Michael Duff Credentials Set To Be Tested

Former Arsenal star Sol Campbell’s Macclesfield Town side travel to Gloucestershire on Saturday knowing that a third win on the spin lifts them above their rivals Cheltenham Town, as the League Two relegation battle heats up.

Cheltenham sit two points and two places above their next opponent and are desperate to end a run of three straight league defeats, having taking the long trip to Carlisle United last time out only to taste defeat.

Robins manager Michael Duff is fighting a relegation battle in his first management gig, however, he thinks it’s not “doom and gloom” yet, but is aware “we know the position we are in.”

The away side come into the match on a good run of form, taking an impressive 14 points from the last 8 matches, and Duff admits while Campbell “raised a few eyebrows” when arriving at the club, he is proving himself as a manager after the Silkmen’s recent upturn in form.

Duff continues: “We’ve got to be better in both boxes, basically. We need to make better decisions with and without the ball in those critical areas of the pitch.

“It’s fine margins, it’s the level we’re at the higher you go the smaller and smaller (they get), you play 95 minutes in the Premier League and it’s decided by one moment.”

On the pressure of a relegation scrap: “The pressure comes from within. The next three or four home games are important but they’re no more important than any of the other home games as well.

“The players will know the importance of those games and hopefully the supporters can come along and show their support too, we’re not interested in anyone else’s points it’s our points that we’re focused on.

“We know that if we win against Macclesfield we go five points ahead of them and if we don’t they go above us, that’s where we’re at. We know where we are, there’s no burying your head in the sand and saying ‘oh, we’ll be alright’ because we need to be better.”

The reverse fixture this season finished 1-1, with goalkeeper Scott Flinders saving a penalty against his former employers.

The result proved to be the last straw for Duff’s predecessor Gary Johnson, who is sacked after picking up 1 point from 4 matches, the same as Macclesfield who also changed their manager.

And that decision proved to be the springboard for Michael Duff’s management career, for a manager whose press conference etiquette is similar of Sean Dyche who he worked with at Burnley, stubborn and straight to the point.

So how has Duff done so far?

Well, according to one of his star players Ryan Broom, Duff is a “very hands-on” coach, unlike Gary Johnson who left at the start of the season, the new boss “wants to spend as much time on the training pitch” and has got the Robins playing an expansive game in recent weeks.

Cheltenham are also at home in the next two matches after this and although they currently have the 2ndworst home record with just 13 points from 13 matches, 11 of those points have come in the last 6 matches, with the 3-1 defeat to Tranmere ending a 5-match unbeaten streak at the Jonny-Rocks.

But with the football his side are playing, Duff is confident he and his side can turn a corner, he says: “Since I’ve come in we’ve never changed what our focus was, but we feel if we can keep the ball and move them around a bit we can cause any team problems.”

Duff’s Cheltenham side have picked up a total of 28 points from his 24 games in charge, and these next few weeks provide the Northern Irishman with a chance to really assert himself at the helm of the club.

Always very assertive in his press conferences, Duff will typically stay tight-lipped after the Macclesfield after the match but he knows it’s a crucial game that could change the course of the season.

This, however, is by far the biggest test in the 41-year-old’s short managerial career. Talking to fans it seems clear to me that the fans ‘trust’ him.

“I believe in him” one fan says, continuing – “we trust him, he’s brought confidence to the players and they’re brave enough now to pass and run with the ball.”

The style of play has improved significantly, but this Saturday, 3 points for the Robins is all that matters to Michael Duff.