With the average lifespan of a manager falling every season, it’s only a matter of time before players start to run dressing rooms and dictate tactics.
However, one high profile boss has come up with a shrewd way of getting his squad to assume more responsibility – and possibly keep himself out of the firing line in the process.
At the start of this season, Hoffenheim manager Julien Nagelsmann told his team that it was up to them to pick their captain, vice-captain and club council for the season, as well as setting out performance objectives for every competition.
"Last year I set out all the targets, but this time I wanted it to be up to the players, like the choice of captain," he revealed ahead of the season. "If I find their ideas to be a little unambitious I may make some changes, but I know my players. They are ambitious.
The 30-year-old added: “I have got a huge amount of confidence in the whole team, so I was happy to let them come up with our goals for the season," said Nagelsmann. "It's up to them whether we have one global objective, or individual targets for each competition."
His squad stuck with veteran skipper Eugen Polanski, while Kevin Vogt and Benjamin Hubner were named his deputies. Oliver Baumann, Ermin Bickacic and Sandro Wagner joined them and their captain on the team council.
The 30-year-old’s forward thinking approach to management has yet to pay off, though, with the club only eighth in the league table after 22 matches place in the league – four spots worse off than last season’s surprise fourth place finish.
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