Ex-McDiarmid Park boss finds himself in demand

May 29 2009 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

OWEN Coyle has emulated the managerial qualities he honed at McDiarmid Park during a memorable campaign in England.

His successor and good friend Derek McInnes will toast mutual championship successes when the families team-up in Florida today.

Their biggest challenge may be finding an Irn-Bru for teetotal Coyle.

The ex-Saint may not get an opportunity to kick back and relax.

He finds himself a man in demand, with Burnley caught up in a tug o’ war with Celtic for his services just days after he bucked the odds to steer them back into the top flight of English football for the first time in more than 30 years.

Saints have landed a near £100,000 windfall from a sales clause secured when they released Coyle to Turf Moor. At the time they also received compensation.

McInnes, like Perth chairman Geoff Brown, wasn’t surprised Coyle made an impact south of the border. But neither of them were anticipating a play-off triumph at Wembley accompanying cup wins over Arsenal and Chelsea.

McInnes, who followed on from Coyle at McDiarmid and who figures on the bookies’ shortlist for the Aberdeen job on the back of a title winning season, said: “Owen deserves his success and a lot of people in football will be happy for him. But none more so than the folk at St Johnstone.

“He was gracious in winning arguably the biggest game in world football, given the millions riding on it. And while Owen has always been a gentleman he also knows what it’s like to be on the other end of a result. We all remember the cup semi-finals defeats and losing out to Gretna.

“I never had any doubt Owen would be a success in England but this has surpassed my wildest dreams. It’s come earlier than even he would have anticipated.

“Owen hadn’t operated at the top level in Scotland so his appointment raised a few eyebrows down the road.

“But he has shown all the qualities at Burnley which made him so popular at St Johnstone.”

His number two, Sandy Stewart, won the Challenge Cup with Saints before joining him in England.

McInnes, who successfully filled the vacuum left at Perth, said: “Sandy has justified his decision to go south with Owen. He had never played in England but Owen had tasted it and knew what it was all about.”

Chairman Geoff Brown also has regular chats with Coyle and he said: “What Owen has achieved at Burnley is quite simply phenomenal.”