Ex Hibs star details scouting role he's taken on at English club as he's keen for 'permanent' football return
The former Hibs player also featured for clubs like Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday.
A former Hibs player has declared his desire for a return to full-time football amid a role within an English club’s scouting department.
Aiden McGeady broke onto the scene at Celtic before featuring for Spartak Moscow, Everton, Sheffield Wednesday, Preston North End, Sunderland and Charlton Athletic. His career ended back in Scotland with a year at Hibs and then Ayr United in a dual player-technical manager role.
He’s since worked as Scottish-based scout within League One side Wigan Athletic’s recruitment structure. McGeady has also been on different courses since hanging up his boots but while he likes some things that have come with retirement, the former Hibs, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland man is keen for a permanent gig somewhere.
What club does Aiden McGeady work for?
Speaking to Open Goal, McGeady said: “I have just been helping with recruitment, really. Kind of just covering Scotland. To be honest, it was quite good, I'm still doing it. It's obviously part-time so it suits me because there's times where I can't do it. Mainly it's covering Scotland, and games in Scotland, because Wigan don't really have any scouts up here. It's pretty good.
“Last season I was advocating to try and sign, to try and have a go, for Keelan Adams from Falkirk. Great player. This was in the Championship last season .I was like, ‘listen, he's come out of Cumberland Colts. He's already handling the Championship no bother. I was like, he can go up a level.’
“Listen, at the end of the day, it's funny because people have asked me this before. ‘Oh, how are you going to be if there’s a player that you've put forward, and the team don't then sign him?’ It doesn't make a difference to me. All you do is give your opinion. The manager makes the decision at the end of the day.
What is Aiden McGeady doing after retirement?
“No, it's been really good. It gets me out of the house and after retiring at Ayr, I've been doing other stuff as well, like finishing my talent ID level four. It's one of these courses with the English FA but it's been really, really good. Finished that last week and the part of being retired I really like is I've got no real routine.
“I can kind of watch the kids play football every weekend, which I never got to do when I was playing. People ask ‘are you not bored?’ I'm like, no, as by half-two it's time for the school run. The day's quite short anyway. I'd like to get back into football in a more permanent role but there's been nothing that's came up.
“I'm quite flexible. I think there's maybe a stigma maybe around me and my personality of people think I'm quite vocal and opinionated. I am, but only for the better of the club. I think I've found that at Ayr. I like coaching, but I don't want to be a manager. I think it's too stressful. I'm open to a lot of different things but listen, there's been nothing that's came up that's taken my fancy. My phone's not been ringing off the hook asking to come in either.”