Ahead of tonight’s televised FA Cup first-round trip to League One side Luton Town, Robbie Savage sat down for his pre-match press conference.
The Forest Green boss opened up on Luton’s FA Cup challenge, his admiration for Jack Wilshere and former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill — and why beating Boreham Wood meant more than playing for Wales in front of 80,000 fans against Italy at the Millennium Stadium.
Savage also paid tribute to former Forest Green managers Bob Mursell, Frank Gregan, Mark Cooper and Rob Edwards.
Listen to the full press conference here.
Robbie Savage Q & A
Q: Luton away in the FA Cup. Robbie, the moment’s here. How ready do you and the players feel?
Robbie Savage: “Ready as we always are. Whatever game we compete in, my players will always be ready. It’s a fascinating cup tie, the Reflow derby against an ex-Premier League player. Legend, you’d call him, what he’s achieved in his career, far more than me. I’m delighted he’s got an opportunity at a brilliant football club like Luton. So again, I’m looking forward to going up against a young, dynamic manager in Jack Willshere.
“I’m sure he’ll have his team prepared. I’m sure he will play a very strong team on TV. I think it’s his second game at home, so he’ll be ready. But we’re going there with the belief that we can win. In my previous job at Macclesfield, when we played against opposition, you’d hear people saying it’s a free hit for the opposition. People might think it’s a free hit for us, but it’s not. I prepare my team in a way and a belief that we can win. That’s why I’ve got the belief in my players. A lot of my players, I believe, could play league football and they go in there with a belief and a desire to go and be the best they can be and show the nation how good they are. It’s a great platform for them and they’re very confident.”
Q: How do you compete against a higher-level side who you know, if anything, they will be more clinical at both ends of the pitch than you’ve been used to in the National League?
Robbie Savage: “Well, saying that, Carlisle scored four goals from 5 attempts. So again, they were very clinical. We look at Luton, we analyse them as we’ve done, but it’s about us. You know, we’re going to go there and have a goal. Will they run as much as us? Possibly not. Will they be as together as us possibly? Will they make better decisions consistently? Yes, that’s why they’re probably playing at League One. Some of my players have played at League One and can play at League One, I believe, and I’ve got to make sure that my players know that. So again, we’ll be athletic, we’ll be dynamic, and our stats have shown this season that we’re the fittest team in the league, second-half of games. If, I know, games last for 90 minutes, and it’s, but it’s a start which we’re proud of, that if the games finish at half-time, second-half of games will be top of the league because that’s how fit we are. So again, we’re a real fit, dynamic side, so we know Luton aren’t going to run more than us. We’re passionate, we care, and my players have got a real opportunity to win a game of football. They probably take things on board quicker, but they’re not going to outrun, they’re not going to outwork us and we’ll give them the right game.”
Q: Do you need them to have an off day and every one of your players to have a good day?
Robbie Savage: “No, we can win, regardless of how they play. That’s how much I believe I’ve got in my players. They’re a wonderful football club, we were in the Premier League not so long ago. We were in League One not so long ago, but two relegations and we didn’t go up last year. Two years ago, look where both clubs were. So we’re a fantastic side, we’re a young side. The side I put out at the weekend might be the youngest side that Forest Green has ever put out. I think it was 22.8. It is the youngest side they’ve ever put out. I think we can beat that this weekend and it goes to show where we’ve come as a football club.”
Q: Sean Etaluku, deal’s been completed, he’s passed his medical. Is he available for this or is he cup-tied?
Robbie Savage: “He’s available, as is Temi (Babalola), as are all our players. I think the rules of the competition change that if you play in the qualifying rounds, you can play for another club in the first round proper going forward.
“So again, all our players are available. Kanu Abraham is fit, Kyle McAllister is fit, Sean’s fit, and Laurent Mendy’s back. So we’ve got 21, 22 players to choose from. So again, it’s a wonderful thing for me. That’s what I wanted. I wanted 22 starters. I’ve certainly got that. And again, we’re going there with a huge belief and it’s not a free hit. I’m not going to make an excuse if you get beat that it was a free hit. No, it’s not. It’s a disservice to my players. My players are unbelievable, doing great things and we’re really excited.”
Q: I’m sure Lauren Mendy will come back into the starting 11 somewhere. But the big question is, how difficult is it to work out where you want to play him?
Robbie Savage: “I could play Mendy anywhere. He’ll give me everything wherever he plays. It’s been unbelievable. And what an opportunity for those players who have had their names on their shirts for the first time this season and now are going to compete in the FA Cup first round for the first time. So it’s a wonderful thing for all my players to go and experience a brilliant atmosphere at Luton, play against very good players, in a big crowd on the TV. Let’s just enjoy it and let’s go and have a go. We’ve got to believe we can win. Let’s make no mistake about it.”
