Coaches’ Voice - Conor Hourihane long read

https://learning.coachesvoice.com/cv/conor-hourihane-barnsley/

He explains why he’s given up playing and gives insight into his coaching.

Sorry if already posted.

 

All that does is further cement in my head the idea that he had zero intention of being a player for us.
It also suggests that the club knew full well the situation too.

The club claimed that he would be a player coach with a slow transition to full time coach in two years time yet from the outset he didn't change with the players and was basically being treated as a coach first and player second. On a slow transition lasting two years you wouldn't think that would be the case.

He also says that he was considering what he wanted to achieve before retirement in 2022. What did he think he would achieve from league one within 2 seasons with us that he hadn't just achieved with derby? Unless he was expecting back to back promotions to the premier league or an fa cup win I don't see what he could possibly be hoping to tick off his football bucket list. And if he didn't expect to tick anything else off he basically says that he was done with playing.

 

I guess his heart might have known but it’s got to be a big deal to make the decision to officially retire from playing. Just because it all makes sense in hindsight or when seeing it written down doesn’t mean that he was fully ready to admit that decision to himself at the time.

 

If he can coach like he can talk then we have nothing to worry about

 

Well after reading that what is happening if Hourihane is leading set piece training and which players have not taken to him. Quite obvious now that he was not going to play.

 

Interesting he's come to that conclusion at only 33. Darren Pratley at Orient is 39 and thought he was pretty good on Saturday......

 

You're right he might not have been but I'm sure between him and the club they knew it wouldn't be a two year slow transition into coaching for a man who changed in the coaches changing room away from the players, had a desk from the start, had set out his goals in 2022 and had already evaluated his playing career. Maybe he expected to play a bit part for longer but I don't think he ever intended to play much more of a part this season than he did before this week nor do I think the club expected him to. I think the only one who has been totally honest is Clarke who told it how it was a couple of months back

 

Players can differ a lot in terms of longevity. Rooney's legs were gone at 30

 

Good read that.

Confirms that CH hopefully will become a top coach for us and takes his work seriously.

Playing side is what it is - just decided sooner than thought.

To doubt this is calling CH and the Club liars. Which I don’t think either are.

We’d have been just as happy with CH as a full time coach back in August anyway.

 

No you would have.

again he’s just starting his coaching career and now been wrongly put into assistant head coach role here because he used to play for us. Nothing to do with earning the right - just justifying what we are paying him despite him having little coaching experience.

 

Looking at previous coaches we’ve had helping out, I don’t get the issue with him. He’s one of very few who you can actually say cares about the club whilst also having top flight English experience as a player.

Couldn’t say the same about Micky Mellon, Flircroft or Jo Laumann etc……