Manager Meltdowns

[Axle]

A bit of diversion from transfers in the off season hiatus: the never-ending gift of manager (or player) meltdowns.

One of the best I've seen is John Sitton at Leyton Orient. Our very own Chris Turner involved in this one too. Sitton offers out two players, fires another one and tells them, infamously to 'Bring your dinner' to the fight.

Needless to say, NSFW, but hopefully a good start for some humorous distractions from the news at Molineux:

 

[Coops]

Imagine how the players these days would react to that...!

 

[Thank you Sir Jack]

Call that a half-time meltdown? We have someone on the mix who makes that look calm and rational.
(Nice diversion though, as you say)

 

[Mighty Thor]

A bit of diversion from transfers in the off season hiatus: the never-ending gift of manager (or player) meltdowns.

One of the best I've seen is John Sitton at Leyton Orient. Our very own Chris Turner involved in this one too. Sitton offers out two players, fires another one and tells them, infamously to 'Bring your dinner' to the fight.

Needless to say, NSFW, but hopefully a good start for some humorous distractions from the news at Molineux:

They would call HR these days and say the boss was mean to me

 

[Wonder Boyo]

They would call HR these days and say the boss was mean to me

Probably true, but that's because management, leadership and coaching have moved on. Mainly for the better.

Speaking to other human beings like that might sometimes work in the short-term but none of these hard men are successful over the long-term. They're normally damaged individuals who go on to bully and damage other individuals and create a toxic work environment that is ultimately unsuccessful. Still admired by some though.

 

[RosehillWolf]

Our very own Kevin Muscat being grabbed by the throat by Adelaide manager John Kozmina takes some beating. Muscat craftily pushed him off his chair while retrieving the ball and then protested innocence. There’s a you tube video but I don’t know how to attach

 

[Bradmore Wolf]

Great idea for a thread. I offer up Colin

 

[Norris]

That’s brilliant

 

[Mighty Thor]

Probably true, but that's because management, leadership and coaching have moved on. Mainly for the better.

Speaking to other human beings like that might sometimes work in the short-term but none of these hard men are successful over the long-term. They're normally damaged individuals who go on to bully and damage other individuals and create a toxic work environment that is ultimately unsuccessful. Still admired by some though.

Yay and nay. And depends on both the situation and the timing. I’m not in the military but I expect the way the leaders are off the battle field may be slightly different to when they are mid battle if they believe their troops are slacking off and not following orders?

But agree both management and indeed society has moved on to operate differently. Sometimes though certain characters do require and respond better to a kick up the butt. I for one know I only put the bins out and mow the lawn when the wife has gone all Brian Clough on me. Her initial klopp style of husband management falls on deaf ears, as yes I respect her, and I like the way she makes me feel, but ultimately I only react when the gasket is blown.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

That’s exactly how I manage my girls U11 team.

 

[johnnybetchas]

Remember the Leyton Orient programme. It was brlliant!

 

[UEAwolf]

They would call HR these days and say the boss was mean to me

According to Wiki; the team still lost the match after that outburst; went on a losing streak and he was then sacked. Never worked in professional football again and was/is now a London cab driver.

Thankfully society has moved on, but that outburst had little effect 30 years ago either.

 

[tamwolf]

 

[Monketron]

Manager meltdown you say?

 

[Mighty Thor]

According to Wiki; the team still lost the match after that outburst; went on a losing streak and he was then sacked. Never worked in professional football again and was/is now a London cab driver.

Thankfully society has moved on, but that outburst had little effect 30 years ago either.

You can’t say that style had little effect because of one guy, on one team, and one game. There are too many other variables apart from the managers half time team talk style.

For every one of these guys who ranted and failed I give you a fergie, a clough, a warnock etc etc

 

[Wonder Boyo]

Yay and nay. And depends on both the situation and the timing. I’m not in the military but I expect the way the leaders are off the battle field may be slightly different to when they are mid battle if they believe their troops are slacking off and now following orders?

