In football, a lot of attention is given to the manager and his role extends beyond changing tactics or decisions made on match-day. The right appointment can have an influence on player loyalty (if they’re a star), their personal growth, and even the way in which other players tailor their performances. When a club like Liverpool appoints a new manager, as seen with the potential Slot appointment, it not only sends ripples through the team but also significantly impacts key players like Mohamed Salah, who have hinted at staying despite ongoing transfer rumors. In this piece, we will discuss whether managerial changes impact the decisions of top players with examples from football to shed more light on that issue and explore just how much a manager affects these kind of influential star men.
The Manager-Player Dynamic: Why It Matters
A manager and their star player often share a special bond, something that can be the dominant factor in whether or not the latter commits his future to a club. Managers are more than just tacticians, they’re motivators and mentors which can be as important in some cases to hold a team together. The appropriate manager can also improve players’ performances while adding to them other incentives which makes competition in a club more attractive than it was.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have shown how a good relationship between manager and player can bring great performance on the pitch. The effect Klopp had on the likes of Salah, Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk ensured Liverpool emerged as a juggernaut force in Europe. Meanwhile, Guardiola’s tactical genius and his leadership of men the quality David Silva or Raheem Sterling have been crucial to Manchester City succeeding on their own shores as well as in Europe.
A change in manager, particularly one with a new vision can both quell the fears of star players about how ambitious their club is or leave them wondering. The signing of someone like Slot, who is a progressive in terms of how he wants to play the game might suit Salah’s attacking instincts and his aspirations.
Tactical Fit: Playing Styles That Suit Star Players
The tactical system a new manager brings to the club is one of the most immediate impacts on a star player. A player’s role, impact and eventually his joy at the club is contingent to an extent on how well he fits into this system. A manager can also play a big part in our decision (and the only one to directly make an input), for someone like Mohamed Salah, who is predominantly quick and intelligent at making runs off defenders.
In such a set-up, high-pressing football from coaches like Klopp or Slot provide an environment where forwards like Salah can thrive. Salah is also perfectly suited to their tactical philosophy, with the quick transitions and attacking allowing him more space in which he can score. This type of environment aids in not only the success of a player on field, but also creates an inclusive feeling and adds value within that organization.
Conversely, if a manager is disposed to one tactic but the player struggles with that style of football then they can stagnate or lose all confidence. E.g. Jose Mourinho’s defensive style did not suit the instinctive attacking of players such as Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial during his turbulent time in charge at Manchester United.
Why Trust and Communication Matter
Top players need to feel that they are valued and appreciated by their managers. This relationship is built on trust and communication. With clarity in communication, setting expectations and listening to a player, a manager can have even stronger management skills — making the player feel that he is an integral part of the future process within club.
The hint from Salah to stay at Liverpool after Slot took the job might initially have come after them talking and the manager might have assured Salah of his role and importance in the team. This is a huge motivational factor for players at their prime like Salah.
Conversely, if there is no communication or alignment of expectations that leads to ambiguity. It is about the players who feel left out, unrecognised or undervalued and thus naturally open to exploring opportunities elsewhere with regard to their contracts. The most public of them all, the breakdown between Antonio Conte and Diego Costa at Chelsea is a textbook lesson in how things can snowball when two people no longer see eye-to-eye.
Ambition and the Club’s Future: A Manager’s Impact on Player Loyalty
The loyalty of star names is in many cases with the club that will win them trophies. An appointment in the dugout may indicate a fresh start, change of focus or maintaining high expectations. The appointment by Liverpool of Klopp was a signal that the club had ambition, as it offered hope for an exciting and competitive future. That can be reassuring for someone like Salah, who is after all a player of enormous ambition incensed by the notion that his club held down at time when he could have gone home and won trophies.
Players are likely to find a way to believe in managers like Slot, who play good football and create top-class teams. A club vision, with more backing of the manager also makes star players commit their futures to the long-term project. This is especially key in clubs amidst a transition, where keeping the top stars happy and engaged are vital.
Frequently, players in the prime of their careers do not have time to wait on a long-term project. Just this summer, the likes of Eden Hazard left Chelsea following a few years in which The Blues have been unable to find figureshead levels post-Mourinho and Conte reigns straying top talents into looking for successes elsewhere.
Managerial Influence on Contract Renewals and Transfers
The new manager often comes into the equation when it is time to discuss contracts and possible transfers. The manager’s plans for the squad can be key as clubs work to renew deals with their star players. That is because a manager who publicly offers praise and support to a player with regards to their place at the club sends out an even clearer signal, which can only help during contract talks.
For example, whether Salah fits in with Slot’s plans at Liverpool might mean a lot of him staying or leaving. It could have a bearing on whether negotiations on an extended stay at Anfield go the way Salah wants them to should the manager make it clear that he sees keeping him as one of his key tactical priorities. But a seemingly agnostic manager in terms of a player’s place can inadvertently edge his men to the transfer market.
Transferring activity also comes with the influence of a nascent manager. The dynamics in the squad are changed managers often want players that fit into their style of play. Top talents might interpret the quality of those arrivals as a yardstick for their club’s ambitions – or whether to stay on altogether.
Examples of Star Players Influenced by Managerial Changes
Through the years, there have been plenty of instances when an organizational change has changed a star players mind. The signing of Cristiano Ronaldo was hugely influenced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as it sent a message out to the forward that he felt at ease under him. Exceptionally, though with the exit of Solskjaer the future looked bleak amid a showing as to how rapidly managerial changes can alter player sentiment.
Also in the same summer, Lionel Messi walked out on Barcelona due to upheaval and scant evidence of a plan under new management. Messi announced in August that he wanted to leave Camp Nou after the possibility of entering his final year at Barca with no assurance over their direction, a series of managerial changes and financial problems drove him towards pursuing fresh opportunities.
However, there have been bright sides to it as well and players including Kevin De Bruyne and Harry Kane returned with an appetite for their clubs once the managerial changes were made in line of their future destinations. The De Bruyne example is a reference to his continued successes at Manchester City under Guardiola and similarly for Kane, choosing not to leave Tottenham after certain casual conversations Postecoglou upon having arrived gave him the ambition he was looking.
Conclusion: The Power of the Right Appointment
This article provides a qualitative analysis of the roles of the head coach and assistant coach, highlighting their significant impact on team behaviour and teamwork. Through semistructured interviews and case study approaches, it becomes evident that successful sport coaches like Gould and Jowett have distinct coaching philosophies that greatly influence the coach-athlete relationship.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyse how these roles differ in the high-performance context of football players and athletics. Insights from previous research and contextual findings from this qualitative research underscore the importance of coach education in shaping effective coaching processes.
The study’s findings emphasize the need for ongoing collaboration with stakeholders and suggest future research could explore future directions in coach education, focusing on contextual factors that affect successful coaches. As such, this work lays the groundwork for further case studies and future research aimed at enhancing the understanding of the coaching dynamic and its effect on player development and team success.
