In an autobiography penned in 2015, Sam Allardyce voiced his opinions about being overlooked by the Football Association for the job role of manager of the England football team a position he’s lost out on three times in ten years.
I should have got it and, as Im a better manager now than I was then, I believe I should be in the running whenever it comes round again,” he wrote. Thats not vanity or being full of my own importance. My track record entitles me to be considered.
Though as confident as he may be about his own skills, many grimaced at the announcement that his dreams of replacing Roy Hodgson would come true his predecessor resigned straight after the England football team suffered what many have deemed a humiliating 2-1 defeat at the hands of Iceland.
?It feels like a very underwhelming moment in the life of the national team,” said The Telegraphs chief football writer, Sam Wallace.
Likewise, the Daily Mails Rob Draper chimed in with: We wish Allardyce well as England manager but this appointment looks like it might be Graham Taylor all over again.
What we know, however, is that his hyper-pragmatic approach is in direct contrast to that of Hodgson and it may be exactly what the England team needs to get back on track.
The type of leader the team actually needs can often be confused with the leader the press and the fans want,” Peter Istead, UK managing director for Hudson Recruitment, told Real Business. Right now, people want something totally different to the understated, studious style of RoyHodgson.
“They want blood, sweat and tears. In the past weve had European managers with a decorated past (Capello, Eriksson), adored ex-players (Keegan), guys promoted from within the system (McClaren) and none of them worked. Theres a feeling we need to tear up the blueprint and start again. But ultimately you have to look at whats best for the players.
“The players will need motivating there probably isnt a single player in the current squad whos thrilled by the prospect of England games in theAutumn and they will need someone who is genuinely going to convince them with compelling philosophy and leadership style.
And according toIstead,Allardyce’smindset will have an integral part to play in the future growth of the team. In the new world of work, often described as a VUCA world, where volatility, uncertainty, change and ambiguity is the norm, it’s been said that the high performing firms will be the ones that can continually transform from within.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, may have said it best in an interview with Fast Company: We change every day. We changed every day when [Steve Jobs] was here, and weve been changing every day since hes not been here. But the core and the values in the core remain the same as they were in 98, as they were in 05, as they were in 10. I dont think the values should change. But everything else can change.
Read more about the mindset Allardyce will need to employ.
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With that in mind, there are a few aspects of Allardyces mindset that will be crucial to his success in the role. But if you have to pick the most important element, youd have to go with his change mindset,” said Istead.
A lot needs to change in this England team. Not just in terms of the players he picks, but the overall mentality of the team after all, it seems any player, no matter how great they are at club level, seems to shrink in an England shirt. Big Sam needs to make fundamental changes. Whether it’s tactics, team selection, backroom staff, training regime etc. rapid change should be his number one priority.
“And given that the change mindset is so crucial, hell really need to establish himself as the man whos going to make serious changes. That may involve dropping some players, bringing in new ones, overhauling the formation. But obviously you can’t take it too far. Ruling with an iron fist tends to affect team performance negatively just ask Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.”
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They key for Allardyce, it seems, will be to maintain balance. Hell need to convince everyone that he won’t be like previous managers, but he can’t completely dismantle the foundations of what is an unquestionably talented young side either.
But more crucially, a strong change mindset is invaluable for any new leader, in any workplace not just the preserve of football management replacements. Traits like optimism, decisiveness and even stress-resistance can be put to good use just about anywhere.
“As I said, it’s crucial to maintain a balance,” Istead explained. “If Allardyce waltzes in and sacks the entire team, the backroom staff and the tea lady just to prove how forward thinking he wants to be, it’s unlikely to go over well. An no leader should exhibit such behaviour on or off the football pitch.
“You could also draw parallels between the current England team and the emerging millennial workforce i.e. an emerging, young crop of promising, but as yet, largely untested talent, that needs to be managed and nurtured effectively by someone from an older generation.
“Our own research suggests that leaders can’t expect success by using the same old techniques. The leadership style Allardyce is probably used to from his days as a player isnt going to translate when it comes to this new batch of millennial footballing talent. Success may hinge on whether Allardyce is as modern a coach as he says he is.”
Meanwhile, with analysts suggesting that a number of Premier League football clubs could be bought by the end of 2016, we took a look at teams that found new owners or majority stakeholders from outside of the UK.
