Lee Cattermole ..

People are overlooking the obvious and that is that Lee Catermole is in the building.

An article in the Athletic in 2020 - link below - makes a fascinating read in that his reputation for liking a drink or two in his early 20’s together with a poor disciplinary record has coloured our thinking of him long term and underplayed his credentials as a future manager .

A friend of mine who is a Sunderland fan says that he is very highly regarded up t’ north and you only have to see his playing career to see how often he was made captain of the teams he represented to realise that the guy is a born leader .


The article was written 4 years ago but people’s personalities don’t suddenly change. He comes across as a thoughtful individual who knows his own mind. and not as someone who will be satisfied to be a free kick and dead ball specialist.

Whilst i would suggest that you read the entire article for yourself - it is wrth quoting a couple of pieces -

“I’ve always been really serious about coaching; it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time,” he says. “I’m someone who is all-in or not in at all and it just feels like an opportunity to give this a real go, to put all my energy into something new. It’s like starting again, going back to when I made my debut at 17. I need to earn the right to be a good coach. There’s a lot to learn.”

There is temptation to think that talented footballers know how to play the game but that actually undermines the team aspect and indeed the current Chelsea manager has a reputation as being someone who does not allow players too much freedom to play but lets every player know what is expected of them on the pitch - regardless of their status in the game .

Indeed people talk of Gerry Francis as a good Manager and he always got the best out of a bunch of players by imposing tactics that made them into a unit with each player accountable . He failed at Tottenham only when faced with a changing room of an international players who refused to adapt to his way of playing .

Requoting the article -

“You need to give players restrictions,” Cattermole says. “That’s where your responsibility as a manager is important. I got better as a player when I put boundaries in my game. Gus gave me that. He said, ‘Listen, this is your job, worry about that. If you do your job, the lad over there can do his job, the team functions and suddenly it all makes sense’.

Portsmouth appointed Mousinho from nowhere and that worked last season.

George Friend played alongside Cattermole and knows him well . He is Director of Football at the club and if he truly works that position then you would expect his recommendations to lead the Board’s thinking .

George brought many of the players to the club and owes his employers and the players themselves a duty to make sure that they develop well and so it is important that he has faith in the person who will lead them on a day to day basis .

He obviously had no say in Taylor’s appointment but he knows Lee Cattermole and he will be hungry and looking to prove himself and so maybe his worth a shout - even as caretaker manager - as opposed to trotting out that same old names that appear of every list.

But then - What do i know ?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2208422/2020/11/22/lee-cattermole-interview-coaching/

All opinions are my own- who else would want them ?