Lee Johnson: Fmr Sunderland & Bristol City Manager, 'Decision Making Needs to be Driven by Sport' (Ep57)

This week, we’re delighted to welcome Lee Johnson to the show. Lee has had a stellar career as both a player and manager, playing over 400 games before becoming the youngest manager in the Football League at 31 when he took over at Oldham in 2013. Since that first job he has managed some historic clubs including Sunderland, Bristol City, and Hibernian.

After a tough year, leaving Hibs followed by a very brief spell at Fleetwood, Lee took the time out to reflect on the next stage of his career and gain some different experiences, from working with Manchester City’s development squad, to going to Africa to source the best young talent.

The life of a football manager is a pretty crazy one. You live on a knife edge; job security is not something that exists for 99.9%. Lee has been a victim of his own success on more than one occasion, over-achieving and setting new expectations that then need to be continuously met. Hire and fire culture is a reality of modern day football, but it’s not a good one. What is it like being on the manager's end of the deal?

A huge advocate of technology, data and modern coaching methods, this is a detailed review of life as a top level manager while also looking at an evolving football industry continuously in a state of unpredictable change. As always with the best football shows, topped off with some eye-opening stories!

On today’s show we discuss:

Life as a Manager:

• From becoming the youngest manager in the Football League to taking a break following two sackings in a season, the ups and downs of management.
• What was the transition like when Lee made the step from being part of a dressing room to leading one?
• What is a manager’s greatest anxiety?
• Learning from the best; how a relationship with Kenny Dalglish helped Lee establish his managerial career.
• ‘Sometimes football gives you a rest’. What is next for Lee now he has had some time out from the game?
• Why managing mavericks in the game is something a manager has to learn to use to the team’s advantage.

Managing Top Clubs:

• ‘Bristol City was a team for tomorrow’. What does Lee mean by this?
• The importance of balancing good business and player sales with ambition on the pitch and being able to compete.
• A manager can very quickly become a victim of their own success; how strong starts at Bristol City and Sunderland raised the bar of expectation for future results.
• How do you manage up? Why the relationship between manager and owner is crucial.
• Changing the goal line; how a job can be sold to a manager as one thing and be very different when you get there.
• What it was like beating Jose Mourinho and competing with Pep Guardiola in a historic Bristol City cup run.

The State of Football:

• Are clubs making too many business decisions that are not based on sporting success?
• Data led recruitment has become the most important strategy in football, but are there other things to consider when signing a player?
• Should managers change their style when you get promoted to a new league?

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