Jump to content

The psychology of team-building


Half fan

Recommended Posts

Beneath our euphoria at the influx of new players, I sense some apprehension that it might be counter-productive.

So I offer two scenarios to assess the impact of the influx.

First scenario.  

A team has been playing nice football, doing well, generating good crowds and very nearly achieving promotion. But the owner is so keen on promotion that he tries in quick succession a variety of managerial types, with the brief that they do whatever is necessary to succeed. A few new players are brought in to add to the tight-knit old guard. The new managers bring some 'baggage' which hampers them (such as no previous managerial experience or a few involuntary P45s on their CVs) such that when events on or off the field conspire against these managers, the old guard succeed in shifting the blame for their inadequacies onto the soon-to-depart managers. The vicious spiral of failure continues, and a disgruntled fan base either boos or votes with its feet. A weak owner might at this stage give up and sell, having tried so many options and wasted very publicly so much of his money and time.

Second scenario.

A new manager arrives, albeit with no managerial experience but with just about the biggest halo in English football. He shrewdly surrounds himself with a premier backroom staff. He and his No 2 are a reversal of the Clough and Taylor roles but with the same combination of essential ingredients. He talks the talk big-time. Everyone falls in love with him. He has 110% support from the owner for whom it is the last throw of the dice. More importantly, the owner has cleared the backroom decks of all impediments to a clear and straightforward relationship with his brave and inspired choice of manager. Whilst praising the old guard, Halo-man then recruits virtually a full team of his own choosing such that for the first time the old-guard is neutered. Moreover he promises a style of football which not only excites everyone but also indicates that the new-guard is far more likely to implement it than the old-guard. The sheer number of new players is the key to his likely success, for many reasons. The new-guard needs to settle, but it has some powerful motivations to bond it together; the old-guard has to fit in or depart, as the boot is now on the other foot so to speak; the new team has the pace and youth and energy and intensity and ambition to achieve the fast aggressive attacking football with and without the ball which has not before been tried; and the very number of new players will buy time for Halo-man whatever the results if all the stakeholders enjoy the ride. Which we are.

I hope this settles any apprehensions about the current upheaval. We are witnessing no half-measures in objective, vision, or implementation. We are a lucky bunch - but then we deserve it of course for our dogged loyalty!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 15
  • Created
  • Last Reply
43 minutes ago, Half fan said:

Beneath our euphoria at the influx of new players, I sense some apprehension that it might be counter-productive.

So I offer two scenarios to assess the impact of the influx.

First scenario.  

A team has been playing nice football, doing well, generating good crowds and very nearly achieving promotion. But the owner is so keen on promotion that he tries in quick succession a variety of managerial types, with the brief that they do whatever is necessary to succeed. A few new players are brought in to add to the tight-knit old guard. The new managers bring some 'baggage' which hampers them (such as no previous managerial experience or a few involuntary P45s on their CVs) such that when events on or off the field conspire against these managers, the old guard succeed in shifting the blame for their inadequacies onto the soon-to-depart managers. The vicious spiral of failure continues, and a disgruntled fan base either boos or votes with its feet. A weak owner might at this stage give up and sell, having tried so many options and wasted very publicly so much of his money and time.

Second scenario.

A new manager arrives, albeit with no managerial experience but with just about the biggest halo in English football. He shrewdly surrounds himself with a premier backroom staff. He and his No 2 are a reversal of the Clough and Taylor roles but with the same combination of essential ingredients. He talks the talk big-time. Everyone falls in love with him. He has 110% support from the owner for whom it is the last throw of the dice. More importantly, the owner has cleared the backroom decks of all impediments to a clear and straightforward relationship with his brave and inspired choice of manager. Whilst praising the old guard, Halo-man then recruits virtually a full team of his own choosing such that for the first time the old-guard is neutered. Moreover he promises a style of football which not only excites everyone but also indicates that the new-guard is far more likely to implement it than the old-guard. The sheer number of new players is the key to his likely success, for many reasons. The new-guard needs to settle, but it has some powerful motivations to bond it together; the old-guard has to fit in or depart, as the boot is now on the other foot so to speak; the new team has the pace and youth and energy and intensity and ambition to achieve the fast aggressive attacking football with and without the ball which has not before been tried; and the very number of new players will buy time for Halo-man whatever the results if all the stakeholders enjoy the ride. Which we are.

