Saints boss Stubbs to call on Sir Kenny
I made a wrong move going to Rotherham but I’m now ready to excel at Saints
ALAN STUBBS last night revealed he will tune into the wisdom of Scottish sport’s new knight of the realm, Sir Kenny Dalglish, to help him succeed in his return to management with St Mirren.
Dalglish, who was director of football for a spell during Stubbs’ playing days at Celtic, phoned the former Everton defender to congratulate him on winning the race to replace Jack Ross in Paisley.
Stubbs joked he was ‘very uncomfortable’ calling a legend of the red side of Liverpool ‘Sir’ but will savour every piece of advice available from their chats.
When asked what he could
ALAN STUBBS admits he in far too much of a rush when running to Rotherham in the risky move that damaged a soaring reputation. So the 46-year-old adopted a patient approach before choosing Paisley as a place where he hopes to pick up the pieces of his managerial career.
Stubbs’ star was very much in the ascendancy in the early summer of 2016 when leading his entertaining Hibernian team to bury their Scottish Cup jinx in stunning fashion with a 3-2 defeat of Rangers.
Yet ten days later he exited Easter Road and jumped into the dubious task of replacing Neil Warnock, whose miracle work had improbably hauled Rotherham clear of Championship relegation trouble.
The haste with which Stubbs acted had a horrible outcome as he won just once in 14 games before he was bulleted.
Twenty months on, Stubbs will be paraded as the new St Mirren manager tomorrow. He can be encouraged by the fact he is not the first fine boss to be burned by making the wrong move from Scotland to the mincer that is the English second tier.
His replacement at Hibernian, Neil Lennon, suffered at Bolton, while Derek McInnes bombed at Bristol City amid similar financially fraught circumstances. Their next posts turned out not too badly for them and Stubbs will be seeking the same at Saints, where he has signed a three-year contract.
The Ladbrokes Premiership newcomers selected Stubbs to replace Sunderland-bound Jack Ross. But the ex-Celtic defender was keen to stress that St Mirren had made such a good impression on him to tempt him to go for the gig, something that was crucial after it went rotten at Rotherham.
On his time out of the game, Stubbs said: ‘Probably the first six months was the most reflective in terms of looking back at what I had done and how it would serve me well for the next time.
‘In the last month, I’ve seen some quotes from certain managers. I remember one from Brendan Rodgers, who was asked what advice he’d give to young managers and it was: “Don’t be in a rush”.
‘When I look back, that was me. In any walk of life when you have a taste of success early you think it’s just going to be an upward spiral and I didn’t think enough about the move.
‘I jumped in too quickly. I didn’t do enough due diligence. I’m surprised at myself that I didn’t. Sometimes adversity can make you a better and stronger person. This time around I won’t make the same mistakes.
‘I can’t make the same mistakes again. That’s the way management is. Your next one after a disappointment has to be positive. I’ve had four offers and two interviews. I’ve been wanting to get back in but, as a result of my last experience, I’ve said no.
‘I’m hoping that stands me in good stead. Speaking to St Mirren, they seem good people. People I can work with and who are going to be very supportive, which is important.
‘I’m not saying the people at the last club were bad people. They were just different to what I’d worked with at Hibs. And, when you don’t have that, it makes you appreciate what you had.’
For all that Stubbs was a trophy winner for Hibernian, it is the move to St Mirren which grants him the chance to manage in the Scottish top flight for the first time.
Hibs finished runners-up in a hot Championship featuring Hearts and Rangers in his first year, then lost to Falkirk in the play-offs in his second promotion bid.
He believes, however, that his squad-building efforts in Leith were noted, such as the recruitment of John McGinn and Dylan McGeouch — star men in the Premiership, Scotland internationals and on the radar of several English clubs.
‘I think in my mind I built a Premiership club but I didn’t have the privilege of managing them in the Premiership,’ said Stubbs, whose new club have lost their top performer Lewis Morgan to Celtic.
‘It put me in good stead for knowing I can build a team that can compete in the Premiership, which is something I know that I’m going to be doing when I go into the new job.
‘It’s something I’m equipped for. My contacts down in England will come into force in terms of trying to get a few players.
‘I feel more relaxed because I’m going into a job where I’m not chasing my tail. The last one I was and I felt we were at the back of the queue in terms of recruitment. That’s one of the biggest things I learned.’
Stubbs is back in business at an exciting period for the Premiership, not least thanks to a man he is looking forward to locking horns with again.
He will renew rivalry with Steven Gerrard after four seasons of fierce combat as players in the Merseyside derby battleground between 2001 and 2005.
‘I think he’ll find it eye-opening,’ said the ex-Celtic and Everton centre-half of Gerrard’s managerial bow. ‘He’s been an incredible player and someone I’ve been privileged to share a pitch with.
‘I’ve seen him being, more often than not, the person who single-handedly won derbies against us by producing a moment of magic. It seems a bit weird that our rivalry starts again off the pitch.
‘I got a text from him a couple of days ago to wish me all the best. I said the same to him. Knowing Steven, the type of character he is, he’ll be absolutely relishing the challenge.
‘Did I see it coming? No, but good luck to him. I admire his bravery more than anything — it shows a bit of balls.’
I jumped in too quickly but adversity can make you stronger
ALAN STUBBS was speaking at the McDonald’s & Scottish FA Community Football Day in Dalgety Bay. These football days are taking place across the UK this summer, giving thousands of children the chance to enjoy the beautiful game. www.mcdonalds. co.uk/communityfootballdays