

Debate: Its Twitter Time! Should Managers Tweet?
By: Marcus | December 17th, 2009In last weeks round 18 clash between Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne Victory, the Mariners manager, Lawrie McKinna was caught on camera doing something at halftime. Yes the one time ‘A-league Manager of The Year’ and the man that lead Central Coast to there 2007-2008 Premiership was on Twitter at halftime of an actual match.

Who Tweets? Lawrie does!
Lawrie caught out by Fox Sport
Lawrie posts all his team news on his Twitter account, from what he thought of his teams performance, how training went, who is injured, who is fit and even if any players have signed new contacts. John Hutchinson yesterday signed a 3 year contract extension, the media found out from Lawrie’s Twitter.
After his sides loss he tweeted:
Well what can I say.melb were clinical in there finishing.I felt up till they score we were the better team. If pedj score its a diff game
To check out his Twitter page click here.
This interesting scenario leaves us with a difficult question. Should Managers Tweet about there team?
I for one can’t decided on whether or not the should or shouldn’t.
On one hand I love it because it gives the fans an insight into how the club works, gives them more news and brings them closer to the club.
On the other hand though, I find it to be unprofessional. Traditionally sporting clubs, of any code not just football, keep most things indoors away from public view, Lawrie’s tweets however makes the club look too open. The problem of it being open is that if there is some trouble or controversy and a manager oversteps the line there could be a potential split in the dressing room or an even bigger blow up.
Another question I have is which managers would everyone like to see Twitter. I think some managers Tweets would be very interesting such a Jose Mourinho or Palermo’s president Zamparini but others would be a waste of time like Rafa Benitez.
Jose’s posts would be very vindictive and I wouldn’t mind some ‘I’m on Setanta Sports’ like quotes. Rafa on the other hand would be terrible. I predict he’d tweet things like ‘Does anyone have a spare $200 million I can spend? I just wasted mine.’ or he will just go on a rampage about his ‘facts’.
So should managers use Twitter?
Which manager would you like to see use Twitter and why?
Also you can now join the A-League Offside Facebook group.
Comments
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I think its fine really. As long as it isn’t affecting his managerial ability (like he said he only tweeted after his team talk) then it doesn’t bother me.
Could get some in trouble though. Imagine SAF after a loss…he’d be slamming the refs left right and centre.


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I dont mind managers tweeting, as long as it does not affect them during the game or in the build up to the game. after the game is fine, but they must not make it a very common thing.


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I don’t have a problem with managers commenting, so long as they aren’t commenting on specific players not performing well or anything of that nature which would cause problems.
I know of several NBA players who got into trouble for updating their Twitter at half time of a match!













