You represented Antigua and Barbuda at worldwide stage throughout your enjoying profession. How did that chance come about?
“It occurred fully out of the blue. I obtained a message on Instagram from somebody concerned in recruiting gamers with Caribbean heritage, and so they requested whether or not I had any household connections.
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“I might at all times thought I solely had Jamaican heritage as a result of that is the aspect of the household I knew finest, however after doing a little bit of analysis I found I additionally had Antiguan heritage. From there, every little thing moved fairly shortly.”
What was the expertise of enjoying worldwide soccer like?
“It was unimaginable. One factor I might at all times wished to do throughout my profession was play overseas, and though that chance by no means got here at membership stage, representing Antigua and Barbuda gave me the prospect to expertise soccer in a very totally different atmosphere.
“It additionally helped that Mikel Ledgerwood was the supervisor. Folks will know him from his time at Crystal Palace, and he is teaching at Studying now. Having somebody with that British background made settling in a lot simpler. There have been additionally 4 or 5 UK-based gamers within the squad, so I travelled over with them, and that helped every little thing really feel acquainted immediately.”
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Trying again in your time as Airdrie supervisor, how do you mirror on that have?
“Once I look again over my 4 years at Airdrie, it wasn’t only a simple development.
“Rhys McCabe introduced me to the membership as a participant, and we acquired on rather well. I purchased into his soccer philosophy immediately, and he step by step introduced me into the teaching aspect of issues. When the assistant supervisor left, I stepped up into the player-assistant position and naturally began taking extra duty on the teaching aspect than the enjoying aspect.
“Rhys then moved on, one other supervisor got here in, and issues did not fairly work out. That created a possibility for me, most likely sooner than I might anticipated, however it was at all times one thing I wished to do.
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“Should you look purely on the 25 league video games I used to be in cost for, our kind would have had us sitting fifth over that interval. It was an unlucky approach for it to finish, however I am actually glad I took on the problem as a result of I discovered an enormous quantity.”
Has managing solely strengthened your need to return to the dugout?
“Undoubtedly. I am solely 35, so I am nonetheless comparatively new to first-team teaching.
“I am open-minded about no matter alternative comes alongside as a result of each position teaches you one thing. Managing is totally totally different from being an assistant, however I genuinely liked it. If something, it solely made me wish to do it once more.”
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What was the largest adjustment if you went from sharing a dressing room with gamers to managing them?
“I might already began distancing myself from the dressing-room aspect of issues after I grew to become a player-coach after which player-assistant, in order that transition wasn’t too tough.
“The largest change is that each essential determination rests with you. You are the one telling gamers they are not enjoying or making tactical choices that disappoint individuals. That is most likely the toughest a part of administration.
“However I actually loved that duty. All through my enjoying profession I labored below managers with totally different concepts, totally different methodologies and totally different kinds of soccer, so teaching is one thing that has at all times fascinated me.”
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Have you ever used your time away from administration to proceed growing as a coach?
“Not but, though I’ve spoken to some individuals and it is positively one thing I wish to do.
“I might love to go to golf equipment, perhaps even overseas, and see how totally different coaches work quite than staying contained in the Scottish soccer bubble. If nothing comes up over the following few weeks, that is one thing I am going to positively look to do.”
What sort of coach do you see your self turning into?
“For me, it is all about creating the appropriate atmosphere.
“I’ve not too long ago accomplished my UEFA A Licence, and hopefully over the following couple of years I am going to transfer on to my Professional Licence.
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“Whether or not I am a supervisor or an assistant supervisor, my goal is to create an atmosphere the place gamers can flourish, get pleasure from themselves, be artistic and maintain bettering.
“Each participant desires to be a part of a constructive atmosphere the place they’re inspired to specific themselves. That is the kind of tradition I might like to construct as a result of I believe that is if you get the easiest out of individuals.”
Your transfer from Montrose to Partick Thistle proved to be a defining second in your profession. How do you look again in your time at Firhill?
“It was an unimaginable interval in my profession.
“Going from part-time soccer at Montrose right into a full-time atmosphere was an enormous step and I owe so much to Jackie McNamara for giving me that chance. He trusted me, inspired me to specific myself and gave me the liberty to get pleasure from my soccer.
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“Jackie had an excellent eye for recruitment as nicely. There have been 4 or 5 of us round an analogous age, so it was an amazing dressing room and an excellent atmosphere to develop in.
“My first season was actually about adapting to the extent, however I at all times keep in mind Jackie saying after the ultimate sport that we would be difficult for promotion the next 12 months.
