Uilleam

Interesting piece suggesting that foreign managers/coaches are better, or, rather, will accrue more points for your team over the season. There's a database and a bulging hard drive of statistics to back this up, so it is obviously shite, then. British managers are overrated by English clubs – and the stats back it up Sean Ingle Forget what pundits say: foreign managers do better in across all four divisions of English football – even though clubs seem to hold them to higher standards Sunday 2 April 2017 19.51 BST Last modified on Monday 3 April 2017 08.17 BST “What does he know about the Premier League?” Two decades on from Arsène Wenger’s arrival from Japan it remains a sneer posed as a question whenever an unknown overseas manager comes to England. Paul Merson and Phil Thompson’s visceral reaction to Marco Silva becoming Hull City manager in January was hardly unique. Lawrie McMenemy had the same response when Mauricio Pochettino took over at Southampton. It barely matters that under Silva’s watch Hull have a fighting chance of staying up or that Pochettino rapidly proved himself far superior to the man he replaced, Nigel Adkins. Many in English football cling to the notion that British is instinctively a safer option. Perhaps that is understandable but while we assume that a deep knowledge of the English game matters, new research by John Goddard, a professor of financial economics at Bangor University and a world-leading expert in the economics of professional sport, suggests otherwise. Goddard has a database that records the success, duration and nationality of every managerial appointment from the late 1960s and when I asked him to crunch the numbers from 1992-93 to the end of last season a startling headline figure emerged. The average league points per game for overseas managers in the Premier League is 1.66 – while for their British and Irish equivalents it is only 1.29. The difference equates to a staggering 14 points over a 38-game season. The obvious question is whether this is down to managerial talent or merely the higher propensity of the strongest teams in the Premier League – with Champions League experience and ambitions – to appoint foreign managers. It is not easy to untangle one from another and both certainly are important. Interestingly, however, the overseas-manager effect is also seen lower down the leagues. In the Football League the average points per game works out at 1.36 for British and Irish managers since the 1992-93 season, and 1.49 for foreign managers. In other words, a six-point improvement over a 46-game season. Another thing that is worth stressing is that the preponderance of foreign managers among the top six Premier League clubs is a relatively recent phenomenon – between them Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Spurs were managed by a British or Irish manager for more than half (54.9%) of games from 1992-93 until the end of last season. The success of overseas managers is not purely down to the recent dominance of the Big Six. In his research, Goddard also examined all the instances in which British and Irish managers were replaced at the same club by a foreigner to see whether that was reflected in improved results. Again the results were intriguing. The average league points per game were 1.42 for the home managers – and 1.58 for their overseas successors. Half of that difference is down to Wenger’s better performance over 20 years than that of his predecessor Bruce Rioch, says Goddard. Even so, there is still a notable gap favouring the successors. You might think that would lead to overseas managers lasting longer. However, the opposite seems to be the case. Between 1992-93 and 2015-16, there were 1,170 managerial spells by 544 different British and Irish managers in English football, with the average spell lasting 86.3 matches. Over the same period, 115 spells were completed by 80 foreign managers, with the average duration only 58.2 matches. One potential explanation for this is that English club chairmen tend to set the bar higher for foreign rather than British appointees – and act more quickly and ruthlessly in dispatching a foreign manager whose team are underperforming relative to enhanced expectations. This is not the first time, incidentally, that Goddard has dispelled popular myths. More than a decade ago his research with Stephen Dobson showed the ‘new-manager bounce’ phenomenon is inaccurate because improvements in form after a sacking tend to be just regression to the mean. Why? Well, dismissals usually follow a poor run of results – but those defeats are often down to random bad luck, injuries and a tough run of fixtures, which tend to even out. And when they do, those frustrating defeats and draws suddenly become wins. Despite that research, clubs are more trigger-happy than ever. And Blake Wooster, the co-founder of 21st Club – a football consultancy that works with many of Europe’s leading teams – does not expect Goddard’s latest work to change everyone’s views. “Our minds are programmed to make us feel that familiarity with any task is important,” he says, pointing to one club he worked with recently who put experience of English football as one of their red lines in finding a new manager. “Experience feels safe. Yet the data tells us that, at least in football, having previous knowledge of the league is often overvalued. In other words: football is guilty of what we call ‘experience-bias’.” Of course a manager’s talent, playing style and skill in bringing through young players matter more to most clubs than their nationality. Even so, Goddard’s research is perhaps another reminder of the paucity of talent among the current number of British and Irish managers. And as the eras where Sir Alex Ferguson dominated the Premier League and Terry Venables and Sir Bobby Robson won league titles abroad fade further into history, would it be any surprise if more English clubs looked overseas for their next manager? https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/02/overseas-manager-14-point-difference-premier-league-season

