The Wisdom of Gaffers

I want to implement my own style of personality on this club.

What I want to do is stand there on the side of the pitch and look at a team that works unbelievably hard and represents what I am as a man.

Shaun Derry, Notts County, November 2013.

We are where we want to be which is in front of the TV tomorrow afternoon watching the second-round draw.

Richie Barker, Crawley Town, November 2013.

They're a group of young players but they can't keep using that excuse. They've got to start taking responsibility, stop hiding behind myself.

Mark Cooper, Swindon Town, November 2013.

^yes

derry's dream become cooper's nightmare

You try something, and if people are not capable of doing it, you have to think about it.

Tony Burman, Dartford, November 2013.

I thought we had seven or eight good chances where we've not pulled the trigger or had the desire that the ball finishes in the back of the net.

Mark Yates, Cheltenham Town, November 2013.

It is frustrating, but if I was sat there thinking I got the tactics wrong, I would look closer to myself. Unfortunately, you put your faith in other people when you throw them out there.

Richie Barker, Crawley Town, November 2013.

We've agreed to cover the cost of the fans that travelled. Not because we're creeping, it's a gesture of appreciation.

Mark Cooper, Swindon Town, November 2013.

A couple of lads turned up late because of a fire on the M6, but you can't use that as an excuse.

Jim Bentley, Morecambe, November 2013.

✓

We are only going to be successful if we taste failure. We have tasted it and we don't like it.

Russell Slade, Leyton Orient, November 2013.

It's not quite Ocean's Eleven, it's more Ocean's Three, so we hope to bring one or two others as well.

Terry Butcher, Hibernian, November 2013

I said last week that we hadn't turned the corner but I think we are further into turning the corner.

Richie Barker, Crawley Town, November 2013.

We can't look for reasons or excuses

Graham Turner, Shrewsbury Town, November 2013.

There was a sentimental fatigue and probably a physical fatigue.

Graham Westley, Stevenage, November 2013.

(actually, it appears that Westley one is just a case of dodgy transcription rather than what he actually said)

“We have to believe in what we do. We’ve had a few variables that have been changing a lot over the course of the last month, and I need to try to put more constants back into the game and back into the performance, and make fewer variables to discuss, quantify, assess and coach – and we’ll get back on it.

Paul Tisdale, Exeter City, November 2013.

Actually, there's more of this which I think is worth it.

I’ve had a day or two in my study looking at all the factors. There’s what we’ve been coaching – as there’s often a correlation between what you coach and how the performance manifests itself – but also players in and out of form, combinations of players, systems, opposition, league, statistics and evidence.

I’ve been swamped in evidence, rumour, gossip, discussion, debate and everything else – my job is to pick through it all and pick out one or two things to concentrate on, and I have done. That’s my job and I pride myself on digging deep.

Paul Tisdale, Exeter City, November 2013.

(Tis has a particular way of expressing himself which can be hilariously at the managementspeak end of wisdom-of-gaffers but when he says something like that he's generally getting at something or other. I think in this case he's trying to convey to people that deciding on a team and tactics is complicated, and tweaking teams is even more so.)

If we don't win, on a Sunday morning it really doesn't work for me. I get a real strong feeling of anger. A real strong feeling of frustration. A strong feeling of looking in the mirror and hating myself.

That isn't a good way for me to be and live.

It's not a question of just needing to win because of a league position. That would be the last thing in the world that would drive me. What would drive me is my personal pride, desire and hunger.

Graham Westley, Stevenage, November 2013.

"A strong feeling of looking in the mirror and hating myself."

amazing

Accrington is the one of the places that nobody wants to go to. The surroundings aren't the greatest but you've just got to go there and play.

Alan Knill, Torquay United, November 2013.

Without dreams you can’t be successful trying to achieve those dreams.

I think Jack Wilshere has got that final pass, the little bit of creativity, that little bit of being able to break down a defence all day long.

Sam Allardyce, West Ham United, November 2013.

I love those Westley quotes. Looked at the BBC league one page more often than usual this week just so I could see the headline "Losing makes Westley hate himself".

There have been so many managers here - when do you stop?

Dave Jones, Sheffield Wednesday, November 2013.

This thread never fails to deliver. Strong feeling of hating myself, the poor man is suffering!

It would have been better if we had won

Aitor Karanka, Middlesbrough, November 2013.

You can feel sorry for yourself or bounce back quickly, and that's what we'll do.

Owen Coyle, Wigan Athletic, November 2013.

With regards to the penalty, I agreed with the linesman. I am sure their manager will agree with the referee.

Billy Davies, Nottingham Forest, November 2013.

We have 20-something players who are working hard for the cause. Billy Davies has spoken about his injuries. I think he was down to 32 players.

Sean Dyche, Burnley, November 2013.

It panned out like we thought it would, Crewe came out with fire in their bellies, took us by surprise and went a goal ahead.

Micky Adams, Port Vale, November 2013.

Performance-wise, I couldn't fault the performance of the lads

Nigel Worthington, York City, November 2013.

We lost because we weren't good enough - all 14 of us. And, if you want to include me in that, all 15 of us, because I picked the side.

Micky Adams, Port Vale, November 2013.

We weren't given the opportunity to reflect our capabilities. That's not the players' fault or to their detriment. We haven't been thrashed at home - we've been denied an opportunity.

Keith Hill, Rochdale, November 2013.

We need better game management. The players must learn to dip a toe in and work things out.

Colin Cooper, Hartlepool United, November 2013.

They've got the injuries on behalf of the crusade we're on and it does become upsetting, both from a purely selfish point of view and when you empathise with them and their plights.

Aidy Boothroyd, Northampton Town, November 2013.

Thanks to this thread I sometimes find myself skim reading interviews just looking for classic gaffer wisdom.

that aidy one really is something

There have been disappointments along the way, and you're going to get them in football whether I'm there or I'm not.

Paul Ince, Blackpool, November 2013.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25171704

RIP ;_;

knew this would happen when I saw the h/t score. peace god, the dream is dead

Everyone wants me to be happier than I am, but maybe my standards are high.

Gary Johnson, Yeovil Town, December 2013.

'David is a dedicated individual who will not accept anything but the best for Bury Football Club,' said chairman Stewart Day.

yessssss

He had received offers from other clubs at a higher level, but he has bought into what we are trying to achieve at this club and has committed his future to take us back to where we belong, the Championship.

Feel like "bought into what we are trying to achieve" has shot up the cliché charts in recent years.

the other day i was chatting with some random bloke at work and he was like "yer no sahnds like a good project at qpr" and reader let me tell u the intrusion of that word into the general phatic vernacular was like a icy dagger to my heart

i might start trying to introduce "we are in a good moment" into my meetings. tho we're in a shit moment for months with lay-offs and redundancies so maybe it's more a 2014 plan.

solid q1 reducer will put right to that

We all know that the goal factor is the problem for us

Sam Allardyce, West Ham United, December 2013.