 THE DUG OUT
Learn the art of football management in The Dug Out,
Early Doors' virtual academy of guv'noring. Make decisions without ever
getting the sack or wasting several million quid on a side that should've
made the play offs. Can you handle the pressure?
STRIKE ACTION
– NO UPDATE THIS MONTH
Lesson #2
The Wolves Job
It's Christmas and the Wolves job becomes vacant
again. After your success at a 3rd division side your name is in the
frame, but you're up against some tough opposition. You reckon you can
handle it and are determined not to become a member of the "18
Monthers", 18 months being the average length of time in the
Wolves job before being fired. Remember that Wolves are owned by a
squillionaire and have a rich history as one of Europes greatest sides (ask
your dad).
How do you approach the interview? Your options
are:
A) Steam in business like, slap down a list of
11 players that cost around £3m each and say "Gentlemen, with that list,
promotion as Champions is in the bag"
B) Answer questions politely, outline what a
great club it is, state it would be an honour to manage it and that you would
gladly become the boards footballing puppet
C) Confidently outline your management
achievements to date giving particular attention to the success achieved on a
very limited budget
D) Listen attentively to the boards ambition,
then contest that their goal is impossible without opening the cheque book
but at least you are not Taylor, McGhee or Lee
The Answers
A, B & C are all wrong
guv'noring decisions.
A) Would have worked 8 years ago but now too aggressive,
promotion as Champions gets their attention, but the £33m price tag frightens
the hell out of them, you're shown the door and Keegan gets the job.
B) Too sycophantic, you whet their
appetites and you're invited back for a second interview, but they remember
that the fans want someone with a bit of fight in them, on a short list
of 3 you're pipped to the post by Stuart Pearce
C) Would have worked 2 years ago. The idea
of having a successful side without spending any of Sir Jacks squillions
nearly bags it, but you're untried in the nearly top flight and the late
entry of Sir Alex Ferguson in the running seals your fate as an also ran on
the shortlist.
D) is the correct guv'noring decision.
You've shown you've listened to what is required and
that you've got the balls to stand up and state your case, you
obviously know your football, you're not asking for £33m and not being
Taylor, McGhee or Lee clinches it.
You get the job, you're given £10m to spend, you have a
cup run and also make the play off's in your first season but get beaten on
away goals by nemesis side the other Wanderers. Your first full season
starts with an empty bank, you sell your star players, replace them
with Bosman 33 year olds and at Christmas, after 22 months in the hot seat
languishing in 22nd place you are sacked. You take a job with a
second division side and guide them to the premiership in successive seasons
thus ensuring an offer of the England Job.
NEXT LESSON NEXT MONTH
EMAIL: THE DUG
OUT With a guv’noring challenge to be answered
©
Early Doors (2001/02) Ltd.
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