Howard Wilkinson Quotations

The chairmen of the largest companies in the world can cancel an appointment or move a board meeting; a manager cannot change the date of a game. In the combined 42 years that Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have managed in English football, I can only remember one occasion when Sir Alex did not attend a Manchester United game.

Gary Speed was honourable, trustworthy and a joy to manage. He was honest, he was a role model and he was a great bloke. An avid learner, he recognised responsibility and he was always fully committed.

Managers are obsessed with the game. It's very, very difficult, if not impossible, to live a balanced lifestyle.

I am a firm believer that if you score one goal the other team have to score two to win.

You can go to the pictures or read a book, but football constantly comes back into your mind. It's not a job, it's a life. It takes up your time, thoughts and energy and it can damage relationships with those around you.

My point of view as chairman of the League Managers' Association is we would hope that English contenders for the position have got more than a head start.

I think it would be a popular decision, but I don't think in the long term it's a good decision for what's best for England and English football. I think in the long term it sends out the wrong message from the Football Association to English coaches and the ramifications will be seen in the years ahead.

We are seeking a development that is better suited to an existing semi-rural neighborhood and in keeping with that. No one is saying there should be no development, but that development should be in keeping with the surrounding neighborhood.

We have drawn a line under it. Our position on the matter is that the unfortunate incident is now finished and that of prime importance is England's success next summer. The LMA, and all our managers, will be doing our best to support the England team and the FA in pursuit of success in the World Cup.

Things are tightening up a lot here. Wherever the race is, it's within the margin of error. This is now a much tighter race now.

I relish the challenge ahead here at Sunderland. It is clear to me that this is a club with a proud tradition, huge and faithful support and in the Stadium of Light and academy, facilities that will be second to none.

It's like being on Death Row in an American jail. You are waiting for the door handle to turn, not knowing whether it's a reprieve or just your final breakfast before being executed.

I think if they hadn't scored, we might have got a better result.

I'm a firm believer that if the other side scores first, you have to score twice to win.

Once Tony Daley opens his legs you've got a problem.

Zinedine Zidane could be a champion sumo wrestler. He can run like a crab or a gazelle.

If you hire people who are smarter than you, maybe you are showing that you are a little bit smarter than them.

If they hadn't scored, we would've won.

As one door closes, another one shuts.

There’s only two types of manager. Those who’ve been sacked and those who will be sacked in then future

The list of future England managers should not be left until one day after the current manager has disappeared. All of a sudden everyone's in panic, running round all over the place, sometimes not quite sure of what the credentials for the job are. It gets the next bloke off on a bad foot, and that is why the process should be more streamlined and easier than this - certainly it should be quicker.