Exclusive Interview with Stuart Pearce: Premier League, England and Manchester City Insights

Last updated: 19 August 2025 by Liam Reaney

Former England defender Stuart Pearce joins the Best Betting Sites team to share his thoughts on the Premier League season ahead, England’s World Cup prospects, and Manchester City’s title chances. In this exclusive interview, Pearce discusses everything from Harry Kane’s England future to Newcastle’s Isak issues, and reflects on his legendary playing career under Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest.

Manchester City

Could James Trafford displace Jordan Pickford for the World Cup starting spot?

Well, I think if you’re Manchester City’s number one, you’re really going to put serious pressure on Pickford.

I don’t think Pickford has ever let England down. I think he’s been outstanding with what he’s done with the ball at his feet and his goalkeeping. So he’s been really good. But, if you’re James Trafford, you’re not going to be England’s number one if you’re City’s second or third choice.

If James Trafford can establish himself as City’s number one, or play for the club on a regular basis, that’s when the pressure really cranks up on Pickford, but until now, I think he can feel pretty comfortable that he is England’s first choice.

What must Trafford be thinking if Gianluigi Donnarruma arrives?

There’s two lines of thought here. Trafford’s still only 22, so he’s got a lot of development to come. To have a goalkeeper of Donnarumma’s stature coming through the door, there’s great learnings there for him as a young goalkeeper, to work alongside him in training and maybe take his place in the future and for him to play in the cup competitions.

The downside of that is, if you bring a goalkeeper of that stature through the door, chances are he’s going to be starting and he’s going to be ahead of you, and as a young 22-year-old, that’s not ideal. But listen, I think Trafford will be aware of that. I think when he turned up at City, I don’t know whether Pep would have made him any promises at all. I don’t think you can afford to do that at a club like City.

He’s got a big career in front of him and I think even if a goalkeeper of a massive name and a big stature walks through the door, if I was advising Trafford, I would say, look, this is the situation: use it as an education, if you like. You’re trying to get in the team, you’re trying to keep him out of the team, but every day on the training pitch, watch this fella and just be guided on how he conducts himself.

What do you make of Rayan Ait-Nouri’s arrival?

With Kyle Walker leaving, City needed pace to come from one of the wide areas, and they haven’t really had that without him. I think they wanted someone with that pace to produce one-on-one situations.

The best teams have that, and if they dominate the ball that much, they can push one of their wide defenders forward. Pep’s happy to play a more advanced player at left-back, that works for City. Whether it would work at a club who aren’t as dominant as City are on the ball, I’m not so sure.

Ait-Nouri has the attributes that Pep looks for in his fullbacks.

Which signing has impressed you most?

Tijjani Reijnders has had an excellent start, got his goal on his debut and put in some impressive performances during City’s pre-season.

From what I’ve seen so far, in the short period of time that he’s been on these shores, he seems to have settled into English football well. That’s the main concern that you have when you bring a player in from abroad to play in the Premier League. But he seems to have picked that up pretty well and got a good understanding with his team-mates.

Are you expecting City and Pep to show that last season was just a blip after their win?

Well, I think it was a great performance, I’ve got to say, against a decent Wolves team. They’ve strengthened. They’ve spent a lot of money both in January and obviously this summer. I still don’t feel as though that they’ll be back to the standards that will get them above Liverpool in the league. But time will tell on that one. It’s the first game away from home, at Wolves, so there isn’t too much to say yet.

If there is anything to go by. I was pretty impressed with the way they played, but there’s a long way to go on this. But for me, I wouldn’t have them as favorites to win the title.

We’ve seen managers lose their aura. It happened to Jose. It happened to Wenger. Could it happen to Pep?

I think sometimes, people in the media get a little bit bored with the stories of individuals, and want to change a little bit. I don’t think that Arsene ever lost his aura. It was just a different time within Arsenal and the competitions they were in.

Various other managers are exactly the same as well. You’re only as good as a squad of players you’ve got, and injuries and all those types of things can change how things go.

