Forest Green boss Robbie Savage has made a statement in his backroom by bringing former defender Wayne Hatswell back to the New Lawn.
The hugely experienced coach, known for his set-piece mastery, has agreed a dela until the end of the season, adding a wealth of expertise to Savage’s squad.
He was previously assistant manager at Newport County under Michael Flynn and followed him to Walsall and Swindon. In 2024, he joined the Football Association of Wales as Wales Under-17s manager. He returned to Newport at the start of the season but departed in November.
Listen to Robbie Savage’s unabridged press conference now.
Robbie Savage Q & A – with Ash Loveridge and BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s Steve Kitchen
Q: How has your weekend been since the Wealdstone defeat? I should imagine your head’s been kind of spinning a bit?
Robbie Savage: “Asking myself questions, asking the questions of the group, because I think because of the start we had, we’ve been brilliant. So again, at a point where if you think you’ve got all the answers, then you’ll not do well. So right now we’re in a little bit of a dip, we know that, which we knew would happen. So now it’s about humility, about asking questions, trying to increase your knowledge and trying to find answers.
“How do we get this group, who have been brilliant for me and for the club and for themselves, to get back to where we were at the start of the season, with the expectation of we can win the league. Obviously that’s gone, Rochdale and York are on a different level as it stands, but we’ve got a real chance of Wembley via the play-offs.
“So it’s a tough month starting with Woking. It’s a good side, but I want to be positive, I want to embrace this. As a manager, it’s the first big test I’ve had because I’ve only known success. So again, we as a group need to ask ourselves questions on how we get better.
“I listen to podcasts, you know, the high-performance podcasts. I listen to them all – how to create knowledge and humility to get better. There are some brilliant podcasts out there. And again, as a group, we need to search within ourselves. Find that one or two percent desire, which is probably missing, and go again.”
Q: Finding some of the positives from Saturday, I thought Chibby Nwoko seems to be growing in stature game by game. Have you been happy with his development?
Robbie Savage: “Harry Whitwell – look at his development. Chibby Nwoko, another one. Kanu’s (Abraham) done well for us. All the loans, Jili Buyabu – all the loans have contributed really, really well and had a huge impact for us.
“And that’s what, as a football club, that’s how well we use the loan market because of our contacts. I phoned a Championship manager last night and there’s one player who might be leaving – if that falls through, there’s a chance we could get him as well, who’s a brilliant young player and has played first-team football.
“These are the contacts we have. I speak to managers all the time, as Mark does – whether that’s David Moyes, Sean Dyche – so they know this football club is a great place to send their young players because of how they’re treated.
“Look at Bristol City with Elijah Morrison – he’s done really well. But with young players, sometimes they have to be dipped in and out. They have to be. So we look at everything – how do we get the best out of them mentally and physically? And we’re doing a great job.”
Q: How important is someone like John McMahon by your side? It’s not his first rodeo, is it? He’s known dips, whereas you haven’t.
Savage: “I haven’t, no. Mark Bowen, who’s my mentor here and sporting director, and we all speak. But inevitably when you’re standing in that technical area when results aren’t going forward, it’s a tough place. It’s a tough place.
“But I tell you what, it’s an enjoyable place. And how lucky are we – and I – to be a manager at this football club? That’s what we’ve got to think about and be positive, because we’ve done brilliant.
“And the journey we’re on, we knew there’d be bumps. We knew. But one thing we’ve got to stick to is that journey. When you look at the club in the last three years- two relegations, didn’t go up last year 0 there was such an experienced group. And what people tend to do after a couple of bad results is they want to go back.
“There were a few people saying we need experience, we need balance. But the dynamic we’ve created is the foundation for the club. You never put the roof on first. The foundations we’ve laid -at Macclesfield it took three, four, five years. They beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup and that took turnover of players.
“That’s what we’ve been asked to do here: create a brand-new culture, a new squad. And that’s what we’ve done. Ninety-nine percent of the games, we’ve been brilliant. Saturday wasn’t good enough, but there’s no point having a go at this group because they’ve been brilliant.”
Q: How important was a phone call home on Saturday night, especially being away from family?
Savage: “I was with Dale on Saturday morning doing a podcast with Simon, the local MP, about mental health, loneliness and social media. It was brilliant.
“But my wife knows -if we’ve lost, it’s just a ‘hello’. As a player it was the same. But I’m very fortunate, my players are very fortunate.
“On Saturday I knew about the sad passing of FGR fan Neil Newport, and the applause in the 77th minute was incredible. I always go into the suite where Neil sat, and when I went in, they said, ‘Isn’t it so sad about Neil?’ I didn’t realise it was actually Neil. It broke my heart.
