Nolan leaves no stone unturned.

[CheltenhamPie]

There is an excellent article in today's Sunday Times regarding the time K.N. joined Notts and his plans for the future with Alan Hardy for Notts. Very encouraging, and well worth a read.

[51Magpie]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/kevin-nolan-leaves-no-stone-unturned-tosolve-notts-countys-problems-dkrdt7lrt

[Steward]

Cant read it from the link without signing ip for access

[Old_pie]

Cant read it from the link without signing ip for access

.. which is free.

[countygump]

Cant read it from the link without signing ip for access

Try this.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/kevin-nolan-leaves-no-stone-unturned-tosolve-notts-countys-problems-dkrdt7lrt


Or this.






“When we move, we go together. Two banks of four. When they’ve got it early, what do we do? We drop off, we do it together.”

Players do exactly as they are told; 10 men in orange bibs, 10 men in blue training tops. A full-sized Subbuteo operation. “OK, when the right-back’s got the ball, what do we do?” His players know. Ten men shift together. Space diminishes.

Light drizzle falls and Kevin Nolan tucks his hands into the pockets of his tracksuit top. He is wearing shorts, has grown a beard since he was scoring goals regularly in the Premier League but the haircut remains immaculate. He retains an inbuilt ability to make other footballers listen to him.

He is 35 and this is his first full pre-season as a manager. He looks comfortable and confident, in charge. This is his environment. “You have got to earn the right to play,” he tells his players. Last season they earned that right.

It was the start of 2017 and Nolan was on his way back to Liverpool to mourn the sudden loss of his grandad, a man who had watched his entire playing career, from Liverpool Boys at 14 to Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and West Ham, when an expected call from Alan Hardy, the new owner of Notts County, told him he had an interview to return to management sooner than expected.

“It was a tough few days,” he says. “They called me and said, ‘You’ve got an interview at 6pm.’ The hour before I’d just found out that my grandad had passed away. We weren’t expecting it. You get a call, ‘We’re gonna give you an interview,’ and you go, ‘OK, yeah, I’ve got to get myself back up to Liverpool because I’m in London, I’ll come and stop off.’ I thought it would be an hour or two and I’d get myself back to Liverpool.

“We were there until 11 o’clock. I had nothing with me. I was like, ‘This is me.’ I showed them my personality and what I want to do. We got on as two blokes. There was a connection. The boss asked me to be manager and I was delighted.

“I was desperate to get back into football. I love being in charge. I got back to Liverpool at two in the morning. I had a bit of time with my mum and dad and the next day it was all systems go.”

That is only part of the story. Notts County were in freefall. All systems were not go. When Nolan was appointed manager of England’s oldest club, County had lost 10 league games in a row. They were 22nd in League Two, one point above the relegation zone that led out of the Football League. There was a transfer embargo. The club was subject of a winding-up petition by HMRC. They were losing £1.6m a year. There was a £300,000 tax bill.

But Hardy had drive and Nolan had a dressing-room know-how that had seen him captain every club he played for. He helped guide Newcastle out of the Championship and the manager he did it with, Chris Hughton, was one of two he has turned to, along with Sam Allardyce.

“I spoke to Sam when he was going to Palace. ‘I’d love to work with you,’ I told him. I wanted to see how he handled the chairman and other stuff. He said to me, ‘You’re ready. Anything you need you can pick up the phone and I’ll help you out.’”

We have moved from the training pitches that surround the home of Basford United, from the Northern Premier League (County did not have a regular training ground last season) to his office at Meadow Lane. He shares it with his first-team coaches Richard Thomas and Mark Crossley. There is a calendar of Bolton legends next to his desk and this month it is him. There are laughs when it is spotted. “We regularly sit in this room for eight, nine, 10 hours trying to get things right and trying to give the lads the best we possibly can,” he says.

People are constantly buzzing in and out with plans. There is work to be done on set-pieces. The corridor has new flooring. The stadium is changing.

“We’ve just put in a 4G behind the goal there. The new changing rooms will be like going into a Premier League dressing room.”

Hardy pops in. “Everyone says you can’t make football clubs successful,” he says. “I am convinced you can. We needed a leader of people. Kev is a leader.”

Nolan hit the ground running. County started winning games. There were two five-game unbeaten runs and his new team were fifth in the form table during his tenure last term. Now they want the playoffs and seven new players have arrived to help him get there.

“I love every minute of it. I feel so blessed to manage such a fantastic club. I moved the first week I was here. I did that as a player at Newcastle and West Ham, you have to make that sacrifice to give your all.”

[queenslandpie]

Try this.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/kevin-nolan-leaves-no-stone-unturned-tosolve-notts-countys-problems-dkrdt7lrt


Or this.






“When we move, we go together. Two banks of four. When they’ve got it early, what do we do? We drop off, we do it together.”

