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| 'I get letters from delighted Forest fans' One year after taking charge at the City Ground, the former Derby manager has won over sceptical Nottingham Forest fans• PDF: Nottingham Forest's decade of turmoilBilly Davies is approaching his first anniversary in charge of Nottingham Forest and, as has been the case ever since he walked through the door at the City Ground last January, the letters and emails from the club's supporters keep flooding in. The difference between 12 months ago and now, however, is that Davies is no longer being told that he is not welcome at Forest.Encouraged by their transformation from relegation strugglers one season to promotion contenders the next, Forest fans have come round to the idea that the Scot is the right man for the job and that Brian Clough might not be the only former Derby County manager suitable to lead their club. Third in the Championship and unbeaten in 16 matches ahead of tomorrow's FA Cup tie against Birmingham City, Forest are enjoying a renaissance under the 45-year-old Davies despite the most difficult of starts."There were many Forest fans against me in the beginning and I knew I had to win people over," Davies said. "I got a lot of letters condemning my appointment and saying I should not be at Forest. I've still got them. But now I'm getting loads of emails, letters and cards from Forest fans delighted with what they're seeing. And the great thing about the letters – and many are from fans who've watched Forest for 30 or 40 years – is that they're talking about how they enjoy the style of football."Along the A52, the stretch of road that connects Derby to Nottingham that is known as Brian Clough Way, supporters at his former club were not so complimentary. "I do laugh when I hear the Derby fans complaining," said Davies, who won promotion within 11 months of taking over at Pride Park but was sacked in November the following season. "I think they called it hoof-ball. They never complained about that when they were going away from Wembley celebrating promotion."Derby remains a raw subject and it does not take long in Davies's presence to realise he is still deeply upset with the way he was treated at Pride Park. He claims Adam Pearson, the club's former chairman, was plotting his dismissal at the same time as he was publicly backing him, and maintains that, given more time and support, he would have kept Derby in the Premier League. "I've got no doubt about that," Davies said.In many ways he was a victim of his own success at Derby and, with that in mind, it is not surprising that Davies is so circumspect when it comes to talking up Forest's challenge this season. "My experience has taught me, quite simply, that you're better getting promotion in two steps," he said. "I think if you do it in one step you find it's too early and the squad, infrastructure and everything else isn't quite ready for it."And if you do it too early you need loyalty from the board of directors if things don't go well. Any manager that gets a club promoted, in my opinion, deserves a full season in the Premier League and, if they get relegated, at least half of the following season because of the parachute payments. Having got a club promoted and turned around the financial situation at the club, I found myself out of a job after 12 matches the following season."Whatever anyone says about Davies his track record in the Championship is impossible to ignore. At Preston North End, Derby and now Forest he has enjoyed success in a short space of time. How? "I think the reason for that was summed up best when Darren Moore, who is one of the most sincere professionals you could come across, asked to speak to me after the play-off final with Derby," Davies said."He said, 'Gaffer, I've worked with many managers but the reason why you get success is because of your transparency. What you see is what you get and you're a very fair person to play under'. That's exactly what I try to be. I don't do bullshit. I'm not perfect. But I always try to be honest and fair."He is also incredibly thorough, as Chris Gunter, one of five players who joined on loan last season before signing a full-time deal in the summer, outlines. "It's enjoyable and professional under him," Gunter said. "Not once have I gone out and played and the opposition have done something that we weren't told about. We watch a lot of videos but not long ones. He doesn't sit there and bore us. But the planning and preparation we do is unbelievable."That is sure to be in evidence again tomorrow when Davies comes up against Alex McLeish, a fellow Glaswegian and his former manager at Motherwell. Davies, however, has other reasons for relishing the fixture. "It will give our young players the opportunity to see the gap between the Championship and the Premier League and that gap is something they've got to find out about." Davies knows that chasm all too well.Nottingham ForestChampionshipBrian CloughStuart Jamesguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Burnley chairman says Owen Coyle's exit from club has been a 'trauma' • Barry Kilby angered by manager's 'sideways move' to Bolton• Paul Jewell and Mike Phelan among favourites for vacant postThe sense of grievance felt by Burnley about Owen Coyle's imminent defection to Bolton Wanderers manifested itself today in the chairman, Barry Kilby, publicly expressing his frustration about the "trauma" it has left at Turf Moor and questioning the wisdom of what he described as a "sideways" move.As lawyers from both clubs spent the evening finalising the details of the compensation package, Kilby said he had made extensive efforts to persuade Coyle to stay and could not hide his disappointment about the Scot's decision."Obviously it has been a trauma for the football club," Kilby said. "None of us wanted Owen to go and it was a shock when this broke. It's not been the best of weeks but we have to pick ourselves up, get on with it and move this club forward."We had talks and we managed to get Owen to delay his decision by 24 hours. We put our case strongly and were very hopeful that he would stay with us, but he decided to carry on and go to Bolton."Coyle, who took over at Turf Moor in November 2007 and won promotion from the Championship in his first full season, was linked with Celtic in the summer and he will be joining a club in the Premier League's relegation zone, two points behind Burnley."I don't think we [the clubs] are best of pals at the moment," Kilby said. "It did come at a bad time and it was an unwelcome approach. Owen felt Bolton have a larger player budget than we have and it was his best way of remaining a Premier League manager, working with a budget of that size."I fully expected when he did move it would be upwards, not sideways to a club with whom we are fighting a relegation scrap. We were surprised. But I have been in football long enough to know these things happen and I don't think Owen took this decision lightly."It was with regret that he went and he did say to me there was only Celtic or Bolton for whom he would leave Burnley. We are all grown men but it was quite emotional when Owen left; he has a big affection for this club. But it has come at a bad time, that is for sure."Kilby is now keen to get a new manager in place quickly, with Paul Jewell, who is out of work, and Mike Phelan, Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United, among the candidates."We have got to get going," the chairman said. "Let's put this behind us and make sure we stay in this Premier League. We have to see who is out there. We need to get this one sorted out as soon as we can."In the meantime, the coach Steve Davis will act as caretaker manager for Saturday's home game against Stoke City.Owen CoyleBurnleyBolton WanderersPremier LeagueDaniel Taylorguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Liverpool co-owner Hicks close to selling Texas Rangers Tom Hicks is close to a deal to sell the Texas Rangers baseball team, the prospective buyers announced early Saturday. cbc.ca |
Sven and Notts book Wigan clash Notts County have ended the FA Cup hopes of the last non-league side in the famous competition and booked themselves a fourth-round home tie against Wigan Athletic in the process. foxsports.com.au |
Nigel Reed: Is fair play a thing of the past? When David Beckham gets booked in the first five minutes, you just know there's going to be trouble. cbc.ca |