Sunday 1 April 2012

Why Russell Slade's got no hair

The past week has shown why football managers all end up grey, bald, crazy or bitter (or a combination of all of the above). If there is one particular rod that has been used to beat Russell Slade with this season it is George Porter. Fans want to see exciting players and there is nothing more exciting than someone who can run and beat players at pace. When it results in chances being created and goals being scored it is enough for fans and they want to see their name on the teamsheet each week. After a decent run in the team at the start of the season many have been dismayed that since November Porter's appearances became as rare as Jonathan Tehoue visiting the salad bar (welcome back Jon, we love you really) .

That was until Tuesday night at Oldham, when the latest new Orient line up featured Porter from the start. By all accounts he had an excellent game, culminating in being the provider of the winning goal and a precious three points in the battle to stay out of the relegation fight. Of course this was all the evidence that was required to prove that Russell has been wrong to leave him out all season. This is the way fans always think, they'd never countenance the idea that players having to bide their time, be patient and prove they are a team player contributes to the way they perform when they do get in the team.

In handling young, precocious talents managers face an almost impossible task, safe in the knowledge that 99% of the time they'll be proved wrong in hindsight. If the player does well the manager was too cautious, if he fails to develop it is because he was held back. I prefer to think that the young players who never really made it at Orient but have gone on to do well at a higher level have done so because of the road they travelled. They might never have become the players they have without being spurred on by disappointments early in their career. Maybe if we indulge Porter and act like he is already the bees knees he'll be a Jabo Ibehre and bounce around the benches of League One teams. If things are a bit harder for him and he has the maturity to learn some hard lessons early on he might go on to a higher standard, without having to rebuild his career at a lower level. Slade's handling of him could mean that Orient is the springboard for that career, rather than a Conference team.

Yesterday was a tough afternoon for the kid and despite working hard he didn't see enough of the ball. Unfortunately he showed one flash on inexperience when a quickly taken free kick caught Porter napping and even with his electric pace he was unable to chase back and Charlton almost literally walked the ball into the back of the net. To his credit he didn't seek to blame anyone else, he just turned and walked head up ready for the re-start, simply hoping to make up for his mistake rather than deflect blame. Another lesson learned and an error I'd bet he won't repeat for a while. It did remind me of a couple of things told to me by Paul Clark, Tommy Taylor's assistant, that showed how being an armchair manager is easy but the real thing is just a series of headaches.

The first was the simple stat that in one season Orient had conceded nine goals from set pieces as a result of Jabo losing his man. You can bet your life that everyone will remember a run that he made or spectacular goal he scored in that season but will be oblivious to the fact that his net value to the team was negative. The other was a story about Iyseden Christie, a player I loved for his unpredictability at one end because defences didn't know how to handle him. It was less of an asset at the other. In one game as he prepared to come on as substitute Clark sat with him and went through who he was to mark at set pieces. As he stood on the touchline they did it again and as he ran on they stood and pointed where he was to go as the Os prepared to defend a corner. The corner was taken and the opposition scored as a result of Iyseden not picking up his marker!

Only the manager and coaches would even be aware of that because they see the whole picture and try to balance their teams as a result. Slade still doesn't seem to be able to get that balance right with the players currently at his disposal and we look ineffective going forward. That doesn't mean that there is a simple answer in the shape of George Porter. We've been hammered enough times this year to see that getting it wrong defensively can have disastrous consequences but somehow Slade has to find a way to set a time up that isn't vulnerable at the back but is capable of threatening at the other end.

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