Popular Sheffield Wednesday coach reveals long-term managerial aim
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But the Sheffield Wednesday academy coach, who stepped in to the role of first team boss on Saturday when caretaker manager Neil Thompson was ruled out with a positive coronavirus test, hinted that it may be something that he’d like to return to in the long-term.
The 36-year-old, a former Huddersfield Town player of the year, called time on a distinguished full-time playing career a little early to make the transition into coaching and worked as a youth coach at Barnsley before making the move to Wednesday in 2018.
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Hide AdA popular figure at the club, Holdsworth has played his part in the development of several of the Owls’ youngsters, including man of the moment Liam Shaw and Alex Hunt.
Asked whether he had been able to enjoy the experience of guiding the first team to a 2-0 FA Cup success at Exeter City, he said: “It’s a great experience. It’s tough, it was only two days but it’s tough with all the logistics that go with it.
“But it’s managing a team, it’s what we do every week anyway, managing the under-23s, it’s no different. The only difference is that there are older players out there and some of them are on a lot more money than the other ones. But the same principles apply.
“It’s what we’ve been working out whole lives and careers for, really.”
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Hide AdWould a long-term move into first team management be something that would interest Holdsworth?
He said: “It’s something that you want to do. Listen, I’ve been in football a long time, from a player to a coach that’s what I’ve always wanted to do.
“I’d never say never, being a first team manager. But I’m a million miles off it, I’m way off it at this moment in time, but it’s somewhere I want to get to at some point.
“This experience will prove to be a gain. I’ve got an under-18s FA Youth Cup game on Friday night at Leicester. Then we take that on Friday night and if we get through that, we’re back here with the under-18s again.”