Baraclough couldn't find secret to Scottish success

Ian Baraclough's nine month stint at Motherwell came to an end this week as the club's directors decided it was time to part company with the Englishman.

Baraclough had great success in Ireland as manager of Sligo Rovers. In two and a half seasons, he delivered the Bit o' Red their first league title in 35 years, continued the club's recent FAI Cup success by capturing the 2013 trophy, while his final success saw Sligo winning the 2014 Setanta Sports Cup.

Ultimately a poor run of results in the league saw his tenure in the north-west come to the end midway through the 2014 season simply because high league expectations were not being met.

His successes at Sligo clearly earned him plaudits, as in December 2014 he was appointed as the new Motherwell manager. Given that ‘The Well’ had earned two third place finishes and the runners-up spot in their three previous seasons, Baraclough was taking over the hot seat of another club with high expectations.

Stuart McCall, having led Motherwell to all of those finishes had started the 2014/15 season poorly and resigned a month before Baraclough’s appointment. An interim period with Kenny Black as caretaker manager led the Motherwell Board of Directors to appoint Baraclough on 13 December 2014.

He was instantly compared with previous League of Ireland managers Stephen Kenny, Jim Gannon (who also managed Motherwell) and most recently Pat Fenlon. All three coaches cut their managerial teeth in the League of Ireland, were rewarded with managerial jobs in Scotland, and all three many would say ultimatley failed there.

Quick to distance himself from such a pattern,  Baraclough perhaps will now regret comments he made to the Daily Record in the first few days of his managerial spell.

“Pat Fenlon, Stephen Kenny were Irish. I’m English. We’ve managed in the Irish League (sic) but I don’t see it as a barrier that will hold me back – I’m totally different to them.”

Baraclough attempted to differentiate himself and that was absolutely the right thing to do. Just because three previous managers from the League of Ireland had been unsuccesful before him didn't mean the fourth was also going to fail. Baraclough believed his own personality and style of management was going to stand to him.

However, such comments showed a certain amount of arrogance. Drawing lines on the basis of nationality differences even displayed foolishness. What difference does it make if he is English and Fenlon or Kenny are Irish? In the end, no difference at all.

All three managers posted poor records and ultimately Baraclough didn't distinguish himself. In fact, it's worth pointing that at least Kenny and Fenlon showed some cup pedigree away from the league. Kenny led Dunfermline Athletic to the Scottish Cup Final in 2007.

Fenlon led Hibernians to two successive Scottish Cup finals in 2012 and 2013. Baraclough didn't achieve any cup success, and indeed this week’s League Cup exit at the hands of Championship side Greenock Morton determined his fate.

Baraclough at least achieved the minimum requirement at Motherwell – keeping them in the top flight during the 2014/15 season. His team did so in emphatic fashion convincingly defeating Glasgow Rangers 6-1 in the two legged promotion-relegation play-off fixture. Unfortunately for Baraclough, that is the only tangible success he can look back upon.

Kenny was in charge when Dunfermline were relegated from the Scottish Premier League in 2007. Fenlon was relieved of his duties from Hibs before they were relegated in 2014. Baraclough has been sacked after only 8 league games this season, with Motherwell sitting in 10^th position.

All three clubs were in decline when the managers took charge, and ultimately none of the three managers could stop that decline. Kenny and Fenlon can at least point to successful cup runs as proof they had some success. Baraclough cannot.

Kenny has obviously improved his reputation immensely since his disastrous Dunfermline spell. Fenlon is employed again and with Shamrock Rovers he is in the middle of building new fortunes.

Baraclough now faces an uncertain future. Perhaps he'll look to return to the League of Ireland. Given his past successes in Ireland and with potential managerial positions open in a few weeks' time, it could be a good option.

Alternatively he may look to return to his native England and find a managerial job there. Early and mid-season managerial vacancies always become available as the English league season progresses.

Wherever he goes, he won't need to deal with the stigma that faced him at Motherwell. He failed in his attempts to differentiate himself from previous League of Ireland managers in the Scottish top flight. Instead he added to the trend of failure.

That trend tells us whether a manager is English or Irish, it doesn't matter. Hopefully the next League of Ireland manager that tries their luck in Scotland will end that stigma and be successful.