New breed of coaches set to take control
At 60, Manuel Pellegrini is now the oldest manager to have won the English title for the first time since Joe Fagan in 1984. It is a fine achievement even in the context of City’s cash, given that the Chilean was experiencing a new country, a new team and a new environment.
Pellegrini has certainly created the right environment for his squad. He has put in place a tactical framework that brings out his team’s attacking qualities and also set the right mood. Edin Dzeko is the perfect example. Pellegrini realised the forward required a more conciliatory approach after repeatedly clashing with the combustible Roberto Mancini and thereby playing well within himself. After initially intermittent form at the start of this campaign, Dzeko has become a transformed player and one of the key figures in City’s title challenge.
He’s scored a series of clutch goals, at crucial moments, not least the 3-2 win at Everton.
It has been a response of impressive intensity and focus, and that thanks to the intervention of an understated manager.
In that, Pellegrini possibly represents a precursor of things to come, if they have not already arrived. Because, whatever about the Chilean coming to a new environment, it is possible that environment itself is changing for managers. There are signs of a new, younger breed of coach. While Pellegrini has many other qualities, for example, he is almost practicing a milder version of what Brendan Rodgers and Roberto Martinez are beginning to specialise in.
The Merseyside based duo have actually defied the economic realities set by City and Chelsea through fundamentally creative approaches. Even if they did not meet their main aims, Liverpool and Everton this season finished a good deal higher than their resources should allow and that is because they have both absolutely maximised the ability available to them.
All who work around their training-grounds speak of the truly innovative coaching. All who play them speak of the striking dynamism of their style.
Rodgers puts in place drills that get players used to seamlessly switching formation within games, with those formations also specifically designed to draw out an individual player’s best technical abilities. Chris Tucker, who worked under Rodgers as a coach at Swansea, can’t hide his admiration.
“Certainly, if he sees something within individual players, he’ll no doubt improve them technically and tactically. His coaching is extremely organised and thorough. He knew what he wanted and would put practices on that would relate to the game environment of a Saturday.”
The players at Everton, meanwhile, have universally enthused about the radical evolution under Martinez; of the manner in which he pushes all of them to express themselves in an expansive attacking game.
For proof, you only have to look at the progress of players like Steven Naismith, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, Martin Skrtel and even the quantum leap made by Seamus Coleman.
That these individuals are not just playing well, but displaying admirable technique, is key. This is not just about the admittedly difficult task of getting the best out of players in a given formation, as most successful managers have needed to do.
It is actually about getting your boots dirty on the training ground and working with individuals to wring every last drop out of their inherent talent, and even bringing out talent that was not necessarily evident. For mid-tier countries like Ireland, needless to say, that is exceptionally relevant.
It is the purest type of coaching, and may well represent a genuinely new breed of manager-coach, of those have taken an even deeper approach to tactics.
The majority of top-tier managers have a much more hands-off approach. This new breed may well begin to take control of the game.
For now, Pellegrini takes the title, but not without strong elements of their identity.
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