Jonathan Gould has taken up a coaching post in New Zealand according to the Sunday Times. The former Hereford United (and Celtic) goalkeeper is aiming to crave out a coaching career and hopes it will enable him to follow in father Bobby?s footsteps. He has joined Hawkes Bay United.
Bluewater stadium is his new home. However even there, halfway round the world, old loyalties forged in Glasgow are hard to shake off.
"All the other doors are painted blue, but I wanted green and I got it," said Gould.
The club made an unhappy start to the season and Gould, who joined them as youth development officer, has now taken over as coach in a bid to revive their fortunes. He flew out to New Zealand last summer with wife Emma, children Matthew, 11, and nine-year-old Louise, and even the family?s border terrier, Myrtle, whose fare cost more than any of the rest of the family.
"I want to become a manager one day. I thought this was a good place to learn my trade and make my mistakes away from the spotlight in Britain. It is also a great place to bring up my kids for the next few years."
He has also decided at 37 to hang up his gloves and focus full-time on coaching. Gould once claimed he would carry on until he was 40 but he now insists:
"If you are wise you recognise the signals at the various stages of your career. I realised I had to change my direction when I knew I would never really play again at the very top level after I had taken part in Henrik Larsson's benefit game at Celtic Park. I knew in my heart then I wasn't up to it, even though I was still playing with Preston.
"I had a row with Craig Brown there, and when Billy Davies took over he showed loyalty to Craig and we decided to part. I played with Hereford in the Conference League and then with Bristol City. I did have offers from other league clubs in Britain, but the idea of moving to New Zealand became a growing attraction. I'd had nearly two decades of driving up and down motorways and playing with various clubs all over the country and I'd had enough. I'd also seen a fair bit of the world with Celtic and I realised there were other places than Britain to live."
Gould believes he can help turn his club around and scoffs at the theory that goalkeepers never make good coaches.
"I never looked on myself primarily as a keeper, I was a frustrated striker. Anyway, I'd rather play attacking football than defensive any day."
Text at top (next game etc)
Next Game: Rushall At Home In The League On Saturday 30th November At 3.00pm