Robbie to stay with The Silkmen

Robbie Savage has turned down a lucrative offer to leave Macclesfield – after a heart-to-heart with his players.

After an emotional week he resolved to stay with The Silkmen. Savage, who celebrated his 50th birthday last month, said: “I want to be taken seriously as a head coach, and although it was a lucrative offer, I simply couldn’t turn my back on the club.

“I had 72 hours to think about it, and when I told the players in the dressing room after our game against Warrington Rylands, I got a lot of positive messages as feedback.

“We are 10 points clear at the top of the Northern Premier League, I have a group who deserve to play at a higher level and I just couldn’t find in my heart to leave them behind.

“The reason why I stayed is because I lived the dream as a player and, when I sold the dream to these lads, I couldn’t turn around three months later and say, ‘I’m all right, see you later.’ I want to help them win promotion.”

Savage has suffered only one defeat since making his managerial baptism with the Silkmen – in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round at Tamworth.

He was gutted when the Lambs landed a live TV date in the first round proper against Huddersfield, adding: “That could have been us – we caused Tamworth all sorts of problems and, on another day, we could have won.

“I was devastated to miss out on my Macclesfield side being set before the nation in an FA Cup tie live on the BBC. And to rub salt in the wound, as part of their commentary team I’ll have to listen to my old sparring partner Chris Sutton!”

In his Daily Mirror column Savage explained the reality of just how demanding management is, even in the lower leagues. “A lot of people seem to think being a manager in the Northern Premier League is a part-time job. Let me assure you it’s much harder than anything else I’ve ever done in football,” he wrote.

“The pressure, the anxiety, the lonely hours scouting, watching videos, taking training sessions, dealing with players one-to-one, organising ticket allocations and prices for cup ties (which I’m required to agree as a director) and the games themselves can take up 90 hours a week.

“At least, as a manager, I know it’s down to me if we fail on the pitch. When I go home and look in the mirror, there’s nobody else to blame but myself if I pick the wrong starting XI, make poor substitutions or devise the wrong tactics.”