Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WAIN talks to new FIFA director of medicine ANDY MASSEY the Steel stitching s jewels, top doc ut above
doctors and a couple of the best physios in the world, and for that I am thankful.”
In the wake of Liverpool’s biggest triumph during his seven years – last season’s Champions League win in Madrid – Massey posted a video on Twitter and it summed up his approach. The stadium was empty, the TV crews long gone. Away from the glitz and glare, Massey finally allowed himself a moment to reflect, to indulge a little in the glory. “It was a very long season, on top of two seasons previously that had been extended because we had progressed to European finals,” he said.
“At the end, it was a sense of relief that the players and the manager got their just rewards and that everyone had come through the game uninjured and they could enjoy the celebrations.
“I was just made up for them. I don’t tend to take part in the celebrations too much… from when I started working in sport, I never wanted a player to think I was too involved, so that they could trust me to do the best by them, not necessarily the club.”
After moving from the club world champions to the world’s governing body as director of FIFA’S medical department, it’s fair to say Massey is at the top of his game. And there’s a lovely irony in how he came to choose the career he did.
In a reversal of roles, his epiphany arrived during his 12 months on the sidelines at Linfield.
Having been seduced into leaving his hometown club Bangor by David Jeffrey at the turn of the century, he made a disastrous start to life at Windsor, sustaining a long-term injury just weeks into his move.
He’s honest enough to surmise that he was never likely to permanently dislodge Noel Bailie or fellow new arrival Winkie Murphy in any case, but in truth, he was robbed of a chance to try.
Yet it was during this time, during those long, lonely hours of rehabilitation, and the disillusionment that comes with it, that he hatched a plan for his future.
“This actually turned out to be one of the biggest blessings I could ever get,” said Massey.
“I was told the condition I had would require up to 12 months’ rest. I thought that this would really scupper any chance of a career in football I would have, so decided to look at what I could study to teach myself how to rehab this injury – that’s when I decided I wanted to go to university to study physiotherapy.
“So I didn’t play again that season but I did make the best decision of my life – to look at going to university.”
On his own playing career, Massey is typically humble, maybe too much so.
Perhaps Liverpool has skewed his judgment, perhaps witnessing day and daily arguably the best player in the world in his position, Van Dijk, seeing Trent’s total mastery of the ball or the Samba majesty of Firmino has skewed his perspective.
Football is about finding your level and then doing your best, always has been.
Massey’s level was the upper tier of Intermediate football, and to that end, he didn’t do too shabbily at all.
“I’m afraid I was not really that good of a footballer, I was very limited but my style seemed to suit the Irish League at that time,” said the former Bangor, Ards and Ballyclare Comrades man.
“I was always competitive, that comes from having an older brother and that developed my competitive nature.
“I always wanted to win and compete against him. He was a much better footballer than me, but I’d play against him and needed to develop physically to allow me to do this, and that’s probably why I was able to cope with the Irish League in those early years.
“What makes me proud is perhaps being known as a committed trainer, and by that I mean working hard in training. It’s something that I needed to do because I lacked the natural ability and developing a hard work discipline seems to help in most aspects of life.
“Perhaps the best moment was captaining the under-18 Northern Ireland schoolboys, but I’m afraid it all went downhill from there.
“I did win a couple of Steel and Sons medals and the First Division, but none of the big trophies.
“Oh, and how could I forget,” Massey adds with a smile. “The pinnacle of my career? Lifting the Daily Mirror trophy for Bangor.”