An Easy Decision for Pat

The club’s new under-19 coach, Pat Keogh, spoke to the official website last night just after his first training session with the youngsters at Broadwood. As previously announced, he will be working alongside Lee Sharp to nurture the Youth Academy’s most senior team – which is set to play an important role during the 2013-14 season.

Pat needs little introduction to the Clyde support, having been a hugely popular player between 1998 and 2004.

“It’s absolutely magnificent to be back at Clyde,” he said. “Lee spoke to me a couple of weeks ago about the opportunity and I basically made the decision straight away. I love the place and know everybody so it was an easy decision to come back. All of my family are delighted for me. Clyde is where I started my professional career so it means a lot, especially with the family link of my grandfather playing for the club in the 50s.

“I’m here to learn – coaching an under-19 age group is new to me and you never stop learning in football anyway. I picked up things from guys like Allan Maitland, Alan Kernaghan, Billy Reid and Andy Millen when I was playing at Clyde – they all helped me become a better player. Hopefully I can now pass some things onto the young players and help them progress.

“I’m just at the start of my coaching career and it’s great to be doing that at a senior club. Management is a long, long way down the line but it’s something that may come in the future. At the moment I want to learn from Lee and Jim (Duffy), do my badges and build up my experience. I’m really looking forward to it.”

You can read an extended interview with Pat in issue 1 of The Clyde View – on sale next Saturday at the Falkirk match.