Nissa on Kelly - up there with the best

[davieG]

Source

'I've worked with some of Europe's greats, and Kelly's methods are up there with the best'

Nisse Johansson feels the approach of Robert Kelly to football management bears comparison with some of European football's biggest names.

Johansson was at German giants Bayern Munich during the reigns of the legendary Giovanni Trapattoni and Otmar Hitzfeld. The Swede then moved to Nuremberg, where he played for World Cup winner Klaus Augenthaler.

At Blackburn Rovers - the club where Johansson was first coached by Kelly - he played under Graeme Souness and latterly Mark Hughes.

And Johansson revealed Kelly's methods are as "fresh and forward thinking" as any of his other managers.

"They all have different techniques," said the City left-back. "But coaching-wise, I think Rob is excellent.

"He has different qualities to others I have worked with. His sessions are very good and he is hands-on with everyone.

"In my first year at Bayern Munich, Trapattoni was in charge. He had his own style of doing things.

"Hitzfeld came in after and, as a manager, he would stand back. Most of the players were finished articles and didn't need training. They needed to be happy.

"Here it is different because we have a lot of 20-year-olds and players around that age, and it's important to do the basic things. It's a different style. Rob has got enthusiasm and loves to come in every day and work with us all."

Johansson added: "Souness was a bit old-school. Some of the other players had personality differences with him but I got on really well with him. It was a good team with some good characters.

"When he left for Newcastle, Hughes came in. It was his first club job and he changed things around.

"He changed training around and made sure we worked that bit harder and became fitter.

"Rob has fresh, new ideas and he wants to bring this club forward with those ideas and thinking."

It was those ideas which helped persuade Johansson to move to City during the summer of 2005.

He was out of contract at Blackburn and, while there were other offers for his services, the draw of working with Kelly again, and then-manager Craig Levein, proved a big attraction.

"They had offered me a new contract at Blackburn," said Johansson. "But Hughes said he didn't see me as a starting player but as a squad player. That was tough for me. There was a pride thing."

So, after 110 games in four seasons, including the 2002 League Cup final success over Tottenham, the player Blackburn signed for £2.million left for the Walkers Stadium for nothing.

"There were a few Championship clubs that came in for me," he said. "I came here and had a look around. There was a lot of change at the time with 10 or 11 players having left.

"I spoke to Keith Gillespie, whom I had played with at Blackburn, and Paul Dickov. They both recommended it. The football side has to be right.

"I didn't know Craig but I knew Rob and he was a big influence. It's always good to know a bit about where you are going and, if you know a couple of the people, it helps.

"They were both passionate and straightforward."

Johansson's first season at City did not go quite to plan. Instead of a promotion push, City were drawn into a relegation scrap.

"Personally, I didn't have the best first season," the 26-year-old admitted.

"Craig and Rob had good thinking. They wanted to bring the club forward with young players but it didn't work out as well as we wanted."

So what changed between Kelly moving from Levein's assistant to becoming the manager himself?

"Nothing massive," says Johansson. "Craig had a hard-man reputation. Maybe that had an impact on some of the younger players.

"Sometimes you have to let them go out there and make mistakes and learn from that."

City have had a week to learn from the mistakes at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend which ended their eight-game unbeaten run.

The players were given time off at the start of the week to rest their legs following a busy schedule.

"Sometimes it's good to have a chance to bounce back as fast as you can from a result like that," said Johansson, referring to the lack of a midweek match.

"But this time I think it's good to have a week off. Last Saturday, you could see there were a lot of tired legs."

Victory against Plymouth tomorrow could move City into the top half of the Championship table and on to the coat-tails of the seventh-placed Pilgrims.

"They are scrapping away and have that manager (Ian Holloway)," said Johansson. "He is a real character and fires them up.

"I can't see it being a pretty game. It never has been against them."

[Fez of Mahrez]

"...and have that manager..."

Brilliant!

[Bert]

Source

'I've worked with some of Europe's greats, and Kelly's methods are up there with the best'

Nisse Johansson feels the approach of Robert Kelly to football management bears comparison with some of European football's biggest names.

Johansson was at German giants Bayern Munich during the reigns of the legendary Giovanni Trapattoni and Otmar Hitzfeld. The Swede then moved to Nuremberg, where he played for World Cup winner Klaus Augenthaler.

