BBC Blog Network

User Profile

tomwilliams83

Listed below are comments made by tomwilliams83 between Wednesday, 24th September 2008 and Tuesday, 1st December 2009 (8 Hours Ago) .

«Newer
Older»

Spain can end Europe's historical failure 09:36am on 01 Dec 2009 If recent World Cup history teaches us anything, it's that pre-tournament form counts for absolutely nothing. France went into the 2002 World Cup as reigning world and European champions but lost to Senegal in the opening game and went out in the first round. Argentina arrived at the same tournament as one of the favourites after an excellent qualifying campaign, but they too were eliminated in the first round. Brazil, meanwhile, had been largely written off because of a dreadful qualifying campaign, but they went on to win the tournament.

Fast-forward to 2006 and Brazil, the overwhelming pre-tournament favourites, were knocked out in the quarter-finals by a France team that had limped through the group stage but that went on to reach the final. You can't write off France or Argentina on the basis of what happened to them in qualifying because tournament football is a unique format and recent history proves that pre-tournament momentum is very difficult to sustain in the World Cup itself.

[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]
One of the lucky ones 5:30pm on 14 May 2009 Good luck with your coaching badges Gavin. If the standard of football in this country is to be improved it will only be improved by better coaching, and if the standard of coaching is to be improved it will only be through a greater emphasis on the importance of training would-be coaches.

Gareth Southgate, Glenn Roeder and Avram Grant all received widespread support from within the football community when they took over Premier League clubs despite not having the required qualifications and it's attitudes like this that hold British football back.

Coaches in places like Italy and France are all made to complete thorough coaching courses before they can enter the profession, and the quality of players produced by those countries is much higher as a result.

Great European coaches like Fabio Capello, Marcello Lippi and Arsene Wenger didn't get where they are just by learning 'on the job'. Their learning started well before they first stepped into the dugout, and it's something British football would do well to note.
Let's celebrate Moore and Beckham 10:06am on 12 Feb 2009 Swap "Let the debate rage" for "No" and this article would be spot-on.
Ince forced out by fear factor 3:47pm on 16 Dec 2008 Phil, perhaps you could give me your thoughts on the points I raised in comment 54?

Or do you genuinely think the future of English coaching lies in former players "getting their hands dirty" in the third and fourth tiers of the English game despite having received no training whatsoever?
Ince forced out by fear factor 3:07pm on 16 Dec 2008 Phil, your apparent lack of respect for the UEFA Pro Licence suggests you do not understand why England as a nation has failed to produce a single world class coach since Sir Bobby Robson.

In their very insightful book 'The Italian Job', Gianluca Vialli and Gabriele Marcotti assert that coaching badges are recognised as an essential pre-requisite for new coaches in both Italy and France. That's because football management is a multi-million-pound profession that demands fresh thinking and a vast array of different skills which you can't just pick up as you go along.

'On the job' training means young managers go into their careers with only the example of their own former bosses to go on, leaving them utterly unprepared for the manifold rigours of top-flight management. In a professional training environment, on the other hand, they learn how to coach from the very best.

English football has a very insular approach towards the issue of training coaches, hence the widespread support for ex-pros like Ince (and Gareth Southgate) who started life as Premier League managers without having completed their formal training.

Great European coaches like Fabio Capello, Marcello Lippi and Arsene Wenger didn't get where they are just by learning 'on the job'. Their learning started well before they first stepped into the dugout, and it's something up-and-coming English coaches like Ince would do well to note.
Basile exit sparks change of direction for Argentina 11:11am on 18 Oct 2008 I know you've used it before Tim, but I think "football is a universal language which we speak with different accents" is a wonderful phrase.
Graphic images 8:50pm on 24 Sep 2008 In response to Marj_PJ, I think you're confusing me with the person who left the second comment.
Graphic images 6:52pm on 24 Sep 2008 I admire the principle here, but what happens when it's applied to footage of other notoriety-seekers such as terrorists? The terrorist by definition is a person who seeks to spread terror in the name of a particular cause, and they do this by carrying out barbaric attacks which are relayed around the world by the international media. Remove the reporting on the attacks and you probably succeed in removing a significant amount of the terror. Should the BBC therefore be considering media blackouts on major terrorist atrocities?

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

tomwilliams83