Former Nottingham Forest defender Kelvin Wilson has spoken to Open Goal, as shown on YouTube, of his surprise that former boss Billy Davies is currently out of work.
The fiery Scot hasn’t worked in football management since departing the City Ground in March 2014.
Davies is Forest’s most successful manager in recent memory; guiding the Reds to back-to-back top-six finishes in 09/10 and 10/11.
Central defender Wilson made 169 appearances for the Reds across two spells and he speaks fondly of his former manager.
He told Open Goal: “Billy Davies, brilliant; he was brilliant for me. Obviously, people have their opinions on him, but he was brilliant for me.
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“Alongside Neil (Lennon), who is a great man manager, I would say Billy is the best manager I’ve played under.”
Some of the football played under Davies was a joy to behold, particularly during his first spell at the City Ground.
But what made the man who also managed Derby County so special?
Wilson praises his reading of the game and meticulous attention to detail as two of his main strengths.
He continued: “He just gets the best out of you; everything is down to a ‘T’ with the detail. He kind of predicts games – he could tell you what’s going to happen at certain times in a game, and it did.
“He’s just a great guy and he was great for me.
“He brought the best out of me. I played my best football under him, and Neil as well.”
Davies was occasionally a controversial character, especially during his second spell at the club.
Few could doubt his ability to manage, however.
He took Preston North End to a Championship Play-Off Final, before winning promotion to the Premier League with Derby County.
The job couldn’t quite be completed on both occasions he was at the City Ground but he did take Forest higher than any other manager during the last decade.