WITH more than 1,000 games in management under his belt and a handful of promotions, it may be surprising that Lennie Lawrence does not still have his name on a manager’s door in league football.
But the 65-year-old is perfectly content to be the number two to an up-and-coming boss in the shape of Dougie Freedman at Wanderers.
Lawrence followed Freedman from Crystal Palace soon after the Scot’s appointment at the Reebok in October and revealed he turned down the possibility of replacing Freedman in the Eagles hot seat to remain loyal to the 38-year-old.
It is not a decision he has ever regretted and the proud southerner is loving life in Lancashire as his assistant, even if it means plenty of time away from the family.
Lawrence said: “Dougie and I came together at Palace but it wasn’t the usual scenario where two people know each other.
“He never played for me because I could never afford him as a player.
“I’d bumped into him a couple of times when he played against my teams but there was nothing before Palace. He made his enquiries when he knew he was getting the job at Palace and I was pleased to get in there.
“When Dougie left there was some discussion about the possibility of me taking the Palace job.
“They didn’t offer it in so many ways but they discussed the possibility of it.
“I said ‘thank you very much, previously I would have walked over hot coals to manage Palace but on this occasion my loyalties are with Dougie’.
“That was the right thing to do.
“Once Dougie had decided to accept the offer, and the business was done between the two clubs properly, which it was, it was all about showing loyalty to Dougie. He took me to Palace and once he decided to accept that offer then it was a straightforward one for me.
“My job is assistant manager, straightforward. It’s not a director of football role, it’s not a technical director role.
“It’s an assistant manager role, you’re involved in the training and you do what an assistant manager does.
“The difference being that having done so many games and being older, there would be a degree of mentoring involved and I try to make sure Dougie’s not making any mistakes before he makes them.
“It’s the only part of England I’ve never worked and it’s terrific.
“I’ve kept my house in London but I’ve got an apartment in the North West too.
“I haven’t got any kids but my partner still lives in London. I go back on a Saturday but I’m up here for the rest of the week.”
Lawrence heads back to one of his first clubs Charlton with Wanderers on Saturday – a club where he won his first promotion to the top-flight in 1986.
Now, 27 years on and with plenty of water under the bridge since, he is still as hungry as ever to add another honour to his list of successes with the Whites.
He may not have seen league football in a brief playing career but his 35 years in management have been memorable and Lawrence still loves being a part of the game.
He added: “It’s been 35 years. With the exception of the people at the very, very top, it’s an achievement to survive.
“The proudest moments of my career? Charlton and Boro were great but I was at Grimsby in 2000 in the Championship.
“It’s hard to pin it down to one specific thing.
“There have been a lot of highs and there have been some lows as well.
“I just hope that my best achievement is still to come. “I’ll keep going – I don’t believe in retirement.
“I go to bed early and I don’t drink too much. “You have to have desire. You need energy and enthusiasm but you must have desire.
“When you get older, if you’re not up to speed, don’t know what’s going on and don’t have that desire, players will find you out in two seconds flat.
“The best achievement I’ve made is to survive in football as a manager or assistant for as long as I have.
“Hopefully, that continues for a bit longer.”
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