EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Black days have not put Eric off being a boss
HE made his name at Aberdeen, and now his reputation for being an outstanding coach and loyal assistant has taken him 560 miles down the road to Southampton.
Along the way, Eric Black has had plenty of ups and downs, and was twice a manager in his own right.
Despite those experiences ending unhappily, he refuses to rule out being his own man again one day.
The 52-year-old Scot is currently working as No. 2 to Frenchman Claude Puel and is enjoying life at St Mary’s.
It’s the latest stop on a journey that has involved many clubs, from being by the side of Steve Bruce at Birmingham City and Sunderland, and also assisting the likes of Remi Garde at Aston Villa, John Barnes at Celtic and Steve Evans at Rotherham.
It’s a role Black thoroughly enjoys and takes great pride in.
He told The Sunday Post: “Coaching is what I enjoy. I love being out on the training ground and working with the players. There is no other feeling quite like it.
“There is a tremendous responsibility involved and it’s about helping the manager or head coach as much as possible.
“It’s about knowing the game. It’s about being loyal and trustworthy. It’s about being there for the manager when he needs it. It’s about listening to the players and taking on board all the different viewpoints.
“Obviously, I’ve had many ups and downs, but that’s football.
“When you’ve been involved in coaching for 20 years or so, then nothing surprises you.
“You have to be prepared for all eventualities. You just have to deal with things, stay calm and not do anything rash.
“Over the years I have watched all the managers deal with things in different ways, whether it’s a particular training session or setting up tactically.
“That’s part of the beauty of football – nobody does things exactly the same way and it throws up something different every day.
“But one thing is for sure – you learn every day and I’ve taken on board all the positives from the different managers I’ve worked with.
“I’ve had lots of sympathy for them many times because they have had some difficult situations to deal with. I try to be there to offer my support.”
Former Aberdeen and Metz star Black has been a caretaker manager on a few occasions, but also took charge outright of Motherwell and Coventry City.
At the Midlands club, he had some good results but the board decided to change in 2004, much to the anger of supporters who felt Black had brought an attractive style of football to the club.
He would never rule out being a manager again but also knows that the lifespan in a top job is rarely more than 18 months.
He said: “You never say never in football, we all know that. But I’m happy and I’m feeling professionally fulfilled.”
Southampton play Swansea at home this afternoon, after being in Europa League action on Thursday night when they beat Sparta Prague 3-0.
During his short time at the Saints, Black has been impressed with many different aspects of the club.
He said: “I’ve been very fortunate throughout my career to have worked at some fantastic football clubs and Southampton is another to fall into that category.
“I think if you look at what has been achieved in the past four or five years, you can see that this is a well-organised club with a clear strategy on and off the park.
“The planning is meticulous and there is a high level of communication between every department.
“We hope to build on the previous successes of Ronald Koeman and the managers before him, Mauricio Pochettino and Nigel Adkins.
“We have some top quality footballers to work with and, obviously, there are players such as Fraser Forster, Steve Davis and Virgil van Dijk who have played in the SPFL.
“I think playing for Celtic and Rangers in high-level intensity games domestically and in the Champions League really stood them in good stead for life in the English Premier League.
“There is no doubt that being with the Old Firm requires a strong mentality and, basically, can prepare you for pretty much anything football has to offer.
“They are also excellent professionals with a first-class attitude.
“They all want to do as best as they possibly can and we will be there to coach, guide and support them every step of the way.”