Mark: With the three members of staff that you brought in – Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans – how do you work as a four? Because there was a lot of attention on the people you brought in…
Michael: There’s Travis as well – Travis Binnion, who’s been here for a number of years now through the academy. And Craig Mawson – the goalkeeping coach. There’s a really strong group and it feels like we’ve been together a long time, but we didn’t all know each other. I didn’t really know Steve personally an awful lot. I thought it would come together nicely and was balanced and there’s a reason why I wanted to bring Steve in.
Jonathan… I had him at Middlesbrough – loyal, gets me, knows me, pushes me, challenges me… really good relationship. Jonny knew the club. He’s been here so long and has a really good relationship with the players as well… loves coaching, loves helping, cares a lot. And then with Travis… the club needs the academy. It’s a massive part of this football club.
I think there’s a really good balance with the responsibility of the academy, young players and then Jonathan and Jonny – being two of the best centre-backs you could come across in the last 20-25 years – to pass their information on.
Steve – with his experience in so many ways… Chelsea, with change of managers and different styles of managers and top, top players, and England. All the staff are able to cope being around the environment and I think that’s so important.
Mark: And they challenge you? They tell you when you’re wrong?
Michael: For sure, yeah.
Mark: Not every manager would accept that.
Michael: I can’t be right the whole time – it’s impossible. That’s why we’ve got a group of six in our office. We’ve all got strong opinions, but I think we all filter it and it’s important that we have a connection and understanding of what direction we want to go in. We have to push each other, for sure.
Mark: You mention the academy. What does the academy mean to you?
Michael: An awful lot. Listen, I’ve always kept that feeling of what it was like as a young player. It’s something I’ve always had an eye on and been passionate about. With the tradition of this football club, it’s natural to take that on. It’s just as proud a moment as any to give a young player their debut and there’s certainly a want – from not just me but all the staff and everyone at the club – to try and produce the young players and give them opportunities as much as we can.
Mark: A United academy player has always been in the first-team matchday squad since 1930-something, isn’t it? Is that a sense of pride? How much can it become a slight millstone if you would be the one that breaks that run?
Michael: Huge sense of pride on behalf of the whole football club, I think. It’s really outstanding to have for such a long period of time and it’s something we need to hold on to. It’s what this football club is built upon really, and has been for so many decades. So, yeah, I’m definitely well aware of it and we want to carry it on.
Mark: When you watch the academy and you’re watching the under-age teams as well… is the pipeline – and I’m not putting pressure on them – but is the academy in good health?
Michael: Yeah, I think it’s in great hands. I think it has been. I think historically here it’s kept producing players, year after year. We always hope for the next group or the next individual. There’s so much good work that goes into the academy.
We get carried away sometimes about the football and results. Where we’re at now, it’s wins and draws and losses that count in some ways. But it’s about developing young people and behaviours and helping them. There’s so many players from this club that have maybe not even made a debut here, but have moved on and had unbelievable careers in the game. And I think that’s something, again, that as a football club we’re really proud of.
Mark: So, following on from the academy chat, there’s been so much noise around Kobbie Mainoo this season… and not featuring, and now he’s featured all the time under you. What did you see when you first got to work with him? Mentally, how was he and how have you got to where he is at the moment?
Michael: I’ve known Kobbie a long time. I started working with him when I think he was 13 or 14, when I was starting to do my coaching badges – a good few years ago. Just little bits. And then, obviously, when I was here the first time, he was in and around a little bit.
So I think knowing him and having experience with him and seeing him perform at such a level on such big occasions… I said earlier about coaches being able to cope with being here and at the level to deal with it. What Kobbie’s done at such a young age is quite incredible really.
We forget how young he still is. I was just a big fan of watching him play and knowing what he was capable of. So it wasn’t really a big decision to play him. And, to be fair, it’s not easy when you haven’t played to find your rhythm and find your form.
There’s things he can get better at, things he can improve on, but we haven’t really got started on any of that because we’re just letting him go and find his flow and find his rhythm of playing football again. I’ve been really conscious of not giving him an awful lot – a couple of little pointers, a bit of positional things and some little bits here and there – but trust in what he is. He’s a fantastic footballer and he’s got a huge talent.
Mark: It sounds, in many ways, that you rely on on the human being side of things rather than – I don’t mean this in a disparaging way – rather than a flipchart.
Michael: I like being around people. I like to share things. I’m not one that would be an individual as such and I don’t promote the fact that I’ve got all the answers. I’m quite happy to discuss that. I think getting the best out of people – whether that’s in the industry of TV or in the industry of sport or business… I think treating people with respect. I think that whatever it is, the technical side, tactical side, we can get better at all that, but if you haven’t got a connection and that buy-in and that willingness to want to come with you and follow you, then all the other bits kind of lose their value and you don’t get to fulfil all that potential. So I see it as a massive, massive thing to get that connection with people.
Mark: Do you shout at them?
Michael: I haven’t yet, no. There’s a time for all sorts of emotions and that’s the beauty of being in this position – you’ve got to pick the right time and tap on the right kinds of buttons to get the right reactions.
Mark: When you witnessed the hairdryer [which Sir Alex Ferguson’s fiery outbursts became known as] were you like: ‘Crikey’?
Michael: Yeah, I’m not sure I could replicate that! I wouldn’t try to! A couple of times I’ve seen it and it puts you at the back of your seat, trying to get further away from it. But, again, you’re talking about Sir Alex and he was the genius at using people and getting the best out of people in so many different ways – support, pushing, a bit stronger than pushing at times – but it worked. It was all about getting the best out of his players.