Q: And because you’ve given your players that freedom all season, does that actually help with the mentality of dealing with an occasion like this, that they’ll go into it and hopefully not have any fear?
Robbie Savage: “They’ve got no fear. It’s a game of football. You know, we’re very, very fortunate to be involved in football. Every time we come in this training ground, every time they step onto a pitch, just how lucky are we? And my players believe that. They embrace it, they love coming to training. There’s a buzz, there’s a camaraderie, there’s a togetherness, and there’s a belief that we can be anybody. And, you know, will it be a shock if we win? Yes, it will be. Of course it will be. Because Jack Wilshere and Luton Town are in League One and they’ve got a brilliant young manager. But let’s go there with no fear.”
Q: How much do you relish the opportunity to make a bit of history for Forest Green? They haven’t knocked a league club out at the FA Cup as a non-league team since 2008.
Robbie Savage: “Good knowledge. It’s not about me. You know, people think it is, but it’s not. It’s about my players and how I can develop and get the best out of my players and give them a sense of, you know, belief and motivation and togetherness. So it’s not about me and I want my players to showcase to everybody watching that why they’re playing for me and at that level and they can do it. It’s a great test for us to see where we are. We’ve come through that test in lots of games this season and again. It’s brilliant. It’s brilliant. What an occasion. It’s brilliant. When the draw came out, we were all relishing it.”
Q: Have you worked out yet what you’re going to say to the players in your final team talk? I know you like to keep them short.
Robbie Savage: “Of course I have. It’s about motivating them because the work’s done in the week. We’re prepared, we’re ready, the final bits will be done today, the analysis is done. It’s about motivating those players for two minutes before a game because they know what they’re doing, they know what we’re about, they know what they’ve got to do, they know they’ve got to run more, sprint more, high-intensity runs, you know, our fitness levels are off the scale. If we can, we’ll use our subs really well also, which we always do, and we’re ready.”
Q: I’m sure lots of people in the squad will all want to start, but obviously, as you’ve said there, the bench will be crucial. How settled are you as yet on your starting 11 and your bench?
Robbie Savage: “Yeah, I know it. Always do. Yeah, I’ll make changes. There’ll be opportunities for some players to get minutes. But again, when you see the team changes, it’s about thinking of the future also, it’s about a plan for going forward, it’s about seeing if people are ready, it’s about giving opportunities for the ones who may need minutes, who might think they’re not playing. But again, every player that’s in the 22 is a starter. So the squad or the team’s not weakened by the starting 11, because that’s the belief I’ve got in each and every one of my players. There’s no difference. And some might argue when they see the starting 11, it’s stronger than the previous week. So again, that’s where we’re at and that’s why I wanted to build with my staff a young dynamic side. And I think the average age of the starting 11 could be about 22.5, which is the youngest in the club’s history I think. So again, just goes to show where we’ve come.”
Q: You can do absolutely everything you can. But it’s the FA Cup. You need a bit of luck as well, don’t you?
Robbie Savage: “Create your own luck. But I just want my players to showcase what they can do, make their families proud, enjoy it, play with a smile on your face and have a go. And even if in defeat at Carlisle, we’re magnificent. And if we lose against Luton, we’ll be magnificent because I know my players are good at it.”
Q: Robbie, what does the FA Cup mean to you, firstly as a child growing up, watching it on Match of the Day, and then as a player?
Robbie Savage: “Yeah, it means a lot. You know, I don’t think myself and Jack have played in the first round on many occasions. I did when I was at Crewe. So again, for me, it was the third round draw was so exciting. Majority of my career, probably all of Jack’s career, we were playing for the Premier League sides and you were going into a game expecting them to win. Jack will be feeling that now with the draw. For me, as somebody growing up, watching it, was the only game on TV. I remember it. One of the first ones I remember was Man City v Spurs through the first game, and then the second game. I spoke about it numerous times to Glenn Hoddle, who is a good friend of mine. You know, that game when they won in the replay with Ricky Villa worldie. So again, it means an awful lot. Played in a semi-final at the Millennium, missed out on a semi-final at Old Trafford when Chelsea beat Blackburn 2-1, I’d had a broken leg. You know, would have loved to have played in an FA Cup final, played in two League Cup finals at Wembley, the old Wembley.
“I remember watching Grandstand when they used to film the bus and, you know, the whole day, cup final songs. It was great TV. When I walked out Wembley on two occasions at the old Wembley, it was 100,000. That was unbelievable. Never done it in the FA Cup, but you know, I had some great moments.”
Q: And you must obviously remember Wrexham as a boy with Mickey Thomas?
