I’M READY TO RETURN, HUNGRIER THAN EVER
IN FACT, I’VE NEVER BEEN AWAY
HAS anyone noticed something different in the National League this season? I have – and I think I know why.
I’ve kept a very close eye on all the clubs over the past few months. In fact, after being asked by BT Sport to be a summariser at Tuesday’s game between Solihull Moors and Southport, I have now seen 20 of the 24 teams already. I guess I’m what they call a Non-League Groundhopper!
It seems every game I go to, the goals are flying in. We’ve had so many of them so far, this is easily the highest scoring first few months that I can ever remember. There may be far fewer clean sheets, but it’s fantastically entertaining.
I’m of the belief that after summer international competitions, managers study the way teams play and try to replicate the styles they are seeing. It often happens directly after European championships or World Cups, and we’re seeing expansive football.
The National League is so open this year, I’ve been impressed in particular with Dagenham and Lincoln City. They’ve looked the most organised. Forest Green and Aldershot have played the beautiful game, and both have a good balance. Rovers’ 4-0 win at the Rec on Tuesday may see them power on, we’ll see.
Being a part of the BT Sport team on Tuesday was great, and it whetted my appetite to get back onto the training pitch and get back into the game. We’ve seen so many managerial changes so far this season, it’s the nature of a ferocious beast!
Horizons
myself out of my comfort zone to see how the elite in different walks of life drive success, not just that but maintaining it.
I decided to go to a construction and property developers firm this summer to see how they achieve success and – of course – maintain it. The biggest thing I learned was the art of delegation from the boss and how he gives his staff total freedom to operate and express themselves, as long as they deliver the end result. It was a shock to the system to see how ruthless the environment was and how much they demanded from each other!
If one person falls short it affects everyone else and failure has a massive impact on their lives, so there is no room for error. It would be great if a football dressing room could operate in the same way as these men do in their office!
Possessing a 51 per cent win ratio from two difficult jobs at Northwich Victoria and Southport is a record that I’m proud of. I’m motivated and hungrier than ever before.
To get anywhere in any sport, I’m a firm believer that you have to be educated. You need to be a step ahead of everything and everyone.
It is easy for a manager to get stuck into a job wholeheartedly and not have the time or the focus on widening his horizons, learning, reflecting and educating himself in order to take his performance to the next level.
In the past six months since leaving Southport, I made sure that I did research, learn from different domains and took
I’ve been out of football since the middle of March. Because of my family situation, I just couldn’t continue the long commute from the south. But in my time away I would like to think I have given myself the best chance of getting back in and making a big success of my next job. I undertook the Pro Licence this summer – at £8,000 it wasn’t exactly cheap but you can’t put a price on such guidance.