Sunderland ‘made enquiry’ about Clough
divisions like that,” said Clough.
“At the top of the Championship, we thought Leeds and West Brom were going to run away with it. In League One it looked like Ipswich and Wycombe and they’ve all been pegged back.
“I think the pressure will be more on Ipswich, they will be thinking they need the three points more than us.
“I have no doubts about our ability to play, generally, to create chances and score goals.
“We just need the right mentality to stop conceding goals.
“We have to put the disappointment of the last two or three weeks out of our minds and try to get results away to Ipswich and Southend United (the following Saturday).
“After those two games, we’ll know a bit more about whether or not we are still in contention.”
Clough thinks Burton are due a break against Ipswich, against whom they have a record of one draw and four defeats.
Clough thinks they have been
NIGEL Clough has revealed that Sunderland approached him about their vacant managerial job before appointing Phil Parkinson in November.
And in another recent interview, the Burton Albion manager has admitted that he does not necessarily see the Brewers as his last job but that he would still like to take them back to the Championship.
Clough told the Totally Football Show that only an exceptional job and a real understanding of how he works would tempt him to leave the Pirelli Stadium for a second time.
As he often does, Clough refers to himself and his management team collectively in the interview.
“If one (a job) comes up, the chairman (Ben Robinson) has said all along he wouldn’t stand in our way,” said Clough.
“He’s been brilliant over the years like that. But it’s got to be a reasonable job to tempt us away from here, because we work with one of the best chairmen in the country and we’re allowed to get on and do our jobs and manage.
“I think Sunderland made an enquiry when that vacancy came up a few months ago but that didn’t go anywhere in the end and they got Phil Parkinson in.
“I think it would take other clubs maybe to recognise the situation in which we work here, which is tough, with the financial restrictions.”
In his recent interview with the Not The Top 20 website, Clough admitted that he still has ambitions in the game.
“I’d like another crack at the Championship. I’d love the opportunity to get this club (Burton) back into the Championship, that’s the unlucky to have such a poor record in the relatively small number of times they have met Ipswich – four times in the Championship before the first game of this League One season.
In that game, Luke Garbutt’s deflected 11th-minute strike decided the points.
“They have been a bit of a bogey side for us,” said Clough.
“We played so well against them in the Championship without getting much out of them. We are due a little luck against them.” first priority,” he said.
“But if the right opportunity came up, some time in the future, I’d have a look and the chairman understands that.
“I still have plenty of ambition and plenty of hopes left in football. I don’t feel too old and tired yet. I feel it sometimes!
“I think there’s a perception that you’re happy and settled. I’ve never ever said that, you know.
“We will do everything we can for this club now but if something else comes up, I’d do it.”