Alan Ball: Did Franny Lee Really Think He Would Bring Trophies?

[OnlyOneUweRosler]

Was talking about this the other day. Brian Horton had kept city in the premier league on a shoestring budget in 1993/94, and in 1994/95 played some great football. That season city scored lots of goals, beat Keegan's Newcastle at St James' in the League Cup, reached the quarter final of that cup, and dominated eventual champions Blackburn at Ewood Park (even had two legit goals disallowed, Kenny Dalglish told Sky he was in awe of city's performance.) Despite that, Franny Lee sacked Horton and brought in Alan Ball, whose managerial record was basically relegating teams, or nearly relegating them (e.g., Southampton.) So I've always wondered what did Franny Lee think Alan Ball would do differently at City? Someone said Lee and Ball were mates so it was a personal thing, but surely Ball's performance as a coach mattered? Given almost every transfer he made (Kinkladze and Dickov aside) was a catastrophe, and the league performance was so poor, what was going on?

 

[Gordyola]

Franny didn’t sack Horton he told him he wanted to bring his own man in but if he couldn’t get him then he would keep him Horton went to a end of season League Mangers’ meeting and got wind of the Huddersfield job so went after that he left with Franny’s blessing Shame because ultimately “his man” bottled like a Kidd sacred of a bully He then approached George Graham but he was facing a league sanction this left Franny in an unenviable situation and he turned to Ball who wasn’t a big mate more a England team mate

Just to add all the transfers were from information Franny got from his contacts eg Uwè was a tip off from Beckenbauer

 

[Sky Blue Thinking]

Was talking about this the other day. Brian Horton had kept city in the premier league on a shoestring budget in 1993/94, and in 1994/95 played some great football. That season city scored lots of goals, beat Keegan's Newcastle at St James' in the League Cup, reached the quarter final of that cup, and dominated eventual champions Blackburn at Ewood Park (even had two legit goals disallowed, Kenny Dalglish told Sky he was in awe of city's performance.) Despite that, Franny Lee sacked Horton and brought in Alan Ball, whose managerial record was basically relegating teams, or nearly relegating them (e.g., Southampton.) So I've always wondered what did Franny Lee think Alan Ball would do differently at City? Someone said Lee and Ball were mates so it was a personal thing, but surely Ball's performance as a coach mattered? Given almost every transfer he made (Kinkladze and Dickov aside) was a catastrophe, and the league performance was so poor, what was going on?

Think Kinkladze's signing was more to do with Lee than Ball.
Was an underwhelming appointment at the time and results bore out many fans concerns. Lee and Ball were both from the Bolton area and a similair age so may well have known each other before their professional careers as likely to have been in local representative teams possibly together. Unsure if they were pally with each other.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

Just a case of Franny not really knowing what he was doing. He was a successful businessman and obviously a great footballer so he probably thought he could repeat the success using the same management methods.

 

[NLW Blue]

Franny didn’t sack Horton he told him he wanted to bring his own man in but if he couldn’t get him then he would keep him Horton went to a end of season League Mangers’ meeting and got wind of the Huddersfield job so went after that he left with Franny’s blessing Shame because ultimately “his man” bottled like a Kidd sacred of a bully He then approached George Graham but he was facing a league sanction this left Franny in an unenviable situation and he turned to Ball who wasn’t a big mate more a England team mate

Just to add all the transfers were from information Franny got from his contacts eg Uwè was a tip off from Beckenbauer

I remember at a Northenden City Supporters Club meeting when Horton was the guest, he told us that he was on holiday in the carribean when he found out he'd been sacked. He said Ron Atkinson was at the same resort and he asked Horton if he was OK. Horton replied yes, then Atkinson handed him the newspaper and said are you sure, and it was in the newspaper that Horton had been sacked by City.

 

[superwatsonwatson]

It was the first 10 or so games that killed Ball’s season. After that I thought we were ok. On the last day of the season I think 3 teams all picked up points to send us down. That was after I think 1 point from those first 10 or so games.
The 1994/95 season under Horton really was great to watch. I remember I couldn’t wait to go to the matches that season. Brian Horton was difficult not to like.

 

[urban genie]

Franny didn’t sack Horton he told him he wanted to bring his own man in but if he couldn’t get him then he would keep him Horton went to a end of season League Mangers’ meeting and got wind of the Huddersfield job so went after that he left with Franny’s blessing Shame because ultimately “his man” bottled like a Kidd sacred of a bully He then approached George Graham but he was facing a league sanction this left Franny in an unenviable situation and he turned to Ball who wasn’t a big mate more a England team mate

Just to add all the transfers were from information Franny got from his contacts eg Uwè was a tip off from Beckenbauer

Horton is quite open about how he wasn't told and was sacked while away and Lee wouldn't answer his calls.

Lee did the same to Bell, which is why they didn't speak for over a decade

 

[Lavinda Past]

Alan Ball had a World Cup winners medal, you know.

I wonder if he ever mentioned that?

 

[OnlyOneUweRosler]

Horton always struck me as a very decent and down to earth guy. With a squad full of injuries, and no money, he managed to bring in Walsh, Rosler, Beagrie, Rocastle and saved city from relegation. 1994/5 was my first full season as a city fan, and it was genuinely exciting to see how city loved to attack and get stuck in. I genuinely believe Horton was on the verge of winning something when they fired him.

