WORDS OF WISDOM
McInnes in no doubt that new Norwich boss Neil has what it takes to succeed down south but the Aberdeen manager knows from experience just how hard life can be in England’s second tier
SCOTLAND’S most impressive young top-flight boss being tempted south by a Championship club in need of a managerial salvage mission is a scenario which sounds familiar to Derek McInnes. For he was that very man in October 2011 when Bristol City, then adrift at the bottom of the table, identified him as the progressive coach who could uld spare the club from om relegation to League One.
So McInnes is welll aware of the temptation for Alex Neil to jump at the job offer from Norwich City, who need too kick start their campaign to secure a place back in thehe promotion picture following gaa ruinous run of results. The Aberdeen boss is, however,ver, mindful of the pitfalls that may lie ahead in the unforgiving iving managers’ mire that is s the English second tier.
McInnes was 40 and boasting four seasons ns of experience raising St Johnstone hnstone on an upward curve. That proved little by way of preparation, aration, however, for wrestling with the financial realities that lurked ked in the small print behind the shiniernier pages of the brochure that beggedged him to come south to Bristol.
The following chapters featured a significant struggle near the foot of the table until his sackingng just 15 months later.
Neil is 10 years McInnes’ junior and has yet to get outut of short trousers, having selected himself to play for eight of Hamiltonon Accies’ matches in this amazing season.
That relative inexperience nce is one of the intriguing angles of f this latest raid on Scotland’s managerial erial pool.
However, Neil’s inheritance ance from Neil Adams is considerablyably more attractive to that which h greeted McInnes at Bristol or the not-too-dissimilar cost-cutting t-cutting situation Craig Levein landednded in at Leicester City in 2004.
Neil’s Norwich life gotot off to a blistering start yesterdayday as his 10-man side beat Championship mpionship leaders Bournemouth 2-1 away to move within a point of thehe play-off positions.
The squad is stacked with talent, boasting Scotland internationalsrnationals Russell Martin and Steven Whittaker, former Rangers defender der Carlos Cuellar, Ireland schemermer Wes Hoolahan, England squaduad goalkeeper John Ruddy and nd Gary Hooper — a scorer yesterday terday — who was banging in the goals oals in the Champions League for Celticltic only 25 months ago.
If that tilts even greater expectation on the impressive sive Neil’s shoulders then McInnes suspectsuspects he is well equipped to deal l with the demands of the job and the he change in environment to one of the he toughest leagues in European football. ball.
When asked if it was understandable for Neil to find the move daunting, McInnes said: ‘Yeah, but you still have to have a confidence to take on a role as manager. ger.
‘He’s done it seamlessly as playermanager, which is even more re difficult, but he knows Hamilton inside out. He’s been ingrained in it and knows the league.
‘I’m sure he’ll get plenty of support from within Norwich to get et to know the Championship. It’s a decent position they’re in, though. h.
‘There’s a good infrastructure, structure, brilliant support, there’s a lot going for them and a lot to work k with.
‘There’s a big pressure on n Norwich to go back up, same as onn any team that comes down, but the facts will show there’s not a great percentage
There’s big pressure on Norwich to go straight back up but the facts will show that not a great percentage of teams do that the following year
of teams that do tha that the following year, for whatever reason. ‘Yet there will be the same pressures and challe challenges there for every Championship manager. But I think what Alex has shown is a real capacity to manag manage in certain situations. And I thinkth if you can manage, then you c can manage at most levels. He has doned a brilliant job at Hamilton.
‘I’ve been very imp impressed with his team and I don’t see H Hamilton fading away the way others do. The team is an extension of him him, which is the biggest compliment y you can pay.
‘They are well co coached, really motivated and, if he can get that going at Norwich, then I’m sure he will do well. I’m delighted for him.’
McInnes turned down Brentford, then in League One, before seizing the opportunity when Bristol called.
However, much of the former midfielder’s time in charge was spent tackling the spiralling wage bill built up before his arrival as owner Steve Lansdown forked out big money for precious little reward.
McInnes, whose reputation has rocketed again on the back of being invited to rebuild Aberdeen into a Scottish Premiership force, hopes that Neil enjoys the backing of the Carrow Road board as the club copes with its first season since relegation from the cash-rich top flight.
‘If Alex has good support, good infrastructure and a good squad he’ll go and make the most of it,’ said McInnes.
‘I’d been managing for a bit longer than Alex when we went down. But, for any manager, the element of support from the people above you is crucial to success in any job.
‘The ability to manage your team Monday to Friday is so important as well but there are other circumstances that decide whether
a manager is deemed successful. I took the chance to go down because it was a Championship club. They had flirted with relegation for a few seasons and we managed to get a bit of momentum and kept them up in the first year, having been 10 points detached at the bottom when we took them on.
‘They hadn’t won at home all season. But there were a lot more problems which had to be dealt with.
‘I quickly realised all wasn’t rosy at the club. There were a lot of fires to be put out and, eventually, it probably got the better of me.
‘They were haemorrhaging money, a lot of players had been signed who probably weren’t good enough to do the job that was required.
‘There were a lot of players there when I arrived. But that was only one part of it.
‘But Bristol City probably had to go down to get started again — and now you see them at the top of the (League One) table. There’s a whole new team there now, only two or three of the players I worked with are still there. I don’t think you should ever regret any decision you make.
‘It felt right at the time — you’ve got to live and die by your decisions. And it wasn’t all bad.
‘Other than the last few months when we struggled for results, the majority was good.
‘We made good contacts, my chief scout here (Ross Richardson) is someone I met at Bristol City.
‘There’s always things you can learn which help develop you as a manager when you’re in a pressure situation like that, because every decision you make can be vital. You draw plenty from the experience.’
That Norwich looked so far north for the man to force them into promotion contention has come as something of a surprise during an era when the Scottish game’s stock has scarcely been lower in England.
‘How Neil fares in East Anglia may well dictate whether more clubs in the hiring and firing hotbeds of the game south of the border take note of the success stories highlighted by McInnes in Scotland.
‘What’s important is everyone recognises what a good job he’s done,’ said McInnes. ‘Norwich have seen that and been prepared to take a chance.
‘I think that’s refreshing. It’s great to see a manager of Hamilton, Alex in particular, getting a chance. It shows good work being recognised.
‘We’re told it’s bleak times for Scottish football. It’s bleak for a few of the bigger clubs who are outwith the top flight but there are a lot of good stories going on.
‘For Scottish football to be at its best, it needs the big clubs in the top division. We’d all recognise that.
‘But Hamilton has been a brilliant story, St Johnstone over the last few years has been a brilliant story. Inverness have improved again this year, as have Dundee United. Alex has been one of the good stories.’