SAFE HANDS
» Cheltenham Town legend Steve Cotterill backs manager Michael Duff to be a success with the club,
Steve Cotterill has been at Whaddon Road for Cheltenham Town’s last two home games, against Bradford City and Crewe. The man who led the Robins to three promotions in five-and-a-half years backed Michael Duff for the top job just over a year ago and now has regular conversations with his former player at both Cheltenham and Burnley as Duff makes his own way in senior management. Cotterill spoke to Jon Palmer about Duff’s return, how proud the late Colin Farmer would be to see a former youth trainee in charge, and his views on Duff’s current squad...
» On being back at Cheltenham Town I always enjoy going back, but it’s slightly different now Michael is managing the club after having him as a player for so many years.
I am always made to feel very welcome and it’s great to see some people there that I worked with and we had some great times.
I’ve enjoyed seeing the progression from last year.
» On the atmosphere inside the Jonny-rocks Stadium
I know Andy (Wilcox, chairman) is keen to do something with the Prestbury Road end, lifting the roof of the stand to give it better acoustics.
Then all of a sudden the young, noisy mob over the far side, who do a brilliant job already can get down the bottom end and there will be some really good noise.
They already get the songs going, with a drum and their flags. They are just what the club needed.
» On Michael Duff leaving his role as Burnley to take his first senior management job Management jobs can be as scarce as anything these days and he is a mature lad, Michael.
He loves his football, so it would probably have been a natural progression. I think he didn’t want to let the job go begging this time in case it came around the next time and he didn’t get it.
He would have learned a huge amount in 12 months, about himself, especially in those first 10 games
when he was trying to get that first win.
He’s done very well and he’ll have learned an awful lot.
» On being consulted by Duff about taking the job
He phoned me and asked me what I thought.
I really like Michael and have known him for years now. He used to get stick for me being his ‘second dad’ so I would always want what’s right for him and success for him.
I needed to know where he was first of all and I also needed him to know the step up from Under23s to League football is huge. When you are at Burnley Under-23s, you are just developing players.
If he develops players who go into the team and coached them for Sean Dyche, he’s done his job. It doesn’t really matter if they are bottom of the league if he keeps producing players for them. Whereas, at Cheltenham he has to coach, educate and create better players than he’s already got... and win. When he said he was ready for the challenge, that was when we started talking seriously, really.
If I thought he wasn’t ready I wouldn’t have shouted his name up.
Cheltenham being okay and safe is the first priority and I have always said as long as they stay in the Football League I’d be happy with that.
What I wouldn’t want is to go up a division and if they are struggling, which is what happened before, things run away a little bit because it’s always that much more difficult when you go up.
As long as they are steady and ticking over, that is the main thing and you have to understand where the club is.
There would have been lots of appointments since I was there and the ones that have been successful have actually understood the club a little bit.
Colin Farmer was around then, so if you didn’t understand it, he’d have told you how the club worked.
Paul Baker was a great chairman and Andy (Wilcox) has gone in there now and I like him a lot.
He’s a really nice guy and it’s a new board now.
It’s strange for me now going there and not seeing Paul, Colin, Brian Sand
He would have learned a huge amount in 12 months, about himself, especially in those first 10 games when he was trying to get that first win
Steve Cotterill
land, Paddy Wood, Rod Burge and Arthur Hayward.
I still see Paul and Arthur there watching when I go back, but it’s a new board now, who look like they have the club at heart, I am pretty sure about that.
» On the club’s late former vice chairman Colin Farmer
Colin would be very proud and he always liked Duffo.
To be fair in my time as manager, there wouldn’t have been many he didn’t like because we didn’t have any ‘wrong uns.’
We were big on recruitment and I have been wherever I’ve managed. If it’s been tough for me at a club it’s because I haven’t been able to recruit who I want to and get my own types of people in and around the place.
Once you can do that, my recruitment record will stand up. So Colin would have got on with all the lads. Even though they were older, I never kept any of the board away from the players.
Whenever we went away for pre-season or in January after an FA Cup run,
for some warm weather training, I wanted them to come with us and they were part of the team.
Mike Heather and John Atkinson, who were groundsman and physio then, now work in the board room.
It’s brilliant to see and it really is the ultimate family club. I couldn’t be prouder of that myself, being a Cheltenham boy.
I am proud of Michael and of course what Colin did. I am absolutely made up when I sit in the stand, look across and see The Colin Farmer Stand.
I saw members of his family at the Crewe game and it’s great to see them and tell them that I really miss him.
Sometimes you think people are going to be around forever. He’s left a hole in my life. We used to have our arguments because he was as passionate as me about winning and all the players.
He’d have cussed Duffo at times and I’d have defended him and then I’d have cussed Duffo and Colin would have defended him.
Michael actually bought his first car off Colin I think, a Ford Escort.
It’s great that Michael is back and he has some roots. He’s kept the house he bought years ago in Wyman’s Brook and I think the family have found a new place to live in the town now.
His wife Jess is happy, his two boys are at a really good school and all of those things are so important.
» On Michael Duff’s current Cheltenham Town team
There is a good vibe around the place and I can feel that.
Throughout the season there will be some hiccups, a run of defeats, some injuries and it’s how well can you deal with those things when they happen to you.
I like them and they have a really good spirit about them, which has been fostered by the manager.
There are a few players who I think are really important. Ben Tozer is because he gives them that calmness at the back.
He is a really good footballer and I don’t think I’ve seen him have a bad game.
I’ve seen him give a goal away by playing out from the back, but that doesn’t constitute having a bad game and he’s key to them.
At the other end of the pitch, Luke Varney is absolutely key.
He’s a great lad, fantastic character and he was brilliant for me at Pompey, coming in every day with a smile on his face and that is infectious.
He is great for Michael and I know he bounces a couple of things off Luke at times, which is important.
Ryan Broom I like too and he plays well whenever I’ve seen him. I think he’s done all right in midfield, but he’s very good at right wing-back.
He crosses a fantastic ball because he’s been a winger and that’s nothing against Sean Long.
I’d also put Chris Hussey up there. He’s played up the levels and he has great quality. His set plays I’d have to say are as good as Russell Milton’s were.
We were never as effective from set plays when Russell didn’t play.
So Michael has some key performers there, Hussey, Tozer, Broom and Varney.
That’s not to say the other players haven’t done well and the young boy on loan from Hull (Jacob Greaves) has done very well too. For a lad of 19, if he was in your own ranks and one of yours you’d be absolutely delighted with him.
It’s good that Grant (Mccann) has the Hull job as he can help Duffo out with loans here and there. It’s so good to see Granty doing well too and that’s another plus.
» On Luke Varney’s fitness levels
Luke is a diamond of a lad and he doesn’t look like he’s about to stop.
I bet there won’t be much change in his energy levels between now and the end of the season.
He’ll be able to do another year, at least. I looked at him on Saturday and he looked fresh, fit and his speed was still there.
He’s always been good in the air and he scored a brilliant goal at Plymouth the previous week.
Yes, he missed one against Crewe, but he’s been invaluable to Michael and you have to keep getting in there for those chances.
You need to use your older, more experienced players in the dressing room and Michael is doing that.