Most people think footballers are thick. Some might be, academically, but they can see the game, strategically, tactically, in every way.
The early music I heard was Top of the Pops. But in bedrooms, around the house with my brother playing the Sex Pistols, Sham 69 and the Ham and all these groups then going into that sort of mod turnover scene and then going into the New Romantics scene the coming of age myself in the mid-eighties and into the noughties, it was changing.
If I can understand them better as a person then I can understand how to make them a better player too.
I've put all the hours in and there's a depth to my education. There are a couple of brain cells in there, more than you might expect of a 6ft 1in ginger skinhead.
The game shapes you. I played for 20 years at all levels, apart from the Premier League. I had a disaster at Bristol City, where in two years I learnt more about myself, the industry, fans, how you get treated, than I ever learnt in my career.
I had a lot of tough experiences at Bristol City. I came there for a few quid and was getting booed off by fans, got injured. I was out of the team due to injury but also because I was having an awful time playing wise. But they were amazing experiences.
Most of our players come from the Championship; Chelsea can get more or less anyone from around the world. Some clubs in this division have owners who say it doesn't matter what they spend. I don't know what happened to Financial Fair Play but it didn't exactly level the playing field.
I had good parents. Two older brothers, bit of a handful between us, all got ginger hair, a bit fiery. I remember a very happy childhood.
I look at the group I've got and then I decide what strengths and weaknesses they have and then I formulate an appropriate way the players can work in order to be collectively successful.
We're oppressed, I think, you know there's only 5 per cent of the world's population who are ginger? So it's a tough time for us gingers.
Life coaching, the mental and physical well-being of footballers, is going to be really important. I don't mean necessarily in a deep psychological way. But they're surrounded by a lot of people. Important people, seemingly. Not always. But important in their worlds. They're mini companies.
The harder I work, the luckier I get.
I remember all the magic markers of the first time I heard the Stone Roses and that Madchester vibe, the Verve and all these groups coming up.
Established is a dangerous word for me. It could imply a modicum of complacency.
Nonsensical decisions are made all the time in football and then really sensible decisions are made all the time. It really is the maddest business but everyone knows that. We all love it.
Without wanting to sound pompous or clever it is down to me to make decisions on behalf of the side to give it the best chance of being successful.
I was sacked at Watford for a change of business plan. Anything can happen in this game. I can't say I am never surprised because there are some surprises and there are still some crazy things that happen.
You need good fitness from the players and the organisational structure has to be there from early on in pre-season because the games come so quickly that you don't have much time on the grass with the players to shuffle the pack tactically.
True success for me is allowing players to be better than I was. That is what I went into coaching for and I've not lost sight of that.
