NO SLOW COACHES
Mcshane: Plenty of my team-mates were leaders who were driven to get the very best out of themselves so it’s natural they’d take to management
PAUL MCSHANE says it’s no surprise that so many Irish players from his generation have moved into coaching.
Mcshane is working at Manchester United and with the Ireland Under-21s, and is in Ipswich with Jim Crawford’s team this week as they prepare for Friday’s European qualifier away to San Marino.
Several of his former Ireland teammates have also caught the coaching bug, including interim senior manager John O’shea.
Nottingham Forest coaching pair Steven Reid and Andy Reid were in the international set-up with Mcshane, as were recent FAI Pro Licence graduates Damien Duff, Robbie Keane and Keith Andrews.
Mcshane is closing in on his Pro Licence alongside Glenn Whelan, who is in O’shea’s backroom team along with Paddy Mccarthy, who was never capped at senior level.
David Meyler and Sean St Ledger are also on the current course and spent some time last week in UEFA headquarters with Mcshane.
“There are quite a lot of us,” he said, before giving his theory into why that generation of players produced so many coaching hopefuls.
“You’ve got to look at that squad and the players. There were some really good characters in those years, some lads who’d take ownership for themselves and get the best from themselves.
“It would be quite sad if they went out of the game. It’s great that they’ve gone and contributed to the game.”
Mcshane began studying for his coaching badges in his mid-20s but didn’t expect his big break to come at his first professional club.
“I think there was a conversation, Darren Fletcher went up to the first team,” recalled Mcshane.
“He was with the Under-14s and 16s helping out and I think there was a conversation about who could help out, a player or an ex-player.
“My name was mentioned in one of the meetings and I got a phone call to ask if I would fancy it.
“It was funny really because once I left United I never really set foot back inside the place unless I was playing in Old Trafford.
“I never went back to the training ground, I was never going to visiting anyone to say hello.
“I literally left to sign for West Brom, I packed up my boots, and I never went back.
“It just happened, it was right place right time and it sort of fell into place for me.
“That bit of luck as well to get on the ladder and yeah it was a great experience, especially being back at the club where it all began and it was quite nice, I couldn’t have asked for a better start.”