Bristol City head coach Liam Manning and his family have taken strength from the outpouring of support and condolences from the people of Bristol and the wider footballing family, following the tragic loss of their baby son Theo. The coach has taken a period of absence away from the Ashton Gate club, but his best friend and assistant head coach Chris Hogg said Liam and the family have been touched by the messages of support from across the city, and from the footballing world.
Speaking halfway through perhaps the most difficult week of his coaching career, Hogg said the players and everyone at the club have been affected by the news of the passing of baby Theo at the weekend. Hogg is taking over first team responsibilities as the team prepare to face what was already a tough assignment – Middlesbrough away – while at the same time dealing with his own grief and supporting the players and staff at the club.
He explained how the response from around football, and the devastating impact within the club itself showed just how much love and respect there is for Liam Manning at Ashton Gate.
“There’s no hiding from it in terms of that emotional response over the last four or five days,” the assistant head coach said. “It’s a difficult conversation you have to have to relay the news, and everyone’s thoughts, as well as the wider community, is obviously with Liam, Fran, and the family, so it’s not been an easy four or five days to say the least.
“One thing that is warming my heart is how beautiful the response has been from the wider public, since the statement’s got put out there, and I know that’s given them a source of strength, and something to hold on to. So we can’t thank people enough for that, in terms of it being massive for the family as they move through this process,” he added.
Clubs and football people across the country responded to the tragic announcement earlier this week. On Tuesday evening, Ashton Gate played host to the England under-21s team, and the players wore black armbands as a mark of mourning for baby Theo.
“It shows what the football family is about,” said Chris Hogg. “It’s also a sign of the man that Liam is as well, around and the respect he has in the game, and also the respect he has in around the building and in and around this football club, because you can visibly see people… the emotional responses are a bit different and people handle things differently… but the effect that it’s had on a lot of us is very stark, so that’s due to the respect that people have for Liam and his family,” he explained.
The pair have been best mates since their days together more than 20 years ago as apprentices in Ipswich’s youth team. And while Manning’s career as a player was cut short by injury, Hogg forged a name for himself as a solid centre back and captain at Hibs in Edinburgh, before being brought back to Ipswich’s academy by Liam, who was beginning his coaching career there.
The pair have worked together most recently at MK Dons, Oxford and now at Bristol City. “I love them the same as I love my own family,” Hogg said of Manning’s young family. “So it’s been hard for everybody.
“But it is a beautiful thing, football brings people together, it is warm. And every situation in the past where there’s been hardships in the country, it’s usually a sport that brings people together, and football is normally one of the first sports that unites everybody.
“I think all Liam’s ever wanted since we came into the football club is a bit of unity and people pulling together and being united behind the players and behind the football club. It’s been really warming to see that, and the players are definitely going to need that support and that help,” he added.
“The news and everything that the family are going through, we’ve been there helping and supporting them, ultimately though we live in a professional sport that doesn’t stop unfortunately, so this week for the players and a lot of the staff has been processing things, trying to process the emotions, lend support, offer help wherever we can, and for Liam and his family to know that we’re all here for them and we’re all supporting them with whatever they need at whatever time.
“It puts football into insignificance really, but on the flip side of that, it also gives you something and the players something to focus on and try to drive your energy and be united behind trying to put on a decent performance
“So it’s not been easy, but we’re all human beings and we’re all full of emotion, fears and anxieties and we all work around that, whatever we do with these feelings inside of us. The easiest way and the best way to overcome some of those fears and anxieties is to have people supporting you and having their back, so the Bristol City fans I know, will do that with the players for sure,” he added.