 

[OnlyOneUweRosler]

Alan Ball had a World Cup winners medal, you know.

I wonder if he ever mentioned that?

Apparently on the opening game of the season his team talk revolved around him being a World Cup winner. Far from enthusing the team, it just underlined to guys like Kit Symons et al thay they could never have what he had, and that didn't create a good atmosphere.

 

[simmo]

Horton is quite open about how he wasn't told and was sacked while away and Lee wouldn't answer his calls.

Lee did the same to Bell, which is why they didn't speak for over a decade

That is a similar story when he came to speak about his book. The team were staying in a hotel to play Blackburn away when we beat them 3-2 at the time Rovers were top. He knew that day he wasn’t staying beyond the season, so told the traveling party there was a party after the match at the hotel.

Sad in a way the best performance of the season coincided with him and the team knowing he was leaving.

 

[OnlyOneUweRosler]

Some of Ball's signings were howlers. Michael Frontzeck remains the worst play I have ever seen in a city shirt, and he replaced the reliable and pacey Terry Phelan who had just played in a World Cup. Creaney replaced Walsh and scored 3 goals all season. Immel was a turkey who belonged to a transition generation of goalies who had spent most of their careers before the backpass rule, and he couldn't deal with backpasses to save his life.

 

[simmo]

Horton always struck me as a very decent and down to earth guy. With a squad full of injuries, and no money, he managed to bring in Walsh, Rosler, Beagrie, Rocastle and saved city from relegation. 1994/5 was my first full season as a city fan, and it was genuinely exciting to see how city loved to attack and get stuck in. I genuinely believe Horton was on the verge of winning something when they fired him.

The game at home against Spurs 5-2 is one of the best games I have been to, it was City pulling apart a star studded Spurs side. Paul Walsh was a superb player and perhaps had a short spell where he played his best football of his career in a blue shirt.

 

[Lavinda Past]

Apparently on the opening game of the season his team talk revolved around him being a World Cup winner. Far from enthusing the team, it just underlined to guys like Kit Symons et al thay they could never have what he had, and that didn't create a good atmosphere.

Legend has it that he carried his medal around with him at all times, just in case he met someone who didn't know about it.

 

[OnlyOneUweRosler]

The game at home against Spurs 5-2 is one of the best games I have been to, it was City pulling apart a star studded Spurs side. Paul Walsh was a superb player and perhaps had a short spell where he played his best football of his career in a blue shirt.

I remember that game, it was genuinely amazing to see how totally city swept away Tottenham (with Klinsmann et el) and I thought Walsh's performance was just divine. I remembered thinking at the time city were going to get mauled, only for the opposite to happen. Only bad side was Rosler was injured, and he said in his book if he had been able to play in that, the German press would have been comparing him to Klinsmann and might have got Rosler in the Germany squad.

 

[OnlyOneUweRosler]

Legend has it that he carried his medal around with him at all times, just in case he met someone who didn't know about it.

I think Ball believed since he was a good player he was obviously going to be a good manager, but they are different skills.

 

[Jamshopbridge]

Some of Ball's signings were howlers. Michael Frontzeck remains the worst play I have ever seen in a city shirt, and he replaced the reliable and pacey Terry Phelan who had just played in a World Cup. Creaney replaced Walsh and scored 3 goals all season. Immel was a turkey who belonged to a transition generation of goalies who had spent most of their careers before the backpass rule, and he couldn't deal with backpasses to save his life.

Don't forget Martin Buster Phillips. Didn't Ball say he was going to be England's first £10M footballer?

 

[nmc]

Was talking about this the other day. Brian Horton had kept city in the premier league on a shoestring budget in 1993/94, and in 1994/95 played some great football. That season city scored lots of goals, beat Keegan's Newcastle at St James' in the League Cup, reached the quarter final of that cup, and dominated eventual champions Blackburn at Ewood Park (even had two legit goals disallowed, Kenny Dalglish told Sky he was in awe of city's performance.) Despite that, Franny Lee sacked Horton and brought in Alan Ball, whose managerial record was basically relegating teams, or nearly relegating them (e.g., Southampton.) So I've always wondered what did Franny Lee think Alan Ball would do differently at City? Someone said Lee and Ball were mates so it was a personal thing, but surely Ball's performance as a coach mattered? Given almost every transfer he made (Kinkladze and Dickov aside) was a catastrophe, and the league performance was so poor, what was going on?

Lee had Kidd lined up to replace Horton but that fell through at the last minute. Ball was second choice but god knows what Lee saw in him. He was a joke.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Just a case of Franny not really knowing what he was doing. He was a successful businessman and obviously a great footballer so he probably thought he could repeat the success using the same management methods.

Lee would have thought that, and it’s a belief founded in logic, but absolutely flawed.

His judgement as City Chairman was appalling. Arguably even worse than Swales, although I think the latter just edges it.

The decline of City and subsequently United shows how much destruction can be visited by flawed decision making and delusion.

Long may the current scenario continue!

 

[Shaggy]

In a book by Hunter Davies, Davies writes that Francis Lee did not know about Ball signing Lee Badbuy and would not have sanctioned the purchase had he known about it.