Inglorius Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 It is almost two years since Billy Davies lost his job at Nottingham Forest and became a former manager. It scarcely seems believable that a man of his passion, intensity, ambition and sheer force of personality could have tolerated such an absence from the game. "There are many reasons for staying out as long," Davies says, and he is too forthright to succumb to vagueness. He has earned well during his managerial career, so there is no financial imperative. His sons have been growing up, and both are now at university, while he has felt it important to spend time with his parents at this stage in their lives. All of that, though, is enabled by Davies' success in management. He can reel off the stats and achievements, but they are worth dwelling on. Whenever he has managed a side in the English Championship for a full season, Davies has never failed to at least steer them into the play-offs.  Quickfire - Billy Davies In the same league, he has never failed to reach the 79-point mark, and nobody has won more manager of the month awards in the Championship. He broke long-standing club records at Nottingham Forest, Derby and Preston, the three sides he has managed in England. Yet it has been two years. There was also a 13-month spell out of the game after leaving Derby, despite having led the club to promotion to the Premiership in the first year of a three-year plan. 'Whispering campaign' Davies has an answer. He believes that a "whispering campaign" has been conducted against him, resulting in the portrayal of him as a difficult man to manage, one constantly at odds with directors and the media, as a manager who ignores young players. "This is a results-driven industry," Davies says. "All I want people to do is look at the success of each club we've been at, look at the results, focus on player relationship, on staff relationship, on economics from when we took over to when we left. "If he is such a difficult man to please and such a hard man to get on with, why does he get this success, why does he have such good relationships with players, why do his teams win, why is his record so good?" By his own admission, spending two spells at Nottingham Forest and one at Derby - two clubs 14 miles apart and caught up in a fierce rivalry - has impacted on his career. "The first time that I spoke to Nigel Doughty [the previous Forest owner], it was clear that Mr X preferred another option [as manager]," Davies says. "When I joined Nottingham Forest, Mr X advised me that he will be using certain individuals in the Midlands area to put out information, in the media.  Billy Davies, while manager of Nottingham Forest, jokes with coach Julian Darby and Jonathan Greening "Very interestingly, it's the same individuals today who still say the same thing." When Davies first arrived at Forest, the club was in the midst of a relegation battle. He steered them to safety and then to the play-offs the following season. Davies is fiercely competitive, blunt, unabashed, but just as capable of wit and empathy. Players talk of his attention to detail, his range of coaching sessions, his tactical awareness. He is demanding, of himself as much as those around him. Ambition compels Davies, he wants to work at the highest level and feels frustrated that he has yet to achieve that on his own terms. When he won the Premiership play-off with Derby, he knew that the board would sell the club once in the top-flight and had been told that another manager had already been sounded out. In hindsight, Davies would have preferred to have been let go that summer, rather than work for a spell in the Premier League but without the resources he felt were required to stay up. "The chairman, Peter Gatsby, made it clear to us that was the intent, to get promotion and then sell the club," Davies says. "Peter said to me that I would get what I was due, we are selling, the club is moving in a different direction with different people. "My disappointment was that I felt the Derby board should have done that in the summer. Looking back, how could they remove me in the summer? Billy Davies's managerial journey Motherwell October 1998 to September 2001 Preston August 2004 to June 2006 Derby County June 2006 to November 2007 Nottingham Forest January 2009 to June 2011 and February 2013 to March 2014 "We'd just got promotion and they had to wait for public perception. I put forward a list of players, you give them four or five names at different levels, and I never handled the negotiations. So they decided to go for a certain level and cost of player." Davies acknowledges that football managers need to "manage up" with the board and "manage down" with the players. He insists that he had "a great relationship" with Derek Shaw at Preston North End, Gatsby at Derby, Doughty at Forest and in his second spell at the City Ground, Fawaz Al Hasawi, who Davies remains in contact with. He has spoken to clubs in England and Scotland about recent managerial vacancies. He wants back in to the game, at a club that shares his ambition, and he wants to right some perceived wrongs. "I am a much better manager than I was," Davies says. "None of us are perfect. But don't you dare believe that I've got no desire to get back into the game. I'm ready to achieve greater, to achieve better, with more desire and more ambition. I can't wait to get back in." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35780942 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEL Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 No one want to take you at all dwarf! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 He made a fortune being incredibly successful - at exit strategies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaffsRam Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 Tbh - that day at Wembley, when we beat WBA. I looked on as we collected the trophy, and I just thought "Should have been Burley".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadioactiveWaste Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 He's a nasty piece of work. "the innocent will not be harmed he said" as he had long term members of the club staff forced out at forest, detroyed the clubs media relations (with long term lovers of the club). He spent huge amounts of money in the championship. He did everything he could to sour things between forest and Nigel Clough - before the first ime Nigel went there as Derby manager he'd done all he could to be tactful, respectful and was happy with forest fans, signing programs, having his picture took but nope, Davies wanted animosity and hostility and that's what he generated. Now, OK, Nigel shouldn't have kicked him, that was wrong, but there is a part of me that thinks he did deserve it. ..and isn't there a whisper that he was being paid by forest these past 2 years, so not much of a mystery why he's not been re-hired and why he's suddenly come alive again? whispering campaign? Ha. Billy Davies is a BAWBAG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuespachRam Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 The BEST manager we have had in the last 15 years. He would get us promoted this season without a doubt. COME BACK BILLY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 5 minutes ago, MuespachRam said: The BEST manager we have had in the last 15 years. He would get us promoted this season without a doubt. COME BACK BILLY. It would be quite funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadioactiveWaste Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Don't think Mel's up for it. As for best manager in 15 years? Lol. oh, actually, he probably was. Perhaps Burley under better circumstances might have done more than he did. Clement might go on to show more success, McClaren