Having spent 20 years as a player Andy Liddell has played under plenty of managers, some good some bad; “I’ve played for a lot of managers. Some are shouters and some are arms-round-the-shoulder types and some are a mixture of both."
“I find the best managers I have had, the ones I’ve worked longest for, are positive and encourage the players and they are fair and honest. The three I worked longest with are John Sheridan, Paul Jewell and Danny Wilson. You take the best from each but me and Paul are going to be our own men because that’s all you can be." he added.
“All managers and coaches are frustrated players. They want to kick every ball for them but you can’t. Sometimes they do things you don’t want them to do and sometimes they do the right things, but that’s football management. If you’re fair and honest to the players then they respect you for that. If they don’t like what you say to them then tough.”
Andy put into persepective of other managers moans after sadly losing his daughter to to a bowel condition; “The managers I’ve spoken to say all you get is stress, lack of sleep and aggravation. It’s not a great model for the job but I’m very much a positive person after the personal circumstance I’ve had away from football. It’s taught me that you have got to enjoy living and the time that you’ve got. You’ve also got to enjoy what you’re doing."
“We get paid for playing football. Come on. It’s fantastic. I was lucky enough to do it for 18 years and if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing then why do it? Do something else.”
“If I’m honest, in my early days I didn’t think of eventually becoming a manager but as you get older and older you think, if the chance comes I’ll see what it’s like. That chance has come and we’ll see what it’s like. I don’t waste time and I don’t waste people’s time. Time is precious.” he added.