MALKY MACKAY: Respect of the Godfathers

by Joe McHugh How does a rookie manager gain the trust of the football godfathers?

Through necessity in the case of Malky Mackay.

In his first managerial job in charge of Watford the former Celt has had to be imaginative and creative as he brings together a squad of players to make an impact in possibly the world's most competitive division- the Coca-Cola Championship.

Without spending a penny Watford are sitting comfortably in mid-table and earning positive reports with loan signings Tom Cleverley from Manchester United and Arsenal's Henri Lansbury catching the eye.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are the movers and shakers in management with chairmen hanging on their every word when it comes to recommendations and suggestions.

Mackay has used Sir Alex's Scottish, and Queens Park (Malky's dad was a Spiders team-mate of the then Fergie) connections, and the nearness of Arsenal's St Albans training base to convince Ferguson and Wenger that Watford is the right environment to develop the talents of Cleverley and Lansbury.

The Watford boss explained: “Both clubs have given us players which is pleasing, it's not something that I take lightly.

“I've been in touch with Sir Alex a few times, we spoke at a dinner last week and he'll phone me up to hear how the players are doing.

RELATIONSHIP
“We are next door to Arsenal and have developed a tight relationship with them and that hasn't always been the case between the clubs. Myself and my assistant Sean Dyche are promoting the club as a safe haven for them to send players.

“Manchester United and Arsenal feel that loaning their players to us will help their education and development.

“The players are coached by us and learn about the game in every way, especially in terms of discipline and professionalism. They are playing with and against men and reserve team football doesn't really provide that.

"The loan suits both sides, we hope that the players improve our team and the other club will get a better player back. There's a pay-off for both sides. It requires a level of trust and thankfully since the summer that has developed between the clubs.

"I send a monthly dossier to Manchester United and Arsenal of how their players are faring, it includes dvd highlights which keeps both clubs upto date with how their players are doing.”

As well as Cleverley and Lansbury Watford also have Craig Cathcart on loan from Manchester United. At the weekend Watford had players on international duty with Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

So far this season Mackay's young side have had an up and down season with a 5-0 defeat at West Brom coming soon after a resounding 4-1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday and an impressive 1-0 win away at Middlesboro.

EXPOSURE
The Sheffield Wednesday result was especially significant with Sky Sports giving it the Friday night slot to ensure maximum exposure- and feedback.

“That performance was obviously very pleasing, after the match I seemed to have text messages from everywhere!” Mackay added.

"The fact that the game was live on television was great for the club. It was the only game in town on the night and it seemed that everyone in the football community was watching us.

"It was very pleasing that we played so well against a fairly experienced Championship team in Sheffield Wednesday. We were able to show our home fans and the bigger audience what we are capable of.

"At that stage I would say that it was our best display of the season but in our last game, against Preston, I felt we played better. Again that was satisfying because Preston are a strong Championship side."

Club fans may be missing their fix at the moment due to the international break but with an unrelenting schedule of 46 games, plus possible play-offs, any break is welcome for Championship managers.

Two weeks between games is a rare treat to patch up the walking wounded and get some work done on the training ground.

Despite beating Preston 2-0 in their last fixture Mackay is grateful for every break that he can get as he puts his stamp on the Watford side.

He explained: "These pockets of time at the international breaks are great for us. We've got quite a young and light squad and the break gives everyone time to recharge, patch things up then prepare for the glut of games coming up from now right through the Christmas period.

"The breaks are definitely appreciated."

PORTRAYED

With the Scottish game on it's uppers English football is often portrayed as the land of milk, honey and Sky Sports cheques.

Outwith the Premiership there are a few areas of wealth where owners chase the Premiership dream but for every Ipswich Town and QPR there are also fall-out clubs such as Southampton, Leeds United and Norwich City.

After two seasons cushioned by parachute payments from the 2007 relegation from the Premiership Watford are living within their means whilst striving upwards towards the Golden Ticket of the Barclays Premiership.

