The Manager_Issue41_flippingbook

WELCOME

ALWAYS IMPROVING

It is 11 years since we delivered the pilot edition of The Manager, in which I wrote that I hoped the magazine would provide ‘a distinctive perspective into top level management and an engaging and valuable read’. That we’re still producing the magazine 40-plus editions later is testament to the hard work of all those involved and suggests that my hopes have been realised. The Manager remains of real value to the LMA, to anyone with an interest in leadership and personal development and, most importantly, to our members.    We set out to deliver an alternative to traditional football content and to go deeper into the areas that really matter to our members. Indeed, since its launch, the breadth of topics covered has actually informed and guided the full programme delivered under the LMA Institute of Leadership and High Performance, supported by the Premier League. Whereas once the magazine was a standalone concept, it is now the cornerstone of an extensive programme of support services, resources and learning and personal development opportunities, available to all managers and coaches in the professional game. We’re proud of how far we’ve come but, as shown by this edition’s redesign, the LMA does not rest on its laurels. In everything we do, we seek to improve.     Our work within the Institute, and directly with our members, is entirely focused on assisting every individual to reach their potential, while equipping them with skills to cope with the reality of the employment market they’re in. With manager tenures continuing to slide and club structures becoming ever more complex, maintaining a long and meaningful career in football management has never been more challenging.  The game must do more to provide an environment in which coaching and managerial talent can flourish, turning its back on the high-and-fire culture that characterised the last decade. Even more urgently, it must address the serious issues of club mismanagement that threaten the very fabric of our game. If these issues are not addressed, things may look very different in another 11 years from now. 

Richard Bevan, LMA Chief Executive

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