500 up for Dave Jones

Last updated : 26 January 2007 By Michael Morris
When City run out against Leicester tomorrow it will represent the 500th time Dave Jones has sent out a team in League and Premiership management.

'People say it's a stressful job, but I enjoy what I am doing,' says Jones.

'I don't feel under pressure or stressed out.

'I may just be one of the lucky ones. I sleep well whatever happens.

'It's a 24/7 job and you have to be yourself.

'Some managers rant and rave, run up and down the touchline. That's not me.

'People think I don't have passion. That's not right, but I don't have a great deal of emotion during a game.

'I am constantly watching, figuring out what I have to say, what has to be done, how I can change it.

'That's me.'

His opposite number tomorrow is Rob Kelly. He's had far fewer games in charge and more than he thought he might.

Kelly took over when Craig Levein left the club last season.

'Firstly, I thought I was leaving Leicester City a year ago when Craig Levein went," said Kelly.

'Basically, it was about people losing their jobs.

'We had all come here together and the way it works, usually everyone goes together.

'I was probably looked on as a safe pair of hands in charge for a game or two, and looking no further than that.

'My first game was losing to Southampton in the Cup and while you never want to lose games, it did clear the fog away. We had 16 games to keep ourselves in the division.

'I didn't think I would be in charge for those 16 games, (and thought) that the board would do something to get someone else in eventually.

'But I thought, well I am in charge. If I am going to do it for three days or three games, I have to do it properly.

'But I never looked too far ahead, I still don't. Yes, you do plan but what I have learned is that you deal game-to-game.

'This season, we had a poor start, got it back on track, went backwards again and all this takeover business blew up.

'Whatever anyone says, while you try to concentrate on the job in hand, it is always there in the background.'

Both men were talking to the South Wales Echo.