Guardian Article: ‘We are not really fancied and that suits us’

[Touch_my_butter]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/football-league-blog/2019/jan/30/bristol-city-lee-johnson-championship

 

Bristol City’s Lee Johnson: ‘We are not really fancied and that suits us’

After three years in charge, the Championship’s second longest-serving manager has built a confident and maturing side mounting an unlikely promotion charge

Are we going to have a party?” Lee Johnson asks, tongue in cheek, on being reminded that next Wednesday marks three years since he returned to Bristol City as manager. “There has got to be something because, in this day and age, to last three years is ridiculous.”

That is depressingly true; 194 managers have left positions across English football’s top four tiers in that time, making the 37-year-old the second-longest serving in the Championship, behind Millwall’s Neil Harris. It has not been plain sailing but it is impossible to ignore the progress of his vibrant, young team – unbeaten in 12 matches having last tasted defeat on 24 November. The Robins are dark horses for promotion.

City can extend their run at home to Swansea on Saturday but it is not just the players who are hungry to improve, with Johnson escaping what he describes as the rat race to broaden his own palette last week. He spent a couple of days at RB Leipzig to observe Ralf Rangnick’s side at close quarters, following an invitation from Paul Mitchell, the Bundesliga club’s head of recruitment and formerly of Southampton.

“I thought I would come back with about four or five things that I could learn and I actually I wrote down 40,” Johnson says, smiling. “It was not a bad trip, considering I can bring back all of that knowledge to Bristol City.

“It is an interesting group that they have got there, the Red Bull group, with the likes of New York and Leipzig and the other clubs that are involved. It’s a bit like Manchester City in terms of the structure, even though the philosophy is different, and they are very innovative. We shared a lot, a lot about coaching, and I gave as good as I got as well. We had some good tactical debates and looked at all the sports science stuff and everything they do in terms of analytics. I’m very grateful because they gave me full access.”

Of the looming anniversary, Johnson acknowledges what has been a bumpy ride at times, particularly in his first full season when he was forced to move house after his address was leaked online, and he was on the receiving end of a death threat while his father, Gary, was awaiting a triple heart bypass. City had spectacularly stalled, losing eight league games on the bounce.

The outlook could not be more different now, with his team seventh after six wins on the spin and in the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 2001. “Look, I’m very grateful,” he says. “I’m at a brilliant club and I think generally in that three years it has been successful. We have had hurdles along the way, of course we have.”

Better still, some of City’s key players appear to be ripening at the perfect time, none more so than the Republic of Ireland winger Callum O’Dowda, 23, who arrived from Oxford in 2016. The defender Adam Webster, 24, a summer signing from Ipswich, has equally impressed. Marlon Pack, one of the more senior heads at 27, is another year more experienced in midfield.

“They are coming into their prime, athletically they are peaking because of their age and our strengths are improving,” Johnson says. “From all our sports science team I know that every one of our players has added at least 8-10% to their strength gains, which is good. There are many positives; we will just keep chipping away in every element. We get our head down, we are not really fancied, and that probably suits us.”

 

The average age of the starting lineup who outclassed Bolton in the Cup last Friday was 24.6, minus Lloyd Kelly, 20, an elegant England Under-21 defender fast-tracked through the academy, and Josh Brownhill, 23, a reliable midfield menace.

Johnson’s first steps into coaching came while he was a player at the club, with City’s Under-14s. That age group included Joe Bryan, who joined Fulham last summer, and several youngsters have made strides into the first team since, including Bobby Reid, now of Cardiff, and Joe Morrell, who rejected Liverpool as a teenager. The thought of integrating players such as Taylor Moore, Tyreeq Bakinson and Zak Vyner – excelling on loan across the Football League this season – is an exciting prospect. The same can be said for Antoine Semenyo, a 19-year-old wanted by Chelsea.

