Legon Cities coach Paa Kwesi Fabin has voiced his concerns over the practice of evaluating coaches solely based on results, arguing that such an approach is unjust and fails to account for the multitude of factors involved in the game.
In a candid interview with 3Sports, the former Kotoko and Hearts of Oak gaffer expressed his frustration with the narrow-minded perspective that many clubs and stakeholders adopt when assessing a coach’s performance.
He emphasised that football is a complex sport, and numerous elements, including player abilities, team dynamics, and external factors, contribute to the eventual outcome of a match.
“The problem is that anytime you pick a team everybody wants you to win and that has been our problem. We need to know that sometimes you don’t have to win to be known as a good coach. But in our part of this world if you don’t win a trophy they don’t see you as a good coach,” Paa Kwesi Fabin said.
Fabin, who has extensive coaching experience at both the club and national team levels, highlighted the importance of considering the overall progress and development of a team under a coach’s guidance.
He emphasised that a coach’s true impact extends far beyond the scoreline, encompassing aspects such as tactical awareness, player management, and fostering a positive team culture.
Furthermore, Fabin addressed the potential consequences of the results-driven approach, suggesting that it can lead to short-sighted decision-making and a lack of stability within teams.
He argued that coaches need time and patience to implement their philosophies and build a cohesive unit, and frequent dismissals based on temporary setbacks can be detrimental to a team’s long-term success.
“In developing players, the quantity of players you develop for the system that makes you a unique coach or very good coach. But we’re too much results-oriented and therefore if somebody takes a team and doesn’t win a trophy we see him as a failure,” he added.
Fabin’s comments have reignited the debate surrounding the fair assessment of coaches and the need for a more comprehensive approach that considers the numerous factors that contribute to a team’s performance.