www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Sat Dec 05 09:00:10 GMT+00:00 1998
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. Kidd lures McClair to Ewood Park
2. Brian Kidd by Pete Hargreaves
3. Brian Kidd by Paul Scully
4. STAKES ARE HIGH FOR BOSS BRIAN TOO, WHILE UNITED YOUNGSTER SAYS THEY'RE
5. I played bit-part in United title win, now it's for real
6. Yorke mourns Kidd departure the loss of a 'life-long friend'
7. Soccernet: Questions about Kidd
8. McLEISH 'FLATTERED' BY UNITED LINK
9. KIDD'S THE MAN FOR BLACKBURN
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Daily RED Trivia Sat 5th December:
5/11/1931: Tom Manley made his debut against Millwall. Manley scored a crucial goal
at Millwall in 1934 to prevent United slipping into Division 3, and in 1936 the
versatile performer scored 4 in one game against Port Vale, the season United
won promotion. He made a total of 195 appearances between 1931-39, scoring
41 goals. Manley joined Brentford in July 1939, but continued to play for United
during wartime football.
1956: Uniteds Tommy Taylor 3 and Duncan Edwards 2 score all of Englands
goals as they beat Denmark 5-2 at Molineux.
1987: United won 2-0 at Queens Park Rangers in a Division 1 game watched by
20,632. Peter Davenport and Bryan Robson got the goals. Team was: Turner,
Duxbury, Albiston, Moses, Moran, O'Brien, Robson, Strachan, McClair, Davenport, Olsen.
************
Barry Daily Comment:
Todays news FULL of Brian Kidd with a few "personal" comments from Pete and Paul.
Todays game is important but we can afford a draw or even a loss.
It is imperative we get a result WED v Bayern Munich.
This fact may affect todays match?
Remaining 1998 games:
ALL Result/Fixture Index:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm
Today! Aston Villa (A) PL 15.00
Wed 9/12 Bayern Munich (H) CL 19.45
Sat 12/12 Tottenham (A) PL 15.00
Wed 16/12 Chelsea (H) PL sky sports time 20.00
Sat 19/12 Middlesbrough (H) PL 15.00
Sat 26/12 Nottm Forest (H) PL 15.00
Tue 29/12 Chelsea (A) PL sky sports time 19.45 UK
UNITED Stats v Aston Villa:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/vsastonvilla.htm
*** TEAM RESULTS - MANCHESTER UNITED ***
Date Opposition Score Pos. Attend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
15/08/98 Leicester City Home D 2-2 11 55,052
22/08/98 West Ham United Away D 0-0 11 26,039
09/09/98 Charlton Athletic Home W 4-1 9 55,147
12/09/98 Coventry City Home W 2-0 5 55,193
20/09/98 Arsenal Away L 0-3 10 38,142
24/09/98 Liverpool Home W 2-0 3 55,181
03/10/98 Southampton Away W 3-0 2 15,251
17/10/98 Wimbledon Home W 5-1 2 55,265
24/10/98 Derby County Away D 1-1 2 30,867
31/10/98 Everton Away W 4-1 2 40,079
08/11/98 Newcastle United Home D 0-0 3 55,174
14/11/98 Blackburn Rovers Home W 3-2 2 55,198
21/11/98 Sheffield Wednesday Away L 1-3 2 39,475
29/11/98 Leeds Home W 3-2 2 55,172
Prem Table 29/11:
Pos Team P W D L F A GD Pts
---------------------------------------------------------
1 Aston Villa 14 8 5 1 22 12 10 29
2 Manchester United 14 8 4 2 30 16 14 28
3 West Ham United 15 7 5 3 20 16 4 26
4 Arsenal 15 6 7 2 15 7 8 25
5 Chelsea 13 6 6 1 22 13 9 24
6 Leeds United 15 5 8 2 22 14 8 23
7 Middlesbrough 15 5 8 2 24 17 7 23
8 Liverpool 15 6 4 5 26 19 7 22
9 Derby County 15 5 6 4 15 14 1 21
10 Wimbledon 15 5 5 5 19 25 -6 20
******
Champions League:
Group D P W D L F A Pts
Bayern Munich 5 3 1 1 8 5 10
Man United 5 2 3 0 19 10 9
Barcelona 5 1 2 2 9 9 5
Brondby 5 1 0 4 4 16 3
Sep 16 Brøndby 2-1 Bayern München
Sep 16 Man Utd 3-3 Barcelona
Sep 30 Barcelona 2-0 Brøndby
Sep 30 Bayern Munich 2-2 Man Utd
Oct 21 Brøndby 2-6 Man Utd
Oct 21 Bayern Munich 1-0 Barcelona
Nov 4 Barcelona 1-2 Bayern Munich
Nov 4 Man Utd 5-0 Brøndby
Nov 25 Barcelona 3-3 Man Utd
Nov 25 Bayern Munich 2-0 Brøndby
to play.....