City came mightily close to an unlikely promotion to the Premier League via the 2008 Championship play-off final, when Johnson was in midfield and his dad in the dugout, and they have not finished higher than 10th in the division since that defeat to Hull. Penetrating the top six once more is the next challenge. City have the second-best defensive record in the division but the one thing missing, until the arrival of Kasey Palmer at least, was added sparkle in the final third, according to Johnson.

Palmer, one of three players on loan at Ashton Gate from Chelsea, has sprinkled a helping of stardust, shining in his favoured No 10 role since joining in January. Arguably one of Palmer’s biggest assets, like his fellow loanee Tomas Kalas – who won promotion with Fulham last year – is that he has been in this position before, helping Huddersfield to the Premier League in 2017. And, who knows? Perhaps there could yet be a party after all.

“There is a feelgood factor around the club, from the fans to the players and the staff at the minute and that is kind of how it was at Huddersfield,” Palmer says. “It was like [us playing the role of] the underdogs and everybody just kept on going, so I don’t see why we can’t do that this year. The togetherness here is strong; I’ve seen that from the group since day one. The bond is good in the group, it’s quite a young [one], and long may that continue.”

[One Team In Keynsham]

8 minutes ago, Touch_my_butter said:

Are we going to have a party?” Lee Johnson asks, tongue in cheek, on being reminded that next Wednesday marks three years since he returned to Bristol City as manager. “There has got to be something because, in this day and age, to last three years is ridiculous.”

That is depressingly true; 194 managers have left positions across English football’s top four tiers in that time, making the 37-year-old the second-longest serving in the Championship, behind Millwall’s Neil Harris.

Good read.

This was the an astonishing stat: would not have guessed he was 2nd longest serving manager in the league, and incredible when you consider the losing streaks he has presided over.

[ExiledAjax]

Flying like a bloody stealth bomber.

Ps. Love Ben Fisher's work. Believe he's a red as well.

[Shtanley]

4 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Flying like a bloody stealth bomber.

:laugh:

As quiet as a very loud mouse

[LondonBristolian]

17 minutes ago, One Team In Keynsham said:

Good read.

This was the an astonishing stat: would not have guessed he was 2nd longest serving manager in the league, and incredible when you consider the losing streaks he has presided over.

It's remarkable. And probably time we all stopped thinking of him as lacking experience! 

[Robbored]

8 minutes ago, One Team In Keynsham said:

This was the an astonishing stat: would not have guessed he was 2nd longest serving manager in the league, and incredible when you consider the losing streaks he has presided over.

The reason LJ is still the manager is all down to SL who refused to sack him during that desperate run of defeats. Many fans were calling for LJs head as was MA but fair play to SL for standing my his man - it’s turning out to be the right decision.

The refusal to dismiss LJ was down to SL wanting a reliable and trustworthy man to adhere to his strategy of sustainability and stability - and by selling the three first teamers last summer helped the sustainability of the club and the fact that LJ has been the Head Coach along with his assistants for three years  is helping towards stability.

 

[Nogbad the Bad]

23 minutes ago, One Team In Keynsham said:

Good read.

This was the an astonishing stat: would not have guessed he was 2nd longest serving manager in the league, and incredible when you consider the losing streaks he has presided over.

With promotion and relegation there are 6 managers who automatically exit the Championship every season.

That would be 18 in LJ's 3 years.

Not so remarkable when you look at it that way - just highlights that BCFC have maintained the same divisional status, and were happy enough to do so, when so many other clubs have gone up or down.

Not disputing 3 years is a long stint at a club these days btw. - it undoubtedly is - but the '2nd longest serving Championship manager' is a bit misleading.

[Rossi the Robin]

Thought he might learn 5 things but wrote down 40, just hope he doesn’t complicate things again i.e tombola 

[ExiledAjax]

2 minutes ago, Rossi the Robin said:

Thought he might learn 5 things but wrote down 40, just hope he doesn’t complicate things again i.e tombola 

What do we think these 40 things are?

