Ineffective management, bitchy infighting, and no clear identity.
Sound familiar? Sure it does, because it’s par for the course these days. Amidst talk of smart phone apps, corporate preoccupations, and a severe lack of investment in key areas, internal power games underpin every failure. Domestic mishaps and European fears aside, what has become crystal clear this week is that no one can agree on a way forward and something will surely have to give.
There’s so much wrong at present that it’s difficult to know where to start. The centre won’t hold, an erratic right-wing is a growing concern, and inflated egos are running amok. Of course serious questions need to be asked of an increasingly forlorn leader who can’t rally the troops, but really it’s a hapless task. Especially when you’re surrounded by people who are justifiably confident they’ll outlast you.
Not that much sympathy is afforded or due. If your whole career is based on spreading fear and galvanising hatred, you can hardly complain when your own perilous position is greeted with a sense of cruel anticipation. The public aren’t stupid and recent polls reflect a groundswell for change. Even the core support are beginning to wonder who’s in charge and whether there’s a coherent plan.
Still the usual suspects are wheeled out in front of the media to sell a party line of unity and resilience, but hollow statements don’t mask the disarray and catty infighting behind the scenes. Everyone involved at every level is determined to pass the buck and attribute fault to others. They’re all busy briefing their favourite hacks and positioning themselves for when the shit hits the fan. And it definitely will.
Once any leader is shorn of absolute authority, when they find themselves undermined by their own charges, they are no longer architects of their own fate. Not only do they become incredibly vulnerable, but their ability to manage effectively is massively compromised. Of course it doesn’t help when the biggest personality in your team is making headlines with his mad haircut and open insolence.
Over the coming days, there will be much talk of what can be achieved if everyone pulls together in the same direction and remains united. With Europe firmly on the agenda, there will be plenty of references to past glories and how the ‘good old days’ will return. But no amount of bullish rhetoric can disguise the fact that Jose Mourinho is about as secure as another hapless leader at present – and may well suffer the same fate.
