The Wisdom of Gaffers

"I made it clear that I thought a mass culling was required. We weren't able to do that.

Graham Westley, Stevenage, April 2014.

My personal belief is that if you do it right all of the time, then you don't need to flick that switch and turn it on.

The focus on the game was absolutely spot on. That is a good thing because there is some of this group that will be competing in the division next year where there will be a lot of stuff going round and different protocols - maybe it was a tiny taster of that here.

Sean Dyche, Burnley, April 2014.

I've been around the game too long to know that strange things do happen on the final day.

Shaun Derry, Notts County, April 2014.

I thought he (the referee) was playing bingo, trying to get a full house with all our players being booked.

Mark Cooper, Swindon Town, April 2014.

Ivan Toney gave us a spark last week and he deserved to play, regardless of his age.

Chris Wilder, Oxford United, April 2014.

Some of the lads looked like they are already on their holidays, and I've just told some of them that they won't be coming back from their holidays.

Paul Cox, Mansfield Town, April 2014.

I'm pleased that we've given our place in League One back to the supporters.

I like to analyse and there's a great sense of feeling inside of emotional achievement.

Keith Hill, Rochdale, April 2014.

that Paul Cox quote is seismic

there is some of this group that will be competing in the division next year

cold
all of those burnley game lads looking around wondering who will be loaned to sheffield united and replaced by a former france under 21 international on thirty grand a week

My mate David Flitcroft says 'Happiness brings success, success doesn't always bring happiness', and I agree with him 100%.

Keith Hill, Rochdale, April 2014.

He’s the sort of lad who if your daughter took him home, you’d be happy to see her with him.

He can play left-back, left wing-back, left midfield or central midfield and he scores a lot of goals and creates a lot of goals.

Barry Fry, Peterborough, May 2014

He asked me to be his coach - to coach the players, to get them fit, to teach them, to improve them, to pick the team, to manage the team on a match-day, but that's it. That's what I do, it's my passion, so hand in a glove

David Hockaday, Leeds United, June 2014.

The decision of the board was to allow him not to come back. We have to look for opportunities for him to play in a different team.

Ronald Koeman, Southampton, July 2014.

I’m not a people pleaser, it’s not me.

David Flitcroft, Bury, July 2014.

Shakers boss believes his decision to replace youngster Anthony Dudley with the team physio in a pre-season friendly has paid off

I can't praise the players enough; spirit, determination, and ability not to be beaten.

Tommy Wright, St Johnstone, July 2014.

You always need a couple of Wade Elliotts in your dressing room

Steve Cotterill, Bristol City, June 2014.

a chicken in every pot and two Wade Elliots in every dressing room

It's about adding a former England international to my management team to expand the standard of thinking that supports the players.

Graham Westley, Stevenage, June 2014.

Barton, yes, he is stupid. He has never won anything, his career is full of problems.

Willy Sagnol, Bordeaux, July 2014.

actual wisdom

A sports psychologist I once worked with laughed at how visual I was in my thinking. He was in hysterics that I admitted I've imagined being a rhino before I went on to the pitch so I could just plough through everyone.

James Beattie, Accrington Stanley, August 2014.

aka the Meulensteen method

They have been fantastic in terms of wanting to listen.

Rob Edwards, Tranmere Rovers, August 2014.

Sooner or later, the fact we haven't won away on the opening day for 20 years has to change.

Steve Davis, Crewe Alexandra, August 2014.

(I feel like this one's the one where the season really begins)

I wanted to bring the right types in and am very happy with the types.

Shaun Derry, Notts County, August 2014.

In my own head, I'm quietly confident we're going to compete again.

Gary Johnson, Yeovil Town, August 2014.

As a club, unit and city, we are going to have to be patient

Michael Appleton, Oxford United, August 2014.

extra thick shin guards for everybody playing Notts County this season then

It's never going to be a complete reflection of the first game because of the pressure on that game, depending on whether you're home or away, whether you've got a new team or the same team - there's always going to be variables.

Gary Rowett, Burton Albion, August 2014.

I don't see any disadvantage of people looking in and saying 'they could be good'.

Graham Westley, Stevenage, August 2014.

When the fixtures come out there’s not necessarily a good time to play teams. For me, Watford away on Boxing Day is perfect because I can see my mum. But there’s no footballing reason for any of the others.

Kenny Jackett, Wolves, August 2014

We have never not been friends

Stuart Pearce, Nottingham Forest, August 2014.

It is all about moments and we did not have moments

David Hockaday, Leeds United, August 2014.

In many senses it was the perfect away performance because we scored the goals at key times.

Eddie Howe, AFC Bournemouth, August 2014.

I just want people to show me and my team some respect. Van Gogh is a decent painter now isn't he but when he was alive he was just a bloke with half an ear.

Ian Holloway, Millwall, August 2014.

dear christ

It was difficult to explain and sometimes that is what happens in sport.

Mark Robins, Huddersfield Town, August 2014.

I am sick we haven't won the game but I am looking at it in a totally positive manner.

Nigel Adkins, Reading, August 2014.

Many people around the country thought when they saw we were away at Derby it would be lambs to the slaughter. But we aren't going to be lambs to the slaughter for anyone.

Steve Evans, Rotherham United, August 2014.

Holloway is a bastard with a spinning bow-tie and an electro-shock hand zapper. Typical shitty person hiding behind a zany clown mask.

at least someone like steve evans is all bastard, straight up, eh

Never seen a bigger bastard than him tbh. Was looking for that ungracious not at all magnanimous victory speech he gave when got Boston promoted about a decade ago.

Just to expand on that. Dag + Redbridge had pushed Boston Utd all season for the conference title in which it went down to the last game of the season where both sides finished on identical points but Boston Utd had a better goal difference. To the sky cameras he said, full of hubris and bursting veins " My team are doing a lap of honour because they are actually champions unlike them." It was repulsive.

yeah steve evans is as close as the current roll of nonpremiership gafferdom has to a cartoon villain. rotherham must go down

bumper day for gaffer wisdom tbf

He is devastating, he's come back a man.

He has an unbelievable talent, he wants to score goals and can score goals, with a magical left foot.

Gary Mills, Gateshead, August 2014.

I thought it was fantastic from start to nearly finish.

Andy Scott, Aldershot Town, August 2014.

I don't call it the Conference. I just think it is another division.

Martin Allen, Barnet, August 2014.

wonderful from mad dog there