‘He’s always been a guy I’ve admired as a manager’: Wes Morgan on working with Billy Davies at Nottingham Forest

Video: Wes Morgan on working with Billy Davies.

Former Nottingham Forest and Premier League-winning captain Wes Morgan appeared on the latest episode of Team Talk and said Billy Davies was the best manager he worked with at the City Ground.

Morgan played under the Scot during his first spell at the club between 2009 and 2011, as Davies twice guided the Reds to the Championship play-offs.

Davies rejoined the Forest in 2013 and reportedly wanted to bring Morgan back to the City Ground that summer after the centre-half left the Reds for Leicester City in 2012. 

And, in the second of a two-part interview for nottstv.com, Morgan told Iain Chambers and Charlie McParland how he spent ‘a lot of time’ working and learning from legendary Reds defender Des Walker as an academy player. 


“Me and Billy always stayed in contact, and he’s always wished me well.

He’s always been a guy I’ve admired as a manager. He came in and did a great job for Nottingham Forest, I think all Forest fans appreciated the work he did.

Somewhere along the line, I think he would’ve loved to have got me back. But I was more than happy at Leicester, things were going so well. That never materialised.

Character-wise and the person he was, Billy Davies [was the best manager I worked with at Forest].

I have to mention Paul Hart, he’s the one that brought me through, gave me a professional contract.

Former Nottingham Forest defender Wes Morgan.

To get your first professional contract is fantastic and just shows how much you mean to the manager.

Paul Hart will always be up there, but I spent longer with Billy Davies and I really got to know him on a personal level. I thought he was a very good manager.

To learn from Des Walker was unbelievable, what a legend he was.

He was such a good player, such a servant for Nottingham Forest. He was perfect.

He spent a lot of time with me. I’ve always been physical, strong and quick but I had to work on my feet and my technique and he helped me a lot.

He made me practice a lot striking the ball and make sure my technique was right. I’ll leave him on a pedestal.

I think I’ve improved a lot. I worked on my game, everyone’s got weaknesses.

I remember Des Walker helped me on little areas of my game and that’s why I have to give him a special mention.”

For more from Wes, watch the June 28 episode of Team Talk on our catch-up service by clicking here.

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