NP feature article in the Mail

[Jerseybean]

As per the title:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9868037/Bristol-City-boss-Nigel-Pearson-fresh-perspective-tough-time-away-football.html

 

[ExiledAjax]

 

7 minutes ago, Jerseybean said:

As per the title:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9868037/Bristol-City-boss-Nigel-Pearson-fresh-perspective-tough-time-away-football.html

Thanks. Copied out below for those who don't want to visit/cannot view the site. The lack of paragraphs is the fault of the Mail's "journalist" and not mine I'd hasten to add!

Headline: Covid-19 left him with arthritis and his mum died before Watford brutally sacked him but Nigel Pearson has learned to roll with life's punches… Now the ex-Leicester boss is fully focused on getting Bristol City into the Premier League

Two Buddha quotes hang on the wall of Nigel Pearson's office at Bristol City's training ground. A bonsai tree sits on a table beside a grey sofa.

One of the sayings etched on a piece of slate catches the attention. 'Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.'

It's about the importance of letting things go, says Pearson. 'If you just hold on to that bitterness, the only person that's going to damage is you. That's dangerous. That's really dangerous.'

He's learned this over the years, through his experiences and his mistakes. In the past, perhaps, he was less capable of doing it.

Pearson does not yet exude the kind of zen-like tranquillity that you expect him, surrounded by bonsais and Buddhism, to sit cross-legged in yoga pants, but you cannot help but sense a more relaxed outlook on life.

And much has happened in the last two years that Pearson could be forgiven of struggling to relinquish.

It's just over a year since Pearson was sacked by Watford with just two Premier League games to go, having taken them from bottom of the table to within spitting distance of survival. 

His mum died after a sudden fall that January. He also contracted Covid-19, the effects of which were so extensive and lasting that he now suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and, at one stage, was so short of energy that he was unable to get out of bed.

'I think it makes you question your mortality and puts things into perspective,' says Pearson. 

He's better now. He still has flare-ups and he's struggling with his shoulder as we speak but he is, as he puts it, 'back in work mode' at Bristol and ready to do what he does best: build a team and, to do that, to build a culture.

It's what he's best at. It's what he did at Leicester, building the foundations on which Claudio Ranieri's side won the Premier League.

Pearson took over at Bristol City in February and, after a few early wins, the results at the end of the season were not great. No wins in their last 10. Seven defeats. 'Not great? They were crap. They were bloody awful!'

Yet still he felt there was potential. The club's billionaire owner Stephen Lansdown and his son, the chairman, Jon Lansdown, have invested heavily in the infrastructure. 

They believe in Pearson, too, and the 57-year-old signed a three-year contract in the summer.

We're sitting inside the stunning multi-million-pound high performance centre, which opened in March. 

It boasts an anti-gravity recovery booth, gym, cryotherapy chambers, floodlit pitches. 

It's a sign of where they want the club to go. The last time Bristol City were in the top flight was 1980.

That's the aim, says Pearson, ahead of the Championship season getting underway on Friday.

'We want to get into the Premier League, but that doesn't happen overnight,' says Pearson. 

'It's not necessarily going to be an easy job, but I think it's possible and I'd like to be a part of it.'

But it's going to take a hell of a rebuild. After a defeat to Coventry last season, Pearson made it clear there were 'too many individuals with very low personal motivation'.  

That, for anyone who knows Pearson or has followed his clubs, will never be good enough.

He let 14 players go over the summer, a combination of expired contracts and players returning to their parent clubs. A host of players were out injured last season too.

'The culture here needed the change,' he says. You walk around the building here and there has to be a feeling that people belong, have an opinion, have a voice. 

'It's got to be a positive workplace. And I just felt there were different fractions [I suspect this is a typo and should read "factions"] in the dressing room, as there probably were in the staff as well.

'If people are pulling in different directions, and we did have elements of that, all it can do is create cracks for the weaker-minded people who want an excuse to find an excuse. 

'That's not conducive to succeeding. That's a blame culture, which is very difficult just to survive in, never mind succeeding.'

To help do that, he's brought in people he knows, people he trusts. There's a bit of a Leicester reunion going on. 

He's re-signed Danny Simpson and brought in Matty James and Andy King. All three were with him at Leicester, all three know what it takes to succeed. 

He's hired Dave Rennie, his former physio at Leicester, as well as bringing his ex-Middlesbrough team-mate Curtis Fleming on to the coaching staff.