1. Red Bull is great with Vodka.

2. In Germany they don't really use credit or debit cards, mainly cash.

3. The Second World War was mainly caused by the unsatisfactory resolution to the First World War.

[TheCulturalBomb]

2nd longest serving manager. Wow.

[red panda]

22 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

With promotion and relegation there are 6 managers who automatically exit the Championship every season.

That would be 18 in LJ's 3 years.

Not so remarkable when you look at it that way - just highlights that BCFC have maintained the same divisional status, and were happy enough to do so, when so many other clubs have gone up or down.

Not disputing 3 years is a long stint at a club these days btw. - it undoubtedly is - but the '2nd longest serving Championship manager' is a bit misleading.

Not sure it's misleading.  Of all the managers of current Championship clubs, he is the second longest serving, regardless of which division the clubs were in before this season.  He is also the second youngest (beaten by a mere two days).

[Robbored]

9 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

What do we think these 40 things are?

1. Red Bull is great with Vodka.

2. In Germany they don't really use credit or debit cards, mainly cash.

3. The Second World War was mainly caused by the unsatisfactory resolution to the First World War.

Why it necessary to take the piss?

LJ was invited and used the opportunity to learn as much as possible from the way they do things in Germany. It’ll be of great benefit to LJ as a coach and of course the club.

The guy is doing a professional job and yet you mock that.........ffs........

[East End Old Boy]

2 minutes ago, red panda said:

Not sure it's misleading.  Of all the managers of current Championship clubs, he is the second longest serving, regardless of which division the clubs were in before this season.  He is also the second youngest (beaten by a mere two days).

I believe he is in 14th place of overall longest serving managers.

[Natchfever]

Good article,particularly the bit about Red Bull Leipzig and sounds like the Bundesliga club currently 4th in the table and competing in the Europa League after having a disappointing Champions League campaign benefited from Lee's coaching insights also.

“It’s a bit like Manchester City in terms of the structure, even though the philosophy is different, and they are very innovative. We shared a lot, a lot about coaching, and I gave as good as I got as well. "

[Bar BS3]

49 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

With promotion and relegation there are 6 managers who automatically exit the Championship every season.

That would be 18 in LJ's 3 years.

Not so remarkable when you look at it that way - just highlights that BCFC have maintained the same divisional status, and were happy enough to do so, when so many other clubs have gone up or down.

Not disputing 3 years is a long stint at a club these days btw. - it undoubtedly is - but the '2nd longest serving Championship manager' is a bit misleading.

Ok, so of the 18 that have left via going up or down, how many of them are still in Situ & have been for longer than 3 years..?

Chris Houghton..? 

Rafa hasn’t been at Newcastle for 3 years, likewise Warnock. 

I cant think of many others..? 

['Orns]

53 minutes ago, Rossi the Robin said:

Thought he might learn 5 things but wrote down 40, just hope he doesn’t complicate things again i.e tombola 

Christ, lets not turn that positive into a negative! That was the best part of it for me, LJ got far more out of the trip than he thought

Happy days

[Nogbad the Bad]

41 minutes ago, red panda said:

Not sure it's misleading.  Of all the managers of current Championship clubs, he is the second longest serving, regardless of which division the clubs were in before this season.  

Well, then it's a bit of 'so what' afaic. because there is a minimum 25% turnover of managers in the Championship every season.

What it's really saying is BCFC have been happy enough during this period to maintain Championship status that no change was ever thought necessary. Unlike managers at many other Championship clubs there was no real pressure to succeed bar not being relegated. Most, if not all Championship clubs would have sacked their manager after an horrendous run of defeats.

If they want to stress his longevity in the job, fair enough, it is unusual, but then compare his tenure to the 92 clubs, and perhaps take into account how many managers have moved jobs after being poached by higher clubs.

