The importance of role models

Greg Shields gives an assessment of his squad’s progress

Since returning in January after nine and a half years in North Carolina Greg Shields feels that things have gone even better than he thought it would.

“I absolutely love what I am doing and I like seeing the progress made by the younger players.”

Talking exclusively to the website, Greg cited the progression of players like keeper Cammy Gill:-

“He tries to build the ball out every single time. That is something that we have tried to instil since we came in.

“With that group, we want them to consistently build the ball out from the back. They have made three mistakes in seven months but if they don’t do it in reserves they are not going to do it in the first team.

“If that’s the way we want to play this is where it really works. Their movement and how they play it through each line is quite exciting to watch. It is very encouraging that you can turn the style of how you play around in a short space of time.”

The 1-1 draw with Rangers in February was a confidence booster because then Greg’s players actually believed in what they were doing. They applied it and got a result from it.

“Energy levels are good right across the board but I said last season when they lost to Hamilton and lost to Hibs that we needed to get beat because it is part of their development and they learn from it.”

The coaching team stress the success is not down to them but down to the players. They put on sessions and the players have to deliver and apply it. The games are reviewed on video and this confirms to the players that it does actually work. Greg continued:-

“This is what we believe in and this is what we think is right. They have to buy into what we want. It is working and they look like they are enjoying it.”

All this adds to the 42 year old coach’s job satisfaction. He made 237 appearances for Dunfermline Athletic during two spells from 1997 and 1999 then again between 2004 and 2009 but says that he is really enjoying his current challenge at the club:-

“The boys love it. They want to get better and they are desperate to play professional football. That is the difference between American and European players.

“In America they are more interested in their books. They can go to a top college but they want to be academic - a doctor, brain surgeon that next professor. Football is secondary, it is different over there.

“Here it is different, we are promoting how we want to play as a club. That is the conversation that I have with the gaffer and Jason.”

Those discussions include who they think is ready to be involved at the next level:-

“There have been a number of boys involved in pre season games and involved with the first team - Matthew Todd, Paul Allan, Stuart Morrison - and we have Josh Edwards come in from Airdrie.

“With the younger group it is really important that they are always looking up to role models.”

Greg based this belief on his own apprenticeship at Rangers when he had the likes of Richard Gough, Gary Stevens, Trevor Steven and Gordan Petrić to look up to.

“It is the same in any walk of life, when you are learning you are always looking up to a role model and have a vision of where you want to be.

“When I come in on a Monday morning or whenever we have had a game and ask ‘what did you think of him’ and ‘who do you think was the best player’. I get Ryan Dow was the best player, Paul Paton, Kevin Nisbet.

“These boys are looking up to first team players and saying ‘I want to be like this guy, this guy does something that I want to try in a reserve game’. That is exciting and it is good.

“That piece is really important, having young boys who are always looking ahead and constantly looking at what the professionals are doing.”

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