In His Own Words
RYAN Lowe's exciting brand of football speaks for itself - but what about the man behind the tactics? Here is a selection of quotes from Argyle's new man, in his own words.
“I wasn’t the most talented player in the world. I wasn’t the quickest or the best. But I fought. I scrapped.
“My philosophy was simple. If you’re playing down the park, would you let someone steal your ball without a fight? No chance. So why should it be any different on a football pitch?”
The attitude that typified his playing days
“I’m not having performances like that. I feel let down because they did not carry out instructions. The pride, the passion and the effort wasn’t there
“If we’re going down, we should go down fighting, not with a whimper.
“The standards have dropped and I will not let them drop any lower. If they do, then I will find those players and get rid of them.”
After Bury lost 2-0 at home to Rochdale in April 2018, to leave the Shakers 12 points adrift of League One safety with six games of the season to play
“I want to bring the good times back to this club. It’s been difficult, but ultimately the players have to take responsibility for their performances and I’ll take responsibility for what I do.
“I am hurt and I am gutted. We’ve had three managers this season and there won’t be a fourth. There’s going to be a flush-out before there is another manager.
“That’s down to me, to do what I need to do for this club, and I’ll guarantee 100 per cent that I will.”
Facing up to relegation with Bury, May 2018
“Team spirit’s massive – because I make sure it is. I’m big on nights out, togetherness, meals – whatever it is. We don’t want no big-time Charlies because that doesn’t get you anywhere.
“Any successful team I’ve been in, there’s always been that togetherness; it’s like a family, and that’s what we’ve got.”
At the beginning of Bury’s promotion-winning 2018-19 League Two season, August 2018
“Why can’t we play like Liverpool, Man City or Barcelona? Yes, we might not have the players, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try to entertain and score goals.
“I was a striker; my assistant Steven Schumacher was an attacking midfielder; and we want to score goals. I’m even saying to my strikers, when we’re two or three up, to carry on getting in the right positions, looking for more, trying to play good football.”
The attacking philosophy which saw Bury become League Two’s leading scorers in 2018-19
“I won’t change my style of play. There’s no point. At the moment, we’re doing OK with it and you’ve got to stick with the way you do things.
“I always felt I wanted to do things my way and, if I’m not successful or it doesn’t work out, then at least I’ve tried my way. I was a striker. If you’d put me at centre-half, I’d be no good.
“It’s nice to be recognised for the work we’re doing. A lot of credit has to go to my staff and my players because, without them, it wouldn’t be possible.
“It shows that the work we’re doing, the style of football we’re playing, is getting recognised for the right reasons. We’re scoring goals and doing ever so well, so long may that continue.”
On winning the EFL Sky League Two Manager of the Month Award for January 2019
“I wanted to change the culture of the football club, from selfishness, complacency, arrogance and a blame culture.”
On turning around Bury in less than a season
“We’ve got a winning mentality and it goes from the top of the club to the bottom – and back again. We want everyone to be winning, whether it’s the Academy, the youth team, cup competitions or the first team. We want to be a club that’s winning games.
“Over the past – and I hate talking about the past – we haven’t been used to winning games. Now we are and we’ll stick with that because we’ve got a winning philosophy right through the club.”
February 2019
“It’s nice to have them accolades, it’s recognition we’re playing the right way, but ultimately, it’s just another personal accolade, with the big picture at the end of the season. I’d happily trade them all in for where we want to get to.
“The lads are playing well and buying into what we’re trying to do; we know we’ve got a good team; we’ve got an honest group with some talented footballers; and when you’re winning games, it’s only natural you win these awards.”
On winning the EFL Sky League Two Manager of the Month Award for February 2019
“It’s unbelievable. I’m glad I’ve done it my way and nobody else’s. Our goal was to do it our way and our way only. I wanted to play a good brand of football and, even when we go a goal down, you can see that we get back into it by playing football.
“I wanted to do it my way, and my staff and players have been a credit. They’ve bought into everything I’ve asked them to do so I can’t thank them enough.
“To score so many goals when we’re in League Two, it’s different class. We’ve got special players in there that have been a big part of this. They’ve been amazing.”
After winning promotion, one year after relegation, with a 1-1 draw against Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park
“It’s been a roller-coaster, but we’ve finally got to where we wanted, and that’s promotion.
“I wanted to be the best in the league right from the start. We couldn’t do that and credit to [champions] Lincoln, but I am so proud of everyone.
“We have gone through the mill a bit at times, we had to go back to the drawing-board, but we’ve worked so hard.
“Everything I’ve asked for the lads have done. There’s never been any backchat; I’ve not fined anyone – they’ve all been superb and they deserve this success.”
After drawing with Port Vale at home on the final day of last season to secure runners-up spot in League Two, May 2019
“I’m happy that I proved certain people wrong. I’ll never judge a book by its cover and I think a lot of people tried to judge me.
“Young managers deserve a chance in the game, especially when they’ve just finished [playing], whether it’s me or someone else.
“Experience, for me, is learning on the job. People might talk about experience in certain circumstances. Well, if certain circumstances come along, then you just ride through it.
“I’d like to think that the bitter and twisted people, who were very negative early on, would come and speak to me and buy me a glass of champagne because I’d do it if I was wrong about someone.”
Reflecting on winning promotion, May 2019