To just say he is the 2nd longest manger in the Championship means very little and is a bit lazy journalistically imo. - being in the Championship has little to do with anything, LJ has a uniquely supportive owner who has faith in him and has always been utterly determined he should succeed in the job in the end, even apparently being willing to take relegation on the chin and persevere with him.

That would have been a far more interesting angle for the article to take, because it is truly unusual and noteworthy, and seems, belatedly to genuinely be bearing fruit.

 

[steveybadger]

1 hour ago, Robbored said:

The reason LJ is still the manager is all down to SL who refused to sack him during that desperate run of defeats. Many fans were calling for LJs head as was MA but fair play to SL for standing my his man - it’s turning out to be the right decision.

The refusal to dismiss LJ was down to SL wanting a reliable and trustworthy man to adhere to his strategy of sustainability and stability - and by selling the three first teamers last summer helped the sustainability of the club and the fact that LJ has been the Head Coach along with his assistants for three years  is helping towards stability.

 

MA wanted him sacked?

[Robbored]

6 minutes ago, steveybadger said:

MA wanted him sacked?

Went to SL about it and got told ‘no’.

In corporate teams it  the difference between a billionaire and an also ran...

[Ron W]

@Nogbad the Bad I’m not sure what the point is that managers get promoted/relegated? We know, but they get replaced with other managers. Getting promoted and getting sacked don’t come in the same category.

[ExiledAjax]

1 hour ago, Robbored said:

Why it necessary to take the piss?

LJ was invited and used the opportunity to learn as much as possible from the way they do things in Germany. It’ll be of great benefit to LJ as a coach and of course the club.

The guy is doing a professional job and yet you mock that.........ffs........

Yeh. I read the article and an image of Johnson frantically taking notes as Rangnick pontificated on the methods required to achieve success when funded by one of the world's largest drinks companies popped into my head. I found that amusing. 

Don't get me wrong. I like the set up we have at the moment and I like the things Johnson does. However, I also think that there's a lot of potential for an 'Office' style sitcom based around Johnson, Ashton and Lansdown. "Johnson's Trip to Germany" would be a stand-out episode.

[CodeRed]

2 hours ago, Robbored said:

The reason LJ is still the manager is all down to SL who refused to sack him during that desperate run of defeats. Many fans were calling for LJs head as was MA but fair play to SL for standing my his man - it’s turning out to be the right decision.

The refusal to dismiss LJ was down to SL wanting a reliable and trustworthy man to adhere to his strategy of sustainability and stability - and by selling the three first teamers last summer helped the sustainability of the club and the fact that LJ has been the Head Coach along with his assistants for three years  is helping towards stability.

 

Captain Obvious...... we salute you !

[myol'man]

42 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Went to SL about it and got told ‘no’.

In corporate teams it  the difference between a billionaire and an also ran...

I think you'll find that yout inside knowledge of this is wrong RR

[Robbored]

1 minute ago, myol'man said:

I think you'll find that yout inside knowledge of this is wrong RR

Really?     

[Cowshed]

2 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

 

Yeh. I read the article and an image of Johnson frantically taking notes as Rangnick pontificated on the methods required to achieve success when funded by one of the world's largest drinks companies popped into my head. I found that amusing. 

Don't get me wrong. I like the set up we have at the moment and I like the things Johnson does. However, I also think that there's a lot of potential for an 'Office' style sitcom based around Johnson, Ashton and Lansdown. "Johnson's Trip to Germany" would be a stand-out episode.

Away from RB and the club not really being a club but a commercial advertising vehicle Rangnick is an interesting character. His teams work heavily off analytics. His teams are young. Younger legs can cope with the average running distances demanded for RB football. Younger legs can do the extra sprints and the team has sprint targets set 250+ per game. For those who think Bristol Citys pressing style last season was unsustainable RB put that into perspective. 

[Major Isewater]

38 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Yeh. I read the article and an image of Johnson frantically taking notes as Rangnick pontificated on the methods required to achieve success when funded by one of the world's largest drinks companies popped into my head. I found that amusing. 