Robbie Savage: Steve Watkin got the winner. Arsenal were top, Wrexham on 92nd, I was there. So again, yeah, I remember it fondly. Mickey Thomas with a free kick, Steve Watkin on the far post, slid and cut it back across the goalkeeper. So I remember it, was a brilliant moment.
Q: What do you say to people that are billing it as the Jack Wilshere vs Robbie Savage match? How do you react to that when you see that in the media?
Robbie Savage: “No, it’s obviously going to be two high-profile people, both with a drive and a determination and an opportunity at two wonderful football clubs to be the best we can be. I’m delighted for Jack, absolutely delighted for him, and he’ll go on to have a wonderful future, I’m sure of it. But there’s more pressure on him than there is me. I’ll put the pressure on my team. But again, I’m really fond of Jack. He was a wonderful player. You know, in COVID times I did a podcast and Jack came on it for me. So again, I’ll see him. I’ll respect him massively. You know, his career was far better than mine and he’s a wonderful person.”
Q: I know you don’t focus too much on the opposition, but are you expecting a Jack Wilshere side to embody an Arsene Wenger Arsenal type of play?
Robbie Savage: “Well, he’s only been in there a few weeks, so I’m sure he’ll be getting his principles, his methodology across to his players, and he’d have watched us. Listen, he knows we’re going to be a threat with our pace. He knows it, everybody knows it, and we’re going to do everything we can to try and then, of course, we’re going to have to suffer at times without the ball. We might have to go into a low block and hurt him in transition. But again, we’re going to press high. We’ve got the most final third regains in the whole of the league as a club and as players, and that’s their willingness and their desire to take things on board and have a go, knowing at 60 minutes he can make five changes.”
Q: Your midfield last Saturday against Boreham Wood were absolutely outstanding. How difficult is it going to be on Friday night to maybe tweak it if you’re going to?
Robbie Savage: “I might not tweak it. Again, I’ve got to look at the balance of the side, I’ve got to look who’s done well, who needs minutes, I’ve got to give people opportunities, I’ve got to know if people can perform under pressure. So there’s lots of things coming into my mind in this game, and this game is the sole focus. So whatever starting 11 I choose will be the starting 11 I think can beat Luton Town. You know, and hopefully, I think we’ve got 300 fans going there, which will be amazing. Our support is incredible for such a small village club. I know people say they haven’t got many fans, which is unfair because of the 6,000 population, to have nearly 3,000 at home, half the population. And they’ll travel. We’ve got a brilliant owner who hopefully will be there coming off holiday to watch his team, a team which he’s proud of.”
Q: Dale Vince this week publicly stated that, in his opinion, you’re the best Forest Green manager during his time. How do you react?
Robbie Savage: “For those words, to hear those words from the owner is brilliant. I think if I can emulate Bob Mursell in the 80s, Frank Gregan, Mark Cooper and latterly Rob Edwards, four brilliant managers of this football club who’ve achieved much more than me, I’ll be doing something right. Those words from Dale mean an awful lot because as a manager, I think I’m a manager of a football club and what we’ve done as a staff is we’ve embraced the fans, we’ve embraced the culture, we’ve put smiles on people’s faces because the club had suffered two relegations and didn’t go up last year. So you’d say the three previous seasons the club has been a little flat. Me and my staff have put smiles on people’s faces and embraced and empowered people. I think Dale now feels like he’s part of his own football club and that’s crucial.”
Q: Your old gaffer, Martin O’Neill, making a comeback at Celtic at the age of 73. Must make you feel quite youthful?
Robbie Savage: “Yeah, I watched him last night. I’m on my A-licence course at the minute. You know, I’m a manager. Martin was a manager. I think there are two different things. Are you a head coach who loves to design sessions, put sessions on, or are you a manager? I’m a manager because most of my managers I played for were managers, you know, who had brilliant coaches with them. And again, I followed Martin’s footsteps. I spoke to him before I got the job. I watched him last night, and I think a young player scored two goals last night and in his interview, he also said ‘I did sky one over the bar.’ Martin builds you up to make you feel like you’re invincible, that you can take on anybody, but then he’ll knock you down as well to stay humble. I remember with me, when I played against Liverpool, we drew 2-2, I got player of the match, and on Match of the Day afterwards, John Motson asked Martin, ‘The boy you got from Crewe, Robbie Savage, today was the best player in the park.’ And he went, ‘Yeah, young Savage,’ he said, ‘but he lacks one thing.’ When John asked what that was, he said, ‘Ability.’ So again, he built me up but then knocked me down. He’s a brilliant guy, lovely man, great family man, and I’m delighted he’s back in the game.”
