Former Celtic youth player Mark Fotheringham is aiming to coach in the Bundesliga before returning to Scotland and managing a team of his own.
As we discussed earlier this month, Fortheringam recently left Ingolstadt with his manager Tomas Oral after helping guide them to promotion from the German second-tier as an assistant.
He won’t be coaching in the Bundesliga with them but reckons it’s only a matter of time before both he and Oral take charge of a team in the division.
It’ll be a massive opportunity for the 37-year-old, who made three senior appearances with the Bhoys between 1999 and 2003.
Fotheringham has been speaking to Dundee paper The Evening Telegraph, reflecting on a career path that has taken him from humble beginnings to rubbing shoulders with some of the best coaches in the game.
He said: “I’m just a wee guy from a council estate in Charleston — the son of a scaffolder — and I don’t mind saying that I’m pretty proud of myself. I’ve been out in Germany working for several years, learning the language, improving my coaching and now I’ve got a promotion on my CV.
“Maybe, being over here, that can go under the radar a bit back in Scotland. I think we [Fotheringham and Oral] will have some interesting options. It’s only a matter of time before we are working in the Bundesliga. That’s my honest opinion.
“But maybe we did need a little bit of rest because we gave every ounce of energy we had last season. We didn’t have a coaching staff of 10 people at Ingolstadt. That was me on the grass every day, working with them and — along with Tomas — bringing success to a really big club.”
Fotheringham has management ambitions
Fotheringham now has ambitions to one day take charge of a side in Scotland. However, it’ll only be under the right circumstances and for a club with the right vision.
The former Dundee, Norwich and Dundee United star isn’t going to take a job if it doesn’t suit his outlook on football.
He explained to The Evening Telegraph: “I’m not pigeon-holing myself in Germany and I do have a dream to bring my style of football back to Scotland as a manager. However, the reality is: that would take an owner or sporting director who is open-minded and strong enough to look outwith the bubble of candidates in Scottish football and bring in a young coach like myself.
“I’d like to build something at a club in Scotland; develop a style of play to entertain and kill teams off. But, at this stage of my journey — which I’m loving here — maybe that opportunity isn’t out there yet.”
Fotheringham’s career is certainly worth watching closely. He appears to be going about things in the right manner, with the right amount of self-confidence.
He’s still very young compared to most managers so he has plenty of time to become his own man and make his mark in Scotland.
All eyes on his next move!
In other news, Celtic can surely do better than Charlie Wyke.
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