Listen, Pep is probably one of the best we’ve ever had on these shores, and it’ll always stay that way. He finishes second in the league, having won it four years in a row and there’s a question mark about his aura fading. It’s quite comical really, but I just view him as one of the best we’ve ever had on these shores and that won’t diminish.

Why did you not put David James back up front again?

That was a unique situation. We were eighth in the league. The team we were playing that day, Middlesbrough, were seventh and had the last European place. It was the last game of the season. We needed to win the game to get into Europe. A draw wasn’t good enough – that would have kept Middlesbrough in European places.

I just felt the night before that what I need to do was to bring some atmosphere to the City of Manchester Stadium if the game was, you know, fizzling out with the scores level.

And I thought to myself we could go more route one, because a draw was no good to us.

We had to win the game and I just felt that David James’s height and everything that went with it was going to be beneficial to us. And to be quite honest with you, that was the whole scenario of why it was done. I never really faced another situation like it.

I played a goalkeeper in midfield for the England under-21s in my time. The reason I did that was because he was the last substitute available, and we had a slight injury. So rather than play with 10 men, even though the game was won, I would rather give a young player a cap. So I gave him an outfield shirt and he played in midfield, and he came away with a great story about playing outfield, being a goalkeeper, but also as well gaining another England cap.

If you gave me the choice, I would play anywhere for England. But that was the David James situation. I hope that gives some form of clarity why it was done.

I didn’t do it again, because the situation didn’t arise. I didn’t need it. I had a look at David up front and to be honest with you, he was bloody awful, you know what I mean? But he was on for 15 minutes and after seven of those 15 minutes, we got a penalty.

We had a great opportunity to win the game, which Mark Schwarzer managed to save. And if that would have hit the back of the net, people would have probably not analyzed David James’s contribution within the 15 minutes up front. They would have just said it was a master stroke, what a brilliant thing to do from the manager. The bottom line is this, David thought of himself as a number 10, rather than as a big centre forward getting on the end of things. So therein lies the problem.

Does Rodri’s injury setback affect Man City’s chances of winning the title?

Well, I think we saw it last year, the effect that it had on the football club. He’s a massive player for them, and the way they play. He offers that little bit of security in front of the back four. And his absence was obviously a big part of why they probably didn’t hit the heights that they normally do. Him missing again will be a big problem. They have shuffled the pack a little bit and brought in some new faces, both in January and now. And I think they would have learned a lot of lessons from last season, but of course when you’ve got a player as talented as Rodri missing — let’s not forget a Ballon d’Or winner — then you’re always going to feel it.

How can they address his absence?

I don’t think anyone can actually replace him. He’s that good at what he does. But what you’ve got to do is make sure that, if City play with three in midfield, that those three dominate midfield.

I saw the highlights of the game at the weekend. It wasn’t one that I covered. Bernardo Silva obviously plays a big part. Reijnders coming in as well was very impressive at the weekend. So maybe, you know, he’s going to have to fill the void in some way.

Nottingham Forest

Was Brian Clough the best manager you played for?

Yes, Brian Clough was the best manager that I played under on the grounds that I joined him when I was 23 and I was with him until I was 31 years old. He was a brilliant influence on me, both as a footballer and as a person as well. I was his captain for seven out the eight years we worked together.

Maybe Brian was not the best coach I’ve ever worked with. I would put Terry Venables and Glenn Hoddle in that category, but certainly for how he wanted the game played, keeping the game simple, and for what he’s achieved in his career. It’s Brian Clough.

Can you see any similarities between your former player Alfie Haaland and Erling Haaland?

I’ve not met Erling Haaland so it’s difficult for me to judge their personalities, but Alfie was a fantastic professional, a very straightforward guy.

Often, I say when I’ve been managing the under-21s, all you’ve got to do is meet the parents and you’ve probably met the son as well. So normally the influences are there. If he’s anything like his dad, he’ll be a great professional, mentally quite strong. He’ll tick a lot of boxes. And when I see Erling Haaland play, he’s got that physicality about him. He doesn’t throw himself to the floor readily. I like what I see as a player, it’s fair to say.

