Lee Johnson reflects on Fleetwood exit, lessons at Sandhurst and future goals (original) (raw)

For Lee Johnson, football has been a constant for more than half his life.

But a nine-month stint away from the churn of professional sport has paid dividends following a chastening period where he was dismissed twice inside four months by Hibernian and Fleetwood Town.

Johnson became the Football League's youngest ever manager when he took charge at Oldham Athletic at the tender age of 31 and, much like his father, Gary, who's coaching career has spanned more than three decades, Johnson has been consumed by the gig that tops all gigs ever since.

As such, a sustained period out of the game has presented its own challenges. But peel back a bit further and you'll find a man who has spent his time out trying to give something back to the industry which has given him so much rather than obsessing over 'what if's'.

"The pressure [of management] is brilliant because that's part of the privilege of being in the job, but it is intense and all-consuming," Johnson admits.

"I've been busy but I've tried to give a little bit back [too]. I've been doing a little bit of mentoring and done a couple of Zooms for a fair few people online, which was good

"I've been in the rat race or whatever you want to call it for 12 years as a manager and then obviously as a player before that since I was 17. Football becomes all you know."

Johnson has spent nine months away from the game after leaving Fleetwood (

Image:

Pete Norton)

His offer to provide guidance and tips to aspiring coaches - which went viral via LinkedIn - is just a small tidbit of how he has used his time. Plenty has been spent at home after years of travelling up and down the country. His spell out of the dugout coincided with his daughter's GCSE studies, with Johnson's nous in Business Studies coming in particularly handy.

On a personal level, the implementation - and maintenance - of a daily gym routine as he strives to focus more on both his physical and mental wellbeing.

And on a professional level, a leadership course at Sandhurst, which was attended by the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Gareth Southgate, gave Johnson some expert insight into his own leadership style and a new-found focus on follow-ship.

"I've always liked that military adaptation to leadership: the crossovers between football and military. I've got a good friend that's in the military. We'd love to actually join forces in terms of that leadership - all the 325 years of leadership lessons that the military have had can be adapted really well into football."

Football has, inevitably, crept back onto Johnson's agenda more recently, be that through planning coaching sessions for a local Under-16 team, delivering coaching seminars or visiting Premier League clubs.

Johnson enjoyed a successful four-spell at Bristol City earlier in his coaching career (

Image:

Alex Burstow)

Johnson was also headhunted by the City Football Group to work with a number of the club's loan players who were waiting for clarity on their future among the club's state-of-the-art facilities recently. He chose to immerse himself fully in the experience by living on-site for a month.

"I was grateful for the belief, I suppose, that they placed in me, because we're talking about millions and millions of pounds worth of talent. It wasn't an easy place to be because they knew that they were effectively surplus for that season.

"I was able to immerse myself in the quality of the player, trying to improve them and add value one or two bits of their game was a challenge I really enjoyed."

While his experience at Manchester City bore a different remit to his previous roles, Johnson is eager to get back in the saddle, though he appreciates the footballing landscape has changed significantly in recent years.

"I think football is ever evolving. The changing of the generations and their mentality is always interesting. As a coach, it's down to you to adapt. The head coach and manager's power has reduced less and less and it's now more about the skill set that person brings.

"You've got to be adaptable, you've got to be flexible, and you've got to understand people - that's the key."

Johnson has managed over 500 games in his coaching career (

Image:

Lewis Storey)

An unquenchable thirst to uncover football's next big thing has seduced more and more clubs - particularly in the EFL - into looking beyond the usual pool of candidates for work. Some, like Kieran McKenna, have flourished. But plenty have floundered.

Johnson is no stranger to evolution and innovation: he was among the first in English football to implement virtual reality and drones in training during his time at Bristol City.

Given his age and CV, Johnson, in some ways, represents a middle-ground in the current landscape: a young coach with a mind buoyed by the experiences of his 500 plus games in the dugout.

He recognises, though, where his stock currently lies. There are no delusions of granduer, even if he doesn't seem burdened by his most recent experiences.

"I honestly feel that through my experiences that I'm a better coach and manager now than I've ever been. But with the who's hot and who's not in football, I also understand my place at the moment, so to speak. I've got a strong belief in myself and what I do.

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"I've shown I can maximise a team and improve individuals: my sales and development record is good. A lot of players have been sold [under me] and a lot of players have developed. And I think as a one-on-one coach and a tactical coach, I think I'm up there.

"It's a case of getting that opportunity to be able to prove that after taking time out."

Johnson believes his last three positions, at Sunderland, Hiberian and Fleetwood, can be classed as "rebuild jobs". Odds would currently dictate that his next role would almost certainly fall into the same criteria.

That inevitably brings its own challenges. Identifying quick wins, be that reintegrating players, the intensity of the schedule or a change in approach, are pivotal.

But even once those changes are identified, the total alignment craved by clubs up and down the country takes time to forge. Circumstances can dictate other changes, too.

"In a perfect world, the ownership, the management and the players are absolutely fully aligned. It probably took us a couple of seasons at Bristol City to absolutely nail that through from top to bottom.

"Every club is different and every structure is different. I've obviously got my own ideas and beliefs in the way a club should be run; I want my players on the pitch to be able to reflect my personality.

Johnson is ready for his next challenge (

Image:

Will Matthews/NurPhoto)

"My game is about having as much control as possible: squeezing the opponents in terms of a high press., penetrative runs, forward passes where we break lines. I think the challenge for any coach going in is the complexity of the playing style and how you adapt that for the situation you walk into."

His spell out of the game, though needed, is the longest period he's been out of work. Johnson has been offered roles during his hiatus and the appetite for another run hasn't waned.

"I wasn't in a great scenario having been effectively sacked twice in one season. The break was needed; you've only got to look at managers sometimes in interviews, you look at their face, how tired and stressed [they are] from the travelling and the situations they're dealing with.

"It's been good [taking time out] but I need a purpose. That's something that I think you'll find a lot of managers will say.

"I like the personal interaction with players and fans and the people involved in clubs. The friendships I've made have been one of the best parts of my football career and I hope there's more to come."

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