The League Managers Association (LMA) and Castrol, The Official Performance Partner of the LMA, hosted the inaugural European Managers & Coaches Forum which brought together a group of high profile British managers and overseas Head Coaches for two days devoted to the sharing of insight and information and discussion of the most important issues affecting football and the modern day Manager.
The Castrol LMA European Managers & Coaches Forum, a landmark and pioneering event was supported and facilitated by Sir Alex Ferguson, a long standing LMA Board Member, and Howard Wilkinson, Chairman of the LMA, and took place at St George’s Park, the new state-of-the-art home of training, education and development for football in England from 13 -15 January 2013.
The aim of the Forum was to create an environment where football’s elite could come together as peers and friends to share their knowledge, experience and future vision for the game through discussion and debate. Together, the collective experience of those in attendance amounted to over 15,000 matches.
The key areas discussed were:
- Survive, Win, Succeed: the would be Manager’s climb up the down escalator. Does the quick route to Managerial qualifications work?
- Video Technology – How far should it extend and how can it be implemented?
- Simulation & Dissent – Can it be stopped? How?
- The Future Game - Playing philosophies in light of key trends within the game
- Financial Fair Play – Can it work?
- Winter break
To view footage and images from the event please click here – (no password is needed, but if it asks for one, leave the box blank and click through)
The Forum was also supported by Mike Riley, General Manager of the Professional Game Match Official Ltd (PGMOL), the association for referees, Blake Wooster, Business Development Director, Prozone, and Dan Jones, Lead Partner from Deloitte’s Sport Business Group.
In addition, 20 of The FA’s new UEFA Pro License students embarking on their managerial journey joined football’s elite and Castrol senior executives and guests for a valuable pre-dinner speech from Brigadier Ged Salzano MBE, Commander, Core Maritime Training, who fascinated those present with insights into the key aspects of motivation as related to the serving soldier.
Of the Castrol LMA European Managers & Coaches Forum, Sir Alex Ferguson, Manager of Manchester United said;
“As a Board member of the League Managers Association, I am delighted to be involved with the organisation and presentation of the inaugural Castrol LMA European Managers & Coaches Forum. The work we undertake at the LMA is extremely important. Within our ranks we have an array of gifted managers both past and present with vast experience and a wealth of knowledge to share. We all have a role to play in helping to develop younger managers who are just starting their careers or indeed trying to get their first step on the managerial ladder. In a wider sense, our collective knowledge can be a real asset to the on-going evolvement of football. I would like to thank all of the Barclays Premier League Managers and overseas Head Coaches for giving up their valuable time to attend this Forum to help shape the positive development of the game. Hopefully the ideas, views and suggestions shared at this Forum will have an extremely positive impact and be of real value to all of football’s stakeholders.”
Howard Wilkinson, Chairman of the LMA said;
“The European Managers & Coaches Forum at St George’s Park is a rare and exciting event that has given managers, what is these days, a unique opportunity to come together socially and exchange views, information and experiences in a magnificent setting. I have always said consultation is the mother of progress and change. The fact that Sir Alex Ferguson Chaired this event is amazing, given his remarkable record and longevity, which clearly makes him the most successful football manager of all time.”
Richard Bevan, Chief Executive of the LMA said;
“It is an extremely proud moment for everyone connected with the LMA, to have hosted this forum providing the opportunity for some of the best football managers in the game to come together, share views and exchange ideas. We thank Castrol for their support with this project and we look forward to working with them in the coming years to include the view of managers across the leagues throughout the UK and Europe. Obtaining such valuable information is vital for the overall development and benefit of the game. The LMA would also like to thank all of the managers and coaches who attended and we now looking forward to utilising this very important information moving forwards.”
Steve Sedgwick, Europe and Africa Marketing Communications Manager at Castrol said;
“Since Castrol’s first steps into football at UEFA EURO 2008, we’ve tried to give fans insight into football performance through things such as the Castrol Index and Castrol Rankings. By partnering with the LMA to create the Managers Forum, we’re moving from a top level analysis of matches down to an analysis of the roots of the game, which we hope will help shape the sport in the future. We’d also like to thank Sir Alex Ferguson for his support in chairing the event, which has helped bring such an illustrious group together for the first time.”
