Football Management

'The League Managers Association has worked with the Warwick Business School, and Dr Sue Bridgewater in particular, for many years. This relationship has, I believe, been mutually beneficial and I am delighted to endorse this excellent book, not least because it cuts through all the emotional issues which so often cloud the judgement of people trying to arrive at sensible analysis of this very demanding profession. The book provides an objective viewpoint, which is clearly and rationally explained, and also allows an academic insight to not just a precarious, but also an intriguing, profession which offers millions of fans a daily source of interest and conversation.' – Howard Wilkinson, Chairman, League Managers Association

'I found the book a very informative read. Many of the things it covers are currently happening to me. I would recommend this book as a must read for any potential manager, or for that matter any new owner or CEO of a football club. I believe the manager is the most important appointment at a club, and this book will go a long way in helping prospective managers to get appointed and to stay appointed for longer than the usual 14 months.' – Kevin Blackwell, Manager, Sheffield United FC

'I was fortunate enough to work with Sue Bridgewater when the Applied Management course at Warwick Business School was in its infancy. Sue casts a critical eye over the challenge of modern football management and the short-term thinking that too often hinders real progress. Through her work with the League Managers Association she talks from a true position of knowledge and shows understanding of the issues surrounding the modern manager.' – Stuart Pearce, Head Coach, England Under 21s

'Sue brings a clear academic analysis to the turbulent world of football management. I found reading this book as useful and informative as attending Sue's fantastic Applied Management Course at Warwick Business School. An interesting and helpful read.' – Malky Mackay, Manager, Watford FC

'Sue Bridgewater gives a powerful insight into the trends and perceived success criteria of football management in the 21st century. The evidence she presents, and subsequent analysis, contribute greatly to our understanding of the issues and challenges faced by football managers in an increasingly turbulent and pressurised industry. I am sure that the book will be positively received by all managers, who will be empowered by the acknowledgment of the challenges faced and the models of practice presented. Sue's work is proof that football management is certainly not a career for the faint hearted. I encourage all managers, chairmen, supporters, theorists, and football policy makers and governing bodies to study her findings carefully so that we can learn from the potentially damaging impact of the managerial merry-go-round and move to a more effective and sustainable model of football management in this country, providing opportunities to support managers in achieving their potential.'–Brian Laws, Manager, Burnley FC

Football managers have to deal with a number of intense pressures: football management is an extremely turbulent profession, it is results-oriented, and managers' actions are carried out in the full glare of the media spotlight. Yet in many of its dimensions the challenges of the football manager role strike chords with those of talent managers in many other sectors:

-How do you get the best out of players with different strengths?

-How do you achieve the best recruitment, development, and retention of these staff?

-When do you decide against trying to stop them from leaving?

-How do you motivate those who are not in your starting line-up?

-What is your role as leader in this type of situation?

-How do you think longer term when the pressures are all judged by short-term measures?

-What if you are made a scapegoat for the failings of the broader organization?

The football analogy is a widely understood one, and many of these issues can be discussed in terms of football management in ways which are more easily digested than through examples from many other sectors.

This book will satisfy the interest in football management and in talent management and leadership using thought-provoking material and examples that allow us to look at daily challenges through a different lens.