Keane and Clarke showed me elite mentality

Stuart Taylor has worked with several big names at the elite level of football – but few compare to Manchester United legend Roy Keane and Scotland boss Steve Clarke.

The Hamilton boss has returned to the manager’s chair after stints as a coach and assistant to Paul Lambert at Aston Villa, Wolves, Stoke City and Ipswich Town. He also had a brief spell as a Ross County coach.

Keane is renowned for his nononsense approach both as a player with Manchester United and now as a pundit. Clarke, meanwhile, is viewed as a shrewd tactician and guided Scotland to a World Cup 2022 play-off match earlier this month.

Taylor was U23s coach at Aston Villa while Keane was assistant in Birmingham, and briefly while Clarke took the role. He also worked with ex-chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo, showing him a different mindset.

Speaking on the third episode of the Lanarkshire Live Sport Podcast , Taylor said:“when I worked with Roy Keane at Aston Villa, that was incredible.

“It was great to just be in the same room as him.

“He wasn’t scary at all. I just used to pummel him with questions as the knowledge he has about football is incredible.

“I was just a sponge around him. Then sometimes he would throw a few questions at me and you’re thinking‘i have to get this right.’i loved working with him. That was a great experience.

“He’s an excellent person and he is an incredible personality. Then Di Matteo came in with Steve Clarke, and I’ve been fortunate to sit in the office a few times with Steve. I’d ask for his advice on a few things. I’ve kept in touch and I went to see him when he was at Killie.

“Again, I just became a sponge. He’s been at the top level working with the best of the best.

“You write everything down. These guys are 100 per cent winners and leaders who have very high standards. It’s up to us to get to these standards not for them to drop their standards.”