By: Rick
Disneck (sports writer and former pommel horse 1988 Olympic Bronze medalist)
It was a little over three months when one of manager Mike
T’s assistants, Paris or Lexus, and I will admit is it extremely hard to tell
these biological twins apart, contacted me with the suggestion that I join Mike
on his tour down under (or Australia for those who are short on the vernacular)
at the end of the season. Mike planned
was to visit some more obscure places, off the beaten track, to recharge ahead
of Season 7 and Bilbao’s return to Division 3.
 |
| I can see why Mike T lives in a state of perpetual confusion ... |
After confirming that my several convictions for youthful
indiscretions in Mallorca and Ibiza would not preclude me getting a visa I
agreed and had my editor book the tickets.
Having never been to Australia I was not sure what to expect. The closest I came to an Australian was a 19yr old
gymnast at the World Championships back in 1986 who snuck me into her athlete’s
accommodation during the post event party and promptly passed out from
excessive alcohol consumption. I was
told not to show fear to anything with eight legs because they are all deadly
(no point worrying about it I was told).
Upon landing in Australia at Hobart in Tasmania, I was
greeted by the assistants who took me to the tour bus that Mike had procured
for the tour. “One rule” he said “only one
question per stop”, and with that we climbed aboard and set off for our first
destination
The story begins;
Paradise - Tasmania
 |
| Paris in Paradise |
Mike T took over from the accomplished Gareth Crisp in May
2016 a little less than half way through Season 5. Comfortably nestled mid-table in Division 3
and with a competitive squad, with the Los Leones fans mourning the departure
of Crisp, he made a low key start primarily aimed at holding the line and not
losing ground in the Division 3 promotion race.
The squad was left in excellent shape by the outgoing Crisp, who had
taken on the challenge at Sampdoria, also in Division 3. Whilst this could have riled the fans their
tempers fizzled as Mike T took them on 12 match league unbeaten run pushing
them into the playoff picture.
The tour
begins; Eggs & Bacon Bay - Tasmania
What attracted you to the Top 100 league?
“It was the challenge
of facing off against 99 serious, skilled and knowledgeable managers, with no
gimme’s or freebies. A true test of your
abilities as a manager. Professionally
run and stewarded, a realistic game world.
And a healthy dose of Sir Stephen Beddows badgering, in all likelihood
wanting at least one manager in the league he thinks he can beat”.
The tour goes
on; Break-Me-Neck Hill - Tasmania
Approaching the end of Season 5, you were in a multi team
race for second and automatic promotion to Division 2, what was that like?
“It was a tough. We are not a team that was built to score 3
or 4 goals every week. And the
competition is so tight each and every week.
If we dropped a few results in a row we would be back on the outside
looking in. We had managed to squeak out
results and there was a kind of shocked belief that we could actually win
promotion”.
And on; The Edge of the World - Tasmania
What was the feeling like when you had sewed up 2nd
place and promotion to Division 2 at the end of Season 5?
“Absolutely bloody
amazing mate. I could not have imagined
it when I took on the job. It was
Gareth’s team which I inherited and to an extent I was manning the rudder. We had a good run without any key injuries
which included a number of tight 1-0 wins.
It all came together at the right time”.
And on; Devils Kitchen - Tasmania
What was your scouting and transfer plan in the offseason
ahead of the ascent to Division 2?
“Erm yeah … I’ll be
honest, I had no plan. It was a bit of a
shock to get promoted, and I underestimated the step up in class that is
Division 2. I was approached for a
number of deals and only accepted one or two.
I had a view that we would use the same tactics and pretty much the same
squad. The target was not to get
relegated. We were under no illusions
that a top 6 finish was within reach, but not looking to strengthen the squad
probably sent the wrong kind of message to our squad and fans”.
To follow on with the wrong messa …
“Steady on their
tiger, the next stop is perfect for what I think this question will be”.
And on; Dismal Swamp - Tasmania
Why did you think it was the wrong message you sent to
the players? Don’t you think it could
have been viewed as a sign of your confidence in them?
“Good question. We had
a solid first eleven and three or four quality subs, but we dropped off after
that. We were also an aging team that
would likely lose a step in the next season.
I had some discussions with our captain Camacho during the offseason
where he suggested we get a little more aggressive and chase some transfer
targets, and even offered a few names. I
knew he hadn’t come up with these by himself and had likely discussed them with
our leadership group (Forster, Sagna, Rico and Inan) who knew well who we would
be facing in the upcoming season. In the
end I didn’t push hard enough and we didn’t bring in enough new talent, and it
probably caused a small fissure between me and the squad”.
We drove back to Devonport to take the ferry over to
Melbourne and the continuation of our tour.
The twins were proving to be accommodating hostesses and Mike T a
generous host and honest interview subject.
As I gathered my thoughts I wondered if the promotion had come too soon during
his tenure at San Mames? Were the fans
expecting too much from their team in Division 2? Did Mike T underestimate what was needed to
be successful in Division 2? I think we
know the answer to the last question.
