Steve Cotterill has never beaten a more daunting opponent than Covid, which killed 230,000 Britons.
The Forest Green boss counts himself ‘incredibly lucky to have lived to tell the tale’ after almost succumbing to coronavirus three years ago while in intensive care at Bristol Royal Infirmary.
As well as Covid-19, Cotterill suffered a punctured lung, emphysema and then Covid-pneumonia. A strict fitness regime helped the determined boss beat the disease and his unrivalled youthful exuberance is certainly the driver for the evergreen 60-year-old.
Boasting more than 900 games as a manager at the likes of Cheltenham Town, Burnley, Stoke City, Portsmouth, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City, he has experience in spades as he now plots a path for Forest Green’s instant return to League Two.
In a frank and personal Q & A, Ash Loveridge sat down with Cotterill, who opened up about his Covid fight, delivered his synopsis on Rovers’ blistering start to the season so far, team togetherness and what makes Cotterill the man tick.
Ash Loveridge: I would say you’re probably one of the most passionate managers I’ve seen in 21 years of covering Forest Green. What drives Steve Cotterill the manager on?
Steve Cotterill: I don’t know. It’s probably what’s in you. I think I’m young for my age and I think that helps, but that’s come from years and years of being disciplined.
I would say I watch what I put in my mouth. However, I’m not always as careful with what comes out of it. So for any of my swear words that have got around, I apologise for that. I can’t say that they won’t come out again, by the way, but I’ve been quite disciplined throughout my life. That helps you stay fit and healthy. The only thing that’s really been difficult has obviously been Covid and that was a difficult time. But then as many people have said, you know, if maybe if I hadn’t have looked after myself maybe it would have took me as well -like it took loads of others.
AL: You’ve managed a plethora of teams from League Two to the Championship, how do you view this current Forest Green team as a group?
SC: I think when I have a group of young lads around me, I get my energy from them. I like our guys. I like being around them and I like seeing them grow. There’s nothing better than seeing young men grow.
It’s hard sometimes because you have to be cruel to be kind in some instances. But normally once they get to know you, which I think going through that whole pre-season trip, they don’t just get to see me as their manager. They’ll know that I’ll look after them in certain instances. I always look after them publicly. I don’t ever call anybody out in public if I have anything to say, I say it behind closed doors and in the dressing room, because I think that’s the best way to be and the best way to gain respect from players.
One thing you don’t do is have a pop at players in public. I’ve never done that and I and I never will do that as that’s not been my gig, so I think relationships with players and your staff is really important and I think I have that and there’s a good feel around the place, whether it’s on the bus to training or on the bus to Gateshead on Saturday, there’s a good connection between all of us and I think that’s really important and you realise that more when you’re older and more experienced and then what happens is the more you foster that, the more energy you get back and that’s what drives me.
AL: Steve, second in the table, you must be absolutely delighted with the start to the season – you would have probably taken that wouldn’t you despite the frustration of the draw at home to Wealdstone last weekend?
SC: Yeah, I probably would have done. I think the lads have done great. I’m really pleased with how they are and the culture at the club and and I think that can only get better with time.
AL: You must be really happy with the strength of the squad and looking at the bench on Saturday, you’ve got game-changers available to come on and make an impact.
SC: We had a couple of people off the bench that have have been in the team this season. If you think of Ryan (Inniss) and you think of Teddy (Jenks), they were both in the team when we started this run and we’ve got them to come back into the squad.
I still think we are probably a little bit light in maybe a couple of positions. We could probably do with another left-back/ left wing-back. The striking department now we are quite strong in it, maybe a left-footed midfield player, so that is where I would say where we are at this moment in time.
The business that we done last summer was hard work. But I think the harder you work at it, the more rewards you get. And we work really, really hard at it and hopefully that bears fruit over over the season.
