On 21st January, Stockport County made the surprise announcement that they had parted company with manager Jim Gannon.
They released a statement on their website confirming the departure of the legendary managerial figure, stating that the decision to dispense of Gannon was not based on their current form or results, but instead was “centered around culture”.
Gannon – who has managed The Hatters on three separate occasions now – has gained legendary status at Edgeley Park for the success that he has had over the years, winning the League Two play-offs in 2008, as well as the National League North title in 2019. He has taken charge of 507 games across his three spells as manager, and leaves highly-regarded as one of the finest managers in the club’s history.
Stockport County didn’t waste time in appointing his successor, with Brighton and Hove Albion Under-23’s boss Simon Rusk appointed as their new manager on a three-and-a-half-year contract. It was also announced that former Brighton and Hove Albion, Reading and Millwall manager and former Scotland National Team assistant Mark McGhee is to join the club as his assistant manager on a similar deal, while Dave Conlon – who was assistant manager to Jim Gannon – is to consider in his role as part of the new coaching set-up.
Who is Simon Rusk?
Simon Rusk arrives at Edgeley Park having been at Brighton and Hove Albion for nine years. He joined the club as the coach of the Under-18’s, before being promoted to manage the Under-23’s side, a role which he has held for five years and from which he vacates to take up the managerial vacancy at Stockport County. In 2016, he was also promoted to the first-team set-up in a supporting capacity to then Seagulls boss Chris Hughton.
During his time at Brighton and Hove Albion, he has developed a reputation for being one of the best up-and-coming young coaches within the game, with a number of EFL clubs having previously approached Rusk as to becoming their new manager. He was reportedly on the verge of becoming the new Cambridge United manager in February of last year. Under his tenure, the South Coast side have seen a number of promising young players make the step-up to the first-team, including the likes of Aaron Connolly and Solly March, and so he has certainly provided a notable indication already of his credentials to develop and improve young players.
He also holds the UEFA Pro License, the highest possible coaching qualification available in the current game.
5 Reasons why Simon Rusk is the right appointment
Implementing an attacking brand of football
If the first-half display from Stockport County in Rusk’s first game in charge was anything to go by, The Hatters faithful are certainly not going to be a short of entertainment during Rusk’s time in charge. Their scintillating first forty-five saw them put three past Woking, setting the tone for an opening 4-1 win under the new man’s tenure. One of the criticism’s that I have seen of the Stockport County side under Gannon is that perhaps they weren’t as free-flowing going forward, although that criticism could certainly not be levelled at County yesterday afternoon as they made a rampant start to life under Rusk. The fluid movement and passing between John Rooney, Connor Jennings and left-back Mark Kitching for the second is – I am sure – the sort of football that Rusk will want to see his County side take forward as the blueprint for the way they want to play. In general, the confidence and exuberance that County showed in the first-half against Woking was noticeable, and if they are able to maintain that then with the quality of player at Rusk’ disposal, they will no doubt prove a force for anybody in this division.
During his time at Brighton and Hove Albion, Simon Rusk developed a reputation for implementing a free-flowing and attack-minded style of football, very much in-keeping with the all-action style that is currently employed by Graham Potter in the first team. He has been able to be successful with the Albion Under 23’s that way, and I fully anticipate Rusk setting this County side up to play in the same vein. We saw early indication of this against Woking, not just in the performance, but in the way that he set up his side to play, with the change to a 4-2-3-1 formation perhaps better-suited to the style of football and the philosophy that Rusk wants to play, and I think that this way of playing will certainly get the best out of this Stockport County side. The inclusion of Macauley Southam-Hales in a right-wing role is something that will certainly provide them with that extra bit of energy and dynamic movement in the final third.