On top of that, Pearson has signed Rob Atkinson from Oxford United. Defender Nathan Baker has signed a new contract. 

Pearson doesn't think there will be more signings, unless a player is sold to fund it. But he's happy with a smaller, tighter squad. Pearson wants them to drive their own culture.

An A4 piece of paper sticks to the door of the dressing room that lists the team fines. It's £25 if a player leaves his locker in a mess or goes into the shower without wearing flip-flops. 

Phone goes off in a meeting, double it. All the way up to a £1000 for missing the Christmas party without good reason.

Yet printed at the bottom in capital letters is one overarching caveat 'the gaffer reserves the right to fine anyone, any sum, at his discretion'. It's clear who's in charge.

Pearson has still found time to discover his place to escape with nature. He does wherever he is. 

This time, it's the Mendip Hills, a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath. He's been a few times, uncovered some cycle routes.

At his new house in Bristol, he's still waiting for his satellite television and wifi to be installed, so he's been stuck watching Sherlock Holmes DVDs.

Pearson took his players on a camp to Loughborough University last month, which included a walk up Beacon Hill, one of the highest points in Leicestershire with stunning views of the county. They played cricket, though Pearson's shoulder ruled him out of action.

He loves his cricket. He's seen a bit of The Hundred. 'I don't mind it, to be fair. I am still a purist, I love Test cricket. I just think a way of getting people to watch it cricket is a good thing.'

Pearson continues, as ever, to surprise. At one point during the interview, he gets out his phone and shows a picture that he sent to his friend and former colleague Craig Shakespeare after a recent night out. 

It shows Pearson stood pointing up at the sign for The Ostrich pub in Bristol, a reference to his infamous post-match rant at a journalist.

He's keeping focused on letting things go. After the few years he has, can you blame him. Pearson also lost his sister-in-law to cancer a few weeks ago.

Yet out of the darkness, a glinting light of the future has emerged. Pearson recently became a grandfather for the first time after his daughter Hannah gave birth to Isabella.

He's not a grandad, though. He's a Poppa. 'My daughter always called me Pops so it was a natural progression. Yeah, I'm Poppa. It's brilliant.' His smile spreads.

Will that change him even more? 'It will probably make me into a bigger softie than I already am!'

Jesus wept copying and pasting that was torture. 

[Jerseybean]

2 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

 

Thanks. Copied out below for those who don't want to visit/cannot view the site. The lack of paragraphs is the fault of the Mail's "journalist" and not mine I'd hasten to add!

Headline: Covid-19 left him with arthritis and his mum died before Watford brutally sacked him but Nigel Pearson has learned to roll with life's punches… Now the ex-Leicester boss is fully focused on getting Bristol City into the Premier League

Two Buddha quotes hang on the wall of Nigel Pearson's office at Bristol City's training ground. A bonsai tree sits on a table beside a grey sofa.

One of the sayings etched on a piece of slate catches the attention. 'Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.'

It's about the importance of letting things go, says Pearson. 'If you just hold on to that bitterness, the only person that's going to damage is you. That's dangerous. That's really dangerous.'

He's learned this over the years, through his experiences and his mistakes. In the past, perhaps, he was less capable of doing it.

Pearson does not yet exude the kind of zen-like tranquillity that you expect him, surrounded by bonsais and Buddhism, to sit cross-legged in yoga pants, but you cannot help but sense a more relaxed outlook on life.

And much has happened in the last two years that Pearson could be forgiven of struggling to relinquish.

It's just over a year since Pearson was sacked by Watford with just two Premier League games to go, having taken them from bottom of the table to within spitting distance of survival. 

His mum died after a sudden fall that January. He also contracted Covid-19, the effects of which were so extensive and lasting that he now suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and, at one stage, was so short of energy that he was unable to get out of bed.

'I think it makes you question your mortality and puts things into perspective,' says Pearson. 

He's better now. He still has flare-ups and he's struggling with his shoulder as we speak but he is, as he puts it, 'back in work mode' at Bristol and ready to do what he does best: build a team and, to do that, to build a culture.

It's what he's best at. It's what he did at Leicester, building the foundations on which Claudio Ranieri's side won the Premier League.

Pearson took over at Bristol City in February and, after a few early wins, the results at the end of the season were not great. No wins in their last 10. Seven defeats. 'Not great? They were crap. They were bloody awful!'

