Admiring glances directed at Silkmen Head Coach?
Journalist claims Robbie Savage is in demand
Top of the Northern Premier League, unbeaten in 11 games including nine wins and a 5-0 hammering of South Shields in the FA Cup, a flourishing youth set-up and a tangible togetherness between manager, staff, players and supporters. Could Macc’s start to the season have gone any better?
But just when everything appeared to be perfectly on track, a seemingly innocuous post by a journalist has planted a seed of doubt that the Silkmen’s season could be derailed. Mike Walters, posting on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), has suggested Macc’s Head Coach Robbie Savage is attracting admiring glances from a club higher up the football pyramid.
A pinch of salt, or no smoke without fire?
Reassuringly, Walters’ post (on Tuesday) appears to have been made in isolation and there have been no additional media speculation that Savage’s departure from Macclesfield may a) be on the cards, b) even imminent, and c) that he’d be willing to go. So can we put this rumour to bed and dismiss It as idle speculation? Maybe, maybe not.
It’s worth noting that Mike Walters is a journalist for the Mirror – the same national newspaper that Robbie Savage ‘writes’ a weekly column for. The pair are known to one another. Walters published an exclusive interview with Savage on 21st August titled: ‘Robbie Savage knows he will lose first managerial job if ambitious Macclesfield aim not met’, and Walters was previously a guest on Savage’s Premier League Breakfast programme on BBC Radio Five Live.
It seems unlikely though that Walters would have plucked his information out of thin air to fuel idle online speculation. However, if there was an element of truth in it the rumour mill would presumably have gathered momentum 48 hours on.
At the time of Walters’ post, there were two vacant EFL managerial vacancies at Stoke City and Carlisle. Both have subsequently been filled by the appointments of Narcis Pelach and Mike Williamson respectively, leaving only MK Dons (Williamson’s former club) currently without a manager in the football league and AFC Fylde in the National League. Panic over then? Not necessarily…
You’d have to be naive not to think that football clubs with under pressure or coveted managers are not putting feelers out to plan for impending sackings or departures. Considering those scenarios, there are a few teams who may be keeping a watching brief on Savage’s progress.
· Stockport County – current boss Dave Challinor has done a sterling job in guiding County to back-to-back promotions from the National League to currently fifth in League One. He was among the bookies’ frontrunners for the Stoke job which has since been awarded to former Norwich coach Narcis Pelach. Challinor is currently riding the crest of a wave at Stockport, a club who has the support and financial infrastructure, to compete in the Championship.
But Challinor’s success will not have gone unnoticed, so one wonders if Savage would come under consideration for the Hatters if he was to depart for pastures new
· Bolton Wanderers – Bolton have endured a torrid time since losing to Oxford in the League One play-off final. They currently occupy the relegation places following a disastrous start to this season which has piled pressure on longstanding manager Ian Evatt. Crisis talks have taken place behind the scenes and Evatt remains in post, for now, but there seems an inevitability that his four-year tenure is coming to an end.
Should Wanderers lose to Reading at the weekend, almost certainly it will mark Evatt’s last game in charge. They previously appointed Evatt on the back of him leading Barrow to the football league in 2020 when Bolton were also a League Two club. Whilst EFL managerial experience would be desirable, it’s not inconceivable that Wanderers would rule out recruiting their next manager from non-league, but would Savage’s embryonic managerial career be deemed too high a risk?
· Wrexham – this suggestion may seem rather fanciful, but there are obvious synergies between the Welsh club and Savage. Big-spending Wrexham currently sit top of League One despite suffering their first league defeat against Birmingham on Monday. Like David Challinor at Stockport, boss Phil Parkinson has done everything asked of him in leading the Red Dragons to consecutive promotions from the National League while remaining level-headed in the media frenzy surrounding the Welsh side.
But some have cast aspersions that Parkinson’s direct style of play can only take Wrexham so far before his tactics are exposed against better, possession-dominant players. Time will tell whether this belief materialises this season. And if it did, would Savage even feature on the radar of Wrexham’s Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney? You never know.
