Elvis loves life out of the dugout – but won’t rule out a comeback special
Steven Pressley is one year detached from thinking about the demons of life in the dugout – and all the better for it.
Just ask his children – son Aaron, recovering from injury suffered at AFC Wimbledon last season, and 15- year- old Amy.
Pressley admits they probably missed out on his full focus due to job pressure.
For years, dad’s brain whirred constantly with work problems that required his solving.
In most cases, such as tough gigs at Fleetwood and Carlisle with a Cyprus stint in between, he couldn’t figure them out.
That got on top of him, resulting in premature departures and much head-scratching.
A considerable consultation period with himself prompted a change of pace.
The ex-rangers, Dundee United, Hearts and Celtic defender still has his football fix.
On Friday, he celebrates 12 months as Brentford’s head of individual development.
Pressley, 48, is as motivated, thorough and committed as ever. The key difference is this no longer negatively consumes the rest of his world.
Pressley admitted: “Along the way, I don’t think I made particularly good choices of jobs. That’s no disrespect to them.
“In hindsight, I don’t think they suited me. Why take them? Because it’s a drug. I’ve always had a real degree of responsibility and burden, which I enjoy.
“Captain, manager. Pressure with those positions is, generally, quite high. I miss that. Because it’s what I’ve always experienced.
“It got to the point I wanted to continue my development butt not at the coalface.
“Although I take myy job seriously, I enjoy life moore.
I’ve been able to enjooy weekends with my wifee and kids, relax and play golf more, do things that for ages I haven’t been able to.
“Being a manager is 24/7. I didn’t like the fact your kids speak to you aat home and, although yoou appear to be listening, you really aren’t.
“Your mind is on otherher factors.factors That’s the difficulty as an intense person wanting to win and bring success. I realise it takes over your life.
“This job also gives me a period of development that you don’t get in management – stability.”
A significant challenge landing his Brentford role was convincing employers that he wouldn’t jump ship at the next chance to be a boss. Then he had to convince himself when tested by offers last season.
“Brentford has a rigorous process to get a job,” he said. “You go through numerous stages.
“One thing continuously coming back
wwas: ‘ Would I give loyalty and commitment?’. “I’ve turned down four opportunities. One in Scotland, one in England, twwo abroad. When one exxcited me, I had to say to mysself: Now is not the right time.
“Besidebesides, it’s great to have confidence in your own ability but you’ve got to be careful you’re not blinded by it. “You think you can turn water into wine. But the fact is you need the resources to do it. Or a real degree of time to develop it.” Development is central to his work with Brentford’s stars of the present and very near future.
Pressley manages between “B” and first- team level. Talents include Myles Peart-harris, ex-rangers academy forward Nathan Young-coombes, Mads Bidstrup, Dominic Thompson and a certain Aaron Pressley.
All have experienced Thomas Frank’s ( inset above) first team. Pressley trains
them, works through analysis and mentors.
“I feel a lot of young players are misunderstood,” he stressed. “We forget, at times, just how young they are, what little life experience they have.
“My job is to develop them technically, also to see them grow into good young men.
“I go to all first and B-team games, my job is to bridge the gap. It’s a great club to be part of.
“We don’t have an academy so must make really clever investments bringing in players who, if not absolutely ready for first team, definitely have potential to be.
“Hopefully in our second Premier League season, we see more fruits of my labours.”
Amid such contentment, what chance of a frontline return in the future?
Pressley replied: “Definitely. Well, when I say definitely, I think so. I’m not going to say ‘ Yes’. My career might take a different turn.
“But I miss pressures, tension, being alive with having to win. It sounds crazy, but I do.”