So let’s talk about other influences Have other managers affected your style? And has Covid changed how you interact with them?
As a coach, I think back to the relationships I had with other managers, and when they were personable people then the relationship was better. There has to be understanding. Going back to Sir Alex for a moment, he got to know all the players’ parents by name. It was a personal touch. He became connected. The best managers I’ve worked with asked you questions, they wanted to know all about you. And that builds a bond. That said, the second the player runs onto the pitch and crosses that white line you can’t influence them at all. You rely on all the work you’ve done in the week.
As for Covid, right now we’re all in the same position and we can’t merge between groups. You just have to adapt and work around your limitations.
We have a lot of development centres that use taiwan rcs data the facilities here, I’m happy to say. One of the reasons these things are unique is that kids all develop at different times. You have to appreciate that and bide your time with some of them. But it’s so exciting as it’s always an unknown who’ll emerge as a talent, who you’ll find to sign.
So what qualities do you look for in a player, apart from basic talent?
There are so many things. Personally, I was never the most talented player but I was the hardest working. Talent gets you through the door but it’s not what keeps you there. It’s about self-positivity, it’s dealing with the setbacks, the games you lose, dealing with those matches when you under-perform. These days young people have so much more knowledge of their games through technology. There are great analysis tools available for grassroots and professional players. Teams are changing how players review their performance, and all that helps.