LESSON PLANS FIRE UP CITY

QUEEN’S PK v EDINBURGH

JAMES McDONAUGH hopes going back to school can help his Edinburgh City men crack the promotion equation.

The Citizens boss has a CV brimming with qualifications, a UEFA pro licence complementing an SFA youth one as well as advanced children’s.

But the former Falkirk No.2 and Hibs’ ex-head of youth coaching is now studying a Masters in sport performance enhancement at Edinburgh Napier University.

City head to Hampden today to take on league leaders Queen’s Park, having scored nine goals in their last two games.

McDonaugh said of his studies: “I have related it to football so it’s allowed me to do other research or read up on research other people have done.

“I’m just trying to be selfish on it and relate it all back so the players and staff get the benefit at Edinburgh City as well as me getting the benefit as a manager.

“I’ve built up a good backroom staff and they take on a lot for being part-time. My assistant Colin Jack is a teacher. We have a good wee team of backroom staff who do it for the love of the game.”

Spiders stalwart Willie Muir has only shipped one goal in seven league games but the keeper insists the men in front of him deserve lots of credit.

Muir, now relishing the hours full-time status allows – especially to perfect the art of playing out from the back – said: “I struggled with it to start with because very rarely we worked on it.

“But now we work on it just about every day.

“Rarely will you get the ball and shell it. Edinburgh will be the exact same – they’ll try to play.

“This will be one of the better teams to come to Hampden.”