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Offline ABTrini

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #420 on: February 01, 2022, 04:52:45 PM »
Maybe take on the challenge of TnT before you  aspire elsewhere- dare to go where others  have:"
Stephan Hart- Dennis Lawrence

Where others have avoided:

Stern John- Latapy


All these experts and we cyar put Humpty Dumpty aka TnT football together again?? nah sum thing wong

Offline Tallman

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #421 on: April 22, 2022, 03:44:45 PM »
Yorke in mix to bring back glory days to Perth
By Dave Lewis (ftbl.com.au)


Dwight Yorke has emerged as an early contender to bring the pizzazz back to stricken Perth Glory by taking the coaching reins next season.
 
The Manchester United and Sydney FC great is coincidentally in advanced discussions to take charge of the A-League All Stars for their extravaganza against Spanish iconoclasts Barcelona in Sydney month.

Perth eye Yorke as a saviour
Dwight Yorke is in consideration for the Perth Glory job as the struggling clubs looks for a new head coach.
The Manchester United and Sydney FC legend has long cherished the ambition of coaching in the A-League.
Yorke is already in line to take charge of the A-League All Stars in their glamour match against Barcelona on May 25 in Sydney.

And the prospect of the ex-Premier League maestro piggybacking off that glamour gig to spearhead a Glory rebuild is a distinct possibility in what would be the 50-year-old’s first foray into the coaching realm.

Yorke will be awarded his hard-earned FIFA Pro Licence in June after two years of study and graft, and would relish returning to the A-League - which he lit up as a player back in 2005 when he skippered the Sky Blues to the inaugural title.

The once swashbuckling striker was in Melbourne earlier this month as a Red Devils ambassador promoting July’s clash between United and Melbourne Victory (July 15) and Crystal Palace (July 19).

But the bigger picture for Dubai-based Yorke are his own coaching ambitions.

“I can’t comment on Perth because it’s not something I know about but I made it obvious when I was in Australia that my coaching qualification is all but done and I’m ready to make that transition into management,” Yorke told FTBL.

“I’m open to offers and seeing what’s out there and Australia is a place I’m very familiar with and everybody knows how things went for me as a player in the A-League, and my affiliation with the competition.

“I’m open to seeing what’s on the table. It would be an amazing journey to come back to Australia as a coach.

“I’ve made it clear to everybody that I’ve done all the studies and ticked all the boxes to become a coach.

“I feel like I’m now in a good place to go on that journey and I want to get into it as soon as possible.”

It’s understood that with rock bottom Glory in a state of flux following the sacking Richard Garcia and the ongoing struggles under caretaker Ruben Zadkovich, Yorke’s name has been mentioned internally as a potential elixir to the pain.

Businessman Kenny Keogh - brother of veteran Glory striker Andy - is believed to have taken a stake in the club alongside long-time owner Tony Sage, and Yorke hopes they are prepared to take a gamble on him.

“For me, it’s all about the right opportunity presenting itself. My history with the A-League is there for all to see and it would be amazing if something did pop up," added Yorke.

“It’s certainly not something I would turn my nose up at.”

Yorke declined to comment on the talks between himself and the Australian Professional Leagues over the May 25 visit of Barcelona to a packed Stadium Australia.

However if he does take the baton it could be a turbo boost to his A-League Men ambitions.

Glory CEO Tony Pignata said there had been no official talks with Yorke, as yet, but that there had been "quite a few applicants".

"I'm not going to name who has applied but we will start the process of identifying a new coach after our season has finished," he said.

"We know we have to rebuild - it's been a tough year. We'll just finish off the best we can and look to next season."
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Offline Tallman

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #422 on: April 28, 2022, 07:13:40 AM »
Dwight Yorke hopes A-League All-Stars coach role will open door to management opportunities
By Joey Lynch (ESPN Australia)

Newly christened A-League All-Stars coach Dwight Yorke will commence his preparations for a one-off fixture against Barcelona at Manchester United's training ground, with hopes that the role will open the door to full-time opportunities in management.

Yorke, who won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and a Champions League with United and later in his career served as Sydney FC's inaugural marquee, was named on Wednesday as the coach of the A-League All-Stars side that clash with Barca in Sydney on May 25, days before the A-League Men Grand Final.

Recently completing his UEFA Pro Licence, Yorke has made no secret of his desire to move into management, previously applying to take over at Aston Villa, with whom he scored 97 goals across 284 appearances between 1989 and 1998, on at least three separate occasions.

The A-League All-Stars, however, is the 50-year-old's first official appointment at any level, and Yorke is hopeful that the game will provide him with the platform to demonstrate that he is ready for a full-time position.

"In terms of a particular club, I don't think you can insist 'I want to be here or there', it doesn't work that way," he told ESPN.

"I'm announcing to the world -- with the [APL] and Danny [Townsend, the APL's Managing Director] giving me that opportunity -- that I'm finally qualified and ready for a leading role.

"I think that will make some headlines. And then if there is an opportunity that does present itself then I have to look at it."

Recent reports have linked Yorke with the vacant Perth Glory role, but Yorke told ESPN he was not looking past his present task of moulding a group of A-League men players into an outfit that could challenge Barca.

"There is no particular path into management [following the game]," he said.

"This was a great opportunity to be selected above others... even if it's only for a short period of time. But it's still a move into management and it's a positive one that I embrace.

"I want to really just concentrate in the next month of trying to best prepare this team, to make sure that the paying public that is going to be there on the day come and get something worthwhile against this exciting Barcelona team."

Based in Dubai, Yorke will commence his preparations for Barca by returning to his old stomping grounds in Manchester for a 10-day period. There, he said he plans to observe, share ideas, and take inspiration that he can bring to the A-League All-Stars.

"I will be particularly working with Woody [Neil Wood], who is the U23 coach. Then I will probably venture over to the first team, watch them, make some notes, and have some observations," he said.

"Ultimately I will have my own ideas as to what I will try to implement when I get to Australia. But the whole process is to start the preparations, start getting your ideas intact, getting some of the planning sessions and the stuff that I want to do."

Nonetheless, born from a long playing career that also featured stints at Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, and Sunderland, Yorke has a significant Rolodex of guidance and advice to call on beyond Carrington.

"Being able to talk to my ex-teammate Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer], watching sessions and that kind of stuff," Yorke said when asked about the advice he had tapped into.

"Gareth Southgate, who I played with as my captain for Aston Villa, I've been able to reach out to him and see how things are processed with him being England's coach.

"As recently as maybe two-and-half-months ago I went to Qatar to watch the Arabic Cup and work as an analyst behind the scenes with Arsene Wenger and Steve McClaren.

"And of course, the boss of all bosses, Sir Alex Ferguson, to pick the phone up to interact with him, to get a recommendation from him. I've picked his brain a little bit from a coaching perspective.

"All those things will hopefully put me in good stead moving forward."
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Tallman

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #423 on: May 03, 2022, 07:42:28 PM »
Football Coaches Australia addresses Dwight Yorke appointment
soccerscene.com,au


Football Coaches Australia (FCA) has today congratulated Australian Professional Leagues (APL) on securing FC Barcelona to play an exhibition match against the A-League All Stars team in Sydney next month.

FCA’s mantra is to promote and strengthen the reputation of football in Australia and the reputation of Australian football on the world stage.

FCA acknowledges the appointment of Dwight Yorke as the All Stars head coach in this exhibition game, however strongly believes that the All Star team should be led by an Australian A-League or national team coach.

This will be Dwight’s first official head coaching appointment at any level, and FCA wishes him all the best with his future football management aspirations. His football pedigree and his outstanding contribution as a player with Sydney FC, at the inception of the A-League, are recognised by all.

FCA president Phil Moss, who was appointed assistant coach of the last A-League All Stars team for the 2014 match against Italian giants Juventus, said:

“Whilst FCA supports the inclusion of Dwight Yorke in the coaching staff as he launches his managerial career, the missed opportunity for an Australian coach to gain invaluable experience and exposure internationally as the Head Coach is disappointing,” Moss said.

“We understand the profile and interest having Dwight Yorke involved and what it will add to this game, and also understand the logistical issues of not knowing who the Isuzu Ute A-League final four coaches will be.

