Will Osieck’s divide and conquer method work?
Roar Guru By dasilva, 27 Aug 2010 dasilva is a Roar Guru
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Holger Osieck was selected as the head coach of the Socceroos with little fanfare. This is a look at the background of the man that has chosen to lead the team to the 2014 World Cup.
One of the greatest trump cards about the Holger Osieck selection was his role in developing players.
He was the coach of the German national youth team from 1979 to 1987, which demonstrate his pedigree as a youth manager. Although it’s hard to quantify who was responsible for the development of the World Cup winning German national team, as many factors are involved in developing players (such as youth coaches of individual clubs, academy, and so on).
It’s fair to say that Holger Osieck at least had some influence in developing the talent of the World Cup winning team, as well as assisting Beckanbauer in winning the World Cup.
However, despite his success in youth coaching and being assistant manager to Germany’s World Cup triumph in 1990, his senior coaching career at club level is rather modest. He only lasted for two seasons at a club once in his career.
He was sacked after one season after leading Bochum to 15th in the Bundesliga, narrowly avoiding relegation. He had a relatively successful stint at Fenerbahce Instanbul with the team finishing 2nd in 1993-94 season, but was replaced midway in the following season.
He then coached Urawa Red Diamonds for two years with modest success leading them to finish 4th and 6th. He won his first major trophy with Kocaelispor, winning the Turkish Cup in 1997 but finished with a modest 10th finish in the Super Lig.
His most successful period as a head coach was when he managed the Canadian national team to winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup, beating Mexico in the quarter finals and Columbia in the final. This is a stunning achievement, especially when this was the only time in history when the Gold Cup (as a separate Continental tournament to the World Cup qualifiers which started in 1991) was won by a team outside Mexico and the United States.
However, despite the success at the Gold Cup tournament, the Canadian national team didn’t qualify for the 2002 World Cup, and they failed to even reach the final group stages of the CONCACAF qualifiers, finishing third in their group behind Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico.
The Canadian team was competitive in the 2001 Confederation Cup, where they managed to get a 0-0 draw with Brazil and they did well in the 2002 Gold Cup, finishing third. They were eliminated in the group stages of the 2003 Gold Cup and afterwards Holger Osieck resigned due to a player’s revolt in the team due to his autocratic leadership style.
His returned as a head coach of Urawa Red Diamonds in 2007 and led the team to a Champions League title. The side finished second in the J-League, before getting sacked next season due to another player’s revolt against his autocratic style of management.
Overall, I believe that Holger Osieck CV is superior to Pim Verbeek, but it is still a rather modest record. However, it is probably unrealistic to demand a higher credential manager considering that we want a manager to live in Australia.
It is arguable that his autocratic leadership style may well fit in with the Socceroos, as there were growing feelings that player power was allowed to grow under the Verbeek reign. However, considering there was signs of team disunity during the 2010 World Cup, there are question marks whether he has the ability to handle the egos of our national team and I have concerns that another player revolt could occur under his reign.
Disregarding the potential politics of this appointment, I could only be cautiously optimistic about this appointment from FFA.
The Crowd Says (18) | Page 1 of Comments
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August 27th 2010 @ 8:37am
Mister Football said | August 27th 2010 @ 8:37am | Report comment
It’s good to see someone putting Holger under the microscope in a reasonably objective manner. To date, the reactions have fallen under two broad categories:
1. Holger Who?
2. Exaggerated effusiveness based on very little evidence.
neither reaction has been the least bit helpful or insightful.
Full marks to The Roar for at least giving us a bit more detail in what transpired during Holger’s time at Urawa (good and bad).
The one thing you’ve left out is the time he has spent within the FIFA bureacracy, including the last 2 or 3 years, especially what his role was up to and during the WC (if he even had a role).
Take a look at the names of the people on FIFA’s Technical Committee, take a look at their backgrounds, and it’s hard to imagine that any top club or nation would ever offer any of these blokes a job.
Lastly, there remains some conjecture about the reasons the FFA selected someone who was on nobody’s radar – the whole process looks tainted for mine.
August 27th 2010 @ 9:40am
mahony said | August 27th 2010 @ 9:40am | Report comment
The 442 boys in their latest podcast report on a “invitation only” media briefing at FFA about football development and the State TD’s / Skills Aquisition Coaches. The ‘take out’ from this briefing was just how involved the NT coach will be in the development system across Australia. This explains the appointment with some clarity – the new NT coach will be performing a role like no other NT coach in our history.
