Latest news with #manager
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Pressley in Dundee 'predicament', says McGowan
Herald football writer Stephen McGowan thinks that Steven Pressley will need time to "put his stamp on the place" at Dens new Dundee manager has lost his first two cup games, which means his side have an uphill battle if they want to progress in the comeptition. While McGowan thinks it will take time for it to come together for the Scot, he believes the fans won't give him the luxury."I know it sounds counter-intuitive to say it, I don't really blame Steven Pressley for this situation," said McGowan on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast."I tend to blame the people who decided that Tony Docherty had to go and he had to come in in the first place."I spoke to Docherty and the more I read, the more I looked at it, the more I thought he'd been really harshly dealt with."Dundee finished 10th with a relatively young team. Docherty played more young players, under 21, than any other manager in the league, and he was dismissed."I thought that was really harsh, that was hard and I think it looks more harsh given the start that Pressley has made."Now Pressley, I suppose a bit like Russell Martin, will need bit of time to put his stamp on the place. He says he needs more new signings in."But the fans are already pretty unhappy with the way things are going, and the one thing he's not going to get is lots of time because many of them wouldn't have chosen him in the first place. That puts him in really difficult predicament."
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
What To Watch When Your Boss Is Being Pushed Out
Being loyal does not mean being blind. Being ethical does not mean being passive. It means holding ... More your line. Staying steady. Being someone others can trust no matter what direction the wind is blowing. It usually begins with a small shift. A meeting they used to lead is now run by someone else. Their updates start getting cut short. Conversations happen without them and decisions they once signed off on are suddenly made by committee. At first it might seem like nothing. Maybe it is a busy week. Maybe they are just stretched too thin. But if you are paying attention, you begin to notice a pattern. Influence is moving. And not in their direction. Most people assume that when a leader is pushed out, it happens fast. But in well-managed institutions, the quiet takedown is often slow. It comes through exclusion, reputation erosion and the subtle transfer of authority. The question is not just what is happening to them. It is what you are going to do about it, especially when you are close enough to see the plot form but not yet close enough to be affected. One of the first signs that something is shifting is that your boss is being left out of conversations they would normally lead. A project moves forward without their input. A senior stakeholder replies all except them. You hear about a decision after it is already been made and your manager is hearing it at the same time you are. It may be framed as efficiency. It may be explained as scheduling. But the real signal is exclusion. Power travels through visibility. When someone is being removed from key moments, it is rarely by accident. Their Reputation Gets Softened In high-trust teams, a leader's name carries weight. But when a takedown is beginning, you may hear new qualifiers around their name. 'They have done great work for a long time' becomes code for 'maybe their time has passed.' People start suggesting they are tired or out of touch or no longer the right fit for what is next. It is rarely said directly. It often comes wrapped in compliments. But those compliments soften the ground. They lower resistance. They make the idea of change easier to suggest later. When reputation starts shifting before anyone admits it is happening, that is the warning sign. Another early move in a quiet plot is the request for feedback, especially from people close to the manager in question. You might be asked how your boss is doing. Whether their style fits the culture. Whether you feel you are getting enough support. At first it sounds like a genuine check-in. But if you are asked without context or if your words show up in later conversations, you may be part of a broader assessment you did not sign up for. Feedback is often used to build a case. Even well-meaning observations can be woven into a story someone else wants to tell. When the people asking you questions already know where they want things to land, your input becomes ammunition. Their Authority Stops Holding One of the clearest signs something is shifting is that your boss's decisions start getting reversed or ignored entirely. A directive goes out and teams hesitate. A plan is submitted and it gets quietly rewritten. Their judgment is questioned more often. People ask for second opinions. The shift is subtle at first. But it builds. And soon the authority that once defined their role becomes conditional. That is when you know the process is no longer about feedback. It is about succession. When a leader's authority becomes negotiable, the outcome is already in motion. Eventually your manager will sense it. They will show frustration. Maybe even confusion. You might hear them wonder aloud why they were not included or notice them asking you what others are saying. These are not just personal reactions. They are survival instincts. And this is often the moment you realize you are in the middle of it. You are being asked to pick a side even if no one says so. The room is closing. And unless you are careful, you may get caught inside it. What to Do When