We all love a good football related bust-up, and when it involves managers and players then it gains a special level of notoriety. While the office is expected to be the height of professionalism, anything goes on the football field, with famous disciplinarians such as Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson making a name for themselves for the way that they deal with both those working underneath them and the media.
Have you taken the brunt of your manager's "Hairdryer Treatment"?
Football analogies are rife in the business world, but it is the similar demands of football managers and their office based counterparts where real parallels can be drawn. Both need to inspire and motivate their workforce whilst maintaining discipline and working with the resources given to them from on high.
They both face the pressure to perform, meet targets and get results, but it is the ways that they both go about doing this where the parallels (should) end.
Inspired by the list of the Most Memorable Moment of Managerial Madness (source), here are some of the more unforgettable incidents where football managers have lost their professional veneer.
- Kevin Keegan’s “Love It” Rant
When Manchester United started eating into Newcastle’s 12 point lead during the 1995/96 season, Kevin Keegan, then Newcastle manager, responded to accusations that teams try harder against his Mancunian counterparts with his now infamous rant. “I'll tell you honestly, I will love it if we beat them - LOVE IT!” They didn’t beat them, and Manchester United went on to win the title.
- Alex Ferguson Kicks a Boot at David Beckham
Manchester United had just lost to arch-rivals Arsenal 2-0 in the FA Cup and Alex Ferguson was “debriefing” his players. During the ensuing “hairdryer” treatment, Alex Ferguson kicked out at a discarded boot which sailed across the dressing room into one of the most famous heads on the planet. Beckham left the club shortly afterwards.
- Glen Hoddles “Disability” Comments
Glen Hoddle’s infamous comments whilst England manger, in which he claimed that people with disabilities are victims of karma, didn’t go down to well with his bosses at the FA. He left the job soon afterwards.
When managers make mistakes in the workplace, they rarely receive as much press attention as their footballing counterparts, but when the pressure is high and the stakes are raised, anyone is capable of making a managerial mishap.
Have you been a witness to a managerial moment of madness? Have you even had one of your own? Let us know your tales of management gone awry in the comments section below.
Posted by Daniel Vince
