MARTIN DRURY says he hopes Huddersfield Town have learnt from their mistakes of recent years, and give him time to prove himself as a head coach.
And as Mikel Arteta prepares to lead Arsenal into Saturday's European Cup final against Paris Saint-German with a first Premier League title in his pocket, there can be few better examples of what he means.
Since Kevin Nagle became chairman in the summer of 2023, he has fallen out with Neil Warnock, sacked Darren Moore, Andre Breitenreiter, Michael Duff and Lee Grant, given Jon Worthington a lengthy spell as caretaker, and seen Liam Manning step away after 13 games for personal reasons. Town have dropped from the Championship to League One.
In his first job in league management – just as Grant was 12 months ago – Drury is hoping for patience.
"I think over the last few years, that's something that's potentially hindered the club in terms of the next manager (being seen as) the Messiah, he's going to take us forward and I don't think that works in football," says the 40-year-old, in caretaker charge with Jon Stead for the final seven games of last season.
"You need time as an organisation – both as a head coach and the people that are there – to refine the staff, to refine the playing group and work together for a prolonged period of time.
"You only have to look at who's just won the Premier League, how long he's been in the role and what he looked like for the first 18 months. He's an unbelievable example.
"Dozens and dozens of clubs across the country would have potentially sacked Mikel Arteta in the first 18 months at Arsenal. Now he's ending the season in the Champions League final and he's just won the Premier League.
PLEA FOR PATIENCE: Huddersfield Town's Martin Drury (right) (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)placeholder image
PLEA FOR PATIENCE: Huddersfield Town's Martin Drury (right) (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)
"If that's not an example of how you should run an organisation, how you should hold your nerve in certain moments and trust the process and believe in things, as long as there's enough evidence there to support that, I don't know what is.
"That's something that hopefully this football club and many football clubs will learn from because unfortunately we're in this day and age now where it's one in, one out, one in, one out and it's not the right way to be successful.
"You end up spending a hell of a lot of money and probably setting yourself back to where you started from. Hopefully there'll be more scope for me in this position."
Being permanent as opposed to caretaker head coach changes the dynamic for Drury, but he says he is not about to start a dictatorship at the League One club.
WINNER: Arsenal'S Mikel Arteta (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images For Premier League)placeholder image
WINNER: Arsenal'S Mikel Arteta (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images For Premier League)
"As a caretaker, there's uncertainty around that situation, so there's always a lack of clarity around decision-making, around how long things take to get done or what things you can and can't do," said Drury, who filled a similar position for Bradford City in 2019.
"It's about being respectful, particularly to Liam in this scenario. You're in a situation where of course you've not got the exact scope that you'd like if you were going to be a head coach. This naturally is something different now, but I'm still working with people.
"It's not about what I want to do and just my ideas. It's about aligning with the football club and the people that I'm working with and being connected with like-minded people to ensure that we're moving this football club forward as an organisation, not just me as an individual.
"I'll be working closely with the people that I'm with every single day to make sure we get success.”