Dec 9 Brøndby v Barcelona
Dec 9 Man Utd v Bayern Munich
******
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
"Brian Kidd, the end of an era........."
Subject: Kidd lures McClair to Ewood Park
By Daniel Taylor
Saturday December 5, 1998
Brian McClair will be named as Brian Kidd's assistant at Blackburn Rovers early
next week.
Kidd has wasted no time in sounding out the former Manchester United striker about
becoming his No.2. And McClair, who spent 11 years at Old Trafford, will travel to
Ewood Park on Monday to hammer out details of a lucrative three-year deal.
Kidd will take direct control of team affairs immediately after Blackburn's match
against Charlton today. During his initial talks with Jack Walker, the club's owner,
Kidd made it clear he wanted to forge a managerial partnership with McClair. The
34-year-old McClair left United in the summer to become the player-coach of
Motherwell but has indicated he is ready to link up with Kidd.
Now the move depends only on the former Scotland international's pay demands. But,
with Walker's funds, that should not be a major stumbling-block. Blackburn have
doubled Kidd's wages to £500,000 a year with massives bonuses to lure him away
from Alex Ferguson's side. And, barring any last-minute hitches, McClair should be
in place before Blackburn's home game against Newcastle next Saturday
(December 12). The pair have remained close friends since their days at Old
Trafford and speak most days about footballing matters.
Initially McClair had emerged among the favourites to replace Kidd as Ferguson's
No.2. Ferguson is a staunch admirer of the player, who played a major part in United's
rejuvenation as the premier force in English football during the late Eighties and early
Nineties.
Despite the move Blackburn have assured the caretaker-manager Tony Parkes that he
will keep his coaching position after 28 years which include four spells in
temporary charge. Parkes will still be in control of team affairs today.
From: "Scully, Paul"
Subject: Brian Kidd
I cannot believe the way some people seem to have accepted the departure of
Brian Kidd from United so easily. Without doubt, this could be the worst
thing that has ever happened to us. I feel more gutted today than I did when
Eric left and I couldn't give a toss about a Sky takeover if it meant Kiddo
staying. Where are all the people who've been fighting Sky for the past few
months - fuck the meetings and the anti-murdoch campaigns, football comes
first and maybe if the same kind of support had been shown for Kidd as was
shown by the Leicester fans for O'Neil we wouldn't be in this position right
now.
It is quite easy to look back at when United started winning trophies and
when the superb line of home-grown talent began to appear. Fergie might be
the one who pulls the strings but it's Kidd in the background who has
coached these youngsters to play the United way ever since they came to the
club. Kidd is the one who travels the world studying coaching methods and
integrating them into his own training routines and has become a respected
coach the world over. Already Dwight Yorke has said that Kidd is the best
trainer he's ever had and that it is a pleasure to come into training every
day and he's only been there a few months.
On a more personal note, I have met Brian Kidd on numerous occasions mainly
because I lived around the corner from him in North Manchester for 20 years
and he is red to the core. Before he worked for United he would come to our
school at least once or twice a year and talk about the football or hand out
football trophies. Even after he joined United I would still see him in
church every Sunday and shake his hand and you couldn't meet a more genuine
down to earth guy. I can imagine that it is breaking his heart leaving
United and I just cannot for the life of me understand why he's doing it,
especially in the most crucial week of our season so far (maybe he will
explain in time).
