If I Was Manager of Hearts

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Goalkeeping ??

 

Banks can stay. Basso, Kurkis bye bye. Try to bring in an experienced GK of quality to battle for the sticks.

 

Back four ??

 

Bye bye Jose - bring in an experienced LB, ala Mahe or Pointon

 

Bring in a CH who ha been about the block to help Berra.

 

Neilson to be replaced, but thats not number 1 to be done.

 

 

Midfield ??

 

Ok with the middle - need to bring in a player who breaks in to the box though.

 

Tell Miko and Cheney that they have 6 months to win me over. If they dont do it - bye bye

 

Upfront ??

 

Put my arm around Pinilla - make him believe that he is MY player. Make him want to dodge bullets for the club - make him want to play for ME.

 

Nade - tell him he has it, that he should not be playing for Hearts. Tell him that he should be playing for a bigger club. Make him feel 10 foot tall. Make him WANT to be the player that he can be.

 

Mole and Elliot will be told that they have 1 year to prove that they can play and be part of the set up. Young players, but they need to step up to the mark and not slide down the divisions.

 

 

SIGN a striker who puts the ball in the net. Make an enquiry about Rat Boy and Killen. See if we can get one of them - or better,both.

 

Experience and youth.

 

Make them WANT to be the best they can.

 

If Charlie Mann reads this - I need to give a month notice.

 

 

 

What would you do ??

[scott_jambo]

Goalkeeping ??

 

Banks can stay. Basso, Kurkis bye bye. Try to bring in an experienced GK of quality to battle for the sticks.

 

Back four ??

 

Bye bye Jose - bring in an experienced LB, ala Mahe or Pointon

 

Bring in a CH who ha been about the block to help Berra.

 

Neilson to be replaced, but thats not number 1 to be done.

 

 

Midfield ??

 

Ok with the middle - need to bring in a player who breaks in to the box though.

 

Tell Miko and Cheney that they have 6 months to win me over. If they dont do it - bye bye

 

Upfront ??

 

Put my arm around Pinilla - make him believe that he is MY player. Make him want to dodge bullets for the club - make him want to play for ME.

 

Nade - tell him he has it, that he should not be playing for Hearts. Tell him that he should be playing for a bigger club. Make him feel 10 foot tall. Make him WANT to be the player that he can be.

 

Mole and Elliot will be told that they have 1 year to prove that they can play and be part of the set up. Young players, but they need to step up to the mark and not slide down the divisions.

 

 

SIGN a striker who puts the ball in the net. Make an enquiry about Rat Boy and Killen. See if we can get one of them - or better,both.

 

Experience and youth.

 

Make them WANT to be the best they can.

 

If Charlie Mann reads this - I need to give a month notice.

 

 

 

What would you do ??

 

I'd sneak into the boardroom during the night and wait patiently with a sub machine gun and blow them all in the head one after another. pew pew.

[paulah]

I'd get rid of half the 62 players we have

[davemclaren]

Goalkeeping ??

 

Banks can stay. Basso, Kurkis bye bye. Try to bring in an experienced GK of quality to battle for the sticks.

 

Back four ??

 

Bye bye Jose - bring in an experienced LB, ala Mahe or Pointon

 

Bring in a CH who ha been about the block to help Berra.

 

Neilson to be replaced, but thats not number 1 to be done.

 

 

Midfield ??

 

Ok with the middle - need to bring in a player who breaks in to the box though.

 

Tell Miko and Cheney that they have 6 months to win me over. If they dont do it - bye bye

 

Upfront ??

 

Put my arm around Pinilla - make him believe that he is MY player. Make him want to dodge bullets for the club - make him want to play for ME.

 

Nade - tell him he has it, that he should not be playing for Hearts. Tell him that he should be playing for a bigger club. Make him feel 10 foot tall. Make him WANT to be the player that he can be.

