Sean O'Driscolls programme article v Forest

In all my 60 odd years following football and Bristol City in particular, I have never seen anything like this before. I am surprised at the depth of detail he gives about tactics used, but it increases my regard for him as our manager and as a man manager.

"Sean O’Driscoll writes notes for each and every home game, printed in the Well Red matchday programme. Here are his views, first published in the Ipswich edition on January 26th 2013.
Welcome to the players, staff and supporters of Nottingham Forest to this afternoon's npower Championship fixture at Ashton Gate.

Our last two performances against Watford and Blackburn Rovers have showed us at our determined best, while still offering glimpses of our Achilles’ heel.

The Watford win was extremely satisfying, not simply because of the three points but because of the manner in which it came. Regardless of the personnel Watford deployed on the night, they would play the same way. Possession, pass, probe.

The way Watford set up with three centre-backs and five across midfield has given countless teams problems this season, reflected in their league position.

Watford’s play starts at the back, and they wait for teams to press them, which creates space for their extra midfield players to then exploit. It only takes one of your players to be in a poor position and Watford can carve you open at will.

We opted to do something not many teams had done this season; let them actually have the ball at the back but then be difficult to break down.

By allowing their centre-backs to have possession, keeping a strict shape ahead of play, and harassing the midfield players, Watford had to try to find a way to pass through non-existent space. The good thing about the way they play is when they do lose possession, they leave gaps in behind to exploit.

It then became a battle of nerve. Could our players resist the temptation to close down the centre-backs, were we disciplined enough to keep our shape and could we be bright enough when we had the ball to capitalise? Could we do all of this when I’m sure there were supporters questioning at times why we were seemingly standing off and letting Watford have all the play they wanted?

Getting the first goal gave us a massive lift and when we went two ahead you could see the absolute determination in the players not only to keep hold of the points but protect that first elusive clean sheet of the season. When the final whistle came the plaudits that followed were entirely deserved. It had been a brave performance.

Unfortunately the Watford game saw us lose our third key player – Cole Skuse – in two games to injury. When that stat became four in three following injury to Louis Carey at Blackburn, things gets increasingly difficult.

For 60 minutes against Blackburn we were good and created the two best openings – a Paul Anderson one-and-one with the goalkeeper and a Steven Davies shot that bounced off a post. Jordan Rhodes, as he has proved so often this season, was the difference.

However, it was disappointing that, for the first time since I’ve been here, we lost our structure and discipline after Blackburn doubled their lead despite starting the second period on the front foot. The effort was still there but it was more aimless, less purposeful than it had been for the three previous games. We’ve said repeatedly the things that are going to give us the best possible chance of staying up are attitude and organisation.

As we chased the game we became more ragged and the principles that we have worked on suddenly went missing. Understandably yes, but it’s something we must guard against happening again in such a competitive division.

When I first arrived at Bristol City, I did what I’ve done at every club I’ve ever been at; I canvassed player opinion.
I wanted to know what the players thought they had done well this season and what were the factors they felt had been letting them down.

Poor organisation was the one thing they all agreed on.

I’ve always believed it’s really important to give players the chance to voice their opinions. I may not always agree and an argument has to have been well thought through and stack up to make it valid. ‘Because we’ve always done it like that’ is reasoning that will never wash with me.

But the only way a team can move forward is when you have a group of people – players, coaches and staff – who are prepared to be completely honest with each other and support each other in trying to improve together. That may create conflict in the short-term but if the ultimate benefit is greater honesty and unity I’m all for it.

Giving players an input into team decisions or direction gives them a sense of ownership and an additional vested interest in how the team does.

If a player feels a true affinity for being part of something he has emotionally invested in, the only guarantee is he will give more to that cause. Feeling part of something is a hugely powerful motivator; it’s what gives a team its heartbeat.