“That perception unfold all through the squad, and we carried it into our Championship-winning season.”
You have been named within the Championship Workforce of the 12 months in every of your first two seasons after which skilled the managerial transition from Jackie McNamara to Alan Archibald, who was already on the membership. How essential was that continuity?
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“It was huge.
“Archie had labored intently with Jackie, so when he stepped into the job he already understood how every little thing operated. He did not are available in and attempt to reinvent issues. He made a couple of tweaks and added his personal concepts, however the foundations stayed precisely the identical.
“I believe that continuity was a giant purpose why we saved progressing and finally acquired over the road to win promotion.”
Kris Doolan grew to become one of many Championship’s most prolific goalscorers throughout that interval. As an attacking full-back, how gratifying was it enjoying alongside him?
“It made my job so much simpler.
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“I liked getting ahead and placing crosses into the field. A number of the time I’d simply put the ball into harmful areas as a result of I knew eight or 9 instances out of ten Kris Doolan could be there to complete it.
“Folks usually ask me who one of the best striker I performed with was and Kris is at all times one of many first names that involves thoughts. He was such a pure finisher.
“There have been at all times strikers coming into the membership, and typically they’d get picked forward of him, however in some way Kris at all times discovered his approach again into the crew. That claims every little thing about each his high quality and his character.”
One other participant Partick supporters nonetheless converse fondly of is Chris Erskine. What made him such an excellent teammate?
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“He was good.
“We developed a extremely good understanding down the left-hand aspect. I might be bombing ahead from left-back whereas Squiddy was doing his factor additional up the pitch. On the opposite aspect you had Stephen O’Donnell and Steven Lawless, so we had actual stability throughout the crew.
“It was a implausible dressing room full of fine gamers and good individuals, and that at all times makes an enormous distinction.”
How difficult was the transition from part-time soccer at Montrose to turning into a full-time skilled?
“The largest adjustment was bodily.
“You are coaching on daily basis, enjoying at the next stage and coping with midweek matches as nicely. The calls for are fully totally different, and it most likely takes a couple of months to adapt.
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“I used to be lucky as a result of I settled in fairly shortly, however there is no doubt it is a massive step up.”
After serving to set up Partick in the Premiership, you earned a transfer to Wigan Athletic. Was testing your self in England at all times one in every of your ambitions?
“Sure, I believe it most likely was.
“After my first season within the Premiership there was some curiosity from golf equipment in Scotland, however nothing materialised. Then Wigan got here in after the next season when Uwe Rösler was supervisor, and it was a possibility I actually wished to take.
“Sadly accidents and managerial adjustments meant issues did not work out the best way I might hoped, however that is soccer.”
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You went on to have spells with Doncaster Rovers and Plymouth Argyle. How do you mirror on these experiences now?
“Doncaster was disappointing as a result of we have been relegated from League One after which, within the ultimate sport of the season, I suffered my ACL damage.
“I missed a big a part of the next season, and people setbacks are by no means straightforward, however wanting again they’ve helped me as a coach as a result of they’ve given me a significantly better understanding of what injured gamers undergo and the psychological aspect of rehabilitation.
“Plymouth was fully totally different. I completely liked my time there. It is a correct one-club metropolis with implausible assist, and we had an excellent dressing room.
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“We narrowly missed out on the play-offs, however I’ve acquired nothing however constructive recollections from my time there.”
Plymouth is among the extra remoted golf equipment in English soccer. Did that have an effect on your expertise away from the pitch?
“Probably not. I’ve at all times tailored fairly nicely every time I’ve moved golf equipment.
“I might left house to affix Partick after I was 18 or 19, so relocating wasn’t one thing that bothered me.
“Plymouth was a implausible place to reside. The climate definitely helped, and the supporters have been good. Each house sport felt like the entire metropolis acquired behind the membership as a result of it is such a powerful one-club group.
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“Once you’ve acquired good individuals round you and an excellent dressing room, settling in turns into a lot simpler.”
Trying again throughout your time in English soccer, who have been a few of the hardest opponents you got here up in opposition to?
“Blackburn have been a really sturdy aspect after I was at Plymouth.
“I additionally keep in mind enjoying Stoke Metropolis within the FA Cup after I was at Doncaster. They’d gamers like Peter Crouch and Joselu, who went on to play for Actual Madrid.
“Once you come up in opposition to gamers of that high quality, it reminds you there are at all times extra ranges in soccer, however they’re the experiences you need as a participant as a result of they problem you.”