Yet still he felt there was potential. The club's billionaire owner Stephen Lansdown and his son, the chairman, Jon Lansdown, have invested heavily in the infrastructure. 

They believe in Pearson, too, and the 57-year-old signed a three-year contract in the summer.

We're sitting inside the stunning multi-million-pound high performance centre, which opened in March. 

It boasts an anti-gravity recovery booth, gym, cryotherapy chambers, floodlit pitches. 

It's a sign of where they want the club to go. The last time Bristol City were in the top flight was 1980.

That's the aim, says Pearson, ahead of the Championship season getting underway on Friday.

'We want to get into the Premier League, but that doesn't happen overnight,' says Pearson. 

'It's not necessarily going to be an easy job, but I think it's possible and I'd like to be a part of it.'

But it's going to take a hell of a rebuild. After a defeat to Coventry last season, Pearson made it clear there were 'too many individuals with very low personal motivation'.  

That, for anyone who knows Pearson or has followed his clubs, will never be good enough.

He let 14 players go over the summer, a combination of expired contracts and players returning to their parent clubs. A host of players were out injured last season too.

'The culture here needed the change,' he says. You walk around the building here and there has to be a feeling that people belong, have an opinion, have a voice. 

'It's got to be a positive workplace. And I just felt there were different fractions in the dressing room, as there probably were in the staff as well.

'If people are pulling in different directions, and we did have elements of that, all it can do is create cracks for the weaker-minded people who want an excuse to find an excuse. 

'That's not conducive to succeeding. That's a blame culture, which is very difficult just to survive in, never mind succeeding.'

To help do that, he's brought in people he knows, people he trusts. There's a bit of a Leicester reunion going on. 

He's re-signed Danny Simpson and brought in Matty James and Andy King. All three were with him at Leicester, all three know what it takes to succeed. 

He's hired Dave Rennie, his former physio at Leicester, as well as bringing his ex-Middlesbrough team-mate Curtis Fleming on to the coaching staff.

On top of that, Pearson has signed Rob Atkinson from Oxford United. Defender Nathan Baker has signed a new contract. 

Pearson doesn't think there will be more signings, unless a player is sold to fund it. But he's happy with a smaller, tighter squad. Pearson wants them to drive their own culture.

An A4 piece of paper sticks to the door of the dressing room that lists the team fines. It's £25 if a player leaves his locker in a mess or goes into the shower without wearing flip-flops. 

Phone goes off in a meeting, double it. All the way up to a £1000 for missing the Christmas party without good reason.

Yet printed at the bottom in capital letters is one overarching caveat 'the gaffer reserves the right to fine anyone, any sum, at his discretion'. It's clear who's in charge.

Pearson has still found time to discover his place to escape with nature. He does wherever he is. 

This time, it's the Mendip Hills, a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath. He's been a few times, uncovered some cycle routes.

At his new house in Bristol, he's still waiting for his satellite television and wifi to be installed, so he's been stuck watching Sherlock Holmes DVDs.

Pearson took his players on a camp to Loughborough University last month, which included a walk up Beacon Hill, one of the highest points in Leicestershire with stunning views of the county. They played cricket, though Pearson's shoulder ruled him out of action.

He loves his cricket. He's seen a bit of The Hundred. 'I don't mind it, to be fair. I am still a purist, I love Test cricket. I just think a way of getting people to watch it cricket is a good thing.'

Pearson continues, as ever, to surprise. At one point during the interview, he gets out his phone and shows a picture that he sent to his friend and former colleague Craig Shakespeare after a recent night out. 

It shows Pearson stood pointing up at the sign for The Ostrich pub in Bristol, a reference to his infamous post-match rant at a journalist.

He's keeping focused on letting things go. After the few years he has, can you blame him. Pearson also lost his sister-in-law to cancer a few weeks ago.

Yet out of the darkness, a glinting light of the future has emerged. Pearson recently became a grandfather for the first time after his daughter Hannah gave birth to Isabella.

He's not a grandad, though. He's a Poppa. 'My daughter always called me Pops so it was a natural progression. Yeah, I'm Poppa. It's brilliant.' His smile spreads.

Will that change him even more? 'It will probably make me into a bigger softie than I already am!'

Jesus wept copying and pasting that was torture. 

Thanks for copying I love the ‘Not great? They were crap, bloody awful’ quote and that the manager has the discretion to fine anyone, at anytime for anything! 

