"I owe it to them" - Savage's Christmas gift to Silkmen fans
Wanted Head Coach addresses rumours over his future as Macc go 16pts clear
The greatest gift you can give someone is your TIME, because when you give your time, you are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back.
Macc’s 2-0 win at Bamber Bridge to send them 16 points clear at the top of the Northern Premier League was the perfect stocking filler, but Robbie Savage’s post-match pledge to remain as Silkmen Head Coach at least until promotion is achieved is the greatest Christmas gift of all to Macc supporters.
Savage didn’t refer directly to online criticism after Sunday’s Radio 5 606 phone-in where his light-hearted, ‘wherever I may be in January’, comment to co-host Chris Sutton sparked concerns that his exit as Macclesfield’s Head Coach could be imminent.
The rumour mill further intensified when an anonymous poster on Facebook, claiming to be a Macclesfield FC employee, suggested Savage has been approached by a club in the English Football League and is likely to depart in January.
Panic over?
Of course, social media is a hotbed of speculation, misinformation and downright shit-stirring, but it also contains some truths if you can separate fact from fiction. Anxious Silkmen fans won’t have long to wait before we are put out of our misery either way, but in the meantime Savage has been quick to offer some reassurance over his future. Speaking to Macc’s official YouTube channel after last night’s game, he said:
“The speculation comes about because of those players on the pitch, because of their performances, their willingness to listen, to work hard, to take on board what we say as a management team. The speculation comes because that team is winning football matches. Myself, John (McMahon), Bandy (Peter Band) and all my staff can help them do that if we get the tactics right and manage them really well – I think we’re doing that.
“What I’ll say is, I love the football club, I’m invested in the football club with my partner Rob (Smethurst), the directors and the fans, and right now I want to see this team get promoted. Speculation is good but… I left Birmingham City as a bit of a cult hero to go to Blackburn and I went about that the wrong way. I should have done it a little bit better than I did, and I probably can’t go back to Birmingham in the way I’d like to because of the way it happened. I don’t want that to happen with Macclesfield.
“I think I should stay to the end of the season, at least, and get this team up. I’ve started it, we’ve got January coming up, and if I’m encouraging lads from higher to come and play for me in January on loan, I can’t leave. So again, the speculation’s nice, but I’ve started the journey and I want to take these lads up to the next level - so they can get more money for themselves and their family, to give them a better opportunity to go full-time and get into the National League system. I owe it to them, to the fans, to the club and to my partner.
“But as I say, I’m ambitious. I want to go higher, of course I do. But right now the speculation has come because of those lads on there and I’m really happy, I’m loving it, I’m excited, it’s on my doorstep and my aim is to get this group up and say to the Silkmen fans: I love it, I embrace it – the whole staff, the whole community.
“They’ve bought into me because of results, let’s be fair, its been about results. We’re getting the results so everyone is happy. There will be a sticky period – I know that, and when we get that sticky period, stick with the team, stick with us as a group, but I owe it to them this season to get this team where it belongs into the National League system. If I can do that, we’ll sit down, reassess and go again. But I’m really, really happy and enjoying it. Three points means so much, not just to me, but to the group, the supporters and most importantly, the Macclesfield community. Everyone is talking about us and rightly so because of that team on there (the pitch) are a credit to the whole of Macclesfield and the community.”
Match summary: Bamber Bridge 0 Macclesfield 2
Macc’s march towards promotion to the National League North was seldom troubled by a direct Bamber Bridge side, who aside from a late flurry, never looked like being Christmas party poopers on a rain swept evening in Lancashire.
Goals from Mr Consistency aka Neil Kenghi and the in-form D’Mani Mellor put the superb Silkmen two goals to the good before half-time – a tally they should have added to had they not spurned several promising opportunities in the second half. But Robbie Savage’s majestic men still needed the heroics of goalkeeper Max Dearnley and defender Sam Heathcote to prevent the plucky ‘Brig’ from halving the deficit late on.
Player ratings
Dearnley 8.5 – clean sheet no.14 which was achieved by a miraculous save from point blank range with 10 minutes to go as Brig chucked the kitchen sink at Macc. Max also spread himself superbly in first-half injury time to prevent the home side from bundling the ball over the line after it cannoned off the post following a scramble from a corner. Picked up a silly booking for timewasting towards the end, mainly due to delaying taking a goalkick after he reacted to some unnecessary abuse from home supporters.
Pemberton 8.5 – quietish first half, but a constant attacking threat after the break where he spent more time penned in Bamber Bridge’s final third than he did defending his own box. A real livewire who was denied a goal by a good stop by Brig’s keeper and also sent a glancing header wide.
Heathcote 8 – came into the side in place of Lewis Fensome to cope with Brig’s burley centre forwards who were a real handful. Stood up to the physical pressure admirably and topped this with a brilliant goalline clearance to prevent a certain goal on 78 minutes.
Mendy 8 – made it look easy despite playing against rugged opponents who are effective at executing their direct tactics. Calm in possession, excellent distribution from the back and read the game well.
Kengni 9 – well-timed run and finish for Macc’s opener, and it was his long-range shot which rebounded off the keeper into the path of Mellor who converted to make it 2-0. Another excellent performance at left-back, and even more so because Kengni was up against a very accomplished opponent in Brig’s teenage full-back Finlay Wallbank who is one to watch.
Rooney 7.5 – celebrated his 34th birthday with a typically accomplished display from his ‘quarterback’ position. Always made himself available to receive the ball from the defence and tried some clever short free-kick routines which almost led to more Silkmen openings.
Edmondson 7 – another impressive 70 minutes from the Blackburn youngster until he made way for Danny Whitehead with 20 minutes to go. Good on the ball, but equally comfortable in doing the dirty work to win back possession.
Johnson 6 – made way for Fensome after 57 minutes as Savage elected to go with a back 5. Worked hard but not at his marauding best of late.
Curran 8 – rewarded with a start after his good cameo off the bench vs Stockton on Saturday and grabbed his opportunity with flying colours. Excellent assist for Macc’s first goal and was our most likely player to create more goalscoring chances with some short, intricate balls into the Brig penalty area. Looks more like his old self after a difficult start to the season as he returned from injury. Subbed for Danny Elliott on 66 minutes.
Duffy 7.5 – good movement, played on the front foot always trying to bring his teammates into play. Had a good attempt saved in the second half in what was another effective performance.
Mellor 8 – another well-taken goal where he showed a striker’s instinct to follow-up after the keeper spilled Kenghi’s effort. Might have had another had he shown more composure in the second half, but such a valuable asset with his pace and directness up front.
Subs:
Fensome 8 – fantastic when coming on to steady the ship just after half-time when Savage electec to play three centre-halves. Dominant at the back, played a lovely crossfield ball out wide to set up an attack, and even nutmegged a Brig player before launching an audacious shot from 25 yards which flew past the post. All-action, no messing.
Elliott 7.5 – joined Mellor upfront and was hungry to get on the scoresheet. Was denied twice by the keeper but made his presence felt.
Whitehead 6 – being kept out of the starting eleven by young Edmondson but is a vital sub to bring on to add experience to Macc’s midfield.