But agree both management and indeed society has moved on to operate differently. Sometimes though certain characters do require and respond better to a kick up the butt. I for one know I only put the bins out and mow the lawn when the wife has gone all Brian Clough on me. Her initial klopp style of husband management falls on deaf years as yes I respect her and I like the way she makes me feel but ultimately I only react when the gasket is blown.

I agree that sometimes it's horses for courses and sometimes a kick up the backside can be motivating and work well. Some tough leadership and assertiveness and being held to account is needed. Alex Ferguson is a prime example, new how to be tough when needed but also thought deeply about leadership and motivation. My issue is with the guys, like Sitton, who are completely over the top. A lot of these guys in the past used to be over the top and toxic, but didn't know better.

I had a pro contract as a youngster and had to move on after an injury. After a year or so off I joined a non-league team (tiers 5 and 6) while also working in a part-time job. This was in the late 80s / early 90s. We had a hard man boss who cultivated a combative lads culture. I appreciate that the following might make me sound like a joyless introvert, but I'm not at all. The dressing room was always shouty and constantly involved practical jokes around stuff like cutting up people's clothes, pooing in lockers and generally take the **** out of each other constantly. Some loved it but most pretended to like it but hated it. Our manager was a Billy Big *******s who tore a strip off me and called me a homo for reading a broadsheet newspaper in the dressing room, and for generally being quiet and reflective (I was around 20 years old at the time). Every half-time team talk to the players was "you're ****, you're ****, you need to ****ing pull your finger out." etc. etc. It was pretty toxic and I know that nearly everyone hated it but played along with it all.

Without sounding pretentious, I was one of the better players, but after one more full-time red faced nose to nose rant in my face I just thought, "**** this, I don't enjoy it." I walked away from the club and never played semi-pro football again. By then my job was going well and I wasn't enjoying all the training and travelling so that played a part too. It certainly didn't help motivate me. I think with a different manager I may have stayed in non-league longer and would have helped a team to be successful, as it turned out it is was the best thing that could have happened for me. So I am grateful for that. I just remember all these young men acting hard around the club and secretly hating it because of the manager and culture within the club. The guy was never successful before, then, or after.

Interestingly, my brother is ex-military (Falklands, 2 x Gulf wars) and is still in touch with the forces. Nearly all of his mates are damaged in someway or another and he told me how toxic some of it was, and how things have improved recently and soldiers are treated more humanely by their superiors and as a result are better soldiers, human beings and able to seek out and access help. War is nearly always going to end up damaging people, but how they are treated by their superiors and the culture they work in. can have a big impact on them too. It doesn't make them less effective in their performance or lacking in courage.

 

[Bradmore Wolf]

**** me...I thought this thread might be a bit of fun. Didn't expect a psychological dissection! ( or probably did actually)

 

[Axle]

Manager meltdown you say?

Guy was a walking myocardial infraction.

No idea how he lasted so long in the game with his anger issues.

Or in life for that matter.

 

[Darvo]

‘The Keegan interview’ as Newcastle threw the title away was a classic. Loved it.

 

[Lobo de Ouro]

A bit of diversion from transfers in the off season hiatus: the never-ending gift of manager (or player) meltdowns.

One of the best I've seen is John Sitton at Leyton Orient. Our very own Chris Turner involved in this one too. Sitton offers out two players, fires another one and tells them, infamously to 'Bring your dinner' to the fight.

Needless to say, NSFW, but hopefully a good start for some humorous distractions from the news at Molineux:

How did the 2nd half go?

 

[Highlandwolf2]

Slightly off topic. Friend of mine was invited into the dressing room before the match and was surprised when Graham Turner arrived a bit early and locked the dressing room door, with my friend still inside, who was amazed at some of the instructions given - e.g. “give xxx a good kicking” and the like. So no surprise that things get a bit heated if instructions not followed.

 

[optimuswolf]

Not a meltdown quite, but my fave personal wolves story was mark mcghee turning round and telling me personally to F off after I'd given him some friendly (i was 14, and in the family enclosure with my dad) feedback.

He really was an ****.