He might end up playing for Moyes:- David Moyes will face no action from Sunderland after threat to 'slap' female reporter Many fans have called for the Scot's head, but the Wearsiders are standing firm Sunderland will take no further action over David Moyes' threatening behaviour towards a female journalist. The under-fire Scot was asked by the BBC's Vicki Sparks if the Black Cats' poor run of form might put him under pressure from chairman Ellis Short. But Moyes batted away the enquiry and then fumed at Sparks off-camera, threatening her with violence if she were to repeat her line of questioning. “It was getting a wee bit naughty at the end there so just watch yourself," he snarled. “You still might get a slap even though you’re a woman. Careful the next time you come in.” The BBC confirmed that Moyes had since apologised to Sparks for his choice of language, and Sunderland declared that "the matter was resolved amicably." But despite shadow sports minister Rosena Allin-Khan's calls for FA action and an outcry from fans calling for the 53-year-old's head on Monday morning, The Independent understands that the Wearsiders consider it a closed matter. Follow Dr Rosena Allin-Khan This is disgraceful. David Moyes cannot get away with these sexist threats - the @FA must take action immediately. Clare Phillipson, director of the domestic abuse charity Wearside Women in Need, was "stunned" when she watched the exchange on video. She said: "I think the FA have to look into it. "It is for the FA to set a clear standard about what they think is acceptable. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sunderland-will-take-no-further-action-over-david-moyes-slap-threat-a7664061.html He has since apologised. David Moyes ‘deeply regrets’ telling BBC reporter she ‘might get a slap’ • Shadow sports minister and domestic abuse charity wants FA to take action • Sunderland say manager spoke to Vicki Sparks and resolved matter Monday 3 April 2017 12.28 BST First published on Monday 3 April 2017 10.51 BST The Sunderland manager David Moyes says he “deeply regrets” threatening to slap a female reporter after the match against Burnley on 18 March and saying: “Careful the next time you come in.” The Sunderland manager was addressing BBC Newcastle and Radio 5 Live reporter Vicki Sparks after she interviewed him following the 0-0 draw at home last month. The interview had finished but the exchange was captured on what appears to be a cameraphone. Moyes was unimpressed that Sparks asked whether it put him under greater pressure knowing that Sunderland’s owner, Ellis Short, was in the stands. “No, none at all,” Moyes replied before making his remarks to Sparks thinking they were off-camera. “Just getting a wee bit naughty at the end there so just watch yourself … You still might get a slap even though you’re a woman.” Sparks can be heard and seen laughing and Moyes, who can be seen smiling, adds: “Careful the next time you come in.” The reporter did not make a complaint, although colleagues were unimpressed. It is understood Moyes apologised during a telephone conversation. The BBC confirmed that Moyes and Sparks had spoken since and that the matter was resolved. A spokesman said: “Mr Moyes has apologised to our reporter and she has accepted his apology.” Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Moyes said: “It was in the heat of the moment. I deeply regret the comments I made. That’s certainly not the person I am. I’ve accepted the mistake. I spoke to the BBC reporter, who accepted my apology.” Meanwhile, the shadow sports minister has called on the Football Association to take action against Moyes. Dr Rosena Allin-Khan branded his conduct “disgraceful”, adding on Twitter: “David Moyes cannot get away with these sexist threats – the FA must take action immediately.” Allin-Khan’s comments were echoed by Clare Phillipson, the director of domestic abuse charity Wearside Women in Need. She said she was “stunned” when she watched the exchange. “I think the FA have to look into it. It is for the FA to set a clear standard about what they think is acceptable,” she said. “It was dreadful, absolutely appalling. This is a woman, in a very small minority of sports journalists, trying to go about her job and being threatened. It’s the sort of thing you expect down the local pub, not the kind of thing you get from a professional football manager.” Gary Lineker also condemned Moyes’ behaviour, posting on Twitter: “Moyes incident highlights a tendency for some managers to treat interviewers with utter disdain. Pressured job. Well rewarded. Inexcusable.” https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/03/sunderland-david-moyes-tells-reporter-get-slap-bbc-vicki-sparks There are video links in both the articles. It does seem like he was at least half joking, but it was a really stupid thing to say, whether he meant it or not. One wonders, if the reporter had been a man, whether he might have banjoed him, like Dundee Hibs' Jim McLean did to John Barnes (not that one) in front of the TV cameras. (Shamefully, charges against McLean were not pressed.) It does demonstrate that Moyes thinks that a proper response to awkward questioning is violence, or the threat of violence. You may take the boy out of the piggery, but...... (I know his old BB Lieutenant. She will be less than amused.)

i remember being shown a house, bungalow, that John Lawrence apparently built for Baxter; it is still there, on Dumbreck Road. A home of his own, built by John Lawrence...........

