Steve on how he tapped into Dario's vast experience
Steve Davis is well placed to appreciate how difficult it is to follow a long serving legend of the game after succeeding Dario Gradi as Crewe Alexandra manager in November 2011. Dario is celebrating his 30th year association with the club and is now the club’s Director of Football, overseeing the Academy but he also led Crewe into the Championship firstly in 1997 and then again in 2003.
This weekend saw the soon to retire Sir Alex Ferguson lead out his Manchester United team for the last time at Old Trafford, with the news that Everton’s David Moyes will officially succeed him on 1st July, after serving 11 seasons at Goodison Park himself. To manage one of the biggest club sides in the world will be a challenge enough, never mind succeeding arguably the greatest manager of all time.
Steve told the club’s official web-site: “Everyone knows the terrific job Sir Alex has done over nearly 27 years and David Moyes has done a very good job at Everton on a limited budget. It was just a shame that his hard work wasn’t rewarded with some silverware. He did manage to break into the top four and that was a tremendous achievement.
“He had time to build a squad there and has been rewarded for his loyalty, by getting the job at Manchester United. It is great for young, British managers to see that it can be done.
“I’m sure that Sir Alex will be there with advice and be a mentor to him. I’m sure that he will help him along and he will learn from him. It is always beneficial to be able to turn to someone for advice when they had such vast experience in the game.
“It was same sort of scenario when I followed Dario. He had built a club and took Crewe into the Championship, which was like the Premier League for a club our size. To then stay there for eight years out of ten was an unbelievable achievement.
“Dario was and is always on hand to give advice and help and you have to tap into that experience. It helped me and I’ve learnt a lot. The most important thing David (Moyes) will need is time and patient and them giving him a six-year contract shows that the club are willing to do that.”