“We’ve lost a game of football. Forest Green and Neil’s family have lost a brilliant person who cared deeply about this club. Neil loved watching this group. This year the smile on his face, the positivity- he said it was a brilliant experience watching this team.
“My condolences go to his family. We need to put in performances for Neil and his friends. Saturday wasn’t good enough, and we know that. We need to put smiles back on our fans’ faces.”
Q: Fans are asking- how do you get the Forest Green from September to November back between February and April?
Savage: “A few players are low in confidence, so I’m the leader and it’s up to me to be positive. But they need to ask themselves questions. When you’ve got all the answers, you may as well give up.
“They’ve proven what they can do. But if you drop off one or two percent, it’s dangerous. We need to give them belief, information, maybe go back to a system we know – 4-2-3-1.
“We’ve been unfortunate with injuries to experienced players, rotation, loans ending, new players coming in. But that’s the task we’ve been set – to lay foundations for the next three or four years, not just the first team but the academy as well.
“It might be a tough month. But it doesn’t take away from what we’re doing as a football club.”
Q: This week will be big for learning about your players’ character, won’t it?
Savage: “It’s always ‘we’. I don’t like managers saying ‘they let me down’. I pick the team. I’m the leader.
“We as a group let the fans down. Have we given the right information? The right instructions? Are they listening? Of course they are – because you don’t go from that good to that poor without something being off.
“But we rebuild and go again. Why be negative? We’re lucky to be in this industry. These players want to get better, want to play in the EFL, want better lives for their families – and that comes with success.”
Q: How important are the fans if Woking come and start fast?
Savage: “Fans will always have opinions, and that’s football. But I’ll be here for the next three or four years. I’ve got a great relationship with Dale and Mark, and we know what we’re doing.
“We don’t come off the path. Whatever happens, this club will be in a brilliant position going forward.”
Q: You’ve added experience to your coaching staff – tell us about that?
Savage: “We’re always looking for fine margins. We’ve brought in Wayne Hatswell as a set-piece coach – solely responsible for for and against.
“We’ve had the most set-pieces in the league but haven’t scored enough, and we conceded again at the weekend. Hats knows the club, has great experience, was Newport’s assistant, and mentored me on my Welsh FA badges.
“He’ll push me, and that’s what I want.”
Q: Are you expecting to lose anyone on deadline day?
Savage: “No. There have been offers for players not in our plans, but they’ve decided to stay. That’s their prerogative.
“I don’t expect anyone who’s part of my plans to leave. We’ve got good players -very good players- and their value has gone up and will continue to rise.”
Q: Are we expecting to see the incoming signing ‘windmill graphic’ go up today?
Savage: “Not so sure. There’s an offer on the table, not accepted or declined yet. If it doesn’t happen, we move on.
“We’ve got six or seven options. We know the position we want to strengthen. Our window doesn’t close until March.”
And a word on Gabe Kircough on Saturday, his full professional debut. I know he came on as a sub previously, but he looked absolutely at home.
Savage: “He reminds me of Jordy (Moore-Taylor), that left foot. Jordy’s probably one of the best passers in the National League and was a real leader for us. Unfortunately, he’s been injured, along with Ryan (Inniss) – that experience we’ve missed.
“But Gabe came in second half and I thought he grew in stature. His passing was brilliant, his desire was excellent. He’ll be disappointed with the goal we conceded -it was his man – but he’ll learn.
“We know he’s going to make mistakes, but it was a hugely positive display. Great lad. I can’t wait for the opportunity, and I was delighted with his performance.”
Q: Having Ricardo Rees back is almost like a new signing again. How delighted are you to have him back, and does that change your thinking in your selection or shape?
Savage: “He’ll play. There’s no doubt about that. And that’s not taking anything away from my forwards because they’ve all done well at times.
“But as a manager, you look for answers. Ricardo can play as a one or a two. And when you look at it, most of his chances haven’t come because we’ve played a two- they’ve come from wide areas, from Kyle slipping him through, crosses, instincts, Mendy, long balls.
“So his goals haven’t been because of the system – they’ve been because of him. We’ll look at how to get the best out of him and the group and try to win a game of football.
“But let’s be excited. Let’s be positive. Regardless of the result, even if I’m standing there at full-time in defeat, the journey continues because we’re very, very lucky to have alignment with senior people and we know where we’re going as a group.”
Q: You seem to have your mojo back after Saturday?
Savage: “I am positive, because we can look back and reflect, but we’re very fortunate. Life’s precious – life’s precious.
“While we’re here, let’s give everything. You’ve got one go at life. And I’ve realised it’s a game of football. I’m passionate, of course I want to win, but when you see devastating things happening to great people, it puts it into perspective.
“I’ve got a great family, great people around me. What’s the worst that can happen? We lose a game of football. I’m very lucky. And we go again.”