Matching expectations with realism is the task for everyone at Vicarage Road with Mackay well briefed about his club's finances.

He added: "There's been a transition period at this club in terms of finances. I know exactly what is involved, it's the same as the job that I was sold in the summer.

"I've been at the club for nearly five years and have an in-depth knowledge of what is going on, when I go to the boardroom for meetings there are no big shocks, I know how things stand.

"The situation might have come as a shock to others but not to me."

Mackay added: "It's a rebuilding job where we have to give young players their chance, there are going to be some tough times ahead, my budget is restricted but I've been able to bring in my own staff, people I trust to do important jobs and I have to delegate.

"That has allowed me to put my mark on the club, to create the sort of atmosphere that I want on the training ground.

"I am enjoying management, there are a lot of challenges day to day, my phone never stops and obviously it's a very results driven business. You're judged on a week to week basis and that effects how you feel but overall I'm enjoying it."

It's Like Watching Brazil as Wednesday are Malkied

Malky Mackay's Watford turned on the style to beat Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 tonight to make it seven points in seven days for the Hornets.

Big Malky's boys showed a touch of class with some great passing football mixed with a cutting edge in front of goal which the visitors had no answer to.

Loan signings Tom Cleverley from Manchester United and Arsenal's Henri Lansbury used the visit of the Sky Sports cameras to the maximum as they displayed the ability that suggests that they are destined for the big time.

Lansbury and Adrian Mariappa put Watford in command early on but a goal on the stroke of half-time from Marcus Tudgay gave Mckay something to think over in his team-talk but his side responded to the set-back with Lansbury and Jon Harley putting the homeside 4-1 up on the hour mark.

PARACHUTE

After a near miss with relegation last season and the withdrawal of their parachute payments from the Premiership Malky has had to call on all his Championship experience and pull in a few favours to put a side together.

Tonight's win puts them within touching distance of a play-off place but the former Celtic and Queens Park defender is too experienced, even as a 37-year-old in his first managerial job, to go making any rash predictions.

He said: "I want this team to be competitive, if they can be competitive in every game then they have a chance.

"This is a really hard league, there are a lot of games in a short space of time with a lot of tough places to go, I've been in this for a long time.

"Every week there is a result that surprises you but not if you are involved in the league. We know that there are tough places to go to, teams go on a winning run that makes it difficult for others.

INVENTION

"The group that I have did themselves proud tonight. In large parts of the game we showed some real invention, the fourth goal in particular. They showed confidence in the second half to get on the ball and I was delighted.

"To lose a goal just on half-time was really disappointing, I knew that Sheffield Wednesday would come out in the second half and really commit us.

"The challenge to us was to match that and go beyond that, I think that they did that in the second half, they showed courage to get on the ball and a resilience at the back."

Watford were unable to pay out a single transfer fee during the close season as they lost their highest earners to Championship rivals with Tommy Smith and Mike Williamson also moving on to Portsmouth.

PROMOTING

Malky had to bring in players like striker Danny Graham from Carlisle and Scott Severin from Aberdeen while promoting the best of Watford's own kids from the reserve and youth sides.

Putting together a team with the transfer window still open couldn't have been easy for a selling club but Malky stuck to the task, held firm to his beliefs and quickly established a system and side that is growing in belief game by game.

Bringing in Cleverley and Lansbury has added a touch of quality to the team but it's a two way street with Arsenal and Manchester United finding out how their prospects can cope with the heavy demands of football in the Championship.

Asked about extending the players loan deals beyond January Malky replied: "It's up to their parent clubs to decide whether they want them to stay with us or to go back to their own club, I've spoken to both boys, they are enjoying being here and playing Championship football.

"Both of them are young reserves who want to make their way at their own clubs eventually, they need experience and that's what they are getting here at the moment in a really tough league."

Next up from the Championship of interest to Celtic supporters is Readings home match with Leicester in front of the Sky cameras giving fans a chance to see how Darren O'Dea is coping with regular first team football.