 

[Wolves in Limerick]

There is an account of Brian Clough giving Roy Keane a punch in a half time talking to/dressing down, not sure if it is in Keane's autobiography, which was ghost written by Eamonn Dunphy which of course raises matters of the truth of what was published. I remember doing a work course shortly after the Saipan tantrum which was given by a woman whose son was a close friend of one of the Irish players, she maintained the players had been delighted that Keane had been thrown out, as he was a bully and most of the players were afraid of him. One of the lads I was in college with and who played in the same underage club - Rockmount United - as Keane maintained that they didn't believe he would make it in England as he got sent off in quite a lot of the games he played in. There is a picture on line from the Irish Examiner showing him as captain of the Cork team meeting the Mayor of Cork after the Kennedy Cup (national under 13 league tournament), though captain he is the smallest lad in the picture. As a manager he continued in the same vein as a player, one of the last media reports in his period working with Martin O'Neill was of two of the panel (one of whom was Stephen Ward) having to restrain Jonathan Walters from attacking Keane. Walters was quoted as saying that Keane needn't try the same **** as he had at Ipswich on him. Best left in the TV studio.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

**** me...I thought this thread might be a bit of fun. Didn't expect a psychological dissection! ( or probably did actually)

**** UP YOU **** YOUR PERFORMANCE IS A ****ING DISGRACE!

 

[Highlandwolf2]

Not a meltdown quite, but my fave personal wolves story was mark mcghee turning round and telling me personally to F off after I'd given him some friendly (i was 14, and in the family enclosure with my dad) feedback.

He really was an ****.

We lived in Compton and my wife was walking down Grove lane to take my son to school . McGhee drove past and got very close to both of them. When my wife yelled out McGhee wound down his window and wanted to argue about it. Sadly for him he picked on the wrong one and drove off meekly when he had met his match. As you say, a total ****

 

[sillytuna]

They're fun to watch but angry rants have a time and a place, and will only work with certain people at certain times. Otherwise you create a horrible atmosphere which screws people up.

To this day I give back to any gobby git on the pitch who gets angry and shouty at fellow players - we play for fun and no one enjoys being shouted at when they're trying their best.

Pros do it for a job but the rules of management don't change.

 

[Wonder Boyo]

**** me...I thought this thread might be a bit of fun. Didn't expect a psychological dissection! ( or probably did actually)

Sorry about that!

If there's a manager I really dislike above all others it's Nigel Pearson, he's as insecure as it comes. There was that time he wrestled with an opposition player on the sideline, bullied that young reporter who he called an ostrich and then had this cringe interview with Pat Murphy. Not a meltdown as such but it is as passive aggressive as it comes.

 

[Don Corleone]

A bit of diversion from transfers in the off season hiatus: the never-ending gift of manager (or player) meltdowns.

One of the best I've seen is John Sitton at Leyton Orient. Our very own Chris Turner involved in this one too. Sitton offers out two players, fires another one and tells them, infamously to 'Bring your dinner' to the fight.

Needless to say, NSFW, but hopefully a good start for some humorous distractions from the news at Molineux:

Barry Fry did a brilliant one as well when at Peterborough as manager I’ll try and find it. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ombyman]

Wenger used to have some good ones, they always had an air of the victim about them

 

[DeWolfMan60]

Mick could be 'difficult' in media interviews. Great fun to watch though.
Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in the dressing room during his Wolves tenure

 

[Kebab Warrior]

A bit of diversion from transfers in the off season hiatus: the never-ending gift of manager (or player) meltdowns.

One of the best I've seen is John Sitton at Leyton Orient. Our very own Chris Turner involved in this one too. Sitton offers out two players, fires another one and tells them, infamously to 'Bring your dinner' to the fight.

Needless to say, NSFW, but hopefully a good start for some humorous distractions from the news at Molineux:

I still don’t get ‘you can bring your dinner’ lol.

I wish someone had chinned the ****.

 

[stever]

Mick could be 'difficult' in media interviews. Great fun to watch though.
Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in the dressing room during his Wolves tenure

Doubt he'd have given that fly any hope

 

[George AlooGobi]

Not a meltdown quite, but my fave personal wolves story was mark mcghee turning round and telling me personally to F off after I'd given him some friendly (i was 14, and in the family enclosure with my dad) feedback.

He really was an ****.

