An impressive managerial milestone for a former Peterborough United boss and playing star
Former Peterborough United boss Grant McCann is set to celebrate his 500th game as a manager on Saturday.
The bulk of those games have been at Posh (153) and his current club Doncaster Rovers (210). He’s had two spells as manager at each club. McCann has also managed Hull City 136 times.
McCann has won the League One title with Hull and the League Two title with Doncaster. He’s also delivered two play-off campaigns for Rovers. McCann, a promotion-winning midfield star at Posh, couldn’t repeat that success as manager at London Road. He was also caretaker-manager at Posh on two occasion, the second time led to a permanent appointment.
McCann started off his coaching career managing the Posh Under 14 team.
McCann told the Doncaster Free Press: “To manage 500 games by the age of 45 tells me I've done something right. I've seen everything. Promotions, winning leagues, relegations, takeovers, embargoes - whatever it may be, I've seen it all!
"It's been an exciting 10 years and a real journey and to get 500 games at this stage and at my age is good, so let's see if I can go and get to a thousand and join that club!”
McCann also told the Doncaster Rovers media team. “I’m obviously really proud to get to 500 games. It’s been a long time and a lot of hard work to get to it.
“Going through my coaching badges when I was playing, learning from different managers and then starting the journey with the U14s at Peterborough United many, many years ago. Then moving into the first team environment and it going from there.
“I probably took everything to heart too much at the start. I can remember sleeping at the training ground at Peterborough after one away game because we got beaten and I wanted to stay in the office. I felt ashamed to go back to my family so I slept in the office, debriefed the game and had the players in the next day.
“When I think back to things like that, it was all just part of learning in management, understanding what winning and losing is. Not getting too high, not getting too low and just taking game by game, step by step.
“I think that’s what it’s all about. Not being too reactive. In the early years I probably overreacted to things - not winning and then changing the shape, thinking someone needs to leave and things like that.
“The older you get, you tend to get a little bit more calm and in control of what you’re doing. I think that’s something I’ve definitely learned in my management career.”
McCann’s milestone match is a home League One game against Wigan. Doncaster start tomorrow in the relegation zone, two places and three points from safety.