I am also disgusted the way The Mirror newspaper rag has used this story to
stir up United fans into another anti-murdoch campaign. Those gullible
enough among you will probably believe the shit they print about it being
Skys fault for treating Kidd as another cog in the wheel and probably use it
as yet another weapon in the takeover war. For me though, the war has been
lost already when fans failed to show a lack of support for Kidd on
Wednesday night - it seems too many people have become so interested in
fighting political battles that they've forgotten what's really important.
Who knows, maybe the Sky people would have had the balls to tell Blackburn
to Fuck Off like they did to us with Shearer.
Maybe I'm being slightly harsh on Edwards in that apparantly Kidd told him
he wanted to try management before he was too old, thus forcing his hand,
but in that kind of position the only thing that could have brought Kidd
back to his senses would have been the support from the fans - and I hate to
say, we failed. I'm now very very pissed off - you only have to look at
Fergies face to realise he feels the same way. Only time will tell what this
will mean to the club, but for the first time in years I'm starting to worry
about our future and it has f..k all to do with a takeover bid!
Paul
"Brian Kidd, the end of an era........."
Subject: STAKES ARE HIGH FOR BOSS BRIAN TOO, WHILE UNITED YOUNGSTER SAYS THEY'RE
ALREADY MISSING HIM AT OLD TRAFFORD
By Ian Cruise
BLACKBURN last night confirmed Brian Kidd as their new manager in the biggest
gamble of Sir Jack Walker's Ewood Park tenure. The 49-year-old left Old Trafford
to take on the challenge of rescuing Rovers' season but, if he fails, it will spell
disaster for both parties. That said, the new man at the helm surely had little
choice about accepting the challenge - and it is clear from the reaction at Old
Trafford that he will be sorely missed there.
After Roy Hodgson's departure, Walker was expected to recruit a proven manager to
replace him, with the likes of Roy Evans, Bobby Robson and Gordon Strachan being
linked with the post. And had Kidd turned Rovers down, their next target was said to
be Wimbledon's Joe Kinnear. Instead, in hiring Alex Ferguson's former assistant,
Walker has opted for a man whose only previous experiences as a number one are
failed spells at Barrow and Preston a decade ago. Though the situations are so far apart
as to be almost incomparable, even if the job title is the same, this will hardly inspire
confidence among Rovers fans that he is the man to steer them away from the
Premiership relegation zone.
The task facing him is a massive one, particularly as he will inherit a squad of
players whose confidence is at an all-time low. And he will need to inspire them quickly
as tomorrow's home game against Charlton is the proverbial relegation six-pointer.
What does it mean for Kidd? The rewards for success would be huge.
He is rumoured to have quadrupled his salary - from £150,000 to
£600,000 - just by taking the job at Ewood Park. With a contract
until the end of 2001-02, that is a guaranteed £2m. Football365
suggested earlier in the week that Kidd needed to leave Old Trafford
and take a manager's job if he was ever to realise his ultimate aim of
being Manchester United boss, and Rovers' fans must accept the
fact that if he succeeds at Ewood that is likely to lead to his
eventual return to United as Ferguson's successor.
Failure, though, would have dire consequences both for him
(whatever the value of a pay-off) and Blackburn. If he is unable to
save the club from the drop this season he will find himself under
massive pressure and, quite possibly, out of a job. If that happens,
his hopes of one day returning to Old Trafford as boss will take a
nose-dive. As for Blackburn, they may never recover from relegation
to the First Division. Although Walker would surely throw more money
at the problem, many of the fans would up sticks. The club would
find it virtually impossible to attract big-name players, or to hang
onto the current staff, lured to Ewood as much by the big name
managers, Kenny Dalglish and Roy Hodgson, as the cash.
For the moment, though, it's United who have arguably been left with
the greater worries following Kidd's decision, particularly as it comes
just six days before their vital Champions League clash with Bayern
Munich - a match they must surely win if they are to reach the
quarter-finals. And his departure will come as a hammer blow to the
players. Defender John Curtis, who played in Wednesday night's 3-1
Worthington Cup defeat at Spurs, told Football365 last night: "He's
a great coach and a really good bloke. Everyone will be disappointed
that he's gone."
