The best English manager competing in Europe

Not sure there's too much competition for that honour, but at the moment it has to be...

Graham Potter of Ostersunds in Sweden.

They were a permanent fixture of the bottom tier in Sweden when he took over, but since then they have seen a meteoric rise. They made their way to the top division, won a cup and qualified for the Europa league.
They got through the qualifying rounds and have been very impressive in the group stages. They won away in a very tricky tie in Ukraine, and last night earned a 2-2 draw with Athletic Bilbao to top the group and look like they are in a very good position to make the next stage.
Sooner or later someone at championship level or above will make an offer for this guy.

Doing a bit more research into their uefa cup run, they've knocked out Galatasaray and PAOK already, and are comfortably top of their group which includes athletic, Hertha Berlin and a Ukrainian team.
And they were about 90 seconds away from beating Athletic last night.
All from the fourth tier in Swedish football in 6 seasons. If it was achieved on football manager, people would complain how unrealistic the game is.

I was reading about this team a while ago. Do they have any kind of strong financial backing or has it all just come together somehow? Either way, it's a great story.

And thanks for reminding me: the new FM comes out next week, time to say goodbye to friends, family and life.

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Originally Posted by Tokyo Blue

I was reading about this team a while ago. Do they have any kind of strong financial backing or has it all just come together somehow? Either way, it's a great story.

And thanks for reminding me: the new FM comes out next week, time to say goodbye to friends, family and life.

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I don't think they've spent a lot, apparently they've had some unusual management techniques.

I think he plays a possession based flexible system with 3 defenders, and the players are encouraged to have a high degree of autonomy when they are on the pitch.
They also make all the players and staff put on art shows or singing performances for the fans to take them out of their comfort zones and promote confidence and teamwork.

Can't imagine those ideas holding much truck with our current manager.

I have been following their results as a good friend of ours is from there. They are a tiny club and their results have been incredible. They are very much a community club.

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Originally Posted by Tokyo Blue

I was reading about this team a while ago. Do they have any kind of strong financial backing or has it all just come together somehow? Either way, it's a great story.

And thanks for reminding me: the new FM comes out next week, time to say goodbye to friends, family and life.

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I’m not aware they have spent much at all. Makes their achievements even more impressive.

Interestingly if they do make it through to the next round, it'll be played slap bang in the middle of their close season, and they won't have played a competitive fixture for weeks.
Must be a massive disadvantage for teams in the Scandinavian countries

And Neil Warnock

Fair play, Ostersunds managed to finish their European run with a win at the Emirates over Arsenal, if it wasn't for the disaster of the first leg then it could have been a different story.

Their league finished in November so before the first leg they hadn't had a competitive game for months, surely a huge disadvantage for the Nordic teams in Europe.

Now the European run is over, I can see Potter making a jump pack into the English game.

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Originally Posted by Rjk

Fair play, Ostersunds managed to finish their European run with a win at the Emirates over Arsenal, if it wasn't for the disaster of the first leg then it could have been a different story.

Their league finished in November so before the first leg they hadn't had a competitive game for months, surely a huge disadvantage for the Nordic teams in Europe.

Now the European run is over, I can see Potter making a jump pack into the English game.

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No doubts he's been a major success there, but I wonder if he's better off staying? He's clearly got some quite alternative methods when it comes to management, but he's been in a position where had things not worked so well it wouldn't have mattered. Imagine him going to a club needing immediate results. Would he be given the time he'd need to be a success? I doubt it. He'd be leaving a job where he is God for a job where he'd likely be a complete failure.

I imagine bigger clubs are looking at him but if he hasn't got to move, he's probably best off staying put.

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

No doubts he's been a major success there, but I wonder if he's better off staying? He's clearly got some quite alternative methods when it comes to management, but he's been in a position where had things not worked so well it wouldn't have mattered. Imagine him going to a club needing immediate results. Would he be given the time he'd need to be a success? I doubt it. He'd be leaving a job where he is God for a job where he'd likely be a complete failure.

I imagine bigger clubs are looking at him but if he hasn't got to move, he's probably best off staying put.

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On the other hand, he could earn many times his current salary by moving

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Originally Posted by Rjk

On the other hand, he could earn many times his current salary by moving

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Indeed, but for how long?

I'm thinking that had it been about money, he would probably already have gone.

I think he'll only move for the right job, not just any job that pays lots more.

Why would he want to move from a fantastic country with a decent salary to a shithole like Birmingham, Leeds,, Newcastle etc?

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Originally Posted by Louth

Why would he want to move from a fantastic country with a decent salary to a shithole like Birmingham, Leeds,, Newcastle etc?

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I agree that it is a good thing that he is enjoying living in Sweden regardless of the fact that he could earn more living in England but I don’t think that any of those cities are shitholes. There are abundant, affordable, beautiful neighbourhoods in or near each of them and they all have cultural and leisure offerings the equivalent of anywhere in Sweden.

OK I'll give you the fact that he can earn more.
Cultural and leisure offerings? More so than Sweden..... what with education and health?
Is this sarcasm?

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

Indeed, but for how long?

I'm thinking that had it been about money, he would probably already have gone.

I think he'll only move for the right job, not just any job that pays lots more.

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Assuming the managers salaries vary similarly to the players salaries, if he moved to a championship club he could expect to earn 4-5 times what he's on in Sweden.
Say he gets a 3 year contract and even if he's a failure he'll earn what he earns in 12-15 years in Sweden.
Chances are another club would give him a go even then.

I don't think I could turn down that kind of money.

Not sure exactly how far his stock has risen, but if a premier league club comes knocking next then the pay difference becomes a lot bigger maybe 10-20 (my estimates) times what he is on now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

No doubts he's been a major success there, but I wonder if he's better off staying? He's clearly got some quite alternative methods when it comes to management, but he's been in a position where had things not worked so well it wouldn't have mattered. Imagine him going to a club needing immediate results. Would he be given the time he'd need to be a success? I doubt it. He'd be leaving a job where he is God for a job where he'd likely be a complete failure.

I imagine bigger clubs are looking at him but if he hasn't got to move, he's probably best off staying put.

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While I am inclined to agree, there's no loyalty in football so he's got to do what's best for him. I wouldn't turn down a job over here on a wedge just to stay in Sweden. He could just as easily get sacked over there.

Was at the Arsenal v Ostersunds game. Arsenal played in blue, so if you didn't know which team was which, you would have thought that Ostersunds was Arsenal.

Couple of interesting facts:

Wenger has managed Arsenal longer than Ostersunds have been a club.

Their home population is quite a bit smaller than the capacity of The Emirates.

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Originally Posted by ryder bluebird

Was at the Arsenal v Ostersunds game. Arsenal played in blue, so if you didn't know which team was which, you would have thought that Ostersunds was Arsenal.

Couple of interesting facts:

Wenger has managed Arsenal longer than Ostersunds have been a club.

Their home population is quite a bit smaller than the capacity of The Emirates.

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Good facts

How did they play?
I've read before that they play a possession based game with 3 at the back and a high defensive line.

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Originally Posted by Louth

Why would he want to move from a fantastic country with a decent salary to a shithole like Birmingham, Leeds,, Newcastle etc?

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Cos he can move to a shit hole like Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds fail then move back to the fantastic country and live out his days in comfort

Good thread this. Thanks.

One thing I find interesting though is that I see similarities with the job Ole was doing at Molde

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Originally Posted by Rjk

Good facts

How did they play?
I've read before that they play a possession based game with 3 at the back and a high defensive line.

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Certainly a high defensive line. Looked good on the night. One more quick goal and who knows!

Arsenal were really poor.