 

Mole and Elliot will be told that they have 1 year to prove that they can play and be part of the set up. Young players, but they need to step up to the mark and not slide down the divisions.

 

 

SIGN a striker who puts the ball in the net. Make an enquiry about Rat Boy and Killen. See if we can get one of them - or better,both.

 

Experience and youth.

 

Make them WANT to be the best they can.

 

If Charlie Mann reads this - I need to give a month notice.

 

 

 

What would you do ??

 

You'd get my vote.

[Ryan Gosling]

would you have the players touching themselves at good results?

 

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Touching oneself after a good result would be allowed.

[Ulysses]

Touching oneself after a good result would be allowed.

 

And rightly so.

[Ryan Gosling]

Touching oneself after a good result would be allowed.

 

This is where putting an arm round Pinilla gets dangerous.

[The Merse]

Well, your average fan can see what needs to be done (you've covered everything pretty well), surely it can't be that hard to find a manager who sees what needs to be done and be allowed to make the changes required.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Would also add that there would not be a player playing in the English lower leagues that I never had a report on.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Well, your average fan can see what needs to be done (you've covered everything pretty well), surely it can't be that hard to find a manager who sees what needs to be done and be allowed to make the changes required.

 

 

 

Mate, Its bloody basics.

 

Spine of the team is the most important thing. A team NEEDS a man they respect. A manager who knows when to give the players a rocket and when to put their arm around them.

 

I just dont see that at Hearts.

 

[Tazio]

We need some big dirty git of a centre half who has spent his entire career in the Championship.

[casenauskis]

two words

 

marco matterazzi

[Auld Reekin']

Well, your average fan can see what needs to be done (you've covered everything pretty well), surely it can't be that hard to find a manager who sees what needs to be done and be allowed to make the changes required.

 

Impossible, it would seem. (Assuming anyone is actually looking...)

[droid]

i argree with most of your post gigalo-aunt,

but i'd also change it slightly our best results ie:celtic and der hun have came when driver was played wide right so that'd be my first change,

then i'd move kingston(depending if he's still here)back to centre midfield with either stewart or palazelous(spelling?)

 

biggest problem apart from having no decent strikers fit at the club is we have far to many cm players who are just to similar imo stewart,johnson and palazelous,larry would give us more going forward.

[IMA MAROON]

Get that wage bill sorted out.

 

Sell or give away Basso, Karapidis, Tall, Goncalves, Kingston, Ruben, Bruno, Cesnauskis, Beslija, McCann, Makela, Pinilla and Nade.

 

Send back the loan players.

 

Kurskis, Kancelskis, Miko, Zaliukas, Ksanavicius and Ivaskevicius.

 

Install Frail as full-time boss.

 

Bring through the youths and sink or swim.

[Coco]

Would also add that there would not be a player playing in the English lower leagues that I never had a report on.

 

Can't disagree with any of your posts on this thread.

 

Frail has started this process though.

[Charlie-Brown]

I'd look at Celtic & Rangers reserve teams for some promising players needing first team football but unlikely to get much game time their because of expensively acquired players ahead of them in the queue.......previously we got some great players like John Colquhoun & Dave McPherson this way.

 

I've not seen much of the Gers but in Celtic's squad then Scott Cuthbert (left sided defender) and Paul McGowan (striker) look good players. Cuthbert captained Scotland U21's last game in S.Naismith's absence.

 

One caveat - I wouldn't buy any player without giving our own prospects the opportunity to progress first, I see no sense in developing kids for years then killing their opportunity to play at the final step. We have to see what they can do first - only then should we look elsewhere for players.

[Coco]

Offload the expensive players who rarely play. Return the Kaunas players to play at the level they are capable of.

 

Bring in a dominating centre half. A ball winner in midfield. A player who can go from central midfield past the strikers. More pace and workrate generally. And ask Celtic about Riordan and Killen.

 

Allow a manager to manage the team without 'suggestions' from Lithuania. Allow that manager to motivate, cajole and punish.

