Curbs on the demands of being a manager

Curbs writes about the pressures of being a Premiership manager in The Observer. The personal costs are evidently high. During the season he is working a 60-70 hour week usually leaves home at 7 a.m. on a Monday morning and doesn't see his family properly again until Thursday evening.

'It's hard to get quality time with my family ...I hear the words 'you weren't here' a lot ... I've missed my kids growing up.' However, 'Anynody in this job, or who wants to make a success of something, has the same problems ... Happily, though, while it's a very demanding situation, the rewards are far better than they were 10 or 15 years ago.'

How long Curbs can take the pressure is a question he thinks about. 'I've certainly thought about how long I can do this for ... I look at Sam Allardyce's comments that he'll retire at 55 and I think "it might be sooner"'

One interesting insight into Curbs' working methods is that he often crosses the Channel for a game at Lille or Lens on Tuesday night. 'I first saw Talal El Karkouri playing for PSG at Lille and Lens in various positions in defence and midfield. I like versatility. He was impressed that I had been to watch him.'

Curbs revealed that Bryan Hughes had been very disappointed to be left out at Newcastle and that Rommedahl was told he had to be defensive.

Read the full story at Curbs