Players do exactly as they are told; 10 men in orange bibs, 10 men in blue training tops. A full-sized Subbuteo operation. “OK, when the right-back’s got the ball, what do we do?” His players know. Ten men shift together. Space diminishes.

Light drizzle falls and Kevin Nolan tucks his hands into the pockets of his tracksuit top. He is wearing shorts, has grown a beard since he was scoring goals regularly in the Premier League but the haircut remains immaculate. He retains an inbuilt ability to make other footballers listen to him.

He is 35 and this is his first full pre-season as a manager. He looks comfortable and confident, in charge. This is his environment. “You have got to earn the right to play,” he tells his players. Last season they earned that right.

It was the start of 2017 and Nolan was on his way back to Liverpool to mourn the sudden loss of his grandad, a man who had watched his entire playing career, from Liverpool Boys at 14 to Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and West Ham, when an expected call from Alan Hardy, the new owner of Notts County, told him he had an interview to return to management sooner than expected.

“It was a tough few days,” he says. “They called me and said, ‘You’ve got an interview at 6pm.’ The hour before I’d just found out that my grandad had passed away. We weren’t expecting it. You get a call, ‘We’re gonna give you an interview,’ and you go, ‘OK, yeah, I’ve got to get myself back up to Liverpool because I’m in London, I’ll come and stop off.’ I thought it would be an hour or two and I’d get myself back to Liverpool.

“We were there until 11 o’clock. I had nothing with me. I was like, ‘This is me.’ I showed them my personality and what I want to do. We got on as two blokes. There was a connection. The boss asked me to be manager and I was delighted.

“I was desperate to get back into football. I love being in charge. I got back to Liverpool at two in the morning. I had a bit of time with my mum and dad and the next day it was all systems go.”

That is only part of the story. Notts County were in freefall. All systems were not go. When Nolan was appointed manager of England’s oldest club, County had lost 10 league games in a row. They were 22nd in League Two, one point above the relegation zone that led out of the Football League. There was a transfer embargo. The club was subject of a winding-up petition by HMRC. They were losing £1.6m a year. There was a £300,000 tax bill.

But Hardy had drive and Nolan had a dressing-room know-how that had seen him captain every club he played for. He helped guide Newcastle out of the Championship and the manager he did it with, Chris Hughton, was one of two he has turned to, along with Sam Allardyce.

“I spoke to Sam when he was going to Palace. ‘I’d love to work with you,’ I told him. I wanted to see how he handled the chairman and other stuff. He said to me, ‘You’re ready. Anything you need you can pick up the phone and I’ll help you out.’”

We have moved from the training pitches that surround the home of Basford United, from the Northern Premier League (County did not have a regular training ground last season) to his office at Meadow Lane. He shares it with his first-team coaches Richard Thomas and Mark Crossley. There is a calendar of Bolton legends next to his desk and this month it is him. There are laughs when it is spotted. “We regularly sit in this room for eight, nine, 10 hours trying to get things right and trying to give the lads the best we possibly can,” he says.

People are constantly buzzing in and out with plans. There is work to be done on set-pieces. The corridor has new flooring. The stadium is changing.

“We’ve just put in a 4G behind the goal there. The new changing rooms will be like going into a Premier League dressing room.”

Hardy pops in. “Everyone says you can’t make football clubs successful,” he says. “I am convinced you can. We needed a leader of people. Kev is a leader.”

Nolan hit the ground running. County started winning games. There were two five-game unbeaten runs and his new team were fifth in the form table during his tenure last term. Now they want the playoffs and seven new players have arrived to help him get there.

“I love every minute of it. I feel so blessed to manage such a fantastic club. I moved the first week I was here. I did that as a player at Newcastle and West Ham, you have to make that sacrifice to give your all.”

Now isn't that a whole lot better than reading about some of the stuff we used to have to read under the last lot. All of a sudden I know we can get promotion. COYP. Enjoyable read. Lots of sound bites but I don't care.

[Old_pie]

Now isn't that a whole lot better than reading about some of the stuff we used to have to read under the last lot. All of a sudden I know we can get promotion. COYP. Enjoyable read. Lots of sound bites but I don't care.

I don't know - I thought "Express yourself" had a certain ring about it.

[jonnyt1]

I don't know - I thought "Express yourself" had a certain ring about it.

Well I'd certainly prefer the squad Curle had to the one we have now.

That's it I've expressed myself.

[Bohinen]

Two banks of four is the new express yourself.

[LaxtonLad]

Well I'd certainly prefer the squad Curle had to the one we have now.

That's it I've expressed myself.

You do say some strange things johnny, but I'll agree with you on this one.

[queenslandpie]

two banks of four is the new express yourself.

minutes in legs

[eyepie]

I think that by 'Express yourself' he means 'Run very quickly'