The Wisdom of Gaffers

Two big players injured and a suspension. But this is football and I love my job.

Gareth Ainsworth, Wycombe Wanderers, December 2013.

I've got to look at the bigger picture - 10 points out of 12 in the last four games, three away games out of four; the only disappointment today for me was the officials.

I suppose the other disappointing thing is that we've not managed to finish them off.

Russ Wilcox, Scunthorpe United, December 2013.

The three goals we conceded were, I wouldn't even say schoolboy - probably Under-12s.

Steve Lomas, Millwall, December 2013.

It's not a mafia as such, but there's this network that other people have. They've played in Scotland

They've taken the mantle of a team from the Highlands and they've used a lot of motivational tools to help them.

They're not conceding goals, they're scoring goals. Isn't that what you want? That's utopia.

I've had plenty of time to step outside my own body to have a look at myself

Kenny Shiels, unattached, December 2013.

(Kenny has since been appointed gaffer at Greenock Morton)

I’m a humble lad with good morals from my parents. Work hard. If you have to clean the floor, make it the cleanest floor ever.

I read ‘The Horse Whisperer’. If that can apply to a horse, with all due respect to a horse, it must apply to humans.

My nirvana wouldn’t be buying a Bentley. My nirvana would be building a sports centre where I live, and not even having my name on it.

I made it clear to the players here: ‘Whatever your key motivation is, I have no problem with it. If it’s money, go for it. If it’s winning, go for it. My drug was winning. Glory? Fame? Nice lady? Big car? Go for it. That’s all fuel that can drive you. If you understand the fuel, and use it for the betterment of yourself and others, I’m happy.'

I’m not a fashion item.

There are lots of managers out there, branding themselves up to the eyeballs, coming out with fancy words, new sayings. I’m sick of hearing about ‘philosophy’. It’s a posh word for game-plan. Everyone now says: ‘if you haven’t got a philosophy you haven’t got a brain’. I find that bizarre.

Sean Dyche, Burnley, December 2013.

(I think I love him)

he must Premiership

the anti-Holloway

in times of darkness i come to this thread and it never fucking fails. WBS for goddam President.

We are blessed here at this football club by a really forward-thinking board that shares a vision of going places

I want to get into every avenue of this football club.

we have a great aspiration to win a lot of football matches this season, next season and after that.

Your timing has got to be right, your punctuality, your respect, your discipline, your honesty and enthusiasm, your injury prevention, your post match analysis, your recovery work – all that has got to be absolutely synchronised for the top clubs to give you players.

David Flitcroft, Bury, December 2013.

feel like the last three WBS posts are the grand declarations of our gods and their works

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO A HORSE!!!!!!!!

It's just magnificent.

saying a horse rather than horses would seem to suggest he is being deferential towards an equine interviewer

the last three are just incredible.

I want to get into every avenue of this football club.

slightly seedy vibe.

Really, aggressive edge of nastiness to it

What they don't want to see is people who give the ball away and then sulk and get their bottom lip out.

Ronnie Moore, Tranmere Rovers, December 2013.

No one on this planet is good enough to not compete in a game of football.

Graham Alexander, Fleetwood Town, December 2013.

Let's get a few wins under our belt and start climbing the table and then we can cross that bridge.

Richie Barker, Portsmouth, December 2013.

If you're in a dogfight you have to fight first

Alan Knill, Torquay United, December 2013.

Two years of doing the wrong things are not going to be fixed in two games.

David Flitcroft, Bury, December 2013.

We've got two guys who think they're footballers. They're centre-backs and their living is to head it and kick it.

Ronnie Moore, Tranmere Rovers, December 2013.

ahahaha

this is thread of the year by such a wide margin

Adebayor has not been playing, so he did not require much motivating. You put him back in because of what he has done in history.

Tim Sherwood, Tottenham Hotspur (caretaker), December 2013.

It is important to find different ways of winning and then deliver them.

Sean Dyche, Burnley, December 2013.

Jordan is a top lad, his manners are unbelievable

Gary Bowyer, Blackburn Rovers, December 2013.

It's my focus that's front and centre.

Malky Mackay, Cardiff City, December 2013.

"The ball's not rolling so we have to make sure it doesn't roll our way and doesn't not roll their way"

John Still, Luton, re a waterlogged pitch.

The fact we conceded late on leaves you feeling a bit deflated, annoyed and devastated

Mick McCarthy, Ipswich Town, January 2014.

You need to cope with a few situations and a few shots, but in the end you need to be better, so job done.

Gus Poyet, Sunderland, January 2014.

Players want direction, they want leadership and need to know where they want to be at certain times.

David Flitcroft, Bury, December 2013.

We really did want three points today. I said to the players at half-time, one thing you know I really wanted was a clean sheet, a 45-minute clean sheet.

We stood firm for 37 minutes which is important

David Flitcroft, Bury, December 2013.

What really upset me was the way that the team almost rounded on Daysie (Stevenage goal keeper Chris Day) looking for an excuse. That isn't the togetherness that's the Stevenage togetherness, that's not the togetherness that wins you anything.

You've got to make sure you get winning people with winning attitudes together. There's plenty of them here, but unfortunately they're not necessarily the stronger characters.

Graham Westley, Stevenage, December 2013.

They've scored four from their 10 attempts and we've scored one from our 19. I think the attempts on goal is a fair reflection of the afternoon.

Graham Westley, Stevenage, December 2013.

I think we are seeing a lot of players not responding in the right way to the pressure of having to win. That's part of their learning curve. They've got to understand that we're not here to mess about; we are here to put trophies on the table.

Graham Westley, Stevenage, December 2013.

You can listen to whoever you want to listen to, but it's far better to have the knowledge in your own head.

Steve Cotterill, Bristol City, December 2013.

"Every decision I make must be in the best interests of Morton and I'm very susceptible to being controversialised."

Kenny Shiels, Morton, January 2013

ach forgot the quote tags

I thought it was a fantastic game full of different moments.

Gary Rowett, Burton Albion, January 2014.

When you're playing against a big team, the one thing you have to do yourself is play really well

Steve Bruce, Hull City, January 2014.

Tonight wasn't our day.

John Askey, Macclesfield Town, January 2014.

It has been well documented the scenarios going on at boardroom level

Nigel Adkins, Reading, January 2014.

I think we took our foot off the gas and thought that the game was over, and it never is.

Russ Wilcox, Scunthorpe United, January 2014.

Bravo!

the situation of how the first goal came about disappoints you from the point of view of indiscipline.

Nigel Worthington, York City, January 2014.

That was probably the most one-sided game that I have never won.

Paul Cox, Mansfield Town, January 2014.

We’re not playing the Wizard of Oz, we’re not playing Harry Potter, we’re playing human beings

Graham Westley, Stevenage, January 2014

Has never seen the Wizard of Oz obviously.

We're looking at our clocks and those five minutes [of extra time] have gone, and in that extra fifty seconds they go and equalise.

John Gregory, Crawley Town, January 2014.

In our situation you want to have a win.

A lot of players first half played much too tense and if you play and you are too tense it is very difficult to play.

Michael Laudrup, Swansea City, January 2014.