Notably, this is a system which I think can get the best out of John Rooney. Much clamor was made about his move to the club during the summer, with myself being a huge admirer of the former Bluebird, and I think that central to being successful is being able to get the best out of Rooney. After a couple of seasons throughout non-league where he didn’t really pull up any trees, the midfielder had by far and away his best individual season last year as part of the Barrow side that finished top of the division, and Rooney was integral to the way that they played. Ian Evatt’s side won the division playing an attractive, passing-based style of football that was high-tempo and full of energy, and we were given an early reminder of the Barrow-like John Rooney in the first forty-five against Woking. He was playing up in close support of the striker, and providing them with the driving force going forward. While Rooney has been in a good run of form under Gannon at the start of the season, the early signs point towards the style of football that Rusk wants to play being able to get the best out of Rooney and a return somewhere close to his fine form last year.
A proven track record of getting the most out of and improving players
While the dynamic that Rusk is walking into at Stockport County is completely different to what he has had so far in his coaching career, the same epithet of improving and developing players still remains the same. This County side is an experienced one, and one of the older squads in the division, although there is still a good crop of young players with whom Rusk will no doubt really get the best out of and improve, the likes of Southam-Hales, Reid and Stott. These are all players that I think can really flourish under Rusk’ leadership, and I think that they will be an integral part of the side going forward, and something that I think will be key to getting success at Stockport County.
Over the summer, we saw Jim Gannon bring in a lot of experienced players, players like The Jennings Brothers, John Rooney and Liam Hogan, and so it is important to have a more youthful contingent to compliment these players so that they have the energy and athleticism to play the style of football that Rusk wants to implement and to keep up with the rigours and fast-paced nature of the National League. Thus, the role of Southam-Hales and Reid to provide them that will be key, and it wouldn’t surprise me if we were to see the odd loan addition from the Brighton and Hove Albion youth side either.
What is assured is that Rusk tasks over an extremely talented squad, with players that have been there and done it before at this level. James Jennings promoted with Mansfield Town, with brother Connor being promoted with Tranmere Rovers, while Lois Maynard and Liam Hogan were both promoted to the Football League with Salford City. John Rooney was also part of the Barrow side that won the division last term. Therefore, there is certainly real talent and quality within this team, and if Rusk is able to get the best out of it, then they will no doubt be close to promotion.
A change in the culture
The Stockport County hierarchy made clear in their statement that the departure of Jim Gannon was not based on a downturn in form, and instead was due to the “culture” at the club. This certainly raised an eyebrow or two, although the appointment of Simon Rusk definitely goes some way as to providing an explanation as to what a “change in culture” looks like, with the arrival of a younger coach preferred to the more experienced figurehead that they had in Jim Gannon, and perhaps a nod towards the future in that they want to put their trust in someone just learning their trade. Certainly from an outside perspective, I would be far happier that they have stuck by their word in that they have gone for a change in their outlook or “culture” with the appointment of someone at the beginning of their managerial career as opposed to someone that is well-versed to the rigours of National League management and amassed a couple of hundred games their belt already, as that certainly wouldn’t have been a change in culture from what they had in Jim Gannon.
Of course, he follows in the footsteps of Nathan Jones – whom he replaced as assistant to Chris Hughton – in departing for a job in first-team football having impressed at Brighton and Hove Albion, and if he can have anything like the success that Jones has had at Luton Town since his departure from the Amex Stadium then Stockport County will be a very satisfied customer. One thing is for sure is that the high praise and regard in which Rusk is held by many in the footballing community as one of the finest, up-and-coming coaches in English Football makes for good reading, and there is no doubt that County have on their hands someone that has a fine future in the game as a manager.
Youth and experience is the perfect blend
Simon Rusk is joined by the much-experienced Mark McGhee at Edgeley Park, and this is – on paper – the complete opposite in terms of managerial dynamic to that which Jim Gannon had, with the manager being the experienced one being supported by a more youthful coach in Dave Conlon, whereas it is now a case of the professor being the understudy to the student, with McGhee 974 games the superior to Rusk in first-team management. I think that this dynamic will benefit Stockport County and in fact really get the best out of these players, and I think the fact they have been able to add somebody of the caliber and experience of McGhee as an assistant speaks volumes about how ambitious this appointment and indeed the club are going forward.