“But we are about providing opportunities for Australian coaches to grow, and show the world what we are capable of and this is a missed chance to do that.

“I was involved as the assistant in 2014 and know first-hand what a huge development opportunity that was for me and we feel there are numerous coaches with the right capabilities and experience to lead the All-Star team in the game against Barca.

“Whilst we anticipate the appointment of Australian coaches to assist Dwight, we can’t ignore the fact this would have been an ideal opportunity to promote our own Australian A-League head coaches to the football world.”

Australian football coaches deserve to be further acknowledged for their efforts in guiding their respective teams throughout the past two seasons, particularly in extremely challenging COVID circumstances. An All Stars head coach appointment would have been a fitting reward.

Previous All Stars appointments have been Ange Postecoglou (2013 v Manchester United) and Spaniard Josep Gombau (2014 v Juventus). These appointments were chosen by fans who voted.

FCA believes that A-Leagues Men and Women competitions should not only be a pathway to the global football world for players, but also our elite coaches, and we should use every opportunity to support them in their career development.

FCA also encourages the APL to consider the unique experience the All Star game would provide an Australian woman coach in one of the assistant coach roles.
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Deeks

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #424 on: May 04, 2022, 07:20:24 AM »

“But we are about providing opportunities for Australian coaches to grow, and show the world what we are capable of and this is a missed chance to do that"


I thought is only Trinis does feel that way.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2022, 07:22:35 AM by Deeks »

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #425 on: May 04, 2022, 10:36:43 AM »

“But we are about providing opportunities for Australian coaches to grow, and show the world what we are capable of and this is a missed chance to do that"


I thought is only Trinis does feel that way.

Most of the world is protectionist, nationalistic or jingoistic. Despite those sentiments, not all of the postures are supportable, sustainable or rational. Several are reactionary and merely territorial. The only word missing from that FCA irelease is 'race'. But they know they can't go there and not come out bloodied.

Quote
FCA also encourages the APL to consider the unique experience the All Star game would provide an Australian woman coach in one of the assistant coach roles.

However, they craftily inserted gender as a counterpoint because it is convenient to their opposition, without having to get messy.

They are playing between the lines almost as well as Barcelona itself.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2022, 05:10:29 PM by asylumseeker »

Offline Tallman

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Dwight Yorke appointed as head coach of A-League Men club Macarthur FC
« Reply #426 on: May 15, 2022, 10:00:19 AM »
Dwight Yorke appointed as head coach of A-League Men club Macarthur FC
Australian Associated Press


Former Manchester United forward Dwight Yorke has been confirmed as the new head coach of A-League Men’s club Macarthur FC.

Yorke has signed a deal to lead the Bulls for the next two ALM seasons in what will be the ex-Trinidad and Tobago international’s first senior coaching role.

He will replace Ante Milicic, who has stepped down after two seasons as the Bulls’ foundation coach to move to Croatia for family reasons.

Yorke is no stranger to Australian football having been Sydney FC’s marquee player in the inaugural ALM season in 2005-06, as the Sky Blues went on to win the first ALM grand final.

“Having played in the inaugural A-League Men’s season I have continually followed the competition and am aware of both the footballing and fan demands in Australia,” Yorke said.

“I look forward to adding a positive contribution and improve the game at all levels, however of course my primary focus will be with the Bulls, to deliver them success and a style of football that defined me as a player.”

Yorke scored 123 goals in the English Premier League during his playing career and was part of the United team which claimed the 1999 European Champions League title.

As well as playing for the Red Devils, Yorke had stints at Aston Villa, Blackburn, Birmingham City and Sunderland.

“Dwight’s football exposure and achievements speak volumes,” Bulls chief executive Sam Krslovic said. “As a young club, the appointment of Dwight is synonymous with our evolution.”

After reaching finals in their inaugural season in 2020-21, the Bulls missed out on play-offs this season, finishing seventh on the ladder.

Yorke will also coach the A-League All Stars in a friendly against Spanish giants Barcelona at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on 25 May.
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Bourbon

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #427 on: May 16, 2022, 08:14:02 AM »
Finally. Long time coming. All the best
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline Deeks

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #428 on: May 16, 2022, 01:50:06 PM »
Goood luck

Offline Sando prince

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #429 on: May 26, 2022, 06:47:03 PM »

Offline ABTrini

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #430 on: May 26, 2022, 08:48:53 PM »
Maybe take on the challenge of TnT before you  aspire elsewhere- dare to go where others  have:"
Stephan Hart- Dennis Lawrence

Where others have avoided:

Stern John- Latapy


All these experts and we cyar put Humpty Dumpty aka TnT football together again?? nah sum thing wong

Why is it that we local ' star boys cyar make it  coaching in TnT?

Offline Deeks

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #431 on: May 27, 2022, 10:31:51 AM »
Maybe take on the challenge of TnT before you  aspire elsewhere- dare to go where others  have:"
Stephan Hart- Dennis Lawrence

Where others have avoided:

Stern John- Latapy


All these experts and we cyar put Humpty Dumpty aka TnT football together again?? nah sum thing wong

Why is it that we local ' star boys cyar make it  coaching in TnT?

I think We local star boy needed to get his coaching badge first !

Offline Bourbon

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #432 on: June 01, 2022, 06:55:09 AM »
Maybe take on the challenge of TnT before you  aspire elsewhere- dare to go where others  have:"
Stephan Hart- Dennis Lawrence

Where others have avoided:

Stern John- Latapy


All these experts and we cyar put Humpty Dumpty aka TnT football together again?? nah sum thing wong

Why is it that we local ' star boys cyar make it  coaching in TnT?

I think We local star boy needed to get his coaching badge first !

If you talking about Yorke he had his badges long time just wasnt given an opportunity.
And in any case what football was really happening locally?

I want him go and dominate. On the simple principle of him not being given a chance to show what he can do before now.
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline Sando prince

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #433 on: June 03, 2022, 10:04:56 PM »

Offline Tallman

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #434 on: July 09, 2022, 12:02:45 PM »
Former Black Cats boss Roy Keane hails Dwight Yorke impact after switching Sydney for Sunderland
By Joe Buck (Sunderland Echo)


Yorke left Manchester United in 2002 and after subdued stints at Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City, it looked like his career in England was over.

A move to Sydney FC followed in 2005, but Yorke lasted just one season there before being tempted back to England by Roy Keane.

Keane, fresh from taking over a struggling Sunderland as manager, needed reinforcements to his squad - and Yorke was someone the Republic of Ireland international knew well having spent four years at Old Trafford together.

Speaking on the Mackem Miracle documentary, Keane revealed that even though the striker had garnered a reputation as a ‘party animal’, he believed he was up for the ‘challenge’ of playing for Sunderland, even if that meant swapping a Sydney penthouse for the north east of England:

“After taking the first one or two training sessions, I kind of knew quickly that the team needed help, they needed more quality players and a stronger squad.” Keane said.

“Particularly as we know the challenges of the Championship, I identified five or six players: Yorkie, Liam Miller, Graham Kavanagh, Ross Wallace, Stan Varga and David Connolly.

“Towards the end of his career, Yorkie had a reputation as a bit of a party animal but I knew he loved the game of football and was passionate about the game.

“Okay he had other distractions and he liked a night out and all that carry on, but he was over in Sydney and he was their franchise player and I remember ringing him from the training ground.

“I’m not sure of the time difference but I rang him and it was pretty bleak [weather]. I remember looking out the window at the training ground and on a good day at Sunderland it’s pretty bleak, I think the average wind is about 80-miles-per-hour.

“So I rang him and said ‘Yorkie do you fancy coming to Sunderland?’. He says ‘are you serious?’ and I’m like ‘yeah’.

“You know he had a penthouse at Sydney harbour but I was like ‘that’ll always be there, you can always go back to that, but we have a big challenge here’.

“Like I said, I knew deep down he loved the game and fancied a challenge. I knew he would lighten the mood, the players loved him, the staff loved him.

“He would come in on a morning and always looked happy, I knew he would be a big help and the players loved him.”

From taking charge with the side rooted to the bottom of the table, Keane oversaw a remarkable turnaround in fortunes that culminated with his side lifting the Championship trophy.

It was a wonderful achievement by the Black Cats, made even more impressive by the fact this was Keane’s first job in management having retired from the game less than three months previous.