Football is probably still the only major sport where the manager is looked at to have all the answers. But that is a hugely outdated notion. The England cricket and rugby teams and Britain’s top Olympic sports have all moved past this hurdle and are reaping the rewards from more open, informed two-way player-staff relationships.

Some footballers find this idea easier than others to grasp – it’s not part of the sport’s culture – but those that do recognise it as a strength and an opportunity fly, and are more prepared to take responsibility on and off the field. You unearth leaders.

Forget about sport. Your boss gives you the chance to have a say in a major company decision, and your idea gets adopted. How do you feel? More valued with a closer affinity to the company and a willingness to go the extra mile for it, or questioning why your clueless boss hasn’t got all the answers themselves? If it’s the latter you’re probably working for the wrong company…

I accept as the head of the group I have to have the final say and I live and die by the decisions I make. But if those decisions are made based on as much valid information and opinion as possible then surely everyone benefits?

When players buy in to a shared vision it gives you a powerful starting point. If they feel they have contributed to the answers themselves it’s even more potent.

As we strive to move the team forward we will inevitably have our ups and downs but, as you have done all season, please continue to support your local team.

Sean O’Driscoll

 

A new era indeed!

 

Its really interesting stuff. you can see on the pitch now how they have been working on team shape and there you get to read about it. it is the type of thing people were going on about on this forum/pubs regarding Mcinnnes month upon month as his coaches did not appear to be defensively drilling the squad at all in training or if they were the players were not getting it. The luck city have now is from good habits not fortune. Defending is a team game and all have a role to play.

Interestingly O'driscoll had the players in training saturday morning. other managers do do this but Odriscoll again was going over the teams defensive shape.

I would quite like to read more on what type of drills they do 6 v 4 all that sort of stuff.

And of course the sign off ... please continue to support your local team.

 

You would almost think that he knows what he is doing. Clearly from the programme article he really does know what he is doing and what a refreshing change from the past where everything appeared to be done behind closed doors and to hell with the supporters.

Sean is a man who says what he thinks and welcomes input from his charges because he believes that unless you interact with the players and ask for their thoughts you might as well be a dictator. We don't need a dictator at Ashton Gate and I feel a breath of fresh air breezing around BS3 and that makes me feel good, how about you?

 

It's all refreshing stuff indeed.

I dont want to put a downer on what has been a great couple of weeks for us, but I just hope we dont become to predictable to play against, when SO'D is giving away the family secrets in his programme notes...

 

Reading the thread "Nottingham Press Comments About SOD.." and the comments by ex Forest great Kenny Burns should make us still be a bit cautious on what SOD can or will achieve for City. I'm not referring to whether we stay up or go down this season, but Burns appears to be raising the same doubts as perhaps the Forest owners had when they sacked SOD.
It's also been mentioned in recent threads/posts of the views of Donny fans; that SOD gets a team well organised, good passing but maybe lacks the "x factor" or whatever one wants to call it, to take his teams on to the next dimension/stage of development.
Perhaps some have this opinion of him because he has mostly worked for smaller fish in the Leagues as Bournemouth and Donny are. Forest because of their history are considered bigger than us, but at City for the first time in his managerial career, he has a club with big untapped potential but without the "monkey of the past" on his back as at Forest.

And also an owner who has the financial wherewithal to greatly assist us if the opportunity appears to be there for us to progress beyond our normal status. That is not to throw money away this season but to back the club in real terms when the time is right.
So at the moment, while I and others warming to SOD, there is a way to go before we all become totally and madly in love with him.

 

S O'D thinks Bristol City and himself are a good fit Always rated him as he could achieve so much at Bournemouth and Doncaster on such a small budget. Plus he has shown he will spend if he can see someone who can give more however he prefers to build a team which reminds me of the way Alan Dicks set out to take City to the top took a few years of patint building but it worked, I have hopes that S O'D will do something along the same lines but without the mad panic of the Long contracts with no wage drops if the club got relegated which nearly killed the club before. In these days of megamoney premiership the parachute payments usually stop that happening.