Psycho’s gamble could mean game over at City
Tuesday’s announcement that east Manchester would be the location for Britain’s first super casino makes sense; if the nearby football team is anything to go by, punters will be well up for a gamble. Manchester City’s manager, Stuart Pearce, is going all-in on the equivalent of a pair of deuces, and is set to become manager of England’s U21, dividing his time between them and City. Psycho, if appointed, is set to lose everything.
Did Peter Taylor’s poor performances at Crystal Palace and, before that, Hull City while he was in charge of the U21s go unnoticed, and the example unheeded? During Palace’s recent nadir, when they were flirting with the relegation berths of the Championship, Taylor was forced by the club directors to announce he couldn’t concentrate on two jobs. What makes Pearce think he can succeed, especially when City are in the Premiership where the stakes are vertiginously higher?
If the former England skipper – renowned more for two international penalties, one he missed and one he scored, than his management – does take on the extra responsibility, you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll be game over for him at Eastlands. It’s another hit or miss affair, but he’s more likely to sky both opportunities.
The City directors, partial to a gamble themselves judging by their recent managers – the cavalier Kevin Keegan, and Joe Royle spring to mind – have tried to stand in the way of Pearce. In particular Alistair Mackintosh, the chief executive, has been in heated discussions with Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA’s youth development head honcho. Even if Pearce’s mooted appointment is blocked, what is worrying for City fans is that he is very seriously considering it.
If Pearce does take the U21 job what does he expect to gain? Experience, he says. Knowledge of the best young players in England and in Europe, he says. One glance at the previous managers and one can tell they are hardly high rollers. Over the last 10 years Taylor, David Platt, Howard Wilkinson and Peter Reid have all sunk into oblivion after their individual stints with the U21s.
Of those four only Taylor remains in management, and that’s only by the slenderest of threads. Even Platt, now a pundit, opined that his former England team mate would be unable to juggle his jobs. “He’ll fall between two stools,” Platt said, and for once he might be right.
Do these underachieving managers take on the job of U21 manager because they have a better chance to win things with the U21s than with their clubs? Is it because they have a constant batch of good talents, as opposed to their club sides who have been ruined by ill judged transfers?
One thing’s for certain: if Psycho does take the U21 job it’ll mean another trophy-less season for the City fans. And why, in spite of the huge stadium, excellent facilities and a fertile academy, is it going wrong for Pearce, who has been at the helm for the best part of two years now?
In his first foray into management Pearce won only seven out of 23 games. Granted that was for Nottingham Forest in a player-manager capacity in the 1996/7 Premiership, a season in which his team finished glued to the bottom of the Premiership; and granted Pearce was then managing with water wings, yet to complete the relevant coaching badges.
The fact remains that in his second, and current job – with coaching badges and all – his win rate remains similarly below par: 30 victories in 81 games (and 34 losses). Why hasn’t Peace learned? Why does Middlesbrough’s Gareth Southgate, for example, totally green to management, have a better win ratio?
A simple look at the goals scored column goes some way to answering this quandary. ‘Boro have so far scored 18 goals at the Riverside this season, which is just one less than City have managed both home and away. Alarmingly only two sides currently occupying relegation berths – Watford (14) and West Ham (18) – have scored fewer goals than Pearce’s team, and Charlton, sandwiched between the two, are on a par with 19. It’s fair to say the bottom sides have had a disastrous season thus far.
Pearce’s signings have been dubious. Georgios Samaras was a big gamble for £6m, a ‘rough diamond’ said Pearce. He’s far from the polished article. Along with Pearce’s other attacking signings – Darius Vassell, Bernardo Corradi and Paul Dickov – Samaras has failed to deliver the City faithful what they deserve. Indeed, at present the fulcrum of City’s attacking options is 18-year-old Stephen Ireland, who joined as a trainee.
The main reason why City are not further down the Premiership table is down to their defence. Pearce, a hard defender as a player, has imbued his guarding style upon his team. Would England’s young hopefuls be best served by a manager who is so adept at defensive tactics? Were City to lose stalwart Sylvain Distin, as is expected in the summer, along perhaps with their heartbeat - Joey Barton - the finger will be pointed solely at Pearce when his team sink.
For Psycho to take on the duel responsibility of the U21s and City it would be his biggest gamble so far, and one that he is unlikely to recover from. He should stick with what he’s got, to try and galvanise City, if only to justify the faith the directors and fans alike have invested in him.