[ExiledAjax]

1 minute ago, Jerseybean said:

Thanks for copying I love the ‘Not great? They were crap, bloody awful’ quote and that the manager has the discretion to fine anyone, at anytime for anything! 

Yeh, as ever in national press articles there's not too much new for those of us who follow City closely. However, I found the bit below about culture interesting. Seems to confirm that the squad last season where taking advantage of the "fantastic human" in charge. Interesting mention of factions amongst the staff as well as players.

'The culture here needed the change,' he says. You walk around the building here and there has to be a feeling that people belong, have an opinion, have a voice. It's got to be a positive workplace. And I just felt there were different factions in the dressing room, as there probably were in the staff as well. If people are pulling in different directions, and we did have elements of that, all it can do is create cracks for the weaker-minded people who want an excuse to find an excuse. That's not conducive to succeeding. That's a blame culture, which is very difficult just to survive in, never mind succeeding.'

[Merrick's Marvels]

Basil Rathbone or Benedict Cumberbatch? 

[Major Isewater]

14 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Basil Rathbone or Benedict Cumberbatch? 

Rudolph ? 

[Red Skin]

Gregor needs to shadow that journalist for a week.  Obviously asked the kind of questions to get the most from NP. 

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

[Phileas Fogg]

Really good interview. Thanks for sharing. 

[chinapig]

33 minutes ago, Red Skin said:

Gregor needs to shadow that journalist for a week.  Obviously asked the kind of questions to get the most from NP. 

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

Big difference between an in depth , one to one interview like this and having to phrase the same questions about injuries, team selection and so on every week.

You certainly wouldn't ask Nigel about his private life in a pre-match press conference after all.

[Lanterne Rouge]

1 hour ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Basil Rathbone or Benedict Cumberbatch? 

Jeremy Brett if he`s half the man I think he is.

[spudski]

Always wondered what the biggest fine was asked of a player at the managers demand.

How does that work with a contract?

What if it's a massive fine in the thousands and a players says ' **** off'...

 

[bcfc01]

41 minutes ago, spudski said:

Always wondered what the biggest fine was asked of a player at the managers demand.

How does that work with a contract?

What if it's a massive fine in the thousands and a players says ' **** off'...

 

I'm not sure you understand the concept.

It won't be entirely monetary.

[maxjak]

Daily "Pheckin"" Mail.....surely one of the worst newspapers on the market?  Unless your a vicar's wife from Windsor?   Get a grip  Nige?  

[WessexPest]

2 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

Yeh, as ever in national press articles there's not too much new for those of us who follow City closely. However, I found the bit below about culture interesting. Seems to confirm that the squad last season where taking advantage of the "fantastic human" in charge. Interesting mention of factions amongst the staff as well as players.

'The culture here needed the change,' he says. You walk around the building here and there has to be a feeling that people belong, have an opinion, have a voice. It's got to be a positive workplace. And I just felt there were different factions in the dressing room, as there probably were in the staff as well. If people are pulling in different directions, and we did have elements of that, all it can do is create cracks for the weaker-minded people who want an excuse to find an excuse. That's not conducive to succeeding. That's a blame culture, which is very difficult just to survive in, never mind succeeding.'

Still can’t believe that it was thought at the time Dean Holden was the right man for the job after the departure of the man he was essentially a package deal with.

Sounds like NP has been extremely busy this summer repairing all the damage that was done, and the damage really stemmed from that ridiculous appointment.

[spudski]

21 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

I'm not sure you understand the concept.

It won't be entirely monetary.

I understand it completely...I just wonder the legal implications if a player refuses.

I've played with fines...it's excepted.

However if it got difficult between a player and manager, I can't see how it could be implemented unless stated in contract.

[Merrick's Marvels]

2 hours ago, Red Skin said:

Gregor needs to shadow that journalist for a week.  Obviously asked the kind of questions to get the most from NP. 

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

You just wait, MacGregory's first question to Pearson next time:

"So who's your favourite Sherlock then, Nigel?" 

[Betty Swallocks]

2 minutes ago, spudski said:

I understand it completely...I just wonder the legal implications if a player refuses.

I've played with fines...it's excepted.

However if it got difficult between a player and manager, I can't see how it could be implemented unless stated in contract.

Doesn’t player decided fines just go towards the Christmas or end of season do anyway? 

