Killie v Dons

[RicoS321]

2 hours ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

I know what you're getting at Rico but can you imagine the scenario if you had someone that had never played or managed questioning the manager's game plan/formation/tactics.  He'd be told to fuck off double quick.  I just think you need a strong experienced assistant manager which is maybe where Agnew falls down?

He'll be in charge of Robson, so telling him to fuck off wouldn't be a great idea. That's the whole point, he sits above the [inexperienced] manager. I don't think you'll ever get the strong and experienced assistant manager (I'm sure there are some examples), because if they were that strong then they'd be the one in charge. If a manager can't explain himself to a person who hasn't played or managed in the game, then he simply isn't good enough at his job. It's a sounding board, a devil's advocate. Questioning doesn't have to - and shouldn't - take the form of criticism (and egos should be put to the side), it's a way of throwing things back at the manager so that he can work out where he's gone wrong and how to change things. To make him question himself and introduce new ideas. More importantly, it works as a store of all the previous errors, so that the same mistakes don't get repeated. I imagine Robson goes through the videos with the players during the week and points out to them where he thinks they've failed in implementing his plan. The same can be done with the manager (and other coaches), going through the game with the director of football and discussing the decisions made and the impact of them. It's just a simple form of documenting and getting things out without the manager having to retain it all and shoulder all the responsibility. This may already be happening of course, but the last three managers suggest otherwise (or they're not doing it right).

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

I don't know if that could ever happen in reality to be honest.  Would Robson (or anyone else) have taken the job knowing that he would be in on a Monday morning having to explain to someone every tactical change and substitution he had made at the weekend?  Does that happen in other clubs? I really don't know.  I find it hard to believe that Gerrard would have had to do that at Rangers for example but maybe I am wrong.  I get the idea of a sounding board and someone to lean on but that should be the job of the assistant and the other members of the coaching team, it always has been in the past.  People with the footballing backgrounds of Robson, Agnew and Neil Simpson should have the capabilities of working it out on their own.  Levein tried that overseeing thing at Hearts and it ended in disaster.  Robson is the man Cormack deemed better suited to do the job than an experienced head like McInnes and if that is the case he should not need to be babysitting him.