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Woodward reiterates first-team desire

26/09/2005

Sir Clive Woodward has today insisted he does want to eventually take on a first-team coaching role in football but he admits he is not quite ready for the rigours of the job just yet.

The Southampton performance director has been the subject of much speculation since leaving rugby union for the south coast Championship football team but has rarely actually spoken of his goals in the game.

This in turn, has led to rumours of a possible split from the club for current Saints manager Harry Redknapp, who has resigned from jobs previously because of overhead interference.

And today's comments made by Sir Clive to the Times will not make for particularly settling reading for Redknapp, as they imply, in no uncertain terms, that Sir Clive could be working with the first team before the end of this current campaign.

"I would love to work with the first team, but that wouldn't be for months," Sir Clive said.

"I have made no secret of the fact that one day I would like to be in the position to be a manager.

"I have given myself ten years in football. But I won't know that for sure until I am fully qualified. From today, that is going to take me three years to get my Uefa pro licence."

Sir Clive, who has been working with the club's youth teams since being been brought to Southampton by chairman Rupert Lowe, did add he is of no immediate threat to Redknapp.

"I am learning. I do the structural work that Harry and 95 per cent of managers don't have time for because they have to worry about results," he added.

"I am absolutely no threat to Harry, the complete opposite. I'm not an idiot and I would not allow a situation where I undermine him. At the moment my desk is in Harry's office and I just sit and watch."

For precisely how long the rugby World Cup-winning coach does actually simply "sit and watch" is unknown but many pundits are predicting a sooner-rather-than-later front office arrival of one of British sport's biggest names.

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