I hope this settles any apprehensions about the current upheaval. We are witnessing no half-measures in objective, vision, or implementation. We are a lucky bunch - but then we deserve it of course for our dogged loyalty!

 

Spot on!! If you look back at his career when has Frank done anything in half measures. A born winner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Half fan said:

Beneath our euphoria at the influx of new players, I sense some apprehension that it might be counter-productive.

So I offer two scenarios to assess the impact of the influx.

First scenario.  

A team has been playing nice football, doing well, generating good crowds and very nearly achieving promotion. But the owner is so keen on promotion that he tries in quick succession a variety of managerial types, with the brief that they do whatever is necessary to succeed. A few new players are brought in to add to the tight-knit old guard. The new managers bring some 'baggage' which hampers them (such as no previous managerial experience or a few involuntary P45s on their CVs) such that when events on or off the field conspire against these managers, the old guard succeed in shifting the blame for their inadequacies onto the soon-to-depart managers. The vicious spiral of failure continues, and a disgruntled fan base either boos or votes with its feet. A weak owner might at this stage give up and sell, having tried so many options and wasted very publicly so much of his money and time.

Second scenario.

A new manager arrives, albeit with no managerial experience but with just about the biggest halo in English football. He shrewdly surrounds himself with a premier backroom staff. He and his No 2 are a reversal of the Clough and Taylor roles but with the same combination of essential ingredients. He talks the talk big-time. Everyone falls in love with him. He has 110% support from the owner for whom it is the last throw of the dice. More importantly, the owner has cleared the backroom decks of all impediments to a clear and straightforward relationship with his brave and inspired choice of manager. Whilst praising the old guard, Halo-man then recruits virtually a full team of his own choosing such that for the first time the old-guard is neutered. Moreover he promises a style of football which not only excites everyone but also indicates that the new-guard is far more likely to implement it than the old-guard. The sheer number of new players is the key to his likely success, for many reasons. The new-guard needs to settle, but it has some powerful motivations to bond it together; the old-guard has to fit in or depart, as the boot is now on the other foot so to speak; the new team has the pace and youth and energy and intensity and ambition to achieve the fast aggressive attacking football with and without the ball which has not before been tried; and the very number of new players will buy time for Halo-man whatever the results if all the stakeholders enjoy the ride. Which we are.

I hope this settles any apprehensions about the current upheaval. We are witnessing no half-measures in objective, vision, or implementation. We are a lucky bunch - but then we deserve it of course for our dogged loyalty!

 

Superb analysis Sir. The situation could quite neatly be summed up by Catastrophe Theory {Catastrophe theory is particularly applicable where gradually changing forces produce sudden effects}. IIRC it would predict that the old guard have a choice - assuming they remain in the building - but I suspect their influence will be swamped and washed away. I myself think that FL has got it spot on. He has surprised most of us with the speed and efficiency of his actions in the market {also helped by Mel's "the cupboard is bare" * } and helped by being brave at Reading and spawning 3 points. The band wagon is now truly rolling and Leeds are in town....You could not have written the script better. FL has got big plans and I just cannot flippin' well wait...Oh tonight's Fans Forum is going to be oh so interesting...  

 

* did this happen?:

Rowett: Hi Mel, I'm gonna need £30-40 million close season to get some new players in...

Mel: Sorry Gazza...there's no money left in the building, the reality is it's loans and academy kids next year... 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

he could at least have waited until next summer when a good few contracts run out

Weve played one game, he's had a handful of trainign sessions, and he is spending and changing the squad like a mentalist, while no one is coming in for our players. Im just a little conerned. When Pearson did it, it we were thankful to get rid before he changed it too much. But somehow with Frank its seen as the right thing to do. <facepalm>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, jagerbob said:

he could at least have waited until next summer when a good few contracts run out

Weve played one game, he's had a handful of trainign sessions, and he is spending and changing the squad like a mentalist, while no one is coming in for our players. Im just a little conerned. When Pearson did it, it we were thankful to get rid before he changed it too much. But somehow with Frank its seen as the right thing to do. <facepalm>

Why wait. The current crop have had a good go and failed several times (not always their fault) and they largely will be gone next year. So start the transition now. A whole season to try things and players out, ready to shoot for the top next year!!  It may happen this year but I won't be worried if it doesn't and we show progression over the season.

