Schaars and Van Gaal as role-models!

AZ’s architects of success: Schaars, Van Gaal and Scheringa

Louis van Gaal named Schaars, Martens and Didulica his most important signings at the start of this last season. Weird, since all three players were already part of the AZ squad. But they were back from long-standing injuries and at long last the coach had the three back in the dressing room.

It was a smart and conscious remark bu the coach who knew his job at AZ was saved by – amongst others – these three. Schaars was the skipper who represented a minority in the AZ group that wanted to keep Van Gaal on board when the coach told Scheringa he wanted out in March 2008.

Schaars and Didulica went straight to the chairman after they heard the news, with Jaliens and Mendes da Silva in tow. And they said: we want Van Gaal to stay on board. Please give us one last chance to prove we can earn the right to work with Van Gaal…

They took the responsibility, on the pitch and in the dressing room that belonged to that request. Schaars and Co reinstated the order and hierarchy that was lacking while they were injured and working on their recovery.

The AZ management knew their future was bright when Schaars and his followers showed up to demand Scheringa’s ear. This proved that the coach was supported by the leaders in the group. Looking back, the club is convinced that particular deed changed the whole process at AZ around. In a good way.

AZ boardmember Toon Gerbrands is a success coach himself in volleybal. He published many papers on the circle of trust between coach and players. There’s always three subgroups in a players-group and Gerbrands likes to use the metaphor of a coach using his players to push a cart up hill.

One third has a connection with the coach, either because they have matching personalities or they recognize that this coach brings out the best in them. They do not only support the vision, they actually share it. In this metaphor, they lead the way and pull the cart up.

A second group is the “whichever way the wind blows” subgroup. They don’t really care who their coach is. They don’t sabotage, but they also do not take responsibility. These lads have the following motto: if I don’t stand out I’ll survive this. In the metaphor, these boys sit in the cart and are along for the ride.

The third subgroup don’t like the coach. They don’t like the person and/or they don’t like his methods. Or they basically detest the coach because they are benched. These boys walk behind the cart or even pull it back down.

Using this perspective, it’s interesting to look at the relatively high number of coach-sackings this season. Half of the clubs decided to change course mid-season. The traditional Top 3 saw their initial coaches leave.

Ajax had five different skippers under Van Basten. The former super-striker changed his starting line up often. It happened regularly that a player would be benched in one game, starting the second and relegated to the stands in the third game.

When Van Basten said farewell, he stated that there was no natural hierarchy in the group. Players like Gabri, Oleguer, Vertonghen and Vermaelen seemed to be candidates for the leader-role but even they weren’t sure of their spot.

Roda JC’s Raymond Attenveld was the first coach to be fired. He had no support whatsoever from his leader Kah, Meeuwis, Saeijs and de Fauw. Never before did a coach leave his group with so much animosity.

Gertjan Verbeek at Feyenoord did have that connection with one third of the group, but this subgroup happened to be the youngsters. Players who didn’t have any position in the hierarchy. The players with leadership, like Van Bronckhorst, Timmer, Lucius and Hofland were part of the subgroup that didn’t like Verbeek’s methods.

Feyenoord masseur Gerard Meijer (active at Feyenoord for 50 years having worked with numerous coaches): “I saw it happen within weeks. Verbeek wanted to change everything at Feyenoord. I could tell that the group didn’t like his way of working. It was a mismatch. There was no click. Gertjan was quite a good trainer, but he didn’t have the talent to feel the vibe and work with that.”

“I want everyone to talk Dutch,” was the first thing Huub Stevens announced at PSV. The contingent of South-American players had to oblige. Last season, Vergoossen demanded the same thing, but quickly realized it was a mistake. It wouldn’t work. He asked Chillian press-officer Salazar to join him at trainings session and act as a translator.

Stevens was also not able to bring players that could make that connection and infect the group. No loyalty when he started. There were hardly any players in Eindhoven who actually liked their coach.

At FC Twente, success coach McClaren had one demand for his board when he signed. “I needed one great player, a player who had been through the motions, who’d be respected and who can make the difference.”

Kenneth Perez’s signing delivered in every aspect. Top scorer N’Kufo and club icon Boschker created a pact with the new coach and after securing the CL ticket, it was telling that Theo Janssen was the first player to jump in McClaren’s arms. The former Vitesse midfielder does not have a regular starter’s position.

At AZ, Ronald Koeman will be in charge. Interesting to see how and if he will win the key players. Let’s hope he learned from his time at Ajax, when he publically criticized youngsters Van der Vaart and Sneijder and lost their confidence. It resulted in Koeman’s departure.