However, Keane was eager to place credit for their transformation onto his players:

“I think I knew all the players that came in. I had experience working with them before as players at club level or international level. They came in and made my job a lot easier I can tell you.”
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Offline Tallman

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #435 on: July 14, 2022, 12:43:17 PM »
Watch out! Dwight Yorke is back!
By Adam Marshal (manutd.com)


Dwight Yorke is enthusiastic about his first managerial job, as head coach of Australian side Macarthur FC, and keen to take this big next step in his career.

The ex-Trinidad & Tobago international, who was top scorer when Manchester United won the Treble in 1998/99, is perfectly placed to discuss United's time Down Under as part of Tour 2022, and the upcoming game with A-League team Melbourne Victory, in addition to his own ambitions as he taps into the knowledge of the likes of Gareth Southgate, Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Check out our full Q&A with the former Reds striker...

Dwight, the first question is an obvious one: how are you finding life with Macarthur FC?
"Great. I mean it's something that I very much expressed, of being where I wanted to be. I was having to go back and dot some i's and cross some t's in between, I finally got over the line in terms of getting my first job. So first, to begin with, I'm very pleased and privileged to be given such a great opportunity to fulfil my dream, from a player now to transition into a head-coach position. I've been working towards it and I'm very excited. I liked the project and met with the owners and everyone and it's something very exciting for me. Australia is also a place I know extremely well."

We know how much effort you put into the coaching badges and how patient you have had to be. Did the work at United help you out in this respect?
"Massively. I'm indebted to Manchester United for all those years and having the privilege of being one of the global ambassadors and having access to the football club, people like Woody [former coach Neil Wood] with the Under-23s, [head of Academy] Nick Cox and [football director] John Murtough. Those people have always been very welcoming and make me feel part of the club. So that was enormous in me getting over the line and getting my coaching badges. I'll always be grateful to United, it's a different level. When we speak about Manchester United, it's a really special club and I am very lucky to be part of it."

We're looking forward to seeing how your team plays - you always had style and flair so is that something you'll be keen to replicate as a coach?
"I don't think any coach, in all the interviews I've seen over 20+ years when I've been a player or an analyst working in TV and stuff, I've never seen a manager come out and say they are playing defensive football. I'm not going to be the first - of course everyone wants to see a very attractive style of football in the way we play and, for me, it's something I'd like to obviously add to the playing philosophy. But it doesn't always guarantee success. It's all down to the type of players I'm working with and certainly getting them to believe in what I'm trying to do. If I can do that, it could be pretty much the biggest challenge of it all, if the players buy into the process of how I want them to particularly play."

Is it important to have good people around you? Russell Latapy is coming in to assist you and are you able to contact people from United on the other end of a telephone for support and advice?
"Absolutely. Well, the course I just finished tells you to surround yourself with good people. Have people around you who are positive that you can trust. It's no secret Russell and I go back a number of years and he's one of my closest friends. He's a person who is knowledgeable in the game and also played at the top level in Portugal, Scotland and he even had a little spell in England. He's been an international manager so his profile really fits what I'm looking at. He's a fully qualified coach and I know people say he's my best friend but he's a football man through and through as well. I'm delighted to have him next to me to bring enormous experience, as well as his technical brains. From my playing days, Russell is one of the best, if not the best, player I played alongside. To have him next to me certainly gives me that comfort, and his guidance will be essential for me. I'm also very lucky to have been in the company of Gareth Southgate and Pep Guardiola in the last weeks or so. I spent some time with him playing golf and managed to tap into his brains. Also having the big boss there, Sir Alex [Ferguson]. I can always pick up the phone if I need a piece of advice or two. I'm very lucky I've got people I'm surrounded with who have that kind of knowledge in the game and expertise. There is also somebody who I consider to be my mentor in coaching, Neil Bailey, another part of the fabric of the Manchester United family. To have those people surrounding me, I think it means I'm in a really good position. I've been preparing for this and feel like I'm ready and prepared as well as I could. But it's easy when you're on the outside, now I'm on the inside and will see what the challenge is that lies ahead."

That is some accolade to say Russell is the best player you played with because the competition is pretty intense..!
"Yes, it's just how it is. With me, I say it how it is and try to be honest with my words. Russell is, for me, from a tactical point of view, one of the best players in world football that I played alongside. Maybe he came from my country so did not get the sort of recognition he deserves. Everyone who knows him knows what he brings to the table. I'm delighted to have him with me as a partner."

You played in the inaugural A-League - do you think the standard of it is better than it was back then?
"To be honest, when I went, it was new and obviously the opening of the A-League. There was a lot of hype surrounding it. We managed to fulfil that and go on to win that A-League in itself and I was the Player of the Year and all of that. I was very lucky to get that. I left there and know they have tried to bring in other marquee players in the past, but things haven't quite materialised like probably they imagined they would. Of course, we've had the pandemic happening and there was really a decline in sports in terms of nobody was allowed into the country. Just recently, they've opened up again so football took a downward spiral for a few years but they are looking to try to bring it back up to the level, not where it's in the top four leagues in the world, but getting football recognised in the country, maybe pretty much to the level of MLS in terms of what they are doing in America right now."

How vital was it that Australia qualified for the World Cup because that is going to be huge for the country?
"Yeah, I think that was crucial for us. It's important, not just for the A-League but Australian football needed to qualify. They'd gone down a very difficult route but somehow managed to get their noses ahead and qualify so it's a good time for football in Australia. The challenge is if we can get it onto the front page and back page of the newspapers. The other sports - cricket, rugby and Aussie rules - are getting big headlines so it's important the Socceroos, as they call themselves, do well in the World Cup and get the hype. With myself and maybe one or two marquee players coming down there this season, it should shine the spotlight on the A-League a little bit more and get the recognition that part of the world deserves. I'm not trying to say it will take over other sports on the back page but it should be justified as football is the people's sport, the biggest sport in the world, and it's important it gets the recognition it deserves in Australia as well."

I'm sure it will be front-page news when United are in town to play Melbourne Victory, first of all, so what sort of challenge will they provide? Will it be competitive?
"Well, it will be. They don't get to see the likes of the Premier League coming into town being so far away in Australia and Manchester United are a huge draw, wherever they go. The players have maybe a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play against a talented United team. So I expect a very competitive game. The players will be up for it, the crowd will come out. The Premier League is huge, even in Australia, and these fans have the opportunity to see the players close up so I don't think they will miss that. Melbourne is really a sports city, people love their sports there, and if Manchester United come into town, you can guarantee it'll be popular."

You know all about tours Down Under after the one in 1999 - when Sir Alex Ferguson wasn't on the trip...
"It was great. I'm sure the manager heard all the stories. We were on such a high, coming back off the Treble-winning year, the most historical moment in Manchester history, with what we achieved. To come off that, it was a great experience there. People who have been to Australia will know it has a way of leaving a certain image on you when you visit the country. They are real sports enthusiasts and it was a great experience. If you ask anybody who travelled in 1999, they will tell you it was a fantastic trip and fantastic experience."

Steve McClaren took charge then and it's funny how things work out that he's now back at the club working as one of Erik ten Hag's assistants...
"I always remember Steve came in and really embraced the challenge of being one of the major coaches at United. He let training flow and was very clever with that. He's a very experienced manager who has been around the block at all levels. He's gone out of the country and trained and done coaching in Holland as well. He knows the club very well and I'm not surprised he is back there at the moment."

Do you feel it was a clever appointment by Erik, to get somebody who knows the club so well?
"Yeah, sure. You could see Erik thought about it and knows Steve. On the flipside, Steve was his boss and now Erik is the boss so it will be interesting to see how that works. Steve has the knowledge of Manchester United. I've spent some time there recently and Steve will want to get the culture back - we know things were not quite where they used to be, largely because the results on the pitch did not help matters. Hopefully, with Steve's experience and Erik's new ideas and philosophy, they can get the team back to where they belong."

You speak to a lot of people at United - do you sense it's time for a clean slate now under the new manager?
"I think there has to be a clean slate. Let's just be frank about it, United were not in a good place in terms of results on the pitch and finished too far behind Manchester City. So we need to get back and I think, if I was a new manager in Erik ten Hag's position, I would want to make a clean slate and hope the players would acknowledge that. Certainly, the club was not where it was supposed to be and so I would think that would be part of his address to the team. I would think the players have come back hungry enough to try to rectify what has gone on at the football club. The challenge is a big one but hopefully they can at least close the gap."

