Lee Johnson – a "bargain basement Villas-Boas" who is now feeling the heat

The Severnside derby is building up nicely it seems. Lee Johnson’s recent outburst has certainly got the attention of Cardiff City fans. It will certainly fire up his own fans I suspect. All part of the package of the hype and the build up. Boy don’t we love it? This article drew my attention partly due to the emotiveness of the derby, but also because it had me smiling from my observation of Johnson as a coach. But before we come to that let’s take a look at a few other things, before I come to my own conclusion. Let’s look at Lee Johnson’s background, his track record, and the context of his statements. It reveals a lot about the man, and why he should have his outburst at Cardiff City fans. Once that is understood is becomes very transparent what his recent statement is all about.

Playing career
First up, Lee Johnson’s playing career. Most of us are familiar with the player from his fallow years with The Robins. Failing to progress at Arsenal and Watford youth, he ended up being with lowly Brighton, achieving little of note. He bounced around the basement clubs such as Brentford and Yeovil. Following a stint at Hearts he arrived to play for a struggling Bristol City. Note the appearances on his record. 405 in all. 192 at Yeovil and 174 at Bristol City, largely thanks to the blessing of his father. Outside of the professional clubs managed by his father, he only made 39 professional appearances. Make of that what you will. It is fair to say that his playing career was deeply unremarkable. Similar to the often-heard boarding school / private school kid who gets a legal job in The City because of father's connections, it is reasonable to ask would he have made that many appearances were it not for a little daddy-nudge? Debatable, but given the statistics, a very fair question. A bang average career would be a compliment of sorts.

Managerial Career
As a manager his track record is flatters to deceive, and far from spectacular. After an unremarkable playing career he did his qualifications and like most managers he took up a stint with a lower club to ply his trade. Oldham to begin with, taking them from relegation to safety, and in the next season into the top ten. He then moved to Barnsley, taking them from 22nd to 12th. Nothing revolutionary to learn here. All publicly available information. With a love for the Robins, the ambitious manager jumped ship again and moves up the greasy pole to Bristol City. Again he takes them away from relegation, and what happens next is an open book. No confirmed play-off positions. No promotions. So far, a bang average manager. But why no success to speak of? The reason is that yes, he is a meticulous manager. He is organised. And he is a modern coach in the sense that he better informed. There are also elements of doubt from players around him, both at Bristol City and at former clubs, that he is something of a textbook manager. Whether it is his average playing career or lack of gravitas I cannot possibly tell. One quote I was given was that he is a “Bargain basement Villas-Boas.” Lots of hype. Lots of phraseology. Lots of flashy presentations. Good at clearing up failure but not a natural born winner, and doesn't know what it takes to get there. His record shows that he jumps quickly when a better offer comes. Nothing bad about that, and possibly reflects amibition. But hever completely finishes the job. Could it be that he moves quickly before he gets found out? Andre Villas-Boas is a fair comparison. Difficult for me to prove, but plenty of anecdotal evidence. It could be argue that there is no smoke without fire.

Current Form
So does the historical evidence of Johnson’s managerial career lend itself to the current? It certainly does. Every time Bristol City get near that top two position they drop and fade away. It is as if they suffer from football’s equivalent of vertigo. It has happened three times this season. They get close. Then they crack. They get close. Then they crack again. Either his methods and his substance should be called into question or his ability to create winning teams. Their recent record is pitiful. One win in six games, conceding 7 goals and nearly half of them to the shambolic Sunderland. Isn't this the sign of a manager that cannot take the heat? Or is it the players that cannot take the heat? Either way, the finger points straight back at Lee Johnson. It is his job. He was expected to be the man to get promotion. Yet every time he and his boys get close they crack and fade away.

A classic, yet unoriginal outburst
So why the outburst at Cardiff City fans? Well if we accept that he is a man that is unsure of himself due to the lack of credible track record, that he has form for not being a proven winner, and his current record is repeating what history tells us, we now have the perfect context for his recent outburst. He is simply feeling the heat. And he appears unable to deal with it internally. So he points the finger at Cardiff City’s crowd. Ah, the good old-fashioned distraction methods. Shankly used it in the 1960s. Ferguson in the Nineties. Mourinho in the Noughties. It is what a manager does when feeling the heat - attempt to deflect the attention elsewhere. Hold your nose at our own stink and point fingers elsewhere. A technique as old as the hills, and a reflection of his lack of originality. Thankfully Cardiff City fans have recognised the classic wheeze within hours of the WalesOnline article being published. Who is the biggest fool here? The ones who he tried to fool? The fans in Bristol believing this fool? Or the fool that thinks he is fooling the unfooled? I am sure you will be the better judge.