You See It Happening First, stay calm. You are not the target. But that does not mean you are not affected. When leadership transitions start quietly, those closest to the outgoing person are often treated with caution or suspicion. Avoid becoming defensive on their behalf. Do not start counter-narratives. Do not build coalitions. It rarely helps them and it can damage you. Instead, ask for clarity. Keep your tone neutral. Make decisions based on principle not emotion. And most of all, protect your own reputation. People will remember how you handled this moment more than what you believed about it. If you respect your boss, tell them directly and privately. But do not make their case for them. That is not your job. This Is About Power Not Fairness Most workplace plots are not about justice. They are about alignment, fit and timing. What an organization needs next. When someone is removed, it is often because the system has moved ahead of them. That does not make it fair. But it does make it real. Being loyal does not mean being blind. Being ethical does not mean being passive. It means holding your line. Staying steady. Being someone others can trust no matter what direction the wind is blowing. Sometimes the strongest move you can make is to remain observant. To resist drama. And to understand that even when a plot is unfolding, you do not need to be written into the script.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Frank and open: early observations as Dane's Spurs tenure begins with friendly win
It is rarely wise to read deeply into pre-season fixtures. Especially the opening one. Yet when it is the first game for a manager at a club, the temptation is there. How can it not be? The initial glimpses offer the outline of the plan. Thomas Frank got his Tottenham tenure under way with a 2-0 win over Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday afternoon. He played different XIs in each half and the goals came early in the second period from Will Lankshear and Luka Vuskovic. For the latter, it represented the gloss on an eye-catching first appearance. With the chair, Daniel Levy, looking down from the directors' box, flanked by the technical director, Johan Lange, whose profile is fast on the rise, Spurs had too much for their League One opponents, who are also at the start of a new era, Rob Couhig having taken over as the owner after the turbulent tenure of Dai Yongge. The stadium was sold out, with the 3,000 or so visiting Spurs fans keen to proclaim themselves as 'champions of Europe' after May's Europa League triumph. Expect to hear that on repeat in the coming months. There was plenty to pick over. The short answer was in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but Frank is all about flexibility and there were a number of takeaways, particularly in possession. He started with Mikey Moore on the left wing but the teenager was given the licence to drift inside to connect with the No 10, which at the outset was another youngster, Alfie Devine. This created the space for Destiny Udogie to push high up from left-back, with Spurs building in a back three. On the other wing, Brennan Johnson played high and wide. Of the central midfield pair, Rodrigo Bentancur sat and Pape Sarr pushed up at times. The approach with the ball was similar after the interval, although this time it was the right-winger, Mohammed Kudus – on his first appearance after signing from West Ham – who roamed inside, allowing the right-back, Djed Spence, to overlap. Out of possession, Spurs broadly pressed in a 4-4-2, with the No 10 squeezing high. Frank brought a 26-man squad and there were notable absentees – above and beyond the injured Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin plus James Maddison, who is only part-training with the squad after an injury of his own. Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel were given additional leave after their involvement in the European Under-21 Championship and did not travel, Frank preferring that they stayed at Hotspur Way to train in the morning. Richarlison did likewise. The striker was involved with Brazil up to the second week of June and he is taking care with his return in light of previous injury problems. As an aside, Richarlison is understood to be keen on staying at Spurs; only if something exceptional showed up would he consider leaving. Kota Takai, the new Japanese signing, was not in Reading. He has a minor contact injury. It was certainly striking to see Spurs practise corners and free-kicks on the pitch about 20 minutes before kick-off, with all the outfield starters defending the deliveries from the youngster George Abbott, who would be an unused substitute. Attacking them were members of Frank's coaching staff. He enjoyed great rewards on set pieces at Brentford and the early signs here were positive, both goals coming after corners from Kudus. The taker in the first half had been Pedro Porro. The opener followed a header by Vuskovic for Lankshear to nod home from close range and the second came after Kudus crossed low for Vuskovic, Reading having withstood the first phase of the move. There were no long throws, albeit there were minimal opportunities for Spurs to try one. The towering 18-year-old Vuskovic, who played the second half at right centre-back, with Micky van de Ven to his left, agreed to move to Spurs from Hajduk Split in September 2023. There has been a lot of noise about his potential, a lot of expectation as he starred on loan at Westerlo in the Belgian top flight last season where he weighed in with seven goals. What an impact he had. The Croatian had already clattered into one challenge and just about got away