Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson is currently the manager of Manchester united Fc. Alex Ferguson had a relatively successful playing career playing for teams such as Queens Park, St Johnstone, Dunfermline Athletic, Rangers, Falkirk, and Ayr United. He was only manager of East Stirling for four months before he moved to the Paisley club, St Mirren. He steered the team to promotion to the top division in 1977. But he was dismissed by the club over a dispute over bonus payments to his players. He was immediately snapped up by Aberdeen who had not won a Scottish championship for over 20 years. Under Ferguson they won three League titles, four Scottish Cups, one League Cup, and the European Cup Winners Cup in 1983. He was coaxed to Manchester United in 1986 were he won six English Premier titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup, a European Cup and a European Cup Winners Cup.
The main roles of Alex Ferguson are to educate players, teaching players to learn and maintain new skills and techniques, also needs to match the appropriate training methods with the ability and experience of the players, give opportunities to practice new skills, demonstrate effectively and to know when to use certain skills for certain situations.
Also he is to make sure players are physically able to play the sport, develop player’s components of fitness.
Also he is meant to man manage his team by demonstrating good leadership skills and direct players effectively, be well organized and give clear instructions, ensure players are playing to the best of their ability and reaching their full potential, manage the development of players effectively.
He also needs to act as a role model for his players to earn and maintain trust and respect, be influential in a positive way, and be reliable and behaved.
In his role as a manger he needs to act as a friend by being there for players when needed, make sure players keep their feet on the ground, and act as a friend to motivate players.
Alex Ferguson is very good at managing his players as he demonstrates good leadership skills and directs his players effectively. He is a very well organized manager and gives clear instructions to his player. Alex Ferguson is a good role model as he is respected through the whole world of football because of his achievements and is influential on his team in a positive way. He has a fierce competitive spirit and a temper to match. Players have described the "Ferguson hairdryer" when he blasts them in a head-to-head tongue-lashing. But he has the ability to measure the qualities of the players he has nurtured and as the club became wealthy expensive players he has brought in, and with these high profile players he has a taken a “my way or the highway” attitude with these players.
The Skills and techniques Alex Ferguson uses to be successful generally involve communication skills, verbal communication characterized by the use of a spoken word. He would be able to change the tone, pace and volume of their speech to suit the situation. He would also use non Verbal communication skills which include sending messages via body language, facial expressions and gestures.
His organisational skills need to be good for his sessions to be successful, these also include analysing, problem solving, evaluation, time-management, sport specific skills.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s coaching technique is autocratic and has an extrovert personality and tells his players exactly what he wants from them. He is very knowledgeable in his sport. Alex Ferguson is a disciplinarian and has showed this on a few occasions. Alex Ferguson tells the players what he wants out of them during a training session and stop and starts when need be. Alex Ferguson is a good communicator as he communicates very well with his players and he is also very well organized. He also knows how to bring out the best in young stars for example players like Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Wayne Rooney.
Both Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger’s roles as a coach and manager are similar with regards to educating a player and training players, this is due to the fact that they have similar responsibilities when it comes to training their players and making them physically able to play in their respective sport. With regards to educating players, they both have had young players with star potential and have been able to nurture and mentor them in a similar way to ensure they reach their potential. They are both also good role models for their players despite the fact that they were both not extremely successful as a player. Both coaches are well organized and both analyse, time manage, evaluate performances and solve tactical problems very well. They also both have good knowledge of the sport.
Sir Alex Ferguson has more experience and is a major disciplinarian unlike Arsene Wenger an example of this is Alex Ferguson will sell players despite their ability if they think they are bigger than the club e.g. David Beckham, Eric Cantona and Ruud Van Nistlerooy, but Arsene Wenger failed to do the same with Thierry Henry. Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson have different coaching styles and technique with Arsene Wenger having the laid back laissez fair approach and Sir Alex Ferguson having the in your face autocratic approach, by the success of the two managers it seems that Alex Ferguson’s style of managing a team is better due to the more success he has had than Arsene Wenger in his managerial career.
The strengths of Arsene Wenger’s managing style is players have got freedom to express themselves, his teams are well organized, his players trust his approach to training and his transfer policy, players learn technique and how to play by themselves due to the way he does his training session.
