GAME IS BETTER OFF WITH GRAHAM & GRANT
I HAVE had the pleasure of working alongside some exceptionally talented staff throughout my 900-plus games in a dugout.
Two of my most impressive charges deserve to be involved in employment and not sabbaticals.
When I went to Preston in 2012, I inherited Graham Alexander as a player/coach. He was a hugely impressive coach, I have to say.
Grezza and I had a difficult start together. He had been caretaker-manager before my appointment, and I brought my own staff with me from Stevenage.
But as I watched Graham work in a devel- opment role with our young players, I witnessed a range and quality of sessions that deserved a place further up the food chain.
His success at Fleetwood was no surprise to me when he took the decision to move on from Deepdale.
Then there was Grant McCann. Grant took over from me when I was axed at Peterborough, but I loved working with him as my assistant/first team coach. Our teams played some great football.
Grant was professional, responsible, innovative and with an excellent personal attitude to his work and his club.
Both were everything that you would expect from full international footballers.
I’d love to see both men back out on the grass with teams sooner rather than later because every day they are away from players on a training ground is an absolute waste of exceptional talents.