Roll on
Victoria; Poowong - Victoria
So you arrive at San Mames to take on a strong
Internazionale side in your first match in Division 2 and leave with a win?
“Yep … the crowd was
amazing, not a full house but raucous and loving every minute. Young Sandro Ramirez had earned the starting
centre forward role replacing our stalwart Emenike and he was MoM, setting up
Danilo Silva for the first and scoring what turned out to be the winner. Probably the work of Forster between the
sticks saving a screamer from Carrick was key in getting the win. Brilliant.
3 pts after one game …. if only we knew what was ahead”.
Roll on more
Victoria; Mt Misery - Victoria
Ten games in you are sitting towards the bottom of the
league, but not under threat, 4 wins and a draw, 5 losses, 13pts, what was the
mood at the club?
“Still hopeful. We had copped a 3-0 thrashing from Schalke,
but had lost the other matches by only single goals. A bit of luck and we could turn some of these
losses into points, maybe even sneak a win.
The mood was not buoyant, but calm and hopeful. We had gone on a run when I took over the
previous season and there was belief that we could do it again. But I was noticing that some of the young
players were getting frustrated by the lack of opportunities, and it was
apparent some of the older squad members were starting to lose a step”.
Across the
border; Come by Chance – New South Wales
The next ten games and you are in trouble, with one win
one draw and eight losses, and buried in the relegation zone?
“Yeah, we got tired
and the squad depth and my lack of interest in bringing in some new talent was being
highlighted. After we lost our sixth
game in a row, a 3-1 beat down and repayment for their opening fixture loss (Internazionale)
I got called in to see the chairman on Monday morning. It was not pretty. We had lost our captain to a broken
collarbone just before this six game losing streak. It was a tough and lucky 1-0 win over a
quality Benfica side. In the second half
Matip and Emre Can sandwiched Camacho fighting for a loose ball and he landed
awkwardly. I tried to blame a few other
club officials who I didn’t get along with for our predicament and form and the
chairman and I got into a shouting match.
Needless to say I was on notice to fix the results on the pitch, and he
knew I had used some flimsy arguments to defend myself. Not my finest moment”.
We use
vowels in this Wales; Nevertire – New South
Wales
Ten more games and the lads had responded, four wins, two
draws and four losses and there was a sense of hope that you might pull off an
escape?
“Absolutely, two wins
in a row, against Sampdoria and Schalke, only time all season we stitched two
together but we rounded out these ten matches with three losses in a row and
there were some jitters in the dressing room and upstairs. Father time had caught up with some players
and they had lost that step and we were running out of legs and my lack of
transfer market activity was about to bite us in the arse”.
Across the
border; Banana – Queensland
The next four games, you only scored one goal, three
losses and a draw, the last of these a 3-0 beating by Everton and you were
pretty much consigned to Division 3 football next season?
“Banana’d mate … we were
banana’d. The local press … including
you Rick … were calling for my head. The
fans were not happy. Some of the more
seasoned longtime fans understood the swings and roundabouts of the challenges
we faced and were prepared to cut the team, and to an extent me some slack …
but they don’t sign our checks do they”.
And it
ends; Yorkeys Knob – Queensland
The last four games of your Division 2 tenure, another 3
losses and a draw and you were done. And
I notice we have arrived at an appropriately named place!!
“Hahaha yes sir … we
were screwed. We managed to score a few
goals in this run of games but just couldn’t bridge the talent and quality gap
to our opponents. Benfica had scampered
away from the bottom four and created some space and not even a miracle could
save us. It was a long arduous season,
punctuated with some errors from me, most notably not recognizing the lack of
depth and a gap in quality our squad had.
I had meetings the squad lined up the week after our last match against
Leverkusen, and a meeting with the chairman at the end of the week to discuss
my future”.
We cut back down Queensland and across into South Australia
to continue our journey. The girls were
very friendly, the whisky was always available and I was seeing places in
Australia that I was quite sure I would never want to see again.
Having gained a rather frank understanding of Season 6 and
what went wrong, we are approaching some interesting events. The coup that has brought Chinese ownership
to what was previously and fiercely a club owned and operated by its members,
the reprieve that was given to Mike T as manager and a renewed purpose that has
already been evident in the off season, notably around reshaping the squad for
the future.
The state
in Australia you fly over; Foul Bay – South
Australia
How did this “Chinese coup” start?
“Trump … well that is
the rumor. Or if you believe some of the
media reports it is hard fact!! Actually
it was a little known codicil in the bylaws outlawing salubrious premises on
club grounds that was triggered. We
arrived one morning to a temporary building housing a massage parlor next to
the groundskeepers shack. It literally
popped up overnight. No-one knew where
it came from or who built it, but the Chinese consortia were all over this like
white on rice and forced the issue through the club and local government, which
triggered an ownership dissolution.
After that the deep pockets of the consortia were simply too much for
the local members to fight against, and the rest was history”.