[spudski]

3 minutes ago, Betty Swallocks said:

Doesn’t player decided fines just go towards the Christmas or end of season do anyway? 

Depends on the manager. Some put it to charity.

[Red Army 87]

17 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

You just wait, MacGregory's first question to Pearson next time:

"So who's your favourite Sherlock then, Nigel?" 

It will be more like - “so you like Sherlock, Nigel?” ….. “yes”

[Simon79]

2 hours ago, chinapig said:

Big difference between an in depth , one to one interview like this and having to phrase the same questions about injuries, team selection and so on every week.

You certainly wouldn't ask Nigel about his private life in a pre-match press conference after all.

Believe it has been tried at some point & I’m sure it got the response “ none of your business “. But was a good read, although a few redone bits that most of us would already of read. Great to here he’s got himself a place & is getting out & about. COYR 

[petehinton]

Class pub. Class anecdote 

[ScottishRed]

1 hour ago, spudski said:

I understand it completely...I just wonder the legal implications if a player refuses.

I've played with fines...it's excepted.

However if it got difficult between a player and manager, I can't see how it could be implemented unless stated in contract.

Of course it will be covered in the contracts.

[spudski]

Just now, ScottishRed said:

Of course it will be covered in the contracts.

Interesting...

[Betty Swallocks]

1 hour ago, spudski said:

Depends on the manager. Some put it to charity.

I like the sound of that to be fair. 

[pongo88]

4 hours ago, Red Skin said:

Gregor needs to shadow that journalist for a week.  Obviously asked the kind of questions to get the most from NP. 

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

 

3 hours ago, chinapig said:

Big difference between an in depth , one to one interview like this and having to phrase the same questions about injuries, team selection and so on every week.

You certainly wouldn't ask Nigel about his private life in a pre-match press conference after all.

Good point by @chinapig. NP, for whatever reasons, wanted to give this type of interview to the Daily Mail. In his usual pre and post match interviews he goes out of his way to be Mr Grumpy. It’s not Gregor McG’s fault as NP is the same with every reporter 

[ExiledAjax]

1 hour ago, spudski said:

I understand it completely...I just wonder the legal implications if a player refuses.

I've played with fines...it's excepted.

However if it got difficult between a player and manager, I can't see how it could be implemented unless stated in contract.

 

37 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

Of course it will be covered in the contracts.

I'd expect it's not expressly set out in the contracts. There is unlikely to be a list of fines set in the contract that corresponds to the list of fines pinned up in the dressing room. If that was the case the everytime the list in the dressing room was changed you'd have to update every player contract. More likely is that the contracts either refer generally to "such fines as may from time to time be imposed upon you by the manager/head coach" or there's a reference to a "player handbook/code/manual" being incorporated into the contract. It's then in that handbook/code/manual that the fines are referenced. 

Similar to how most large employers will have basic contracts, that will say "we can fire you for gross misconduct" and then an employee code of conduct that sets out exactly what "gross misconduct" is.

I'm speculating entirely as I've never seen a Bristol City FC player contract, but based on drafting many high level employment contracts in my time, this is how I would do it.

[maxjak]

4 hours ago, Red Skin said:

Gregor needs to shadow that journalist for a week.  Obviously asked the kind of questions to get the most from NP. 

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

Yep........ I am certain that Gregor dreams of the day when he can access such insightful journalistic gems as.....'Yeah I'm Poppa, it's Brilliant.  His smile spreads"       Gregor might just as well have shadowed Barbara Cartland?   (If the poor old biddy hadn't already of shuffled off this mortal coil)  ............still there's always Danielle Steele?

[!james]

15 minutes ago, pongo88 said:

 

Good point by @chinapig. NP, for whatever reasons, wanted to give this type of interview to the Daily Mail. In his usual pre and post match interviews he goes out of his way to be Mr Grumpy. It’s not Gregor McG’s fault as NP is the same with every reporter 

Just for background the interviewer James Sharpe's twitter bio says he was previously the lead Leicester City correspondent for the Leicester Mercury and from his recent tweets they obviously know each other well. 

[Red Skin]

1 hour ago, !james said:

Just for background the interviewer James Sharpe's twitter bio says he was previously the lead Leicester City correspondent for the Leicester Mercury and from his recent tweets they obviously know each other well. 

Ah, that explains a lot.   Maybe NP and Gregor will be pals too then.   Just playing hard to get right now.