had good fortune when he came into a very good thing. But being the best of a mostly uninspiring bunch doesn't make him the right man to come in now. or ever. Send him to Rangers where he belongs. Anyway, I think Mel said in so many words to the breakfast club that he knows he could go out and hire a manager like Billy Davies to get the club up, but he wants someone who is into his project to make us something perhaps more in the mould of Southampton, as on comfortably mid-prem with a great youth set up and distinctive style of play. Plus, Billy is a Bawbag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 1 hour ago, MuespachRam said: The BEST manager we have had in the last 15 years. He would get us promoted this season without a doubt. COME BACK BILLY. He was also the worst manager in our, and arguably the history of first and second tier of English football, he was the one who did most of the damage that Nigel and the Yanks had to clean up. That said, some credit has to go to Jewell, but he was more a builder, Billy was most definitely the architect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuespachRam Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 19 minutes ago, Albert said: He was also the worst manager in our, and arguably the history of first and second tier of English football, he was the one who did most of the damage that Nigel and the Yanks had to clean up. That said, some credit has to go to Jewell, but he was more a builder, Billy was most definitely the architect. what a load of rubbish... Docherty, Addison, Todd, Gregory, Wassall, Taylor all miles worse than King Billy, in fact since Mackay only Cox and Smith have been better than him. Guess what else he did....his job, to get us promoted at whatever the cost. You can slate him for how he did it, but his job was to get us promoted whatever the cost...and he did it. Great manager who I would have back in a heartbeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarboroughwa Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Did fine in the championship, and not a clearer example of a Manager who could not manage in the premiership. Consequently, even if we got him back, which we won't as he was the architect of the worst ever premier league tenure in the history of the league, and put Derby on the top of the pile of 'the most embarrassing team of all time (thanks for leaving us in November rock bottom, nice one Billy), he would be temporary anyway. That's all we need. Another temporary Manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 49 minutes ago, MuespachRam said: what a load of rubbish... Docherty, Addison, Todd, Gregory, Wassall, Taylor all miles worse than King Billy, in fact since Mackay only Cox and Smith have been better than him. Guess what else he did....his job, to get us promoted at whatever the cost. You can slate him for how he did it, but his job was to get us promoted whatever the cost...and he did it. Great manager who I would have back in a heartbeat. I have three identical doorways that need a new door put in. I ask 3 separate people to put up these three doors Person 1: They don't really know what they're doing, and they've basically damaged the edges of the new door. It'll be usable and can be used by someone else, but it doesn't look great, and will need work Person 2: They don't do anything at all, and just wander off Person 3: They hang the door perfectly, show it off, but before leaving they kick the door in. It's a mess and will take a lot of work to fix Which of these 3 people did the worst job? Also, what on Earth is wrong with you, Wassall has had a handful of games with a side devoid of confidence, in a position where it's known that we'll likely bring someone else in during the summer. Why would you list him with "worst managers"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamNut Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 BD never got the credit he deserved for the promotion. We are spending a fortune trying to replicate what he did to get out of this league . He did it taking on a squad which had no left back and no centre forward when he arrived, assembling a team with free transfers and budget buys. But the reality is that he is hard work. He creates a siege mentality and allows this to become a monster. the terrible summer of poor signings destroyed his reputation. I saw an interview the other day where he cleverly disowned the responsibility for the fees paid. Its sad that he cannot look back with fondness or pleasure to a job well done at any of his clubs because everything he ever achieved anywhere is soiled with the poison he creates. He is not stupid though. He's working the media hard at the moment in order to put himself across as a humorous, misunderstood and successful manager. Good luck to him with that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimmu Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Strange. I could wait his return little bit longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G STAR RAM Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 5 hours ago, MuespachRam said: Guess what else he did....his job, to get us promoted at whatever the cost. You can slate him for how he did it, but his job was to get us promoted whatever the cost...and he did it. Great manager who I would have back in a heartbeat. Guess what else he did... 1 - Completely destroyed the club below first team level 2 - Broke our transfer record on a player he never played 3 - Spent £3m on Claude Davis 4 - Lumbered us with Stephen Bywater, Jay McEveley and Eddie Lewis 5 - Went on to say that he wished out Wembley victory was with another club 6 - Played a huge part in the worst season in our history 7 - Manufactured his exit in front of the tv cameras before negotiating his big pay off You cant argue with his points record but his football his horrible to watch and all that is left behind when he leaves is complete destruction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramshankered Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 9 hours ago, MuespachRam said: The BEST manager we have had in the last 15 years. He would get us promoted this season without a doubt. COME BACK BILLY. Madness! Billy's Barmy Army (of one!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 10 hours ago, MuespachRam said: The BEST manager we have had in the last 15 years. He would get us promoted this season without a doubt. COME BACK BILLY. Billy Davies was a divisive character, and whilst that promotion season was emotionally brilliant, it cost us at least 5 seasons to get over it. If all you are interested in is 'now' and results, then BD's your man. However, for others, they might prefer somebody who isn't completely batshit insane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuespachRam Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 For all those slating Billy, don't forget, he did what he was told to do, get us promoted no matter what....and he did....and it was amazing... With a team that wouldn't get anywhere near the first team that Stevie took to Wembley..What came after, well lots of mistakes were made by a lot of people, including sacking him. and as I said..bring back Billy.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadioactiveWaste Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Bring him back. Put him in a cage suspended above the south stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaffsRam Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Mel doesn't want promotion at any cost. Billy specializes in promotion at any cost (well, he's managed it once....). It ain't going to happen, and I'm not shedding a single tear that it won't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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