The X-Factor

What transforms an ordinary team into a good team? Or a good team into a great team? Why does one coach fail, and yet his or her replacement turns the ship around faster than……..

Of course a team needs quality players. It needs good facilities, infrastructure, equipment and financial backing. But seemingly the most important necessity is not tangible and hardly definable.

Welcome to the X-Factor.

No Simon Cowell. No terrible performer whose mother told him he’s a fantastic singer, yet he sounds more like he’s gargling a glass of vinegar. The X-Factor of which I speak is often down to one person – the coach.

There are so many examples of coaches, and therefore teams, under or over-achieving.  Firstly some of the coaches in recent years who’ve been unexpectedly good.

Mark Hammett

‘Hammer’ and his clean-out broom swept into the Capital. He was untried at Super rugby level. After one season, he asked Messrs Nonu and Hore to leave the party. Messrs Weepu and Gear chose to accompany them. Many of us were outraged. But many of us were wrong. It’s early days still, but I believe Hammer, and the Canes, are on the right track.

Chris Greenacre

Ok, so he was only in charge of the Phoenix for a handful of games at the end of a disastrous season. But he seemed to help create a whole new vibe at the club. Performances improved, tactics changed and results did show some improvement. He has a future.

Graham Henry

The post- World Cup 2007 version. After the debacle of that painful quarter final exit, Henry must’ve thought he’d be spending a lot more time kayaking off Waiheke Island. But he, and his two mates, returned to change the way rugby was played, culminating in a tension-relieving victory four years later.

Dave Rennie

‘Unexpectedly’ good might be a bit harsh. But when Rennie headed north to the Waikato, the Chiefs were no world-beaters, and they never had been. But Rennie has the goods and he ensured the Chiefs dominated and won the 2012 Super 15 competition.  The challenge is to back that up in this year’s comp. Rennie should receive a promotion after the next World Cup.

Ruth Aitken

Many were surprised when Yvonne Willering was pushed aside from the Silver Ferns in 2001 and replaced by the lesser-known Ruth Aitken. However her long tenure included two World Championship victories and two Commonwealth Games gold medals. Nobody can argue with that.

David Moyes

The previously unheralded manager of Everton Football Club. Under his guidance, Everton have won no trophies at all. And the club is regularly only in the top half dozen of the Premier League each season. So what makes him so special, you say? Well, he’s competing with the Chelseas, Manchester Uniteds and Manchester Citys with only a miniscule percentage of his millionaire rivals’ budgets. Everton will do well to hold onto him. 

Sir Alex Ferguson

Unexpectedly good? Absolutely. When Alex Ferguson arrived at Old Trafford from Aberdeen in 1986, Liverpool were the dominant force (ah, those were the days). If you’d told him then that in 2013 he’d still be the boss and still be winning trophies after absolutely dominating the game for the past 20 years, he’d probably have muttered something abusive and incomprehensible in his Glaswegian tones and pushed you aside. But he’s still going strong today as his team cruises to another title.

Of course, for every coach who’s exceeded expectations there’s at least one other who has made fans bury their heads in their hands, look to the heavens and cry why, why?

Brian ‘Bluey’ McLennan

The Kiwi super coach of the Superleague super team, Leeds, came home. When appointed to coach the Warriors, they said he’d be super. He wasn’t.

Graham Henry

The 2001 Lions Tour to Australia version. Wales’ ‘Great Redeemer’ was expected to help the Brits put those Antipodeans in their place. He didn’t. And they didn’t. Luckily for us, he learned his lessons.

Jamie Joseph

Early days, I know. He’s a good coach (I think) but man, something is not clicking in the Highlander country. If he was managing a Premier League team, he’d be gone before lunchtime.

