Raith Rovers manager Ian Murray reveals the unlikely surroundings in the Scottish Borders where he first honed his coaching skills 14 years ago
Raith Rovers boss Ian Murray, currently flying high in the Scottish Championship title race, has recalled when – as a Hibernian player 14 years ago - he prepared for his managerial career by doing part-time coaching at Borders outfit Coldstream FC.
"My friend Mark Lamb was the manager at Coldstream at the time," Murray told the Fife Free Press. "I went down a few times, just to get a wee look in and just try and help a little bit.
"I was pretty much on the periphery. I wasn't involved in tactics or anything like that.
"It was more maybe me putting on a drill or two, which was really good for me because it got me used to speaking in front of a group of guys.
"It's always exciting when you go out and play in front of 10,000 or 20,000 people and you can be in a changing room during a training session or having a laugh.
"But when you're actually trying to deliver something to a group of guys and earn their respect - regardless of what level you're at - is difficult, especially if you're not used to it.
"I think when I got the coaching badges I think the experience I had at Coldstream certainly helped me in terms of being able to have the confidence to stand up and give somebody praise.
"But also sometimes you have to tell somebody when it's not right, to not be too embarrassed to do that and not feel embarrassed to be questioned.
"So all these things come into it.
"It's not just about being on the pitch and going out on a Saturday, there are a lot of different aspects."