Gary Moss

On 10th June 1984, John Barnes carved his name into the history of world football scoring one of the finest individual goals ever seen. I wasn’t even born but I can picture it in my head – I’ve seen it hundreds of times. It was that good my elders would never let me miss it.

England were playing Brazil in Rio De Janeiro. And while you would have expected the dazzling talents of the home nation to win the day, it was the Three Lions’ very own Barnes who stole the headlines.

And I’m sure that even generations to come will get to know this fine goal stride by stride. It is the ultimate compliment any footballer could ever receive – respect from all football lovers year on year for a piece of ultimate magic. He deserves it. The goal was breathtaking.

Barnes enjoyed a great career for both Liverpool and England but arguably, this one act of brilliance secured his status as an England great. He did many great things in his playing career. And, if I was Barnes I’d quit while I was ahead and be remembered for years of fine football. As a midfielder full of energy and touches of class.

Instead, the Jamaican born star is trying to churn out a reputation as a manager. Why not? Many other great players have gone on to enjoy successful careers from the sidelines too. But we’ve heard many times before that being a top player doesn’t guarantee that you will go on to be a good manager as well. Sadly, I think Barnes falls into this category.
 
And if he goes on trying to force the issue of being a successful manager without joy he could begin to tarnish his reputation within the game by stringing out a managerial career that flatters to deceive.

Last week he was sacked by League One side Tranmere Rovers. It’s one hell of a come down from that day in Rio. And if reality strikes, I think Barnes should call it a day and bow out with grace because he simply doesn’t cut it in the dugout.

This may sound like a harsh or premature analysis of a man who has only managed a combined 41 club games with spells at Celtic and Tranmere. But in my book, any manager who struggles in wee Scotland with one of the two Glasgow giants will never get my vote.  A shock exit from the Scottish Cup at the hands of Inverness Caledonian Thistle made me cringe on his behalf.

This was followed by an eight year exodus from management. Part of this reason may have been down to personal choice and a commitment to television punditry but I don’t remember a clutch of clubs queuing for his services. This says a lot.

Barnes then went on to manage his home nation Jamaica. He was relatively successful but I am sceptical to compare achievement in international football with that in the domestic game. It is a completely different kettle of fish.

What has struck me most since Barnes’ in my opinion deserved sacking is the amount of people jumping to his defence.

The most high profile person to speak out in Barnes’ favour was former England boss Graham Taylor. I’d expect that kind of nonsense from Turnip. The big boys always stick together. But, let’s get real, who is Graham Taylor to say Barnes should have kept his job?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not fickle. I’m usually the first to advocate consistency in management and giving managers a chance before firing the trigger.

But what about the poor old Tranmere fans who were made to endure 11 games of pure managerial chaos. The fans who paid the money to watch results such as a 5-0 defeat at Milwall and 4-0 at home to Charlton Athletic. They were beaten out of sight.

Only two wins for a side that finished just shy of the League One play-offs last term is just not an acceptable return. Third bottom in the table, which would have been second, was it not for Southampton’s points deduction.

Not only did luck conspire against the former Watford man during his brief tenure. Rovers were simply mismanaged. Ask the people who watched the team every week. They’ll tell you the shining lights were minimal.

As much as it’s a cliché, it’s a results based business, and their form was relegation bound. And with few other positives to take from a series of disastrous displays, I think it was time to act.

I’ve got the utmost respect for Barnes, I really have.  He’s no big-time Charlie. Barnes was willing to slog it out in the lower leagues of the England to make it in the management game. I don’t think he would have walked away either. I think he would have stood up to the task and tried to claw them out of trouble. But I think he would have failed. In fact, I’d have banked on it.

True, the players weren’t quite at the level of some of the bigger drivers in the division. But, where were the signs of the gap in quality being bridged by tactical decisions. I didn’t see them. I just saw defeat after defeat. The same mistakes after the same mistakes. I think Tranmere will prosper from fresh blood.

As for Barnes, who knows what is next? But it may be time to walk away and be remembered for his great playing days instead of chasing a managerial dream that just doesn’t look like materialising.

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