Rising Star: John Guidetti

“Super Guidetti, you make us happy, please score for Feyenoord” is the chant that has often echoed around De Kuip from the vociferious supporters of the Rotterdam based Feyenoord. With 20 goals and 6 assists to his name in 23 appearances it’s very easy to see why he has received such high acclaim from fans throughout the Dutch Eredivisie.

However what has really been surprising is when examining his style of play; admittedly from an armchair is that he is not the ruthlessly potent striker his stats may suggest which perhaps is a damning exposure of the defensive qualities (or lack of) of the teams that make up the top flight of Dutch football. Guidetti has shown on occasions an ability to play on the shoulder to get in behind to finish and also shown late aggressive movement to create goal scoring positions from crosses but the majority of his work is done in the classic No. 10 role where he demonstrates an ability to dribble, run with the ball and combine with team mates. Overall technically he looks more than adept in the Dutch league and would more than hold his own in the Premier League which the young Swede will be hoping to grace with his current parent club Manchester City.

His 6’2” yet stocky frame enables him to compete physically and hold up the ball to encourage movement off the ball from his team mates in the knowledge he is strong and possesses a good feel for the ball to look after possession. Then there is his footballing brain, a common denominator that seems to separate many players on the continent to our own English brand. Guidetti in the main as mentioned enjoys being able to drop off to receive at feet centrally, however does demonstrate he is prepared to drift wide to receive and play or make short well timed bursts behind defences and curved runs laterally across a defensive line; in summary his footballing brain compliments his physical strength and technical ability wonderfully.

Guidetti has a clear sense of self belief and confidence which are undoubted vital ingredients for any player wishing to make an established career in the game, standing and absorbing the adulation of fans in a Balotelliesque manner when scoring would perhaps lead you to believe he has a cocky demeanour – and you’d be thinking right as he confesses to have always been the “cocky little guy”; slightly ironic when seeing him shield the ball from opponents with his not so diminutive build.

Whilst his persona and clear talent have meant comparisons have understandably been drawn between himself and Swedish compatriot Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Guidetti’s upbringing has meant the 19 year old can draw on anecdotal experiences to cut a more humble character. Mike; his father of Italian descent worked on a Swedish schools project in Kenya where John lived. Having resided in a more affluent area where no one knew how to play football, he and his father looked for a team where his talent and enthusiasm would be allowed to flourish. Kibera is where they found it, a deprived area of the capital with dry, grassless and unforgiving pitches where he and the locals many of whom were advanced years would play barefoot, perhaps explaining his fearless manner and physical dominance. Guidetti reminisces at how his father would give the team bread, bananas and juice after a game and the team feeling as though they were professional footballers as other teams were not afforded such comparative luxery. Guidetti still displays a strong sense of humility towards his upbringing in Kenya as he has his own foundation to give “talented young people that share the passion for, and have special skills in football a bit more of a sporting chance to follow in his footsteps”. He returned to Kibera with equipment for his old team and has hopes to build an artificial pitch and school.

As for his own personal future Guidetti has stated he wants to play games as he needs first team exposure to strengthen his case for a place in Sweden’s Euro 2012 squad, who of course will be facing England in the group stages. A prolific season long loan at Feyenoord has done his enhanced his chances and reputation no end. He’s stated he wants to be a team’s number 9 or 10 and doesn’t want to return to the Etihad to admire from the dugout, however it’s hard to see him breaking in amongst the current plethora of talent and wealth the club have already at their disposal, such is the insistence on City to achieve instant success, the here and now far exceeds the clubs wish to introduce academy products to first team level.

Another loan is perhaps likely and from a personal subjective level English clubs are sure to have taken note. A team with the playing philosophy and emphasis on pressing to win the ball back like Swansea City would be an ideal loan for someone like Guidetti to showcase his talents in the Premier League if this is where he wishes to play. Particularly in the role that Gylfi Sigurdsson has excelled in who has reportedly attracted interest from teams in the upper echelons of the Premiership.

Andy Thorn: Did he ever really have a first chance?

Coventry City appears almost evidently destined for a drop into the third tier of English football for the first time since 1964. Despite mathematically not yet consigned to relegation just yet not even the most optimistic of fan having memories of last day escapes etched in their past will see any flickers of light let alone a beacon of hope. 

The current states of affairs differ on great levels to a side that infamously escaped with victory at White Hart Lane some fifteen years previous.

For all the endeavor and honesty the players and management have shown, they have been let down by a boardroom who have been unable to facilitate financial support for a manager who regardless of people’s opinions was given a task of competing in a league minus several key members who finished off the season previously so well. A goalkeeper with international honours, a central defender who has made marked improvements in his game with the more responsibility afforded to him, a central midfielder who seemed to excel under Thorns stewardship at the end of last season and finally a controversial signing in the first place but a guaranteed marksman who’s ability to receive at feet to combine and penalty box prowess would have earned the team additional points over the season without any shadows of doubt; a spine of a team that under the management of Aidy Boothroyd had produced results but were eventually seemingly devoid of a plan B. Thorn with the same set of players initiated a completely differing philosophy with an adaptation to the formation whereby the midfield quartet were not an orthodox four across the middle but were narrower and resembled the shape of a diamond meaning the full backs provided the width in a system that was complimented by established championship playing staff and an attack minded mentality.

On a personal level it was this experimentation that was a warming factor towards Andy Thorn, a feeling that he was willing to adapt systems to gain an advantage over opposition rather than set up a basic 4-4-2, making sure to be organised without possession and to make fewer mistakes than the opponents. 

Focusing objectively since the start of the current season, without key personnel who finished the season so strongly previously, Thorn persisted with the diamond formation. People questioned the system and Thorn defended it the big issue was not managing the team tactically, perhaps not even coaching the team technically but observing and nurturing a young team on an emotional level.

This season, Coventry have let three points slip away at Selhurst Park, missed a last minute penalty to win the game at home to already promoted Reading and let three points slip at Bloomfield Road, never mind missing a plethora of chances at home to Millwall last Tuesday. Ultimately the team was lacking hence the inevitable relegation, not necessarily in terms of technical ability or tactical flexibility but in able to deal emotionally with the requirements of acquiring three points on match day.

There were players as young as 17/18 making expected mistakes, which are all part of a young player being able to develop into an independent decision maker on the field, but these mistakes were emphasized by the importance of the stage in which they were made on. Thorn had little choice regarding the players in which to select from, the occasions he was able to make moves in the transfer market were when Ben Turner was sold to pave a way for Cody McDonald and Lukas Jutkiewicz freed up space for Alex Nimley and Oliver Norwood, so bringing in players with ample first team playing experience was out of the question; players who will fully appreciate the rigorous physicality of 46 games and the impossibility of being able to perform to optimum levels for a full season. Therefore accepting mistakes in order to have the strength of character to perform again whilst blocking out the opinionative voice of the fans is a mental skill acquired through being subject to a period of time making mistakes and adapting and learning from it at a results based level. Something a sizable percentage of Coventry’s first team simply did not have. 

Compare this to the side that escaped at the death at Tottenham, there was a team with a plethora of first team match playing experience, a settled board room with the clubs energy focussed towards the playing affairs as opposed to fans, players and management falling out with the men in suits.

For all of the misdemeanour's that have affected the club this season, be it from player sales to fan vs. boardroom battles removing Andy Thorn is the very least of worries at this precise moment in time.