'Despite how it looks' - Graham Alexander's Bradford City to Preston North End move assessed by ex-teammate
Graham Alexander’s decision to leave Bradford City for Preston North End has been assessed by a former teammate
Alan Hutton understands why his former Scotland teammate Graham Alexander left Bradford City - even though his Preston North End reign has got off to a disastrous start.
Alexander vacated his post at Valley Parade in September, leaving League One’s highest-ranked club for the Championship basement boys.
It has gone from bad to worse at Deepdale, with Preston winless in six league games under Alexander and seemingly nosediving towards relegation.
Alan Hutton delivers Graham Alexander verdict
Preston’s woes have led many to question Alexander’s decision, but his former Scotland teammate Hutton still understands why the 55-year-old moved on.
He told OLBG, who ‘offer the best betting sites’: “There's risk and reward involved. From a professional standpoint, I totally understand wanting to manage at the highest level possible.
“So when the opportunity presents itself, he'll feel his experience can get them out of the situation they're in. It hasn't quite transpired that way yet, but he'll still believe he can turn it around.
“Football is crazy, if Preston were to go down and Bradford go up, it's like you're looking at yourself saying, I can't believe that's just happened, but it's football and I understand ambition. So I totally get why he left despite how it looks right now.”
Bradford City’s post-Graham Alexander era
Alexander was replaced at Bradford by Michael Duff, who he played alongside during his Burnley days.
Duff has overseen five league games, with the Bantams drawing three, winning one and losing one.
Their first defeat under Duff came last weekend, when Huddersfield Town ran out as 3-0 winners at Valley Parade.
Duff said: "We've just been beaten. Take your medicine. Dust yourselves down, stay together and crack on to the next one.
"It's easy when you're winning or you're not conceding goals. The seasons are long - 10-and-a-half months. There's loads of ups and downs and football doesn't work in a straight line.”