For the
club’s previous owners and members a trip down; Nowhere
Else Road – South Australia
So your new chairman, what do you call him?
“Hahaha, well I jokingly
call him Chairman Mao, but the crazy bugger actually has a cat that stays in the
club offices called Chairman Meow. Jokes
aside, I call him sir. He offered me
another season at the helm when I thought I was getting the old heave ho. Look, we are all working towards the same
goal, he has offered to support me if I get the results, and he has been
receptive to my transfer and squad plans.
A necessary shake-up and disruption can only be good, what we were
doing, what I was doing was not working.
He generously has set the bar low this season, to simply avoid
relegation, but I hopeful of more than that”.
Squad
plans, re-tooling; Coffin Bay – South Australia
And here we are at Coffin Bay, the girls are swimming and
sunbathing. Care to share your plans for
the squad, most notably some of your older players?
“Yeah Rick, we knew we
were getting older. I knew we were
getting older and had neglected the squad with regard to this, so it was time
to take some action. We let Mikel
Balenziaga go at left back, but we can slide Torres Nillo over there which is
his preferred side in any case. We
received Thomas Delaney, a 26yr old midfielder who will move straight into the
starting line-up and allow us to slide Camacho to center back. We also received Joe Ledley who can provide
cover at left back or in the midfield.
Moving Danillo Silva, Macenlly
Torres, Emenike, Velarde for some younger players has helped. Have also made some tough decisions on the
youth team, either moving some players for others, or selling. We were running most of the season on a 50
man squad and I ideally want to get that down to 40”.
Squad
plans, re-tooling; Gunbarrel Highway – Western
Australia
A long drive ahead, what can you share about your plans
for the squad, what sort of player are you looking for?
“I am usually open to
most types of players, however we wanted some younger and hopefully improving promising
players to come into the squad and start fighting it out with your
starters. Delaney and Ledley as
discussed above have come in, Marcos Rocha was considered excess baggage at Leicester
and will slot in at right back or the right side of the midfield at times. Frederic Guilbert, a young defender who can
play center back or on the right was a good cash signing. We picked up a raft of 24 yr old’s from
defence to attack who should be approaching some good development years. We don’t need to hit the jackpot on each, but
it would be a vindication by the end of this season if one or two have pushed
into the best eleven. A couple of
project players we picked up, Allione and Palacios, maybe we can help get the
best out of them and focused on football”.
Squad
plans, re-tooling; Useless Loop, Shark Bay – Western
Australia
Transfer market, is it difficult to do business?
“It is, but I like
it. The quality of your squad that you
can offer for player exchanges often dictates and drives the deals you can
chase. There are opportunities for cash
deals in some cases, Guilbert as discussed above, but these are few and far
between. When we search for the next
young talent, the competition is fierce, and some clubs have outstanding
academies that the youngsters seem to migrate to when deciding on multiple
offers. The 23 to 25 yr old player
bracket, 83 to 86 is where we are hoping to uncover a couple of talents, 87 to
88 risers to strengthen the squad. We
have a couple of talented players that might attract some bids which we will
review, if it makes sense and chairman wants to let them go then we see that
happening”.
What does
the future hold; Valley of the Giants – Western
Australia
It is almost as if you planned this trip to end
here! What are your hopes for the
upcoming season, what are the chairman’s expectations and what are your hopes?
“Three questions, ok
mate I will cut you some slack! Let'stake a walk across the treetops ...The
chairman, well he has told me that he doesn’t want to get relegated to Division
4. So that will be our first goal. My expectations are that we are top half of
the table coming into the final several games of the year within touching
distance of the play-off positions. My
hopes, promotion would be nice <hahaha> but having some of our younger
players develop further and win some playing time would be a fantastic result”.
We left the Valley of the Giants and drove back to Perth where
Mike T grew up and down to Cottesloe Beach which was close to where he lived
and swam as a kid. I marveled at how
beautiful and clean everything was, the air was clear, the Norfolk Island pines swayed in the breeze, and the
ships in Gage Roads waiting to come into Fremantle port several miles away in plain view between Rottenest
Island and the beach. I asked him why
would you ever want to leave here, this place is simply superb. His answer “that is the amazing beauty of
Perth … you don’t feel like you want to leave … and many many people never do …”,
after a pause he added “and to be honest mate, Bilbao and Espana ain’t that bad
of place to live either”.
And with that, I took a cab to the airport and onto the
Lufthansa flight back to Frankfurt.
Mike, Paris and Lexus had another week of serious down time at the beach
before coming back to the pre-season fixtures.
During the trip, despite wanting to decompress and get away from his day
job, he was still fielding calls and taking in Skype meetings on transfer
options and squad decisions … in his cargo shorts and blue and yellow Hawaiian shirt
and thongs … maybe he should conduct his off season business like this every
year, you see, he slept like a baby every night, not a care in the world ….
Awesome trip mate.
ReplyDelete