Dynamics of Cowley duo
Brothers’ ‘unique relationship’ can drive Blues to play-offs
DANNY Cowley has revealed how the dynamics between himself and brother Nicky will work in the Fratton Park driving seat.
The pair have been tasked with leading Pompey into the League One play-offs following the departure of Kenny Jackett.
Danny Cowley was appointed head coach for the remainder of the season and chose younger brother Nicky as his assistant.
The London-born siblings have worked their way up from managing in the ninth tier of English football to the Championship.
Starting at Concord Rangers, their journey to Fratton Park took them via Braintree, Lincoln and then Huddersfield. The Cowleys have previously been described as the closest thing to joint-managers without having the official title.
Danny Cowley told how he has a ‘unique relationship’ with Nicky – even living next door to each other in Lincoln.
And because they’re brothers, they can have frank conversations that help their decision-making.
Pompey's head coach said: ‘The titles are irrelevant to us. We enjoy working with each other and have a unique relationship.
‘We’ve kind of lived our lives in each other’s pocket. In Lincoln, we lived next door to each other and we have trust, which is a difficult commodity to find in football.
‘We can agree to disagree because we can speak the truth. When I say trust, sometimes trust is being able to tell each other the truth.
‘Sometimes when you can do that, you can get to decisions much quicker.
‘Ultimately, what we have found is when we don’t quite agree, that’s when we work around it and try to find the right answer.
‘We love football and, like anyone, we have our moments. But it is a relationship that definitely works for us.’
Danny Cowley took charge of Concord Rangers in 2008, with Nicky his captain before becoming assistant six years later after a role as playercoach.
A year later, they were poached by National League side Braintree Town. That season, the Iron achieved their highest-ever finish of third before being beaten by Grimsby in the play-off semifinals.
It was at Lincoln where the Cowleys really put their names on the map. Arriving in the summer of 2016, they guided the Imps to the National League title in their first season before leading the club to the League Two crown in 2019.
Shortly into the 2019-20 campaign, the pair left Sincil Bank for Championship strugglers Huddersfield.
Despite the Terriers collecting just one point in six games upon their arrival, the Cowleys steered the Yorkshire outfit to relegation safety – yet were sacked with one game remaining.