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Pochettino: Why there’s a key difference between a head coach and manager

mawspurs

Staff
Jun 29, 2003
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Mauricio Pochettino says he should not be described as Tottenham’s manager, stating that he is the head coach and that there is an important difference between the roles.

Read the full article at London 24
 

dagraham

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2005
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In other words, "I get what I'm given and just have to make the best of it".

It's not difficult reading between the lines. Poch obviously thought the potential was that much greater at Spurs than Southampton so it was worth sacrificing control. He might regret that come the end of the season!

Personally, I'd rather we have a manager all day long.
 

CrazyHeart

Well-Known Member
Oct 26, 2013
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Head coach or manager - he'd better get our guys firing on all cylinders... and quick!
 

DOX

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2004
803
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Oh crap, that sounded more passive-aggressive than a middle aged housewife*...

*hope I'm wrong.
 

TaoistMonkey

Welcome! Everything is fine.
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Oct 25, 2005
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“The head coach is not the same as the manager. If not, why am I not [called] the manager? I am the head coach. In Southampton, I was a manager. My responsibility was not only to coach the team. Here I am a head coach - a head coach is head of your department. My department is to train the team.

Ouch and Ouch.

It may just be me but I get the feeling he's been "asked" to play certain players.
 

dagraham

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2005
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Ouch and Ouch.

It may just be me but I get the feeling he's been "asked" to play certain players.

Maybe not play certain players, but it's obvious (if it wasn't already) that we at Spurs don't believe in letting the man that picks the team (and gets fired when results are poor) have control over transfer policy.

It's why I couldn't care less which latest head of transfers/DOF/recruitment guru/insert appropriate bollocks we bring in. Unless we simplify things and go back to the manager managing, things will continue to go tits up at Spurs.
 

Chris_D

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2007
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Perhaps he hasn't got total control of the club but did we really expect that with Levy? Maybe I'm being naive but just maybe we need someone coaching the players and getting the best out of them instead of endless wheeling and dealing. We've tried that and it's not worked brilliantly. An excellent coach could add a lot to the club.
 

DCSPUR

Well-Known Member
Apr 15, 2005
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bringing in your people is important and knowing that he wanted a midfield shield in MS and a defender in MM and got neither is a key part of this seasons narrative. As for the need for these two, saw this in a guardian.co.uk/football story about Pool and Woolwich:

"And yet, the biggest problems for both teams are at the back. Both sides seem to bring their troubles on themselves. Since the start of last season, only the ever self-destructive Tottenham (23) have committed more errors leading to an opposition goal than Liverpool (18) and Arsenal (13)."
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
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Maybe not play certain players, but it's obvious (if it wasn't already) that we at Spurs don't believe in letting the man that picks the team (and gets fired when results are poor) have control over transfer policy.

It's why I couldn't care less which latest head of transfers/DOF/recruitment guru/insert appropriate bollocks we bring in. Unless we simplify things and go back to the manager managing, things will continue to go tits up at Spurs.


The THST minutes clearly state who selects transfer targets and who makes the final decisions to buy.

No need for hissy fits, just read what the minutes say, jeezz there's enough conspiracy theory on here for an entire new series of Taggert.
 

millsey

Official SC Numpty
Dec 8, 2005
8,735
11,504
I'm not sure a manager like ferguson ect still exsist. We and other clubs change manager so much now that to give to much power and changes to someone like poch can end up being very expensive and time lost.
I do agree he should have final say on players, and by all accounts he does. If levy thinks 27 million is too much for MS then that's the way it should be. We have the tenth highest ground in the county remember
 

dagraham

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2005
19,115
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The THST minutes clearly state who selects transfer targets and who makes the final decisions to buy.

No need for hissy fits, just read what the minutes say, jeezz there's enough conspiracy theory on here for an entire new series of Taggert.

I've read the minutes and it's a load of guff. The "head coach" basically gets a list and has to choose (and even then he probably ends up with his last choice). What if he doesn't want any of the players on this list?

I've heard it all before. When AVB was here we got the same stuff about clearly defined roles etc etc.

I don't buy it and I'll believe it when I see it. It's not a hissy fit, it's an opinion I've held for some time and nothing has changed my mind as of yet.
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
16,047
18,013
I've read the minutes and it's a load of guff. The "head coach" basically gets a list and has to choose (and even then he probably ends up with his last choice). What if he doesn't want any of the players on this list?

I've heard it all before. When AVB was here we got the same stuff about clearly defined roles etc etc.

I don't buy it and I'll believe it when I see it. It's not a hissy fit, it's an opinion I've held for some time and nothing has changed my mind as of yet.