Kidd has played a major part in United's successes in recent years,
not least with his work on the training ground. "He took coaching
every day," added Curtis. "The gaffer told him how much to do, but
he sorted out the sessions himself and decided what to do. He's been
very helpful with us younger players, too, and helped us come
through. It's like Glenn Hoddle and John Gorman - Gorman's meant to
be the liaison officer and pass on things between the manager and
the players, like Brian did. He will definitely be missed."
"Brian Kidd, the end of an era........."
Subject: I played bit-part in United title win, now it's for real
Saturday, December 5, 1998
It occupies pride of place in the Stratford-upon-Avon home of Dion Dublin. Yet
that most honest and admirable England striker, one suspects, regards his
Premiership-winning memento as a trifle fraudulently gained.
There are few people who even realise he possesses such a prestigious battle
honour - associating most of the 130-plus goals of his career with Cambridge
United's climb up the lower divisions or Coventry City's perennial fight for survival
among the elite.
Yet when United manager Alex Ferguson celebrated the first of his four
championships in five years for Manchester United in 1992-93, he ordered a
trophy specially struck for Dublin, who had contributed in only seven games.
It said much for Ferguson's loyalty. It meant much to Dublin, who made his
United debut that season with a match-winning goal at Southampton and then
broke his leg on his full Old Trafford debut against Crystal Palace a few weeks
later.
Dublin wasn't to know it at the time, but his booking at the theatre of dreams
was over before it had really begun. Enter French genius Eric Cantona and exit,
after only 11 frustrating months, the boy from the Midlands backwoods.
But Dublin walked. Wasn't even nudged. He saw the star-studded writing on the
wall - Cantona, Mark Hughes, Brian McClair - surveyed the odds against
breaking back into a team on a roll and made the most difficult decision of his
footballing life: to quit United.
Imagine his feelings. He said: 'My dreams turned to ashes and it was nobody's
fault. Alex, the fans and the club were all brilliant to me - but after I recovered
from the accident, I could see there was little chance for me to become a
first-team regular.
'Heaven knows, I didn't want to leave, not one little bit. It was a hard road to
take, but Dion Dublin, the footballer, had to leave if I was to get anywhere and
resurrect my career.
'Naturally when I signed from Cambridge for £1million I thought I'd got it made -
from the bottom of the Football League to the very top of the pile. No club was
bigger than United.
'It took your breath away just to say: "I play for Manchester United" and find
yourself sitting next to players you'd only ever seen on Match of the Day.
'On international weekends the place was like a morgue because everyone was
away. Amazing, really amazing!
'Alex Ferguson had gone out of his way to make me feel one of the boys that
first Championship year. I appreciated that.
'He didn't have to give me a trophy because I hadn't played enough games to
qualify for one, but he said I had been around and played a part.
'Then, that second season, I started to realise it wasn't enough for me to be a
Manchester United player if I wasn't in the first team on a Saturday afternoon.
Enough for some, perhaps, but not me. That's what I live for - a taste of the real
thing.
'If I couldn't do it for them, then I was happy to try elsewhere. I've got this
passion to be out there playing in big games. You must have it, don't you see.
You must want to win everything - games, tackles and score goals. Otherwise
there's no point.
'There are probably a small number of players in the game who want to live a
footballer's life without being a footballer. But you have to be a footballer on the
pitch to be able to enjoy the benefits and lifestyle it brings.'
It is just that attitude which has endeared him to all his managers - John Beck
at Cambridge, Ferguson at United, Phil Neal, Ron Atkinson and Gordon
Strachan at Coventry and now, certainly, John Gregory of Aston Villa. The
towering striker has, after all, just been named Carling Footballer of the Month
for November following the launch of his time at Aston Villa, which started with
him scoring seven goals in his first three games.
He is, to every one of his managers, the big man in a real sense.
Dublin has the simple attitude that success will come to he who waits -
provided he works at it.
He said: 'The Old Trafford experience and broken leg stopped me in my tracks,
but if I hadn't made that difficult, soul-searching decision to leave for Coventry, I
probably wouldn't be where I am today - and life couldn't be much better than it
is at the moment.