Roy Keane looked up to you at Forest, could you tell he would go far?

It didn’t take long for us to have our eyes caught by him. He was an outstanding player in the team, which was doing okay at the time, and then we went off the boil a little bit. But he was always a standout player within the group. His strong mentality was there for all to see. I think he had great energy, scored goals from midfield and he also played center-half on occasion, and wide midfield. So you could almost play him anywhere and he would deliver a performance that was as good as anybody.

Could I tell Roy Keane would have a great career? Yes, he had real talent. So it was no surprise that he did leave when he did and it was no surprise that he went on to great things.

Matt Le Tissier called you the scariest player he’d ever faced – who was the scariest player you ever faced?

I’ve never really looked at anyone on a football pitch as scary, aside from probably Billy Whitehurst, who was back in the day. But Billy used to play for Hull City, Oxford and others.

With a lot of people in our game who were around back then, if you ask for names of scary players on a pitch, Billy Whitehurst would probably be either No.1 or No. 2. Mick Hartford was a tough competitor as well, you know, so probably those two. But then again, I come from non-league and there were a lot of tough individuals playing there.

How important is it that they kept Morgan Gibbs-White?

Well, I think if they had lost Gibbs-White after Elanga left, that would be a massive blow for Nottingham Forest.

I’ve no idea whether they’re balancing the books, or what they’re doing there behind the scenes, but to keep Gibbs-White was vital given what he’s done. When he plays well, the team plays well. One thing I don’t think he gets enough credit for is his defensive contribution. He’s critical defensively. He works tirelessly for the team, and of course, what he does with the ball and scoring goals is absolutely vital. That was probably their best signing of the summer, to be quite honest.

How will Forest do this season in Europe?

In all honesty, I think they’ll have a good run in the Europa League. I think that it could maybe come to the detriment of their Premier League campaign, though. It’s difficult managing both competitions, Forest are going to have to manage a lot of games this season.

I’ve been on the coaching staff at West Ham and I know what a physical and mental drain it is fighting on two fronts, Thursday night football and then back at the weekend.

I think it’ll be really difficult for them, Premier League-wise. I don’t expect them to finish as high or have a good season as last year, but I think their style of play, their counterattacking style of play, will suit European football very well. I expect Forest to go a long way in the competition. I think they can surprise a few teams, that’s for sure.

Will the Forest fans need to show patience this year?

I think everyone’s got to show patience, especially in the Premier League. You know, it’s so boom and bust football these days. Patience is a commodity that is in scarce supply, to be honest with you. But patience is something that I think all fans and clubs have. You make new signings, they need time to settle in. But I think there is a modicum of patience there at Forest. I think the fans are tolerant of the team. They’ve been brilliant. And the owners’ put his money into the football club over recent years as well.

Do you think Chris Wood can repeat his goalscoring feats next season?

Well, before him scoring a brace against Brentford on Sunday, I’d have answered no, and I think I’ve still got to answer no. I think he had a brilliant season last year, which was quite incredible even by his standards.

He’s a great professional and leads the line well. I’m not sure he’ll score the same amount of goals again this season. I really don’t. But my goodness, has he got off to a brilliant start on the first day of the season. But the answer to the question is probably no. I’m not sure he will. I think defenses will work him out a little bit more.

Thoughts on Forest facing a backlash after being promoted into the Europa League at the expense of Palace?

In some ways, I find it a little bit difficult to understand because they’ve got into the Europa League on the back of Crystal Palace not adhering to the rules of UEFA. So I don’t see how that’s a great deal to do with Nottingham Forest.

I think the owners flagged it, but the bottom line is those were UEFA rules at the start of the season. You’ve got to adhere to the rules of the competition. They haven’t done that. They now find themselves in the competition below, and I think from Forest’s point of view, I’m not sure that I would level the blame at them for that.

Forest have been accused of telling tales, but the reality is that Palace didn’t adhere to the rules and have rightly been punished for them. Forest have simply been looking after their own interests, which is what every single club would do if they were in the same situation.