After all, Savage was born in Wrexham, represented Wales at international level, is hugely ambitious and no stranger to coping with intense media scrutiny, A trio of Reynolds, McElhenney and Savage would certainly dominate the back pages, but given Wrexham’s ultimate aim of achieving promotion to the Premier League they are likely to target and attract more experienced managers than Savage if Parkinson is ever relieved of his duties
Committed to the job
I’m no body language expert, but Savage seems to be loving being manager of Macclesfield and is 100% focused on leading the club to promotion to the National League North and beyond. The controversy surrounding him taking over from Michael Clegg, whilst not forgotten, has certainly been parked for now given the Silkmen Head Coach’s flying start to the season.
Should we have been surprised?
Perhaps in the immediate aftermath of the shock news of Clegg’s exit, some Silkmen supporters focused on the circumstances surrounding Savage’s appointment rather than considering his credentials to succeed in it. Given his experience as a longstanding Premier League player and captain, combined with his passion, determination to succeed and intimate knowledge of Macclesfield FC, why wouldn’t he thrive in the managerial hotseat with a stellar playing squad and budget at this level?
After a period of radio silence, Savage has re-opened communication lines and provided in-depth interviews to outline his approach to the role, as well as giving insightful post-match interviews delivered with humbleness and refreshing honesty. As a rookie manager he’s been bold and brave with his tactics, undertaking a proactive approach to try and win every game. He’s also made big calls in starting the season with Paul Dawson at centre back (before injuries have sent Daws back into midfield) and drafting in the much-criticised D’Mani Mellor.
And off the pitch, Savage has delighted fans by bringing club legend Danny Whitaker back to the Leasing.com stadium in a coaching capacity and remains as accessible to supporters before and after games, his enthusiasm clearly evident as he listens intently for feedback. The scenes following the full-time whistle after Macc’s 2-1 win at FC United on Tuesday showed a manager fully focused on the task at hand and forming a terrific bond with the Silkmen’s raucous away fans.
Savage isn’t merely ‘playing’ at being a manager, he’s ‘living and breathing it’, whilst still combining it with his media responsibilities – something which almost certainly would have to give if he took a job in the English Football League.
I bumped into him when watching Macc’s U21’s a couple of weeks ago. After returning on Saturday evening following the Silkmen’s victory at Stockton, Savage was back in the dugout the following morning to run the rule over Macc’s promising juniors. Presenting for Radio 5 followed in the afternoon, and in the evening Sav was going to sit down and watch the video footage of next opponent Ashton’s previous fixture. In between all that, he was attempting to negotiate for another new signing to bolster the Silkmen’s promotion charge.
Will he see through the job through?
Things in football can change very quickly, but for now at least, there seems no signs that Savage is reaching for the exit door. And nor should he. This is the job he wanted, arguably even demanded in the summer, after apparently turning down the approaches from an unnamed other club. Plus he owes it to himself, and to Macc’s loyal supporters, to lead us to the National League North at the very least with his head held high and reputation enhanced
Beyond that… could you begrudge him if he was to move on? It’s worth highlighting that Savage will turn 50 next month. He’s an inexperienced manger, but not a young one, and he may harbour ambitions of managing at a much higher level if an opportunity was to present itself.
And if it does, should he stick or twist? If he is committed to leading the Silkmen back to the EFL, he should undoubtedly commit for the long-term and cement his standing in Macclesfield folklore. However if he is tempted to move on, he will need to consider how much is reputation will be elevated by waiting to lead Macc to promotion from the Northern Premier League when everyone, even Savage himself, expects him to accomplish it. Failure to do so would not only place question marks over his ability to continue in the role here, it may also end any ambitions Savage has of managing elsewhere.
For now, everyone connected at Macclesfield will be hoping that Savage finishes the impressive job he’s started.