When Carlos Saguier was announced as head coach of Paraguayan second division side Club Sporting 2 de Mayo back in July, he probably knew he was consigning himself to what Dick Advocaat called “the loneliest job in the world” — that of the football manager.
If you follow college football, you’ve probably heard of 37-year-old University of Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck. He rose to prominence at Western Michigan after leading the unfancied program to a 13-1 record in 2016 and a trip to the Cotton Bowl, but it was his approach to coaching (hyper energy, hyper millennial-approved, hyper “elite”) that won him both fans and detractors in equal measure.
STOP THE PRESSES! We’ve got some pulp for you: Unami Emery has banned Arsenal players from drinking fruit juice at London Colney. That’s right, gone are the days of sucking down Simply Lemonade (I like the raspberry best) and cracking open a Snapple (I like the kiwi strawberry best) to read “Real Fact” #646 inside the bottle cap.
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is to make a decision about the vacant Bordeaux managerial post over the weekend. Henry had been linked with taking over from Steve Bruce at Aston Villa after new owners had taken over the club, but it did not eventuate.
Thierry Henry is set to leave the Belgium coaching team and take the managerial role at Bordeaux.
According to The Sunday Times, a quality British broadsheet that usually doesn’t mess around, David Moyes is now a leading candidate to become USMNT manager. This is obviously just world-class banter from our friends across the pond, right?
Keisuke Honda, one of the greatest Japanese players in the last decade, recently announced he was moving to Australia to play in the A-League with reigning champions Melbourne Victory.
But, despite signing for a new club, Honda was not done there. He has now just been announced as the General Manager of the Cambodian National Team. The 166th-ranked side now boasts a 2013 Asian Golden Ball winner sitting on its bench during matches.
Managers are being scrutinised more than ever, and with good reason. The fans and owners expect results from their teams, no matter who their players are. Whether it’s Huddersfield Town or Manchester City, every manager knows that their owners can pull the plug at any time.
Arriving in Newcastle upon Tyne as a traveler, it won’t be long until your attention is captured by the Castle Keep and Black Gate, a well-preserved medieval fortification which rises 81 feet into the air, towering over the Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas to the north and the High Level Bridge running over the Tyne to the south.
This scenario is like Football Manager once you get deep enough into the game — eventually, all the top players start to become managers. Some experience considerable success and bounce around the top teams in the world, while others are stuck meddling around with teams in the lower divisions of various leagues.
Steven Gerrard at Rangers
Frank Lampard at Derby
Kevin Nolan at Notts County
Harry Kewell at Crawley Town