Thoughts on Forest’s new signings and transfer dealings so far?

I think they’ve done pretty well in the market. They’ve signed some exciting players and have added to their squad. I think it was a massive loss losing Elanga, I really do. I think he set them alight on the counter attack, they’ve bought a couple of players in now too who could do well. Dan N’Doye, Elanga’s replacement, he gets a debut goal. That’s a great start for him.

There’s talk before the window shuts of a couple more coming in as well, and I expect them to do that. We’ve seen the owner at Forest open his chequebook a lot since he walked through the door.

I think the Forest squad is probably as strong as they’ve ever had, which is incredible when you consider, a couple of years ago, they were in the Championship. How the squad has developed has been absolutely unbelievable. So I think they’re a stable Premier League club at this moment in time.

Are you expecting a tasty atmosphere and a niggly match when Forest travel to Palace next week?

I sincerely hope not. I really do, because I think there’s two brilliant sets of fans there. There’ll be some sort of mention of it, there is no doubt about that. But I just see two brilliant sets of fans.

Both of them have had fantastic last seasons, both of them are in Europe and it’s all about what they do in Europe and what they do in the league campaign this year.

Palace have been unbelievable, to be fair to them. Picking up two trophies now, with the Community Shield as well. They’ve had a brilliant season like Forest have, so I sincerely hope there’s not any nasty rivalry between them, that’s for sure.

England

What do the women’s side have that separates them from the men’s team? What do they do better?

They’ve got trophies, that’s the one thing that they’ve got that separates them. The FA have been brilliant since St George’s Park was finished back in 2012.

The English Football Association have done well with all levels. The senior men’s team at the moment have been very successful. All the age groups with the men have done well, and the women have been probably the icing on the cake for that. They’ve been fantastic.

I was fortunate enough to go on the road with the women’s team when I worked for the FA back in the early 2000s, and you saw how it was developing then, and it’s no surprise to me to see what they’ve gone on to achieve. But their ability to see games out when they’re not the best team is absolutely incredible.

Mental resilience is probably one thing that they’ve shown that’s been absolutely fantastic over the last few years, as they showed at both Euros.

Do you think Harry Kane’s place is under threat as England’s No. 9 given his age?

No, I think he’s so good and I don’t see too many challengers to him. I think his biggest challenge will be if the manager had a mentality change and decided not to play with a centre-forward and play with a dropped-off center forward, more of a midfield player.

I think that’s the only thing at this moment in time that would threaten Harry. I think he loves playing for England. We can see that in the way he plays. He sets record after record. For me, he’ll be comfortably our centre-forward come next summer for the World Cup, and maybe beyond if he wants to.

Is Phil Foden now out of the running for starts behind Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer?

It’s really difficult to say. I think Jude Bellingham is now the first pick, let’s say. But I was fortunate enough to do an interview with Thomas Tuchel in the summer and I asked him the biggest problem he’s got or his biggest challenge, between now and the World Cup next summer, is getting the balance right in the England team.

I think we’ve got a lot of talent but you’ve got to get the balance right within that team. And that might mean picking a player that looks slightly like a so-called ugly duckling. And you’re not just shoehorning the best talent in the team. So getting the balance right is really important, whether that be Foden, whether that be Cole Palmer.

The beauty of it is that we have a lot of options at the moment that can play in these varying positions.

West Ham

Any fears for West Ham this season after a pitiful opening day performance at Sunderland?

Obviously I’ve got an affection for West Ham United and I want them to stay in the Premier League. I think the squad of players is too good to be involved in a relegation campaign. But all it probably takes is one or two of the promoted teams to do particularly well this year and avoid relegation. All of a sudden, somebody else is in trouble.

I think West Ham will finish just under halfway in the division. That’s how I see them finishing this year. But, the difference between halfway and a relegation battle will depend on how the promoted teams fare this year.

Do you agree with Jamie Carragher that West Ham could be set for a battle against relegation?

I mean, obviously I’ve been close to West Ham over the years, being on the coaching staff. Historically, they’ve been able to find money in one year, and then tightened their belts the next. I think they’ve found some money now, and credit to Mr Sullivan, he’s been pretty good with the spending and bringing players in.

