Stumbling around the continent playing local league football, making the odd friendly appearance and landing a trial at a string of professional clubs had been an interesting 15 years even though I had not really achieved anything. The money hadn't been great but the lifestyle and to be honest the women had been something i'd never forget.
At 32 years of age I had starting coaching in the lowest levels of French football. Why France? Well simply put I dated a french girl who's father ran FC Martigues, a semi professional football club based in beautiful Southern France.
After 12 months as player/coach the manager Jean-Luc Vannuchi left to become the manager of Auxerre, he had created a very good side but due to finances and the fact we were semi-pro the better players always left and eventually so did he.
I like to think I was given my first job in management as the Chairman had seen how well I handled the players but the truth of the matter is I'm nearly family and he did me a great favour but to be fair it was one by the time I left I had repaid in full.
Jump forward 2 years to the end of the 2015/2016 season and FC Martigues were now completely solvent, after two amazing cup ties which had seen the likes of Lyon and Lille being taken to replays and a promotion from CFA Group D the bank balance was well into seven figures and the club was on the up.
The cup runs had put the club and myself on the map, there had been rumours of interested clubs during the season just ended but nothing concrete had ever come my way. That was until Mr Patrick Le Seyec the current chairman of LB Chateauroux had walked through my door and offered me the chance to manage my first professional club.
La Berrichonne had found themselves in the National league of France, floundering and stagnating as a club, Le Seyec wanted new blood with new ideas and I was the man he wanted.
It didn't take long to make the decision in fact the honest truth is I had already accepted it in my head before he left my office, I would be moving up in the world and the 2016-2017 season would be the biggest and greatest of my life......
At 32 years of age I had starting coaching in the lowest levels of French football. Why France? Well simply put I dated a french girl who's father ran FC Martigues, a semi professional football club based in beautiful Southern France.
After 12 months as player/coach the manager Jean-Luc Vannuchi left to become the manager of Auxerre, he had created a very good side but due to finances and the fact we were semi-pro the better players always left and eventually so did he.
I like to think I was given my first job in management as the Chairman had seen how well I handled the players but the truth of the matter is I'm nearly family and he did me a great favour but to be fair it was one by the time I left I had repaid in full.
Jump forward 2 years to the end of the 2015/2016 season and FC Martigues were now completely solvent, after two amazing cup ties which had seen the likes of Lyon and Lille being taken to replays and a promotion from CFA Group D the bank balance was well into seven figures and the club was on the up.
The cup runs had put the club and myself on the map, there had been rumours of interested clubs during the season just ended but nothing concrete had ever come my way. That was until Mr Patrick Le Seyec the current chairman of LB Chateauroux had walked through my door and offered me the chance to manage my first professional club.
La Berrichonne had found themselves in the National league of France, floundering and stagnating as a club, Le Seyec wanted new blood with new ideas and I was the man he wanted.
It didn't take long to make the decision in fact the honest truth is I had already accepted it in my head before he left my office, I would be moving up in the world and the 2016-2017 season would be the biggest and greatest of my life......