The older generation of soccer players had the great Ron Atkinson and the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson as the best coaches of their time. Modern soccer lovers also have examples of great managers, including Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola. 

Whatever generation you belong to, one notable debate in the football world borders around who is more important between players and managers. Typically, managers take the fall when their teams perform poorly, while others say there is only so much the manager can do. 

This article explores the importance of soccer managers and how much their role can determine game outcomes. 

Who is a Soccer Manager? 

Before discussing how much impact a manager has on football games, let’s explore why they are even important in the first place. 

A soccer manager is an individual responsible for assembling a team, putting together their playing tactics, deciding game-to-game player selections, and the man-management of every squad player. 

They are basically hired by football teams at the club and national level to develop strategies and make crucial decisions on and off the field. As a result, the average manager spends hours or even days on match analysis, tactic development, and player management before a game. 

The strict attention to detail sets successful managers like Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho apart from average coaches. These top guys thoroughly understand their players’ strengths and weaknesses. They also have a solid project and recruit the right players and backroom staff who understand and align with their goals. 

That’s why a manager doesn’t work alone. They have assistant coaches, physicians, dieticians, and other backroom staff who work together to create a system and an enabling environment that help the players to thrive. Ultimately, they manage players’ strengths and weaknesses to achieve team success. 

How Does a Manager Affect a Team’s Success?

The manager’s role in setting a team up for success cannot be overemphasized. That is why football clubs and national tea federations spend a lot of time and money getting the right managers. 

Even lower-league clubs with limited expectations still hire decent coaches at their level because they want results despite their financial constraints. 

Upon appointment, the manager is saddled with various responsibilities, including creating a system that accommodates all players regardless of their individual strengths and weaknesses. It is also the manager’s role to ensure every player fully understands the system so they can operate on the same wavelength. 

But what is done behind the scenes isn’t as important as the on-pitch execution. So, a coach’s job doesn’t end at training and tactical integration. Their man-management skills will go a long way in ensuring every player is happy and the team’s morale is high. This will boost the team’s confidence and play a crucial role in their overall results. 

Besides, the manager’s tactical approach and planning can significantly influence the team’s success. For instance, many give plaudits to coaches like Pep Guardiola, Thomas Tuchel, and Jose Mourinho for being master tacticians. Some even say Pep birthed a modern version of tiki-taka football that dominates modern soccer. 

We can all agree that these tactics are no fluke. Their associated trophies didn’t also come by chance, though a bit of luck is required in football. They’ve consistently dominated over the years because of their standout tactical skills. However, the skills don’t eliminate bad days at the office.

For instance, Jose Mourinho has been sacked by various clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, and more recently, AS Roma. The same coach had successful spells at these clubs, winning domestic and continental trophies across the EPL, FA Cup, Europa League, and the UEFA Conference League. 

Thomas Tuchel has also experienced similar fortunes at clubs like Chelsea and Bayern Munich. The reasons they got the ax were the poor game results and a series of underwhelming spells. 

Now, these situations raise the question of whether match results solely depend on managers. Many football pundits and fans call out the managers when the bad days come. Even the media and sports bettors who wager on games on crypto casino sites transfer the anger of their lost bet slips to managers. 

But if the same team that was on a high in the previous season or the first half of a season suddenly experiences an elongated bad spell, could it be a manager issue? We will answer this big question as we go. 

Beyond the Team: Soccer Managers’ Influence on Match Outcomes 

It goes without saying that there is a level of impact managers have on their teams and even soccer matches. For instance, every football fan speaks highly of Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex because of their indolence over the teams they’ve coached, especially their effective tactics that made the teams dominant. 

But before getting into the details of how much influence they have, let’s take a look at how a typical match daybed for a manager. 

• The day begins with the development of match tactics, including game plans, formations, playing styles, and how to approach the game.  

• Next is the team selection, which involves picking the first 11 that have impressed during training and other factors. These include match sharpness, player fitness, and the team’s strengths and weaknesses. 

• Solid in-game management is then required to ensure players stick to the game plan and also make necessary adjustments, including substitutions, formation changes, and tactical switches. 

These combine to determine a significant part of the game outcome, but it doesn’t end with the coach. Despite the numerous roles managers play in creating a winning team, we can’t overlook players. 

So, while managers matter in the whole grand scheme of things, players’ performance levels and decisions during the game determine the result after the final whistle. 

Sometimes, players can act differently from the manager’s instructions, so some pundits argue that players are the ultimate deciders of match results.

Conclusion 

At the end of the day, both players and managers combine to influence what happens in a game. Sometimes, the players align with the game plan, and it works out. Other times, star players step up with brilliant moments to win games for their managers. 

Whatever the case is, neither coaches nor players act in isolation. However, there’s more pressure on the managers to deliver, or they’ll face scrutiny from the media, fans, and employers.