Tuesday’s announcement that east Manchester would be the location for Britain’s first super casino makes sense; if the nearby football team is anything to go by, punters will be well up for a gamble. Manchester City’s manager, Stuart Pearce, is going all-in on the equivalent of a pair of deuces, and is set to become manager of England’s U21, dividing his time between them and City. Psycho, if appointed, is set to lose everything.
Did Peter Taylor’s poor performances at Crystal Palace and, before that, Hull City while he was in charge of the U21s go unnoticed, and the example unheeded? During Palace’s recent nadir, when they were flirting with the relegation berths of the Championship, Taylor was forced by the club directors to announce he couldn’t concentrate on two jobs. What makes Pearce think he can succeed, especially when City are in the Premiership where the stakes are vertiginously higher?
If the former England skipper – renowned more for two international penalties, one he missed and one he scored, than his management – does take on the extra responsibility, you can bet your bottom dollar it’ll be game over for him at Eastlands. It’s another hit or miss affair, but he’s more likely to sky both opportunities.
The City directors, partial to a gamble themselves judging by their recent managers – the cavalier Kevin Keegan, and Joe Royle spring to mind – have tried to stand in the way of Pearce. In particular Alistair Mackintosh, the chief executive, has been in heated discussions with Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA’s youth development head honcho. Even if Pearce’s mooted appointment is blocked, what is worrying for City fans is that he is very seriously considering it.
If Pearce does take the U21 job what does he expect to gain? Experience, he says. Knowledge of the best young players in England and in Europe, he says. One glance at the previous managers and one can tell they are hardly high rollers. Over the last 10 years Taylor, David Platt, Howard Wilkinson and Peter Reid have all sunk into oblivion after their individual stints with the U21s.
Of those four only Taylor remains in management, and that’s only by the slenderest of threads. Even Platt, now a pundit, opined that his former England team mate would be unable to juggle his jobs. “He’ll fall between two stools,” Platt said, and for once he might be right.
Do these underachieving managers take on the job of U21 manager because they have a better chance to win things with the U21s than with their clubs? Is it because they have a constant batch of good talents, as opposed to their club sides who have been ruined by ill judged transfers?
One thing’s for certain: if Psycho does take the U21 job it’ll mean another trophy-less season for the City fans. And why, in spite of the huge stadium, excellent facilities and a fertile academy, is it going wrong for Pearce, who has been at the helm for the best part of two years now?
In his first foray into management Pearce won only seven out of 23 games. Granted that was for Nottingham Forest in a player-manager capacity in the 1996/7 Premiership, a season in which his team finished glued to the bottom of the Premiership; and granted Pearce was then managing with water wings, yet to complete the relevant coaching badges.
The fact remains that in his second, and current job – with coaching badges and all – his win rate remains similarly below par: 30 victories in 81 games (and 34 losses). Why hasn’t Peace learned? Why does Middlesbrough’s Gareth Southgate, for example, totally green to management, have a better win ratio?
A simple look at the goals scored column goes some way to answering this quandary. ‘Boro have so far scored 18 goals at the Riverside this season, which is just one less than City have managed both home and away. Alarmingly only two sides currently occupying relegation berths – Watford (14) and West Ham (18) – have scored fewer goals than Pearce’s team, and Charlton, sandwiched between the two, are on a par with 19. It’s fair to say the bottom sides have had a disastrous season thus far.
Pearce’s signings have been dubious. Georgios Samaras was a big gamble for £6m, a ‘rough diamond’ said Pearce. He’s far from the polished article. Along with Pearce’s other attacking signings – Darius Vassell, Bernardo Corradi and Paul Dickov – Samaras has failed to deliver the City faithful what they deserve. Indeed, at present the fulcrum of City’s attacking options is 18-year-old Stephen Ireland, who joined as a trainee.
The main reason why City are not further down the Premiership table is down to their defence. Pearce, a hard defender as a player, has imbued his guarding style upon his team. Would England’s young hopefuls be best served by a manager who is so adept at defensive tactics? Were City to lose stalwart Sylvain Distin, as is expected in the summer, along perhaps with their heartbeat - Joey Barton - the finger will be pointed solely at Pearce when his team sink.
For Psycho to take on the duel responsibility of the U21s and City it would be his biggest gamble so far, and one that he is unlikely to recover from. He should stick with what he’s got, to try and galvanise City, if only to justify the faith the directors and fans alike have invested in him.
Labels: Manchester City, Stuart Pearce, Supercasino