My view is that Bristol City are in freefall and cracking again under pressure. Unable to create a winning team he is taking heat from his fans, and probably doubts from his own players. I believe that Lee Johnson is a man of self-doubt and this behaviour is how that self-doubt manifests itself. That is what this outburst is about. Here's my predicition. Warnock’s win against these perennial failures will kick Johnson and his mob out of the top six. It is only then a matter of time before he once again skulks to the exit before questions get asked of him, or Bristol City begins to ask serious questions of its "Bargain basement Villas-Boas".

I’m sure Warnock will have a few words for Lickle Lee in his pre match interview.

There’s certainly no love lost between Warnock and the Johnsons

I think that vilas-boas gets a bad press.
Apart from Chelsea where there were clearly issues with player power he's done well wherever he's gone.

If you've ever read the scout reports he used to do when he was a scout for Chelsea he clearly has a deep understanding of the game.

He can clearly also spot a player - he has signed Juan Mata, mousa dembele, paulinho, lamela, lukaku, Christian eriksen, lloris, vertonghen, moutinho, sigurdsson, courtois, de bruyne, James Rodriguez

Mostly from unfashionable clubs for bargains.

Not sure what the Bristol city fella has ever done

Really interesting post. You may very well be right about shortarse. Very average player and manager who has been lucrky to have the support of his father.
Hopefugly their poor run will continue Sunday, although I worry that he will get his team fired up at what might be their last chance for auto, even playoffs.

From reading that he had an average playing career... as many many top coaches have. He has also left every club he has managed in a better position than where he started despite being at clubs with low budgets based on their positions when he was appointed. He is a young manager trying to make his name. You comment on his self doubt and mental state! Are you qualified to do so or is this just opinion? He isn't my cup of tea either but professionally he is at the very start of a managerial career and he is very young to have been where he has been already. Winning promotions etc.. has as much to do with a particular clubs ambitions as much as the managers. The other managers you mention employing the old deflection tactics, they're not a bad bunch in my opinion!

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Originally Posted by J R Hartley

I’m sure Warnock will have a few words for Lickle Lee in his pre match interview.

There’s certainly no love lost between Warnock and the Johnsons

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"He's like his dad, he talks a good game" is Warnock's response. I have a feeling we're going to fly out of the traps for this one.

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Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa

"He's like his dad, he talks a good game" is Warnock's response. I have a feeling we're going to fly out of the traps for this one.

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:hehe:

I knew he wouldn’t let us down :malky:

The day he inadvertently dressed like delboy trotter on the touch line thinking he was the bollocks summed the guy up for me.

.....and ending it by saying "I don’t listen to much he says". :ayatollah:

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Originally Posted by dave1927

From reading that he had an average playing career... as many many top coaches have. He has also left every club he has managed in a better position than where he started despite being at clubs with low budgets based on their positions when he was appointed. He is a young manager trying to make his name. You comment on his self doubt and mental state! Are you qualified to do so or is this just opinion? He isn't my cup of tea either but professionally he is at the very start of a managerial career and he is very young to have been where he has been already. Winning promotions etc.. has as much to do with a particular clubs ambitions as much as the managers. The other managers you mention employing the old deflection tactics, they're not a bad bunch in my opinion!

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What tosh (imo)!

Owes his career to nepotism. Bombed out as a player everywhere he's been other that with his dad. Conveniently gets hired as manager at the club his dad used to manage, wonder what the odds would be for that.

Achieved nothing as a manager. No promotions, nothing. Tried to play "nice football" with no rewards; take last season. Tammy Abraham, 26 goals. Wurzels finished 3 points off the relegation spots. At best he's average, clinging to such footballing cliches as "DNA", "playing the right way".

He now tries to deflect attention from their poor run by focusing on our empty seats. He can't be stupid enough to be trying mind games with a Jedi master like Warnock... or maybe he is.

Thread on the wurzels board reckons Johnson is a far better manger than Warnock :hehe:

Some of the comments on the thread are bonkers.

http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/top...uld-we-be-now/

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Originally Posted by ccfc_is_my_life

What tosh (imo)!
Owes his career to nepotism. Bombed out as a player everywhere he's been other that with his dad. Conveniently gets hired as manager at the club his dad used to manage, wonder what the odds would be for that.

Achieved nothing as a manager. No promotions, nothing. Tried to play "nice football" with no rewards; take last season. Tammy Abraham, 26 goals. Wurzels finished 3 points off the relegation spots. At best he's average, clinging to such footballing cliches as "DNA", "playing the right way".

