Michael Duff admitted the chance to succeed Sean Dyche at former club Burnley would be the ideal job if he was to leave Cheltenham Town.
The Cheltenham boss, who played and coached both the U18’s and U23’s at Burnley, said: ‘I wouldn’t mind going to Burnley as my next move and then retire, I’d be quite happy only having two clubs for the rest of my career’.
The move from the Jonny-Rocks stadium to Turf Moor would replicate the path of his playing career and Duff was keen to stress the attachment he has for his current and previous employers.
He expressed: ‘I’ve got a close affiliation with the club (Cheltenham Town) that I won’t get anywhere else other than maybe one (Burnley)’.
The manager also made it known that the results of Cheltenham and Burnley were the only ones that concern him.
Duff’s desire to manage at the top level is hardly surprising given as a player he became the first footballer to compete in each of the top eight tiers of the English football pyramid.
Having enjoyed promotion as a player at Cheltenham Town, Duff is eager to taste success as a manger and even more so having narrowly missed out last season, losing in the play-offs.
Cheltenham Town blew a 2-0 1st leg lead against Northampton Town in last years play-off semi finals. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53063401
The signings of Andy Williams, Matty Blair and Liam Sercombe, all players who have experienced football in League One is indicative of the intent of both the club and the manager to add more quality to the squad.
The former Northern Ireland international made it clear that improvement was not merely a wish but a must.
He expressed: ‘I need to leave the football club in a better place than it was when I got here’.
Duff alluded to the fact that the drive to succeed at Cheltenham was not solely football related.
Having married a local, bought a house and created a family in the town Duff has no plans to leave, irrespective of whether he is no longer in charge at the football club.
Duff confessed that his family situation certainly brought ‘added pressures’ to the role but the implication was that if anything this would only make him more determined.
Hard work is something that Duff demands from his players and something he feels is the only way that Cheltenham, a relatively poor club in comparison to the likes of Salford City, will be able to compete at the top of the table.
Duff felt the industry of his players was the catalyst for their fabulous run last season which saw them win 7 out of 8 games and draw the other prior to the lockdown.
When asked about the key to replicating the form shown before the premature end Duff remarked ‘You have to be prepared to do the hard yards again’.
If Duff is able to get his players to reproduce that form and inspire them to go one better and get promoted, it may be not be too long before we see Duff at the top level and maybe even in the Burnley dugout.
The Robins travel to Leyton Orient this weekend and will be eager to resume their league campaign after having had their game against Grimsby Town last Saturday postponed due to Covid precautions.
Cheltenham have enjoyed a mixed start to the league season, losing and winning one game in their opening two fixtures.
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Archie Connolly Sport 