The weaknesses of Arsene Wenger’s managing style is some players will under perform because they think they are bigger than the club and feel their place in the team is safe, players may feel they can get away with anything.
Changes Arsene Wenger could make to his managing style is
Be more disciplined to his players and take more of a autocratic style of coaching his team, also don’t let them get away with things and make players feel like there fighting for there places in the team even if they are stars.
Strengths of Alex Ferguson managing styles are everyone knows where they stand Every player in his squad will know where they stand and know that no one is bigger than the club, players don’t get bigger than club, Most players don’t get to arrogant and if they get bigger than the club he will let them go, everyone believes in his ability no one will question his authority as he has won everything and is highly respected throughout the world and his teams are well organized.
Weaknesses of Alex Ferguson’s managing style are he loses some of his big players due to his management style and letting them know he is boss, some players may get slightly scared of his personality and his status.
Changes Alex Ferguson could make are not very many because he is so successful but he could be less strict and be slightly more democratic with his coaching style in order to keep his star players.
Coaching Techniques
There are three basic styles of coaching these are Autocratic, Democratic, laissez fair.
Autocratic- The coach makes all decisions and imposing on the group.
Democratic- The coach and athlete discuss the decisions.
Laissez faire- The coach gives the athletes freedom to make their own decisions.
South end - Freddie Eastwood
Make him captain and give him more responsibilities. He should also organize team building exercises to build the team spirit again. Players may listen to him as he is an inspiration to the team Autocratic style of coaching should be used.
Rochdale - Peter Dagnall
Peter Dagnall should be given more responsibilities and maybe even captaincy since there are no natural leaders in the team he may be able to lead by example and be an inspirational leader. His training sessions should be made slightly more challenging e.g. two touch instead of three. Autocratic style of coaching should be used.
Nottingham forest- David Johnson
David Johnson Should not be given any extra responsibilities but should work with the coaches to organize a fun team building session as the players should listen to him due to his inspirational qualities. Democratic style of coaching should be used.
Espanyol - Luis Garcia
Luis Garcia should be given extra responsibilities e.g. penalty taking responsibilities, corners, free kick etc. Democratic and laissez faire styles of coaching should be used.
Comparison
Making Peter Dagnall and Freddie Eastwood will make them feel more needed by the club and want to stay despite the fact both their teams are doing poorly and feel they can play at a higher level. This also may be an incentive for the other key players to stay as well. By not giving David Johnson extra responsibilities it will not dishearten the other players in the squad because if he was given these extra responsibilities players may have felt left out. Given Luis Garcia extra responsibilities should make him want to stay. Using autocratic styles of coaching would work on Peter Dagnall and Freddie Eastwood should work with them as despite the extra responsibilities they should not get bigger than the club, but this style of coaching wouldn’t work with David Johnson, and Luis Garcia as the players may rebel and cause more tension within the squads. Using democratic coaching styles with David Johnson and Luis Garcia would work with them as they would have a better relationship with the coaches and have the freedom to express their selves on the pitch. These coaching styles may not work with the other two as they me feel bigger than the club.
Evaluation
Name: Jerome Okimo Date: 30/10/06 Weather: good
Numbers: 11 Time: 45 mins
Equipment: balls, cones, half pitch
Room/area: Astroturf Standard: BTEC Age range: 18-19
Strengths of session:
The session was set up well, ran smoothly and was no waiting around.
The progression of the session was good and specific which ended up in a game situation.
I had everyone’s attention because it was good and enjoyable therefore it was easy to coach.
The session was disciplined and organized.
Weakness of session:
I wasn’t loud or vocal enough so therefore some people may not have heard or understood.
I didn’t show the students what do to be successful only told them but didn’t demonstrate.
Session could have been of a higher tempo so it could be more game related and like a game situation.
Recommendations and changes:
I should be more vocal and louder next time therefore giving clear instructions on what needs to be done.
I should do more demonstrations for the students as it can help because some people understand it better when they see it rather than told.
Strengths of participants
All the participants were on time organized and had appropriate kit.
The participants were behaved during the session.
They had the ability to carry out the session.
They had the potential to improve from the session.
Weaknesses of participants
The participants were not always completely focused on the session.
Some participants did not understand the ideas put across to them.
Recommendations
Make sure students are not standing about so they get bored.
Ensure that the points are put across clear and effectively.