Robbie Savage closing in on Forest Green Rovers manager job after turning down offers

Robbie Savage is closing in on being appointed as Forest Green Rovers manager after the eco-warriors parted company with Steve Cotterill.

Savage won promotion to the National League North in his first season as a head coach, at the age of 50, with born-again Macclesfield last season, smashing every club record for points, goals, clean sheets and wins.

The former Wales international, who captained four Premier League clubs, is believed to have turned down two offers from clubs at least two divisions higher than the Silkmen last year.

And although he agreed a new two-year contract with Macclesfield after clinching the phoenix club’s third promotion in four years, Forest Green owner Dale Vince is determined to land his No.1 target.

Savage and businessman Rob Smethurst relaunched the Silkmen five years ago after the club had gone bust and took them on an astonishing magic carpet ride of three promotions and a play-off final in four years.

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During the first three of those campaigns Savage was director of football, hiring and firing managers but taking charge of all the player recruitment.

He admitted last September that he would effectively have to sack himself if he was not an instant success as head coach - but Macclesfield stormed to the Northern Premier League title collecting 109 points and scoring 109 goals.

Forest Green director of football Mark Bowen is a former Wales team-mate who was also Mark Hughes’ assistant when Savage joined Birmingham and Blackburn. Cotterill’s departure from the New Lawn paves the way for a fresh start in the Gloucestershire hillside and Savage’s appointment could be rubber-stamped early next week.

Vince, who was impressed by the promise of Savage’s son, Charlie, on loan at Forest Green two seasons ago has a high regard for the BBC 606 phone-in host’s work ethic. Savage has always been determined not to launch his managerial career at Premier League or Championship level as a matter of entitlement and is thought to prefer climbing the ladder incrementally to earn his stripes.

Forest Green missed out narrowly on the National League play-off final last month, beaten on penalties in a semi-final thriller against Southend.

But that was not enough for Vince, who felt they were capable of regaining EFL status at the first attempt after a disastrous year when former Watford striker Troy Deeney’s reign lasted only 29 days as head coach.

Deeney oversaw vastly improved performances, if not results, but he was forced out after hammering his players in the media following a home defeat by Harrogate.

Vince, however, has not been put off hiring another big personality - and the relentless winning machine Savage built at Macclesfield was always going to lead to offers from clubs higher up English football’s ladder.

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