I’M GIVING IT MY OLL TO HELP KIDS SHINE Lee takes first steps on road to coaching
OLLY LEE admits he’s not going to be the next Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp but he has returned to Hearts with the coaching bug.
The midfielder began taking his badges during the summer lockdown before Robbie Neilson ended the Englishman’s Tynecastle exile after Craig Levein had shipped him out on loan to Gillingham.
And Lee even got the opportunity to test himself on the touchline by taking charge of cousin Henry’s team – Upminster Town Under-16s.
He has obviously learned a thing or two, given the young midfielders at Hearts have hailed him as something of a mentor figure around Riccarton.
Lee said: “I just talk a bit of rubbish to them. I try to make them feel relaxed.
“We’ve got some really good young players here and it’s nice to be able to pass a bit of wisdom on and take them under your wing a little bit.
“I try to help out in any way I can. We’ve got such a good academy and good players that if you can help them a little bit who knows where it can take them?
“I just love football so I’m going to play for as long as I can then stay around it, because I enjoy it every day.
“When I was back home last year I took my cousin’s Under-16s team and they did all right. I’m far from the next Pep or Klopp but I’m trying!
“It took me three months just to get them to listen to me and when I finally earned their respect I was back up to Scotland.
“I’ve got a little group chat with them still and they ask how I’m getting on and give me a bit of stick if anything happens. They congratulated me the other night when I scored two.
“It was honestly just trying to get them to stop messing about.
“It was a Sunday league team in a good little league. Sometimes they just want to run around daft but after a couple of weeks they were brilliant with me. I saw improvements and I get a real kick out of that.”
Despite having a Championship and Scottish
Cup to win, Lee would be more than happy to help out with academy coaching at Hearts.
He added: “I’d love to. I’ve not spoken to anyone about it yet but it’s something that’s in the back of my mind.
“I’m doing my UEFA B badge at the moment. It’s the first one on the road and I’m really enjoying it.
“It’s hard when it’s over Zoom but it’s insightful and I’ve learned a lot. It’s about trying to add another string to your bow.
“It’s really given me an insight. You see all the planning that goes into it.
“I like looking into that side of it now and thinking, ‘How can we exploit teams’ weaknesses?’
“You can see how the gaffer does it with Gordy [Gordon Forrest] and Jig [Lee McCulloch].
“Gordy was one of the coaches assessors and he was telling me a few different things. I’m going to pick his brains as well.”
Neilson has confirmed Hearts will have all but one of their international and injured players available for tonight’s trip to Dunfermline.
The Jambos boss said: “Josh Ginnelly is a no. He won’t make it. Jamie Walker will be fine, Jordan Roberts is back in.
“Michael Smith was in yesterday, Liam Boyce was getting the ferry back and then Craig Gordon is just turning up for the warm-up!”