Keith's words of wisdom on Rochdale site

Rochdale AFC are pleased to announce the appointment of former Dale boss Keith Hill as first team manager.

Keith will take over the managerial reigns with immediate effect and is contracted to the club until May 31, 2013.

The 43-year-old, who was the most successful manager in Rochdale’s history, returns to Spotland after leaving Barnsley in December and he’s delighted.

“When the club approached me about coming back to Spotland I didn’t hesitate. I could have juggled the cards for a minute or two, but that's not in my DNA and nor is it in the DNA that I'm going to recreate here” said Hill.

“Rochdale Football Club will, and always will remain dear to me, and to be honest it was a no-brainer. It's almost as if the last 18 months or so was not on the radar, or has been deleted somehow. The mistake I made in trying to educate the people of Barnsley was not really my mistake at all, and I think the Barnsley people will reflect in years to come just what the Keith Hill project could have meant to them.

“I’ll be here until the end of the season and we will take stock of the situation then. Until then we have an 18 game season to think about, to plan and to achieve so that’s what I, the players and staff will be doing. Certain players I'm already in contact with, and the chance of luring them from lesser towns than Rochdale will not be a major challenge. They'll happily hop over the pennines, if you see what I mean.

“We also need the fans to endeavour to get behind us and endeavour to give us all your support and general endeavour as a fan, that is crucial if we are going to go forward. Some people take the dinosaurish view that fans don't make a difference, that fans somehow aren't interwoven into a club's DNA. Other clubs, even in the Championship might believe that, but we don't accept that at Spotland. I’m delighted to be back where I belong and cannot wait to get started.”

Keith will work with the club’s current coaching staff, Chris Beech and Tony Ellis, and will take charge of training on Wednesday as he prepares for Friday night’s trip to Cheltenham Town.

Chairman Chris Dunphy said: “This is not a position we, as a club, expected to have found ourselves in, but after Barnsley's shock decision to relieve Keith of his duties, it was vitally important that we acted now, especially with the continued speculation about the Blackpool role, as well as more long-term with regards to the managerial futures of Chelsea, Man City and even Man United. I am delighted that Keith has decided to take the job and I am confident in his experience and his ability to work and develop our current squad.”

We will have a full interview with Keith on Dale Player on Wednesday.

 

'The mistake I made in trying to educate the people of Barnsley was not really my mistake at all, and I think the Barnsley people will reflect in years to come just what the Keith Hill project could have meant to them'

He can't have said that? 21 points from 25 games Keith. Its not the people of Barnsley that need educating and I don't need too much time to reflect on what would have happened had he stayed.

 

this will go down like a led balloon!

 

he's a dick

 

he he,very good mate.

 

He's a failure.

 

*makes a brew, sits back and opens up a packet of jammy dodgers*

 

Only slightly doctored eh? Well done though!

 

Cheers mate

 

Very good.

 

Only a bit. Haha, cheers. For the record, I will always be a fan of Keith, and will follow his entertaining interviews wherever he goes. For now though, hands off - Flicker is a red!

 

He's deleted Barnsley from his memory........perhaps you lot should do the same re Hill, he's gone, get over it and move on for gods sake

 

I've tried, I just can't.

God I miss him so much.

 

Is that real?

Sounds like a parody.

Thank **** I don't have to listen to that **** on a weekly basis any more.

 

Re: Is that real?

http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/article/hill-appointed-613105.aspx

 

Re: Is that real?

It sounded too Keith to be Keith. He's mental, but not that mental.

 

Re: Is that real?

Look at that coit - Class Keef. Class.