by Angelito » Mon Sep 21, 2020 7:14 pm
While I may be entirely off the mark here, Mikel's approach in player-management might not work with everyone. It obviously does with our existing crop of players.
I cannot help but think that it would flop against world class players. Pires was allegedly someone who didn't train hard, nor was he efficient in tracking back. Vieira would get mad at Pires for leaving gaping holes, but then Pires was magic going forward, so it all evened out.
Obviously, not talking about the 'Douzi situation solely. The gritty training backed by a meticulous approach during the game, and his non-negotiables, might not be for everyone, especially top-tier talents who bring their own idiosyncrasies with them.
Wenger was a lot more laxed there. Even today, Messi just walks around and Ron is only active in the final third. Sure, those two are something else, but surely, not every player is a marathon runner in training. Hazard, it's said, isn't a hard-worker like KdB is. He had his issues with an authoritarian like Jose for the same reasons. Cesc wasn't someone who'd be all Keown, whether on the pitch or in training.
Someone like Alexis would totally buy into Mikel's ideology. Someone like Bale? He wouldn't.
Mikel is of course an amazing coach already. Does he have the same player-management acumen of a Wenger or a Ferguson? Of course not. Giggs stated that SAF was always fatherly with CR7. He wasn't the same with other players. I think it's about knowing what works best on an individual basis.
At Arsenal, Wenger mollycoddled Cesc and Ozil. Ramsey went so far to state that Ozil was the teacher's pet under Wenger. Some react to tough love like Drogba and Terry did at Chelsea under Mourinho. Some are different. Like Pires, Cesc, Ozil, etc., who are motivated by Theory Y than Theory X (in management).
Wenger adopted Theory Y/Z, it would appear—inspiration, flexibility, empathy, philosophical creativity, love, transcendence. In contrast, Pep is a Theory X manager—direct supervision, meticulousness, harsh criticism, rule-following, etc. Klopp is more Theory Y—inspirational but ordered, result-oriented yet humane, growth and progress without stern rules.
Someone like Guendouzi, he seems to need empathy, guidance, and love. Now, if Guendouzi is as radical as Balotelli was, nothing will work. Someone like Xhaka, they are all into structure and results. Mikel's approach is perfect for Xhaka and almost everyone in this squad. But the only generational talent he's managed here is Ozil. It doesn't seem to be working.
Would those non-negotiables work with Hazard or a Pires? I don't know. It will work with less-eccentric talents though. And that's where 90% of professional footballers are.