Certainly, David Moyes, when he was there, obviously went out into the market and was able to buy a few players on occasion, and the club have done exactly that when they have had the opportunity. But it’s making sure that the team ethics are correct. I’m not sure at this moment in time there is a lot of money washing around the club to bring new faces in.

Could you see Potter being sacked if he doesn’t start well?

I think there’ll be a bit of tolerance for a few months towards him, to be quite honest with you. He’s signed some new players as well, who are bedding in.

The end of last season wasn’t great. It was okay, but not great. And they’ve got off to a bad start up at Sunderland. But I think he’s a very good manager and a good coach, and if he’s just given time, he’ll turn things around there a little bit. But I don’t think it’ll be an easy campaign. It’s just going to be about little wins week in, week out. There will be some tough days at West Ham this season.

Can you see Jarrod Bowen moving on in the summer if West Ham struggle again?

Can I see Bowen moving on if West Ham struggle? Absolutely not. I think they’ll move heaven and earth to make sure Jarrod stays at the club. I think the detrimental effect that would have on the supporters would be absolutely immense, so I can’t see it happening.

Out of all the players, anyone moving on, if they had offers for him, Jarrod wouldn’t be one they’d be interested in letting go. I’ll be very surprised.

I think that he wants to stay, too. I’ve never had a different impression, from the day he came to the football club. He’s a very level young man, fantastic kid. And it would surprise me greatly if he wanted to leave the club. But he’s not that way inclined, I don’t think. I think he enjoys playing for West Ham United.

Newcastle

What was the difference in management styles between Kenny Dalglish and Ruud Gullit?

I see Kenny as more tactile with the players. He likes to be part of the group, that type of thing. Ruud was probably a little bit more aloof, probably more akin to most managers, you might say. But yeah, totally different individuals really. They were both really good managers in their time, fantastic managers, but different characters as such.

What happened on the training ground between you and Gullit?

I was out of the first-team plans at Newcastle a little bit, so obviously I was a touch disgruntled, it’s fair to say. That would be the best way to describe how I felt.

Ruud used to join in on the training ground, and credit to Ruud for that… He was still a very good player at the time and, on the odd occasion we did come in contact with each other, but nothing that he particularly minded to be quite honest with you… He was quite happy with that.

I was on the fringes before that tackle, but if I’d been starting regularly, I definitely wouldn’t have done it!

What would you say to Isak?

I’ve played at Newcastle. I’m really disappointed in him. I look at things like this. The football club has won their first trophy for God knows how long. The football club is doing brilliantly. The fans at Newcastle are arguably the best in the country, the most loyal in the country. And on the back of the big high that they’ve achieved, their best player, their best goal scorer, has decided to down tools and want to leave the football club, and has had his head turned. Now that disappoints me a little bit.

But then again you’re talking to a man that stayed loyal to Nottingham Forest when I had opportunities to leave to go to bigger clubs, because of the loyalty that I perceive that you have to give back as a player.

How has Eddie Howe handled the Isak saga?

I think he’s been absolutely brilliant. I think he’s a very level manager. I’ve managed teams that have gone up against his Bournemouth side at times, and he’s always struck me as someone who’s very level in how he manages. I think he’s been exactly the same with Isak.

There’s a bit of frustration there. You understand that he’s been put in a really difficult position as a manager. You know, trying to smooth it over with a player whilst biting your tongue slightly. The player after the season they had wants to leave the football club, which is hard to deal with. So it’s a real balancing act. But I think Eddie’s as suited as anybody to deal with situations like that. And I think he’s an outstanding ambassador of the game. I really do.

Do you think Nicolas Jackson would be a good replacement for Alexander Isak?

I thought from the outset that perhaps Newcastle could have made a swap deal for Darwin Nunez with Isak heading in the other direction and Darwin coming through the door with a bundle of cash. But Nunez has moved on to Saudi Arabia.

