Sandy happy to stick with his Scottish roots
After more than 30 years in senior football as a player, assistant manager and manager, Sandy Stewart is on the outside looking in right now.
He left Ross County along with Owen Coyle three months ago, and that longstanding partnership could now be at an end.
52-year-old Stewart said: “I’ve pretty much been away for more than a decade and feel the time is right to stay at home.
“So my preference would be to work in Scotland.
“I left Scottish football in 2007 when I was assistant manager to Owen Coyle at St Johnstone, and we took the Burnley job.
“That was the start of more than a decade away from ‘home’.
“We had some fantastic times at Burnley and won promotion to the English Premiership.
“That took us onto Bolton, and we then had an invaluable experience out in the MLS with Houston Dynamo.
“One or two jobs didn’t quite go to plan, and we ended up back in Scotland at Ross County.
“It was unfortunate what happened there during our short spell.
“I’m not sure what’s going to happen now with Owen, so it could well be that we don’t work together again – or maybe we will.
“But now I’m back in Scotland and looking forward to the new season which, given what’s been going on at the Old Firm, could be one of the best in many, many years.”
Stewart knows the Premiership well, but also has a vast knowledge of the Championship and League One.
He’d welcome the opportunity to put it all to good use and said: “I have a dossier on every team and all the players in Scotland’s top flight.
“I also have a really good insight into the two divisions below because I helped out Ian McCall at Ayr United for a wee spell.
“I was also in at Airdrie, where my son, Scott, plays in the first team.
“So I have plenty to offer if given the opportunity. But I’m in no rush, and I’m not pushing myself towards every vacancy that becomes available.
“The bottom line is I love coaching and being out on the grass with the players. I miss it.”