I am sure you are all familiar with the saying that good guys finish last.
There is a manager in the Airtricity League bucking that trend at the moment.
Ian Baraclough is currently spearheading Sligo Rovers title assault and looks like a man who is very much enjoying it and taking it all in his stride.
Baraclough enjoyed an illustrious playing career across the lower leagues of English football spanning nearly 20 years.
He finished up his playing days with Scunthorpe United and it was there that he dipped his toes in the murky waters of coaching and eventually management.
Nigel Adkins, who is currently manager of Premier Leage side Southampton, brought Baraclough on board his coaching staff at the Irons and when Adkins departed for pastures new in Sepetember 2010, Baraclough was given the manager's reigns in a caretaker capacity.
He didn't have to wait long to be confirmed as permanent boss and so he was thrust into management in the Championship with big expectations on his shoulder.
It didn’t go to plan and he lasted just six months in the hotseat. It hurt, of course, and second chances for failed first-time managers are hard to come by.
But the experience, the pain of Scunthorpe arguably not giving him enough time, left him wanting it more. He continued to take in matches and helped Leicester City with some of their youth sides.
Eventually the call came from Sligo, the second chance, a move to a different country, and he had to succeed this time.
There would be no way back into a decent level of management if it didn’t go well and the appointment raised a few eyebrows when he had beaten off a lot of well-known names in Ireland and across the water.
My impression of Baraclough from the Sligo games I’ve attended and then from meeting him is excellent.
Unassuming and classy, he has time for everyone and his passion for the game and to learn the ins and outs of the Airtricty League comes out strongly.
There was a lot of hype around Sligo Rovers this year because of recent success but I don't think anyone could have predicted how well it has gone for the newest manager to the league.
Baraclough has not changed a great deal with the side.
He realised that there was a good team in place and kept everything ticking over nicely.
He also listened to the people around him and keeping assistant Gerry Carr on board and appointing Gavin Dykes to his coaching staff was key as both of these have a vast experience of the league, something Baraclough was lacking in.
A lot of managers come into clubs and think they have to make wholesale changes to stamp their authority and kick up a fuss.
It proves that sometimes a simple approach works and it’s also a sign that his humble and unarrogant entrance to Sligo, when they had so much uncertainty at the start of the year, was exactly what they needed.
Another thing that has stood out for me is the way he conducts himself at the games.
He is so professional and thorough in everything he does. When stood in the technical area, he has a presence and is always turned out impeccably for interviews.
You would be amazed how much you can change peoples perceptions based on appearance. His demeanour during games is also very impressive, There is never any ranting and raving towards his players or towards the officials from the dugout.
A lot of other managers could take note of this. The team spirit he has built amongst his squad is also brilliant.
The biggest achievement a manager can have within his own dressing room is respect from his players and that they play for him and this Sligo team certainly play for Baraclough.
It is a good time to be a Sligo Rovers supporter, and they are certainly enjoying the man at the helm right now.
We should do the same while we have him because from what I have seen so far, it will not be long before he is pitting his wits against someone like his former colleagues Adkins at a higher level, all this going to prove that good guys can come first.
Until next week,
Alan
