“The dog wags his tail when we lose” – Duff on his close family unit

The life of a football manager is undoubtedly a lonely one.   Always in the firing line when results go against your team you often find yourself in the position that when your side wins the plaudits don’t come back at you in equal measure.

You are also at the mercy of, at times, the whim of the players with the phrase “lost the dressing room” often cited as a reason for the need for managerial change after a bad run of results.

It makes you wonder why anybody would actually take the job on in the first place but plenty do.  Of course the balance of pay outs when contracts are terminated (which they almost inevitably are) or for those that are deemed to be a success there is a new job, bigger salaries and bigger termination clauses.   It is a role often seem to reward failure with sackings often followed by new jobs even with better terms.   A job like no other it seems.

It is little wonder then that the families of football managers are often needed to provide the support at the end of a day where an argument with a player may be the least of your worries if you coupled it with people shouting for your removal – either at a ground during a match or in an endless discussion on social media.   It’s hard not to at least have some sympathy for a manager at some stage even if they are leading your side towards a relegation zone.

As Michael Duff reflected on the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday yesterday he talked about the family unit that he has behind him and the loyalty of the family pet that helps him put bad days at the office behind him when he returns home.

“I have a box and it’s full every week”, he said after the game.

“My mum and dad, my wife’s mum and dad, my wife and my two kids come to every game and we had a few extras there today as well.

“I am a lucky man. I have a very supportive family and I have a loyal dog. When we have got beat the dog always wags her tail when I come home.

“I am privileged to manage the football club. It’s been difficult – you always want to hit the ground running. But you just keep working.”

Duff had also revealed ahead of the game that his mother-in-law had told him that last week’s defeat to Cardiff was “below par” showing that no matter what the family unit behind you is you are still not immune to criticism from those quarters at the end of any game.

But for today it will be a happy Duff household that looks back on the game yesterday.   Or a relieved household anyway!