claretburns wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:27 am
Not much said about his playing career at Burnley, focused his playing career at Nottm Forest with Clough (some great stories).
For his management career, when at Sheff Wed, he was struggling with money from the chairman so did a deal with Roy Keane at Sunderland for a player where Roy/Sunderland agreed to pay some of the player wages but said to Laws I expect a favour back in future.
Fast forward to Burnley, Keane, now at Ipswich, called Laws and said I want your left back, Laws replied stating Fox was injured and the only fit senior left back was Stephen Jordan so I can't do it, Keane not caring said I want Jordan I did you a favour I expect one back, Laws refused, Keane put phone down and the next game they played against each other Laws brought it up and Keane said "Favour for a favour, absolute disgrace" and never spoke to him again.
Brendan Flood "ran" Burnley, tried appointing Laws before Coyle and offered Sheff Wed £400,000 for him.
Coyle left for Bolton, Brendan rang Laws and asked for a chat, due to us being Premier League and having to overachieve with our budget, Laws apparently had the best pound for point ratio in Championship when at Sheff Wed and this is what attracted us to Laws.
A very tough job at Burnley, played Sunderland away and Bruce asked Laws his budget, Laws said £14,000,000, and Bruce laughed saying "you have no chance, I have £39,000,000 at Sunderland and we're bottom 3, you have no chance with Burnley".
Players were extremely hurt that Coyle had left and had the confidence/belief sucked out of them after Coyle left.
The board wouldn't increase the budget because "We have beaten Man Utd at home so we have a team to survive, you don't need anymore money". (That quote was from Brendan Flood).
Had a massive mental fight with the players who wanted to play open similar to Coyle but Laws wanted to tighten the team up and be more defensive and players wouldn't do it and so it was somewhere inbetween and a mismatch.
Fans loved the attacking football but didn't like the style under Laws and that is why we turned on him.
Chairman and board didn't want to rip the team apart for Premier League and wanted to stay loyal to the players who got us promoted, Laws didn't win over the players apart from 3 or 4.
Kevin McDonald had a nightmare first half v Man City, brought him off at half time, Laws presumes he has gone into the stands and gets told he has gone the pub to see his dad. Outside looking in the damage this did was show that the players didn't respect Laws.
Defining game was Wigan away, 0-0 we had a chance hit the side netting, they go up other end and score and we lose 1-0. If we had beaten Wigan we'd have survived.
Back in Championship team has been rebuilt and fans back on board with Laws, we went to Barnsley and won, Laws walking to tunnel towards the Burnley fans and all fans booing and shouting obscenities. Text from chairman, "Great result, we're all behind you". Play Scunthorpe and lose and he is sacked, Laws reply was "Chairman you do realise we haven't lost two games in a row this season?" Chairman, "No, but we have made our decision".
Just felt that the manager who followed Coyle was not going to have a good time and would struggle.