One interesting comment during Coventry City's FA Youth Cup tie at Manchester City on a wet and windy Wednesday night, came from a Manchester City supporter who enquired with us as to exactly what City boss Steven Pressley had said to one of the City defenders when he had come to the front of the stand.
Pressley, who was at the game with Neil MacFarlane and Steve Ogrizovic, had gone down in the tenth minute to offer instruction.
(picture of Pressley returning to his seat after giving out his instruction)
Now if this opposition supporter and a number of others sat round us in the stand at the Academy Stadium on the Ethiad Campus did not understand what Pressley had shouted, how can we expect players even more yards away to comprehend what they are being told to do?
Plenty in the Main Stand on a wet and windy Monday night for City's game at the Ricoh Arena against Swindon Town witnessed for themselves, according to comments on social media, Pressley shouting instructions at players who were not payimg attention to what he was saying, something mentioned in our match report. .
One could cite accents as one possible reason but having seen the same thing at non-league level and reserve team matches over the year as well as supporters singing on open terraces/stands, shouting from the bench or side of the pitch in windy and rainy conditions can often affect the clarity of what is being said and the ability to hear and comprehend said instruction in the horrible conditions which City matches at three levels have been played in this week and in such conditions, team managers may need to turn to other methods of communication to ensure that their players act on their instructions.