UNBEATABLE
Warnock hits No. 1,061 and will set managerial record that’s sure to stand for ever
JOY BACK FOR TROY
DAVE ARMITAGE
LEE BOWYER hopes Birmingham will benefit from a rebooted Troy Deeney.
Deeney (above) left Watford to join the club he has always supported, but was dropped for three games after struggling, then returned last week to score in a 2-1 victory over Swansea.
He will be looking for more goals today at Middlesbrough and boss Bowyer said: “I felt I had to protect him a little as the expectation was crazy. Everyone thinks, ‘Here we go, we’re going to win the league’.
“Because before he came we were flying, sixth, seventh or wherever we were, then all of a sudden we sign Troy and that’s it, we’re going to win the league. Football isn’t like that.
“I know what he brings, I know why we brought him here and at the weekend he showed us that.”
Bowyer added: “Because of all the expectation, I think Troy was maybe sometimes trying to do things he’s not capable of doing because he wants to show everyone, ‘I’m this top player’.
“No, no. Just go back to the reason why we brought you here. Hold the ball up, fight for the team, score goals. Simple.”
Middlesbrough’s game with Birmingham today will be his 1,601st in charge.
That will equal Dario Gradi, who the English National Football Archive says has overseen the most matches in the history of the English game.
Now at his 14th club, Warnock will pass that mark when Boro visit Luton on Tuesday night, having started in the Scarborough dug-out on August 15, 1987.
His recipe for such longevity is humour and bouncing back from “bleak times” quickly. “I never set out to do anything like that,” said Warnock.
“I can’t see something like this being beaten. In another 16 to 17 games, it will be the most football league games. Hopefully I can keep my job a bit longer.
“What keeps me going?
People like Steve Gibson ringing me at 8am. And chairmen like Simon Jordan saying come on back in. Rotherham whetted my appetite again and sparked the Cardiff thing.
“I must have been decent at my job to do 1,601.
“It’s a proud thing. Managing football is difficult especially for the younger lads. I’ve really enjoyed it and set out to give the clubs I am at something to cheer about and a bit of humour in the game.
“There is not enough humour. I like to make people laugh, smile and enjoy life.
“Younger managers get a bit brainwashed with clipboards and qualifications and forget the little things in life like the humour. You can’t give them a course in humour.
“I’ve always enjoyed that part, meeting the away fans, the banter and getting some stick. I couldn’t have done as many games without humour.”
Boro are reasonably placed to keep Warnock on the trail of more milestones. And at 72 he could beat his own record of being the oldest boss to clinch promotion having led Cardiff into the Premier League when he was 69.
Having taken Notts County up twice, and promotions with Huddersfield, Plymouth, Sheffield United, QPR and Cardiff, he is bidding for an eighth with the Teessiders and that would be yet another record.