Things seem to be coming along nicely with the squad. All the dead wood gone and some committed and younger replacements coming in. My big concern is the club holding back on offering Felix a contract extension to his one year left. I think the club need to nail there colours to the flag and say we want you for another 3 years. Give him the time to really get going with new players and instill the work ethic required to get promoted. By hedging their bets the club could end up just like last season. He has the experience and management skilks coupled with a successful philosophy. Why can't the club show some faith?
Well, taking this with a pinch of salt, but a bad tempered William Kvist wasn't too happy with Felix and is reported as commenting: “We never knew what the plan was when we showed up for practice, who was in start XI, and didn’t train tactics before a game. My resistance grew day for day. If I haven’t had a contract I would’ve quit on the spot. No one deserves a coach like Magath” “At one time a teammate got to decide the content of the practice before an important game. Because it was his birthday!"
Unless it's one of the players birthdays soon and they get to chose a transfer as their birthday present.
What's best for the team, a player-centric or a system-centric approach? Not to over generalize, but the German way would be to get behind the system that the manager puts in place, trusting that the manager knows best and that if the plan is followed, the team and players will benefit in the long run. Kompetenz ... you can't understand a German system without understand the ramifications of that word and what it implies. To question Magath and his methods is to implicitly question his competence. For us Yanks, we saw some of that with Klinsmann during the WC. Juerg is pretty friendly and affable as Germans go, but when the super-star player (Donovan) doesn't measure up or toe the line, he's out and you may or may not get a good explanation as to why. The equivalent in England would have been to leave Gerrard behind. For players, the question shouldn't be "what are we doing today in training ... " or "who's in the starting 11?" The question is really whether they'll do what they're told and trust the system. Khan should give Magath a contract extension and put the whole issue to bed, sending a message to any current and would-be players that this is the system and we're sticking to it. Ever see the movie "Patton"? George C. Scott says "I don't care whether they fear the enemy. I only hope to God they never lose their fear of me."
nice post DR. Looking back, Hodgson had a system approach. By all accounts he was very strict but the players responded. FM is most definitely has a system thats tried and tested, I hope he has time to put it to good effect. Not sure that the comments of Hangeland, Kvist, JAR at al are helping though.
Although I respect and thank Hangeland for his contributions, think is time for him to shut up and look back what he has offered as a leader the last two years... How many times did he protected the team? Never... JAR was past it... Why Kara, Diarra, Sidwell and others have not said anything?? Coz they were committed... Unlike the defense which was all over the place...
Yes ... exactly. Sure JAR and Hangeland, with all their experience and contributions, have earned the right to speak their minds and be heard. But earning the right and exercising it are two different things. Our defense sent us down, not the midfield or strikers. So bitching about Magath, after letting the team down so badly, shows a lack of class, in my book.
