I don't follow Scottish football, it's all I can do to catch Liverpool games. That said,
I was sorry to read this morning that Paul Le Guen has left his position as manager of the Rangers (one of Scotland's two great teams).
In a rift with the team captain and important midfielder, Barry Ferguson, he stripped Ferguson of the team captaincy and sat him on the bench for undermining his authority.
Before you think, "Oh..but Le Guen doesn't play and Ferguson does." realize that this is the same coach that led Lyon to three successive League 1 titles in France. The guy knows how to coach - and at a high level. He may have had issues at Ibrox, but we all know that foreign players can take time to adjust to the British leagues.
Of course, one might argue that a coach should adapt more quickly, but he needs to have the support of management as well as the players. As a manager, I completely understand Le Guen's position and lament his having to leave the team.
I can only hope the result would have been different had his team not been in 2nd place by 17 points. The rivalry between Celtic (the other big Scottish team) and Rangers is such that it is never acceptable not to be challenging for the number 1 position. Perhaps the Ferguson issue is just a stalking horse for a change in management but I still believe that a coach with such a good record should have been given at least one full season, preferably two, to see whether his methods would bear fruit.
We see a lot of indiscipline in sport these days and if upper management doesn't have the courage to support coaches in addressing it where will the game end up?
I'm sure Le Guen will end up coaching a first-rate team elsewhere - and will make a good go of it.
Posted by artandscience at January 4, 2007 04:55 AM