August 27th 2010 @ 2:07pm
Art Sapphire said | August 27th 2010 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
the whole process looks tainted only to you because you wear rose coloured glasses
August 27th 2010 @ 7:20pm
Mister Football said | August 27th 2010 @ 7:20pm | Report comment
I don’t think it’s fair that you should describe mahony as wearking rose coloured glasses.
August 28th 2010 @ 11:13am
Art Sapphire said | August 28th 2010 @ 11:13am | Report comment
I was replying to you not mahony as is plainly clear
August 27th 2010 @ 8:42am
Tristan Rayner said | August 27th 2010 @ 8:42am | Report comment
Interesting article dasilva – I had not been aware of the player revolts under Osieck. The egos amongst the Australian team will be tricky for him, especially as they are combined with thinning hair and a slippery grip on former mastery. Many of the big names should be under siege to hold their places as they age but will feel they have a right to play.
August 27th 2010 @ 8:58am
whiskeymac said | August 27th 2010 @ 8:58am | Report comment
i agree Tristan. I think that the player revolts might have been an issue if the players who are revolting were in their prime – but many of the senior players are unlikely to be around in 2014 (assumption – altho his first squad was quite similar to Pims there was a core of players (8) or so who cld be classified as young). Wld there be a player revolt from players who are learning the ropes internationally and or trying to prolong their NT career? I think many of those identified as ego players/ grumblers will be out to pasture post Asian cup or peripheral to the set up.
August 27th 2010 @ 8:52am
whiskeymac said | August 27th 2010 @ 8:52am | Report comment
I wonder just how much influence he might have had in the youth development of some of those players in the 80s and 90s like Klinsman, Matthaus, Littbarski etc as you point out i think a large portion of the development wld have been through the clubs – wldnt the assistant NT coach have much influence other than identifying and or picking the players every now and then – or am i off the mark with the role? Does it wld mean that Pim (himself now a TD or youth developer for Morocco?) and GA can take credit for Oar, ruky and vidosic? his FIFA TD role however is impressive isnt it. what is it that position does exactly though?
that aside i am waiting to see what he does. he does have a better club pedigree and if he can manage the transition in players so that he successfully brings through up and comers into the set up, and still qualify for the WC, then i’ll be happy.
August 27th 2010 @ 9:00am
AndyRoo said | August 27th 2010 @ 9:00am | Report comment
I still think the clubs are more important though but he wasn’t just the NT assistant manager
“He was the coach of the German national youth team from 1979 to 1987″
Not too worried about the player revolts. Canada and Uruwa who sided with the players didn’t exactly get rewarded with great performances post Holger.
South Korea (who rebelled) though probably gave us fair warning and they went on the round of 16 under their next coach…that must be one of the rare occasions that giving into player power has paid off.
August 27th 2010 @ 2:03pm
dasilva said | August 27th 2010 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
“Not too worried about the player revolts. Canada and Urawa who sided with the players didn’t exactly get rewarded with great performances post Holger.”
I think Managers need to be strict on player power and all managers need to be autocratic to an extent.
However there are many famous managers who were nortorious control freaks who have never completely loss an entire dressing room before. Being autocratic shouldn’t automatically lead to player revolt. To me this is a big concern over his man management skills.
August 27th 2010 @ 2:36pm
AndyRoo said | August 27th 2010 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
But Canada and Uruwa too me are big underperformers.
That I think comes down to overall culture within their organisations. A more solid organisation would probably have given the players the impression that the players were wasting their time playing up. Weaker organisations instead pander to players.
I saw an article linking what happened to France to what happened in Canada. Pretty much all the Canadians were scathing of their FA for not siding with Holger.
So I am not concerned about his past.
August 27th 2010 @ 6:58pm
dasilva said | August 27th 2010 @ 6:58pm | Report comment
Seriously, the comparison with France just makes this even a greater concern
So if Domenech took over the Socceroos. Wouldn’t you be a bit concern about whether he is able to win the respect of the players?
In France, in 2006 there was a player revolt against Domenech by the likes of Zidane, Viera and co that occured in the group stage. After the revolt, the French team went to the final of the 2006 World Cup.