Simon Rusk is clearly a very astute and forward-thinking coach. He has the highest coaching qualifications that any manager or coach in world football can achieve. He has nine years of coaching experience at Brighton and Hove Albion, with six years in charge of the Under-23’s and the three years previous working with the Under-18’s. He was promoted to the first-team set-up to assist Chris Hughton, one of the finest managers to have ever managed in the Championship. He was reportedly wanted by Cambridge United to be their coach in February of last year. On the face of it, many could have viewed Rusk as a gamble or a punt, but when you scratch below the surface you realise that he is certainly a calculated risk at that. He is one of the finest young coaches in the game, and at a young age has a wealth of coaching experience already. If he is able to implement his philosophy as he was able to with Brighton and Hove Albion Under-23’s, then I have no doubt that Stockport County will be successful and earn admirers in the process for the way they play.
The addition of McGhee to his backroom staff will provide him with the experience that he needs to be able to implement his ideas in the correct way and get results with it, and allow Rusk to guide County through the undoubted struggles and challenges that will present themselves along the way.
Been there and done it before
Stockport County came into the season as one of the firm favourites to win the division given the way in which they adjusted to life in the National League after their promotion from the National League North under Jim Gannon last term, and considering the investment that they made during the summer. As such, the decision to change the manager purely based on “culture” is certainly a gamble in their attempts to get promoted from the National League, albeit they are still in a good position to do so.
This season is going to be a hectic National League season like none other, especially factoring in the number of postponements and cancellations that they have had to contend with already, and so they are going to have to be at their best if they are maintain a promotion push while adjusting to life under their new boss mid-season. However, Simon Rusk has experience of winning this division on two separate occasions – part of the Crawley Town and Boston United sides that got promoted from the Conference Premier under Steve Evans – and so he certainly understands the challenges of this division and what it takes to get promoted, and that experience and knowhow of being part of not only a promotion-winning side, but a title-winning side in this division is something that I think will be vital in allowing this County side to maintain their push for promotion.
In the event that they fall short of top spot and have to settle for the end of season eliminator, Simon Rusk also has experience of getting through a play-off campaign as a manager, albeit at youth level with his Brighton and Hove Albion Under-23’s in their promotion from the Premier League Division Two in 2018. As such, he is a manager that is fully understanding of the challenges of getting promoted from both a playing and managerial perspective. This experience of getting promoted is also present in experienced assistant Mark McGhee, who managed Reading and Millwall to the Division Two title in 1994 and 2001 respectively, as well as through the play-offs with Rusk’s former employees Brighton and Hove Albion in 2004. Therefore, I feel that the combination of Rusk and McGhee provides the necessary skillsets and experience on which to call to cover all eventualities as The Hatters look to make it to the Football League.
Looking forward
It is difficult to judge at this early stage whether the appointment of Simon Rusk is going to get success or the right one to replace Jim Gannon, but the early signs from their win over Woking are that the players played with a real swagger and confidence, something that we have not really seen to date this season. While they have been winning and are firmly in the mix, they haven’t been playing anywhere near the levels we were treated to in the first-half yesterday, leading Cards manager Alan Dowson to state that he feels Stockport County are “the best side by a mile”; Hatters fans will be hoping that he hasn’t given them the kiss of death.
Nevertheless, it was a good start, and Rusk will want his side to take that level of performance into their next few games, as they have some challenging fixtures coming up and will provide a stern test of the credentials of both Rusk and this side. They face Sutton United on Tuesday night and then yet another showdown with a rejuvenated Yeovil Town, and also face Chesterfield, Maidenhead United and Notts County in February. As such, if they can get out the other side of this run in a similarly strong position, Rusk will be confident of his side’s chances of getting promoted at the first time of asking under his tenure.
All in all, while it is a slight risk handing such a challenging gauntlet to someone that has never managed at first-team level, I think that it is a calculated risk at that, as I think that Rusk is a top, young coach and certainly destined for good things; Hatters fans will be hoping that can be with them. The Stockport County hierarchy certainly feel confident in their new man not only for this season, but beyond, as he has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract to replace Gannon, and so you would assume that Rusk will be given time to really stamp his authority on this County side, something that I think will prove successful in the long-run, and quite possibly in the short-term too. I am intrigued to see how he does, and County fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that they have found the right man to lead them back to the Football League.
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