How to Be a Top Football Manager
Leaked documents and video reveal the FA’s shortlist and assessment interview questions for the England manager’s job.
Stuart ‘Psycho’ Pearce, who presided over some of the least attacking and creative Manchester City and England U21 sides in living memory, was asked to give some expert coaching advice on how to play more attacking and creative football in line with England’s DNA blueprint. In a rambling and incoherent response, he finished off by reminiscing about how he used to psych out opponents. 2/5
‘I used to be’ Alex McLeish was asked how he would motivate England’s players to perform at the highest level. The dour Scot explained how he reduced all the players he managed to quivering wrecks unable to perform under pressure. All except fellow Scot Barry Ferguson. 1/5
Gus Poyet was asked about dealing with the media and how to get England scoring goals. The fiery Uruguayan stressed the importance of ‘timing when to go’, presumably not referring to his ill-timed public thoughts on when he might leave Brighton that got him sacked shortly afterwards. He then presented a Powerpoint video on scoring goals in which he was the only one who managed to put the ball in the back of the net. 3/5
Alan ‘I haven’t done much coaching lately’ Curbishley failed to answer any questions at all, and just got all bitter and twisted about the time Charlton might have finished two places higher in the league if Scott Parker hadn’t left mid-season. 1/5
Lastly, and perhaps most bizarrely of all, Tony Pulis, not long ago sacked by Stoke City for not playing attractive-enough football, was asked how he would help a team play more attractive football, and focused on lumping it up to the big man up front. 4/5
Pulis’s video has been removed for legal reasons.
Sam Allardyce pipped Tony Pulis to the job by virtue of not being Welsh.
Sam Allardyce pipped Tony Pulis to the job by virtue of not being Welsh.