'After four great years at Highfield Road, which I enjoyed enormously and where
I learned a lot, I'm with Aston Villa, a massive club with a terrific blend of
quality, experience and young players.
'The Championship is a very realistic target, whatever happens in today's match
against United. I'm in the England squad and I'm scoring goals. What more
could anyone ask?
'It just makes it easier for Dion Dublin to play his football and to enjoy it. But it
hasn't been an overnight success. I've waited a long time and worked damned
hard for my career to come together the way I wanted.
'To be honest, I was surprised at the amount of interest when a move from
Coventry was on the cards because I thought clubs might shy away from
someone 29, going on 30.
'It was gratifying that so many had the bottle to look at the individual rather than
the age and say: "We'll have you here with us". Nice to have had a choice, but I
really wanted to come only to Aston Villa because it meant I could continue to
live in the same locality, not uproot my family and yet move to a club I was
convinced was going places.'
Ambition may be limitless for Dublin, but he insists his feet are solidly on the
ground because of the roots embedded in football as a trainee with Norwich and
raw predator with route-one Cambridge.
He said: 'I definitely believe the time I spent at those clubs helps me appreciate
what is happening to me now. I had to work for a living at a leisure centre and in
a factory. I have done a normal job and realise what it means to the ordinary
working bloke to have the opportunity to play the game you love for a living - and
a lucrative one at that.
'I've been fortunate to get the taste of professional football and it has been like a
drug to me. My addiction has intensified.
'When you play, the least you can offer is 100 per cent to the man on the
terrace, who knows the sort of money you're earning these days.
'There are people who look to knock footballers whenever they get the chance,
so it's important not to give them an opportunity. The simplest, though not the
easiest, way is to deliver hard graft. It's genuine.
'Being selected to play twice for England has been the icing on the cake.
Walking out at Wembley, singing the National Anthem. It doesn't get any
better.'
Perhaps it might if Villa get a favourable result against his old club, United, this
afternoon and keep their noses in front in the title chase until the end of the
season.
'Yeah,' said Dublin. 'Wouldn't it be great to pick up a Championship medal - for
real.'
"Brian Kidd, the end of an era........."
Subject: Yorke mourns Kidd departure the loss of a 'life-long friend'
Saturday December 5, 1998
Any fears Brian Kidd had that his name would now be mud at Old Trafford were
dispelled yesterday when Dwight Yorke summed up the mood among the
Manchester United players by saying: "I have only been here three months but I feel
as though I have lost a life-long friend."
Kidd will take over as Blackburn manager for today's visit of Charlton to Ewood Park
after signing a £700,000-a-year contract on Thursday, but Yorke was adamant that
Kidd's seven seasons as the No.2 at Old Trafford would not be forgotten. "I am sure
the rest of the players feel the same way that I do," he said. "Brian will be missed in
many ways. He's been fantastic. Everything seems to happen through him
and there is a great deal of respect for him right throughout the club."
United's chairman Martin Edwards revealed yesterday that Kidd had turned down a
pay-rise in moving to Blackburn. "Brian's decision was clearly not about money,"
Edwards said. "We offered him a substantial package to stay but...the
simple fact is Brian wanted to become No.1."
Tony Parkes, assistant manager at Ewood Park, said: "Blackburn have got a top-class
man, and I just hope the club can go from strength to strength."
Meanwhile, BSkyB yesterday insisted they had played no role in Kidd's decision to join
Rovers in the face of allegations that he would be denied the chance to succeed
Ferguson should the satellite network's proposed takeover of United go through.
Vic Wakeling, head of Sky Sports, insisted the broadcasting company had nothing to
do with Kidd's decision to go.
He said: "We are not involved because we do not own the club. I know as much as I
have read in the papers."
"Brian Kidd, the end of an era........."
Subject: Soccernet: Questions about Kidd
Saturday, December 5, 1998
The biggest question in football last night was whether Manchester United's
brilliant coach Brian Kidd will ever have the toughness in him to leave the
warmth of the womb that is Old Trafford.
