Oscar
Well-known member
- Nov 10, 2003
- 3,864
This from the Scottish Sun today...
Oscar Winner
Boss Garcia has got Gordon playing Barca way
Exclusive GARETH LAW Published: 11 hrs ago
WHEN Gordon Greer slumps on to his sofa and tunes in to live La Liga he sees Lionel Messi and Co putting into practice what he has been preached.
Since the summer the Scotland stopper has been working under boss Oscar Garcia at Brighton.
The one-time Barcelona star has been adding new ways of playing to his Seagulls squad.
It has taken time to get used to — but Greer now finds himself tuning into Barca games on TV to get another lesson in exactly what Garcia wants.
He is lapping up his latest football education and said: “The new manager has been really good since coming in.
“He’s brought some fresh ideas into the club.
“He was at Barcelona for years and it’s been great to learn under someone who has got that philosophy drilled into them and to see the way Barcelona coach their players.
“I didn’t know too much about him when he came in, but since he’s been here he’s been great for myself and the rest of the players.
“You can see that his ideas have been instilled in him since he was a young player at Barcelona.
“I read an article about him not so long ago where he was talking about people who had inspired him. He was talking about working under guys like Johan Cruyff, which is pretty amazing.
“Barcelona have had so many managers over the years but some of the things he asks us to try and do in games you can see them doing even now.
“These things aren’t always easy to carry out but he’s trying to get us into good habits I watch Barcelona in the Champions League and can see them do what he’s told our guys to do.
“It’s just certain things in their philosophy which he’s taken into his managerial career.
“He’s trying to do it with us and it’s been good finding out the different ways and things people can do to get the ball back.
“The manager is a quiet person away from football. He’s very unassuming — and if you didn’t know he had played for Barcelona he wouldn’t be shouting his mouth off telling you he had.
“He’s not a ranter or raver. He’s very in control, knows what he wants and he doesn’t need to shout or bawl to get his points across.”
Greer, 33, had enjoyed working under Garcia’s predecessor Gus Poyet.
But after the bitter end to the Uruguayan’s spell in charge at the AMEX Arena, former Kilmarnock defender Greer is delighted that it is the Catalan who is carrying on the good work.
He said: “Ever since I’ve been at Brighton — under Gus and and now Oscar — I’ve been asked to get on the ball at the back and start the game from there.
“Obviously in the Championship you come up against teams that work hard to stop you from doing that.
“It is quite interesting though. The last few years I’ve taken a lot more interest in the coaching side as well.
“I just think more on the park now and I’m trying to figure out solutions to different problems.
“When you’re trying to get the ball and play out from the back you’re pro-active in trying to work out different ways.
“I’m just trying to do the best job I can and that involves making angles all the time and giving people options on the ball.
“I’m really enjoying my football because of that.
“I love playing for Brighton and I feel the way Oscar wants us to play suits me.”
So much so it has propelled Greer into Scotland boss Gordon Strachan’s thinking.
He landed his first Scotland call-up last May ahead of the stunning victory in Croatia.
That clash turned out to be the catalyst for Russell Martin and Grant Hanley becoming the first choice centre-back pairing.
But Greer remained part of the squad and made his debut in the friendly draw with the USA at Hampden in November and followed that up with another 90 minutes in Norway four days later.
With Hanley out, he could start again in Wednesday night’s friendly in Poland.
And he hopes that the continental approach he has embraced at club level can only help him and Scotland when the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign gets under way.
Greer said: “I can’t say for sure if working the way we do at Brighton helps me at international level.
“It’s just a good experience for me when I’m looking back on my career, to have worked under different managers.
“You can see when you look at these foreign teams it’s all about their players’ technical ability.
“But one of the things I’ve noticed since being in the Scotland squad is the way everyone works so hard for each other.
“We’ve got some really fantastic footballers too.
“Given the talent and workrate we’ve got a really good chance of doing well.
“I’m just delighted to be part of the squad again.
“I’m going to go there and train as hard as I can and just see where that takes me.
“I really enjoy it. I’ve loved working with the manager.
“He’s got some really good ideas and I just enjoy going away and meeting up with the boys.”
Germany are everyone’s favourites to top Group D.
After that it will be a fight with the Poles, Republic of Ireland and Georgia for second spot.
Greer said: “It’s a tough draw compared to the rest of the groups but it’ll be a good game playing against Poland next week.
“I don’t know how the draws are made but it never seems that favourable.
