FRESH START AS TODD SEEKS THE NEXT BERBATOV
FINDING the next Dimitar Berbatov in Bulgaria was never going to be easy.
But then former Bolton, Blackburn and Middlesbrough defender Andy Todd (right) had to fight for a career in the Premier League. And needs must when jobs are few and far between.
So Todd jumped at the chance when the call came from manager Warren Feeney to join him in the second tier at OFC Pirin Blagoevgrad, 80 miles south-west of the capital, Sofia. “You might ask what I’m doing here,” said Todd, 45. “But that’s an easy one to answer. I was an out-of-work football coach and, when the call came from Warren, I had no hesitation in taking it.
“Does it matter where it is? No. It’s a fresh start for me and I worked with Warren at Linfield, so I knew him and the club has a chance to improve and progress.
“There are new owners, Emirates Wealth, and a fabulous training ground is being developed – I’m told it will be the best in the country. The brief is to build upon the club’s heritage.
“The youth teams here have long been the unique selling point – this was where Dimitar Berbatov learned his trade – and, if we can bring through another like him, that will do us no harm.
“In fact, his dad played for the club back in the day and so did Dimitar before moving to CSKA Sofia and his
BRIGHTON manager Graham Potter has found a new way to keep fit during the lockdown – on his children’s trampoline.
Potter is cooped up at home in Sussex and currently self-isolating after his wife showed possible symptoms of the coronavirus this week.
That means no runs in the countryside and no exercises in the park.
But, in between homeschooling his three boys, Potter has found a novel way to keep his exercise regime going.
“I’m on the trampoline,” he said. “The trampoline is my saviour.
“The children basically torture me for about eight hours a day to go on the trampoline and then, when I’m on it, it’s actually good fun.”
Not that the 44-year-old former Ostersund and Swansea City coach is getting a long workout, however.
“I’m not what I used to be. I’ve got a few bounces in my locker and then I’m off in about 10 minutes,” he joked.
“To be honest, there are too many of us on there. I’m concerned I’m going to be heading to A&E and add more problems to the NHS because I’ve broken the arms of my boys!”
Potter became one of the first managers in the country to host a “virtual” press conference this week when he spoke to journalists on the Zoom video conferencing platform.
And he wants to use similar technology to keep up the spirits of his players.
Potter said: “We’ve been using technology to get players exercising together, even though they are on their own. Now we’re looking at developing that further.
“I wouldn’t want to give too much away, but we’re thinking about how we can get some dialogue and use the time for the players to carry on thinking about the bigger picture. Thinking about how brother still lives in the area. It’s our understanding that a few players have slipped through the net. There’s going to be real investment in the academy. “It’s up to us to make sure that talent, if it is there, is realised.”
Todd spent most of his career in the top two divisions of English football, but, like many, has found it difficult to generate any momentum in coaching they can develop as people, as well as players.
“Humanity is the focus at the moment, isn’t it? We’re not really in a place where football is the priority.”
Meanwhile, Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has hinted that the impact of the pandemic could mark the end of the mega-money deals we have seen in summer transfer windows in the past.
With so many clubs – and so many people and businesses – struggling to stay afloat, it’s hard to imagine a positive reaction to a Premier League club splurging £100million on a striker, such as Jadon Sancho, any time soon, for instance.
Barber (below) said: “Certainly, this situation brings perspective because all of us are now suddenly faced with a situation where our income has disappeared... pretty much overnight.
“That is a very, very sobering – and quite scary – situation to be facing. Not just for football, but for lots of different industries. That certainly will be a moment to give us all pause for thought.”
So, could it make big-money transfers almost socially unacceptable?
“Yeah, it could be that that’s where this takes us. It could be. But it’s too early to say,” added Barber.
“Our real focus, at the moment, as for all clubs, is just making sure we survive these next difficult weeks and months.
“Then, at the same time, the No.1 priority has to be people’s health and well-being.
“Everything else has to take
a back seat.” after finishing his playing days. He started working alongside Feeney in Northern Ireland and then had two spells with Gary Bowyer at Blackpool and Bradford City.
He said: “There are no guarantees in life – certainly not in football – so what did I have to lose when the call came?
“If you feel wanted in football, it doesn’t matter where it is, frankly.
“And the welcome we’ve received over here makes you really want the best for the club.”