Somehow Pearson didn't fire the imagination with his picks and the old guard seem to have done for him (maybe).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, jagerbob said:

he could at least have waited until next summer when a good few contracts run out

Weve played one game, he's had a handful of trainign sessions, and he is spending and changing the squad like a mentalist, while no one is coming in for our players. Im just a little conerned. When Pearson did it, it we were thankful to get rid before he changed it too much. But somehow with Frank its seen as the right thing to do. <facepalm>

Mmm.....let’s see now...compare & contrast the Leadership skills of Lampard and Pearson...they are quite different styles. One is an inspirational leader who achieves success by taking people along with him and the other is an insane PE teacher {allegedly} who is prone to unpredictable outbursts of rage. I wonder who is likely to be more successful ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, jagerbob said:

he could at least have waited until next summer when a good few contracts run out

Weve played one game, he's had a handful of trainign sessions, and he is spending and changing the squad like a mentalist, while no one is coming in for our players. Im just a little conerned. When Pearson did it, it we were thankful to get rid before he changed it too much. But somehow with Frank its seen as the right thing to do. <facepalm>

The problem with Pearson is that he didn’t do enough for his system to work but did enough to prevent the old system working. 

Pearson needed six new signings for his system to work and that’s just to make it functional. He signed three, all in the last week of the transfer window and one did their ACL a couple of games in. 

Lampard’s signed eight with six definitely fitting a pressing, on the floor 4-3-3. I have a feeling one of Waghorn or Marriott will be money spunked up the wall but I’m not sure which yet. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Ellafella said:

Superb analysis Sir. The situation could quite neatly be summed up by Catastrophe Theory {Catastrophe theory is particularly applicable where gradually changing forces produce sudden effects}. IIRC it would predict that the old guard have a choice - assuming they remain in the building - but I suspect their influence will be swamped and washed away. I myself think that FL has got it spot on. He has surprised most of us with the speed and efficiency of his actions in the market {also helped by Mel's "the cupboard is bare" * } and helped by being brave at Reading and spawning 3 points. The band wagon is now truly rolling and Leeds are in town....You could not have written the script better. FL has got big plans and I just cannot flippin' well wait...Oh tonight's Fans Forum is going to be oh so interesting...  

 

* did this happen?:

Rowett: Hi Mel, I'm gonna need £30-40 million close season to get some new players in...

Mel: Sorry Gazza...there's no money left in the building, the reality is it's loans and academy kids next year... 

 

 

 

Think it’s worth this meme that I previously put in Snake City Watch.

E3A93433-E7C7-4B7D-AC2C-2B79DBB4D0D4.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, jagerbob said:

he could at least have waited until next summer when a good few contracts run out

Weve played one game, he's had a handful of trainign sessions, and he is spending and changing the squad like a mentalist, while no one is coming in for our players. Im just a little conerned. When Pearson did it, it we were thankful to get rid before he changed it too much. But somehow with Frank its seen as the right thing to do. <facepalm>

Hasn't Super Gary bought more players than we have? 

After a "handful of training sessions" in the last couple of months working with the players he must be some kind of mentalist.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Ellafella said:

Mmm.....let’s see now...compare & contrast the Leadership skills of Lampard and Pearson...they are quite different styles. One is an inspirational leader who achieves success by taking people along with him and the other is an insane PE teacher {allegedly} who is prone to unpredictable outbursts of rage. I wonder who is likely to be more successful ?

Whilst Pearson was an unmitigated disaster at Derby. Every Leicester fan I know ( which is hundreds). Believe he laid the foundation for them to win the premier league and would have done so himself if not sacked ( ranieri just fell lucky ) Don’t take this as support for him, but don’t judge him solely on his Derby tenure 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, jagerbob said:

he could at least have waited until next summer when a good few contracts run out

Weve played one game, he's had a handful of trainign sessions, and he is spending and changing the squad like a mentalist, while no one is coming in for our players. Im just a little conerned. When Pearson did it, it we were thankful to get rid before he changed it too much. But somehow with Frank its seen as the right thing to do. <facepalm>

Yep but it how he has gone about it and also the plauers bought.these players are not just a short term stab but a calculated event for the long term.why wait till the summer these player need to know there position and all but 1 will be going

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...