Andy Murray’s mother, Judy Murray, firmly agreed with Macclesfield FC coach Robbie Savage, who urged ex-footballers to gain coaching experience at lower levels. She insisted that the same principle should apply to tennis players looking to enter coaching.
In his recent column for Football 365, Savage emphasized the importance of starting at grassroots levels to build essential coaching skills and gain a deeper understanding of team management. The 50-year-old highlighted his own experience in lower-tier football, describing the conditions as “tougher and less forgiving”.
“So despite this being my first year as a senior manager, none of this is new to me. I’ve earned my stripes away from the spotlight, where the environment is a lot more unforgiving than it is on the bigger stages,” Savage said.
The Welshman added that players shouldn’t assume their playing careers alone make them eligible for top managerial roles.
“I really believe that other ex-pros should learn the coaching trade down here. Too many think that because they played a bit, they have the right to turn their nose up at any level below the Championship or EFL. Then they are surprised when they struggle in jobs they might not have earned because they haven’t experienced what managing people and players is really like,” he added.