I'm not going to disagree. 15 goals from 28 for M/well seems a more than decent return. Why not?

Catfish? I confess -an age thing, some will snort- that I had to consult something called 'The Urban Dictionary' to clarify your meaning. I found this useful, and in the case of some of the obsessionally neurotic, accurate summation: Catfish A Catfish is a person that is not in touch with reality. They use social media outlets to pretend to be someone they aren't. Using all platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and even Tumblr to pretend to be someone else. Some even go to such lengths as creating an "ask.com" account to ask themselves questions to "appear" more real. They don't know who they truly are, and they are not satisfied with who they are in real life. So they create this false "reality" to feel accepted. A catfish is also a bit sociopathic. They begin to believe they are who they are pretending to be, in pure denial to the point where even when they are found out and caught in their lie, they refuse to admit that they've been lying and they will keep it going. Often times, a Catfish will not Skype, video chat and sometimes they won't even talk on the phone, as that will reveal their true identity so they avoid that at all cost. They will come up with every and any excuse in the book as to why they cannot have a video chat with you. A Catfish lies about who they are, where they are from, they even lie about the family they have. Everything about their entire being is usually always a complete lie. These characteristics can also be diagnosed as "Dissociative Identity Disorder" in which the individual has multiple personalities in which they have developed individual names, personal history and characteristics for their other personality. After all of these years of being online friends, it's hard to cope with the fact that Lloyd is really a catfish. by MJewels86 November 25, 2015 http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=catfish&page=2

I have only seen him versus Rangers, albeit always causing problems for the defence. I suspect that you could compile a gey long leet of players who give that back line (the usual suspects, not Saturday's improvisational troupe) some difficulty. He is certainly worth consideration, but signing players because they look good against us, particularly in our current incarnation, is likely to be fraught.

Having a 12th man on the pitch should prove decisive.

Depend upon it, Sir, when a goalkeeper knows he is to have no back four in the second half, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.

Not even at the races, Barry, not even at the races.

Don't look at naked men, me.

Agreed. There is still a lack of leadership, even by example, but where, or how that can be sourced, short term, I know not.

it didn't look like it knew what to do in the first half, or, more delicately, didn't know how to cope with Motherwell (fucking Motherwell! At Ibrox!)

We must not forget the appalling opening 45. Pedro C's 3 substitutions will be the talking point, but prior to them the performance was piss poor, and looking like the players had returned to Sq. 1. As for your ventricles, gird up your loins, man, gird up your loins!!

A dangerous tactic against a better side, but when your defence doesn't, well, defend, then why bother with it? We lost 1 goal in the first half, due to bad defending (possibly compounded by slack goalkeeping), and none in the second half, without a recognisable 'defence'. I don't know what the moral of this story is.

Stéphane Guivarc'h

Two benches still to fill; Martin Henderson and Billy Urquhart, to begin with.

But, Laudrup - There Ain't Nothin' Like a Dane.....

Norwegian, full back on his granny's side, but played in the SPL; McCoist's dud parade failed as players versus part time footballers.

I wonder if the bogtrotters will have a nibble (assuming the rumour has legs, of course)?

To be fair, they only lost 0 - 9 to Barcelona, and only because their players were overcome by an odour of sanctity vastly more powerful than their own.

I have a suspicion that certain element(s) -think Dundee, think jam- will be torn tonight: do they really want to help Rangers catch up with Aberdeen? Or not?

These overpriced, meaningless, exhibition matches remind me of nothing so much as The Harlem Globetrotters. If fhilthfootballclub was ever to get involved, as it would love to, if only as cannon fodder, in this absurd but lucrative pre season international circus, it would be known, surely, the world over, and for all time coming, as the Harlem Bogtrotters.

If the weather tomorrow is anything like that of today -heavy rain and strong, blustery winds- it may play huntigowk with the match.

He also tried to force her to drink bleach. For the avoidance of doubt, this happened in England, Lancashire, I think. He claimed that if gaoled he would lose out on a playing contract with Leicestershire CCC. Leics has subsequently stated that it has no knowledge of the man.

"Operation Tonish"? The Fashion Police are in charge. Explains a lot.