Peterborough United have appointed Robbie Savage as their new manager on a long-term contract, bringing the former Forest Green Rovers boss into a League One relegation fight following the dismissal of Luke Williams last month.
Savage leaves Forest Green to take charge of a Peterborough side sitting second from bottom, with Ryan Harley, who had been overseeing the team on an interim basis, remaining at the club as assistant manager. The appointment is Savage’s first managerial job in the Football League since his playing career ended in 2011.
A high-profile choice at a difficult moment
This is an eye-catching appointment because Peterborough have not selected a conventional lower-league rescue specialist. Savage arrives with a substantial public profile from his playing and broadcasting career, but he also has recent managerial experience rather than being an untested celebrity appointment.
According to multiple reports, his route into management began at Macclesfield, where he led the club up to National League North before moving to Forest Green in 2025. That background matters to Peterborough’s calculation: the board are appointing a coach who has already worked in the realities of non-league management, player development and promotion pressure, even if the scrutiny around this role will be markedly greater.
The club’s chairman, Darragh MacAnthony, made clear that personality and drive were central to the decision. His comments suggest Peterborough’s search was as much about changing the mood around the squad as it was about choosing a tactical system. Describing a need to restore confidence points to a group that has been affected by its league position and recent managerial change.
An attacking promise, with a balancing act ahead
Savage has indicated that he wants his side to play with intent. He has rejected the idea of possession for its own sake and stressed a willingness to chase victories, particularly in close home matches. He also wants an energetic, forceful approach from what he sees as a youthful group.
That message is likely designed to establish a clear identity quickly. Peterborough have traditionally placed considerable value on developing young footballers, and Savage specifically identified the club’s scale, philosophy and work with younger players as factors in accepting the role. There is a natural fit, then, between his stated interest in improvement and a club whose model has long depended on giving emerging players responsibility.
Yet the immediate challenge is making that attacking ambition work for a team near the foot of League One. A more assertive approach can lift supporters and players when confidence is low, but it also requires structure without the ball. Savage’s public emphasis has been on mentality and front-foot football; how he intends to organise his side defensively, and whether he will adapt his approach to the urgency of the situation, are questions that only results and performances can answer.
Harley’s role offers useful continuity
Keeping Harley as assistant is a significant part of the announcement. An interim coach can provide knowledge of the current dressing room, training routines and problems that need addressing, while a new manager supplies a fresh voice and a broader reset.
It may also help Savage move swiftly from his first conversations with the players to implementing his ideas. He has said he intends to be heavily involved on the training pitch while trusting his coaching staff to deliver work and messages. That is an important distinction: Savage is presenting himself as an engaged manager rather than a distant figurehead, but one who wants a functioning staff structure rather than control concentrated entirely in one person.
For Harley, the move from caretaker to assistant avoids another abrupt break in the coaching set-up. For Peterborough, it preserves some stability after Williams’ departure while ensuring the new manager has a familiar voice beside him.
Doubts are acknowledged rather than avoided
Savage has openly recognised that some observers will question the appointment. His response has been to frame the opportunity through his own career, arguing that he has repeatedly had to earn opportunities after setbacks and scepticism. That stance will be unsurprising to those who remember his playing career: confrontation and emotional intensity were prominent features of his public persona.
The crucial test is whether that edge translates into effective day-to-day leadership. Peterborough do not simply need attention around the appointment; they need improved confidence, a coherent game plan and enough consistency to climb away from danger. The chairman’s emphasis on Savage’s hunger indicates the board believe his energy can be productive rather than distracting.
There are still details that the initial announcement does not resolve. Neither report explains the exact length of the contract, the arrangements behind his departure from Forest Green, or the extent of any changes Savage may make to the wider coaching staff. More importantly, the reports do not establish how quickly his preferred approach can be embedded in a squad dealing with pressure at the wrong end of the table.
Peterborough have nevertheless made a decisive choice. Savage has been hired not merely to oversee a short-term stabilisation, but to restore belief and give a talented young squad a more aggressive direction. Whether that long-term vision can coexist with the immediate demands of survival will define his first Football League assignment.