It feels an exciting time to be part of everything going on in Australia, how much are you looking forward to it?
"Sydney is one of the best cities in the world. It's got a bit of everything and is a multicultural society. I'm certainly excited to be back in football as well, it's something I am very passionate about, and was vocal about as well, to have that opportunity. Like I've said, I went back and dotted the i's and crossed the t's and got my qualifications. I'm ready to come in and am quite confident to show what I can do. I am very lucky to be surrounded by good people. It stands me in good stead. It's a very exciting time for me. Watch out! Dwight Yorke is back! Hopefully I can produce some of the things I feel like I am capable of doing and getting the team playing some good football but, most importantly, winning football matches on a regular basis."
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Offline Tallman

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #436 on: August 28, 2022, 07:58:05 PM »
Macarthur’s Australia Cup gift to Dwight Yorke
Brendan Brumby (The Roar)


The Bulls have every intention of winning the Australia Cup, and they probably will.

Think of it as an early birthday present for their coach, Dwight Yorke. Drawing on half a century worth of experience, Yorke’s carefree attitude masks a stoic persona.

In May, during the A-Leagues All Stars match, Yorke charmed the sideline reporters, flashing his carefree persona. Yet on closer inspection, his eyes were locked on the FC Barcelona game.

Eventually losing 2-3, Yorke’s brave boys almost caused an upset. Teen sensation Garang Kuol toyed with Barcelona’s defence, proving that the Central Coast Mariner’s would have another prolific season under Nick Montgomery.

Yorke was born in Tobago, miles away from Campbelltown. Raised in tropical Canaan, the area was a close-knit village.

Similarly, southwest Sydney provides a desirable destination, providing you explore the neighbouring suburbs, including Camden, Menangle and Picton. It’s paradise, and in some greenbelt locations, untouched. Perfect for a new football coach to unwind and relax.

Long ago, Campbelltown’s surrounding areas once comprised of lush pastures, ideal for grazing cattle, including six bovines that escaped Sydney Cove in 1788. Some older residents to this day still affectionately call the region Cow Pastures.

Currently, many of these former colonial land grants remain within the one family; some tracing their lineage back to the tall ships, arriving from England.

In short, it’s a traditional town. A place where soccer, under former Bulls coach Ante Milicic, seemed like a cautious brand of paint-by-numbers sport.

Well, Yorke’s arrived just in time to challenge the status quo. His current results are imposing, thrusting his team within touching distance of silverware.

Entering the Round of 32, Macarthur thrashed Magpies Crusaders 6-0. In their next game, they convincingly beat Modbury Jets 4-0, keeping another clean sheet. Ten goals in two matches.

Apart from the double digits, Macathur played a heavy possession-based game, averaging 63 per cent between the above losing sides.

On the 31st of August, Yorke’s men compete against Wellington Phoenix in the quarter-finals. During their last Australia Cup encounter, the New Zealand contingency scraped through against Melbourne City, only registering four shots on target.

Call it pure luck, but Ufuk Talay was singing that day, having toppled the A-League premiers in style, and with only 35 per cent ball possession. Was it a fluke or masterstroke by the Wellington manager? The former.

Anyway, all will be decided soon. With the glorious rattling of cowbells, no other team but Macarthur will be able to think strait. Intimidation at its finest.
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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #437 on: September 13, 2022, 08:56:25 AM »
Yorke makes bright start to coaching life
By Justin Chadwick (Australian Associated Press)


He's just two wins away from his first trophy as a head coach, but former Manchester United star Dwight Yorke doesn't want Macarthur's journey to title success to be about him.

Yorke was appointed Macarthur's coach in May and has already led the club to the semi-finals of the Australia Cup.

If the Bulls beat Victorian NPL outfit Oakleigh Cannons at Jack Edwards Reserve in Melbourne on Wednesday evening, they will secure a spot in the final against Sydney United.

Yorke won plenty of titles as a player, including the treble at Manchester United in 1999.

The Australia Cup crown might pale in comparison to that triumph, but it would represent the perfect start to Yorke's coaching career.

However, the 50-year-old, who brought a bang to the A-League when he played for Sydney FC in 2005/06, doesn't want the focus to be on him.

"This is not just about me," Yorke said.

"I've been very lucky to be given a chance to be the manager of this football club.

"I want to embrace it as the manager, but I'm very lucky I've got a great group of players and backroom staff. It's really made my transition easy.

"There's still a lot of hard work here to be done, we are focused on trying to establish this club, and the only way you're going to do that is by winning things and raising the standard and the mentality in and around the place."

Macarthur will start as heavy favourites on Wednesday night against their semi-professional opponents.

But Sydney United's 3-2 semi-final win over Brisbane Roar on Sunday and Oakleigh's 2-1 quarter-final win over Sydney FC earlier in the tournament proved how often upsets can occur in this competition.

"You see the beauty of the Cup, where you see the underdogs in the game really surprise the team who on paper is supposed to win the game," Yorke told reporters.

"The players have all watched it and observed what it s going on, and realise if we don't go there with the right mentality and the right approach ... you're never going to win.

"Those games we saw with Oakleigh and Sydney and Brisbane Roar and Sydney United, it's a stark reminder of the difficulties (we could have) if we don't prepare correctly for it."
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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #438 on: October 02, 2022, 08:54:37 AM »

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #439 on: October 02, 2022, 08:10:05 PM »
Yorke's goal is clear: 'I want to be one of the best managers'
By Tom Smithies (keepup.com.au)


The morning after his A-Leagues All Stars team had narrowly lost to Barcelona in May, a tired Dwight Yorke drove to Fairfield in Sydney’s south-west with a plan to rebuild a football club.

Yorke had only been appointed by Macarthur FC a matter of days before, to his first senior head coaching role, and had been focused purely on the All-Stars until that point. But as he drove from a hotel near Accor Stadium, the former Manchester United star began to plan the quickest way to have maximum shock value on day one with his new squad.

“The first thing that I needed to do was, when the players arrived for the first day of (pre-season) training, they felt they were coming into something new and exciting rather than the old image of what they had before,” Yorke tells KEEPUP now. “So that was my first plan – that their first impression was of change around the place.”

With serendipitous timing, dressing rooms and facilities under the grandstand at Fairfield Showground, where the club has trained since its inception two years before, had been renovated as part of a $7m upgrade negotiated with Fairfield Council, 100m from the club’s base last year.

Immediately Yorke saw the chance to have his players walk into a new set-up on the first day of pre-season: new ice baths were installed in the dressing room, while the smell of breakfast would be in the air, thanks to the appointment of a new club chef. Lunch would also be provided, and the players would be expected to attend both meals every day.

The psychology was fairly rudimentary; the more the players felt a change in surroundings, the more receptive they would be to implementing Yorke’s brand of football. They would also be engaged for longer in their place of work, and better able to deal with the physical demands he was going to make of them in preparation for the new season.

“Triple sessions some days!” says defender Tomi Uzkok with perhaps a little too much relish – “two on the pitch and one in the gym.

“But we knew it was going to be different from day one. It was kind of like a whole new fresh start altogether. New training facility, new change rooms, full time chef, new gym. So lots changed in terms of off the field. And on the field, I guess.”

It’s hardly unusual for new coaches at a club to paint a bleak picture of how much needed fixing (in their eyes), but Yorke is fairly candid about his first impressions – even before a ball was kicked.

“We’ve done some changes to the club in terms of the approach, our mentality and our professionalism, our eating habits, all those little things,” he says. “I feel like there was a kind of semi-professional approach; they’re a professional club, but they think with a semi-pro mentality.”

As an example, he adds, “You can’t have meals Monday and (then) not have one until Wednesday. I was lucky that I had the owners that bought into what I’m trying to explain. I think having the experience being abroad does help. Then the players come in and see the changes immediately and take that on board.

“It feels like longer but I’ve only been here two months and you can see everybody’s bought in to what we’re trying to do here. And we’re in the final (of the Australia Cup against Sydney United).”

“Stagefright!”