I've heard quite a few similar stories about McGhee. Comes across as a real @rsehole

 

[Flump]

If there's a manager I really dislike above all others it's Nigel Pearson, he's as insecure as it comes. There was that time he wrestled with an opposition player on the sideline, bullied that young reporter who he called an ostrich and then had this cringe interview with Pat Murphy. Not a meltdown as such but it is as passive aggressive as it comes.

He's a weird one, because a lot of the time he comes across OK, but when he's under pressure, he's absolutely awful. That interview was particularly cringeworthy, as he was clearly so angry he couldn't figure out how to finish his sentences without swearing or offering a fight.

NP: You can’t. Listen you have been here often enough and for you to ask that question, you are either being very, very silly or you are being absolutely stupid, one of the two

Although the best part was when Pearson was bragging about being flexible enough to actually stick his head in the sand!

NP: If you don’t know the answer to that question then I think you are an ostrich. Your head must be in the sand. Is your head in the sand? Are you flexible enough to get your head in the sand? My suspicion would be no.

Journalist Probably not.

NP I can, you can’t. You can’t

 

[Wonder Boyo]

He's a weird one, because a lot of the time he comes across OK, but when he's under pressure, he's absolutely awful. That interview was particularly cringeworthy, as he was clearly so angry he couldn't figure out how to finish his sentences without swearing or offering a fight.



Although the best part was when Pearson was bragging about being flexible enough to actually stick his head in the sand!

Yes, I'd agree, he can be reasonable and had learned a lot from his mistakes by the time he took on the Watford job. You're right, in that he finds it hard to cope with the pressure. Pat Murphy really touched a nerve when he asked him if he needed to go on an anger management course! Here's that original ostrich press conference and straight afterwards the next press conference when he apologised to the reporter. I had never seen that before, so have to give him credit for recognising his behaviour and apologising.

This is the James McArthur incident and also a video of him telling a fan to **** off and die. He was really provoked in that situation and I can kind of understand it as fans love to give it but can't take it, but when he gets to a certain point of arousal he finds it hard to control himself. I'm just not a fan of bullies. I think there's a reasonable person in there who struggles with anger and probably feels a lot of remorse afterwards... but then repeats the behaviour later. Think Pat Murphy's advice would probably help him!

 

[jrpb-3]

remember things getting pretty heated between Nuno and Warnock at the end of a match (Nuno going straight on pitch to celebrate result before shaking hands, then Warnock refusing to shake hands afterwards

Is Nuno over-celebrating?

The reason for Neil Warnock's tirade at Nuno after Wolves loss

also not a meltdown, but after Nuno sending off at the Bristol game and Celebrating in their directors Box (their fans none too happy)

https://twitter.com/x/status/947195218620768256

 

[jrpb-3]

Warnocks probably had more rants than most,
also think I can remember a few from Ian Holloway when he was at Blackpool and QPR

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

He's a weird one, because a lot of the time he comes across OK, but when he's under pressure, he's absolutely awful. That interview was particularly cringeworthy, as he was clearly so angry he couldn't figure out how to finish his sentences without swearing or offering a fight.



Although the best part was when Pearson was bragging about being flexible enough to actually stick his head in the sand!

What a dunce he is

 

[WickedWolfie]

Yes, I'd agree, he can be reasonable and had learned a lot from his mistakes by the time he took on the Watford job. You're right, in that he finds it hard to cope with the pressure. Pat Murphy really touched a nerve when he asked him if he needed to go on an anger management course! Here's that original ostrich press conference and straight afterwards the next press conference when he apologised to the reporter. I had never seen that before, so have to give him credit for recognising his behaviour and apologising.

This is the James McArthur incident and also a video of him telling a fan to **** off and die. He was really provoked in that situation and I can kind of understand it as fans love to give it but can't take it, but when he gets to a certain point of arousal he finds it hard to control himself. I'm just not a fan of bullies. I think there's a reasonable person in there who struggles with anger and probably feels a lot of remorse afterwards... but then repeats the behaviour later. Think Pat Murphy's advice would probably help him!

To be fair to Pearson James McArthur is an utter ****ing ****.