Ian Burchnall interview with TalkSport

[Piethagoram]

 

[Chris]

Quite a lot of name-dropping in the interview, I personally think he shot himself in the foot by joining Forest Green Rovers. The level of criticism he faced seemed unrelenting, but it's difficult to deny that karma played a role when he condemned all of us, even though it was only a small group who booed him. As for saying he's pleased to take a step back, he would say that. It'll take him awhile to find an English club willing to give him the time of day as a manager.

His time at FGR always came across as a growth killer.

[menzinho]

I don’t really have any ill-will towards him, I get why he left, I think the timing of the move is what irked people and I totally get it. I think had he left a couple of weeks after the season there would’ve been less animosity. Given how close the talks were around the play-off campaign he’d probably still have joined FGR had we won promotion. That too me would have been very strange. Anyway, we got Luke Williams because of the move so I'm not complaining!

Just in terms of coaching abroad I do think he’s a good example to young coaches who can’t get the roles they want in this country. Maybe with families it’s harder for some but it makes me laugh how some of these ex-Premier League players think a National League club is beneath them and they should be getting a Championship club on name alone.

[liampie]

@menzinho did you listen to his post match interviews where he was moaning about notts fans, he never once acted like it was minority.

there was rumours leading into the final few home games that he was off, which i personally believe which i did not at the time but there was a lot of people saying that he was off to forest green rovers well before we knew. the way he left, it looked like it was all pre planned and it comes across a bit disrespectful if i am completely honest. i have read comments over the years about sam allardyce being disloyal for leaving to manage bolton. this is similar to that in a way, but at least sam supported bolton and did not try to turn on the fans prior to making his decision. anyone could foresee that it was a stupid decision to join them. 

[NottsCountyKev]

Ian Burchnall could have been a good manager, but it seems he bought into his own hype a little too much. I don’t think Forest Green Rovers was a good move for someone with ambitions, as Notts were on the verge of chasing promotion and FGR looked dead set for relegation from League One. I can’t imagine it was a much bigger payday, but who cares now? We have Luke Williams, who is 100% better than Burchnall. Burchnall was decent enough, but his decisions in games weren’t always the best. His reading and tactics alone lost Notts points.

[heraldmagpie]

Ian Burchnall was a better coach than manager. Notts gave him a good foundation to build on his footballing CV, but he had a rush of blood to his head. I am surprised that anyone is interested in him, especially since he failed terribly at Forest Green. His time there isn’t fondly remembered; their fans told him he was out of his depth.

[JIMBO]

Ian Burchnall did well for us, and Neal Ardley and the board made it a lot easier for him. Yet there’s no comparison between him and Luke Williams. Burchnall will one day make it back to management, most likely overseas, but I do wish him well.

[CliftonMagpie]

I think he left us feeling a bit bitter and took the chance we gave him for granted, by not leading by the example that he had spoken about all season. He said he came to us to gain promotion and be part of a long-term building process, yet he left after having a decent enough season, running off to the first club that needed a manager two divisions higher than us. It just makes me feel disappointed. Notts was basically just a stepping stone, and most good managers could have gotten us to the finish he did. I just don’t understand those who love Burchnall but hate Neal Ardley. That’s why I personally don’t care about his career. He also comes across as a bit self-important, which I do not like.

[MagpieLane]

I wish him well too. Although, I did think that him leaving us for FGR showed little gratitude for us giving him a chance in English football. He claimed to be thankful, but when he left, it didn’t seem like it.

He refused to do post-match interviews, perhaps because he knew in his heart that he was leaving and wanted to use the fans as a scapegoat. He got what he deserved at FGR, but now he has the chance to restart. From there, I hope he learns and does well. The appointment of Luke Williams and his achievements make me less bothered about the situation.

[allardyces tash]

Yes, Ian Burchnall left Notts in quite a sour way. However, we have moved on and thankfully have a better manager. I didn’t mind Neal Ardley or Ian Burchnall; both made their marks on Notts. I am pleased we no longer have a manager that looks like he’s about to be roadkill. He and Steve Cooper could make a right duo.

[Fan of Big Tone]

7 hours ago, allardyces tash said:

I am pleased we no longer have a manager that looks like he’s about to be roadkill. He and Steve Cooper could make a right duo.

 That made me laugh @allardyces tash those bug eyes were very disconcerting in front of the cameras.

As others have said we have Luke Williams now and what a manager. I don’t have any bad feelings towards Burchnall at all, he saw an opportunity which he thought was better than his present employment and took it. That’s football.

[Piethagoram]

I often wonder how much FGR paid Notts in compensation?... I would not be surprised if it was in 6 figures, enough for us to buy Langstaff and Scott! 

[allardyces tash]

9 hours ago, Fan of Big Tone said:

 That made me laugh @allardyces tash those bug eyes were very disconcerting in front of the cameras.

As others have said we have Luke Williams now and what a manager. I don’t have any bad feelings towards Burchnall at all, he saw an opportunity which he thought was better than his present employment and took it. That’s football.

Just imagine if either Ian Burchnall or Steve Cooper were pulled over for speeding; neither would pass as not being drunk. The roadside test would be even funnier to watch.  

5 hours ago, Piethagoram said:

I often wonder how much FGR paid Notts in compensation?... I would not be surprised if it was in 6 figures, enough for us to buy Langstaff and Scott! 

I don’t believe Notts received any compensation for his departure; I believe we gave him permission to leave.

[TheSkipper]

The interview was excellent. One day, Ian Burchnall will undoubtedly lead another team to success. Joining FGR was a bad decision at the wrong time. However, if he stays in his current role for a few more years, another team will likely show interest in him. I would rather not reflect on his time at Notts, simply because it’s irrelevant now. I do wish him well though; I just hope to never see him back at Notts.

[upthepies]

Ian Burchnall is in the past now and for good reasons; good luck to him as an assistant manager. One day, I hope he does become a manager again but he needs to work on much of his managerial skills alongside his attitude and decisions when it comes to his career’s best projection.

[Joshua]

I didn’t like the way he left, but I understood his anger with the small number of people who were booing. I think it’s bad when a manager takes it out on the whole fan base instead of being professional. Refusing to do the interviews just made him look childish. As I say, I understand him being annoyed, but he should continue to be professional. I think he thought it would be a bed of roses at Forest Green. Very few FGR fans would mention anything kind about him; most felt he was out of his depth. He might be a good manager when a team is established, but I think him dropping to coaching and assisting a manager is one of his best decisions.