Lachie Rose’s description of his reaction to hearing that Dwight Yorke would become the club’s new coach is endearingly honest. Still at his first professional club, Rose had never been through the process of the head coach changing. “A few of the boys were like, You’re always unsure how it will go, and he is such a big name. So we didn’t know what to expect.”

To Rose’s surprise, “he’s always giving advice, when needed. If you ever need anything, you can always go to his office and talk to him. Whether it’s football related or anything else, just as a person, like he’s got that experience where he wants to share it with other people not just keep it to himself.

“He’s always hands on at training, talking to players, giving advice and that’s very comforting for a player because you feel like you’re learning something new every day.”

Uzkok uses the same word several times – Yorke has “simplified” the game plan, even though the emphasis remains on proactive football.

The reason for that becomes obvious when you ask Yorke about the football they have played in the Australia Cup, scoring 17 goals on the way to the final.

“It’s funny because I saw them play when I first came here, I was like, this is the first game, let them play. We don’t really want to say too much because we’ve only been 10 days training.

“We played Newcastle and they beat us, we were all over the place and I’m thinking, we got our work cut out. So from there, we thought, right, we need to start all over again. We walk through things, we talk them through, we guide them, we literally hold their hands, this is how you have to do things.

“These kids had not been taught properly. They know the game of football, but don’t know how to play the game in a structured way. A bunch of good individuals, looks good but it breaks down and they have lots of individual errors. There’s no support and no backing, no covering, so we had to walk through those processes in the last two months.

“And although we made it very basic to this point, now we have a solid structure, the foundation. Now we can start to add the flair bits and the attacking workflow. When the team’s in possession, especially when we’re in possession, we need to be switched on.”

Ahead of Saturday’s Australia Cup final, Yorke is fielding daily calls from friends overseas keen to hear how his managerial debut is unfolding. He’s well aware there are other observers just as keen, but perhaps expecting the outcome not to be positive.

“There’s a lot of interest there, because, you know, there’s always the doubters, and some people from an interesting point of view want to see if you really can become a manager,” Yorke says, getting to his feet to lead the morning’s training session.

“But I wouldn’t come into it if I had a second of doubt myself. I was living a great life, I have a great life. I still do have a great life, but I probably have a better life now because I’m doing something that I truly believe that I’ll be very good at.

“It was just (getting) the opportunity to do it. And here I am now and I know it’s early days yet, but at least the intentions are good and clear for everyone to see… that I want to be one of the best managers.”
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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #440 on: October 15, 2022, 09:55:15 AM »
Dwight Yorke on the lack of opportunities for black managers in football: ‘The reason behind it is because of your skin colour. What else could it possibly be?’
By Vince Rugari (Sydney Morning Herald)

Dwight Yorke has made history. Not by winning his maiden trophy just five games into his managerial career, although that probably went close to setting some sort of record, but simply by getting the job at Macarthur FC in the first place.

Yorke is the head of a majority black coaching panel at the Bulls, in what is believed to be an Australian first, and is among a small handful of black head coaches currently working in sport across the world. The significance is not lost on him, nor his two senior assistants at the Bulls: Russell Latapy — his old Trinidad and Tobago teammate and childhood friend — and James Meredith, the former Socceroo of Jamaican heritage who retired at the end of last season.

Football, like many other sports, is full of players of black and minority ethnic backgrounds. Yorke was one of them, a three-time English Premier League winner with Manchester United and a key attacking weapon in their 1999 UEFA Champions League triumph. But post-playing opportunities, in coaching or other key off-field roles, are nowhere near as common for them as they are for white players.

“It’s not rocket science,” Yorke, now 50, said. “The numbers add up. Let’s just call it for what it is.”

Last year, 43 per cent of players in the Premier League were black, according to a report commissioned by the Black Footballers Partnership – but it found only 4.4 per cent of managers and 1.6 per cent of executive, leadership and ownership positions were held by black people. In the Premier League’s 30-year history, there have only been 10 black or minority managers – an imbalance that Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira, the most recent and only current one, has said “disturbs” him.

It’s been a long, hard road for Yorke to get this chance at Macarthur, the A-League’s newest club who play their first home game of the new season on Sunday against Adelaide United – and the Bulls, who their chief executive Sam Krslovic said is a club that wants to be a “positive force of change”, was proud to offer it to him. We don’t really know how good a coach Yorke is just yet. But we might soon, and we never would if he was never given a job.

After completing his badges, Yorke applied for other vacancies back in England, including at his former clubs Aston Villa and Sunderland, but kept hitting brick walls. Villa didn’t even call him back - and, as a rookie manager with no experience, he understands why, and would have appreciated a bit more courtesy from a club he gave 10 years of service to, but isn’t bitter about it.

However, from United’s 1999 team, Yorke can rattle off 14 ex-players who have become managers or were given other high-level jobs.

“And yet myself, and Andy Cole - we were the two black guys there at the time, and even Wes Brown, who was coming through and is now retired ... you don’t get any opportunity,” he said.

“You can’t tell me there is not a reason behind it when everybody else has been given a chance, guys of very little experience. I’ve got my qualifications. We’ve done everything that everyone else has done. And people got three, four jobs before you even get one. So where is the fairness in that?

“I do believe that if I was maybe a different colour, then the transition into management would have been much easier. I’ve been fortunate to get in, but there’s so many other people that haven’t even come close. There are people of colour, predominantly, who don’t want to do their coaching badges because they just don’t see the reason of doing it ... ‘nah, waste of time, because they just won’t give it to me.’”

Yorke pushes back, strongly, on the suggestion that his off-field reputation as a hard-partying playboy may have counted against him in previous applications. Even his nickname, ‘All Night Dwight’ - which dominated headlines during his time with Sydney FC, but he now describes as an “awful stigma” that he cannot shake - is tinged with prejudice, as he sees it.

“What, dating a beautiful woman makes me a really bad person?” he said.

“You don’t hear I’m involved in drugs, you never heard I’m missing training, that I went to prison, I’m in an altercation with anyone. I had a good time when I go out, that’s for sure. But it’s all within reason.

“Go ask all my coaches, ask anybody who knows me: there’s nobody who worked f---ing harder than me. Even to this day, I’ll be in the gym at 7.30 tonight, guaranteed, when everyone is at home doing their thing. People don’t talk about that.

“There is, I know, current managers that has done far worse things than me, and it’s just been dust under the carpet, by a mile. I know all these guys personally, too. I’ve been in the game long enough. I know exactly what they do and what they haven’t done and what they’ve been perceived to be.

“[Wayne] Rooney, for instance, done a [documentary] about his life recently, and it’s all about the drinking and the prostitution, but it’s all right for him to go and get jobs. I’m not saying something that is not out there. But there’s other people in the game, they haven’t been called out over things that they have done.

“Yet this ‘All Night Dwight’ seems to be something that people seem to be using directly to me ... and the reason behind it is because of your skin colour. What else could it possibly be?”

Despite this being a long-standing issue, little has changed. Progress is glacial, and as it is in Britain, so it is in Australia, where Indigenous and other ex-players of colour simply don’t get off-field positions - although the NRLW, where three of the six teams are coached by players of First Nations origin, is fortunately bucking the trend.

The NFL introduced the ‘Rooney Rule’ (no relation to Wayne) in 2003, requiring all teams with senior vacancies to interview ethnic minority candidates, with the aim of boosting the number of black coaches. The English Football League has adopted a similar policy, but the Premier League hasn’t. Either way, Yorke doesn’t rate quotas and such.

“If someone was to sack me, they already know who the [next] manager is. The token gesture of the Rooney Rule, it’s just been BS for a long time,” he said.

“You look around, the facts show it. We’ve got one black manager now in the Premier League and lucky enough, that’s Patrick Vieira. But you go to Italy. Is there any black? You go to Germany? Is there any black? In Spain, you think there’s any black managers? The top five leagues in the world: one. What does that tell you?

“Does that deter me as a person? No, it actually inspires me because I like to defy the odds.”

The onus, Yorke believes, ultimately falls on decision-makers at clubs, like chairmen and CEOs, to broaden their horizons. But with most of those roles being filled by white people, it’s hard to see how this vicious cycle ever breaks - unless, as Yorke tips, someone like himself or Vieira does something of global significance with a bigger club that makes everyone sit up and take notice.