Q: You’ve clearly got the same boyish enthusiasm for football as he has. I wonder if you’ll be in management when you’re in your mid-seventies?
Robbie Savage: “Oh, wow. I’ve only been in it two years. It’s stressful. It encapsulates your life, but I love it. I want this journey as a manager to last for as long as it can because I’ve got players who make me feel dynamic and young. I’m passionate and I just want to improve them and give them back what I’ve experienced in my career. I must say I love being a football manager. The feats are hard to take, but again, I just love it. When you win as a manager, it beats anything I ever did as a player. It’s incredible, honestly. The feeling you get after a game, because that win is for your staff, your players, their families, the crowd, people behind the scenes. Winning is for everybody, not just yourself. A player at times is very selfish; as long as you’re getting paid, in the team, start at 11, and win a game, you’re happy. As a manager, when you win, it’s for everybody.”
Q: As you go deeper into your management career, how do you view the punditry world?
Robbie Savage: “I never criticised managers when I was a player. Probably early on in my punditry career, yes, but when you listen back, you’ll see I might have criticised managers at a point when I was starting out. But when I got to know managers, and speak to them, which I’ve done for the last 15 years, you don’t know what it’s like. Now I know what it’s like as a player, as an international, as a lower league player, a non-league manager, a non-league player. My last game was at Stockport Town. I know all facets of being involved in football. Nobody can question me if I have an opinion on being a manager, on being a player, on being an international player, coming through an academy. My knowledge of all levels is there for all to see.
“The biggest thing for me is when I see pundits, who have never been a manager criticising managers, you know, they will never know until they’ve walked in the shoes of a manager without pressure what it’s like. And again, It opened my eyes, but I was never one for criticising managers latterly as a pundit, because I never experienced it. And I’m not saying you have to be a manager to give an opinion, of course I’m not. But what I’m saying is until you’ve walked in the shoes of a manager with the pressures and everything, being involved in a manager from above to managing from above to down to the academy to everything, you’ll never know. So again, it does make me laugh when I see pundits who have had unbelievable careers criticising when they’ve never walked in the shoes of a manager.”
“I never criticised managers when I was a player. Probably early on in my punditry career. But if you, know, if you listen back, I might have criticised managers at a point when I was starting out, but when I got to know managers and speak to them, which I’ve done for the last 15 years, knowing what they would say to me, you don’t know what it’s like.
“And now I know what it’s like as a player, a top player in a top league, as an international, a lower league player, a non-league manager, a non-league player. My last game was to Stockport Town. So I know about all facets of being involved in football and nobody can ever question now if I have an opinion on being a manager, on being a player, on being an international player, captain of four Premier League clubs, coming through an academy system, having a son who plays football in the league, who comes through an academy. So again, I think my knowledge of all levels is there for all to see.”
Q: Do you find yourself turning the TV off when Chris Sutton is on?
Robbie Savage: “No, never. I watch everything. I watch everything. And I joke about Chris there. But Chris was a huge supporter of me. He rings me all the time to say I’m doing well. And again, all managers, I’ve spoken to Sean Dyche recently, I spoke to Martin O’Neill, David Moyes. Managers want to help me. I’m like a sponge. I’ve been listening to Glenn Hoddle speak. I ask questions, I do it all my life, I have a good memory of trying to get better myself.”
Q: You’ve clearly got the same boyish enthusiasm for football as Martin O’Neill. I wonder if you’ll be in management when you’re in your 70s?
Robbie Savage: “The biggest thing I can say is that when you win as a manager, it beats anything I ever did as a player. It’s incredible, yeah.
“Honestly, the feeling you get after a game, because that’s your week, you’ve got your staff, you’ve got your players, you’ve got their families, you’ve got the crowd, you’ve got people behind the scenes. When you win and you’ve galvanised the club in the way we have, that win is for everybody, not for yourself. Because a player at times is very selfish. You know, as long as you’re getting paid and you’re in the team and start at 11 and you win a game, you’re happy. You know, if you lose, you’re thinking, will I be in the team next time round?
“You know, as a manager, when you win, it’s for everybody. I’ve won some huge games, Wales, Italy, 75,000 at the Millennium. But winning against Boreham Wood last week, people think he’s only saying that. Winning against Boreham Wood last week as a manager meant more to me than, you know, winning for Wales against Italy at the Millennium.”
Q: I think Friday night’s going to be the first time you’ve pitted your wits against a proper EFL manager. Am I right in thinking that?
Robbie Savage: “Yes, that’s correct. This is different. I didn’t do it with Macclesfield. So in a way, yes, it feels like a personal FA Cup final. But I tell my players, it’s not an FA Cup final for us. It’s a game of football, and if we do everything to maximum capability, we’ll have a chance of winning. That’s the message.”
