Comments on: Foreign vs. Local: The Great Coaching Debate http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/11/02/foreign-vs-local-the-great-coaching-debate/ Exploring football culture around the world Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:51:12 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Andrew Guest http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/11/02/foreign-vs-local-the-great-coaching-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-11327 Andrew Guest Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:15:25 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=4214#comment-11327 Good point Tom. Actually, Soccernomics does mention the humility issue in relation to Hiddink: “He had also learned what every successful missionary knows: respect the native way of life, or at least pretend to, because otherwise the natives won’t listen to you.” But the other side of that is that as a foreign coach I think arrogance often gets you in the door--when teams look to the outside, they are often hoping (unrealistically) for a savior and coaches willing to identify as such are more likely to get a shot. In fact, many of the European coaches I've seen working in Africa were shockingly arrogant and insensitive. But they got opportunities because they claimed to know "the way." So I suspect that will be an ongoing tension that both MLS and national teams will have to negotiate. But I do hope they learn from experience... Good point Tom. Actually, Soccernomics does mention the humility issue in relation to Hiddink: “He had also learned what every successful missionary knows: respect the native way of life, or at least pretend to, because otherwise the natives won’t listen to you.”

But the other side of that is that as a foreign coach I think arrogance often gets you in the door–when teams look to the outside, they are often hoping (unrealistically) for a savior and coaches willing to identify as such are more likely to get a shot. In fact, many of the European coaches I’ve seen working in Africa were shockingly arrogant and insensitive. But they got opportunities because they claimed to know “the way.” So I suspect that will be an ongoing tension that both MLS and national teams will have to negotiate. But I do hope they learn from experience…

]]> By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/11/02/foreign-vs-local-the-great-coaching-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-11232 Tom Dunmore Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:36:55 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=4214#comment-11232 I think the debate is interesting with regard to MLS. Gullit was a total flop, and Wahl's book details why: he just didn't have the desire to get to grips with the league's intricacies, with a rulebook and culture totally alien to a European. The same has been true of a couple of other high-priced foreign coaches. But it's interesting that lower profile foreign coaches have brought a lot to the league: those that also played here, or who have taken the time to learn the ropes and not presume they know it all. I think a certain humility is always needed when going to manage in another culture, and this is less likely to come from the higher profile manager. I think the debate is interesting with regard to MLS. Gullit was a total flop, and Wahl’s book details why: he just didn’t have the desire to get to grips with the league’s intricacies, with a rulebook and culture totally alien to a European. The same has been true of a couple of other high-priced foreign coaches.

But it’s interesting that lower profile foreign coaches have brought a lot to the league: those that also played here, or who have taken the time to learn the ropes and not presume they know it all. I think a certain humility is always needed when going to manage in another culture, and this is less likely to come from the higher profile manager.

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