Bristol City fan in peace You got there playing total football, and have lit up the Premiership on next to no money. My question ? How did you do it ?
Scout new managers based on their prefered style and choose those who match ours, Insisted that the chosen new manager keeps the style of play that we like, Insisted the new manager works with the present coaching team by not replacing them, however, they may add to it a maximum of four people. The board works to a strict budget. The key is continuity so we don't go after managers who may change the setup because all the players will have to start from step one all over again. Most of the coaching team is loyal to Swansea and the Swansea way, so restricting what the new manager can add to it means that when he leaves, few of the coaches will be prepared to leave with him thus maintaining our coaching base in place for the next guy to hit the ground running. On day one, the new manager and the ever present coaching staff will be on the same page because we targeted somebody who shares the same ideals. How many times have you seen Bristol changing a manager who wants his team playing nothing like the previous manager had them playing? All that progress from the season or two before is lost because those players must now learn a new system, if Bristol found coaches loyal to them and insisted a new manager could only bring in four of his own people, the core of the coaching will always be there. They should also be targeting a manager whose style matches that of the coaching team already in place. Bristol would fly up the leagues if this happened with them but most board of directors panic and think a certain style of play is not working, the truth is, those players were not given the time needed to gel into the style. Whilst our style is pretty, it is not the only successful way to play football. Give most players four or five years playing one system of football and they will become masters of it and outperform their immediate rivals in the same division. That is how we have players from League Two dominating some of the Premier League thoroughbreds, virtually every team in the Championship and Premier League has struggled to get even close to containing Leon Brittons role of mopping up the mess and passing the ball away from danger. He was there with us from the beginning of the revolution and has played that role for many years with no deviation.... he is now the best at it in all the UK.
I'd add that our strict wage structures also ensures that we don't really attract massive egos and the bonus structure (you're paid a basic wage but the player gets a bonus depending on cup success and league position) ensures that the team success is a priority over individual player success.
if you want to look at two opposites of well run club and a poorly run club. Look at us and QPR. Swansea. Start from scratch, add some continuity of players and management and stir in some hard work. Players who match the style of play you want and managers who want to continue with the style of play introduced. Then you have a successful side. Year on year tinkering with the squad and improving it slowly with players who fit the system. Then take QPR, Philosophy, rich owners, pay over the top wages and throw darts at a list of players on a wall. which everplayer the dart hits, pay ridiculous amount of money for and an even more ridiculous amount of wages. this for players who do not fit any style of play, if you had the forsight to decide which way you want the team to play and just wing it and hope it comes together. By the way add that all your players need to be individuals and not a team at all. The outcome abject failure. Your owners need to have a vision and stick with it. It cant happenstraight away but with perserverence it can. Mind you it does help when your Chairman has the knack of picking the right managers everytime.
