Free The Manager: Inside the Minds of Football's Leaders by Mike Carson

repair.
    Solution Part Two: Build Steel
    Empathy does not equate to softness. There is a steel common to all the leading football managers that marks them out from their peers. Ancelotti gives an example: ‘I was
a manager of someone who had played with me. How could I break the relationship that we had when we were players? We stayed friends, but they have respect because my role was different. I was no
longer a player – I was a manager. They have to respect my decisions. Sometimes that is not easy. I remember dropping players who came to me after my decisions to ask me, “Why did you
take me out? We are friends!” I would answer them: “Yes, we are friends – and we can continue to be friends – but you have to stay on the bench today.”’ In
stepping up to lead your peers, the art of one-on-one – specifically
how
you deliver the message – is critical.
    Perhaps the absolute master of steel is Sir Alex Ferguson. His resolve stems from a profound belief in his ability to make decisions, and originates back in the dockyard unions of Glasgow.
‘In the trade union I was a shop steward. I had a strong sense of responsibility about looking after or protecting people who were vulnerable, and I had to make decisions and stand by them.
In an era when trade unions were very, very powerful, very influenced by communists, there were still two or three times that we took strike action – for the right reasons. I had a great
mentor as a shop steward – a guy called Cal McKay, who was this fantastic, down-to-earth man and very intelligent. He could talk the length and breadth of any subject you could name, but he
would never force his beliefs on you. It was obvious that he had strong communist beliefs, whereas I was socialist and that was it, but it was his strength of character that had a serious influence
on me. I learned how to make decisions and had the strength of character to take me into management.’ Steel, then, can come from professional knowledge, decision-making ability and
self-belief. It is a hugely important quality in a leader.
    Steel can build loyalty too
    Football managers value loyalty – perhaps above all else. When the chips are down – either personally or on a wider scale – they want their players to come
through for them. We have seen how understanding builds loyalty when allied to acceptance and openness. But can steel do the same thing?
    Mick McCarthy was finishing his playing career at Millwall in 1992: ‘It was Sunday night and Millwall had lost 6-1 – I think it was at Portsmouth. I was in the pub with a good mate
of mine, John Colquhoun. We were talking about our game the following week, at home to Port Vale – which team would you pick, and so on. We weren’t involved in team selection but after
all, everyone knows better than the manager. And it was particularly interesting because there was talk of Bruce [Rioch] getting the sack. Our conversation went something like this:
    Me:
 
My team is, so and so, me, so and so, back four ... and you at right wing. What’s your team?
John:
 
You’d be in at centre half ... and Paul Stevenson at right wing.
Me:
 
What? You’re not playing in your own team?
John:
 
I know I should play, but I’ve been struggling a bit with my back ...
Me:
 
That’s interesting – not playing in your own team ...
    On the Tuesday I woke up – St Patrick’s Day, 17 March – I was looking forward to it. Then I get a call to go and see Mr Burr, the chairman who told me that
Bruce had been sacked. I was called to another meeting next day. On the way, I met my mate Ian Evans, who would become my assistant for a long time. I said to him: “I think they are going to
offer me the manager’s job.” Straight away he asked: “Do they owe you any money? They might want to pay you up – you haven’t played for a while ...” So I’m
going into the meeting with two different thoughts in my head: new job or heading out. Next day, Wednesday, I