 

Not a difficult process really.

[Charlie-Brown]

Decide upon a cohesive tactical system and implement this at every level - the Dutch national team and their top clubs & academy systems have trained & produced players to play in a similar tactical system for decades now. Too often our clubs and international teams change direction every few years, every new manager, with very little continuity.

[Coco]

Decide upon a cohesive tactical system and implement this at every level - the Dutch national team and their top clubs & academy systems have trained & produced players to play in a similar tactical system for decades now. Too often our clubs and international teams change direction every few years, every new manager, with very little continuity.

 

Isn't that what our 'Advisor on Sports Matters to the Board' is supposed to have done?

 

No point throwing good money after bad, sell your losers, no point flogging a dead horse etc. Many cliches but apposite here. What if the cohesive tactical system is the wrong one?

[Charlie-Brown]

Isn't that what our 'Advisor on Sports Matters to the Board' is supposed to have done?

 

No point throwing good money after bad, sell your losers, no point flogging a dead horse etc. Many cliches but apposite here. What if the cohesive tactical system is the wrong one?

 

Well the simple answer is if you do our research properly you will choose the correct system - however if it is the wrong one then you change it - but there has to be continuity whichever system is ultimately chosen.

 

Since the late sixties / early seventies the Dutch began playing 3-4-3 which morphed into 4-3-3 and which has become a 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 variant but which is basically the same attacking system throughout with 2 wide players and a central striker however as football has changed over the years then greater emphasis on defensive duties have become necessary but when in possession a 4-5-1 can quickly become the original 3-4-3 as wingers and centre backs adjust their positions......so tactical systems can endure for decades.

 

There was a big stushie when one national coach tried to play 4-4-2 in recent years - results were not good and it became 4-5-1.

 

Generations of Dutch players have been reared the same way in the same tactical system, their national team & clubs have been ocassionally successful against the rest of europe and their players continually sought after by bigger teams in bigger countries - they are easily the most successful small-medium size nation in footballing terms - the key to their success in the main has been tactical continuity - they chose a system and became experts at it's implementation and coaching.

 

I am not saying Hearts or Scotland should or even could play the Dutch way however their's is just one example of a system - the key though is continuity.

[Charlie-Brown]

Classic Dutch 3-4-3 system

 

--------------------GK-----------------------

 

--------------------CB-----------------------

 

---RB-----------------------------------LB---

 

--------------------DM-----------------------

 

-----------RM-----------------LM-------------

 

--------------------AM-----------------------

 

-RW--------------------------------------LW-

 

--------------------CF-----------------------

 

Over time the Defensive Midfielder dropped back to become a 2nd Centre Back to make it a 4-3-3 and in recent times the wingers also have dropped back to make it a 4-5-1 when defending however when in possession the centre backs & wingers re-adjust their positions and the team is in a classic 3-4-3 attacking mode. The Attacking Midfielder is expected to break into the box to act as a 2nd striker supporting the attack whilst dropping back when defending.

[portobellojambo1]

Decide upon a cohesive tactical system and implement this at every level - the Dutch national team and their top clubs & academy systems have trained & produced players to play in a similar tactical system for decades now. Too often our clubs and international teams change direction every few years, every new manager, with very little continuity.

 

I suggested something similar on another thread, think it was related to a discussion on Branimir Kostadinov at the time, i.e. that consistency of play should be brought in at all levels, that those moving from youth to reserve to first team football should not have to go through changes in playing style/formation each time they step up. I suggested that our coaching/systems should be geared to both players with skill and those with more physical attributes (something which you had mentioned, specifically in relation to the young Australians on the books), to bring out the best in all.

 

I thought what I was saying made sense, the response I got was, cannot remember the exact words but along the lines of "what a pile of pooh, why should we change our methods and/or coaching staff to suit a few kids".

 

I sort of gave up at that point, didn't really see the point in expanding on it.

