John Barnes may be synonymous with silky skills and flair, but don’t presume his style as a player will transform into his management philosophy.
The new
Tranmere gaffer will always be remembered for ripping the Brazil defence to shreds and scoring a wonder goal in Rio de Janeiro, but the former Celtic boss is now facing up to a new challenge at Prenton Park.
The man known as ‘Digger’ throughout his playing career – after a Dallas character of the era – has learned from his nine-year hiatus as a club manager and has promised a pragmatic style.
Jason McAteer – who was known as ‘Trigger’ after a character from Only Fools and Horses - will be his assistant on The Wirral, but despite rhyming nicknames from their playing days this duo will be deadly serious in their quest for success.
"As long as you have 11 committed players on the field with good organisation and structure we can be competitive,” said Barnes.
“I know what I am, and I am just like any other League One manager. The fact that I may have played at the highest level and been the type of player I was, people may have a mis-conception of the type of coach I want to be.
“I will be a manager who insists on hard work, discipline, desire and commitment from my team. Unfortunately people think you have to be a defensive midfielder or a hard-tackling centre back to have those ethics.
“When a flair player becomes a manager people think he has to have players of a certain quality to succeed. But the type of manager I am – and was all the way back to my Celtic days – is not the type of player I was.
“The fact that I have played for
Liverpool and England is out of the window. I am not bringing any of that here. Togetherness, spirit and organisation. These are the qualities we need here. The type of player I was carries no water whatsoever.
“I hope people don't look at my name, I hope they just look at what I am doing to help the team go forward. I would have walked over hot coals to get here."
More from John later and a ‘best wishes’ message from PFA Chief Gordon Taylor.
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