Striker speaks about first two months as coach at Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Billy Mckay says that he has relished the opportunity of being a first team coach at Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
He says it has strengthened his ambition to remain as a coach once he decides that his playing days are over, but he has no intention of hanging up his boots quite yet.
The 36-year-old was given a chance to become coach of the first team by head coach Scott Kellacher following the club being plunged into administration in October.
Despite the club’s future still being uncertain, Mckay, along with Kellacher and other first team coaches Ross Jack and Gordon Nicolson, have improved the team’s fortunes on the pitch.
They are in ninth place and have won four of the last five league matches. They are only eight points behind Annan Athletic and 15 points off the play-off zone with 19 games remaining.
Mckay says getting his first taste of being a coach for a full-time team is something he has embraced and definitely wants to continue being a coach in the future.
Mckay said: “Anyone who knows me, knows that’s what I’ve always wanted to do.
“I’ve always looked at that side of the game since I was younger.
“If anything, it has strengthened it for me as something I want to do when I finish playing.”
Mckay says it has been an education learning to look at football as a coach compared to being just a player.
But he says that he is learning all the time, especially from Kellacher, as he continues to fit into his coaching role.
He said: “It hasn’t been exactly as I imagined, but it has been really good. I’ve really enjoyed it.
“One thing from being on the other side is you see little problems behind the scenes that you don’t see as a player.
“There are little daily or weekly problems that you need to deal with, but I’ve really enjoyed it.
“Working with the gaffer, he has probably done every job under the sun at this club, so there’s no better guy to learn from in terms of how he wants it done at this club.
“It has been great. He has been great with me. The lads have been great as well.”
Mckay is still keen to play a part on the pitch, as well as off it, as he balances his own training as a player, as well as being a coach.
He said: “Obviously I still train through most of the week.
I have a Monday where I focus more on the coaching side, but the rest of the week is training. When my training finishes, I’m back doing more coaching. It has been a really good experience.
“I’m finding the balance between the two fine, to be fair.
“ I was a wee bit worried as to how it would go in terms of the lads and how they would see me.
“But it has been like normal. The lads have been great.”