Robbie Savage gives an honest first sit down interview on controversially being appointed as the new Macclesfield head coach.
In June, the Silkmen appointed their 8th manager in 4 years as boss Michael Clegg resigned and Robbie Savage replaced him.
Clegg had only been appointed back in February 2024, and improved them despite not winning promotion to the National League North.
He came in to the Northern Premier League Premier Division side from Warrington Rylands on an initial 18-month contract, succeeding Alex Bruce who left for League Two side Salford City as first team coach, but Clegg’s side lost in the playoff final to Marine.
Interviewer: So Robbie great to catch up with you pre-season’s now done how much are you looking forward to the new campaign
Robbie: Yeah really excited Bob um we’ve had a real positive preseason and some good performances all the results haven’t gone our way but it’s been really pleasing to see how the new players have integrated into the squad um there’s been some brilliant individual performances good team performances um the way would to play is a is a pressing style of football I think we’ve implemented that really really well and it’s it’s been a very very positive preseason
Interviewer: You mentioned about your start of play he brought your back room staff in to help you achieve that just talk us with the people you brought in and how they were compliment each other
Robbie: Yeah so I brought John McMahon in as an assistant head coach, you know John’s got plenty of league experience Pro license coach played for Macclesfield Town many years ago but he was at the club under Danny Whitaker and when he come in I think it was in our first season in the latter stages in the 4231 system and he enhanced what we were doing as a football club, he was brilliant, he understood us and he’s been brilliant so far for us Peter Band everybody knows Bandy you know he’s you know a great around the dress room and Emile Heskey who was he was on an ad hog basis will come in and help the strikers, work commitments with Emile you know if it’s once a month three times a month six times a month every little bit of ounce of his knowledge can pass on to our strikers will be invaluable so he’s been great for us, he’s been in two or three times already, so again to have that staff also you know, we got some brilliant people the football club and and we’re going to do everything we can to get feel promoted
Interviewer: One thing that pre-season has allowed us to do is experiment with formations, have you got preferred ones yet or are the merits of different ones and you’ll kind of chop and change depending on opposition position
Robbie: Predominantly the 4231 has worked brilliantly well for us I believe we got two of the best 10s outside the National League in John Rooney, Alex Curren the amount of goals and assists they got last year Alex wasn’t fully fit for the most of the season contributed over 20 goals as did John and the recruitment was basically to see how we could get Alex and John into the side as two 10s you know so that’s why we experimented with a 3421 the boxing midfield if you remember we played it at Marine early in the season when we had a terrific performance but what that did you know with the recruitment of JJ and Duffs who you know missed quite a part of the back end of the season with ankle damage that took away from them slightly because in that shape they become wing backs and you lost a bit of their creativity going forward playing a back three is difficult you got to work on it so many times and it worked at times but we just looked a little bit of a rubber down the sides, so again we tried a 442 with Tom and Danny up top which had an instant impact cuz we got the penalty against Buxton, a wonderful save from the goalkeeper and also we know how to play the 4231, so again we’ve experimented I think we need plan A B and C going forward this season we’ve got players who can play in multiple positions and it’s been yeah really positive but the 4231 or the 433 I really like, I think the big thing is everybody seeing Paul Dawson as a centre half um nobody sees Daws as a dynamic midfield player and he is but I think you know Daws has played there numerous times previously as a centre half of previous clubs you know his range of passing his events his aggression his leadership qualities with Mendy’s so those two back there have been absolutely brilliant speaking to other managers of other teams we’ve played you know they can’t believe that’s a new partnership. There will be times you know if we chasing games that I can go with two 8s, I can I can bring on centre halves and I can put Daws and Mendy’s two 8s with one six in a 433. So within the squad there are options for different form formations so I’m well aware of it we’ve worked on all of them and what a tough test it will be for the first game, a Worksop side, brilliant side beats twice last year one of the favourites to go up beat is there last year I thought we played really well there last year unlucky you know not to get anything but it’s a tough test against a tough team they were very humble in defeating the playoff semi-final, we know it’s going to be a difficult game
Interviewer: Already in terms of recruitment there can be no doubt in you know the quality of player that we brought in over the summer but in terms of quantity are you happy with the squad size as things stand
Robbie: Yeah the board have been great in terms of allowing us to get the players we wanted to get in, Danny Elliott could have gone higher, you know a lot of people say is Danny better suited to a 2 but he’s played as a 1 as that 9 on multiple occasions and you know in training he’s he’s brilliant he’s dynamic he’s powerful and he’s done really well in preseason, so he was he was one of the first we wanted um Elliot Whitehouse and Danny Whitehead, great experience, we knew that um the average age of the squad I think he’s now 25.9 it’s gone up by a year, having lost a few players so again that was huge for us um two players who have played higher, Justin Johnson JJ who’s come in and you know when he gets the ball 1v1 is not many better, was in the National League North team of the year, so he’s been fantastic and then bringing in two goalkeepers you know we had numerous goalkeepers last year for various reasons. So Max and Tom have come in you know Max you know we’ll start at Worksop you know we know what we’re going to expect there’s going to be you know direct Max is going to have to come and and claim things and we’re going to have to be aggressive in the way we play um you know and there’s been you know Kielen Adams and Tom Clare who’s back so again the recruitment process has been good without the board backing we couldn’t have done that so again I’m really pleased and what the group allows us to do in terms of the way we want to play is the high press aggressive win the ball back in the opposition’s final third I’m not a big believer in playing out my beliefs are that of course you know you want to times look good but for me play forward early get the ball into our more creative players as early as you can and win the ball high, by doing that that you’re close to the to the opponent’s goal and if you keep playing the ball around the back you know you the because we will take risks we will take risks and you know that’s our mentality to take risks especially with the players we have you know in the back you know because let’s be fair you know Tre and Kengni are wingers you know Daws and Mendy a midfielders Mendy St as a right back you know but we’ve got Scott Holding has done great Sam and and Brandon Lee and Lewis Fensome so they’re four natural defenders and everybody will be used I think the squad you mentioned quantity you know the worry is if you get a few injuries like you know Sam’s not played a game yet Brandon Lee’s going to be out for for a bit a bit longer um you know if if you get two or three injuries it does you know it does limit you but the quantity is a good number 19-20 a few of the young players have come in and done unbelievably well
