“YOU’LL never beat Des Walker,” the Nottingham Forest faithful used to sing with glee — and Sean Dyche knows that better than most.
Through the 1980s and early 1990s, whenever an opposing striker was nabbed of the ball by a zippy London-born centre-back, 30,000 punters would delight themselves with that chant.
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Sean Dyche took over at Nottingham Forest a month agoCredit: AFP
Dyche is trying to reverse Forest’s fortunes after suffering under Ange PostecoglouCredit: Getty
Their homage to Walker, a City Ground icon, lasted for 12 seasons across two spells.
Even now, as he approaches his 60th birthday, this adopted son of Nottinghamshire remains with great affection in the supporters’ hearts and minds.
Dyche, 54, would have heard that song many times back then because nearly 40 years before becoming the club’s manager, he began his career at Forest as an apprentice defender.
But like countless visiting forwards, he found his path blocked by Walker and he never made a first-team appearance by the River Trent before departing for Chesterfield in 1990.
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There was no budging the England player, an Italia 90 World Cup star and one of the best players in Europe.
There were even times when Dyche, under orders from boss Brian Clough, had to unlace Walker’s BOOTS as a sign of respect.
Eccentric coach Clough would sometimes say in the dressing room: “Hey, young Ginger, go and take Des’ boots off. . .he’s been carrying us all season! Well done, Dessie! Young Ginger will take your boots off for you.”
Walker, impressively still the same 11st 10lb weight he was when he played professionally, told SunSport: “I can remember Sean Dyche, obviously being a young lad.
“He’d come up with Ian Woan and Steve Stone at Forest. Always gave 100 per cent, honest as the day is long.
“He didn’t have the most natural ability in the world but what he did have was the ability to stay in there, dig in, and go and make a living.
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“I’m proud of him as a footballer, because he went, stayed in the game and he made a living.
“It’s easy when you have a disappointment that you won’t get in the Forest first team. The problem he had was there were five, six England internationals in the team.
“So it’s not an easy thing to come along as a youngster and get in the team, but he didn’t get disillusioned.
“He went out and he made a living from it, a career, and then took that into managing. Sean manages how he plays and that’s with a lot of honesty, straight, and he treats his players with respect. And he creates a team rather than individuals.”
On the training-ground boot tradition, Walker replied: “I remember (Clough) had done that a few times. I don’t actually remember necessarily just Sean Dyche, because it was any young lads who were around.
“Cloughie had that way really of grounding people or lifting them up.
“So he’d bring him in the dressing room, get a smell of it . . . ‘this is where you want to get to, come and sit on a bench with me’.
“He’d bring kids along for the experience because he thought one day that’s where you’re going to be.”
Walker, who won 59 England caps, was sceptical of Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ decision to axe manager Nuno Espirito Santo in early September and replace him with Aussie Ange Postecoglou.
That assessment was vindicated when Ange’s disastrous reign lasted 39 days.
Sean manages how he plays and that’s with a lot of honesty, straight, and he treats his players with respect
Des Walker on Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche
Kettering-born Dyche, a disciple of Clough, is a steady hand, having worked wonders at Burnley before guiding Everton through choppy financial waters.
Dyche, whose side face champions Liverpool at Anfield today, has overseen two wins, two draws and one loss since taking charge with the struggling Midlands side now in 19th.
Walker, now a leading motivational speaker in the UK, said: “It’s always good to see an Englishman in the English league. I think he’ll do well. I believe in football that you start by keeping clean sheets. Forest under Ange were leaking goals. The goals were going in regularly.
“Dyche coming in, I’m sure he will tighten it up and start from the back.
“Going forward, they’ve got plenty of technical players that can hurt people.
Des Walker played for Nottingham Forest for 12 season across two spellsCredit: Getty
Walker played 59 times for England, most notably in the 1990 World Cup semi-final penalty shootout loss to West GermanyCredit: Getty
Ahead of his 60th birthday, Walker weighs the same as when he was a professional footballerCredit: Getty
“He’s starting with a decent squad, so it’s just a matter of getting his enthusiasm, honesty and stamp on the team. And it takes time.
“Potentially with the owner they’ve got and the squads that they’ve been amassing, then the sky’s the limit.
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“At the end of the day, you want to get yourself in that top five in the Premier League. Last year they were up there challenging.
“I think they were always going to be a little bit short. Forest are not quite there yet but I think you’ve got to walk before you can run.”
