Book reviews | When Saturday Comes

Power struggles

When team selections are made by senior players rather than managers things can only end badly, writes Mark Brophy

To an outsider, it seems mad that a club that has been in the top four of the Premier League pretty much all season should be rumoured to be in turmoil and on the verge of dismissing their manager. Yet that is exactly the situation Chelsea and Andre Villas-Boas have found themselves in at various points, usually coinciding with a marginal dip in performance level or results. These are not the chief reasons for the speculation, however. Constantly looming in the background is the over-confident shadow of player power.

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 - Book reviews

Pound stretchers

Mike Ashley is reviled by many fans, but according to Mark Brophy, his tough financial policies are making Newcastle self-sufficient

As Newcastle United faced relegation in 2009, they were heavily in debt with one of the highest-paid squads in the Premier League and an owner who was trying to cut his losses by selling the club. Many expected a tumble down the divisions and an imminent financial collapse. Just over two years later, following promotion, consolidation, a summer of turmoil and the unlikeliest of good starts, Newcastle sit near the top of the league, like an urchin crashing a society party. Perhaps more importantly, the finances of the club are under control.

Sunday, January 1st, 2012 - Book reviews

Headless chickens

Absent owners and a poor manager have ruined what was once the model of a well run small-town club, says Bruce Wilkinson

When Venky’s took control of Blackburn Rovers last November and installed Steve Kean as the Premier League’s least likely manager, they repeatedly asked supporters not to pass judgement until they had been in charge for a year. Having reached this anniversary a few weeks ago, fans are now more than able to see that the club is heading in a downward spiral of such terrible proportions that a slide through the divisions and possible bankruptcy are not out of the question. Most followers were prepared to give the new owners time to show their true intentions and, at a stretch, even be persuaded that Kean could be a capable coach.

Sunday, January 1st, 2012 - Book reviews

The McFall guy

Alex Gulrajani looks at Portadown boss Ronnie McFall, another manager celebrating 25 successful years at one club

Ronnie McFall became the manager of Portadown in December 1986. He is still there 25 years later. A title-winner as a player and manager with Glentoran, the 38-year-old arrived with his hometown club bottom of the Irish League. A quarter of a century on, everything has changed. “I remember that first day well,” McFall recalls. “When I arrived at training, there was only about six or seven lads there. The first thought I had was ‘What have I done?’ The club needed restructuring from head to toe. We had no youth set-up and were rock bottom of the league. Everything had to be rebuilt.”

Sunday, January 1st, 2012 - Book reviews

Forever young

James Morris looks back on Dario Grado’s 26 years in management at Crewe Alexandra, as he steps aside to oversee the youth academy

Dario Gradi was not exactly a stranger to the experience of Crewe Alexandra fans calling for his head. Absurd as it sounds now, with the club currently sat in League Two, chants of “we want Gradi out” were doing the rounds even when the club was punching way above its weight in the Championship.

Sunday, January 1st, 2012 - Book reviews