ROOKIE BOSS GRATEFUL FOR MANAGERIAL ADVICE
EFL managers are all desperate for three points on a Saturday afternoon – and their antics on the touchline often prove it.
Bosses will point and gesticulate at their players, share verbals with their counterparts and give the fourth official a load of earache in the quest for victory.
But once the final whistle goes, the madness usually quickly subsides whether it be a win, loss or draw. There is a managerial fraternity, much like the goalkeepers’ union. They all know what it feels like to be on the wrong end of results and suffer the wrath of directors and fans.
Rookie Crewe boss Lee Bell is in his first full season at the helm and he’s doing just fine so far, leading the Railwaymen to fifth in League Two heading into the weekend and putting them very much in the fight for automatic promotion.
But the 41-year-old, who won two promotions with Alex as a player, is still grateful to those who are happy to share a bit of managerial wisdom post-match.
“Pitting your wits against managers who have been doing the job a lot longer is great,” he told The FLP. “It’s nice to talk and have a conversation with them after the game – some have been brilliant.
“Nigel Adkins (Tranmere) has been brilliant twice - he doesn’t duck away from questions. Neil Harris (then Gillingham, now Cambridge) was brilliant with me last year. We played Gillingham and both teams were having a difficult spell.
“He could see I was getting frustrated and took his time to talk to me afterwards. He asked me what I was thinking and gave me some advice about dealing with the group. This season he was really good, too, and we exchange messages.
“It’s also the managers I’ve played for, like Nigel Clough (Mansfield) at Burton. I was only young at the time and he was the perfect fit as a manager for me – I warmed to him. We have stayed close ever since.”
Ironically, they are now both after the same thing – promotion from League Two.
“We drew 2-2 at our place in the first game of the season and they were excellent,” admitted Bell, whose side came from 2-0 down to grab a point. “We played them again last month and won 1-0. After that game we had a good conversation – speaking about how our families are and talking about players.
Foundations
“Of course, some managers don’t want to engage, which I understand, but he – and many others - still give me their time.”
One thing’s for sure – Bell has made a big impression in the hotseat since taking the reins
