Goodwin will use O’Neill’s blueprint for Saints success
WHILST working under Martin O’Neill as a youngster, Jim Goodwin saw the prototype for a well-drilled dressing room at Celtic. Now, after being fasttracked to a coaching career of his own, he plans to take a leaf out of that book to create a successful unit at St Mirren next season.
Goodwin, 32, and Gary Teale were handed player/coach roles under a Paisley reshuffle that saw Danny Lennon depart and deputy Tommy Craig step into the No1 job last week.
The appointments will require the two experienced players to operate with a foot in both managerial and team-mate camps. That’s a task Goodwin is confident can be a winner for a club looking to take the next step towards the top six after establishing itself in the Premiership and winning the League Cup last year.
‘I think it’s important to have that link between the manager and dressing room,’ said Goodwin. ‘I hope it’s going to be a masterstroke by Tommy in terms of bringing me and Gary on board.
‘We have a great relationship with the players anyway. Tommy will obviously be the authority figure and keeping his distance but the two of us will be in the dressing room and listening to the boys.
‘It means if they’ve got a grievance, then we can take that back to Tommy — and that will be vital.
‘There’s always togetherness at successful clubs. Everyone has to buy into that. And if Gary and I can close that gap, then fantastic.
‘I think Martin O’Neill had a great relationship with the players at Celtic. When he came into a room, he just had a presence.
‘The carry-on stopped there and then and he said his piece and left. Steve Walford and John Robertson were there as coaches and brilliant with the boys. They kept it all together but you knew who the boss was.’
Goodwin insists he was taken aback by the speed of developments that saw him complete the season concerned about his St Mirren future then, three days later, handed a two-year deal and a start in coaching.
Goodwin said: ‘I didn’t know if I was being called in to be thanked for my services or to be offered a new contract. You prepare yourself for the worst.
‘So to get a contract and a coaching role is great. This is something I’ve been working towards for a few years. I’ve done my A and B licence. I’m going to apply to do my Pro-licence in January. I’m only 32 and want to play for a while but this where I see my future.
‘I’m delighted to be given this opportunity that I couldn’t turn down and to get this experience early in my career is going to be invaluable. I very much still want to be part of the playing team. I want to play as long as I can. I feel I have a lot to offer.
‘I’ve been club captain for three and a half years and I don’t plan on changing. I’m very vocal on the training ground and set high standards. I work 100 per cent every day and expect the same from my team-mates.’