Laurie McGinley – Interview – Name – Craig Joyce
Job Title – SPFL Trust Project Coordinator & Glasgow City FC Development Squad Head Coach
Club – Glasgow City FC
Country – Scotland
Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I’ve always loved football, always been obsessed by it. I’m a bit of a geek when I think about it actually. I’m 30 years old and for as long as I can remember I’ve either played football, read about it, watched it or spoke about it. The obsession started at a very early age, as a friend of mine once said it probably began at Birth. I always knew that I’d be involved in the game, the dream as a kid was to be a footballer. A consecutive run of injuries in my late teens/early twenties put an end to that dream, it was devastating for a while but with the right people around me giving the the right support I got back on the right track.
I decided to go to college part time, when I was still playing we got made to go to college a day a week anyway to have some qualifications as a back up, somebody – somewhere knew something. Good on them. In my twenties I returned to college to study Sports Coaching & Development of Sport, I was heading down the wrong path and a friend of my dad’s who was a lecturer at the college came to visit me. For two and a half years I had found myself again thanks to the people at the Sports Department in the Glasgow Metropolitan College. I had that buzz back, the bounce and bravado I had when I was playing football.
I then moved out to America to coach and experience a different culture. New England is beautiful, get yourself over there if you ever have the chance. If I’m honest it matured me a lot, I didn’t have many options back home so thought I’d give it a shot. We would be doing double sessions 5 days a week in the blistering summer heat, with all ages and sizes, kids as young as 3 to teenagers – the ages and skill set varied but they were great. I also met one of my best friends, Jon.
On my return I got lucky in a sense that there was an opening in the West Region with the Scottish FA as a Regional Administrator. I’d known Paul McNeill, Danny Bisland & Brian McLaughlin from the work I’d done in college in partnership with the SFA, I must have impressed them with my graft and they took a gamble on me. I hadn’t a clue what I was doing, I only knew how to play football and what they taught me in college. I never knew how to be an admin but with a little patience and a willingness to better myself I got there. I spent 8 years with the FA, we were like family out in the West, I had been given the opportunity to see the other side of football from an admin and regional point of view, an opportunity most would bite your hand off for. I gained valuable experience which has set me up nicely today. I also had the chance to work and develop with some outstanding people who I’m happy to call friends to this very day.
I’ve since moved to a new job, working with the SPFL Trust as Project Coordinator. So far so good, I’m enjoying myself. I’m a people person, I believe if you have the right people around you, you can create a good environment.
I began coaching at the age of 16, while I was still playing at Hamilton Accies. I had never wanted to be a coach but in life you don’t always get what you want. It can be funny how things work out sometimes, I’ve been at Glasgow City now for 6 years and enjoy working with the players 4/5 times a week. They are sponges for want of a better word, they want to learn, they want to play football. I’m fortunate as that can make my job easier. I’m there for them as a person first a foremost, player second. If you get the person right the footballer will be just fine.
I also have my own brand 6, 8 or 10 (Life & the Beautiful Game) which began with me writing about football & my experiences in the game, this led to me creating my own podcast in which I speak to people about their journey in life. The idea came about as a coping mechanism for mental health, if you know me then you know how important that is to me.
Sorry mate, I’ve went on a bit there. More life a biography than a little bit about myself.
What are your qualifications?
At the moment I have my UEFA B Licence, hopeful to get on my A Licence this summer with the Scottish FA.
I also have a HND in Sports Coaching & Development of Sport as well as a HNC in Sports Therapy.
Qualifications are great, they set you up for where you want to be but experience on the pitch and working closely with the players is crucial. Getting to know the players is massive, get on their level, talk to them and see what happens.
What has been your highlight of your coaching careers?
The highlight for me is working with good people and having the platform to learn and develop yourself. As I said before I love people, I enjoy speaking and working with people who want to better themselves .I also enjoy pushing myself, every now and then you have to think about you.
Trophies are great as is winning but you can’t win anything if you don’t develop people and create an enjoyable, hard working environment. You won’t develop people if you can’t communicate and learn how to manage/build relationships. I’m massive on this.
