A lot of your players like to play golf. Are you a fan? I love golf. I started playing when I was 12 years-old in Ayrshire. My dad was a keen golfer and I used to play behind him. I'd whack the ball about 50 yards and my dad said once I started whacking the ball over his head it was time to join in! So I was probably about 14 when that happened. When I was a player I had more spare time and it used to be good at Ipswich because there was about 12 of us who were all keen on golf and usually on a Wednesday morning or afternoon, we'd go round all the courses in Suffolk. That was great for team spirit but since I've become a manager - which seems like years ago - you don't get as much spare time. I used to play from time to time at Ipswich but since coming to Derby, because of me travelling back and forth, I don’t really have much time for golf. But I do think it's a terrific sport. Do you have a handicap? My handicap used to be 12. When I play now I try to get as many as I can but it's 14 when I play in a competition now. I don't play enough. What car do you drive? I've got a sponsor's Mercedes. I'm very fortunate to have a very nice car and I've done a lot of miles of late. It's a terrific car to drive. Do you agree with Marco Reich that German cars are the best? Well he would say that wouldn't he. I don't know of many Scottish companies that make cars so I'll probably agree with him there. What music do you listen to in the car?
 | | Anastacia: Burley's a fan |
I listen to Radio Derby. I'm easy-going with music - the greatest hits of Rod Stewart, Elton John. I like Anastacia at the moment. I like a mixture. Music in the car makes the journey go quicker. Murdo said he couldn't stand the music the players listened to before a match. What do you make of it? I like music in the dressing room. I always give people stick if they forget to bring it in. The boys have compiled a CD with all of their favourites on it and I would say it gets a mixed reaction from me. Some are good and some are awful! Do you join in with the players' card schools on the coach to away matches? No. You get the staff in the front and the players in the back and I don't tend to mix there. I'd rather not either - I keep my eyes closed! They've got their own CDs they put on and some play cards. We have the TV on sometimes too so there's a variety of things that the players and staff do. Who are the loudest characters? I wouldn't say we've got many loud players. When I look back to my playing career there were a lot - like Terry Butcher and Paul Mariner. I always remember coming off the coach because they'd be playing Heavy Metal so your ears would be buzzing! If you told them to turn it off they'd give you a thump! So we don't have anyone like that but we do have some characters. It's a great atmosphere and they all get on well together. They all have a laugh and a joke and I think they all respect each other. What other memories do you have of your playing days? We had some good times. I remember once we actually left for an away game without the manager! We played at Newcastle and Bobby Ferguson was assistant manager and said 'right let's go!' So we started driving off past the ground, then we looked behind us and there's Bobby Robson running behind with his arms flailing! I don't think Bobby Ferguson was too popular by the time he got on the coach! You must have worked under some interesting people. Bobby Robson was a tremendous character. I was amazed when Freddy Shepherd said he wasn't hard enough on Craig Bellamy. I remember when he came to our club initially. We'd been going through a hard time and I remember him taking one or two outside the dressing room and telling them what was what. He had a few little punch-ups as well. He had total respect. He was strong when he needed to be and was totally fair. He treated you like a father would. So I was brought up on that and at times I can be firm but I try to be human as well. I think those sort of managerial qualities, wherever you do it, are important. Tell us a little bit about your family because you must miss them? Yes it's never easy being away from home. You get to the stage in your career where your family can't keep moving. But they come to virtually all the games. I've got two sons and a daughter. My wife and daughter live in Ipswich and my two boys live in London so you're travelling back in forth. But they're keen Derby fans and rarely miss a game. They're all very knowledgeable about football so if they think I've made the wrong sub or picked the wrong team they tell me! My youngest son is actually working for Sky at the moment so he keeps in contact with all that. Have either of your boys ever considered a career in football? Yes they both played. My youngest played for the Under-16s at Ipswich. But it's a very competitive world out there and you're not only competing with boys from this country but with people all round the world now. It's very difficult. People say it's a glamorous life but you've got to be extremely good. If you're not you can be YTS for a few years and then have nothing behind you. So it's not an easy life and you've got to be dedicated to make a go of it. How long do you think you'll stay in management for? As long as Bobby Robson? If you'd asked me that eight years ago, I'd have definitely said yes but things have changed a little bit in football - the management side certainly has - so who knows? At the moment I love the involvement. Football's been my life since I was 15 and I've still got a lot of hunger. I've certainly got no thoughts of retiring. Football's a drug. When you're involved in it, you don't want to let it go and if you are out of it, you miss it badly. I've been very fortunate to have had a great career as a player and a manager so hopefully I can keep enjoying it for as long as possible. Interview by BBC Radio Derby's Charles Collins | 
