They call it the Impossible Job. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also
been labelled the toughest gig in England, making the role of Prime
Minister a veritable breeze. We can only be talking about the role of
national football manager. And to say that the reaction to what appears
to be the somewhat surprising news of Roy Hodgson getting the position
vacated by the Italian Fabio Capello has been hostile is an
understatement.
The first question to be asked is not why the Football Association
(FA) decided against even interviewing the odds-on favorite, Tottenham’s
Hotspur’s manager Harry Redknapp (who happened to be cleared of tax
evasion charges on the same day Capello resigned in February) but why
Hodgson – or anyone for that matter – would even want the job. Ever
since Sir Alf Ramsey’s charges won the World Cup in 1966 on home soil,
resulting in the unrealistic expectation that it would be the first of
many such triumphs, all subsequent managers have failed to emulate the
achievement, not even reaching a final of a major tournament. The
pressures placed upon the manager by the media, supporters and men on
the street (who may not necessarily care a jot for the national pastime)
are so intense that it always ends in tears (more often than not
literally). Even the late Sir Bobby Robson, who transformed a fairly
average England side into unlucky losing semi-finalists to West Germany
at the 1990 World Cup, was mercilessly hammered by the tabloids at the
start of his tenure, with the Sun handing out pin badges
calling for his sacking in 1984, and becoming nastier still four years
later (and you should see what they did to his successor).
But back to the future. Or perhaps the past, if you buy into what
some supposed experts are claiming, calling the 64-year old Hodgson a
backward-looking choice (presumably ignoring the fact that Redknapp is a
year older). Playing the role of the nay-sayer (and many of England’s
players and supporters are in that camp) it’s undeniable that the FA has
plumped for the safe, conservative choice, which is set to be confirmed
at a press conference Tuesday at 11.00am ET. And there’s a financial
benefit. Hodgson is out of contract at the end of this season so his
club West Bromwich Albion wouldn’t be paid a penny, unlike the many
millions of pounds Tottenham would have surely demanded.
Yet it’s important to look beyond the bluster and clamor for Redknapp
(whose own managerial trophy cabinet wouldn’t take you that long to
build) and look at the two attributes at stake: Hodgson’s résumé to date
and what he can offer in the way of legacy. Firstly, he’s managed at
the highest level, taking Switzerland (not exactly world-beaters) to the
knockout stages of the 1994 World Cup and to EURO 1996. He barely lost
any qualification games in the process. Hodgson then became the manager
of one of the planet’s biggest clubs, Inter Milan, where, though he
didn’t win any trophies (a top finish of third in the standings and
losing the Uefa Cup final on penalties) he remains respected for his
work in Italy.
On Hodgson went, much like a journeyman player, doing sterling work
for Swiss, Danish, Italian and Norwegian club sides, as well as managing
Finland and the United Arab Emirates. As for his accomplishments in
England, there had been a gap of the best part of a decade between his
jobs for Premier League sides Blackburn and Fulham: he started strongly
at the former (top six, qualified for Europe, before it went south) and
ended impressively at the latter, guiding the Londoners to a European
final and being voted the League Managers Association manager of the
year by a record margin. It wasn’t a shock that he left Fulham for a
bigger club and this quickly became the main blot on his copybook: his
191 day spell at Liverpool in 2010 was an unmitigated disaster, as the
Reds had their worst start to a season since 1953-54. His departure was
expected but he’s quietly and calmly rebuilt his reputation at West
Brom, guiding the club to the safe environs of mid-table (his side won
at Liverpool last week, which must have given Hodgson considerable cause
for celebration).
But the powers that be at England’s Wembley headquarters must have
also been swayed by the day-in, day-out work he’ll be able to carry out
at the new National Football Centre at St George’s Park, outside
Burton-on-Trent, which is conveniently located near his home. Hodgson
has carried out technical work for Uefa and Fifa in the past and will be
expected to oversee the entire English set-up from juniors to the first
team, which he should relish. What’s more, don’t be surprised to see
Hodgson take the interim coach Stuart Pearce (who is taking charge of
Great Britain’s Olympic team this summer) under his wing and groom him
to be his successor. If the negotiations between Hodgson and the FA go
as smoothly as anticipated, it’s believed that his contract will cover
the three tournaments up to and including Euro 2016.
(PHOTOS: Euro 2008: The Final Games)
When you look at what Hodgson can offer, the least England’s fans and
players can do is give him a chance. And Hodgson’s smart enough to know
that, with England not having won anything of note for 46 years, he
isn’t following in any footballing footsteps to make him quake in his
own boots (unlike, say, the managerial situation taking place in Barcelona).
But can he win over England’s senior players who had already tweeted
their support for Redknapp, though he was still in the Spurs hotseat
(which is where he’ll remain)? If he can communicate his message as
directly as possible—footballers don’t exactly have the lengthiest
attention span— keep his three genuinely world class players of Wayne
Rooney, Ashley Cole and Joe Hart happy, place an emphasis on the next
generation (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack’s Wilshere and Butland) and,
crucially, win matches, there’s nothing to stop England from making
strides. Though we’d never be so foolish as to predict they’ll end their
drought.
Hodgson, however, is someone who enjoys overturning the odds. The
first side he managed was Halmstads, in Sweden, 36 years ago. “On the
first day of the season 20 newspapers said Halmstads would go down,” he
has since said. “We won the championship in style.”
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét