This Week’s Manager Watch: Ryan Mason

[Neon_Knight_]

This was great thanks for sharing.

He’s a determined likeable guy who has his head screwed on (literally).

I think he could be a great manager for us in the future but needs to go and manage lower league or abroad for a bit first as he said himself so if/when he does take the job full time he’s not labelled as too young and inexperienced

Like Arteta?

I don't agree that he needs to go and manage lower league or abroad for a bit first, but I do think he needs more experience. That experience could be gained with us (or theoretically with another PL club) though.

Arteta worked as Assistant Manager at Man City for 3.5 years, before taking over as Arsenal Manager. That was 3.5 years of valuable experience, working as the right-hand man for an elite manager, at one of the top teams in the world, learning how to manage big egos. Man City won several major trophies during that time, so he got first-hand experience of witnessing what it takes to build / manage a top team - and contributed to the process.

Setting aside the obvious differences between us and Man City, there's a huge difference between being Assistant Manager for 3.5 years and being one of numerous first team coaches for 1.5 years (with a very brief period as caretaker manager). The level of responsibility and accountability is very different. Also, the more senior (and therefore closer to the manager) a member of the coaching staff is, the further removed they are from being "friends" with the players and the closer they are to being their boss.
Plenty of retired players struggle with the transition to managing a team after being "one of the lads" for such a long time. It would be very easy for someone to either overcompensate (e.g. put too many rules in place or distancing themselves from the players too much) or to be too chummy with the players (resulting in not being adequately respected as the manager).

I'd like to see Mason at least step up to Assistant Manager before getting the Manager job. Based on Levy's past appointments, I'm not concerned that Mason has a realistic chance of being considered in the near future.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Like Arteta?

I wish he was managing Arsenal in the lower leagues

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

I don't agree that he needs to go and manage lower league or abroad for a bit first, but I do think he needs more experience. That experience could be gained with us (or theoretically with another PL club) though.

Arteta worked as Assistant Manager at Man City for 3.5 years, before taking over as Arsenal Manager. That was 3.5 years of valuable experience, working as the right-hand man for an elite manager, at one of the top teams in the world, learning how to manage big egos. Man City won several major trophies during that time, so he got first-hand experience of witnessing what it takes to build / manage a top team - and contributed to the process.

Setting aside the obvious differences between us and Man City, there's a huge difference between being Assistant Manager for 3.5 years and being one of numerous first team coaches for 1.5 years (with a very brief period as caretaker manager). The level of responsibility and accountability is very different. Also, the more senior (and therefore closer to the manager) a member of the coaching staff is, the further removed they are from being "friends" with the players and the closer they are to being their boss.
Plenty of retired players struggle with the transition to managing a team after being "one of the lads" for such a long time. It would be very easy for someone to either overcompensate (e.g. put too many rules in place or distancing themselves from the players too much) or to be too chummy with the players (resulting in not being adequately respected as the manager).

I'd like to see Mason at least step up to Assistant Manager before getting the Manager job. Based on Levy's past appointments, I'm not concerned that Mason has a realistic chance of being considered in the near future.

And @Bobby TwoShots . If you listened to the interview he said himself he wants more senior level management experience before taking spurs job full time so that he can’t be labelled with the too young and inexperienced brush hence why I put needs/wants ;-)

You smartiepantspies

 

[Japhet]

Was reported Jose expected the players to do their own fitness work and maintain their fitness, as far as I remember anyway.

Well, we were only paying him 15m per year.

 

[Bobby TwoShots]

And @Bobby TwoShots . If you listened to the interview he said himself he wants more senior level management experience before taking spurs job full time so that he can’t be labelled with the too young and inexperienced brush hence why I put needs/wants ;-)

You smartiepantspies

I'm not arguing that more experience wouldn't help, but I'd be fine if he got the job sooner rather than later. He'd obviously make mistakes, but he's proper Spurs and would be infinitely better than the last three managers.

 

[GetSpurredOn]

This was a really good listen. Really interesting to hear how he coped and adapted to such a life changing incident. He speaks very openly and comes across as a very driven yet balanced individual, something of a deep thinker.
To have had to make your way through football the hard way, as in loans and late entrance to regular first team football, but to succeed in playing for your boyhood club, realise that dream, plus the dream of playing for your country, and then have it all taken away, but find the clarity to make a new path with little sign of bitterness, truly fascinating.

A few things struck me, which actually make me think he really is detained to succeed, (sorry if this is a spoiler if you haven’t listened to it)
1. His positivity, how he just seems so grateful for the career he did have, and also what he has now, not a hint of self pity or mourning over what could have been.
2. His strength of will, an ability to look at a number of moments in his career that could have been seen as failures, but actually take them as opportunities. His loan at Lorient, easy to have just canned it and come home, but he stuck it out to prove he was maturing. Even when Spurs sold him, he didn’t see it as the end, he saw it as an opportunity to go away and improve, with the vision of getting a move back to Spurs, even post injury (initially) he says he still saw himself coming back, proving a point and getting a move home.
3. He comes across as a real thinker. Everything he does seems very considered, and is with a longer term goal in mind. Taking the Spurs manager role after Mourinho went, he seemed to believe he was ready and well placed to help out there and then, but equally was realistic enough to know it was too soon for the permanent role. Happily went back to the academy to continue his personal development. See’s every coach he’s worked with as an opportunity to learn from.
4. One of the interesting side points, was the fact Conte, John Terry and Willian all visited him in hospital, none of whom were managers/team mates of him, and it was something he wasn’t fully aware of at the time, but clearly hasn’t forgotten. Gives you an insight into perhaps the characters they are away from the limelight.

Having listened to that, if we were to go after someone like Enrique I would like to see Mason step up as assistant for a couple of years, help his development as our next a manager maybe.
Oddly enough, I was reading an article about how Dele’s career is collapsing and the contrast to Mason really is stark in terms of mentality and application.

 

[PLTuck]

This was a really good listen. Really interesting to hear how he coped and adapted to such a life changing incident. He speaks very openly and comes across as a very driven yet balanced individual, something of a deep thinker.
To have had to make your way through football the hard way, as in loans and late entrance to regular first team football, but to succeed in playing for your boyhood club, realise that dream, plus the dream of playing for your country, and then have it all taken away, but find the clarity to make a new path with little sign of bitterness, truly fascinating.

A few things struck me, which actually make me think he really is detained to succeed, (sorry if this is a spoiler if you haven’t listened to it)
1. His positivity, how he just seems so grateful for the career he did have, and also what he has now, not a hint of self pity or mourning over what could have been.
2. His strength of will, an ability to look at a number of moments in his career that could have been seen as failures, but actually take them as opportunities. His loan at Lorient, easy to have just canned it and come home, but he stuck it out to prove he was maturing. Even when Spurs sold him, he didn’t see it as the end, he saw it as an opportunity to go away and improve, with the vision of getting a move back to Spurs, even post injury (initially) he says he still saw himself coming back, proving a point and getting a move home.
3. He comes across as a real thinker. Everything he does seems very considered, and is with a longer term goal in mind. Taking the Spurs manager role after Mourinho went, he seemed to believe he was ready and well placed to help out there and then, but equally was realistic enough to know it was too soon for the permanent role. Happily went back to the academy to continue his personal development. See’s every coach he’s worked with as an opportunity to learn from.
4. One of the interesting side points, was the fact Conte, John Terry and Willian all visited him in hospital, none of whom were managers/team mates of him, and it was something he wasn’t fully aware of at the time, but clearly hasn’t forgotten. Gives you an insight into perhaps the characters they are away from the limelight.

Having listened to that, if we were to go after someone like Enrique I would like to see Mason step up as assistant for a couple of years, help his development as our next a manager maybe.
Oddly enough, I was reading an article about how Dele’s career is collapsing and the contrast to Mason really is stark in terms of mentality and application.

"Why not listen to people who are trying to help you?" should be reinforced to kids from primary school age, and then we'd have a lot more Ryan Masons in society.

Genuinely seems like an absolutely wonderful human. His parents must be so proud.

 

[mr ashley]

He also said David Pleat.

Alex Ferguson too

 

[Albertbarich]

Just listened, wow

He is ready now. He would need a strong experienced support team but I think he is ready.

He speaks so well, clearly thinks deeply and knows how to talk to People.

He might not get it this time but I wouldn't be angry if he did.

 

[whitesocks]

He is so positive and optimistic, he is absolutely draining.
I thought he was going to tell us about jesus at one point.

The reality is many managers have an ex-player on the coaching staff - Hughton under Jol, Clive Allen with Redknapp, Freund with AVB. Ledley with Mourinho.
Pochettino was the oddity really, sending Freund into exile early on.

Hughton did remarkably well in management, and I wonder if we should have let him have a go. Likewise maybe Ryan is more than just a token. He speaks well, but we dont know much else.

 

[Marty]

 

[longtimespur]

Not one has come out yet!

 

[Whazam]

Just give the job to papi Mason and let daddy Davies be his assistant!

 

[Russ1201]

Oh matron

 

[npearl4spurs]

We need that leadership and youthful vigor.

 

[ultimateloner]

If we are really going to sack Conte now then Ryan Mason would be my top choice.
The squad needs togetherness above all else now, especially in light of Conte's divisive comments.
After this season ends we can hire someone else, maybe Naglesmann.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

If we are really going to sack Conte now then Ryan Mason would be my top choice.
The squad needs togetherness above all else now, especially in light of Conte's divisive comments.
After this season ends we can hire someone else, maybe Naglesmann.

I would love it, Keegan style, if Mason ended up with a serious management career with us. I’d even take a punt now, but I’d be more worried about the potential negative aspects for him than the club. I mean, it’s family.

 

[UncleBuck]

If we are really going to sack Conte now then Ryan Mason would be my top choice.
The squad needs togetherness above all else now, especially in light of Conte's divisive comments.
After this season ends we can hire someone else, maybe Naglesmann.

I’d take Mason tomorrow if I could.
I said yesterday he’s the one and we need to get Rangnick in with him. Young, hungry manager with a point to prove with someone who is bought in as a DoF, not how Man U used him which was a joke!
Something strange has happened at Bayern, makes you wonder if baldie has been fluttering his eyelashes and Bayern have found out as I can’t think of another club in Europe that’d be looking for a new manager at the moment.

​

 

[ultimateloner]

I would love it, Keegan style, if Mason ended up with a serious management career with us. I’d even take a punt now, but I’d be more worried about the potential negative aspects for him than the club. I mean, it’s family.

I think he will with us, if DL continues to control the club, though maybe not in the immediate future.

 

[ultimateloner]

I’d take Mason tomorrow if I could.
I said yesterday he’s the one and we need to get Rangnick in with him. Young, hungry manager with a point to prove with someone who is bought in as a DoF, not how Man U used him which was a joke!
Something strange has happened at Bayern, makes you wonder if baldie has been fluttering his eyelashes and Bayern have found out as I can’t think of another club in Europe that’d be looking for a new manager at the moment.

​

I would take Mason for rest of this season but not beyond; regardless of results.
I think Mason is a good fit for what we need now; someone likeable who the sqaud members can gather around. Adds some positivity to the club. As a bare minimum the senior key members (Kane/Son/Dier/Lloris) will stay motivated.

Beyond this season I think we would benefit from someone with a proven track record elsewhere. Once the feel-good factor goes the sqaud members will revert to type again, and I don't think Mason has the authority to command the dressing room, which would involve managing big egos.