I can see the sense in moving for Jackson. To be fair, I think the Newcastle fans need someone that puts some sweat on the shirt. Run around for the club, and Jackson’s one of those individuals. He’ll score a certain amount of goals, but there’s more development to come from him. I believe if he did hit it off, he could be a great replacement. I think Newcastle are better off with a player rather than the money burning a hole in their pocket.

The closer we get to the window closing, the more difficult it is if they decide to take the money and try to replace him, plus everyone knows what kind of budget they have and the prices for the players they’re targeting will increase.

Jackson is one of those players that we believe is available and would fill the void. So I can see that working.

Premier League

Who will top score this season?

Salah. I think Salah will once again top-score. He plays all the games. There doesn’t seem to be any rotation with Mo Salah either. You see certain players get taken off, or maybe not start games that are not seen as critical games. Salah seems to start all the time. So I still feel as though Salah will be the top scorer.

Haaland, he’s going to be in the top two or three, there’s no doubt about that. Like Salah, Haaland really plays all the games. Pep picks him all the time. But I just feel as though maybe he’s beholden a little bit more to the supply line behind him, more so than Salah. I think Salah creates more for himself. That’s why I put him at number one. Haaland will be number two or three in the goal scoring charts, no doubt about that. But I’m not sure he’ll pip Salah.

Who do you think will run Liverpool closest for the title this season?

I think Liverpool will win it. Liverpool have strengthened really well from winning the title. If Isak arrives, that will make them even stronger, so that could be a huge advantage to come. There’s also been talk about Marc Guehi coming to Anfield, so that would be two more outstanding Premier League players in the squad for the season to come.

I think Chelsea will come second. I think the other two in with a shout are Manchester City and Arsenal. But it will be a great title race.

Chelsea are stronger this year. They’ve had the confidence of winning a couple of trophies as well. So that’s a big one for them. They’ve added to their squad and bought in some quality.

Across the board, I think it’s going to be really tight. Arsenal have improved the squad. City definitely have and Liverpool have too. I think those four will be in the top four places.

Can any of the newly promoted clubs stay up?

Probably before the season started I felt as though Leeds had the best opportunity of staying up, and I’d probably say that again now. But listen, Sunderland have had a brilliant start to the season, even though it’s only one game. I understand that. But sometimes momentum’s a big thing, and how the fixtures pan out are a big thing.

I think even at this early stage, if Sunderland win at Burnley next, all of a sudden, they’ll believe they can stay up. At that stage they’ll probably only need another 29 points to stay in the division. So it won’t be easy. But I think they’ve recruited particularly well, maybe they’ve done the best business out of all the promoted clubs.

Having said that, they’ve got to be a fair bit better than the three teams of last year, which let a few off the hook a little bit, namely Man United, Tottenham, West Ham and Everton. They were just above that zone and had all the pressure taken off them because the three teams that got promoted were probably relegated, give or take, by January anyway.

Who is Liverpool’s best signing of the summer?

Florian Wirtz. I think he’s the one catching the eye at the moment. He comes with the ability to score and assist, so it’s probably him. But when you look at the magnitude of their squad, and I think one of the best players that they had last year, if you ask any Liverpool fan, was Ryan Gravenberch.

A lot of people fancied him as maybe the player of the season as well. When he’s back firing in midfield, a player that they’ve already got, that’s had a good season in the holding midfield role, it was him who caught the eye previously.

But at the moment Wirtz is the one who’s catching the eye and going to catch the eye going forward.

Would you rate Marc Guehi as a better option than Ibrahima Konate?

Personally, yes, if I had the choice between both of them, Guehi’s the better player. Konate was outstanding last year. But Marc Guehi is the first-choice England central defender in my eyes. I think he reads danger really well. I think you can leave him in one-on-one situations, which helps the bigger clubs who play a bit more expansive football.

We saw with Liverpool at the weekend when they attacked, both fullbacks vacated their areas leaving the two center halves to deal with the danger. Now you’ve got to make sure that you are capable of dealing with one-on-one situations. I think Mark Guehi is one of those that can do exactly that. I think he’s a great commodity and if I was Newcastle, if I was Liverpool, if I was Manchester United, I would go and recruit him.

