Former Hearts and Hibs stars take first steps towards coaching careers

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There were some familiar faces that have started their coaching qualifications with the Scottish FA.

Former Hearts and Hibs stars have taken the latest steps towards a career in coaching after enrolling on a UEFA B Licence course via a joint-venture between the Scottish FA and PFA Scotland.

Former Hearts striker Liam Boyce and ex-Hibs defender Paul McGinn were amongst a long list of players from across Scottish football that are looking to move into the other side of the game when their playing careers come to an end. In sessions overseen by the Scottish FA’s coach education and development manager Dougie Anderson and PFA Scotland player services manager Chris Higgins, both Boyce and McGinn carried out their final assessments over a six-day period and will hope to gain a new qualification that will help them move into coaching over the coming years.

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Boyce, who left Easter Road to join Irish club Derry City earlier this month, expressed his regret over not starting his coaching journey earlier in his career. He told The SFA X (formerly Twitter) account: “It was good. I got straight on to the B License so I didn’t have that experience and I was a bit nervous coming into it. But coming in with other players that I’ve played with, that helped me a lot because I know them and when you’re training you don’t feel nervous shouting at them or speaking to them.

“It made it a bit easier and everyone was in the same boat. It’s trying to find your voice, you don’t want to be nervous and shy and after a couple of sessions it comes. I love football so I always thought I would be in the game one way or another. If I could go back I would have done my coaching badges way earlier instead of trying to get them done towards the end of your career. It’s always something I wanted to do and now I’ve come in and coached it’s really enjoyable trying to pass on my ideas to other people.”

Boyce was joined on the course by former Hibs defender Paul McGinn, who brought an end to his two-year stay at Easter Road to join Premiership rivals Motherwell during the summer of 2022. The once-capped Scotland international admitted the courses have been challenging and explained why they have been invaluable as he begins his own coaching journey.

“I suppose being in the game so long, you don’t realise the intricacies that go on with coaching,” said the current Steelmen full-back. “You’re so caught up with playing week-to-week and training, you don’t have the time so going on the course actually gives that bit of time to start thinking. Having to work with different faces all of the time, you don’t know the opposition and stuff, you’re not always going to have your own set team. As a coach you are going to get flung into these situations so that’s been the most challenging but also, when you get it right, the best feeling.”

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