Lynch mob for the Hearts’ coaching role

 
Paddy Higgs Roar Guru

By , 1 Apr 2009 Paddy Higgs is a Roar Guru

Tagged:
 , ,

27 Have your say

Related coverage




Should – if as expected – the Melbourne Heart consortium be granted the A-League’s eleventh licence, cue frenetic media speculation as the club moves to fill a host of roles from chief executive to boot studder.

But like North Queensland Fury and Gold Coast United before it, the main focus would be on filling the club’s head coach vacancy.

While both clubs appointed Australian-based managers, there is always a case made for bringing in a foreign coach.

Still, there are plenty of local options worthy of consideration.

Take Andy Lynch, for example.

Fans of the Scottish game will recognise the name, but for those not in the know, Lynch is a former Celtic captain best known for his winning goal in the 1977 cup final against auld enemy, Rangers.

Over an eight-year stint with the Hoops, the left midfielder or full-back won three domestic championships, two Scottish Cups and played under the legendary Jock Stein.

The Scotsman was also part of the halcyon days of football in the North American Soccer League, playing for, and later managing, Montreal, as well as an assistant’s role with the Canadian national team.

Lynch came up against the likes of Franz Beckenbauer and former Australian assistant Johan Neeskens, and was briefly touted as a candidate for famous New York Cosmos’ coaching job before the league went belly up.

Lynch then threw himself into football camps, working with the likes of Sir Stanley Matthews and helping develop the Coerver coaching method.

But his life was to take yet another turn when son Simon, a former Celtic striker, clinched a move to Queensland Roar prior to the 2006 season.

Lynch Snr. had visited Australia back in 1978 as part of a Celtic touring team, and remembered the “great welcome” the club had gotten from the Melbourne and Sydney crowds in front of which he played.

Suddenly Australia was on the radar, and late in 2007 he made the move.

With A-League jobs at a premium, Lynch took the coach’s job at Sunshine Coast FC in the new Queensland State League for season 2008.

His reign began well, until personal issues led to his return to Scotland. Under assistant George Cowie, the side went on to win the league.

He returned in time to apply for the North Queensland job, getting through two interviews before losing out to Ian Ferguson.

Lynch called the former Rangers midfielder to wish him all the best, but the snub still hurts.

“It was disappointing not to get it. I really felt I could do that job, no problem at all,” he said.

It’s only fostered his desire to land an A-League job. He’s studied the league closely, and believes he has the nous to succeed. Lynch says he can see the promise of the league but also its limitations, such as a lack of technical ability in emerging players.

“We’ve got to be realistic when we’re watching this A-League and we’re talking about the future of football in Australia. This is only the fourth season of the A-League, and it‘s learning everywhere you go.

“It’s not particularly great football. The fans will admit to that … those who watch the football will admit to that.

“It’s got so much going for it, but you’ve got to crawl before you run. You need more teams to have more personalities in there, so I think it‘s going in the right direction. I’m not just trying to say it because of my own situation, but you can’t have enough experienced coaches.”

Scottish coaches have a long history in Australia.

Four of Lynch’s countrymen will coach in the A-League in the 2009/10 season (Lawrie McKinna, Ernie Merrick, Dave Mitchell and Ian Ferguson) and state leagues are filled with ex-pat Scottish managers.

The development of the A-League has prompted certain sections of the football fraternity to call for a move away from the influence of the United Kingdom.

But Lynch isn’t keen to buy into that argument. He believes that the making of a coach lies in his school of learning and experience, and not by nationality.

“I don’t get into that at all,” Lynch said. “I’d rather me judged as my own person. I’m proud to be Scottish, but that’s nothing to me, that ‘Scottish mafia’ rubbish.”

Time will tell on whether Lynch will get a chance to land his dream job.

But if and when the new Melbourne club comes to beginning its search for its inaugural coach, it could do worse than start at its own doorstep.

Sometimes, all you need to do is scratch beneath the surface.

Get a daily football email

Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it.

We value privacy. More.