In any case, the challenge Yorke faces as he aims to one day scale those heights is nothing new to him.

“The transition when I went from the Caribbean to England [as a player], I never forget that I couldn’t afford to be on equal terms with someone - I had to feel like I was better all the time,” he said.

“Same thing in management. I can’t be like everybody else here. I have to do the exceptional stuff. Exceptional means come in the first five games, win the Australia Cup. You build from there, and look to put yourself in contention of doing something a little bit unique, that nobody else has done.

“I’ve managed to do it in my playing career. I have no question about it, I [just] needed an opportunity, and Macarthur has given it to me, which I’m very grateful for.”
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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #441 on: October 18, 2022, 09:56:18 AM »
Yorke: Opportunities await for Caribbean footballers in Australia
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)


OPPORTUNITY awaits in Australia for Caribbean footballers.

So said T&T’s recently crowned Australian League (A-League) champion coach Dwight Yorke, who called on committed West Indian footballers to explore new markets to develop their craft as young professionals.

Yorke, 50, made these remarks during an online interaction with TT Football Association (TTFA) media officer Shaun Fuentes on Sunday.

In May, the ex-national captain and Manchester United legend was appointed to his first role as manager of A-League club Macarthur FC. Five months later, Yorke led his debut team to the Australia Cup title.

In the process, he steered the club to their first Cup title since joining the A-League three years ago. This was also Yorke’s first piece of silverware as head coach.

In anticipation of the 2023 season, Macarthur FC boosted its defence by signing Bajan defensive midfielder Mario Williams for the 2023 season. Williams, 30, was a suggested signing by Yorke’s ex-teammate Russell Latapy, who also serves as the club’s assistant coach.

Latapy, another former T&T standout, coached Barbados for just over three years, but stepped down in May, to join his ex-2006 World Cup teammate in a leadership role at Macarthur FC.

Yorke said Williams’ signing is evident the T&T pair is interested in fielding “serious” talent from this part of the world and potentials should seize such an opportunity.

“We have a clear understanding, coming from the Caribbean, the lack of opportunity that players are given. This might be a good opportunity for players to look elsewhere.

“A lot of people do get bogged down when they want to go to Europe. They might want to go to the Major League Soccer (USA) or just may not have gotten that break as yet.

“Australia is another avenue they can look at. With us (Yorke, Latapy) being here, we are open to ideas to giving fellow West Indian players an opportunity. But you have to meet the criteria, it’s not a token gesture.

“You have to be someone who would improve our team. Hopefully, there would be many more. If you’re good enough we will invite you. That’s part of my role here as head coach, to make those decisions.”

Yorke said he’d never seen Williams play prior but trusted Latapy’s judgement after they held discussions on the new season, and what would be required for an improved performance in search of the coveted A-League title.

“Russell suggested that Mario was a player that, given an opportunity, he can do well in this league. I have to trust my assistant, his judgement, because I respect his view on players.

“I got along with that and backed him in giving Mario that opportunity. The transition from the Caribbean to a place like Australia is going to take some time.

“It was a gamble we were prepared to take. Hopefully, with the right structure, training, physio and therapy here, we can get him up to speed. There’s no doubt he may play a significant part in our success going forward.

“We are open-minded that people from the West Indies need that break and we are prepared to give them that but there is criteria to be met,” he added.

Although the team is still developing, Yorke credited his assistant coach Latapy, and all his staff, for going the extra mile and aiding Macarthur FC to their first Cup win.

Yorke and the “Little Magician” have rich history representing T&T and plan to write a similar story in their new roles as coaches.

On signing Russell on to his coaching staff, Yorke said, “Russell is crucial. My research over the years as I embarked on being a manager was to make sure you bring in the correct people alongside you. The backroom staff is a key factor in your success.

“We’re close friends but from a football perspective, he’s ticked all the boxes. He’s done everything in the game, played at the highest level, achieved high awards, won trophies and had 15 years as a manger/coach.

“So that experience is vital to me. From a tactical point of view. Russell is one of the best players, if not the best. He is one of the best persons I could ask to be next to me as well as a trustworthy friend.

“He is significant to my success but also I have other people who play major roles like my physio, strength and conditioning and the whole backroom staff plays the role to our success. Russ is huge for me going forward and he will always be my right-hand man.”

When Yorke took the coach position earlier this year, he had to step down as Manchester United’s global ambassador. He confirmed the English club still shares a close relationship with him despite his decision to coach in the A-League.

Looking ahead at the new season, he said there is still much work to be done.

“We’re still not quite the finished article but the progress has been encouraging. Winning the cup gave us a base to go one from there and should give us confidence going forward.

“We need to raise our level here as expectation has gone up. The players understand that and know they need to keep working hard which has always been a focal point of my playing career.

“You have to healthy, strong and fit. The workload we are asking from them they’re getting better.”
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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #442 on: October 27, 2022, 06:29:14 PM »
‘What the ....?’: Sir Alex drops in at Campbelltown to visit Dwight Yorke and Macarthur FC
By Vince Rugari (Brisbane Times)


Sir Alex Ferguson ... watching Macarthur FC train ... at Campbelltown Stadium?

Do not adjust your sets. Even the A-League team’s players couldn’t quite believe it when, towards the end of their session on Thursday in Sydney’s south-west fringes, the most decorated manager in the history of world football casually strolled out of the tunnel.

His former charge at Manchester United, Dwight Yorke, quickly dashed over to greet him. On the big screen was the message, “Welcome Sir Alex Ferguson”, with a photo of the 80-year-old holding one of the 13 English Premier League titles he masterminded at Old Trafford.

Training continued, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

“What the f---?” one player was heard remarking.

It was all a bit surreal. Eventually, star-struck Bulls players found the courage to go and say g’day to Ferguson, a huge horse racing fan and former owner who is in Australia on a holiday that has seemingly been planned around Saturday’s Golden Eagle at Rosehill, as well as the Melbourne Cup next Tuesday.

“He’s here on his own back,” said Yorke, who played up front for Ferguson for four seasons in the Premier League, including United’s unforgettable treble in 1998-99, and still calls him “gaffer”.

“Probably he’s off to the races at some point, maybe. But it’s just good to have him. It’s a wonderful surprise to all of us. He didn’t have to be here.

“In fact, he got in contact with me and said he will be in Sydney, so he didn’t have to do that. And obviously, very gracious for him to be in visiting our stadium here in Campbelltown. I thought it might have been a problem, considering his age. Obviously, he’s in good nick. He was happy to make the journey from the city, which is a long journey.

“We’re looking for a little bit of a pick-us-up – not that we’re in a bad spot – but they don’t come much bigger than Sir Alex being here, and I’m very lucky and privileged that I still have that relationship with him. How often do you have someone of his talent come into this part of the world?”

Only a select few Macarthur staffers had any idea that football royalty would be dropping in on their main training session of the week, ahead of Saturday night’s home clash against Sydney FC – Yorke’s old team.

“Honestly, I just saw the banner on the big screen there. And then I was thinking, ‘What’s all that about?’” midfielder Daniel De Silva said.

“And then obviously, I looked over, and I saw him. It’s obviously a fantastic thing to have him here at the club, probably the greatest manager of all time. Fantastic experience to meet him. We’ll go home and tell family and friends ... it’s something I never thought would happen.”

Ferguson appeared to be in good spirits, and well past the health battles he’s had since stepping down from Manchester United in 2013 after 26 years in the top job, and a grand total of 38 trophies.

He declined to speak with media, although Bulls left-back Ivan Vujica managed to squeeze in one quick question as players and staff assembled for a group photo.

“I wanted to ask how the gaffer [Yorke] was as a player. Did he give you any problems?” Vujica asked.

Ferguson’s response: “When we won the treble, he was the best centre-forward in Europe.” Cue a big round of applause. “Then he got into the good life!”

Yorke, who recently outlined to the Herald and The Age his battles against racial prejudice in seeking his first gig as a senior coach, said Ferguson had been a valuable sounding board in his transition from playing to management.

“I probably look back at some of the things, I think he may have been a little bit harsh towards me. But then when I’m much more older, reflect on things, he only wanted the best for his players,” Yorke said.

