“I TRIED TO SIGN IBRAHIMOVIC AT SUNDERLAND. HE DIDN’T WANT TO COME, SO WE GOT TORE ANDRE FLO”

You kicked off your managerial career as Manchester City player-manager in 1990. Why don’t we see more of them today?

It’s tough now, almost impossible. There was myself, Glenn Hoddle, Bryan Robson, Kenny Dalglish and Ray Wilkins at that specific time, but with the work managers have to do on and off the training ground, it’s such a big ask. I was fortunate to get the Man City job in 1990 when Howard Kendall went back to Everton, and thoroughly enjoyed it – it was hard work, but I had a good team and felt we were improving. When I played I’d let my assistant Sam Ellis make decisions, as you get caught up in the heat of battle. He took me off once or twice