Yet again - with Blackburn Rovers anxious to make him their manager - it
seems the opportunity to strike out on his own is likely to be spurned in favour
of a lower profile existence in the shadow of his great mentor Alex Ferguson,
and in doing so settle for never having the true recognition for his part in the
great United success story.
His reluctance to go it alone could ultimately dictate whether he ever finally
becomes Old Trafford successor to Ferguson. Certainly, the feeling of those
closest to the club is that the plc will want a man of proven managerial calibre
to succeed the game's finest modern day manager once Ferguson decides to
step down.
Assistant manager Kidd has already made a major imprint, of course, on the
Old Trafford psyche. He celebrated his 19th birthday with United's third goal in
the European Cup triumph over Benfica in 1968. For that he will forever be
lauded by United supporters.
But the time has now come when Kidd must make the most difficult, stressful,
though potentially most rewarding choice of his illustrious career. And it is likely
to be driving him nuts. For he has already turned down other equally gilt-edged
opportunities to break away.
This time, however, may be the last time he gets such a chance. And the clock
is already ticking. On three counts.
Blackburn owner Jack Walker has already taken steps to attempt to bring in
Coventry City's Gordon Strachan if Kidd, who will speak with Rovers in the next
24 hours according to chairman Robert Coar, fails to make up his mind fairly
quickly if he is offered the job.
Kidd is already 49. Should he decide that there is no place like home, he would
be at least 53 if he is hoping to succeed 56-year-old Ferguson, who insists he
has no intention of picking up his bus pass for several more years yet.
But perhaps most importantly of all - and what must surely be troubling this
shy, unassuming man most - will be how he sees himself, and how others will
see him in years to come. Will he always be considered only as a No.2, albeit
one of the most successful aides in British soccer history, or someone who
finally decided to step out of the buffer zone?
He has left Old Trafford before, playing successfully at Arsenal, Manchester
City and Everton as well as Bolton. He managed Barrow and Preston. But the
bonds linking Kidd to United are stronger than those which tie anyone else to
the club, apart from Sir Bobby Charlton, his team-mate at Wembley all those
years ago.
Kidd supported United long before he played for them. Even though, last night,
the soccer grapevine was buzzing over the prospect of him walking away, there
were others within the game convinced he will never be able to do so, no matter
how much money he is offered.
He was, after all, given the chance by Francis Lee to take over at Maine Road.
Kidd got to the Old Trafford exit but simply could not walk through it, much to
the chagrin of the former City chairman.
Earlier this year, Kidd might have had another chance to change his route to
work from his north Manchester home when solicitor Raymond Donn, in
conjunction with Juventus, wanted to take over City. Kidd was the choice as
replacement manager - but the Donn bid for City failed.
This summer, following the departure of Howard Kendall from Everton, the
recently departed chairman Peter Johnson also thought he had captured one of
the brightest British coaching talents. Again, Kidd declined at the 11th hour.
That same moment is fast approaching once more for the coach who is held in
genuine affection by his players. They may earn more than 10 times what Kidd
is paid each year - he is understood to be on a salary of around £230,000 - but
they will always pay homage to him. As former United defender Gary Pallister
said before returning to Middlesbrough: 'We can never do anything but respect
Kiddo. He has done what we're still trying to do - win the European Cup. But
just as important is the work he does with us.
'We know that he has gone all over the world, educating himself, coming back
with ideas which help us become better players. No day is ever dull. He
consistently comes up with new training and coaching techniques that keep us
interested and sharp. We all know we owe him a lot.'
Quite how Ferguson would fare without someone whom Juventus coach
Marcello Lippi numbers among his close friends is another huge question? One
reason the Scot has always insisted he could go on for another 10 years is
because his English assistant handles the brunt of the physical work these
days.
Unless he could find an adequate replacement, even Ferguson's shelf-life might
be affected.
The ultimate irony is that Kidd, if he would one day like to become his
manager's successor, could only do so by going away first. Just like one of his
potential challengers, Bryan Robson, has done.
Chairman Martin Edwards is on record as saying that Robson has already been
pencilled in as a possible future Old Trafford manager, but had to go away to
further his management skills. This he is doing successfully at Middlesbrough.