[Coco]

I suggested something similar on another thread, think it was related to a discussion on Branimir Kostadinov at the time, i.e. that consistency of play should be brought in at all levels, that those moving from youth to reserve to first team football should not have to go through changes in playing style/formation each time they step up. I suggested that our coaching/systems should be geared to both players with skill and those with more physical attributes (something which you had mentioned, specifically in relation to the young Australians on the books), to bring out the best in all.

 

I thought what I was saying made sense, the response I got was, cannot remember the exact words but along the line of "what a pile of pooh, why should we change our methods and/or coaching staff to suit a few kids".

 

I sort of gave up at that point, didn't really see the point in expanding on it.

 

Take the general point but the trouble with this is - who designs the system?

 

Eduard Malofeev - bad

Arsene Wenger - good

 

Also, if we choose a certain style - and a group of young players come through the youth system and do not suit that style - do we scrap them or try to fit the square pegs to the round holes?

 

If Hibs style pass pass pass LONG BALL football is deemed to be the most successful and we copy it - what if the fans don't like it?

[Charlie-Brown]

Take the general point but the trouble with this is - who designs the system?

 

Eduard Malofeev - bad

Arsene Wenger - good

 

Also, if we choose a certain style - and a group of young players come through the youth system and do not suit that style - do we scrap them or try to fit the square pegs to the round holes?

 

If Hibs style pass pass pass LONG BALL football is deemed to be the most successful and we copy it - what if the fans don't like it?

 

This issue could arise in the shorter term of team building if you implemented a system on top of an existing group of players without the capability however in the medium to longer term the youth players would have been reared in the chosen system and would be playing that way naturally.

 

Properly educated professional footballers should be flexible enough to be able to adapt within the chosen tactical system although with technically limited players like Neilson & Goncalves obviously it's a problem.

 

Taken to extreme's the Dutch ideal of 'total football' was that apart from the goalkeeper any & every player in the team could cover their colleague's position if that players was involved in an attacking move upfield.

[Coco]

This issue could arise in the shorter term of team building if you implemented a system on top of an existing group of players without the capability however in the medium to longer term the youth players would have been reared in the chosen system and would be playing that way naturally.

 

Properly educated professional footballers should be flexible enough to be able to adapt within the chosen tactical system although with technically limited players like Neilson & Goncalves obviously it's a problem.

 

Taken to extreme's the Dutch ideal of 'total football' was that apart from the goalkeeper any & every player in the team could cover their colleague's position if that players was involved in an attacking move upfield.

 

But what if the cohesive tactical style is Cambridge United under Beck?

 

And the best young footballers available to Hearts are skilful wingers? Do we ignore those?

[bighusref]

If you were boss GA mate, I would buy a season ticket.

 

On Coco suggesting Wenger as some sort of template, I agree with that 100%. I have stated before but my personal opinion on how this club should work is a smaller scale version of how Arsenal buy young foreign players that have not broken through at their respective clubs yet and building a young pool of promising players.

 

Obviously, we should start that by buying a Bulgarian from an Austrian club and a young Romanian.......

[Charlie-Brown]

I suggested something similar on another thread, think it was related to a discussion on Branimir Kostadinov at the time, i.e. that consistency of play should be brought in at all levels, that those moving from youth to reserve to first team football should not have to go through changes in playing style/formation each time they step up. I suggested that our coaching/systems should be geared to both players with skill and those with more physical attributes (something which you had mentioned, specifically in relation to the young Australians on the books), to bring out the best in all.

 

I thought what I was saying made sense, the response I got was, cannot remember the exact words but along the lines of "what a pile of pooh, why should we change our methods and/or coaching staff to suit a few kids".

 

I sort of gave up at that point, didn't really see the point in expanding on it.

 

Your point about consistency & continuity at each level was perfectly coherent & sensible PJ1 - with regards to Kostadinov individually well team tactics we're being blamed for his disappointing progress however other lighter-weight (sleight) kid strikers like Templeton, Robinson & Wagner were able to show better performances & progress being used in exactly the same way in the same tactical system that people had blamed for Kostadinov's failure's, thus was the problem the individual or the system?

