The importance of the 1st team coach?

[NorthYvillan]

The debacle that was our performance vs Wigan last week started me thinking.

Then when Liverpool gave Kenny Dalgleish a 3 year contract and the media went ga-ga about it, I wondered how much of the turnaround is down to him and how much down to Steve Clarke's coaching? I'm sure that KDs apointment gave the players the psychological boost they needed but I think it is Clarke's coaching that has had the major impact on the field.

Following on from this, I have to say, reluctantly, that our European Cup winning hero, Godon Cowans, has failed to make a success of his transfer to the 1st team and whoever we have as manager next season, I feel a new, experienced 1st team coach is essential.

What has turned the 4th best defence in 2009/10 into the 6th worst with only West Ham, Wigan, Blackpool, Wolves and Albion conceding more goals? [39 goals in 38 games to 58 goals in 36]. Our goal scoring has dropped but only by 7 goals with 2 games remaining so it is obvious where our problem this year has been.

[Legion]

As long as it gets our players to the ground safely, I'm happy. Oh...

[Chipsticks]

Blues seem to have an outstanding Goalkeeping coach as he has transformed Hart and Foster into (on a shot:save ratio) the two best goalkeepers in the premier league. Doubt that has anything to do with McLeish.

Hart even tried to get Man City to buy the goalkeeping coach off blues after his loan finished, supposedly.

[VillaZogmariner]

These days it does seem that it's the coaching staff that does all of the work in training. Even the Man Utd players were saying something similar about how it's run at Old Trafford now too.

Hopefully (if Houllier is staying) he'll address this during the summer and bring in the defensive coach from his time at Liverpool (Duverne I think his name is?) and with any luck will pull all the stops out to bring in either Thompson or Wilkins too. And by doing that get rid of GMac.

[PaulWinch again]

These days it does seem that it's the coaching staff that does all of the work in training. Even the Man Utd players were saying something similar about how it's run at Old Trafford now too.

Hopefully (if Houllier is staying) he'll address this during the summer and bring in the defensive coach from his time at Liverpool (Duverne I think his name is?) and with any luck will pull all the stops out to bring in either Thompson or Wilkins too. And by doing that get rid of GMac.

Duverne is our fitness coach, I think it's Patrice Bergues. I do agree with the post, that's what we need.

[VillaZogmariner]

These days it does seem that it's the coaching staff that does all of the work in training. Even the Man Utd players were saying something similar about how it's run at Old Trafford now too.

Hopefully (if Houllier is staying) he'll address this during the summer and bring in the defensive coach from his time at Liverpool (Duverne I think his name is?) and with any luck will pull all the stops out to bring in either Thompson or Wilkins too. And by doing that get rid of GMac.

Duverne is our fitness coach, I think it's Patrice Bergues. I do agree with the post, that's what we need.

That's the one, cheers Paul.

[Somniloquism]

Whilst not absolving Cowans of blame, there are normally several coaches used in prem clubs these days, or the Asst Manger also coaches. MON had Robertson and Walford and Brian Little had Evans and Gregory. If as reported, the players do not respond to GMac at all then it would not matter if Cowans was the best coach in the world or not. But I reckon we have now lost Cowans at the club unless he will be happy to go back to the kids.

[darren woolley]

I think it is important to have the right coaches to work alongside you on a day to day basis hopefully we will have things sorted in the summer with new coaches because i just don't think Gary Mac is the best man for the job i would like Sid to stay at the club always liked Sid and i would be sad if he left the club.

[NorthYvillan]

I, too, would love to see Sid staying at the club, but, to me, it would mean he would have to be happy to go back to his old job with the kids

[FatSam]

Blues seem to have an outstanding Goalkeeping coach as he has transformed Hart and Foster into (on a shot:save ratio) the two best goalkeepers in the premier league. Doubt that has anything to do with McLeish.

Hart even tried to get Man City to buy the goalkeeping coach off blues after his loan finished, supposedly.

Possibly, but I would argue this has more to do with the goalkeepers Blues have been recruiting; young, talented, and hungry to succeed after being overlooked at bigger clubs - we would be well advised to do the same. A year or so ago there were several keepers in a similar position to Hart and Foster if my memory serves me (?), but I can't think of any at the moment.

[Somniloquism]

A year or so ago there were several keepers in a similar position to Hart and Foster if my memory serves me (?), but I can't think of any at the moment.

Carson was one of them. The trouble is knowing if the keeper will have the mental strength as well as the ability. Carson didn't.

[hawkeye]

It is pretty mad to place the blame on the 3rd in command, no one on this  board knows what imput Sid has but they can somehow speculate about getting rid of him. The responsibility of the playing side of the club is with the manager.

[Somniloquism]

It is pretty mad to place the blame on the 3rd in command, no one on this  board knows what imput Sid has but they can somehow speculate about getting rid of him. The responsibility of the playing side of the club is with the manager.

He was appointed by the same manager you are criticising. We are not just saying get rid of him only but he is part of a trio in charge of first team measures. Just because he is a Villa legend doesn't mean he is exempt and any new manager might want his own team so Cowans could be gone even if he was the only good one of the three.

[hawkeye]

Its got nothing to do with him being a legend, no one knows how culpable he is for what has happened this season, I want the best people in the job, i have no idea if that includes Sid and no one on here does either.

[Somniloquism]

No, but he is there in a poor 1st team management / coaching arrangement. We cannot criticise Houllier and GMac and not criticise Cowans. If Houllier and GMac goes then you would expect Sid to go no matter what his input has been or not.

I do wonder why he was appointed anyway. I'm guessing it was for the same reason that Thommo was a part of his staff at Liverpool in a "lets get a club name on the team to get the fans on side", as Cowans had no first team coaching experience and it can be harder then the kids as they can be moulded how you want and don't normally have the egos. It could also be that KMac recommended him or the players did.