Young managers. That seems to be the trend these days. And not just any trend either - the trend in international management. Just look around you. All you need is to have followed football since the early nineties and they're all there, all on display, in their respective dugouts. Some are in trackies and some are in sharp suits but all of them, just ten to fifteen years ago, clashed at the highest level as players in their prime.
At the world cup, we saw Klinnsmann lead Germany down an inspiring run. Marco van Basten was at the helm of the Netherlands. Now, Dunga is at Brazil, Roberto Donadoni is at Italy, Steve Staunton at Ireland, Slaven Bilic at Croatia. It's intriguing to note that Diego Maradonna and Stuart Pearce were in the running to succeed Argentina and England as well. So how are these guys doing? These young men of international management?
The man who was most prolific as a player - Jurgen Klinnsmann - is also the most successful as manager, at least thus far. His injection of young talent into Germany gave everyone much reason to cheer during the World Cup. Marco van Basten, hugely inspiring as a player is now seen as a solid no-nonsense manager with a mind of his own. His perculiar decisions have just been vindicated as Klaas Huntelaar scored a brace in the Netherlands' 4-0 trashing of Ireland. Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has been left out, surely knows that he is up against a strong-willed gaffer.
For the rest, it has been a hard working day on the chalk line. The first raft of international matches after Deeutschalnd 06, completed just hours ago, give us a quick peak at how their day in the office has come along.
Dunga and Donadoni patchy matches. Both named squads full of unknowns, the former seemingly to prove a point to his lacklustre stars while the latter to give an extended holiday to his own, much more decorated, pool of first choice players. As a result, both were met with disappointing results. Dunga's Brazil fought to a dull 1-1 draw with bogey team Norway. it turns out that cutting off his nose to spite his face has led wound Dunga up with an unconvincing and shaky start. No one is particularly impressed, not with the football, nor the results. Donadoni's Italy were thumped 2-0 by Croatia, but he has all 23 world cup winners left to call back, and if only by virtue of their glitter, Donadoni is spared of the critics' knives.
Croatia, that of Slaven Bilic, appears to be rejuvinated. Reinspired with new faces, phasing out of old tired ones, and now even sporting the presence of naturalised latino talent in Eduardo Da Silva in attack, the Croats put two past Italy efficiently. Bilic's team selection has been rewarded, as Da Silva, the Brazilian to don the chequered shirt of Croatia, scored the opening goal. And then there's Steve Staunton, who must surely lament his selection choices - left with a disarray bunch of Irish players in the post-Roy Keane era (not that Keane would have played under Staunton anyway!), Staunton's Ireland was massacred 4-0 by the Dutch, which says plenty about the task that lies ahead of him in whipping the Irish into a decent international outfit. And more than just ability, Staunton will need to be at his ruthless best with a pool of players notorious for indiscipline, malaise and underachievement. (Sounds a lot like England, i know, but that's not what i'm talking about.)
Mixed fortunes, so it seems, for all the young managers on the international scene. For those among us who grew up adoring some of these players, it is a strange time, to see them stand neck and neck on the touchline, chatting perhaps about the game or perhaps about some game some ten odd years ago.
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