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For some spectators watching the World Cup this summer, they’ll be doing so with one eye on the action on the field, and another focused on the technical areas.
We’re becoming increasingly immersed in the tactical side of the game, lapping up football blogs like The False 9 and Zonal Marking that analyse the machinations of the match; the formations, the substitutions, the pattern of the action.
In short, the coaches are becoming as fascinating as the players. The 32 individuals leading the teams during the tournament will find themselves under intense scrutiny, with every decision discussed like never before. And, there are some interesting personalities in Russia.
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Right on cue, on the eve of the tournament, a surprising announcement. Actually, make that two. Firstly, Real Madrid confirmed the appointment of Julen Lopetegui as their new head coach. Lopetegui had every intention of starting his new role once Spain’s World Cup campaign had finished - hoping he’d arrive at the Bernabeu as a World Cup winner with the Spanish among the favourites to win the tournament - but that wasn’t to be. The Spanish FA had other plans, sacking Lopetegui two days before the tournament. It was, arguably, the biggest pre-tournament shock since Roy Keane left the Republic of Ireland squad in 2002.
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Suddenly, thrust into the action, was Fernando Hierro, something of a Spanish footballing legend but inexperienced on the coaching front. He made over 400 appearances for Real Madrid and won 89 caps for Spain, but his only head coach role was at Real Oviedo, the second division club. He has, however, been assistant coach at Real, and director of football at Malaga. He was also sporting director of the national side, so it’s easy to understand why the Spanish FA would turn to him at extreme late notice and with options scarce.
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This will obviously be a first World Cup as a coach for Hierro and it will also be a coaching debut for England’s Gareth Southgate. Southgate, as a coach, has made his name largely through international football. He stepped straight into management from his playing days at Middlesbrough but the last few years have been him guiding England’s under 21s before stepping up to the senior team in 2016.Â
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Perhaps considered, in the past, of simply being a ‘Nice Guy’ or ‘in the right place at the right time’, Southgate has been a pleasant surprise so far. He’s already achieved what was beyond certain predecessors in instilling a defined formation and game plan, and making big decisions. Ending the international career of Wayne Rooney, and leaving both Joe Hart and Jack Wilshere out of the World Cup squad, were not conservative calls. Unsurprisingly, given his background, he’s integrated many young players. What his reputation will be like after the World Cup remains to be seen.
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At international level, at least, the poster boy of coaches is surely Joachim Low, who guided Germany to the World Cup in 2014. Low has set the standard for all coaches to follow; who wouldn’t want to emulate this Germany side? Yet, it’s worth delving deeper into his career and examining his background. Save for a successful spell at Stuttgart in the mid 90s, Low’s club career was inconsistent, with disparate spells at Fenerbahce, Karlsruher, Adanaspor, FC Tirol and Austria Vienna. He was given the assistant coach’s job with Germany, beside Jurgen Klinsmann, in 2004 - the pair had done their coaching qualifications together - and stepped up into the head coach role in 2006.
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Whatever the magic ingredient to be a World Cup coach is, it’s not necessarily having a glittering, successful club career behind you.Â
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Other intriguing characters in the dugouts this summer include Argentina’s Jorge Sampaoli, best known for previous stints with the Chile national team and La Liga club Sevilla. Sampaoli only stepped in towards the end of qualifying, the third coach Argentina used, and cajoled them over the line to the finals with three wins and a draw in four games. All eyes will be on his radical game plan, discussed here by Sports Illustrated as a ‘2-3-3-2’. Argentina great Diego Maradona has already apparently dismissed the idea as ‘ridiculous’.Â
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Brazil’s coach Tite is another enigmatic figure. Check out his CV - he’s had a succession of jobs that won’t mean a lot to European football fans, and he’s never coached in Europe. But his record since taking charge of the national side is pretty solid, and he’s tightened Brazil up defensively. Undefeated in qualifying under him, with ten wins and two draws, Brazil look a different beast, and Tite has been hailed for his tactical flexibility.
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Elsewhere, however, it’s not only about the newcomers. Seasoned coaching figures Bert van Marwijk (Australia), Carlos Queiroz (Iran) and Hector Cuper (Egypt) will also be prowling their technical areas. The contrast between bright new coaches and experienced older heads could prove fascinating.
Written by Ketan Patel
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