The same criteria would almost certainly be applied to Kidd, for so long happy
in the shadow of Ferguson.
But to make his family financially secure - he would treble his salary by moving
to Ewood Park - and to give himself a far better chance of one day taking over
at Old Trafford, he may first have to forego his current safe haven for the
treacherous waters of Premiership management.
"Brian Kidd, the end of an era........."
BREAKING NEWS - Saturday 05 December 1998
Subject: McLEISH 'FLATTERED' BY UNITED LINK
Alex McLeish has admitted speculation linking him with the vacant
Manchester United assistant manager's job "flattered" him, but stressed he
remains focused only on Hibernian matters.
The former Aberdeen and Scotland centre-half has been one of several
names already linked with the Old Trafford club as a replacement for
Brian Kidd, the new Blackburn boss. United manager Alex Ferguson has
already stressed no appointment is imminent and Easter Road boss
McLeish, speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, refused to consider
anything but tomorrow's visit to Greenock Morton.
He said: "It is flattering and there have been questions asked by
journalists since the speculation, but I have to deflect that because I
have got a tough job here at Hibernian which I am proud to be in."
He added: "My desire is to take this club back into the Premier League and
be facing top clubs again and that, starting with Morton tomorrow, is at
the top of my agenda just now."
Hibernian chairman Tom O'Malley has reacted angrily to the prospect of
his club's manager departing south to be reunited with Ferguson who managed
him at Pittodrie.
"I haven't had a sniff of this," he said. "It is a total and utter
surprise to me.
"We would be very resistant if this avenue was to be pursued. As far as I
am concerned there is nothing in this whatsoever.
"We have had no approach and even if we did we would fight it tooth and
nail. It is all speculation and we are not contemplating losing him."
McLeish joined Hibernian 10 months ago from Motherwell but could not
prevent the Edinburgh club being relegated from the top flight, yet
they are now on course for a quick return as they currently lie top of
the First Division.
"Brian Kidd, the end of an era........."
Kidd lures McClair to Ewood Park
By Daniel Taylor
Saturday December 5, 1998
Brian McClair will be named as Brian Kidd's assistant at Blackburn Rovers early
next week.
Kidd has wasted no time in sounding out the former Manchester United striker about
becoming his No.2. And McClair, who spent 11 years at Old Trafford, will travel to
Ewood Park on Monday to hammer out details of a lucrative three-year deal.
Kidd will take direct control of team affairs immediately after Blackburn's match
against Charlton today. During his initial talks with Jack Walker, the club's owner,
Kidd made it clear he wanted to forge a managerial partnership with McClair. The
34-year-old McClair left United in the summer to become the player-coach of
Motherwell but has indicated he is ready to link up with Kidd.
Now the move depends only on the former Scotland international's pay demands. But,
with Walker's funds, that should not be a major stumbling-block. Blackburn have
doubled Kidd's wages to £500,000 a year with massives bonuses to lure him away
from Alex Ferguson's side. And, barring any last-minute hitches, McClair should be
in place before Blackburn's home game against Newcastle next Saturday
(December 12). The pair have remained close friends since their days at Old
Trafford and speak most days about footballing matters.
Initially McClair had emerged among the favourites to replace Kidd as Ferguson's
No.2. Ferguson is a staunch admirer of the player, who played a major part in United's
rejuvenation as the premier force in English football during the late Eighties and early
Nineties.
Despite the move Blackburn have assured the caretaker-manager Tony Parkes that he
will keep his coaching position after 28 years which include four spells in
temporary charge. Parkes will still be in control of team affairs today.
"Brian Kidd, the end of an era........."
Friday 04 December 1998
Subject: KIDD'S THE MAN FOR BLACKBURN
BRIAN KIDD has decided to succeed Roy Hodgson
as manager of Premiership strugglers Blackburn.
