Fozzy content to be assistant – for now
HE is one of Scottish football’s most persistent wanderers.
But, for the time being, globetrotting Mark Fotheringham is finished with roaming around.
After coming through the ranks at Celtic, “Fozzy” has enjoyed a rollercoaster ride of a career.
Spells in Germany, Switzerland, England and Cyprus marked him out as a man open to new experiences.
They also won him an enviable network of European contacts.
When the Dundee- born star kicked off his coaching career with German cracks Karlsruher last summer, he was hand- picked by Felix Magath’s former assistant Tomas Oral.
Fotheringham remains loyal to the man who gave him his dugout start – and is ready to follow him to yet another far away shore.
He also has options with other big-name pals.
But, for the first time in years, Fozzy, who has just completed his UEFA “A” Licence, is praying the phone doesn’t ring too soon.
“I’ m actually hoping my manager doesn’t get a job at the moment because my wife has just had our second wee boy!” he joked. “Tomas has been talking to Bursaspor in Turkey and a lot of other teams – and I have told him I want to go with him again.
“I don’t feel like I’m ready for a No. 1 job at a big club just now. I want to go and get more experience because I am only 33.
“I need as much experience as I can get from working under him, or there might be an opportunity to go to China with Felix Magath, who knows?
“Marcus Babbel has made contact. If he ever goes to England, he has said he would want me as part of his staff.
“I’ve got options there, but, first and foremost I want to make sure my two wee boys are okay, and the family are settled just now.”
Tom as Oral’ s sacking by Karlsruher ultimately led to Fotheringham’s departure too – but it wasn’t straightforward.
Having been impressed with his approach, the 2. Bundesliga side attempted to retain Fozzy’s services as assistant first- team coach.
However, after negotiating a release from his three- year contract, he is content to have yet another bankable experience behind him.
“When you’re thinking about moving into management, you have to prepare yourself, which is what I ’m doing n ow,” Fotheringham said.
“I feel I’ve got an advantage over a lot of guys who are doing their badges just now because of all the managers I’ve worked for and all the different countr ies and cultures I’ve experienced. That’s the bottom line. I feel that when I get my job as a No. 1 I’m going to have a lot of aces up my sleeve.
“At the end of the day, I’m a guy from a housing scheme in Dundee. I can speak fluent German, I’ve sat with guys who are very important people in German football.
“Why am I there? I don’t know. I believe there must be a reason.”
Fotheringham’s belief led him to hang up his boots earlier than he otherwise would have.
But his experiences in Germany have left him in no doubt he made the right choice.
“For me, I get a buzz out of helping young lads,” he explained.
“We had a young German Under -21 international at Karlsruher, Grischa Promel, and I used to shadow him in training, try to help him.
“When he would take it into a game and when it was helping him, he would come over and say: ‘ Thanks, coach, it’s so good,’ and this is a different buzz altogether from what you get as a player.
“It’s a great feeling.”