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Some thoughts on our new Assistant Manager
By thegodfather

On Monday afternoon John Gorman was announced as the new Assistant Manager of Queens Park Rangers. Having already worked with Jim Magilton at Ipswich Town, the 59 year-old former England international coach will be hoping to make an impact on the QPR team next season. So, what can we expect from Gorman and is he likely to improve things on the pitch?

John Gorman – his track record

After a long footballing career, which saw him play for Carlisle United and Tottenham Hotspur, Gorman’s first move into coaching came in 1992 when he became Glenn Hoddle’s assistant at Swindon Town. After Hoddle departed for Chelsea, Gorman became the manager of Swindon, but his spell was unsuccessful and he was sacked in 1994.

When Hoddle became England manager in 1996, he moved swiftly to secure the services of his old Swindon assistant. Hoddle’s spell as manager was rather disappointing, with England being knocked out on penalties by Argentina in the Second Round of the 1998 World Cup. In 1999 Hoddle was dismissed by the FA after his controversial comments concerning disability appeared in a leading national newspaper. Gorman departed too and took up a coaching job at Reading.
Gorman linked up with Hoddle again at Southampton and Tottenham before becoming the manager of Wycombe Wanderers in 2004. He enjoyed a successful two-year spell with Wanderers but left at the end of the 2005/06 season for personal reasons. A brief period as the Northampton Town boss followed but he resigned mid-way through the 2006/07 season, again citing personal reasons.

In 2007 Gorman returned to Southampton as Chief Scout and later became Caretaker Manager when George Burley took up the Scotland position. He left the Saints after the appointment of Nigel Pearson. Gorman was brought in as Magilton’s assistant at Ipswich Town in December 2008, but after missing out on the play-offs, both were sacked. The two will work together once again at Queens Park Rangers, hoping that they do not suffer the same fate.

Some thoughts from other fans

Ipswich Town supporter – “Opinions may be divided on him. For my money there was a slight improvement in play and results when he arrived but it didn't last long. I don't think his experience shone through when nerves needed to be calmed and fighting spirit needed to be provoked. In truth I'm glad he's no longer part of the ITFC set-up. Nice guy but (perhaps) past his sell-by-date”.

Southampton supporter – “We were a pretty decent side when he was assistant to Hoddle but it's difficult to tell how much influence a No. 2 has. However, in his short spell as joint caretaker manager with Dodd we were awful, and our FA Cup defeat at Bristol Rovers was probably the most gutless display I've ever seen from the Saints. Seems like a decent guy and is probably a good assistant but nothing out of the ordinary”.

The positives

Gorman has worked in football coaching for almost 20 years and will bring some much-needed experience to the table. As stated above, he has had successful spells as Assistant Manager of Swindon, Southampton and Tottenham and as manager of Wycombe Wanderers. He will know what it takes to achieve success in this division. Hopefully he will use the experience he has picked up over the years in order to advise Magilton on the team selection, tactical decisions and transfer dealings.

Back in the 2006/07 season, Gorman took his Northampton side to Loftus Road to face QPR in a Carling Cup tie. Throughout that match I noticed that Gorman used his full-backs very effectively, encouraging them to attack down the wings. This gave the Cobblers an extra dimension to their attack. Perhaps Gorman can use this tactic at Queens Park Rangers next season (I have to say that Gorman used his full-backs in exactly the same way when I saw Wycombe play back in 2005). What also impressed me was Northampton’s team spirit, fighting back from two goals down to make the score 2-2. Despite the talented Ray Jones winning the game for the Rs with a wonderful header, Gorman’s players left Loftus Road with their heads held high. To achieve promotion in the Championship, team unity is key and hopefully Gorman will be able to encourage this quality in the QPR squad next season.

Moreover, how much can we draw from the fact that Gorman was announced as the new “Assistant Manager” rather than “coach” on the official website? Does this indicate that the board intends to give Magilton and Gorman total control over first-team affairs? If this were the case, it would certainly be a step in the right direction.

The negatives

Some Queens Park Rangers fans might question the logic behind the decision to appoint Gorman. Both the Chairman and the fans will be expecting a top-six finish, yet the club has appointed someone who failed to do exactly that at Ipswich Town. It was interesting to see the Tractor Boys supporter (quoted above) say that Gorman was ‘perhaps past his sell-by date’. Could he have lost his tactical knowledge and the ability to inspire his players?

Furthermore, will the board allow Magilton and Gorman to have an influence on the team? Since the new owners bought the club there have been many reports claiming that Mr Briatore has been interfering with the team selection and tactics. It is almost impossible to be a successful coach if the board make all the decisions. As I have said in my previous articles, it is imperative that the manager and his coaching staff are given full control of first-team affairs.

Conclusion

John Gorman's most recent jobs in Southampton and Ipswich have both involved a lengthy commute from his Berkshire home. He has had quite a few difficulties in his personal life since 2006 and the frequent travelling cannot have helped matters. Obviously Loftus Road and the Harlington Training Ground are much handier for him as work locations and my hope is that he will benefit from this and bring a much needed vigour and freshness to the Rs' pre-season training programme. The QPR job may represent John's last chance to guide a football club to the top level and I am really hopeful that it will work out for him.

On behalf of WATRB I would like to wish him every success in his new appointment.