BILLY DAVIES: I STILL KEEP AN EYE ON PRESTON AND DERBY

Posted on August 22nd, 2008 by mysportsthoughts

I still keep an eye on Preston and Derby, irrespective of what people say, what people write and what people think.

I had without doubt a wonderful wonderful time at Preston North End. I made some great friends and I had a very enjoyable time there. Sadly at the end there was a lot of innuendo and mischief making, things being written and a lot of things being said but in a nutshell I couldn’t thank the fans and the people at the club who supported me enough for what they gave me, it was a wonderful time.

Then I went to Derby County, in much more difficult circumstances. he club had just been taken over, had only 17 players and one recognised striker. The infrastructure there was a shambles, which needed to be changed. There were six members of the new board, six co owners and trying to build that club up from the very bottom to the very top was extremely difficult. The biggest problem for me, as you know, was that we had a three year plan.

The plan was to try and secure a top six finish, in the third year, and try and get promotion but sadly it was done in 11 months and everything changed but that’s football.

Arsene Wenger said to me, at the Emirates last season, that I had created a rod for my own back and I was a victim of my own success and after I thanked him for the stuffing at the end of the game, I also thanked him for his programme notes because he said after what I had achieved over the last number of years that ‘this boy has something special’, so that was a great bit of encouragement for me.

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BILLY DAVIES: I’M READY TO GET BACK

Posted on August 20th, 2008 by mysportsthoughts

I am ready to get back to work now, I had a fantastic break but I am looking for a job now.

I am prepared to sit and wait for the right job, with the right people and at a club with the right ambition. The right club is very very important to me now and when or if that happens then I am charged up and ready to get back in.

I think it is necessary from time to time just to take a step back and reflect and to review what has taken place and your time at certain clubs and that is very very important.

Since I left Derby, I have been keeping a very close eye on football. I went to Juventus which was a very good seven days for me and I spoke to Claudio Ranieri and players there and took pictures and watched the training sessions and I also went to Real Madrid v Barcelona as well and spent some time over there.

I also went over to Houston and followed the Dynamos over there, I took in a lot of MLS matches, I went to Los Angeles so there was a lot of work time in there but also a lot of play time with the family and it was so important to continue doing, what I regard as a very important part of my personal development.

I certainly would not close the door on managing in Scotland, England or abroad. I am very open minded and I am prepared to travel, I would love to try continental football at some stage but after tasting Premier League football, I obviously want that again. I genuinely feel I would like to go back in with the ability to compete financially with the rest of the teams and try and get closer to a level playing field.

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[FIRST POST] BILLY DAVIES: I HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Posted on August 15th, 2008 by mysportsthoughts

When I left Derby County I promised my family that between the months of December and June I would devote my time to them and we have spent a lot of time travelling. It has also been great to watch my two boys training with their football teams, here in Scotland, and watching them playing in their games on Saturday’s and Sunday’s as well as meeting up with family and friends. I have also spent time on myself and getting myself fitter, losing a bit of weight and just generally getting myself in a much healthier condition.

The last four years, have been without doubt 24/7 and during that period I certainly did forget about Billy Davies. I was so focussed on games, training, video analysing and everything else that goes with managing football clubs and with getting to play-off semi finals, finals and then promotion that basically spoils your summer and reduces the time you are able to take a rest. That certainly did take its toll so that is why it was important this time around to go and get a real good break.

It was a disappointment in the end, what took place at Derby, but the most intriguing thing about it all was that the day I was told I would be parting company with Derby County, that evening I was heading to Birmingham for the BBC East Midlands awards to pick up the Coach of the Year award, which is quite unbelievable but that is the nature of the game.
I found out pretty early on that apparently Paul Jewell had been approached for my job. I got on very well with Peter Gadsby, the last Chairman but there was effectively a takeover and Adam Pearson came in and his very first words raised alarm bells. When he said that ‘under no circumstances would Billy Davies be leaving this club and also if we do go down then there is not a better man in place to take us straight back up again’ I was worried because we all know the nature of football.
I am very proud of what I achieved at Preston and Derby, very proud of the last four years and my track record. My biggest disappointment is that I still feel that although I managed in the Premier League I never had the chance to compete in the Premier League.

My burning desire now is to get back to the Premier League because I have unfinished business.

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