What do you expect from Manchester United?

They’ll be better than last year. There will certainly be an improvement there, no doubt about that. I can see them finishing in about seventh or eighth position. They certainly won’t be in the bottom half of the division, that is for sure. But, I can’t see them troubling the top four, to be honest.

I think missing out on Baleba means they might look elsewhere. Big clubs need big squads because they are playing so many games. I think for United, it will help because when one player is out of form, you need options. It helps to be able to make changes, and the more options you have for that, the better it is.

So where I think years ago you used to rely on a very small squad with a few youngsters supplementing it, nowadays you need that big squad to start the campaign. I would have thought you need at least 20 players and then goalkeepers on top.

Were you impressed by Sunderland?

You’ve got to say the atmosphere at Sunderland was absolutely immense. And that’s going to play a big part this season in keeping the team in the division, if they can have a tilt at that.

The new signings that they bought through the door show good energy and good drive. So I think it’s a brilliant start. They go to Burnley next as well, so they’ve got an opportunity to really stake a claim and get some points on the board early on. And historically, it keeps you in the division.

The stat I saw, if after the first 10 games, if you get more than 10 points, you’ll stay in the division. They’ve got three on the board already with a game at Burnley on the horizon. They won’t fear that match, as such. That game will be interesting, but a great start for them.

What do you make of Granit Xhaka’s start to the season?

In Granit Xhaka, I think what they’ve done, they bought a player in there that’s got immense experience. He’s been around the international scene and the club scene, knows the country, knows the Premier League. To bring him in, make him the captain, it’s a sensible move from the manager and it allows him to lead from the front like he does.

Is there a move that almost happened that never went through?

I probably could have gone to Manchester United, and Rangers as well, when Rangers were hoovering up some of the bigger players around Britain. But I enjoyed where I played my football. I enjoyed working for Brian Clough, and the connection I had with the fans was just incredible. So, for me it was a no-brainer to stay put. Even if you’re turning more money down to go elsewhere.

Sir Alex has been public in saying that he was desperate to get me to sign. Obviously I spoke with Bryan Robson when I was away with England, and he mentioned that they had a real interest in me around 1990, that sort of era of time.

I don’t think Brian Clough was entertaining it and I wouldn’t take Fergie’s telephone calls. If you rock the boat with Brian Clough, chances are you’ll be playing in the youth team for a couple of seasons. So there you go.

But for me, sometimes you have to give loyalty back to the football clubs that show you loyalty. What happened with Rangers, I was always concerned that my England place might be under jeopardy playing in a league that wasn’t in the English First Division then.

I just felt as though from the point of view of my England career that I was better suited being at Forest. You know, playing for England meant a lot to me and I didn’t want to destabilize my international career by moving football clubs. And I’d seen various players leave Forest. Gary Birtles and Peter Davenport had gone to other clubs and didn’t really achieve what they achieved back at Forest.

Who is the best left-back in the Premier League?

Off the top of my head, there’s very few that are much better than Myles Lewis-Skelly, if I’m being quite honest with you.

He’s got room for improvement. Year on year you expect him to get a lot better. Arsenal have got a great reputation when it comes to developing left backs. I had to play understudy to Kenny Sansom. And then after that, Ashley Cole obviously developed as an outstanding left back for them.

Myles has been playing for one of the best sides in the Premier League, so I think he’s as good as most.

Do you think Myles Lewis-Skelly has what it takes to succeed at Arsenal and England?

Without a doubt. He shows a strong character from what I can see, as a player on the pitch. I think he’s got good game understanding, and he can deal with one-on-one situations. He gets forward extremely well on the overlap and on the underlap.

It surprised me at the weekend that he didn’t start. I don’t know what the situation is with him, but his first port of call is to make sure that he breaks into this Arsenal team and becomes a regular there. And then from there, England are struggling with left-backs. If Luke Shaw’s not fit and available, certainly, he’s the first in line to play there for England. If you’re first choice for England, then you’re some player.

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