with a play-out-from-the-back move when he teed up Lankshear's goal. His finish for the second was a beauty, a first-time left-footed drive, low into the far corner after Kudus's pass. The Danish manager is blessed with centre-halves. Behind Cristian Romero and Van de Ven, he has Kevin Danso, Dragusin and Takai. Vuskovic would not be short of loan options if he were to sense he will not get the minutes he needs; Hamburg would be one in the Bundesliga. He wants to play at Spurs. If it was easy to be drawn in by Vuskovic, it was impossible to ignore Kudus. Yes, it was only League One opposition, but the £54.5m new boy wowed with his sharpness and balance, his work in tight spaces, the impression he gave of always being in control of the ball and the situation. There was an explosion up the wing that led to a big chance for Jamie Donley, some lovely spins and time-buying feints, and the overall feeling that he seriously enjoyed himself.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Thomas Frank admits perfect 20-year career record is at risk after taking Tottenham job under trigger-happy Daniel Levy
THOMAS FRANK has never been sacked before — but knows that proud record is at 'risk' now he is working for Daniel Levy. The Dane became the 14th permanent manager of chairman Levy's quarter of a century running Spurs when he succeeded Europa League-winner Ange Postecoglou last month. 3 3 He was finally unveiled 36 days on from his appointment and hit with questions on a number of burning issues. What is going on with captain Son Heung-min? What about Cristian Romero? And where are we at with the pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White? He remained tight-lipped on a number of 'good questions', as he put them, and certainly went nowhere near any potential incoming transfer business. It felt quite a guarded first session with the media from the former Brentford boss. But one answer that did reveal the wit and charm he so often displayed at the Gtech came early on, when asked if Levy's trigger-happy record with managers worried him. After all, Spurs had sacked five bosses during Frank's near seven-year stint with the Bees. The 51-year-old replied: 'Only five? I like to challenge myself. 'I have the privilege of having never been sacked before. That is one of the reasons why I took the job. I get a little bit more risk in my daily life! 'Coming to a big club, there are pressures. We need to perform, because it is 'we'. It's me, it's the staff, the players and everyone — we need to do that together. I like the ambitions. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 'Everything I do, every decision I've made so far, is for the long term. 'It's not about surviving one game or one year or 18 months or whatever the average is. It's for the long run.' Frank started his managerial career at Boldklubben of 1893 II back in 2004 before taking over the youth side of Lyngby BK in Denmark. He then worked his way up the youth sides in the Denmark set up until he was appointed as Brondby IF manager in 2013. After three years at the club he made the switch to England and took over Brentford and helped the club reach and stay in the Premier League. Levy ruthlessly sacked Postecoglou last month despite the Australian landing the club's first trophy in 17 years by beating Manchester United in Bilbao to win the Europa League. Postecoglou paid the price for an awful Premier League campaign which saw the club finish 17th. And Frank stressed how he must make a squad robust enough to fight on four fronts this season, including the Champions League. Levy said last month that winning the Europa League was not enough, that he has set his sights on winning the Prem and Champions League. Though there was no timeframe put on that lofty goal, some may argue it is unrealistic, given the competition Spurs are up against. Title-winners Liverpool splashed out £100million on Florian Wirtz, while Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal are all investing heavily. Spurs paid West Ham £55m for Mohammed Kudus and are willing to exceed that with Gibbs-White. Even so, Levy's target is a stretch. Frank said: 'I share his ambitions for the club. A club of this size should have that ambition. How far away we are is very difficult to say. 'But we should throw it forward and go for it. No doubt that needs to be the aim for the future. 'What are the odds for us winning the Premier League this season? I'm not allowed to gamble either . . . so I think we're probably not favourites. 'Probably three teams at least are ahead of us — but we will do what we can to build a strong and competitive team.' Frank still has a number of players working their way back from injury but revealed playmaker James Maddison, who missed the end of the season with ligament damage, is closest to returning and is 'part-training with the team'. Asked about the pursuit of fellow No 10 Gibbs-White, Frank replied: 'I will not speak about players who are not mine. 'I think I have two exceptions, and they are getting older... Ronaldo and Messi.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Leicester City transfer briefing: The truth about compensation paid for Marti Cifuentes, the two first-team regulars allowed to leave and the latest on Bilal El Khannouss' future
And breathe. Finally, Leicester City have a manager – though sadly for the Foxes, that is just the first piece of the jigsaw. Marti Cifuentes joins a club who must reduce their high wage bill dramatically and who will almost certainly suffer a points deduction. When, they do not know, although Leicester would love to have the answer before the Championship campaign starts in less than a month.
