Collins delighted to be a Wallace disciple
11:01:39 AM Thu 10 November, 2005
Tony Greenberg
richmondfc.com.au
The chance to work with Terry Wallace was a key factor in Andy Collins’ decision to take on the coaching position at Richmond’s VFL affiliate the Coburg Tigers.
Collins has great admiration for Wallace, who was a teammate of his at Hawthorn during the 1980s.
“I actually spoke to Terry at the end of last year about a possible role with him . . . When the Coburg position became available recently, the opportunity to work with Terry was too enticing, so I rang him up and started the process rolling,” Collins said on SEN’s ‘Beva After Dark’ program.
“Terry was one player that definitely mentored me while I was at Hawthorn. You’ve got to remember that the Hawthorn players of the ‘80s were involved in the system for three or four years prior to playing a senior game. And, when I went down to Hawthorn in 1983, Terry was very established.
“I had the opportunity to do a lot of competitive work against him, and he used to tear the backside off me!
“People forget what a significant footballer Terry Wallace was. I learned a lot from competing against him at training and maintained a good relationship with him over the years . . .”
Collins, 40, will combine his part-time Coburg Tigers coaching role with his full-time position as Career and Welfare Manager at Cricket Victoria.
“It will be a bit busy, but I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said.
“Probably 95% of sporting coaches actually do it on a part-time basis . . . They’re coaching in their own time, outside their working hours. Most of these people are very good time managers, and that’s the key.
“With regards to my football structure, it’s really important that I have a very good support staff, and that’s something I bring to the table straight away in the Coburg role.
“A lot of the staff from Box Hill (where Collins coached for the past two seasons) are coming over with me, and they’ve all agreed to support me in my coaching endeavors at Coburg.”
Although Collins sees his career future in sports administration, he is extremely keen to maintain his involvement in football.
“People think you’re a bit crazy when you go into the coaching caper . . . I love footy and I think I will be involved in the game until I die,” Collins said.
“With coaching, while I’ve got the capabilities and, hopefully, the skills set to do it, I’ll continue to pursue that.
“In the years to come, when I can’t run around, and I have no desire to coach, or no-one wants me, I’d like to think that I can still be involved in some capacity at a footy club. They’re great places, footy clubs . . . Every footballer misses playing when they retire, but this (coaching) is the next best thing, and it’s a great challenge.
“I will take a lot of my experiences from all the clubs that I’ve been with and, hopefully, I’ll be a better coach for it at Coburg . . .”
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