McGhee calls it quits so close to a milestone
Mark McGhee left Dundee following their relegation last season just 13 games short of reaching four figures as a manager.
But even though he’s tantalisingly close to joining the 1,000 Club – something only 56 bosses globally have ever achieved – McGhee insists that he won’t be tempted back into the technical area.
“It would have been nice to make it to 1,000 games, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it,” said the 65-year-old.
“I’m content with what I did in the game, particularly early in my career when I spent three-and-a-half years each at Reading, Wolves, Brighton and Millwall, winning promotion with three of them.
“I took Motherwell into Europe during my first spell at Fir Park. But since I left them for the second time in 2017, I’ve only worked for clubs when I’ve been asked to help out. I was mainly fire-fighting – and occasionally doing the job for nothing.
“So I won’t be pursuing any other managerial vacancies, and nor would I want to be a director of football or a head of recruitment. That’s not what I am – I’m a manager.
“However, I feel that players now deserve a young manager who can give them the energy I was able to when I started out. They don’t need a 65-yearold with a dodgy ankle.”
McGhee’s 987 games put him 58th on the all-time list for managers across the world, and he’s pleased to be the 11thhighest Scot.
“I’m in good company when you see some of those names on it,” he insists. “I’ve no regrets about stopping now.” The other Scots in the 1,000 Club are – 1) – Sir Alex Ferguson 2,155 (East Stirling, St Mirren, Aberdeen, Scotland, Manchester Utd, 1974-2013); 6) – Willie Maley 1,612 (Celtic, 1897-1940); 20) – George Ramsay 1,327 (Aston Villa, 1884-1926); 29) – Bill Shankly 1,190 (Carlisle Utd, Grimsby T, Workington T, Huddersfield T, Liverpool, 194974); 30) – Bill Struth 1,180 (Rangers, 1920-54); 34) – Sir Matt Busby 1,147 (Manchester Utd, Scotland 1946-71); 39) – Jim Jefferies 1,116 (Hawick RA, Gala Fairydean, Berwick Rangers, Falkirk, Hearts, Bradford C, Kilmarnock, Dunfermline, 1983-2014); 42) – Jim McLean 1,094 (Dundee Utd, 1971-93); 49) – Davie Moyes 1,047 (Preston, Everton, Manchester Utd, Real Sociedad, Sunderland, West Ham, 1998-present); 50) – Jock Stein 1,038 (Dunfermline, Hibs, Celtic, Leeds Utd, Scotland, 1961-85).