Social media criticism doesn't faze Nolan as Cobblers boss feels the support of club's board
Kevin Nolan says he is not fazed by social media criticism and believes he still has the ‘trust and faith’ of the people at the top of the club ahead of another high-pressure game this evening.
Cobblers have won only one of their last 12 league games and were beaten 2-1 by relegation rivals Leyton Orient at Sixfields on Saturday, leaving them 22nd in League One prior to tonight’s must-win game against bottom-of-the-table Port Vale.
Only two other fixtures take place in League One this evening – Bradford v Rotherham and Burton v Stockport – and so a win would be enough to lift Cobblers out of the bottom four going into Saturday’s derby against Peterborough.
As is the life of a football manager, Nolan has come in for a fair chunk of flak from some supporters in recent times, especially on social media, but as someone who spent over a decade playing at the top level, it is all water off a duck’s back.
"Fortunately I’m not on social media,” said Nolan. “I don’t get blown away when it’s all positive and I don’t get all blown away when it’s all negative. I’ve been booed by 50,000 Newcastle fans as captain and that’s not nice either. You have to roll your sleeves up and be ready to go.
"The fans have been absolutely amazing to me since I came in and everyone who I see out and about are really positive and pleased that I’m here. I’m proud to be here and hopefully I’ll stay here for a long time.
"When you go into battle, you want people who you can trust and who will stand tall and I will stand tall and I believe I have the trust and the faith of everyone around me and that’s the most important thing for me.
"The calmness around the people at the top of the club and them allowing me to do my job and support me was one of the biggest things when I joined and that’s what they’ve done since I walked in the door. I can’t thank them enough. It’ll never be plain-sailing but I believe we can upset the odds.”
Asked if he’s the right man to keep Cobblers in League One, Nolan responded: "I was the man to do it last season so I don’t know why it changes. I understand why people are grumpy and frustrated but if you look back at the game on Saturday, we could have run out winners and we’d have been worthy winners as well.
"I’m grumpy as well because we’re not winning games and I feel it but I think I’m a calm person under pressure. You can’t get carried away when you’re winning and you're the hero and you can’t get carried away when you’re the villain.
"You have to keep a sense of perspective in football. I worked under some incredible managers who supported me in difficult moments at the top level and that’s probably even more intense because of the scrutiny from the media.
"You have to take it as a manager and you have to stand up and be counted. I’m always ready for a fight and I believe my lads are as well.”