I was probably not ready but I would love to be boss again
JAKE Buxton says he has few regrets about his short time as Burton Albion manager, despite it ending in the sack just before the end of 2020.
The former club captain relished the opportunity to take his first steps in management, even though he knew that the circumstances thrown up by Covid-19 stacked the odds against him.
Now, Buxton is on the lookout for a new job and has not ruled out playing again if that is what it takes to get a wage coming in.
“It was an unbelievable opportunity at the time, regardless of the position we found ourselves in due to current situations,” said Buxton in an interview for The Athletic website.
“You never know if you’re quite ready and I probably wasn’t. This probably proved I wasn’t ready to make a good success of it but I wouldn’t turn down the opportunity looking back again. I enjoyed every minute of it.
“Football isn’t immune. Clubs were finding it tough to function before the virus. There were plenty of hurdles I had to deal with along the way but a great opportunity. I loved every minute of it.
“The process now is to look at the things I didn’t get right, the things I did get right and get ready for the next opportunity.
“I got 22 games, many managers have been sacked after less than that in the situation we were in.
“I did need more help but also you need the results to give the owner the belief to back you in certain areas. I understood that.”
Although his appointment raised some eyebrows after Nigel Clough stepped down as manager, Buxton was not coming in entirely without experience.
He had got involved in coaching way back with Mansfield Town before his single season with Burton as they won the Conference in 2008-09 and subsequent move to join Clough with Derby County.
At Derby, he had worked with the academy while still playing.
Perhaps the biggest difference in taking on the manager’s job was the impact on finances caused by Covid19.
“Football is unique in that you can have a playing contract which has been given to you at a time when there is no pandemic,” said Buxton. “Then it hits and the players still have the same contract. It’s tough. You’re trying to save as much money as you can for the club and make good decisions and put the club before yourself.
“I had to make sound decisions, like if it was going to be an overnight stay (for away games) or if we’re ordering food for the players. I made sure I put the club before myself. “There was a lot of stuff which needed to be reined in, which is fine. It’s like any business. If your expenses are high and you can bring it down, you do.
“I had to try and protect the club for the long term. Regardless of myself being successful, it was about making sure the club remained.” Buxton admits that he began to take a different view on the “fine margins” managers often talk about – the difference between winning and losing matches, succeeding and
I used to think, ‘I’m not buying that, I’m not so sure’. But when you’re in it, it’s exactly that.
not succeeding.
“When you’re playing, you talk with people who mention fine margins, small details and a little bit of luck,” he said.
“I used to think, ‘I’m not buying that, I’m not so sure.’ But when you’re in it, it’s exactly that.
“There isn’t a great deal in a lot of the games. It’s small details. If you don’t get them quite correct, you can find yourself on the other end of a defeat.
“And once you turn a corner but don’t get a positive result, then you’re searching for the next one.
“Sometimes, when we did turn up off the back of a defeat, we didn’t get wins, we got draws. And that was probably one of the biggest reasons I lost my job, really.”
Next came the challenge of going from being one of the team to being the boss.
“You’ve got to have that right balance of being honest and making players understand the position they’re in and being able to get the
best out of a player while telling them everything truthfully. That’s something I need to learn,” said Buxton.
“Honesty is a big part of my life, giving everything you’ve got and, at times, every player sees things how you see them.
“Learning to play the game a bit more with players is something I need to do. Everything else I really enjoyed, though.”
Like Wayne Rooney with Derby County, Buxton soon realised that the idea of playing and managing was not going to work – and he did not have such a big staff behind him as Rooney.
“Wayne has some good staff there, with Shay Given, Steve McClaren, Liam Rosenior, Justin Walker – not to mention the academy lads,” said Buxton. “There’s enough knowledge there. I didn’t really have that. I think it was a good decision for him to step away from playing.”
Now it is back to job hunting for Buxton at a time when there are probably fewer opportunities in the game, with most clubs cutting their cloth.
“I don’t think you can pick and choose your opportunities as much in these times,” said Buxton.
“I’m like any other person – I need a job. There’s only a certain amount of time you can go without working. So I’m actively looking to try and get back into coaching or management. If those situations don’t arrive, I’ll probably have to stick my boots back on.”
You’ve got to have that right balance of being honest and making players understand the position they’re in.