Today’s (9 January) NBA game between Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat has been postponed due to “condensation on the court”
What does it mean?
It means when moister form on the surface, in this case, a playing court. This could theoretically be from earlier game from the Chicago Blackhawks an NHL team that share the stadium with the Bulls.
Playing on a moist surface is akin to playing in a slippery floor, hence why the league decided to postpone the game for safety reason.
“I came here to be the MANAGER, not to be the COACH”
Those words utter by Ruben Amorim results in his tenure as Manchester United head coach coming to an abrupt end, after Man United draw 1-1 to Leeds.
From the outburst, it can be concluded that the Portuguese head coach is not happy at his role and power at the club, something he enjoy at Sporting.
This is not the first case this year where team sack their gaffer due to the dispute of roles, on New Year Day, Chelsea also part ways with their head coach Enzo Maresca with similar reason, after the Chelsea head coach air his frustration to the media.
In both scenarios, both “coaches” want to have more control in governing the ins and outs of the team more than leading the team on the pitch, those were the custom and the norm in the football world. However, with more teams elected to announce new boss as “head coach” rather than “manager”, something is afoot in team building culture in the beautiful game.
What’s the difference?
Sources: Britannica
Historically, football managers are known to take care of the business both inside and outside the pitch, notably Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United, who manage duty on both transfer and in-game tactics.
While managers often took care of all business within the team, head coach focus more on match performance and in-game tactics, being relief of duty in the transfer market.
What’s the problem?
Power
That’s the problem
It is clear in the case of both Amorim and Maresca that they feel undervalue regarding their inputs of potential players for team to seek out for.
For Amorim case specifically, it was reported that he wants Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez, striker and goalkeeper for Aston Villa, as target in the transfer window. However, Man United instead went and get Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens, a younger and more raw talents from RB Leipzig and Royal Antwerp, rather than Premier League proven players.
Being the head coach rather than manager, you lose power in the negotiation and need to adjust and play the tactics according to the piece you have. For some type of coach, this is not their strongest suits.
However, as a director of the team, it may be more beneficial to the team to be able to have bigger control of the project of the club as a whole, if they were to sack the coaches, the progress can continue despites the change in the personel.
What cause the surge in Head Coach and shrinking of Manager
Sources: BBC
American games may have partially influence some factors in football business. From more business-orient approach in running football club to adding half time show in games, it could be said that European football is being “Americanize” to an extend.
And in running the team, this concept is nothing new to NFL and NBA. Where head coaches and general managers have two distinct roles, similar to head coaches and sporting directors in football.
Main idea is the GM assembles the team, and the coaches plays them as best to his abilities, when both do their job perfectly, it can create dynasty.
In the cause of Manchester United and Chelsea, it can be seen that the sporting directors want to be in control of teams transfer and financial aspects of the club, trusting that the head coach will be able to work with the team they are given. With this, the responsibility of success is with them, but if they fail, they can always sack the coach and hire a new one.
The power is in the hands of the board of director, for better or for worse.
For better, one can look at Houston Rockets, they start their “rebuild” project with Stephen Silas. When the team decided he wasn’t the man for the job, they decided to go with Ime Udoka as head coach, and they are now contenders.
For worse, Manchester United is a good case, they want fresh young manager like Amorim to be their head coach for the future. However, Amorim commitment to his tactics doesn’t fit Man United vision of being flexible and using “433” formation, the clash in philosophy causes the project to a screeching halt halfway, in the season that they can still aim for Top 4.
The role of “manager” may be dying, but is it better for team to be in control of the structure of the team, or should it be one person who take charge every time the squad hit the field.
Sports in 1 