So Colin, you’re not at my house eating my biscuits. Perhaps you’d like to tell me something about yourself??
As he’s not actually here, I think I’d best fill in the gaps and paraphrase from the WWW myself….
Q. So Colin, where have you played and managed before?
A. I was at Mansfield, Swindon, Spurs, Forest and Notts County as a player…building up 600 career appearances. As manager, I got Northampton promoted at the third time of asking after two near misses, in 2006, before moving to Nottingham Forest, whom I managed to get promotion with in 2008. In December 2008, I arrived at Newcastle United with a certain Chris Hughton. Some may say we were harshly treated to have to depart St James’s Park, having gotten them promoted at the first time of asking back to the Premiership, but it lead me North of the border, to take charge at Hibernian, who sacked me a short time ago, to enable me to head for Birmingham, and here I am.
Q. How old are you?
A. I’m 46.
Q. Did you ever glue your finger to your nose?
A. Eh?
Q. Do you feel like a stranger, arriving so close to the January transfer window?
A. There are a number of people here I know, I’ve had an association with Chris (Hughton) from when he started as a coach at Tottenham and I was a player. Then when I returned to Tottenham to do the reserves Chris was there and obviously Newcastle was the more recent association…Stephen Carr made his debut next to me for Tottenham many years ago and Paul Trollope was an apprentice when I was a player at Swindon…There’s also George Copper the physio and Dave Watson was at Northampton and also goalkeeping coach with me at Nottingham Forest, so it’s that’s obviously easier.
Q. Anyone else?
A. No.
Q. Is it true you played for the Villa?
A. Yes. I was a defender there. (Ed: Hmm, I don’t blame you for not mentioning it before…)
(It was ‘revealed’ in the Express and Star)
Q. You are an experienced manager in your own right, do you want to be ‘number one’ again in the future?
A. Yeah, I do [have ambitions of being a manager again] but I think in the short and medium term I’ve got to show loyalty to Chris for taking me back when I’ve gone out of a job…I don’t see myself leaving Chris Hughton or Birmingham City too easily. I owe that to Chris purely because of the decision to take me back in.
Q. Good…What did Chris Hughton say about your arrival? Keep it brief!
A. The manager said: “There’s plenty of work to do, particularly when you have a lot of games. The better staff you can get the better for you…Colin welcomed the opportunity. It’s not just working with myself but the group of lads we have got. He knows the standing of this football club, the name that we have…It’s an opportunity to get very much into the players and work for a club of this standing…Colin has a very good reputation as a coach and, of course, a manager and I’m quite sure it wouldn’t have been too long before there had been other offers for his services…That’s testament to what this club has to offer, the fact he chose to come here. When you bring in an additional member of staff it’s about us being able to do more…He’s coached and managed and had a good knowledge of the game so we’ll feel the benefit quickly.”
Russ, it WILL continue to the Braga match. We want it to continue AFTER the Braga match!
Chris and Colin make a good team, let’s hope they can get the blues back where they belong in the EPL next season.
Kev, baby steps. I’d be happy with a Braga win followed by not too many more defeats, I’m not asking for too much 😉 Of course I want it to continue, though. Heh heh.
Reece – I agree 100%, that’s obviously why Hughton waited so patiently, he knows he’s got the right man at his side…
KRO
…. and so say all of us