It will be awesome if Lee finishes job off
BRISTOL City boss Lee Johnson joined me at a recent League Managers Association (LMA) seminar on languages. Things are going well for him but he is continuing to pursue education avenues as he seeks to become constantly better in what he does.
He's an engaging guy and we talked a fair amount during my brief spell at Newport last season.
Prior to that, I hadn't met up with him since my Pete rb or unemployed. ough side fortunately beat his Barnsley side thanks to a masterful goalkeeping display by Ben Alnwick.
Lee's team was in the midst of a dreadful run of results and I really felt for him that night as we shared a chat in my office after the game.
He wore his heart on his sleeve and I really wanted to see him pull through, which he did.
To see him now, in the semifinal of the League Cup, after knocking out Manchester United, and in the Championship top two before play this weekend is a wonderful achievement. Sure, it is only a moment in time. But it isn't a flash in the pan. We are past half way in the race now.
Insight
Lee gave me some good insight last year into some innovative methods that he was using to build his squad and to help his players to perform to a higher level.
He was not just going down tried and tested roads. He was thinking outside the box and searching for marginal gain strategies in all that he was doing. Credit to him for introducing bold new ideas and pursuing them when, at first, the going got really tough.
You can rest assured that he hasn't just got lucky to find himself in the top two. He has shown tremendous resilience and earned the right after that remarkably difficult spell last year when he seemed likely to become It is not going to be easy to sustain that top two position. With the size of club at the top end of the Championship, I'd still see a play-off spot as a remarkable achievement for the Robins. That is not to drag down their chances; it is great to see a young English manager doing so well and flying the flag so high. It will be awesome if he miraculously sees the job all the way through.