Chris Hutchings relieved to keep job
Thursday 23rd December 2010, 9:55AM GMT.
Walsall boss Chris Hutchings has admitted he feels “thankful” to still be in a job after the Saddlers’ disastrous season so far.
The manager has come under fire as the second-bottom Saddlers battle relegation from League One, but hailed chairman Jeff Bonser for his support.
Bonser has remained silent on the club’s troubles despite calls for him to talk about the management duo he labelled his ‘best ever.’
Both the manager and assistant Martin O’Connor have always insisted Bonser never puts them under undue pressure but, for the first time, Hutchings has admitted how precarious his position has been.
He said: “The chairman is a strong man and we are thankful to still be in the job, because things haven’t gone so well for us.
“He knows we’re working extremely hard off the pitch and the foundations of the club are being run right, not only on the football side of things but their side of things. It’s run in the black.
“I’ve had massive support which you need at clubs. Not everyone can have good times.
“You are going to go through bad times.”
A series of high-profile sackings in the Premier League highlighted the erratic nature of owners and Hutchings is pleased Bonser hasn’t been as cavalier as some of his top-flight peers.
The manager said: “It’s fickle at times, you look at Sam Allardyce and Chris Hughton and it’s the nature of the game, unfortunately. Too many people get a little bit trigger-happy.
“The tenure is about 14 months in the Premier League which isn’t long enough to try and establish something.
“In League Two it’s about 11 months.”
The Saddlers are due to go to relegation rivals Bristol Rovers – who sacked boss Paul Trollope last week – on Boxing Day depending on the weather and Hutchings believes dismissing managers isn’t always the right decision.
He said: “People think change is a good thing but obviously it doesn’t always work like that.
“You have to give people time to do what they want under the constraints they might be under.”
UK Sport
Latest Blog — A week is a long time in football
This time last week we were staring down the barrel, third from bottom with a worse record than at the same stage last year, writes Saddlers blogger Mark Jones.
Saddlers Blog
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Chris Hutchings,,you fraggle,,this is not a nice christmas gift for us walsall fans barhumbug, groundhog day springs to mind
Report abuse
You may be thankful Chris but Saddlers fans are wondering why despite being clearly rubbish at your job you still keep it?
If you had any integrity you would have walked but you clearly haven’t so cling on hoping that Mr Bonser will eventually pay you off.
All i want for Xmas is you gone! Unfortunately we can’t all get what we want!
Report abuse
Thankful? THANKFUL? He must be shocked more than being glued to a 24,000 volt electric cable because I know I am.
I would really like to think that at the beginning of April 2011, we will all of forgotten our disasterous start to the season and be thankful we finished mid-table.
I would also like to think that we will be preparing for a promotion push on 2011/2 that will see us climb back into the Championship where we belong
I would also like to think I can stop drinking at lunchtimes and believing such tripe.
Report abuse
Hutching you are a disgrace to walsall to football to management.
Between You and JB you have managed to bring this great club down to a pitiful mess.
As football managers go, you are the most clueless.
It will be one hell of a party the day you go.
Report abuse
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL SADDLERS!
Report abuse
Hutchings said “Its run in the black”
Yet more tripe.
If the powers that be keep spouting this drivel, does this prove that some naive people will eventually start to believe it? I dont call numerous directors loans meaning we are “in the black”
This club is in its worse state EVER, and i know who exactly is to blame
Report abuse
It all depends on whether we can build on the great win at Charlton.
If we can, then we go on to better things.
If not then I’m afraid the current duo will have to be on their bikes.
Personally I hope we can build as we need stability.
Remember that Sir Alex was on the brink for a while and then it all came very very good.
Report abuse
The difference is that Sir Alex was an incredibly good manager with a phenomenal track record at Aberdeen – he was clearly worth sticking with.
What’s the point sticking by a manager who is no good in the first place?
Hutchings needs to go and the sooner we get rid of the current board the better.
Merry Xmas Everybody
Report abuse