It’s been quite a while since I’d caught up with retired football supremo Ron Manager. As the new season approaches, I thought it would be a good time to get flashes of wisdom and some deep and meaningful insight from him about the game in general, and Sunderland in particular.
Ron has forged a lifelong interest in the sport, and there isn’t much anyone can tell you about the beautiful game that Ron hasn’t already thought about. Starting out at Kidderminster Kids XI, he was soon climbing the football
pyramid, having stints at Hartlepool, North Shields Robins and Redcar before, surprisingly, being given the England job.
At his request, we met on a park bench, where he could keep his eye on the ducks, and I started by asking him if he still missed being in the game when this time of year came around.
“Oh yes, it never leaves you, doesn’t it? I think I was born reading the teleprinter. Football is more than a game, it’s a passion. It’s something that comes from inside and touches people’s hearts – and you have to be careful touching someone’s heart, as it can get very messy and affect its smooth running. That was a great film, wasn’t it? Or was it Cool Runnings? I can never forget.”
It was good to see Ron looking as fit as he never did, and eager to chat about the Lads’ forthcoming season, especially with the intriguing addition of a European competition. I asked him about the pressure that could bring to the squad.
“Well, I’m going to make a prediction here – and I think it could go either way. The first 90 minutes in any match are always the most important. And I’ve learnt my trade from some of the best – take Dave the greengrocer, an excellent organiser. I wouldn’t say I was the best manager in the business, but I was in the top one. Nevertheless, I was still surprised when the FA came knocking on my door. This team had to adapt to the English game, and they did that tremendously last season. Some others still need to get used to football in the Premier League, and for that, I used to loan players out to Lens or Bayern. But you’ve got to have a siege mentality, you or us. I mean, if the Visitors were playing in my back garden, I’d shut the curtains. When everything in your favour is working against you, that’s when you know the chips are more expensive than the fish.”
“You don’t want your players to be monks. We want them to be better football players, because a monk does not play football at this level. So when you’re in the Premier League, you are the tail of the lion, and some people are happy being the tail of the lion. But some prefer to be the head of the mouse – or even some kind of fish.”
I asked him about any regrets or disappointments he had that still leave him shaking his head to this day – things that he might have done differently.
“Well, I remember when I first introduced the diamond formation to the game. That was taken out of context. Does anyone really know what it is? I mean, at least you knew where you were with Alf Ramsey’s Wingless Wonders. You know? 4-4-2, or 4-2-4 or 4-3-3 or 5-4-6, or 0800 657000 – freephone double glazing, isn’t it? Smashing. But when I first used it, people accused me of just not respecting or underestimating the opposition. We didn’t underestimate them – they were just a lot better than we thought they were going to be. I mean, the boy we had up front – I think he was born offside.”
And who would he single out as someone who might shine this season for the Black Cats? Who would be the new Ryan Giggs?
“Cor! Giggsy, isn’t it? You know? Giggsy Wiggsy. Mmm? You know? Marvellous. I’d say that Enzo Le Fée. Precious talent, isn’t he? Mmm? Ooh, got it all, you know? Speed, acceleration, sweet left foot, all the tricks – the dummy, the drop of the shoulder, the nutmegs, the shimmy, jiggery-pokery, hocus-pocus, abracadabra, I wanna reach out and grab ya? Steve Miller Band. Hmm? Spin Doctors? Ooh – very similar. He plays like football is an art – like dancing is an art – but only when it’s done well does it become an art. Like John Travolta sliding around in Grease, isn’t it? But I’ve watched that Enzo play a few times now. Brilliant. But he’s not really that small, they make him look small so he can fit on the telly.”
Ron started to drift off into a world of his own as he tried to put his ice cream wafer into his pocket for later. So I kept him focused on the interview by asking him what gave him the greatest pleasure in his career.
“Ohh – those Brazilians, you know? I’m not talking about beach volleyball. Circa 1970. Broke the mould. Theory out the window. Free expression of football. Uncategorisable. Is that a word? It is now. You know? Far cry from small boys in the park. Jumpers for goalposts. Rush goalies. No blasties. Two at the back. Three in the middle. Four up top. Twenty aside, wasn’t it? One’s gone home for his tea. Beans on toast, isn’t it? Possibly. But don’t quote me on that.”
Did the modern sciences of diet and fitness play a role back then?
“Very much so. I mean, I’ve even gone vegetarian now. Well – I know I had a sausage roll before I met up with you, but that’s not really meat, is it? There’s no animal called a sausage – isn’t it?”
Ron’s eyes were starting to glaze over and occasionally close, so I asked him just one more question before I lost the will to live. With all his knowledge and experience, what would his advice be to the team at the start of the new season?
“To remind the players who they are. What are they doing? I need to be reminded of these things every morning. What is a club anyway? It’s not the building or directors. Not the television contracts and get-out clauses. Not the marketing departments or executive boxes. It’s the noise. The passion. It’s the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s the small boy or girl, clambering up the stadium steps for the first time, gripping their parents’ hand, asking if they can go to the loo. It’s about self-belief. I can do it. I can do it. I can really move – from my head right down to my blue suede shoes. Isn’t it? Rubettes? 1973? Marvellous.”
I left Ron, as his driver had arrived – decked splendidly in a long white coat and gloves.
