Shaun Maloney says the fantastic help offered to him by Brendan Rodgers before, during and after has helped him reach a point of full closure on his ill-fated spell as Hibs manager.
The former Celtic midfielder was sacked by the Easter Road club in April last year after just four months in charge, but he's been studying other managers to learn ahead of his next job. The loss of attackers Martin Boyle and Kevin Nisbet - one to Saudi Arabian side Al-Faisaly and another to a season-ending knee injury - played a big part in a downfall that cost the club top six and Maloney his job.
Leicicter City and former Celtic boss Rodgers has been on hand for advice and opening up on their relationship and the chance to make an emotional move to Aberdeen being taken away, the former Scotland star said: “The opportunity to meet Brendan Rodgers over breakfast to discuss joining his staff had come equally out of the blue. It was July 2017, and I’d just been forced to accept the prospect that hip surgery had ended my dream of playing for Aberdeen, my hometown club. I’d been desperate to play for them, but when I realised I faced another five months on the sidelines I knew I wouldn’t be able to give them what I wanted.
“Celtic had drawn 0-0 with Rosenborg in the Champions League the night before. Brendan asked me some questions about the game before explaining the role he saw for me with their B team. By then, he had already completely changed the professionalism and culture of the club. That made it the perfect first step for me as a coach, and at the perfect time.
“Brendan’s coaches – Chris Davies and John Kennedy were among them – shared the same offices, and he was always really clear on the culture and standards he sets, and how he wanted his team to play. He’s a brilliant manager – tactically very good, particularly whenever I went to him with a query. We’ve stayed in touch, and he was brilliant to speak with before I took the manager’s job at Hibernian – as he was during my time there and after I left. Some of the best managers are really, really gracious with their time.”
There were only four months in the job but Maloney believes his time at Hibs has made him a better boss. He's worked with the Belgian national team and with Rodgers at Celtic, and he's been keen to dissect his entire time at Hibs.
Speaking to The Coaches’ Voice, he said: “I learned so much in my time [at Hibs]. I learned that I absolutely love the role, and that I love working with players as a manager - the intensity of working with the players every day, a game every three or four days, and managing the different individuals within a group.
“After we left, my staff and I spent many hours reviewing everything before we met up for three days to reflect, in detail, on our time there. There were so many things to discuss, but I was very clear on the team and players. I knew why we were one of the best teams in the league, defensively – behind only Celtic and Rangers – and why we were really struggling in attack. I was also really clear on where we were headed.
"The big thing I had to take away was about how I could have made the team more efficient and clinical in the final third – the areas we could get into, and the numbers we could attack with. After leaving Hibs, I spent four to five months working on that. I also spent a lot of time watching other teams. I was focusing on different teams at different levels, and how they became more efficient when they attacked.
"My level of detail when attacking, I think, is now on a par with where I am defensively. I have complete closure on leaving Hibs.
He added: “I’ve also loved reading about the history of football – I always have. I was a massive Manchester United fan as a kid, because Sir Alex Ferguson is like a god in Aberdeen.
“I loved the history there, and that actually started with me learning about the history of the Lisbon Lions and Jock Stein, and then Bill Shankly. Those three in particular, and the stories around them, are fascinating, and a big inspiration to me.
"Sir Alex has been incredibly generous with his time, and in giving me advice. We’ve had some great managers in Scotland – David Moyes is another. It seems there’s something within us that means we can get knocked down, but we certainly come back.”
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