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| Ian Pocock in the Non-League Paper, Sunday 26th March 2000 |
| 'Burton pedigree has Clough seal of quality' |
| Freud would have a field
day with Nigel Clough. For 15 years his father's reputation overshadowed his own highly successful career. That Nigel should choose to take on his first managerial role not 15 minutes down the road from where Clough senior became part of local folklore, may seem like masochism. But the 34-year old former England midfielder insists he is simply a victim of circumstances. |
| Eighteen
months ago a specialist told him a genetic weakness of the heel meant he
could no longer keep up the Football League schedule with Manchester City. At 32 he had to make a life-changing decision. Within two months he had joined Burton Albion of the Dr. Martens Premier Division as a player manager. "It was the most frightening decision of my life," says Clough, "I had to choose either to leave the game completely or move into management." But why Burton? "If you look at the best managers, the ones at the very top of the games (sic), they have either worked in non-league football first, or they have worked under experienced people. |
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| "I wanted to have some managerial
education and I believe that you don't get anywhere unless you have a sound
base. Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and David O'Leary have all been through
some kind of education and it shows." But those who think Clough has a plan for the big time and that Burton is merely a bit part, are mistaken. "I don't think that far ahead," he insists, "There is a lot of work to be done." After gracing the arenas of Wembley, Anfield and the City Ground, the move has meant a lot of adjustment for Clough. In particular he has had to learn the art of handling a team on limited resources. "One change for me has been the lack of time with the players. When I was at Forest or Liverpool, you would see the players after the match, have a chat about it and then do the same on Monday. I don't see them until the midweek game if we have one." "But the hardest thing of all has been playing and managing. I don't think it matters at what level you play, it is difficult to be a player-manager. I have to rely on Gary Crosby, my assistant, to run the training sessions and look at things on match day." The experience has left Clough with a distinct liking for non-league football and a belief that the standard will continue to rise. "Young players who are disposed of by the academies will come into this level of the game. That means the standard will rise. It's already happened in the Conference. None of the teams which have dropped out of the Football League have gone straight back up in recent years." Clough has often appeared laid-back, but there is little doubt he is now determined to create his own success story. "Burton can definitely make it into the Conference and then the Football League," he says, "Three years ago Cheltenham were in our league and now they are looking to reach the play-offs in the Third Division. "It gives you a big confidence boost to see that and it can happen at this club. Our stadium has been passed by the Conference. I feel we can go a long way here." |
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