CELTIC v HAMBURG matc report

AUDIO INTERVIEW with Malky Mackay, off and running as Watford boss

By Joe McHugh

After a long apprenticeship and spells as first-team coach and caretaker manager Malky Mackay stepped out in his own right as manager of Watford on Saturday with a 1-1 draw with Doncaster Rovers.

AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH MALKY MACKAY

Malky started in 39 games for Celtic in the mid nineties before heading south to a successful career spent almost entirely in the Championship where he had the distinction of helping Norwich, West Ham and Watford to promotion in successive seasons.

.....MM SAID: "The first year that I came to the club we had no parachute payment... we're in a transitional phase as a club with a new board in place...we have to adapt to being a slightly different club but you go into every season aspiring to finish as high up the table as possible... I've been in this division for twelve years and it gets harder and harder every year"

Nothing has ever been handed to Malky on a plate, as a youth there wasn't much of a clamour for his signature but his attitude and 'professionalism' at amateur Queens Park earned him a move to Celtic.

.....MM SAID "You always get one team that surprises in this league, it was Burnley last season, before that Hull and Watford the season before...on any day bottom can beat top and that's the magic of this league."

Despite suffering a cruciate ligament injury early in his Celtic career he battled back to become a valued member of the first team squad, capable of scoring important goals, before moving on to Norwich for regular first team football.

Malky's career is a lesson to any young player, through his dedication he battled through the ranks to carve out a good career in the game while also keeping his eye on the coaching side preparing for the day when he'd have to hang up his boots.

.....MM SAID "It's not all sunny Saturday's on a bowling green at West Brom, there are wet Tuesday's in December at Plymouth followed by a five hour drive home then a trip up to the north west at the weekend... there are 46 games and a lot of Saturday/Tuesday's and the prize of £60m at the end of it"

Aidy Boothroyd brought Malky to Watford as the club took off in spectacular fashion, earning a place in the Premiership for the 2007/2007 season with a spectacular 3-0 play-off win over Leeds United.

After missing out on appearing in the Premiership at Norwich and West Ham Malky made 16 appearances in the top flight with Watford and although it ended in relegation they did reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup where they lost out to Manchester United.

.....MM SAID: "Tony(Mowbray) and Yogi (Hughes) both look a lot older than me, they have both did well and if I have the success that they have I'll be delighted... they are both really passionate men... they are two good friends that I had at Celtic."

By then the journey into management had begun in earnest. When Boothroyd was sacked in November 2008 Malky took charge on a caretaker basis for three weeks before Brendan Rodgers got the job.

When Rodgers quit to take charge of Reading Watford wisely turned in house to give Malky the job. The days of parachute payments are over at Vicarage Road with Scott Severin from Aberdeen and Don Cowie of Inverness CT amongst the club's recent signings.

.....MM SAID "At the Tommy Burns match big Billy even said 'What a dressing room I have here to choose from'... there was some great camaraderie and characters...it was a really good day to see so many people"

The Championship is apparently the fifth richest league in Europe and will come under the spotlight more than ever this season with Newcastle United getting the car crash treatment with supporters and media watching their every move.

Fighting it out for promotion will be a tall order for Watford with relegated Newcastle, Middlesbrough and West Brom looking for a quick return with upto a dozen others, including the well financed Ipswich and QPR scrapping for a chance in the top flight.

Owen Coyle's Burnley are the role model for Watford and others. Last season's impressive cup performances were matched by consistent league form that took them into the Premiership via play-off wins over Reading and Shefield United.

.....MM SAID: "From my time at the club there is a really good group of us that stay in touch with each other, when you go back and meet others from different eras there is definitely a bond there."

It's always interesting to follow the fortunes of former Celtic players whether playing or managing. As a player Malky showed all the qualities to make a success of management but the relentless Championship season of 46 league games is no place to ease yourself into a job that is unrelenting.

Video Celts will be following Watford closely with regular interviews with Malky.

AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH MALKY MACKAY

OFFICIAL WATFORD WEBSITE

Malky previews the new season in the Watford Observor