SIMON Wilson believes the rebuilding at Stockport is similar to what made Manchester City multiple Premier League champions.
He should know, he was there – and there can be no excuses.
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Simon Wilson believes there are similarities between the construction of Stockport County and Manchester City
County have two wins after returning to the Football League after a 10-year absence, in which the unique second division team finished sixth.
If form was a yardstick, Simon Rusk’s men shouldn’t have a problem as they have been unbeaten in 18 games.
But just like in the home of the champions, 13 kilometers down the road, there is much more to it than meets the eye.
County will likely never spend millions of pounds on players, attracting a manager like Pep Guardiola, or developing Phil Foden, who grew up in the shadow of Edgeley Park.
Football director Wilson, however, is helping to establish a similar ethic on which City’s success has been built following its 2008 takeover of Abu Dhabi.
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Stockport hasn’t been in the Football League for 10 years
He said: “It took 18 months to get it up and running at City, but everything had to be set up so that number one was inevitable and number two was sustainable.
“That meant taking away the excuses. First and foremost, it had to be the right environment – so everyone could get the job done, which meant massive upgrades to the gym, exercise facilities, and playing fields.
“There have been many changes, but at the same time many members of the city team that laid the foundation – the Vincent Kompanys and Pablo Zabaletas – were signed up before Abu Dhabi.
“I see something similar here. There are some fantastic characters and professionals from the team that rose from the National League North who are key players now and I expect they will continue to be here in the future.
“I believe in environments a lot. You behave differently when you walk through the door of a top hotel than in a budget hotel.
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Man City and England star Phil Foden grew up in the shadow of Edgeley Park
“Where you work can affect the way you work. The investments we’ve made in infrastructure are fundamental and I’ve seen the benefit of that with City. We don’t want to make a palace out of it, but you have to make a good environment out of it.
“And when you have the right people, with the right mindset, doing the right things, it is inevitable that you will be successful.
“When we got in it was about giving the club what it didn’t have because it has so many things. Much of this is an investment in bringing things up to date.
“It might not work today, it might not work next Sunday if we make it to the final, but if we do the right things long enough we will eventually.”
Wilson said Stockport could be “self-sustaining” at the top end of League One after being “100 percent” surprised at how big the club will be after joining in February.
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Simon Wilson was part of the start of Manchester City’s road to the Premier League title
After initially working with owner Mark Stott on his plan to purchase the Hatters, he hopes to make dreams come true.
Part of it was getting rid of club legend Jim Gannon as manager shortly after pushing West Ham in the FA Cup, but he explained the method that seemed insane to many.
“It wasn’t just about results,” added Wilson. “Of course we want a winning team, but there are other aspects.
“As we grow it is important to make sure that we lay these foundations and in any kind of change situation you need to make sure that there are no blocks.
“You have to make sure that everyone is pointing in the same direction. Simon came in on his first managerial job and found a way out with a group of players he didn’t necessarily know or recruit.
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Stockport are two wins after returning to the Football League, but so are Hartlepool
“Ideally, you do things between the seasons and take your hat off to Simon. He went to the club in a very difficult situation, but he coped so well. “
Stockport had the luxury of a week off when Hartlepool defeated Bromley and reached today’s National League play-offs semi-finals.
And while he’s going to be on the sidelines, Wilson is going to be as nervous as any Stockport fan.
He said, “I shouldn’t be. It’s my job not to be, but in my heart I am a football fan and if you are emotionally invested in a project and a club, you wouldn’t be human if you weren’t. “
