With the introduction of the underage tiers to the SSE Airtricity League there is a clear pathway now for elite footballers. And the same goes for aspiring coaches. Stephen Rice is one of those as the former League-winning midfielder is now the Head
With the introduction of the underage tiers to the SSE Airtricity League there is a clear pathway now for elite footballers. And the same goes for aspiring coaches.
Stephen Rice is one of those as the former League-winning midfielder is now the Head Coach with Shamrock Rovers' Under 17 team and he is keen to make the most of his opportunity.
Speaking on the Greatest League In The World podcast, Rice said: "It's really exciting to be around the club at this time, particularly with the underage national leagues - 19s, 17s and 15s. All of the League clubs, not just Shamrock Rovers, have been handed an opportunity to really create sustainability for their clubs for the long term.
"At our club the youth structure is really going well. Aidan (Price) and Steven Gray are with the 19s, myself, Keith O'Halloran and Pat Flynn are with the 17s, and Damien Duff is with the 15s, and I'm sure someone will come in with the 13s.
"People talk about the underage national leagues to develop our players, but it's also a fantastic opportunity to develop our coaches.
"I'm learning my trade. I've done Kennedy Cups for a few years, I've done the Emerging Talent with the FAI, and now I've taken the step to 17s, but I'm making lots of mistakes and I'm sure the likes of Damien (Duff) and Aidan (Price) are too. It's an opportunity for young coaches to make mistakes - to see what works and what doesn't work, to develop players for the club."
Check out the full interview with Stephen Rice on the latest episode of Greatest League In The World
