Jobs4football meets Thomas Stewart

Jobs4football met with Thomas Stewart to discuss his progression into coaching and to talk about his new role with Swedish 2nd Division side Ytterhogdals IK which was gained via the Jobs4football platform.

As a player Thomas played for youth age groups of his national team, Northern Ireland but also had a career that took him to England, Ireland and the USA. No doubt the experience he has had within football,  assists him in making the transition into coaching. Already he holds the UEFA A Licence and has coached both Men and Women teams but now, makes the move to Sweden to undertake a new challenge which will certainly be a learning experience.

The Head Coach role at Ytterhogdals IK, was a Jobs4football retained recruitment process with over 200 applicants from all over the world with Thomas becoming the preferred selected candidate following a series of interviews.

Thomas answered our questions in relation to his career and his next challenge. Please find the Q+A format below:

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your playing career, and what led you to pursue coaching?

A: I’ve been able to realise a dream by playing professional football. I turned pro at 16 with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and went on to play for nine different clubs in six different countries. I got to experience big youth competitions, varying from county to national level. I went on to play in big tournaments and competitions with my clubs, getting to play against some of the best in the world and having glamour ties such as Juventus FC. I have been very successful and have had many trophies along the way and I hope that is the way my coaching career will turn out, which has started with a trophy in my first year making history with Cliftonville Ladies first ever league win. What led me into coaching was the love for sport, the chance to give back and pass on my experience. I enjoy learning about the game and its systems and trying to help players now achieve success along the way as I feel I have a lot to offer and can develop individuals and teams collectively.

Q: You have been involved in coaching with Cliftonville and Queen’s University whilst holding UEFA A from Irish FA, what have you learned from these experiences?

A:. I think I’ve been a great listener during my education with gaining the UEFA A, trying to take on board as much information as possible and then bring that along with my own style of play and experience to my teams. I feel going to these teams and clubs has helped me grow myself, learn
and not be afraid to make mistakes. I feel that working with players on and off the field, trying to understand what makes them better individually, in order to perform for the team is what stands me apart. As a player I was always being told what to do, for the best of the team and now as a
coach I’m telling my players how to perform for the good of the individual and team. I think emotional intelligence is key. I want every player to feel appreciated and understood to give their best for me and the team, so managing players is vitally important.

Q:Can you share with us your thoughts on taking on the role of Head Coach with Ytterhogdals IK in Sweden’s Division 2?

A:  I’m delighted to take charge as Head Coach and see this as a great fit. It feels like the perfect opportunity for my career to progress and believe I will bring valuable experience and hopefully success to Ytterhogdals IK. It is very exciting to move to Sweden, which always develops great and is a very tough league with some excellent facilities. Some great managers like Graham Potter have come from starting in Swedish Division 2. Managing in Europe is really important to me and I look forward to getting started.

Q: What are your expectations for the team and what are your career goals for your time with Ytterhogdals IK?

A: I will have a greater expectation when I sit down with the players and get some pre season games out of the way. It always takes a bedding in period to utilise the squad and give them and the team fresh ideas and a style of playing. I’m hoping for a great pre season and a fast start out
of the blocks to breed confidence within the group. I’m excited for the village to get behind us and support the team. I want our players to give them hope and belief throughout the season, so they can cheer us on. My targets will be kept in house and there will be a demand on the players,
but I will not share my expectations, although I will say that I am a winner and will bring 100% commitment everyday.

Q: How do you plan to implement your coaching style and tactics with the players at Ytterhogdals IK?

A:  I’m very much a coach who likes to have an identity within the team, playing good football, dominating possession. I will want my team to be confident and brave on the ball, from the goalkeeper starting attacks and building through the back, to our attackers defending from the
front. We need to be as one, and each player will have an important part to play if we are to be successful. I like to show players tactics, video analysis and make sure we do the hard yards on the training ground.

Q: Can you tell us about your experience with player development and how you plan to work with the individual players to improve their skills and abilities?

A:  I think that has been hugely beneficial to me developing players and already have had a good record getting players into the senior professional teams and at national level. It is about finding what works for the individual and adding to their talent by giving them the best information,
demonstrating it and believing in the player. Once a player believes in themselves, anything is possible.

Q: What do you believe are the key components to a successful coaching philosophy and how do you apply them to your work with Ytterhogdals IK?

A:  I think the key to a successful coaching philosophy is believing in what you do and stick to your principles. The players must buy into what we want to achieve as a whole and put the hard work on the training ground to get the required results. It will take a big effort from everyone but it
is something I am looking forward to seeing develop and getting success along the way.

Q: What do you see as the biggest challenge in your new role and how do you plan to overcome it?

A: I think immediately it will be the change of weather, training the team indoors as it is -15 right now. The language to begin with will be tricky, but thankfully I have an interpreter. Football is a universal language also so I will be able to get instructions across and especially when I am on
the field with the team on a daily basis. I have been around many different players and coaches from all different backgrounds and have never found a problem interacting. I will be looking to learn the language and culture, which is something that excites me.

Q: Lastly, what advice would you give to young aspiring coaches thinking of coaching abroad?

A: Now that I’ve made the move, it feels like the same as my playing career to go and challenge myself. I think it is the best way to learn, take risks, take opportunities as the football world can be hard to break into at times. It is important to believe in yourself and that is exactly what you
need to do in order to succeed.

There is no doubt Thomas, is an extremely diligent coach and one that will take the positive and negative experiences from his career into his Head Coach role in Sweden. Jobs4football believe has has a very positive future in the game and Ytterhogdals IK could be the catalyst for a bright future in Scandinavia.

Jobs4football will update with Thomas throughout the season via interview and video to track the progression both on and off the field.