This must be the only industry in the world where you can have a total novice, who has not even been in management for one year, being touted for the top job in English football.

“Before the match my daughter said: ‘Beenie the horse wants to sit next to you by the drinks holder on the touchline’. It is difficult to tell a seven-year-old: ‘This is the Premiership, I’m known as Psycho and I’m a hard man’.”

"We played extremely well with Beenie for the match against West Ham. He's come through our academy system, or rather my daughter's academy system, and he made the trip to Everton. Beenie got us a result today."

"Why should Manchester City pay me for not being their manager? I have been fortunate to earn a decent wage as a player, and now as a manager. I don't want to be wrangling with the chief executive for a couple of quid. My wife thinks I am an idiot - but that is my view."

"I told them to go home, look at their wives and children and say 'How do you think your daddy played today?' I won't be able to look my family in the eye after that."

"He's done something that, at worst, is a little bit childish. At best, it's a bit of comedy that everyone should laugh off, but I still have to deal with it several days later."

"I'm thinking of taking a window cleaner's job to fill the spare hour in the evening."

"I'm an amateur in a professional's game"