Stuart Pearce has only been in football management for just over half a year, but he's taken all his character and determination with him into the job.

I went to meet the Manchester City boss at the club's Carrington training ground in below-freezing conditions, and was confronted by the man they call "Psycho" wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

Listen to Stuart defend his choice of clothing - and the rest of the interview - using the audio panel below. Alternatively, scroll down to read what he had to say.

Ollie: It's minus three outside this morning - you've turned up in a t-shirt. Is that why you're called 'Psycho'?

Stuart: No, 'cause I had a hat, coat, scarf and gloves on when I came through the door.

Ollie: So it's all a show for the press?

Stuart: Of course it is.

Ollie: You've been manager at City for 9 or 10 months now. Is it what you expected?

Stuart: That and a bit more, I think. It's a very difficult job - football management's very tough. You have to keep a level head on everything you're trying to achieve and have a long-term goal, and also win your short-term battles. I've been very fortunate, I've had good support from everyone at the club.

Ollie: You say in your autobiography that the game's changed but you haven't. Has that changed since you became a manager?

Stuart: Not really. I think as in life you have to be honest, reliable and dependable and serve a football club to the best of your ability - look people in the eye at supporters' club meetings and give them an honest answer. Whether they like that or not is irrelevant if you can be honest and people look at you and say "hang on a minute, what this fella says is probably the truth".

Ollie: You're gaining a reputation for being quite active on the touchline. Do you ever worry you'll get too involved and make a tackle? Take a throw-in?

Stuart: I think [assistant manager] Steve Wigley has got a bet that it'll happen this season. Someone'll just have to skate a bit close to me when we're winning 1-0, last minute, it could be worth taking a booking.

Ollie: Has Bryan Robson forgiven you for the slide tackle you dished out to him earlier this season?

Stuart: Just wait til we go to The Hawthorns. When he wants the ball back and we're beating them, he won't get it.

Ollie: Your MBE isn't often mentioned. Did you ever think about it before you received it?

Stuart: No, obviously not. I view myself as a very humble working man, fortunate to stay in football for a length of time. You always thought MBEs and OBEs were maybe for people who'd done charity work or deserved it, not someone like me who does a job for a living that I love doing.

Ollie: Presumably you'd trade it in for a World Cup winners' medal?

Stuart: I don't know. I respect the Queen greatly and it was very pleasant of her to do so. It'd be nice to have both.

Ollie: That brings us on to penalties. Everyone will know your case history with penalties, but when Robbie Fowler missed the one that could have taken City into Europe, what was going through your head?

Stuart: We were one kick away from getting into a European place and it was a good achievement. It's strange - we talked during a team-building thing afterwards and Robbie brought that up. I'd never even thought about it from the day it happened til now, it's such an irrelevance. All I reflect on is we failed to beat Middlesbrough, not Robbie missing the penalty. That's what cost us getting into Europe.

Ollie: Do you ever think you'll enjoy management as much as you enjoyed playing?

Stuart: No. Never.

Ollie: Not even if you lead an England team to World Cup glory as manager?

Stuart: No. For me football's about playing football. The big thing about football is playing in a team, the camaraderie in that dressing room before, during and after the game. Yes, management gives you a second place to that, but make no mistake - when your team win and you enjoy it for your little bit that you put towards the team, you can never actually be one of those players again. That's the most important thing.