NEW Under 18s coach, the former Celtic captain Stephen McManus, yesterday spoke of his delight at being back at the club and about his ambitions and targets for his new job.
Big Mick, as he was known to the supporters, made 203 appearances for Celtic and picked up three league title wins, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups in his time in the Hoops.
McManus was in his mid-twenties when he started the process of becoming a coach. That was when he started the process of earning his coaching badges and that forward planning has now paid dividends for the former Celtic defender as he sets about his new task at the club.
The 36 year old has also had four years of coaching experience at his former club Motherwell and since hanging up his boots in August 2017 he has been in charge of the Fir Park’s Under 18s side. All of this will stand him in good stead for the task ahead back at Celtic.
And Big Mick is clear in what that task is – to produce more home grown first team players for Celtic.
“I’m glad to get started and give something back to the club that has given me so much in my career,” McManus told Celtic TV.
“Even being back at Barrowfield for training this morning was great, and I’ve got so many happy memories of being here.
“I grew up supporting the club, so to get the opportunity to come back in a coaching capacity was always going to be the way forward for me.
“I’m really happy to get it over the line and really thankful to everyone at the club. Obviously Brendan played a big part in it, along with Chris McCart, so I’m delighted to be back.”
McManus reckons he can use his own experience in the Hoops to help younger players coming through at the club.
“It’s difficult for any young player trying to make a very good living in the game but the grounding I had here was the reason I ended up having a successful playing career, so I’m thankful for everybody who was part of that journey and I’m now trying to give that back to young players today.
“They can relate to you because you’ve not long finished playing, but also they can see what you’ve achieved, and there’s no reason why some of the young talented individuals we’ve got at the club just now can’t make that same journey.
“They just have to look at the first-team players such as Callum McGregor, James Forrest and Kieran Tierney who have come through the Academy and are now top players who could grace any football pitch in Europe.
“My remit will be to try and help the club generate as many top young players as we possibly can. I’m one of the lucky ones who’s been associated with the club that I grew up supporting.
“I was lucky to play here for a minute, never mind over 200 games. I was lucky enough to captain the club, I was lucky enough to work with some really proper people and I was brought up with that mentality and that’s the reason that I had the career I did. So I’m just looking to give something back.”
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