What has been your most challenging and how did you manage to solve it?
Every day I face a new challenge, it was more of a personal one in which I found difficult to manage, I suffer from severe depression and social anxiety disorder. Not everyone knows that (well they do now if they didn’t). I was diagnosed with depression in October 2014, a year of hell followed as I never quite understood what I was living with. I learned to live with it, I learned to cope and survive. Don’t get me wrong it’s not all rainbows and butterflies everyday but I’m doing pretty good just now.
On the pitch during this time was probably the best year I’ve had in coaching in terms of developing players, progressing them to the next level and winning 4/4 trophies that were on offer but on a personal level it was the worst year in my life. I decided to take a year out, recharge the batteries and find a balance in my life again. It worked wonders and helped me get to where I am today.
Who is your sporting Hero/Influence and why?
In life I would have to say my Mum & Dad who like most parents that have had a kid who play football sacrifice so much. They literally taxi you and become your bank, as well as being an ear or shoulder when you need one. My partner is incredible, she allows me to grown and appreciates the work I put in to push myself to where I want to be. My little girl inspires me everyday.
Professionally I find it too difficult to choose, I would have to go with every single person who has helped me on this adventure I’m on. They know who they are.
What is your greatest sporting moment and why?
My greatest sporting moment would be developing players and helping them feel confident to be the best they can be. Seeing players progress and do the best they can at any level is one of the most satisfying things you can do as a coach. Giving people the freedom and confidence to express themselves and be great in doing so is a drug, it’s addictive.
I’ve been privileged to be involved in some amazing games and have won many trophies at Glasgow City but player development tops the lot.
What advice would you give to coaches who are starting off in the game?
Learn, go and get experience coaching. Be on the field, get the boots on. Lay out the markers, put out the bibs and get to know the people you are working with. Players & staff.
Don’t rush, there’s no race to get to the finish line. Take your time, learn the game, be you and enjoy yourself.
How do you deal with failure in coaching?
You always reflect on what you could do better, you question yourself and if you can come to the conclusion did you do the best you could and made decisions at the right time then you are okay. Sometimes you think what could you have done better. I never tend to dwell on things. Learn from what went wrong and move on. You won’t always get things right.
How would you define success in your coaching?
It comes back around to the relationships that you build with the players. If you can build up a relationship with them and give them the freedom and respect that they need and deserve then they will grow, they will work hard for you, the team and themselves. Get to know them, understand what makes them tick and in the way that they work. Not everyone is the same. Remember that you are working with people, not numbers or robots. Get on the players level, understand them and allow them to understand you. Ask them how their day has been and how they are, this can go along way in building that bond. Once you do this they will flourish, they all will in their own time.
I’ve had the opportunity to learn from some great people, especially when it comes to building relationships and trusting others. I try and apply this to my man management/coaching style.
What is your long term goal? Coaching and in life?
Longer term I want to be working in a first team environment, that’s no secret. I’ve worked my way up from the U11s to the Senior Development Squad and would like to challenge myself at the top level.
In life it’s all about living and enjoying what you have. I’ve a young family and am looking forward to seeing my little girl grow into her own little personality.
Best book?
The Sixteenth Round, Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter
Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World, Graham Hunter
Spain: The Inside Story of La Roja’s Historic Treble, Graham Hunter
Eleven Rings, Phil Jackson
Pep Confidential, Marti Perarnau
Saturday 3pm, Daniel Gray
The Godfather, Mario Puzo
I’ve a million other books sitting collecting dust on a shelf at home, finding time to read them is a different story.
Best film?
The Hurricane or the Godfather.
Best manager?
My dad, John Joyce in more ways than you could ever imagine; Paul McNeill (Friend & former Manager) or Iain Ferrie (Ex GC Head of Youth) all individuals who have allowed my creativity and personality to shine.
In Sport I would have to say Steve Hansen (New Zeland, All Blacks Manager)
Best player?
Juan Roman Riquelme
Twitter Handle? @IAMCraigJoyce – @six8or10
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