Don't get me wrong. I like the set up we have at the moment and I like the things Johnson does. However, I also think that there's a lot of potential for an 'Office' style sitcom based around Johnson, Ashton and Lansdown. "Johnson's Trip to Germany" would be a stand-out episode.

 Not ‘ Auf Wiedersen Pet ‘ .

 

[Nogbad the Bad]

25 minutes ago, RonWalker said:

@Nogbad the Bad I’m not sure what the point is that managers get promoted/relegated? We know, but they get replaced with other managers. Getting promoted and getting sacked don’t come in the same category.

Not sure I can explain any more than in my last post.

Put it this way, when LJ was appointed at City in Jan. 16 he became the 24th longest serving Championship manager.

At the end of the season, due to relegation and promotion, he was already the 18th longest serving, by dint of holding his position for 4 months and City staying up.

The following season another 6 automatically left, and so it goes on. Others sacked or poached.

The churn is always therefore high, and it's almost inevitable a manager whose club stays in the division for a number of seasons but is doing OK within expectations, will end up as the longest serving.

It doesn't mean he's been a great success (or he'd have got promoted or been poached) simply that he has fulfilled the role required satisfactorily under, in our case, limited expectations up til now, and the most supportive owner imaginable.

If LJ had been at any other Championship club he would certainly have been sacked post that PNE away humiliation, if not before, and that is the relevant and interesting point the journalist should have picked up on and stressed, because LJ wouldn't have become a long serving Championship manager under those circumstances under any other owner in this league.

Context was clearly needed as to the reasons why LJ is the 2nd longest serving Championship manager (i.e. thinking long term, the benefits of sticking with your man etc.) as there was a really unusual and interesting story to tell there to the wider football world.

 

 

[The Fat Controller]

8 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Put it this way, when LJ was appointed at City in Jan. 16 he became the 24th longest serving Championship manager.

At the end of the season, due to relegation and promotion, he was already the 18th longest serving, by dint of holding his position for 4 months and City staying up.

Not necessarily. 6 clubs left the division but they were replaced by another 6, who all may have had managers that had served longer than him. 

It's not about what division the manager has served his time in, it's about how long he has stayed at his club. 

[DeadleyHeadleyer]

12 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Not sure I can explain any more than in my last post.

Put it this way, when LJ was appointed at City in Jan. 16 he became the 24th longest serving Championship manager.

At the end of the season, due to relegation and promotion, he was already the 18th longest serving, by dint of holding his position for 4 months and City staying up.

The following season another 6 automatically left, and so it goes on. Others sacked or poached.

The churn is always therefore high, and it's almost inevitable a manager whose club stays in the division for a number of seasons but is doing OK within expectations, will end up as the longest serving.

It doesn't mean he's been a great success (or he'd have got promoted or been poached) simply that he has fulfilled the role required satisfactorily under, in our case, limited expectations up til now, and the most supportive owner imaginable.

If LJ had been at any other Championship club he would certainly have been sacked post that PNE away humiliation, if not before, and that is the relevant and interesting point the journalist should have picked up on and stressed, because LJ wouldn't have become a long serving Championship manager under those circumstances under any other owner in this league.

Context was clearly needed as to the reasons why LJ is the 2nd longest serving Championship manager (i.e. thinking long term, the benefits of sticking with your man etc.) as there was a really unusual and interesting story to tell there to the wider football world.

 

 

mate, You do realise that those relegated/promoted teams are replaced by other teams coming down/up, and that their managers are then factored in when working out the longest serving manager?

[Nogbad the Bad]

1 minute ago, Chris_Brown said:

Not necessarily. 6 clubs left the division but they were replaced by another 6, who all may have had managers that had served longer than him. 

It's not about what division the manager has served his time in, it's about how long he has stayed at his club. 

Interesting, but I doubt that's right tbh.

Do you know for sure that's the criterion the Guardian writer based his comment on?