Guernsey Press

Tardif’s ‘Chopper Squad’

GUERNSEY manager Chris Tardif is content with taking what he calls ‘the helicopter view’ to coaching.

Published
Guernsey manager Chris Tardif, left, and some of his coaching staff. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 24663111)

In 48 hours’ time his side attempt to wrest back the Muratti Vase after last year’s disaster as Springfield, but the former Portsmouth, Oxford and Bournemouth professional is content with how preparations have been going and that the off-field team he has brought together is a strong one and one that can bring results.

‘I think I have tried to make it as clear as possible when I started this scenario I don’t profess to be the world’s best coach. Can I coach? Yes. Do I coach? Yes. But I think management is more than that and I see my role as in business, where a manager does not do absolutely everything. He puts the right people in the right places to do the job for you.

‘I have coaches in Kevin [Gilligan] and John [Nobes] who are better than me in certain circumstances.

‘John is fantastic in delivery and he has a great rapport with the guys. He is great at defensive coaching, puts on a good session. Kev is a completely different kind of coach to John. He is better in one-on-one scenarios and he is a deeper thinker into football than John is.

‘I like to think I could do all those things, but why would I sit in the middle of a training session and focus on the football when I can step away from it slightly and see the bigger, whole picture.’

  • More in Thursday's Guernsey Press.