Kidd agreed to sign a contract that runs until June
2002 after holding talks with Rovers owner Jack
Walker at Ewood Park yesterday afternoon. He has
been Alex Ferguson's number two at Old Trafford
for seven years but has now decided to strike out
on his own. Hodgson was dismissed in the wake of
Blackburn's home defeat against Southampton,
which sent Rovers to the bottom of the
Premiership. Blackburn officials were locked in top
level negotiations with Kidd on Thursday before
Walker emerged to say: "Brian was always our first
choice, and I am delighted he has accepted.'' Kidd
will take a back seat for this weekend's vital
Premiership match at home to Charlton, with
caretaker boss Tony Parkes remaining in charge.
Kidd's appointment will bring some much-needed
stability to the struggling club. The Rovers players
feel the former Manchester United assistant
manager's arrival will dispel much of the
uncertainty surrounding some of their futures.
Winger Damien Johnson says some players have
become unsettled at the club because of their poor
start to the season, which cost Hodgson his job.
"A couple of the senior players are uncertain about
their futures at Blackburn and over who might
come in, but I think Brian Kidd will be welcomed,"
he said. "He has a great track record with United
and I think that will reassure many of them. Some
of the players did not get along with Roy Hodgson
and that was OK when we were winning, but when
things started going wrong they really got
disgruntled. I think some of them were glad to see
him go, but now the ones who liked him are
disgruntled. Everybody at the club would welcome
the stability brought by Brian Kidd. Even (caretaker
boss) Tony Parkes does not know whether he is
coming or going. Hopefully, Brian Kidd can get all
that sorted - and bearing in mind our position in the
league, the sooner the better."
Northern Ireland Under-21 player Johnson, who
has become a regular for Rovers in recent months,
feels Kidd will be a good appointment for the club.
He believes it will answer those critics who claim
they lack ambition. "Jack Walker has always gone
for the best managers and Roy Hodgson was
renowned throughout Europe when he came to the
club," he said. "I think Mr Walker has shown that he
still wants the best and is still ambitious in getting
Brian Kidd."
Kidd had a great rapport with the Old Trafford
youngsters, who he has helped guide to stardom.
Johnson is one of Blackburn's brightest rising stars
and he feels he must earn the new gaffer's respect
rather than expect it. "I've read all about Brian
Kidd and the young players at Manchester United,
but I don't know what he will be like with the young
players here like me," he said. "What I do know,
though, is that it is up to us to prove to him that we
are good enough to figure in his future plans."
United were desperate to keep Kidd and only
reluctantly agreed to let him talk to Blackburn. Now
they must search for a new number two to
Ferguson with Saturday's top-of-the-table clash
with Aston Villa and next Wednesday's crucial
Champions League clash with Bayern Munich
looming large. Chief executive Martin Edwards
admitted that Kidd's departure would be a big blow
to the club. Only last week, Edwards claimed the
only way Alex Ferguson's long-time lieutenant
would leave the club would be "over my dead
body''.
Motherwell have dismissed reports linking skipper
Brian McClair with a return to Old Trafford as Kidd's
replacement. "It is pure speculation,'' said a
spokesman. "We have had no approach from
Manchester United."
CHARLTON boss Alan Curbishley has warned Kidd
he will no longer be in 'the comfort zone' after
opting to go solo at Ewood Park. Curbishley says
the Manchester United No. 2 will find it a major
challenge to suddenly become the man who is right
in the firing line. "I do know that it's a little bit of a
comfort zone being a number two," said Curbishley,
who had a similar experience when joint manager
at the Valley with Steve Gritt. "There is a difference
in attitude between the number two and the
players and a different pressure. A number two can
be more of a friend to the players but now the
buying and selling falls on Brian's shoulders. Also,
instead of Alex seeking advice from Brian, he'll be
seeking advice from other people. But it'll be a big
chance for him.
"Maybe it's got to the stage where he'd like to give
it a go. He might find things a little bit different but
I'm sure he's looking forward to the challenge.
Perhaps it's something he's always wanted to and
it hasn't come up at the right time for him. Perhaps
the success Man United have had over the last
three or four years he wouldn't want to leave. It's
very difficult for a Premiership club to take another
club's manager, as Martin O'Neill found it. Perhaps
Brian wasn't tied up in that so it could be a good
move for everybody."
Write to the list: Has Kiddo made the right decision? Have Rovers?
Tell us what you think!
"Brian Kidd, the end of an era........."
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