[portobellojambo1]

Your point about consistency & continuity at each level was perfectly coherent & sensible PJ1 - with regards to Kostadinov individually well team tactics we're being blamed for his disappointing progress however other lighter-weight (sleight) kid strikers like Templeton, Robinson & Wagner were able to show better performances & progress being used in exactly the same way in the same tactical system that people had blamed for Kostadinov's failure's, thus was the problem the individual or the system?

 

Going to adopt a politician's stance (i.e sitting on the fence) on this one NMH, because I don't know enough about the ins and outs of what happens at youth level at the moment, and say I suspect there was probably an element of both in it. But there again systems should not be developed to suit any one individual, they should be developed to suit teams, and if individuals don't fit in it is easier to come to end conclusion, i.e. the problem lies with the individual being unwilling, or unable, to fit in.

 

From reading one or two things on here I believe the problem with Kostadinov appeared to relate to his dislike of performing some tasks which all apprentice footballers carry out in the UK, i.e. making sure that the kit of those whose boots they hoped to step into was well looked after. In relation to that element I would say the problem definitely lies with the player, and not the system. Doesn't matter if your are cleaning someone elses boots, or scoring the winning goal in the Cup Final at Hampden, you should always take pride in your work, and treat it as part of the learning curve.

[Charlie-Brown]

But what if the cohesive tactical style is Cambridge United under Beck?

 

And the best young footballers available to Hearts are skilful wingers? Do we ignore those?

 

Craig Levein's teams show lot's of similarities to Alex McDonald's Hearts teams - resolute defenders & strong centre halfs, an attacking midfielder and a big striker / smaller striker partnership with DeVries & Hunt being the modern day Bone / Clark / Baird that partnered Robbo in the Hearts teams Levein played in - with a strong work ethic being a vital component of team style. So In my opinion Levein has used continuity of type of players & principles in his team building at Hearts / Leicester / Tannadice.

 

It is the continuity of style that becomes important because not only do players become reared how to pay that way but also how to coach that system & principles can be learned - and future coaches become part of that continuity.

 

With regards to skillful wingers - every team should have skillful wingers if available however we should be teaching kids to be footballers first and foremost before teach them team tactics & positional roles - to often I think we shoehorn young players into individual positions like your a centre half, right back, winger etc.

 

However I've seen both Eggert Jonsson & Ryan McGowan play Central defence, defensive midfield & attacking midfield & even seen Eggert play as a striker with reasonable effect so I am hopeful that things are improving. Also quite often in some U19 games Johnny Brown & Rocco Visconte have switched attacking / defending duties on the left hand side with Rocky playing fullback for a while - sometimes he even starting there when Brown was on international duty.

[Debut 4]

Agree with mostly what Gig says. There are obviously players who are simply not good enough but i firmly believe the mess that has been the management structure over the last two seasons has sapped the confidence out of certain players.

 

Ok, players can go stale or not improve because of their own doing, but i believe alot of the young players like Elliot and Mole have suffered because of the lack of REAL leadership at the club.

 

There`s not been the proper guidance for these lads when they have been down or even when they have been playing well, when they may be on the cusp of going up a level.

 

Guys like Jose and Elliot looked world beaters two years ago. You have to ask why they have not went on to better things? Elliot was leading the line for about a dozen games. His hold up play and runs into the box where superb and while i accept he had some great players around him, he deserved plaudits for alot of his own work.

[Buffalo Bill]

I would play A-O-A (All Out Attack).

 

 

....and see what happens.

 

 

Ok, so we might not win much, but I'd be known as a maverick and I'd get invited to loads of parties where I'd be hanging out with P Diddy and some other people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buffalo Bill

 

.

[Only a Game]

Take the general point but the trouble with this is - who designs the system?

