Brian Clough

Brian Clough, OBE (March 21, 1935–September 20 2004) was a talented footballer and subsequently a successful football manager, most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. He is noted for his playfully abrasive style when interviewed and mock-exaggerated opinions of his own abilities (he nicknamed himself "Old Big 'Ead").

Quotations

"I certainly wouldn't say I'm the best manager in the league, but I'm in the top one."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Get in there - that's what I pay you for!" - to Derby County players at a training session.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"You got all those medals by cheating" - to the Leeds United players on his first day as manager.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"If a chairman sacks a manager that he initially appointed, then he should go as well."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"John Robertson was an very unattractive young man, if one day, I felt a bit off colour, I would sit next to him. I was bloody Errol Flynn compared to him."

Related Topics:
John Robertson - Errol Flynn

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"If God had intended for us to play football in the clouds he would have put grass up there" - referring to the long ball game.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"If a player had said to Bill Shankly 'I've got to speak to my agent', Bill would have hit him. And I would have held him while he hit him."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"It was like a morgue in the dressing room after the game, and it's still like a morgue now. If that's what defeat feels like, we don't want to go through it again - oh, it's rotten" - interview with ITV after defeat for Forest in the 1980 League Cup final.

Related Topics:
ITV - 1980 - League Cup

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Derby County were here a long time before Robert Maxwell" - on agreeing with a protest by Derby fans against Maxwell's ownership of the club.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"They thought I was going to change it lock, stock and barrel. They were shrewd because thats exactly what I would have done" - on why he was rejected by the FA for the England job.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I'd ask him how he thinks it should be done, have a chat about it for twenty minutes and then decide I was right" - on dealing with players disagreeing with his methods.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Don't send me flowers when I'm dead, send them to me now if you like me."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I want no epitaphs of profound history or all that kind of thing. I contributed, I hope they would say that and I hope that somebody liked me."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~