Kenny Dalglish

The greatest player ever to wear a Liverpool shirt. He enjoyed great success as Liverpool player-manager from 1986-1991. Come 2011 in stint number two he succeeded only in spending an extraordinary amount of money on players. He did win a cup final, and was incredibly unlucky to not win a second. But ultimately he seemed a little out of touch with the 2012 version of the game and was duly relieved of his duties.

Ricki Herbert

See later in this column

Robbie Deans

His time with the Crusaders was incredibly successful. His time as All Blacks assistant, not so much so. He alienated a lot of people and his man management skills were constantly called into question.

John Mitchell

After much success in English club rugby and as Assistant Coach of the England team, Mitchell was appointed All Blacks coach in 2001. What followed were two slightly confusing years of journeys and team growth and general philosophical ramblings. He also infamously called time on the international career of Christian Cullen.

Robbie Deans

His time with the Crusaders was incredibly successful. His time as Wallabies Coach - not so much so. He continues to alienate a lot of people and his man management skills are constantly called into question.

 

The reasons this has all come to mind this past weekend are football-related. The scheduling of the first episode of the NZ version of the appropriately titled talent show on Sunday night is a bit of a coincidence.

Firstly, the appointment of Paulo di Canio as Manager of English Premier League football club, Sunderland FC. Consider this:

·         In the 90’s he was a volatile and unpredictable player, once pushing over a referee

·         His only previous managerial experience of note was in the English lower leagues with Swindon Town from where he resigned in controversial circumstances

·         He has apparently previously admitted to being a fascist (possibly a hint as to his preferred managerial style) and;

·         He appears, to be blunt, a touch unhinged.

So what better candidate to bring in to a club that was freefalling down the Premier League table and staring relegation squarely in the eye?

Last week Sunderland travelled to play local rivals Newcastle United and delivered a stunning 3-0 victory. The Newcastle fans were clearly not amused as di Canio celebrated a Sunderland goal by running down the sideline and sliding through the mud in his clearly-not-cheap tailor-made suit. Nor were they best pleased when he sprinted along the sideline again to join the next goal scorer’s celebratory cuddle.

This week Sunderland won again and all but secured their premier league status for next season.

All of a sudden, the fans are saying ‘you know, that fascism ain’t all bad’ and getting di Canio t-shirts printed. He has the X-Factor.

Secondly, the news this week that NZ’s football legend Wynton Rufer, voted Oceania’s player of the 20^th century, has put his hat in the ring to coach the Wellington Phoenix.

This column is a big fan of Ricki Herbert. He’s an experienced coach at club and international level. He’s played at an extremely high level himself, so knows understands things from a player’s perspective. He’s a highly qualified FIFA-accredited coach. He had several seasons at the Phoenix to implement his vision and his tactics. He should have succeeded. But he failed. He should have the X-Factor, and I hope for the All Whites’ sake that he does.

Some might say that’s harsh; yes there were numerous mitigating factors, including the ‘assistance’ of a moustachioed cat-hater. But ultimately the buck stops with the boss.

Sideline Guy says: give Wynton a chance. Rufer has done a lot to help New Zealand football over the years and deserves a shot at rescuing the Nix.   

Don’t hire a washed-up older Briton who’s already been booted out of another A-League outfit. Hire Wynton. And Chris Greenacre must be retained as Assistant Coach. He’s an honorary Kiwi, seems like a good bloke and shows a great deal of potential as an excellent head coach of the future.

So to conclude, of course a coach has to have a good game plan and the players have to at least be competent. 

But what is the X-Factor? In my opinion it is both very basic and at the same time incredibly complicated. Simply, players have to feel contented and valued, as individuals and as a team unit. Of course actually achieving that is easier said than done.  But if a coach can achieve this they’re halfway to succeeding already.

Finally, and not related to this at all, could someone at TVNZ please provide some enunciation lessons for Andrew Saville (TV One sports news reader)? Latest example of his Kiwi twang: when speaking of Team New Zealand’s latest yacht race, they had ‘clear ear’, rather than ‘clear air’!

Till next time,

SG