Kevin Nolan interview with The Observer, Sunday 29 October 2017

With Notts County flying high in League Two, manager Kevin Nolan is very much the man of the moment for overseeing the transformation of a side that was previously all but certain to slip out of the Football League.

In a recent interview with The Observer, the 35-year-old spoke about a number of topics both about himself and his club.

Pride of Nottingham has taken his quotes and neatly and concisely compiled there here for you.

Should you wish to read the full interview on the Observer website, you can do so here.

On the state of Notts County when he arrived at the club

There was so much when we came in which was just not right. We didn’t have a training ground. The lads were getting changed here and then driving 20 or 30 minutes and having to come back to get showered. The pitch had not been touched for six or seven years. Changing all that has given players the belief to go: ‘Oh wow, this is an environment I want to thrive in.’”

On his career hopes

“I want to manage at the top level. I want to be part of big European nights, something I wasn’t able to do as a player, being in the Champions League. It’s so difficult now, especially for English managers. We don’t get the opportunities as much now as we did, so for me it’s just about making sure I learn my trade here. I’ve got to make sure that I pick my path right, but at this moment in time I can’t think of a better place to be.

“If we stop believing then it won’t happen. As a young English manager we’ve got to believe that there’s still room for us at the top level.”

On the transition from player to coach

“Every day you wake up wondering: ‘What’s the next thing for me?’ You can see why people end up in divorce and depressed and not in a good place. For me there’s a lot more to be done in that sense of looking after players. I was out of the game and that’s why I work so hard now: some nights I’m still here at nine o’clock because I don’t want to leave any stone unturned. I feel if I ever lose this job I know that I gave it my all.”

On his stint at Leyton Orient

"(Francesco Becchetti) should have just managed the team himself. Employing all the people he did was a disservice to football and a disservice to Leyton Orient. He wanted to tell you who’s best to play, who should have played, who shouldn’t play and ultimately that’s what cost me my job because I didn’t agree with what he wanted.”

On his coaching philosophy

“It’s quite funny because when Sam [Allardyce] gave his ultimate survival guide [for Premier League managers] on Sky Sports, I got a lot of cheeky texts saying: ‘It’s the Kevin Nolan bible!’ Everyone thinks I’m just a rigid 4-4-2 manager but I just like to stick to what I feel is best for the player. We have a system we all know but we can quite easily change to a three, or to a diamond four, because we work on it. I’m not just a straightforward: ‘This is me, I believe in it and I haven’t got a plan B, plan C.’ I feel that I have got that and whether I need to use it any time this season, time will tell. I don’t feel that I have a [particular tactical] philosophy. My first and foremost is getting a set of … I don’t like to call them rules … but a guidance of what’s expected when you walk into Notts County, what’s expected of you as a player: discipline, respect, togetherness.”

On Matt Tootle's personal issues

“It’s absolutely fantastic what he’s done to raise awareness because there is a lot of people holding back and think that it’s a weakness and it’s not. The weakness is hiding it. You’ve got to try and bring it out so people can help you. When he comes in we can talk and we can try and put him at ease or try and get him back up if he’s feeling down. It’s such a high‑pressure job. No matter if you’re playing with 3,000 people going to watch it every week, it’s pressure on you.”

On taking to the pitch for Notts

“At the minute I’m not in physical condition to play, that’s my excuse, but I don’t think I’d get in the team even if I was! Maybe you’ll see me in that black and white shirt one day, but hopefully not. That’s a last resort.”

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