7 Feb 2012

Liverpool legend John Barnes returns to management...

Former Liverpool winger John Barnes has agreed to manage one of the 'franchise' teams in India's first professional football tournament.

It's not the most prestigious appointment for Barnes, but I'm sure his motivation is to help improve the quality of Indian football, and that is definitely a worthy challenge.

According to The Hindu:

* The tournament - scheduled to begin on th 24th March — will contain six 'franchises', and will be organised by Celebrity Management Group and the Indian Football Association.

* Argentine legend Juan Pablo Sorin has signed on as the 'icon player', and while John Barnes will coach the new franchise.

* There will be 30 group matches followed and four semifinals.

* Pre-season training for the tournament begins on March 3.

* The final will take place on May 6.

* Barnes's team is being financed by local firm, Grey Mind Communications.

Barnes's managerial career so far has been unspectacular, but it's great to see him get involved, and his experience will be hugely beneficial to everyone concerned.

Barnesy is not the only ex-Liverpool player heading to India; Goalscoring legend Robbie Fowler recently signed for Indian Premier League side Kolka in a $498,000 deal.

Jaimie Kanwar


10 comments:

  1. "Get in Barnsey!!!!" was what i used to shout when John Barnes used to score.

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  2. Good luck John, his managerial record so far has been disastrous, so let's hope he has some success this time.

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  3. pmsl hes only gone for the money lol he still wont get a job if he win the cup with the pensioners lol

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  4. what a player.......ynwa

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  5. Think Barnes would be a good number 2 or 3 in a management set up. He'd be a good coach to get the players passing and moving.

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  6. Yes, I think so too, maybe he could find a way to get our players to create better chances. He's definitely not a manager, but could be a great coach, I think. He probably went into management with too little experience as well.

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  7. Yes, I reckon he could play himself in this league and still do a job!! Even if he won the league there for 10 years in a row he would be lucky to get a job with a League 2 club!

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  8. Go on Barnes, there's no fergie to maupulate the system there, no Howard Webb etc. etc.

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  9. And also, when he used to turn Manure's defence inside out for fun.

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  10. I think he'll be a good number one; not a number two or three.

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