DERBY BOSS INTERVIEW CITIZEN KAIZEN
The world according to Gary Rowett and why it pays to be big on Japan Hughton glory puts his rise at Toon in shade
A HALF-HOUR chat with Gary Rowett is illuminating. The topics for discussion? Life on the roller- coaster of modern football management, a trip down memory lane with Jim Smith, a walk on the beach with John Terry, and Japanese business theory.
Oh, and why the Rams haven’t yet got round to personalising his parking space.
Derby County’s 43- year- old manager has lived in and around this city for the past 23 years. He doesn’t need the pressures of his job spelled out.
What does need clarification is that a line has been drawn in the Derby sand. No more turmoil, no more churn of managers.
Cheerful
Bankrolled by Candy Crush Saga king Mel Morris ( r i ght) – estimated wealth over £ 500million – there is every reason for the Rams boss to be cheerful.
But talking of roller-coasters, Rowett must crack the whip before tomorrow’s match with Huddersfield at Pride Park after his promising start of 10 points from four games came to a shuddering halt with Good Friday’s 4-0 hammering at Brentford.
He said: “I’ve lived in the area for years and I’ve seen what has gone on – from the inside as a player, and from the outside too.
“When I first arrived here as a player under Jim Smith (inset, top), people talked about the money that was spent during Arthur Cox’s era... but still the club was just falling short of the Premier League.
“Then Jim comes along with a bunch of talented young players, a few old and wise heads and one or two real talents... and it happened. I want to see if we can create something similar. Again, money has been spent. It’s not quite worked. So my thinking has been, ‘ Let’s try something a little different’. “I know the pitfalls. I know what can happen. They’ve not put my name on my car parking space. It’s been left blank. It just says the word ‘Manager’!” Rowett added: “I was made aware of the Japanese principle of ‘Kaizen’ – of continual improvement – by a mate about 15 years ago. It’s similar to the theory of marginal gains. “When you lose a game of football, there is a temptation to say, ‘Let’s change everything, find another way’. It’s not: ‘Let’s just tweak it’. “I went to look around the Toyota factory near here and they look at how they pass information out to the workforce, how those workers are inspired to perform better. “Sometimes in football, we keep it to ourselves. We don’t want to share it.
Treatment
“I read the other day about how England are empowering players to be more pro-active on the pitch. Years ago, you’d get the hair-dryer treatment.
“I bumped into John Terry when I was in Dubai. He was asking about management when I was on the beach with him. Strange, but true.
“I said, ‘What are you asking me for? You’ve played for Mourinho, Ancelotti, Hiddink, Capello... Surely you picked up a few pointers?’.
“I asked him who were the best. He replied, ‘Those that challenged me – and treated me the best!’.”
With a big-money backer, Rowett knows how he himself will be rated. He said: “I will be judged 100 per cent on getting promoted. I’m OK with that. If we can, then we have the infrastructure to compete. The plan is for this club to stay there.” CHRIS HUGHTON admits it will be a bigger achievement taking Brighton into the Premier League than leading Newcastle into the top flight.
The Seagulls boss stands on the verge of his second promotion to the big time after two Anthony Knockaert goals saw off Wolves on Good Friday.
He was in charge of the Magpies eight years ago and oversaw their immediate return as they romped to the Championship title, clocking up a staggering 102 points as they swept all before them.
That team was packed with players such as Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan, Fabricio Colocinni, Alan Smith and Steve Harper – all of whom boasted Premier League pedigree.
Brighton have few such established stars and they suffered heartbreak 12 months ago, missing automatic promotion on goal difference and losing in the play-offs. So Hughton believes this upcoming elevation sits even more proudly on his CV.
The 58-year-old manager (below) said: “There were high expectations at Newcastle because of the team we had – it was very strong. In the end, we won it comfortably. We were very much top of the league all season.
“At Brighton we have also been more or less in the top two throughout this campaign, but the expectations were less.
“As an achievement for this club, it’s bigger.
“We have been in the top three or four throughout the whole of last season.
“I think there was a real desire from the players to give us a bigger chance of promotion – rather than being in the top three.
“I don’t know if that was because of the disappointment of last season. But the players certainly enjoyed it and wanted more of it.
“I knew it was a group that wanted to do well. But just how well, I didn’t know.
“And of course, you don’t know how it is going to go until you play games.” Brighton’s remarkable rise from the depths of League Two to the cusp of the top flight has taken two decades.
Given their massive superiority in goal difference over Huddersfield, they will effectively seal promotion at the Amex tomorrow if they beat Wigan.
Hughton admitted: “We can almost touch it.
“But we can’t celebrate until we have reached our targets.”