Steve Cotterill interview: Managing the person not the footballer and longevity through adaptability as a coach

In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Steve Cotterill opens up about his long career. The former Burnley, Bristol City and Shrewsbury boss on the importance of adaptability, the need for a clear idea rather than a clear identity, and managing the human being…

Comment and Analysis @ghostgoal

Monday 8 January 2024 08:42, UK

“It will be 29 years this year,” Steve Cotterill tells Sky Sports. He is reflecting on a managerial career spanning nearly 900 games and five promotions. Speaking to the 59-year-old coach at a hotel near his Bristol home, the overriding sense is of a man hungry for more.

«I really miss my football. The job consumes you, it really does. It is more than a job. It is a way of life. You spend countless hours analysing games, preparing strategies for the next game. Even now, I go to at least one game every week. Often two.»

Cotterill won a trio of his promotions while masterminding Cheltenham's rise through the divisions. There was a title with Notts County and a double with Bristol City, winning League One and the Football League Trophy at Wembley. «Incredible memories.»

But it is more than silverware that motivates him. «Watching your players grow into strong and confident young adults, that is one of the best feelings in the world. Watching a team develop is rewarding too. You can make some really special relationships.»

The conversation is wide-ranging. He talks tactics, the challenge of playing against a low block. «You need quick and incisive movements, attackers displacing defenders with intelligent runs.»

There are the training-ground mantras. «It won't be alright on the night if you can't do it right in training under less pressure.» The broader principles. «You have to play the long game on