Coaching is an integral part of sports. Many a playing career has been created or destroyed by a coach.
Coaches can have a huge impact on clubs. Who can forget especially if you are a Leeds fan the effect David O’Leary had on over spending and getting regulated. It took decades to recover.
In my experience, coaches need four essential skills. First and obvious is the technically ability to put together a game plan and organise a team structure, second is people management skills which includes, players other coaching staff, off field club staff, third is player recruitment and squad balance and player replacement and fourth is media management.
Across, swimming, hockey, cricket, rugby union, basketball, tennis, motor sports, Australia has produced many great coaches. Often these coaches are respected world over and that takes some doing.
More locally, in AFL and rugby league there have been many excellent coaches. Given that these sports are predominantly Australian based and to a large extent southern states v NSW, ACT, QLD states its difficult to gauge success as there is no international comparison to make. However, that should not rule them out as they are major sports in Australia.
Celtic Manager Ange Postecoglou celebrates with the Premier Sports Cup Trophy.(Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Coaches are judged on results, and sometimes the result is improvement not necessary winning. The Soccerooos as an example no one expects us to win the World Cup, but getting to the final eight would be a major achievement.
When all is said and done, winning is good, winning with style is better. Win with style over time, and respect starts to grow.
Jack Brabham is the near perfect example of a coach – developed and designed his own car, won a lot is a highly competitive world sport.
I choose Brabham as it sets up a long time look over history, and also brings in technical aspects outside sheer driving ability to illustrate things outside the game that need to be considered.
Ange Postecoglou is the best Australian coach of all time. He has won in Australia, Japan and Scotland, won the Asian Cup, and had Australia perform brilliantly in the group of death at the 2014 World Cup.
Ange’s player recruitment has always proved excellent, his winning ratio is high, his media management can be frosty but overall, its excellent.
With all things considered, I don’t see a coach being his equal. He not only wins he wins with style and the fans of clubs he has been at adore him. Celtic fans want to put a statue of him at the front of their stadium. Brisbane Roar have never recovered from him leaving.
You could also add he has developed a number of coaches as well.
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