JUST what exactly is a “big-name manager”?

Dec 17 2008 By Tom Ross

It seems to be that every club who sacks their boss is after that elusive answer to all their problems ... the “big-name manager”.

We have for a long time stifled the development of young British footballers with the influx of foreign players and now look destined to do the same to the young, talented coaches and managers.

I was talking with Ricky Sbragia at Sunderland at the weekend, someone I’ve known since his days as a centre-half at Blues. I have kept a close watch on his career ever since.

He has served his time as a coach under Sir Alex Ferguson, Sam Allardyce and, latterly, Roy Keane.

He has also worked at the lower levels of the game earning the right to manage at the highest level.

He has taken over as caretaker boss at the Stadium of Light and has improved performances immeasurably, narrowly losing 1-0 at Manchester United and then hammering the Baggies 4-0.

Yet still the Sunday papers were full of so-called foreign big names to replace Keane.

When is someone going to realise that football is played differently in this country? We play the game with high energy at a higher tempo and it is certainly more physical.

Players find it difficult to adjust but so do many managers, Juande Ramos being a great example. He got the sack from Spurs and has ended up as head coach of Real Madrid.

So why don’t we encourage and welcome the emergence of young British managers? Especially those who have not played at the highest level.

They are wrongly and bizarrely looked on as inferior to those who have played the game at big clubs.

Keane is a perfect example, as was Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore et al.

Keane knew exactly what was needed to produce a