In 1987 following a second consecutive promotion from what is today Division one to the Championship this writer was fortunate to attend a celebration of the achievement with the players of Swindon Town.. At that function in conversation with one player he constantly moaned about the coach Lou Macari, and his obsession with fitness and the rules he had in place. This particular player had never won a League Championship in his career prior to that day, he did not win another. Hopefully he looks back today and appreciates what his coach helped him achieve. A priceless memory and an achievement that can never be taken away.
Macari in that period at Swindon Town, like many managers at many clubs may not have been popular amongst the players, but ultimately he managed to get the best out of those he signed. Is that not the sign of a good coach?
The crucial thing to remember is that Coaching is not a popularity contest. Although it maybe in a player’s early years, when they are in that development phase, and that in itself is a skill. To enable young children to fall in love with a sport, while learning and enjoying both training and playing often requires a coach that they adore. A coach whose sessions they cannot wait to get to. Coaches who can do that are worth their weight in gold. These coaches are laying the foundations for those who will take charge later.
The higher you progress in any field the tougher the competition becomes. Also the higher you climb the greater the expectations are on your ability to perform. Sport is no different.
If you look at the Managers who are regarded as being greats in the game, very few of their former players will call them friends. Many will be incredibly loyal and respectful, as they know that without that influence they may not have achieved what they did in their careers. Have you ever read of any member of the 1966 England World Cup squad say anything derogatory about Sir Alf Ramsay?
There are many ex players who now work the after-dinner speaking circuit and they will tell tales of the little idiosyncrasies that made Brian Clough, Bill Shankly and coaches of their ilk different. However you can be assured that those who achieved success under their watchful eye rarely belittle these men and women.
To many, what the coaches of yesteryear had in abundance was man-management skills. Sure sometimes they made mistakes, but in the main they helped develop these young men into not only successful footballers, but men. Sometimes their methods may have been strange to others but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
They would not be friends with the players, but they would be friendly and there to lend a guiding hand if asked.
Just as their methods were judged by the team’s success on the pitch, a player’s career is regrettably often assessed only on how many trophies they win.
It has therefore been strange to read some of the media accounts of Ante Milicic’s short rein as the Matildas’ coach following his resignation. Many have focused on the fact that he was a good bloke, and was popular with the players. He has always seemed a nice guy when you meet him, and he may well have been popular with the players, but coaching at the highest level is not a popularity contest. It is about achieving results.
Milicic had previously agreed to lead the national women’s side through to fthe Tokyo Olympics before heading to the domestic men’s competition’s as coach of Macarthur FC, the A-League’s newest team. This in itself is a fantastic opportunity for him as he can build the team of his choice and mould them to play in the style that he wants.
With the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics he was faced with a dilemma that previously would not have occurred. Whether to stay with the Matildas or Macarthur FC. At the end of the day his decision to leave the Mathildas is understandable, as he has a three year contract in place.
“Truth be told, I have simply chosen to honour the commitment I made to Macarthur over a year ago, and hope that the Matildas’ players, staff, and fans, many of whom I have grown close with, will accept that,” Milicic is reported as telling the press.
He may go on to a very successful career as a coach, and let us hope that is the case, but despite all of the cliched comments from the FFA et al It would be hard to honestly say that his time at the helm of the Matildas was successful. Especially when you bear in mind where the team was when he took it over following the untimely sacking of Alen Stajcic.
Milicic took over in February 2019, having never coached a women’s team. He oversaw three consecutive defeats leading into the World Cup and a loss to Italy in their opening game, made it four defeats in succession. The team had not lost four games in a row since prior to 2010! In the three games prior to the World Cup Finals the team conceded 11 goals in three games. The 3-0 loss to the Netherlands was the Matildas’ harshest loss in four years!
Heading into the World Cup the Matildas were ranked 6th in the World – under Stajcic they had been as high at 4th, – and were expected by many to at least make the semi-finals. They bowed out at the round of 16, which was if people are honest hugely disappointing and a result which can only be classed as under-achieving.
Questions should be asked as to why a coach with no experience was given the role following the controversial sacking of Stajcic. Questions should be asked as to why Milicic opted to try and change the style of play that had served the Matildas so well, and brought them success. Many said that he did not have time to change the style, and hindsight would say that they were right.
He made their best player captain, Sam Kerr. This is something that is common in Australian cricket but has not always been the case in football. Was he forced into the position by his bosses at the FFA? After all Sam Kerr is the name associated with the Matildas, she is the brand that the FFA use to promote the Women’s game. Some would say with that being the case to make her captain was foolish, as her workload increased dramatically at a time when she needed to be focussing on doing what she does best which is play football. The highlight of the tournament was the comeback against Brazil after being 2-0 down. Kerr scored four against Jamaica and one against Italy, an impressive return for anyone at a World Cup but did she have the tournament she was capable of? Was the captaincy too much?
After the World Cup the team beat Chile twice; a team that had been ranked 38th in the World at the World Cup. Then earlier this year came the Olympic Qualifiers, where as would have been expected they defeated Chinese Taipei, and Thailand in their group and drew with China. Next up was a play-off game against Vietnam which they won over two legs to book their place in Tokyo. That could well have been the place where Milicic may have proved himself, but we will never know.
Therefore he will be judged on the performance of the team at the World Cup in France.
As stated many times this team never received the support it should have had from the FFA following 2011. Then the timing of the sacking of Stajcic and the lack of clear information surrounding it was an added distraction. What followed was a coach with no experience in Women’s football being appointed, and then on the eve of the World Cup starting an apology was issued to Stajcic, the timing of which was questionable. These women deserved better. (Have Egos Been Put Before The Team?)
Now the FFA has the chance to put things right. They need to take their time and make sure that they appoint the right person for the role, whether they are Australian or not. They also need to let the coach have complete control, and if they feel Sam Kerr would benefit from not having the pressure of the captaincy, and that other players are better suited they must trust the coach.
There will be enough pressure on this generation of players as the host nation of the 2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup, so it will be vital that whoever is appointed is strong enough to stand up when it counts and act in the best interests of the team.
Being successful is not related to popularity. Perth Glory coach Bernd Stange was extremely popular with the fans and the media. He steered the club to a League title but his team lost the Grand Final after leading 3-0 at half time. Most coaches would have been ripped to shreds for losing a game from that position. At the end of the day which would most fans prefer to have, a Championship or a popular coach?
Jurgen Klopp is a unique breed, both popular and successful, at both Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, but there are few that share the standing that he has in the game.
Most fans of the game in Australia want to see this group of women succeed, to fulfil their potential. They have for the past nine years to a great extent carried the game in Australia, with their performances on the International stage. They deserve a coach who is capable of harnessing that talent and steering a team capable of achieving success on home soil in 2023 as deep into the competition as their abilities and performances warrant. The FFA must get this appointment right, as this coach will be judged solely on results, and not whether they were popular with the players or the media! .
