a BBC item on De Canio's sacking from Sunderland, I was interested to hear comments from (guest) former M.U. /Dutch goalie Peter Schmeichel, especially relating to how a manager should " handle " young talented players who just aren't performing, and perhaps where De Canio went wrong.

 

Schmeichel related that Alex Ferguson (surely a law unto himself) knew everything about his players. The name of their WAG, and even those of the player's mother and father, and knew just how to handle each individual player - even though they were part of his team. (Man-management skills ).

 

Some young players have good skills and great potential, and many managers understand tactics and playing formations, but it's not so easy to make the two blend well when using young players,

 

It maybe easy for us to picture " Big Sam " or even De Canio sounding off at a group of tough, hard-nosed professionals who need bawling out after a poor performance, but how do you behave towards a talented teenager, or a 20+ year old (who might just happen to be on £30/40k a week).

 

Schmeichal said " it's important to make sure that these (young) players know and understand ...what is expected of them. Does a " bawling-out " motivate them, or merely destroy their confidence?

 

Although he may not be "so young" anymore, I have the feeling that something, somewhere has been missed ...if the latest "media gossip" about Ramirez have any truth to them.

Edited 14 October, 2013 by david in sweden

[farawaysaint]

The title is soooo tenuous David

 

Is it really necessary to mention the musical?

[david in sweden]

The title is soooo tenuous David

 

Is it really necessary to mention the musical?

 

funnily enough PM.s comment led me to think of that first....or are you better at handling footballers?

[Lazlo78]

former M.U. /Dutch goalie Peter Schmeichel

 

No, David. Just no...

[Turkish]

Another problem with most young footballers is they have been told they are brilliant and treated like superstars from a very young age. Most of them are too arrogant or fragile to be able to handle a bawling out as you put it. Young people need a bit of discipline and a few knock backs on the way to toughen them up a bit and make them realise that they dont get given everything for nothing. Its no surprise that very few of the teenage superstars and new George Bests very rarely hit the heights they are told they are capable of.

[jjsaint]

Slightly off-topic but I wouldn't call Camelot 'long-forgotten'. Some great and enduring standards came from that musical.

[david in sweden]

Slightly off-topic but I wouldn't call Camelot 'long-forgotten'. Some great and enduring standards came from that musical.

 

oh I agree totally, but as far as I'm aware the age-range on this site is fairly large.

 

Some of the contributors may have to get a history book in order to find out about this period.

[david in sweden]

Another problem with most young footballers is they have been told they are brilliant and treated like superstars from a very young age.

Most of them are too arrogant or fragile to be able to handle a bawling out as you put it.

Young people need a bit of discipline and a few knock backs on the way to toughen them up a bit and make them realise that they dont get given everything for nothing.

Its no surprise that very few of the teenage superstars and new George Bests very rarely hit the heights they are told they are capable of.

 

 

Agree 100% Turkish. Interesting little interview spot last week on BBC with Alan Shearer talking about young talent (mentioned Saints) and recalled his time / apprenticeship (at SFC).

 

Seemed to agree with the "spoilt brat " syndrome that exists in some clubs.

[david in sweden]

No, David. Just no...

 

Apologies all round. Sorry.

 

A bit of brain-fade there, (or the Alzheimers kicking in as my daughter says ).

 

of Course.... DENMARK.

[Teddy Nutkins]

Another problem with most young footballers is they have been told they are brilliant and treated like superstars from a very young age. Most of them are too arrogant or fragile to be able to handle a bawling out as you put it. Young people need a bit of discipline and a few knock backs on the way to toughen them up a bit and make them realise that they dont get given everything for nothing. Its no surprise that very few of the teenage superstars and new George Bests very rarely hit the heights they are told they are capable of.

 

Turkish, i sort of agree with you, but there is a fine line.I don't need to tell you that different people react differently" to bawlings out".Some of the best man managers know their players inside-out and know who can take a verbal bashing and get a positive reaction from them, and the players who need a little TLC, with an arm around the shoulder.

 

I can only speak of my own experience, but i was just 15, still at school and playing for Saints Youth at Brentford in the early 70's in an evening game under the lights.This was my first start and i was nervous.The first half passed off quickly and i came off the pitch reasonably happy with my contribution to a half-time lead.As i sat down to sip my tea, the coach,( i won't mention names as he is still with us, bless him), barked at me "Is that effing ball hot or something, put your effing foot on it, ffs".

 

I was shocked and embaresed and it completely ruined the whole experience for me.I am sure other players would have handled it better and told him to jog on, but i was a boy thrown into a man's world.

I guess in some ways he did me a favour, because, as people who know me will tell you, by the time i finished playing football and in my day to day life i was no shrinking violet, but i never forgot that experience and knew how to handle the different characters that you come across in life and remembered not everyone needs a bollicking.