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After your time in England, you returned to Scotland with Motherwell. How do you mirror on that spell?
“It was most likely a case of the appropriate membership on the incorrect time.
“After the ACL damage, I struggled to get any actual consistency. When you will have that operation, they take a part of your hamstring to create the graft to your knee, and I began choosing up a couple of hamstring points afterwards.
“I simply could not actually get going at Motherwell, however I can not converse extremely sufficient of the membership or Stephen Robinson. He was a extremely good coach, and he is doing nicely now at Aberdeen.
“It simply felt like the appropriate time to return right down to England and have the mortgage spell at Crewe, which I actually loved.”
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You then returned to Scotland with Livingston. Was {that a} interval the place your curiosity in teaching actually began to develop?
“Undoubtedly.
“I began fairly nicely at Livingston, though my first few video games have been a reasonably robust introduction as a result of I performed Celtic and Rangers early on. It was an excellent reminder of the usual in Scottish soccer.
“However that was most likely the interval of my profession the place I first began pondering significantly about teaching. I grew to become actually intrigued by how the coaches labored, how they ready classes and the totally different approaches they used.
“Being round that atmosphere positively sparked one thing in me.”
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Your time at Airdrie noticed you’re employed intently with Rhys McCabe and be a part of a profitable interval for the membership. What made that partnership work so nicely?
“It was refreshing.
“Though I loved quite a lot of my enjoying profession, there have been instances after I wasn’t at all times enjoying in a method that suited my sport. Soccer has modified, and the best way I see the sport is about being constructive, being possession-based and desirous to dominate matches.
“Rhys and I noticed soccer in a really related approach. We wished the crew to have the ball, be courageous and play on the entrance foot.
“It was a extremely gratifying couple of years. Profitable the cup, getting promoted and seeing gamers develop gave me an actual thirst for teaching.”
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Trying again on the SPFL Belief Trophy victory of 2024, how vital was that victory over The New Saints, significantly contemplating what they’ve achieved in Europe since?
“Once you look again on the crew sheets, it was a large consequence.
“A number of these gamers have been nonetheless there when The New Saints reached the Convention League, so it confirmed the extent of crew we have been in a position to compete in opposition to.
“However we had an actual no-fear mentality. Everybody believed within the model of soccer we had created, and that perception is a big issue if you’re constructing a profitable crew.
“These moments stick with you since you create one thing collectively and everybody buys into the identical concept.”
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You later stepped into the supervisor’s position at Airdrie after Danny Lennon departed. What was the largest lesson from taking cost?
“It was an enormous studying expertise.
“Once I took over, I attempted to proceed the rules and id that had been constructed as a result of that was one thing everybody had purchased into.
“The tough factor is when a membership decides to go in a distinct route. Soccer choices are essential and, ideally, you need individuals making these choices who perceive the soccer aspect of issues.
“Will probably be attention-grabbing to see the place Airdrie goes over the following couple of seasons as a result of there was quite a lot of good work finished throughout that interval.”
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Having performed below so many alternative managers, how a lot has that have influenced the coach you wish to develop into?
“Rather a lot.
“All through my profession I’ve labored with managers who had totally different kinds, totally different concepts and other ways of growing gamers. You are taking bits from everybody.
“I’ve skilled the highs of profitable promotions and the lows of accidents and setbacks. All of that helps you perceive what gamers undergo.
“For me, it is about creating an atmosphere the place gamers can enhance, the place they really feel snug expressing themselves and the place they get pleasure from coming in on daily basis.”
What does the longer term appear to be for you in teaching?
“I simply wish to be concerned in soccer in some capability.
“I’ve not too long ago accomplished my UEFA A Licence, and hopefully within the subsequent couple of years I am going to look in direction of doing my Professional Licence.
“Whether or not that’s as a supervisor or an assistant supervisor, the goal is identical: create an atmosphere the place gamers can flourish, have enjoyable, be artistic and develop.
“That is what everybody desires to be a part of, and it is one thing I wish to assist construct.”
Having skilled soccer from part-time stage right through worldwide soccer, the English leagues and now teaching, what motivates you most heading into the following chapter of your profession?
“It is about giving again.
“I have been lucky to have a profession with so many alternative experiences. I’ve seen totally different golf equipment, totally different nations, totally different kinds of soccer and labored with so many alternative individuals.
“Now I wish to use these experiences to assist different gamers. If I can create an atmosphere the place individuals get pleasure from their soccer and attain their potential, that is what’s going to give me probably the most satisfaction.”