“They’ll be really good games to be involved in though. I’m sure the boys will relish the challenge.”
Oscar Winner
Boss Garcia has got Gordon playing Barca way
Exclusive GARETH LAW Published: 11 hrs ago
WHEN Gordon Greer slumps on to his sofa and tunes in to live La Liga he sees Lionel Messi and Co putting into practice what he has been preached.
Since the summer the Scotland stopper has been working under boss Oscar Garcia at Brighton.
The one-time Barcelona star has been adding new ways of playing to his Seagulls squad.
It has taken time to get used to — but Greer now finds himself tuning into Barca games on TV to get another lesson in exactly what Garcia wants.
He is lapping up his latest football education and said: “The new manager has been really good since coming in.
“He’s brought some fresh ideas into the club.
“He was at Barcelona for years and it’s been great to learn under someone who has got that philosophy drilled into them and to see the way Barcelona coach their players.
“I didn’t know too much about him when he came in, but since he’s been here he’s been great for myself and the rest of the players.
“You can see that his ideas have been instilled in him since he was a young player at Barcelona.
“I read an article about him not so long ago where he was talking about people who had inspired him. He was talking about working under guys like Johan Cruyff, which is pretty amazing.
“Barcelona have had so many managers over the years but some of the things he asks us to try and do in games you can see them doing even now.
“These things aren’t always easy to carry out but he’s trying to get us into good habits I watch Barcelona in the Champions League and can see them do what he’s told our guys to do.
“It’s just certain things in their philosophy which he’s taken into his managerial career.
“He’s trying to do it with us and it’s been good finding out the different ways and things people can do to get the ball back.
“The manager is a quiet person away from football. He’s very unassuming — and if you didn’t know he had played for Barcelona he wouldn’t be shouting his mouth off telling you he had.
“He’s not a ranter or raver. He’s very in control, knows what he wants and he doesn’t need to shout or bawl to get his points across.”
Greer, 33, had enjoyed working under Garcia’s predecessor Gus Poyet.
But after the bitter end to the Uruguayan’s spell in charge at the AMEX Arena, former Kilmarnock defender Greer is delighted that it is the Catalan who is carrying on the good work.
He said: “Ever since I’ve been at Brighton — under Gus and and now Oscar — I’ve been asked to get on the ball at the back and start the game from there.
“Obviously in the Championship you come up against teams that work hard to stop you from doing that.
“It is quite interesting though. The last few years I’ve taken a lot more interest in the coaching side as well.
“I just think more on the park now and I’m trying to figure out solutions to different problems.
“When you’re trying to get the ball and play out from the back you’re pro-active in trying to work out different ways.
“I’m just trying to do the best job I can and that involves making angles all the time and giving people options on the ball.
“I’m really enjoying my football because of that.
“I love playing for Brighton and I feel the way Oscar wants us to play suits me.”
So much so it has propelled Greer into Scotland boss Gordon Strachan’s thinking.
He landed his first Scotland call-up last May ahead of the stunning victory in Croatia.
That clash turned out to be the catalyst for Russell Martin and Grant Hanley becoming the first choice centre-back pairing.
But Greer remained part of the squad and made his debut in the friendly draw with the USA at Hampden in November and followed that up with another 90 minutes in Norway four days later.
With Hanley out, he could start again in Wednesday night’s friendly in Poland.
And he hopes that the continental approach he has embraced at club level can only help him and Scotland when the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign gets under way.
Greer said: “I can’t say for sure if working the way we do at Brighton helps me at international level.
“It’s just a good experience for me when I’m looking back on my career, to have worked under different managers.
“You can see when you look at these foreign teams it’s all about their players’ technical ability.
“But one of the things I’ve noticed since being in the Scotland squad is the way everyone works so hard for each other.
“We’ve got some really fantastic footballers too.
“Given the talent and workrate we’ve got a really good chance of doing well.
“I’m just delighted to be part of the squad again.
“I’m going to go there and train as hard as I can and just see where that takes me.
“I really enjoy it. I’ve loved working with the manager.
“He’s got some really good ideas and I just enjoy going away and meeting up with the boys.”
Germany are everyone’s favourites to top Group D.
After that it will be a fight with the Poles, Republic of Ireland and Georgia for second spot.
Greer said: “It’s a tough draw compared to the rest of the groups but it’ll be a good game playing against Poland next week.
“I don’t know how the draws are made but it never seems that favourable.
“They’ll be really good games to be involved in though. I’m sure the boys will relish the challenge.”
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