May insists he will be different from Hughes at Falkirk

Published on Tuesday 23 June 2009 22:10

EDDIE May has promised to bring a significant change of emphasis on and off the pitch at Falkirk after accepting the challenge of succeeding John Hughes as manager.

The appointment of May, who will be assisted by Steven Pressley and Alex Smith, was formally announced yesterday with Falkirk chairman Martin Ritchie expressing satisfaction at the continuity the new coaching team will bring to the structure of the club.

May, who has been head of Falkirk's highly successful youth academy for the past five years, is determined to build on the progress made at first team level during that period under the management of Hughes and his assistant Brian Rice. But the 41-year-old former Hibs, Falkirk, Motherwell and Dunfermline midfielder intends to achieve those aims in a markedly different style to Hughes.

May insists he will never become embroiled in the kind of clashes with match officials which regularly saw Hughes facing disciplinary action from the SFA. He also believes he can address the lack of a cutting edge on the pitch which often undermined Falkirk's otherwise admirable football under Hughes.

"You will never, ever see me on the sidelines barking at a referee or being disrespectful," said May. "I'll be respectful to every single person I deal with, on or off the park. That's how you get the best out of people.

"Falkirk have developed very well over the last five years under John and Brian. Now I've got the luxury of just getting the final third right. If I can do that, Falkirk will be better for it.

"You can have all the possession in the world, but if you don't get in crosses or shots at goal, you are not going to test anyone. We will defend properly and play football in the appropriate areas. You will never see my team kicking the ball up the park."

May's formal title is head coach as part of a revamped management structure which will also include a yet to be appointed head of football development and a new head of the football academy. Pressley, the 35-year-old Scotland coach who called time on his playing career after spending the latter half of last season with Falkirk, and 69-year-old former St Mirren, Aberdeen and Dundee United manager Smith will both be known as assistants to the head coach.

"Steven and Alex are fantastic people as well as coaches," said May. "They are the right people to help Falkirk develop. They will be very important, but ultimately it all stops with me. I make the final decision."

May admits his own coaching career has progressed more by accident than design but the offer to take charge at Falkirk did not come as a complete shock.

"I wasn't surprised, because I've had opportunities in the past to go elsewhere but never taken them," he explained.

"I didn't go because Falkirk have been good to me and I was in the middle of a project. The academy is still nowhere near the level of what we want it to achieve. It was a massive decision for me. I had to weigh up what was good for me."

May is in the process of sorting out the immediate futures of Falkirk's out of contract players ahead of the first team squad's return to training next Wednesday. His first game in charge will be the first leg of the Europa League second qualifying round tie against Vaduz at the Falkirk Stadium on 16 July.

"It's a bit of history, being the first man to lead Falkirk into Europe, and I thank John Hughes for that," said May.

May is hopeful of fending off predatory moves for talented youngsters such as captain Darren Barr, midfielder Scott Arfield and full-back Thomas Scobbie. He is certain he will not be faced with the prospect of new Hibs manager Hughes seeking to be re-united with any of them at Easter Road. "No, I don't think that will happen," he said. "It's Rod Petrie we are talking about and I've yet to know of Hibs spending a great deal of money.

"They produce their own football players and John is very lucky to be inheriting some of Scotland's best young players right now from the Hibs under-19 team.

"Darren Barr has a year left on his contract. I've spoken to him and he is very positive about it. He will remain as the captain."

MAY FACTFILE

1967: Born 30 August, Edinburgh.

1985: Signs for Hibernian, where he spends the next four years.

1989: Joins Brentford in a 165,000 deal.

1991: Signs for Falkirk, where he makes more than 200 appearances, twice winning promotion.

1995: Joins Motherwell.

1999: Moves to Dunfermline and enjoys another promotion.

2001: Joins Airdrie before moving to Australia to play for Western Suburbs.

2002: January – Back in Scotland with Berwick Rangers. July – Returns to Falkirk and is later appointed head of youth development.

2009: 23 June – Appointed Falkirk head coach.

WAIT FOR RICE

HIBS will have to wait until next week to formally appoint Brian Rice as No 2 to new manager John Hughes. There are loose ends still to be tied up at Falkirk and, with Hughes currently on holiday, Rice will be confirmed as Hibs assistant by the start of training next Thursday.