“I look back, and I’m very lucky to [have been] under his management skills. Even the [Aston] Villa job, I asked him to actually give me a recommendation [when I applied], which he happily did, although it didn’t work on that occasion. He’s always been very, very helpful, always there as an open book ... [for] my ambition as a young manager, he’s always given me the encouragement to go forward.”

The Bulls have given Ferguson an open invitation to come along to Saturday’s clash with the Sky Blues - if he can find the energy after a long day at the races.

“I try not to impose too much ... he knows he’s welcome here,” Yorke said. “I know that he’s got a big passion for his horse racing.”
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Tallman

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #443 on: December 15, 2022, 12:24:55 PM »
Dwight Yorke on Manchester United, the Treble, Roy Keane & Sunderland, and management
By Callum McFadden (World Football Index)


You are currently managing Macarthur of the A-League where you have just won the Australia Cup. How proud are you of that success and how would you sum up your first experience of management so far?

“Winning is what really matters in management and winning the Australia Cup is the best possible start for me in that regard.

“The players and my backroom staff must take as much of the credit as me because it is a team effort in everything that we do.

“I also thank the owners and the board of directors at the club for matching my ambition and backing us to be successful even within a short period of time.

“It has been a good start to my managerial career so far and I am pleased with how things have progressed up-to this point.”

You were born in Trinidad & Tobago and had an illustrious playing career primarily in English football which started at Aston Villa. How were you spotted by Villa and was it a challenge to adapt to English football under Graham Taylor at the time?

“Graham Taylor brought Aston Villa to the Caribbean for a tour in the late ’80s and I played against them at the age of 17. I impressed them so much that they offered me a trial and subsequently signed me.

“Moving to English football was a massive step for me having grown up and played football in the Caribbean.

“It was a challenging time for me in my first few months in Birmingham because I knew nothing about what it took to succeed in professional football prior to joining as I did not have the prior academy experience that players would have nowadays.

“I also had to adapt to the differences in climate and food in the UK compared to what I was used to back home.

“Culturally, England is very different to Trinidad so I had do adapt to the oriole that I was working with too.

“It was a huge chance in my life because I was not a fully-fledged adult when I made the move. Far from it, I was technically still a minor at the age of 17.

“However, I always wanted to play football professionally and I followed my dream because I knew that moving to England was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.

“I wanted to achieve success that no other West Indian player had achieved in the game and as such, I was prepared to give football my all.

“Thankfully, the rest as they say is history and things worked out.”

What are your personal highlights from your 8 seasons playing regularly in the Villa first team?

“I enjoyed my time representing Aston Villa. It was huge for me to have the opportunity in the Premier League for such a massive club.

“Villa have a unique history as former European Cup winners, and I served my football education at the club before breaking into the first team.

“I learned from Graham Taylor, Ron Atkinson and Brian Little what it took to play in the Premier League.

“We also won the League Cup at Wembley during my time there which was special too.”

As you say, you won the League Cup with Villa in 1996 beating Leeds 3-0 in the final at Wembley whilst also being on the scoresheet. Can you talk me through what that was like for you at the time?

“It was a wonderful day for the club and for myself. It meant so much to me as I was left out of the 1993 Cup success against Manchester United under Ron Atkinson.

“So to play a big part in the ‘96 final and win 3-0 in a game of that magnitude was special. The result was as comprehensive as the scoreline suggested.

“The Villa fans turned up in incredible numbers to Wembley and they were unbelievable for us that day. It was great to repay them with the win and to score a goal too.

“The goal that I scored was the last goal of the game and I had tears in my eyes as the ball hit the back of the net. I felt extra emotion that day after missing the last final.”

You swapped Villa Park for Old Trafford in 1998 by moving to Manchester United. What was your initial reaction when you heard of United and Sir Alex Ferguson’s interest in you?

“It was massive for me. (Phone rings at this part of our interview) ‘Sorry I’ve just got Brian Lara on the other line. I’ll call you back.’

“Sorry about that (laughs). Yeah, as I was saying, it was a massive moment for me and as soon as I heard of United’s interest in me then I wanted to join the club.

“Aston Villa are a very big club but Manchester United are the biggest club in the world and they are always competing for the biggest prizes in the world. That was the only reason I left Villa.

“I wanted to prove myself at the highest level of the game in England and in European football so making the move was a no-brainer.“

You won a historic treble in your first season at Manchester United and forged a prolific strike partnership alongside Andrew Cole. What was the treble-winning campaign like from your perspective as a key player in the team?

“Playing at Manchester United gives you the platform to showcase your talent and to compete for the big prizes in the game but winning the treble in my first season was something that I could never have dreamt of.

“Of course, I was confident that we would win something given the quality at the club and the previous success that Sir Alex had with the group.

“However, to go and win the Premier League, FA Cup and the Champions League in the manner that we did was utterly unbelievable.

“It is such an achievement that it has only been done once by an English team which was us and never again since.

“I do not think that anyone would have expected the treble for the club but to play a small part in that success with a strong group of players was all of my dreams come true.”

What are your memories of that crazily dramatic ‘99 final again Bayern Munich in Camp Nou?

“You’ve summed it up pretty well there. It was crazy. There was too much happening to properly remember it all vividly.

“We were riding on the crest of a wave having already won the Premier League and the FA Cup and knew we were on the verge of making English football history.

“The focus was on the game itself and winning was the only aim. Not how we would play on the night, solely winning. It was all that mattered and the manager made that clear to us.

“We needed to get over the line and we did not play great on the night. Bayern were a very strong side and they showcased that in the final.

“Don’t forget, we went into that final missing our two key midfielders in Roy Keane and Paul Scholes. They would be a huge miss for any team in world football and were for us too.

“However, we showcased the never say die attitude that we were synonymous for to win the game in such dramatic fashion thanks to the goals from Teddy and Ole.

“Looking back, without doubt, we produced one of the biggest shocks in the history of football given how late we left it to turn the game around. Incredible memories for sure.”

Can you share some insight into what Sir Alex Ferguson was like to play for?

“When when you play for a great club like Manchester United, you do not become a great team without a great manager.

“That is what the boss was for us. He is the greatest manager of all time in my opinion.

“It was a privilege to work under him. He has been such a father figure to me and all of the players that played for him.

“He led the club with great distinction and never lowered his high-level demands or expectations. That was what made United so consistent and so great under him.

“I owe him a lot for taking me to Manchester United and for his guidance in my four years playing for him.”

You have spoken in the past about the pride you hold for your native Trinidad and Tobago and for the Caribbean. What was it like for you to lead out your country at the 2006 World Cup as a captain and where does that rank in your career highlights?

“It is up to there with my best moments especially when you think about our small country of Trinidad and Tobago reaching the World Cup, it is nothing short of remarkable.

“We are one of the smallest nations in World Cup history to reach the tournament which emphasises how big an achievement that was.

“I am incredibly patriotic and it was a remarkable feeling for me to captain my nation at a World Cup finals.

“I cannot tell you just how much it meant to me. A wonderful moment and one that I will never forget.”

Following the 2006 World Cup, you joined your former Manchester United captain, Roy Keane at Sunderland, where he was manager. You won the Championship title to return the club to the Premier League. What was your time on Wearside like?

“The year before the World Cup, I moved to Sydney FC in Australia and we won A-League in my season at the club, which was special.

“Then, the World Cup concluded and I received a call from Roy Keane asking me to return to England to join him at Sunderland in the Championship.

“I had never played in the Championship before so I was unsure of what to expect.

“However, I wanted to play for Roy and I agreed to join him. When I arrived, we were 23rd out of 24th in the league and I remember thinking, ‘What on earth have I let myself in for here at the grand old age of 35?’ (Laughs).

“That being said, I was Roy’s first signing and he made it clear to me that he had a plan to take the club forward.

“He wanted me to play for him to help the group on the pitch and also be a leader in the dressing room by becoming team captain.

“I played my part and we won the league title by April to cap the miracle off. I do not think anyone expected us to succeed so quickly under Roy especially as it was his first managerial job.

“It was a good feeling to return Sunderland to the Premier League and I enjoyed my time at the club.”

Was Roy Keane similar in personality as a manager to what you knew previously as a captain?

“There were some similarities, for sure. It was interesting to see him as a manager in his first job because I had known him as a teammate and as a captain.