He now tries to deflect attention from their poor run by focusing on our empty seats. He can't be stupid enough to be trying mind games with a Jedi master like Warnock... or maybe he is.

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From the limited few times i have seen Bristol City this season i think they have looked decent, they certainly look like they are playing for their manager. I dont think he can be written off because his dad got him a job. He still has to perform to expectations of the club. He has never been fired and never left a club in a worse position than he started. At his age that isnt bad going. You dont have to like the guy but he seems to be doing a decent job of being a football manager even if he is a bit of a twerp of a personality.

You do Villas a great injustice in comparing a very ordinary chap with one who has a brain .

Please compare clubs they have managed and below and you will quickly realise who is the better, wealthier and more intelligent.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/André_Villas-Boas


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_...n_(footballer)

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Originally Posted by life on mars

You do Villas a great injustice in comparing a very ordinary chap with one who has a brain .

Please compare clubs they have managed and below and you will quickly realise who is the better, wealthier and more intelligent.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/André_Villas-Boas


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_...n_(footballer)

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AVB is wealthy because he was a complete and utter failure! Got about 7 years wages for 2 years work at Spurs and Chelsea!

Can’t believe 2 top clubs fell for the nonsense that he was the new mourninho

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dave1927

From the limited few times i have seen Bristol City this season i think they have looked decent, they certainly look like they are playing for their manager. I dont think he can be written off because his dad got him a job. He still has to perform to expectations of the club. He has never been fired and never left a club in a worse position than he started. At his age that isnt bad going. You dont have to like the guy but he seems to be doing a decent job of being a football manager even if he is a bit of a twerp of a personality.

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Never been fired... yet.

That's a tad spurious - is he better than Warnock since Warnock has been fired? If Lee Johnson thus equal to say Wenger? The expectations of the Wurzels are promotion. He's never achieved that at any club he's been at. Sure he may have left clubs better off but he's never pushed any club to the next level. Last season barely stayed up with a goalscorer. This season, wheels falling off rapidly.

Having a noble dogmatic approach of "we play attractive football" ( though I don't always see that when they play ) is all very well and good, but it helps if they have a modicum of success in the process.

He's at best a steady eddie, will never be a top notch manager. His pathetic mind games are an attempt to deflect from his own team's poor form.

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Originally Posted by J R Hartley

AVB is wealthy because he was a complete and utter failure! Got about 7 years wages for 2 years work at Spurs and Chelsea!

Can’t believe 2 top clubs fell for the nonsense that he was the new mourninho

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His record at Spurs was pretty good. Levy fired too soon imo.

Hes done a great job in fairness to him we shud focus on us not gloat at others

Quote:

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Originally Posted by J R Hartley

AVB is wealthy because he was a complete and utter failure! Got about 7 years wages for 2 years work at Spurs and Chelsea!

Can’t believe 2 top clubs fell for the nonsense that he was the new mourninho

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Hang on he's applying his trade In the Chinese SUPER league, not the Chinese league ,the super one ,that makes him super .

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Originally Posted by life on mars

Hang on he's applying his trade In the Chinese SUPER league, not the Chinese league ,the super one ,that makes him super .

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Which probably makes him rich, but does not make him a big success.

It was he that was pointing his fingers at us to start with. So we are well entitled to respond and begin to ask questions of the pugnacious little turd.

Quote "Who is the biggest fool here? The ones who he tried to fool? The fans in Bristol believing this fool? Or the fool that thinks he is fooling the unfooled?" :thumbup:

Typical example of Small Man Syndrome

Quote:

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Originally Posted by life on mars

Hang on he's applying his trade In the Chinese SUPER league, not the Chinese league ,the super one ,that makes him super .

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He quit to go rally driving.

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Originally Posted by ccfc_is_my_life

What tosh (imo)!

Owes his career to nepotism. Bombed out as a player everywhere he's been other that with his dad. Conveniently gets hired as manager at the club his dad used to manage, wonder what the odds would be for that.

Achieved nothing as a manager. No promotions, nothing. Tried to play "nice football" with no rewards; take last season. Tammy Abraham, 26 goals. Wurzels finished 3 points off the relegation spots. At best he's average, clinging to such footballing cliches as "DNA", "playing the right way".

He now tries to deflect attention from their poor run by focusing on our empty seats. He can't be stupid enough to be trying mind games with a Jedi master like Warnock... or maybe he is.

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Judging by his comments, he obviously is.