Awards

I have just been watching Sky Sports News and the Managers of the month were being announced. League 1's award went to Paul Trollope at Bristol Rovers. I was at Northampton Town with 'Troll' and he is a great fella. At first the fans at the cobblers were hard on Troll but true to character he carried on doing his job and deservedly won them over. When Colin Calderwood took over the club it suddenly became ultra professional and myself and Troll thoroughly enjoyed playing there in our last season, and but for the most bizarre decision by a referee that I have ever seen in football we would have been rewarded with a play off final, and the way we were playing probably promotion.
I was surprised how soon 'Troll' committed to management because he was very fit as a player but the opportunity arose and he took it. With the help of Lennie Lawrence he has done extremely well with a tight budget. In fact when we played rovers in pre season troll was saying he had no assistant, no youth team and no physio and with 30 players looking at you for guidance its a big ask. But he has a good manner about him and I think he will do very well.
I have certainly had a broad spectrum of Management styles over the years having worked with 18 or so managers!. All managers have to be motivators, it just depends on your style.
At Brenford Martin Allen had a fearsome reputation but he was actually just very committed and he certainly got the best out of his players, whether it be John Salako or a 17 year old trialist. We had a great season the year I was there finishing 3rd at a club that had been tipped for relegation. Martin always looked after the players, we had a great trip to Dubai that Christmas, what goes on tour stays on tour! . Had the commute of 5 hours a day not have been killing me I would have stayed. Colin Calderwood was milder but no less committed.
Then you have the old school style such as Alan Buckley and Jim Smith. I was with Alan at Grimsby and West Brom and if I had a spare week there would be many stories told. Maybe another time.
I had plenty of run ins with Jim, we certainly had our differences but it did make me smile seeing the old cigar smoke wafting down the team coach after games win, lose or draw.

Here at Torquay Paul Buckle is also a real motivator. He has created a great work ethic, he is approachable as a person but also has the respect of the lads as a manager. Training is very good, everything is done very professionally and we are all striving for the same thing.


CH