 

Eduard Malofeev - bad

Arsene Wenger - good

 

Also, if we choose a certain style - and a group of young players come through the youth system and do not suit that style - do we scrap them or try to fit the square pegs to the round holes?

 

If Hibs style pass pass pass LONG BALL football is deemed to be the most successful and we copy it - what if the fans don't like it?

 

Almost every club who have a playing system throughout the club simply dont sign players at any level who dont or cant fit anywhere into that system. For example if your system plays without out and out wingers, you dont sign any player who can only play in that position. You dont sign target men if your wanting to be playing football through teams. etc etc.

[sked21]

This is where putting an arm round Pinilla gets dangerous.

 

I was speaking to the Willy from Chile last night (honestly) and he said you were crap in bed.

 

But back on point, if I was manager then this is what I would do:

 

Goalkeepers:

 

Bring in a proven goalkeeper.

Keep Banks as back-up.

Get rid of Basso and Kurskis.

 

Defence:

 

New right-back.

New left-back

New centre-back maybe two.

Get rid of Neilson, Goncalves (If we get a good offer), Kancelskis, Zaliukas and either Karipidis or Tall (Depends if he signs a contract on less money).

So the defence would be: Berra, McGowan, Brown, Wallace, Karipidis/Tall, left back, right back and centre back.

 

Midfield:

 

Keep: Ruben, Eggert, Chesney, Kingston, Driver and maybe Bruno (Depends who we bring in).

Bring in a right winger/midiflder.

Bring in a creative midfielder.

Possibly a hard tackling defnsive midfielder.

 

Strikeforce:

 

Keep Pinilla and Nade - Get a full pre-season under their belts and get them fit. Also like GA said put an arm around both of them and fill them with confidence.

See what Mole is like in pre-season.

Get rid of Makela and Elliot.

Bring in Tomas Danilevicius.

Bring in a qucik, nippy striker who knows where the back of the net is.

Promote Gary Glen.

[portobellojambo1]

Almost every club who have a playing system throughout the club simply dont sign players at any level who dont or cant fit anywhere into that system. For example if your system plays without out and out wingers, you dont sign any player who can only play in that position. You dont sign target men if your wanting to be playing football through teams. etc etc.

 

I agree OaG. However by agreeing it sort of brings us back round to where we were 2 years ago, 18 months ago, 12 months ago, 6 months ago, January of this year and still are today. A vital part of any football club is its scouts, they have to be in a position to go out and find players that can play to a clubs style, and I am honestly not sure who does the scouting for HMFC at any any level, never mind first team level. The back room staff, ancillary staff, call them what you like (i.e. the coaches and scouts) are as important a part of achieving and maintaining a playing style as the players are themselves.

 

Feck it is 13:03, time I wasn't here, wasting valuable drinking time sitting at a bloody computer, must be getting old.

[neave]

Well, your average fan can see what needs to be done (you've covered everything pretty well), surely it can't be that hard to find a manager who sees what needs to be done and be allowed to make the changes required.

Aye, but to find a manager, you have to first be looking for one.

[Angry Haggis]

I wish your were manager Gig, I wish you were..

[N User]

Training players to become reliant on one tactical system is hugely flawed.

Football tactics and playing styles of a league can change fairly quickly over time, you only need to look at the premiership in it's current state and compare it to five and ten years ago.

 

If Hearts were to adopt say a 4-5-1 system throughout the entire ranks, it would be extremely effective for bringing players into the first team. But what if the rest of the league learned to counteract it?

It would leave the Hearts players disadvantaged to the change of tactics required to overcome the development of other teams.

 

Developing a number of tactical systems and having players throughout the ranks knowledgable on the systems, their roles in them and others roles in them in order to maximise the players ability to deal with different styles and situations would be my preferred way.

I imagine this is what happens at many clubs. The effectiveness of it depends on the personnel developing it and the communication between them. This is probably a huge issue at Hearts.