Interviewer: Let’s be honest there’s only one objective this season isn’t there
Robbie: Yeah there is and I’m under no illusion whatsoever Bob that it has to be promotion whether that’s through the playoffs or winning the league we have to go one better than last year we were so close magnificent effort last year you know get to an FA Trophy semi final, two promotions in three years a playoff final where the clubs come um the amount of hours dedication that everybody’s put in the willingness to get us up um but listen I know I know there there’ll be a lot of people out there who want us to fail once again even more so now I know you know the disappointing thing is even you know reading some comments you know there’s some Macclesfield fans who are you know want me to fail which hurts a little bit you know considering the amount of time and effort myself Rob and the directors have put into the football club you know I see people saying ‘I’ve been sacked for my day jobs’ nothing far from the truth my employees have been magnificent in terms of an enabling me to do this, but again this is what you get online you know it’s if you know I try and avoid that now but it’s difficult it’s difficult because I’m human I’ve got a family who who look at stuff as well and it it hurts them you know but I think people have got to realise that you know we’re going to give our best shot no stone will be unturned but I understand I understand two defeats in a row you you know the chance will be you get sacked in the morning you’re going to sack yourself I understand it all you know I’ve been through so much in my own career and being told I wasn’t good enough wasn’t quick enough wasn’t big enough I was too small you know but out of adversity you know that fuels me that fuels me I’ve been told you know why am I doing it by several people but you know I’m doing it because I care and I believe you know I believe with the staff around me have got and the players we’ve recruited that were in this together and the rewards will be there for everybody
Interviewer: So one question which interests me is in your previous role as director of football you judged all previous first team managers, first team head coaches now that you are the first team head coach who’s going to judge you
Robbie: It’s it’s a fair question Bob you know the director of football role is no longer I’ll have a board to answer to and people will say well he’s on the board but I think I’m well aware Bob I’m well aware and experienced enough to to know that when my time will be up you know judge us cuz it does on results and if the results aren’t good enough I’m sure that in no uncertain terms away fans Macc fans will be telling me and I totally understand it and listen while I get a bit more leeway because of the situation who knows but I know that group’s good enough to get up we start as favourites rightly so rightly so and I’m happy with that I think we should embrace it I think we should relish it I think the lads are well aware of the situation the lads have been great but you know the fans will judge me I think that’s what will happen and as I say judge me on results and if I don’t get the results you know I am fully aware that I will no longer be the head coach at Macclesfield and you know and then the thing is can you step back into the that the football no I probably couldn’t so you know I then just become you know probably an owner sit back on a on a day-to-day basis so I know everything’s on the line everything you know for the last three years I’ve been there every day I see people say how can he commit 24 hours a day seven days a week I’ve done that I’ve done that everybody who knows me knows that you know I’ve put my heart and soul into it and I think that by taking this opportunity I know that if I fail, my time at Macc is done and you know that you know is a big thing and I could have you know I could have left I could have left and only time will tell if it this proves to be the right decision but one thing’s for sure man I’m going to get everything I can
Interviewer: All starts on Saturday isn’t it really difficult test as you’ve alluded to before but also a great opportunity to make a statement right on day one
Robbie: Yeah when the fixtures come out, we were magnificent in the semi-final against Worksop, it was one of our best performances of the season um who previously beaten us twice in the league they they’re a good side good experience aggressive good and set pieces we’ve done our homework we’ve done our due diligence we know all about them and they will be up there as we will be um and when the fixture come out people say tough game for Macc it’s a tough game for Worksop as well let’s not forget that you know I think nobody wants the players you know or everybody wants to players because they want to beat us they want to show how good they are um they want to upset us but the biggest thing we need to do is stick together tough start we know that um but it’s a 42 game season and I honestly believe with the group we will as I said and as I said the start of last season minimum is playoffs, minimum is playoffs and the objective is is to win the league to have a good start or to get up through the playoffs and if I don’t do that or it’s not going that way I think we all know what will happen
Interviewer: And just finally you mentioned about sticking together um one thing you can be assured of on Saturday is a large and vocal away following how important will the Macc fans be not just on Saturday but for for the enticing
Robbie: Yeah well I’ll be honest you that there’s a little bit of nervousness from myself you know because of you know I do read stuff and stuff sent to me and I understand you know the situation so again you know if some Macc fans aren’t behind me you know get behind the team get behind the club get behind Rob who’s worked unbelievably hard to get the club to where it is we’ve had investment you know of you know from from good people who care so I’d urge the Macc fans who you know 99% are amazing and will be so supportive and if I can turn that 1% around it might be more than 1% to back me and the lads then hopefully we can have a successful season but there will be a little bit of nervousness because listen we will get beat we will get beat this season at times but what a statement would be going to Worksop and put a marker down for the rest of the league it’s probably the toughest place to go in league but this is what it’s about these are the games you want to be involved in, everybody’s talking about it probably be a sellout huge following but yeah there will be a little bit of nerves you know but without those nerves it wouldn’t be the same it’s a great feeling but again the season is not going to be one or lost on Saturday, of course I want to get the three points, we want to get the three points but if we don’t we go Tuesday, Saturday two home games, but if you can get off to a good start right like Radcliffe did last year you know it’ll be great so we’re looking forward to it.
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