So i guess that the THST and main Board are wrong and you are right.













O.K. then.
 

guate

Well-Known Member
May 12, 2005
3,270
1,486
My interpretation is that Mauricio took on the job as head coach knowing full well what that implied, however I'm sure he expected to be completely backed by Levy regarding transfer dealings and here, although I'm speculating, he has been let down with the cheaper version of the players he wanted brought in.
I sense that he's distancing himself from full responsibility of what happens on the field due to transfer decisions being taken out of his hands.
 

greywizard2020

Well-Known Member
Jun 9, 2003
331
709
I agree with the points above that refer to Pochettino knowing full well the situation he was inheriting at Spurs. The Poch worked with the then, Ramon Planes when they were both at Espanyol, so he's no stranger to that sporting-model & therefore knows exactly what his responsibilities are.

Like others here, i don't think he is taking a shot at the model in place, just that what he's been given to work with is well short of the level of professionalism that he would expect from a club of our stature.

Our squad is a bloated mess, despite being short of cover in key areas. There's been a serious mismanagement of funds from previous coaches & Levy can be blamed till the cows come home, but all he's ever done is backed the man at the helm, as best he can whilst remaining fiscally responsible. I don't want a Leeds-style situation where we're spending way over the odds on expensive players that would leave for a pittance in the aftermath of insolvency.

I'm not saying Levy is in any way removed from accountability, since he's the one who hires & fires the staff, but the likes of Baldini & the current recruitment staff need to take a long, hard look at themselves & be very ashamed, then be very unemployed.
 

14/04/91

Well-Known Member
Jan 13, 2006
3,527
5,693
Perhaps he hasn't got total control of the club but did we really expect that with Levy? Maybe I'm being naive but just maybe we need someone coaching the players and getting the best out of them instead of endless wheeling and dealing. We've tried that and it's not worked brilliantly. An excellent coach could add a lot to the club.

And our 3 attempts at the DOF + coach structure have worked brilliantly??!
 

14/04/91

Well-Known Member
Jan 13, 2006
3,527
5,693
On paper DOF + coach looks great. Coach says I need a new [enter position] either first choice or cover - he's presented with a list of realistic targets & he chooses, DOF does deal.
In practice it's not worked thus far & we're on our 3rd DOF and 6th coach!! The ironic thing is Levy, by all accounts, didn't like the old fashioned manager type guy because when he leaves/is fired the next guy is stuck with his squad. I believe Hoddle discarding Graham's £11m Rebrov was the catalyst.
But this system has arguably made things even messier.
At the end of the day the coach needs to pick the players, both individually (eg get me, say, Eriksen) or the certain type he wants (eg we need a hard midfielder).
If he's given players & told to make them work, I worry.
 

Hoddle&Waddle

Well-Known Member
Nov 25, 2012
8,337
17,565
Ouch and Ouch.

It may just be me but I get the feeling he's been "asked" to play certain players.
Thats why they hired him, to get the 26M investment firing. Poch clearly getting his excuses in early for when it inevitably goes tits up. Really winds me up this Head Coach bullshit, there's not one case to show it has actually worked in England. Just when you think the fans have had enough of Levy, he goes and adds yet another voice to the 'committee' and our fans are lapping it up.
 
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avonspurs

MoPo's lover
Apr 28, 2006
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I've read the minutes and it's a load of guff. The "head coach" basically gets a list and has to choose (and even then he probably ends up with his last choice). What if he doesn't want any of the players on this list?

I've heard it all before. When AVB was here we got the same stuff about clearly defined roles etc etc.

I don't buy it and I'll believe it when I see it. It's not a hissy fit, it's an opinion I've held for some time and nothing has changed my mind as of yet.

Is there anything that would change your mind? :)

Your opinion is based on an outsider looking in perspective, whereas the people inside have said what it is and this is minuted. If not accurate then all it takes is for the manager (or ex-managers) come out and say something different.
 

avonspurs

MoPo's lover
Apr 28, 2006
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4,100
Thats why they hired him, to get the 26M investment firing. Poch clearly getting his excuses in early for when it inevitably goes tits up. Really winds me up this Head Coach bullshit, there's not one case to show it has actually worked in England. Just when you think the fans have had enough of Levy, he goes and adds yet another voice to the 'committee' and our fans are lapping it up.

I don't wish to argue the point as to whether it works or not, but I am interested in why people think it doesn't work. And something other than 'different culture' stuff, seeing as though there has, other the last couple of decades, been an increasing influx into the PL of different cultures (both at player and owner level).
 
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