At Blackburn Rovers - the club where Johansson was first coached by Kelly - he played under Graeme Souness and latterly Mark Hughes.

And Johansson revealed Kelly's methods are as "fresh and forward thinking" as any of his other managers.

"They all have different techniques," said the City left-back. "But coaching-wise, I think Rob is excellent.

"He has different qualities to others I have worked with. His sessions are very good and he is hands-on with everyone.

"In my first year at Bayern Munich, Trapattoni was in charge. He had his own style of doing things.

"Hitzfeld came in after and, as a manager, he would stand back. Most of the players were finished articles and didn't need training. They needed to be happy.

"Here it is different because we have a lot of 20-year-olds and players around that age, and it's important to do the basic things. It's a different style. Rob has got enthusiasm and loves to come in every day and work with us all."

Johansson added: "Souness was a bit old-school. Some of the other players had personality differences with him but I got on really well with him. It was a good team with some good characters.

"When he left for Newcastle, Hughes came in. It was his first club job and he changed things around.

"He changed training around and made sure we worked that bit harder and became fitter.

"Rob has fresh, new ideas and he wants to bring this club forward with those ideas and thinking."

It was those ideas which helped persuade Johansson to move to City during the summer of 2005.

He was out of contract at Blackburn and, while there were other offers for his services, the draw of working with Kelly again, and then-manager Craig Levein, proved a big attraction.

"They had offered me a new contract at Blackburn," said Johansson. "But Hughes said he didn't see me as a starting player but as a squad player. That was tough for me. There was a pride thing."

So, after 110 games in four seasons, including the 2002 League Cup final success over Tottenham, the player Blackburn signed for £2.million left for the Walkers Stadium for nothing.

"There were a few Championship clubs that came in for me," he said. "I came here and had a look around. There was a lot of change at the time with 10 or 11 players having left.

"I spoke to Keith Gillespie, whom I had played with at Blackburn, and Paul Dickov. They both recommended it. The football side has to be right.

"I didn't know Craig but I knew Rob and he was a big influence. It's always good to know a bit about where you are going and, if you know a couple of the people, it helps.

"They were both passionate and straightforward."

Johansson's first season at City did not go quite to plan. Instead of a promotion push, City were drawn into a relegation scrap.

"Personally, I didn't have the best first season," the 26-year-old admitted.

"Craig and Rob had good thinking. They wanted to bring the club forward with young players but it didn't work out as well as we wanted."

So what changed between Kelly moving from Levein's assistant to becoming the manager himself?

"Nothing massive," says Johansson. "Craig had a hard-man reputation. Maybe that had an impact on some of the younger players.

"Sometimes you have to let them go out there and make mistakes and learn from that."

City have had a week to learn from the mistakes at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend which ended their eight-game unbeaten run.

The players were given time off at the start of the week to rest their legs following a busy schedule.

"Sometimes it's good to have a chance to bounce back as fast as you can from a result like that," said Johansson, referring to the lack of a midweek match.

"But this time I think it's good to have a week off. Last Saturday, you could see there were a lot of tired legs."

Victory against Plymouth tomorrow could move City into the top half of the Championship table and on to the coat-tails of the seventh-placed Pilgrims.

"They are scrapping away and have that manager (Ian Holloway)," said Johansson. "He is a real character and fires them up.

"I can't see it being a pretty game. It never has been against them."

You recommended it, so how you left you little terd.

[Nationwider]

Rob Kelly is better than Graeme Souness....

Everyone is better than Graeme Souness!!!!

[Manwell Pablo]

Rob Kelly being compared to Giovani Trapattoni.

Show me a fit bird who cooks and cleans and I will of offically seen it all.

[MBK]

Rob Kelly being compared to Giovani Trapattoni.

Show me a fit bird who cooks and cleans and I will of offically seen it all.

too much gin or was there a gun at his arse?

[Thracian]

There's even less chance for any other left-back after that!

I should think any of the players getting a shirt on a Saturday would happily do a follow up along the same lines.

[Ultra]

I think we know who Nissa's words were REALLY aimed at, don't we?

[lookwhaticando]

I think we know who Nissa's words were REALLY aimed at, don't we?

You do raise a point, but not everything is politics all the time.