When news broke of rich, foreign owners attracting a high-profile foreigner to the post of ‘Director of Football’ at an English club, i just thought here we go again. However, i was immidiately distracted from my morning daze when it was announced that former England, Lazio, and more recently Mexico boss, Sven Goran Eriksson was joining Notts County, who recently survived the drop to remain in the Coca-Cola League 2, the 4th tier of English football.
You, as i did, should have every right to be suspicious of this move. But as the press conferance moved on, this move had the makings of a well thought out plan as apposed to a desprate grasp of 60 seconds of fame by the little know Notts County FC.
Sven signed on a 5 year deal, stating his main reason for joining the club to be that “the challenge was irresistable”. His role is to work with the first team coach, not to replace him and Sven’s main aims were stated as, firstly to introduce an effective scouting network, to bring contacts in which to utilise the funds that Notts posses, and to use his wider knowledge of the game and the European circuit to benefit the club as they move up the leagues in England.
Their targets were to be a Championship side in 5 year time, and a Premier league Club in 7 ot 8 years time. These are certainly ambitious, but i cant help thinking that Notts are going about it the right way, focusing on training facilities, young players, and scouting, rather then Manchester City’s policies of Branding, Merchandising, and buying whoever the hell we like-ing. At least the little club from Nottingham are keeping the spirit of the game relatively in the for-front of their minds as they begin their quest to become a Premier League Club.
And then of course their’s just the small matter of the derby game against Forest at the weekend.