In 2010 there was a player revolt after Anelka was sent home. The French board quite rightly punish the players for striking and not pander to the players. However do you really think it was tenuable for Domenech to stay on as manager after losing the respect of the entire team. Do you really think it reflects well on his man management ability that all the players refused to play under him. Sure the players were at fault but you can’t just let the manager off the hook as well.
I have no doubt that the players were unprofessional in their dealings with Osieck but a good manager should have won the respect of the players.
August 27th 2010 @ 7:29pm
AndyRoo said | August 27th 2010 @ 7:29pm | Report comment
But French people don’t take Domenech’s side wheras too a tee the canadian fans had poor things to say about their FA and some of the players and none were harsh on Holger.
That’s pretty important.
August 27th 2010 @ 7:37pm
AndyRoo said | August 27th 2010 @ 7:37pm | Report comment
Found it
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/the-worlds-game/canada-has-been-in-frances-shoes-before/article1613920/
August 27th 2010 @ 11:28am
General Ashnak said | August 27th 2010 @ 11:28am | Report comment
I think you will find that the Socceroos probably will function better under an autocratic rule (from reports that is why Guus was so good), apart from Schwarzer.
However, from the appearances of it Holger is here to aid in development of the technical aspect of the country, more so than be the coach of the Socceroos. I am fine with this – especially as we no longer have Graham ‘Pure Poison’ Arnold involved
August 27th 2010 @ 2:00pm
dasilva said | August 27th 2010 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
Firstly this article was meant to be a look at Holger’s CV as a whole rather then a particular criticism of his autocratic rule. If it was, I would have put more details about some of the issues of Urawa and Canada.
One information that was also edited of was that Canada was incredibly lucky to get out of the group in the 2000 Gold cup that they ended up winning. They were tied with South Korea in the group and had to rely on a coin toss to qualify for the knockout stage of the gold cup. Although Canada deserves credit for making most of that luck, it does put in perspective that they were coin toss away from getting eliminated from the group stage
I’ll summarise my main points that was edited out
The positive of holger I found was
a) Youth development
b) Success in cup competitions (Turkish Cup, AFC Champions League, Gold Cup) that augurs well for the Asian Cup in 2011
c) Potential political benefits with the World Cup bid
d) Tony Tannous analysis that Holger can read the game well and make necessary tactical adjustment
My main concerns are
a) Like Pim, Holger has never qualified or coached a team at the a world cup before. Therefore he is inexperiece at the World Cup. In an ideal world we would want a coach who has either a previous successful experience in the World Cup or Champions League that shows that he can coach at the highest level.
b) only once has Holger ever stayed at a club for two seasons (Urawa reds in his first stint at the club). If he was an excellent coach you would think he would have a longer stint at a club and that he wouldn’t make sideways move from one club to another.
c) His last two stints ended with player revolt. There have been many very strict and disciplinary managers such as the likes of hiddink, Ferguson and Capello and although they may end up upsetting a few players in their stint, they never lost a squad and have a complete player revolt before. To get away with being autocratic you need to win the respect of the players and there’s a question marks whether Holger can do that. If it was only once, you can brush it away and say these things happen. However since this has happen twice in a row (this in combine with very short stints at clubs) put question marks over his man management skills.
August 27th 2010 @ 5:49pm
Troy Mouni said | August 27th 2010 @ 5:49pm | Report comment
The appointment is tainted. To the people who cant see this are kidding themselves.
Australia wants the WC 2022, as mentioned by Mister Football “The one thing you’ve left out is the time he has spent within the FIFA bureacracy, including the last 2 or 3 years, especially what his role was up to and during the WC (if he even had a role).”
Point blank, he has been hired as he knows the FIFA delegates and the FFA is hoping he will deliver the WC votes Australia’s way. Time will tell if Holger will deliver the results.
Keep it up ROAR.
August 27th 2010 @ 11:44pm
jimbo said | August 27th 2010 @ 11:44pm | Report comment
A five man panel interviewed a short list of six candidates and their decision was unanimous, so Lowy, as chairman didn’t have a chance to make a casting vote.
They were judged on the following categories:
They must have demonstrated the capacity to rebuild teams and to work with young footballers and develop them into internationally competitive players
They must be prepared to work with the national technical director and his department to enhance the elite player pathway program
They must be prepared to reside for the majority of their time in Australia and commit to be based in Australia and work with Australian staff to develop our own Australian footbal leaders of the future
They must have proven experience at international level and success coaching in Asia
Osieck was chosen as the best candidate.
.