“As a manager, he expected the highest of standards like those he was used to as a player. That led to him, at times, being frustrated at not working with the calibre of players that he was used to as a player. However, he adapted to that over time and was flexible to know how to get the best out of the group.

“When you are in management, you need to work be able to work with the hierarchy of the club as well as the players and staff.

“If you know Roy Keane like I have known him over the years, he is not always the best ‘people’ person. 

“That must have been challenging for him on a daily basis because he had to run the club from top to bottom which is completely different to being a captain.

“I believe that Roy would be best suited to international management because he would have the aura and respect of the players without having to manage them on a daily basis for a prolonged period of time.

“I think that would suit his style best particularly as he enjoys watching football as you can see with his punditry work now.

“International football would probably be the best of both worlds for him.”

Finally, Dwight, you have played at the highest level and won the Premier League and the Champions League as a player. Is that the level that you aspire to coach at in future?

“Going into management has always been an ambition of mine.

“In the past, I have been told that I do not have the experience to merit certain jobs, but without someone giving you an opportunity then how can you ever gain experience?

“Therefore, I am grateful to Macarthur for the opportunity to manage the club and I am building up the mileage as a coach.

“Of course, I want to coach at the highest level possible, like I did when I was a player.

“I am 50 years of age and I won’t be around forever so I want to prove myself as a manager and be the best that I can be.

“However, I am fully focused on my role here at Macarthur and I hope to achieve continued success here to help me on my way.”
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Tallman

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #444 on: January 21, 2023, 03:41:21 PM »
Dwight Yorke makes shock MacArthur FC departure
By Matt Comito (keepup.com)


Dwight Yorke is no longer head coach of Macarthur FC, with the club announcing his shock departure via mutual consent on Saturday, January 21.

Yorke vacates his position just 13 games into a two-year contract, with assistant coach Russell Latapy also leaving the club as part of the agreement.

The 51-year-old joined Macarthur ahead of the 2022-23 Isuzu UTE A-League season, in what was his first role as a senior head coach. The former Manchester United striker, who was a key piece in Sydney FC’s Isuzu UTE A-League championship-winning side in 2005-06, took the Bulls to five wins, two draws and six defeats through 13 rounds of the current campaign.

AAP reported Yorke held a meeting with Macarthur chairman Gino Marra on Saturday where, it was decided they would agree to mutually terminate his contract.

In a club statement, Marra thanked both Yorke and Latapy for their contribution to the club, which included the 2022 Australia Cup title clinched on October 1 against Sydney United 58 – Macarthur’s first piece of silverware.

“I would like to thank Dwight Yorke and his assistant Russell Latapy for their contribution towards our club and, in particular, Dwight leading Macarthur to our first silverware with our 2022 Australia Cup triumph, Marra said.

Yorke added: “I want to thank the chairman Gino Marra, CEO Sam Krslovic, all the ownership group as well as all the staff, fans of Macarthur FC.

“I leave the football club with a great team that will continue to challenge for more silverware.”

Confirmation of the departure came just hours after Paramount+ co-commentator Andy Harper sent the rumour mill spinning; on the broadcast in the aftermath of Western United’s 1-0 win over Sydney FC, Harper stated: “I’ve just got to drop this really quickly, I’m hearing news that Dwight Yorke has parted ways with Macarthur.”

Former Isuzu UTE A-League strikers Daniel McBreen and Scott McDonald, joining Harper on the telecast, then tried to make sense of the shock claim, and questioned where the former Trinidad and Tobago international would land next as he takes the next steps on his managerial journey.

“The rumour mill is going to start, isn’t it?” McBreen said.

“It comes straight off the back of another Sydney defeat… I’m sure if we got to Twitter now, it will be (in a) frenzy of rumours.”

McDonald added: “Absolutely, it’s a case of where’s he going? Because he doesn’t leave if he doesn’t have another job (lined up).

“He’s still young in terms of managerial career, in learning, wanting to do well so I don’t see him parting ways if he doesn’t have another job lined up.”
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Offline Tallman

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #445 on: January 22, 2023, 09:30:01 AM »
‘Pub team’: The dressing room spray that led to Yorke-Macarthur split
By Dan Walsh (Sydney Morning Herald)


A withering post-game address in which Dwight Yorke described Macarthur’s A-League Men’s side as a “pub team” was the catalyst for a mutual parting of ways between him and the club after just seven months as head coach.

Former Manchester United star Yorke’s time in charge of the Bulls ended abruptly on Saturday night, less than 24 hours after a 1-0 loss to Adelaide United on Friday.

Sources familiar with the dressing room spray, who spoke to the Herald on the condition of anonymity, said Yorke’s speech was delivered to Macarthur’s entire travelling squad, with chairman Gino Marra also witnessing the incident. CEO Sam Krslovic was also present for part of the dressing down.

The term “pub team” was used regarding a Macarthur team sitting sixth on the A-League ladder. Individual players are also understood to have been singled out for criticism by Yorke.

According to those with knowledge of the incident, Marra intervened and attempted to stop Yorke’s address as he took aim at the professionalism and standards accepted across the Macarthur playing group, the club and A-League in general.

Sources who were present in the Bulls’ dressing room said Yorke also referenced what he sees as a sub-standard culture across multiple levels of the game in Australia.

While Yorke’s dressing-room spray did not provide grounds for dismissal, it was followed up by a frank conversation between club officials and Yorke, with both parties agreeing to end the coach’s time at the club, effective immediately.

Marra declined to address the incident when approached on Sunday.

“We won’t be commenting on the circumstances of the mutual agreement reached between the club and Dwight Yorke on Saturday,” the Bulls chairman said in a statement.

“Our focus is only on the next chapter of the club and appointing a new coach who we hope will deliver more success to our supporters. We thank Dwight for his contribution to Macarthur FC and leading the club to the 2022 Australia Cup title.”

Attempts to contact Yorke on Sunday via his agent Lou Sticca were unsuccessful.

“Dwight is very proud of his time at Macarthur FC, winning the Australia Cup and qualifying for the Asian Champions League,” Sticca said. “He has full faith that the team will go from strength to strength.”

Yorke’s departure has prompted suggestions he is being lined up to take over from his old teammate Steve Corica as coach of Sydney FC.

Macarthur’s statement announcing Yorke’s early exit said the mutual separation would allow the 51-year-old to “pursue other opportunities”.

Corica has been in the crosshairs following seven losses in 13 games this season after missing the finals last year.

The Bulls position was Yorke’s first posting as a manager following a glittering playing career with Aston Villa and Manchester United in the English Premier League.

As Sydney FC’s marquee signing on a little less than $1 million a year, Yorke helped put the A-League on the map during its maiden 2005-06 season, with his announcement as Macarthur coach having a similar effect last year.

Within three months Yorke had helped deliver the Bulls’ first trophy when the club won the 2022 Australia Cup.

In stark contrast to Friday night’s dressing down of professionalism at the club and across the A-League, Yorke lauded Macarthur’s buy-in to his overhaul of the club.

“We changed a few things that weren’t here last year. And the response has been very positive,” Yorke told the Herald ’s Vince Rugari in an unpublished interview last October.

“You can’t want to be a professional outfit, and be successful, when you operate in an amateur way. If we are professional, we have to be professional all around. And so with that, at this level, that comes with professional responsibility, your diet, your food, your intake, all of that.

“The physio, the gym, all of that has to be part of the requirements. So those are things that needed to be changed ... it was very simple to change. We just needed the people who were running the organisation to understand what level we need to be at.

“Nothing is ever easy. But I think they understood in the end the requirements that they needed to match for me to do my job properly. To be fair to the owners they have produced the things that we asked them for.”
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Offline Deeks

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #446 on: January 22, 2023, 04:53:06 PM »
Welcome to reality of coaching a professional team.

Offline Peong

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #447 on: January 22, 2023, 09:07:08 PM »
So Latas out de door too I assume

Offline rastafari

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #448 on: January 23, 2023, 07:58:22 AM »
I thought black manager were not given a chance  :rotfl:
Jah bless rastafari

Offline davyjenny1

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Re: Dwight Yorke Official Thread
« Reply #449 on: January 24, 2023, 12:49:18 AM »
I think them fellas get another job that's why the plug was pulled
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